Improvements in Lever Apparatus for Actuating Railway Points and Signals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Apparatus for Actuating Railway Points and
Signals.
I, LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS of Darlington Works, Southwark Bridge
Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in lever apparatus for actuating railway points
and signals relates to mechanism or apparatus by which the points of crossings and
junctions are operated from the signal box, and has for its object to enable the
signalman by the use of a single hand lever to operate-in the case of a shunt
crossing between two lines of rails-the crossing points and signals connected to
them or, in the case of a junction of two lines of rails-to operate also by means
of a single hand lever the branch points and semaphore or other signals connected
therewith.
In a single hand lever apparatus for operating a shunt crossing between two lines
of rails constructed according to this invention, an ordinary hand lever is connected
to the points in the usual manner, and has on each side of it--preferably on the
same axis a bell crank lever one arm of which is connected to a dwarf signal at
the points whilst the other arm, or a projection on its end, is capable of being slid
by a suitable guide operated by the signalman into the path of the hand lever so
that, when the hand lever is pulled over through a part of its traverse sufficient to
actuate the point cams, it engages with the said bell crank lever and carries it
through the remainder of its traverse and thereby causes the dwarf signal to
indicate that the crossing is open. On the signal lever guides is a stop which,
when neither signal lever is in an operative position prevents the point lever being
operated.
In a modification of the above described arrangement a movable projection is
attached to the point or other lever which may be moved into the path of either
signal lever to permit of either signal being operated as desired.
My apparatus for operating branch points and signals is somewhat similar to that
first described for shunt crossings; but instead of an arm of the hand point lever
being connected directly to the branch points a separate bell crank lever is inter-
posed between it and the branch signal lever, one arm being connected to the points
while the other terminates in a clutch or clip which may be caused to clip the hand
lever when it is required to operate the points, the lever for operating the branch
signal being actuated by the point lever as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Sixth day of October 1890.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Apparatus for Actuating Railway Points and
Signals.
I LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS of Darlington Works, Southwark Bridge
Road, in the County of Surrey, 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 for improvements in apparatus for actuating railway points and
signals relates to mechanism or apparatus by means of which the points of crossings

page_text: and junctions are operated from the signal box, and has for its object to enable the
signalman by the use of a single hand lever to operate-in the case of a shunt
crossing between two lines of rails- the crossing points and their signals or, in the
case of a junction of two lines of rails-to operate also by means of a single hand
lever the branch points and their semaphore or other signals.
Referring to the accompanying six sheets of illustrative drawings :—
Fig. 1 represents in perspective a single hand lever apparatus for operating the
points and signals of a shunt crossing between two lines of rails constructed
according to this invention.
"
An ordinary hand lever a is connected through the arm and point rode to the
points in the usual manner, and has on each side of it a jointed bell crank lever, the
arm d of one being connected to the " up" and the arme of the other to the "down'
point signal through the connections and 17. The other arms h, i of the bell crank
jointed at k, work in guides m on the sliding barn which is caused by means of
the lever o and crank p to place either of the arms h, i in the path of the lever a
so that when it is pulled over sufficiently to actuate the point cams it engages with
the armor and carries it through the remainder of its traverse, and thereby
causes the signal to indicate that the crossing is open. To the sliding barn is
secured a stop which, when neither signal lever is in an operative position prevents
the lever a from being operated.
Fig. 2 represents a modification of the above described arrangement in which the
arms h, of the signal bell crank lever instead of being jointed are bent over as
shown, a sliding tongue or T piece r on the lever a being projected into the path
of either of the arms h, i by the eccentrics to ensure either being operated as
desired.
Fig. 3 represents another modification of Fig. 1 in which an arm on the spindle s
rotating in bearings t, u on the point lever a is turned by means of the handle v
into such a position that when the lever a is pulled over it comes into engagement
with one of the arms h, i of the signal levers and operates the corresponding signal
as desired.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the lever a showing the arm with stop lugs wx for
abutting against the side of the lever a to prevent its further rotation.
Fig. 5 represents another modification of Fig. 1 in which a separate hand lever h
is employed for operating the signal mechanism. The lever his mounted in a
notched boss on a standard % secured to the frame and is connected by the rod m
to the lever d, e mounted on the axis n, one arm & being connected to the "up" and
the other e to the down signal. On the rod m is a notched plate o in which works
the tappet p having a notch g so that in the position shown the signal mechanism is
inoperative. When however the lever a is pulled over so that the notches
and r
coincide, the signal mechanism may be operated by means of the lever / the plate o
passing into the notch in the tappet. It will be obvious that the lever / may be
arranged in a vertical or other position if preferred, and that the upper and lower
part of the blade o may be made of different sections, and the tappet p provided with
two notches to enable two sets of signals to be operated, one when the points are
open and the other when they are closed.
q
"
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement similar in its action to that shown in Fig. 5. The
weighted levers d h and ei have their arms d, e connected to the "up" and "down
shunt signals, their other arms hi being connected to pedal rods k,l. When the
lever a is pulled over to operate the points the rods k, are opposite to the
notches m, n in the tappeto and their upper parts are also opposite the spring
catches p on the lever a. When either pedal rod is depressed to operate a signal
it passes the corresponding notch in the tappeto and at the same time the spring
catch pis projected over the top of the said pedal rod and prevents its rising until the
catch is removed thus effectually locking the point lever in position.
Fig. 7 represents an arrangement of single lever apparatus for operating the
points and signals at a junction of two lines of rails:-
The hand point lever a is mounted between two hinged bell crank levers the

page_text: lever be being connected to the main line sigual while the lever de is connected
through the rod to the branch points. Either of the arms c, e are put into
engagement with the lever a by means of the sliding bar g operated by the lever h
as is clearly shown. On the side of the lever de is mounted a lever i connected to
the branch signal, their bosses being formed with clutch faces having a certain
amount of freedom for. independent rotation as shown by the opening k so that
when the arme is in engagement with the lever a they may be pulled through an
angle sufficient to actuate the branch points cam before operating the branch
signal.
It will readily be seen that when the arm c is in engagement with the lever a the
main line signal only is operated. Instead of the clutch on the faces of the bosses
of the arms d, i the lever i may be replaced by a bell crank lever similar to ie in
Fig. 2 for engaging with the arm e.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iuven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :---
In lever apparatus for actuating the points and signals of a crossing between two
lines of rails or junctions.
1° The employment in combination with an ordinary point lever of levers for
operating the signals and either of which is capable of being operated in conjunction
with the point lever, the whole arranged, constructed and operated substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings.
2° The combination of the point lever a and signal levers arranged, constructed
and operated substantially as described with reference to Fig. 2, or to Figs. 3 and 4,
or to Figs. 5, or to Fig. 6 of the drawings, and for the purpose specified.
3° The employment of single lever apparatus for actuating the points and signals
at the junction of two lines of rails (such as a main and branch line) arranged,
constructed and operated substantially as described-with reference to Fig. 7 of the
drawings.
Dated this 30th day of June 1891.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.