Improvements in Railway Crossing Signals and Barriers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1891-Accepted, 11th July. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Crossing Signals and Barriers.
I EDWARD SAMUEL COOK of Beulah House 274 South Lambeth Road Surrey,
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to improved method of signalling on railways and appliances
connected for electrically operating same and is chiefly intended for use at level
crossing and other dangerous places over which persons are permitted to pass.
For the purpose of the invention I employ a star or other like wheel having say,
eight teeth, which is rotated under the action of a falling weight, but which can be
retarded for intermittent or step by step rotation controlled by an escapement or
pallet an arm of which has vibration in one direction when an armature is attracted
to a magnet of any kind and in the other direction on a break occurring the arm
then being held by a depending rod on the opposite end of the armature which is
pivotted for the purpose.
The star or other wheel has a semaphore arm or signal in connection and as the
wheel is rotated stepwise the semaphore blade moves with it and may be so arranged
that it obstructs the path leading to the level crossing.
I purpose making the signalling automatically from the movements of a train to
prevent accidents.
At say
For instance an approaching train at a distance of a quarter mile could make
electrical contact by pressing a plate; this would permit the star wheel to escape
one tooth by the action of the magnet and would bring the semaphore to an angle
of 45° from the vertical and so that it could be seen by any person near.
400 yrds. the train could break the electrical contact and the semaphore would move
to a right angle with the vertical and be across the path. The train would then
pass the crossing and by acting on another plate would remake a contact for the
semaphore to drop to 45° from the horizontal and then again to a hanging or clear
position.
The semaphore may be balanced so that the action of the magnet and armature
shall move across the path by the approach of a train and be freed electrically by
the train after passing the level crossing.
Dated this 17th day of November 1800.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Samuel Cook.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Crossing Signals and Barriers.
1, EDWARD SAMUEL COOK, of Beulah House, 274 South Lambeth Road,
Surrey, Accountant, 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 improvements in railway crossing signals and barriers,
and is chiefly intended for use at level crossings, and other dangerous places over
which persons are permitted to pass.
For the purpose of the invention, and as will be understood by the annexed
drawings, Figures 1 and 2, I employ a wheel having say, eight teeth, or two
wheels A, B, of four teeth each, which when rotated under the action of a falling
weight C can be retarded for intermittent or step by step rotation controlled in one

page_text: direction by an escapement D, when an armature F is attracted to a magnet G and
in the other direction by the stop D' on a break occurring.
The star, or other wheel has a semaphore arm or signal I in connection, and as
the wheel A or B is rotated stepwise, the semaphore blade I moves with it, and
may be so arranged that it obstructs the path leading to the level crossing, as at
Figure 3.
purpose making the signalling automatically from the movements of a train to
prevent accidents.
For instance-An approaching train at a distance of a quarter mile could make
electrical contact by pressing a plate, (not shown) this would permit the star wheel
to escape (A or B) one tooth by the action of the magnet G and would bring the
semaphore I to an angle of 45°, see Figure 2, from the vertical and so that it could
be seen by any person near. At say, 400 yards, the train could break the electrical
contact by pressure on the plate J, and the semaphore I would move to a right
angle with the vertical, as at Figure 3, and be across the path. The train would
then pass the crossing, and by acting on another plate, K would re-make electrical
contact for the semaphore to drop to 45° from the horizontal and then again to a
hanging or clear position.
The semaphore is balanced, so that the action of the magnet G and armature F
shall move it across the path by the approach of a train and be freed electrically
by the train after passing the level crossing.
The semaphore blade not required for exposure may be within a screen or box L,.
Figure 3, on which a notification of the working of the signal can be seen to warn
pedestrians.
This system of signalling at level crossings may be in connection with the usual
lamp signals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
The method of and apparatus for electrically effecting warning signals at level
crossings of railways, as hereinbefore described and substantially as shown by the
annexed drawings.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Samuel Oook.