improvements in Rallway og Appalavu.
Year: 1885

page_text: improvements in Rallway og Appalavu.
We, JOSEPH TOMLINSON Junior of 64 Priory Road, West Hampstead, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and AUSTIN CHAMBERS of 214 Marylebone Road
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALLING APPARATUS to be as
follows:-
"
This invention relates to apparatus having for object to render it impossible for
a railway signalman to take off a signal without the concurrence or co-operation
of a second person, and to enable the signal to automatically assume the danger
attitude or to be placed in that attitude by one person without the concurrence of
another. This second person may as well understood be a signalman at the station
in advance when the line is worked upon the block system, or may be a station
master or other official upon whom the duty of allowing the signal to be taken off
devolves.
"
The invention has reference to means for making and breaking the physical
connection between the signalman's lever and the semaphore arm or its equivalent;
so that the motion of the lever may have no effect upon the arm or its equivalent
which is normally "on or at danger, unless the two be connected by the action of
a second person as above mentioned. This connection is effected as hereinafter
described by aid of an electric current flowing in a circuit which can be completed
and interrupted as desired.
When the circuit is completed the current flows, and through the intermediary
of an electro-magnet maintains the connection of the lever and arm or its
equivalent. When the circuit is broken the current ceases, the magnet loses its
power and the working connection ceases. The mechanism by which the physical
connection and disconnection is effected may be situated near the lever or near
the semaphore arm or its equivalent or at any intermediate point between the two.
If it be placed near the semaphore arm or its equivalent it may be conveniently.
arranged on the "pulling off" rod connected to the arm or signalling device..
In such case this rod is made in two independent parts each capable of end- -
wise motion. One part carries an electro-magnet and the other carries the
armature of such magnet. When the coil is traversed by a current the magnet.
will attract its armature and thus whilst the current continues to flow the two
parts of the rod will be connected and if the signalman pulls his lever (which is
attached or connected to the one part of the rod) whilst the current is flowing
the effect will be to lower or place the signal in the safety attitude.
3

page_text: If the signalman pulls his lever when the current is not flowing, the two parts of
the rod will not be connected and the signal will not be operated. If whilst the
signal is lowered the electric circuit be broken the signal will automatically resume
the danger attitude. If the apparatus be arranged near the lever, it is essentially
the same as that above described but modified to suit the altered position.
As with certain known arrangements of signalling apparatus, the current which
excites the magnet may also operate a visual or audible signal to inform the signal-
man and the current may be broken in more than one place so that the concurrent
action of two or more persons may be necessary to effect the physical connection.
Such apparatus may also be used in conjunction with or independently of
electrical signalling apparatus of various known or suitable kinds.
It will be evident that assuming a signal to be lowered either the person in
charge of it or the person at a distance will be able with this apparatus to cause
the signal to assume the danger attitude.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Applicants' Agent.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
We, JOSEPH TOMLINSON, Junior, of 64 Priory Road, West Hampstead, in the 2
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and AUSTIN CHAMBERS of 214 Marylebone Road in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus having for object to render it impossible for a 2
railway signalınan to take off a signal without the concurrence or co-operation of a
second person, and to enable the signal to automatically assume the danger attitude
or to be placed in that attitude by one person without the concurrence of another.
This second person may as is well understood, be a signalman at the station in advance
when the line is worked upon the block system, or may be a station master or 3
other official upon whom the duty of allowing the signal to be taken off devolves.
The invention has reference to means for making and breaking the physical con-
nection between the signalman's lever and the semaphore arm or its equivalent; s0
that the motion of the lever may have no effect upon the arm or its equivalent
which is normally "on or at danger, unless the two be connected by the action of 3
a second person. as above-mentioned. This connection is effected as hereinafter
"

page_text: described by aid of an electric current flowing in a circuit which can be completed
and interrupted as desired.
When the circuit is completed the current flows, and through the intermediary
of an electro-magnet maintains the connection of the lever and arm or its equivalent.
When the circuit is broken the current ceases, the magnet loses its power and the
working connection ceases. The mechanism by which the physical connection and
disconnection is effected may be situated near the lever or near the semaphore arm
or its equivalent or at any intermediate point between the two.
If it be placed near the semaphore arm or its equivalent may be conveniently
arranged on the "pulling off" rod connected to the arm or signalling device.
In such case this rod is made in two independent parts, each capable of end wise
motion. One part carries an electro-magnet and the other carries the armature of
such magnet. When the coil is traversed by a current and the magnet is in contact
with its armature the two will be rigidly held together whilst the current continues
to flow, and if the signalman pulls his lever (which is attached or connected to the
one part of the rod) whilst the current is flowing the effect will be to lower or place
the signal in the safety attitude.
If the signalman pulls his lever when the current is not flowing, the two parts
of the rod will not be connected and the signal will not be operated. If whilst
the signal is lowered the electric circuit be broken the signal will automatically
resume the danger attitude.
If the apparatus be arranged near the lever, it is essentially the same as that
above described but modified to suit the altered position.
.
As with certain known arrangements of signalling apparatus, the current which
excites the magnet or which causes the magnet circuit to be completed, may also
operate a visual or audible signal to inform the signalıman and the current may be
broken in more than one place so that the concurrent action of two or more persons
may be necessary to effect the physical connection.
Such apparatus may also be used in conjunction with or independently of elec-
trical signalling apparatus of various known or suitable kinds.
It will be evident that assuming a signal to be lowered either the person in
charge of it or the person at a distance will be able with this apparatus to cause
the signal to assume the danger attitude.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings Fig. 1 is a front
elevation of apparatus embodying this invention shown within a case or box the
front cover of which is removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section in the line A. B
Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation to a smaller scale of a semaphore arm and post with
apparatus according to our invention applied thereto. 1 and 2 are two independent
rods constituting together a "pulling off" rod for working a signal 3; each rod
is capable of end wise movement through openings at 4 in a box or case 5. 6 is
an electro-magnet secured to the rod 1 and 7 is its armature secured to the rod 2.
9 and 10 are metallic plates fixed to the sides of the box or case 5; to them are fastened
the ends of the electric leads 11 forming part of the electric circuit the making or
breaking of which is under the control of a second person (or of more than one) as
herein before stated. 12, 12 are contact strips or brushes of metal, such as brass,
each secured at one end to an insulated plate or piece 13 carried by the rod 1
whilst the other end of each strip or brush is in rubbing contact with one of the
plates 9 or 10 as shown. 14-14 are additional contact strips or brushes of sheet
steel arranged as springs so as to bear upon the plates 9 and 10 and ensure good
electrical contact therewith. The two ends of the magnet coils are electrically con-
nected to the insulated plates or pieces 13. In lieu of the contact strips or
brushes 12 and 14, metallic spirals, capable of extending and contracting may be
employed to electrically connect the coils of the electro-magnet 6 with the electric
leads 11. 15 is a rod secured to the rod 1 and taking into a hole formed in the
rod 2 as indicated in dotted lines; it serves to guide the electro-magnet to and
from its armature when the rod 1 is operated by the signalman and the magnet
and armature are not physically connected by the action of an electric current.

page_text: In practice it will usually be found advantageous to place the electro-magnet 6,
in a local relay circuit which is opened or closed in a manner well understood by
the action of a second person opening or closing a primary or line circuit.
:
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-If the electro-magnet circuit be com-
pleted the electro-magnet 6 and armature 7 will be rigidly held together by
magnetic force and if the signalman then pulls his lever, which is connected to the
rod 1 by any of the ordinary methods, the signal will be lowered or placed in the
safety attitude. If however the electro-maguet circuit be not completed the two.
parts of the pulling-off rod will not be held together and if the signalman pulls his
lever at such a time the rod 1 and magnet 6 will be drawn down without affecting
the rod 2 and semaphore arm which will then be and remain in the normal or
danger attitude. If whilst the signal is lowered the circuit be broken for any
reason the signal will be automatically returned to the danger attitude by the
usual means. To enable the signalman to know when the electric circuit is com-
pleted, the current may be caused to operate a visual or audible signal in the
signalman's cabin in a manner well understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
In railway signalling apparatus the use for effecting directly by magnetic force
the physical connection between a signal operating lever and a semaphore arm or
equivalent signalling device of an electro-maguet and an armature applied arranged
and operating substantially in the manner hereinabove described with reference to
the drawings.