Improvements in Railway Signals and Switches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOSEPH RITNER JONES, No. 326, North
31st Street, Philadelphia, Supervisor of Switches and Signals, JOSHUA
WIESTLING JONES, No. 214, North 3rd Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin
County, Capitalist, and THOMAS ABRAHAM JONES, No. 326, North
31st Street, Philadelphia, Assistant Supervisor of Switches and Signals, all
in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.]
Improvements in Railway Signals and Switches.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 railway signals and switches which are adapted to be
positively operated by means of connections independent of the primary or switch
levers, thus allowing of expansion or contraction, due to heat or cold and providing
compensation for such expansion or contraction and also preventing breakage of
the parts and derangement of the same, any tampering therewith being announced
to the operator in the box or elsewhere.
In the accompanying drawings;
Figures 1 and 2 represent side elevations of railway signals embodying this
invention.
Figure represents a perspective view of a detached portion thereof, on an
enlarged scale.
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of a portion of a railway switch operating
apparatus embodying this invention.
Figure 5 represents a top or plan view of another portion of the same.
Figure 6 represents a top or plan view of the driver of the switch.
Figure
represents a bottom plan view of the slide of the switch, said slide
being engaged by said driver.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A designates a stand, and B designates a lever mounted thereon. Pivotally
connected with the lower end of said lever is a rod C, which is in turn pivotally
connected with a clutch or grip D, the latter consisting of an annular or other
shaped block, which is mounted on a traveller E, and having its upper end or
limb F so disposed that the chain G may pass freely through the space between
said limb and the adjacent side of the traveller.
On the base of the stand A, is a post or standard H, on which is freely fitted
the traveller E, the latter thus being adapted to be raised and lowered on said
standard.
The upper portion of the chain G passes around the pulley J, and carries on its
end the weight K, while said chain after passing through the traveller Ę is guided
under a pulley L, and connected with the T-shaped lever M, which is mounted on
the standard or signal post N.
The pulley L is supported on the road bed adjacent to the base of the stand A,
and the standard N has the signal arm P mounted upon it, one limb of said arm
having the rod Q connected with it, and said rod being connected with the weighted
lever R, which has its axis on the standard N.
S designates rods which are attached to the weighted lever R, and to the

page_text: T-shaped lever M, whereby the motion of said lever M may be communicated
to said lever R, and the signal arm P accordingly moved or set as desired.
The operation is as follows, the normal position of parts being shown in
Figure 1.
When the lever B is moved in the direction of the arrow, the rod C is raised,
whereby the head F of the clutch D is pressed towards the chain G, and the latter
held tightly against the traveller E. As the clutch rises with the rod C, the
traveller is also raised, and the chain as clutched is carried up, whereby said chain
positively operates the T-shaped lever M, and consequently drops or lowers the
signal arm P.
The slack of the portion of the chain above the traveller is taken up by the
weight K.
When the lever B is moved in the opposite direction, the rod C lowers, whereby
the clutch and traveller and adjacent portion of the chain follows the same, and the
clutch is drawn outwardly, whereby the chain is fully released, and the arm P is
raised to danger, as it exists in Figure 1.
It will be seen that the chain passes freely through the traveller, and is uncon-
trolled by either said traveller or the clutch D, it being however held taut by the
weight K. Should however, the chain contract, it rides freely over its guiding
pulleys, and the weight K is overcome, and rises. Should the chain expand, it will
ride freely over its guiding pulley, and the weight draws out the same, so as to take
up the slack.
A compensation is thus made for expansion or contraction of the chain, due to
heat or cold, strain is removed from the parts with which the chain is connected,
and breakage of the same is prevented.
In Figure 2 are shown two pulleys T, T, in lieu of the T-shaped lever M, and
there are connected with the rods S the chains U.
In this case, the travellers are two in number as at E', and each of the chains
passes through one of the travellers, it being noticed that each traveller has a
clutch V mounted upon it, and the lever B₁ has two rods C¹ connected with it,
said rods being attached respectively to the clutches V, so that either of the
chains U may be operated in order to impart motion to the weighted lever R for
lowering or raising the signal arm.
Should either chain or connection be cut or broken, when the signal arm is at
danger, the said arm, does not change its position, and should the signal arm be
lowered, and the chains or connections be cut or broken, the weighted arm will set
said arm at danger, the effect of which is evident.
In lieu of the chain or chains, I may use a wire or wires, cord or cords, or
the like.
Should either chain or wire break, the spring W is employed to counteract the
weight of the other chain or wire, and thus cause the weighted lever to place the
signal arm at danger.
The traveller is stair-shaped, so that the chain passing the same may be firmly
gripped by the teeth or angles presented by said traveller.
Referring to Figures 4 to 7, A designates a stand, and B designates an operating
lever mounted thereon, said lever having two limbs B2 and B³.
C² designates a rod which is pivotally connected with the limb B2 and a
clutch V
C³ designates a rod which is pivotally connected with the limb B³ and a
clutch V2
Each of said clutches consists of an angular or other shaped piece of metal or
other suitable material, the clutch V being mounted on the traveller E, and the
clutch V2 being mounted on the traveller E³, said travellers consisting of blocks or
pieces of metal or other material having serrated or angular sides for purposes
hereinafter explained.
The traveller E is freely fitted on the post H', and the traveller E³ is fitted on
the post H2, said posts being suitably supported.

page_text: G¹ designates a chain which is guided on the roller L' and passes between the
clutch Vand the traveller E2, and has its upper end supported on and guided by
a roller L' and carrying a weight K.
G2 designates a chain which is guided on the roller L³, and passes between the
clutch V2 and traveller E³, and has its upper end supported on and guided by the
roller L and carrying a weight K².
The chains G' and G2 are connected by the rods G³ G, with the chain G³, which
passes around the pulley W, and is attached to one end of the lever X, the other
end whereof is connected with the driver Y, said pulley, lever and driver being
properly mounted on the road bed.
The driver consists of a sliding bar having inclined faces Z on opposite sides, the
same being adapted to engage with shoulders or rollers A' on the slide B', the
latter being connected with the movable rails of a switch, it being evident that
when the driver is operated, it imparts motion to the slide B and consequently
moves the switch rails.
The driver is also connected with the lever C which is attached by the link D'
with the detector bar E' so that the operation of the driver will impart motion to
said bar.
It will be seen that when the lever B is operated, the relative clutch is moved
so as to force the adjacent chain against the teeth or angles on the sides of the
traveller, thus tightly holding said chain. The traveller now rises and carries with
it the chain as clutched, thus positively imparting motion to the lever X, the
driver Y and slide B4, and consequently setting the switch in the open or closed
position as desired.
When the lever B is rotated in the reverse direction, the first named chain is
released and the other chain is clutched, and thus the switch is operated in the
opposite direction and thus closed or opened as desired.
It will be seen that either of the chains passes freely between the respective
clutch and traveller, and hangs freely on the pulley L, whereby it is kept taut by
the weight on the end thereof.
Should the chain contract the same rides on said pulley L, and its weight is
overcome. Should however the chain expand due to heat, it will ride on the pulley
and have its slack taken up by the weight.
A compensation is thus made for contraction or expansion of the chain or chains,
due to heat or cold, whereby the chain or chains and connected parts are relieved
of strain, and breakage of the same is prevented.
In describing the chains G and G2 as such, a portion of the same may consist of
rods G, G', without producing different results.
In lieu of the rods G³, G, I may use pipes, cords, chains or other connections
without producing different results from those stated.
It will also be noticed that should there be any tampering with the switch, the
connections G³, G', will be disturbed, and this fact will be communicated to
the operator in the box or elsewhere, wherein the stand A is located owing to
the movement of the weights K¹ and K², due to such disturbance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. A signal arm in combination with an operating lever, a traveller, a clutch
block pivotally mounted on said traveller a weighted connection from said signal
arm, adapted to be engaged by said block and traveller, a pulley over which the
weighted end of the connection runs, and connecting mechanism for said operating
lever and said clutch block, said parts being combined substantially as described.
2nd. A signal arm, an operating lever, a traveller movable on a standard, and a
clutch block pivotally mounted on said traveller, a weighted connection from said
signal arm adapted to run between the traveller and the block and be clamped by
said parts, a pulley over which the weighted end of said connection runs attaching

page_text: mechanism for said weighted connection, intermediate of said connection and signal
arm, and mechanism substantially as described connecting said operating lever and
clutch block, said parts being combined substantially as set forth.
3rd. In a signal, a weighted connection for the operating lever and signal arm,
and a pulley over which the weighted end of said connection passes, in combination
with a clutch to which said lever is attached said clutch being formed of a traveller,
a post on which said traveller is supported, and a block which is pivotally mounted
on said traveller, said block and traveller having a space between them, in which
said weighted connection is adapted to move, the operation being substantially as
described.
4th. A signal arm having one end connected with a weighted lever, mechanism
connected with a weighted chain for operating said arm, an operating lever, and
à clutch block pivoted to a vertically movable traveller, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
5th. A signal arm, a weighted connection attached to said signal arm and the
operating lever, a pivoted clutch block and a traveller which supports said block
and a standard on which said traveller is movable, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
6th. A signal arm, an operating lever with a clutch block attached thereto, a
traveller on which said block is mounted, a weighted connection of the operating
lever and signal arm passing between said block and traveller, and adapted to be
clamped by said parts, the spring W and mechanism consisting of rods and levers
attaching said spring and connection to the signal arm, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
7th. A signal arm, a weighted lever connected by a rod to oue end of said arm,
the rods S and lever M connected with said weighted lever for operating the same,
the weighted chain G connected by spring W to said lever M, an operating lever
and a clutch mechanism connected therewith for clamping said weighted chain, said
parts being combined substantially as described.
8th. The connection G of a signal arm, in combination with the rising and
falling traveller E, the clutch D mounted on said traveller, the lever B and the
rod C, which is connected with said lever and clutch, the connection primarily
passing freely between said traveller and clutch substantially as described.
9th. A signal arm, au operating lever, a clutch having a toothed traveller and
connected with said operating lever, and a weighted chain connected by rods and
levers substantially as described, with said signal arm, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
10th. A switch provided with a contraction and expansion device intermediate
of the operating device of the switch rail, and the switch lever, substantially as
described.
11th. A switch, means for operating the same, and a switch lever in combination
with a contraction and expansion compensating device intermediate of said lever
and means, substantially as described.
12th. A switch, and means for operating the same, in combination with a con-
nection which is intermediate of the switch lever and said means, and constructed
to compensate for its contraction and expansion, substantially as described.
13th. A switch having a connection intermediate of the switch lever and the
switch rail, a rising and falling traveller and a clutch which is mounted on said
traveller aud operated by the switch lever, said connection passing primarily
freely between said clutch and traveller, and having its end free and weighted,
substantially as described.
14th. A connection for a switch rail and switch lever in combination with an
intermediate contraction and expansion compensating device consisting of a rising
and falling traveller and a clutch mounted on said traveller, the switch lever being
attached to said clutch, said connection passing between said traveller and clutch
and having its end free and weighted substantially as described.
15th. A switch having a slide connected with the switch rail, and a driver with

page_text: inclined sides adapted to engage shoulders or rollers on said slide, said parts being
combined substantially as described.
16th. A switch having a slide connected with the switch rails a driver with
inclined sides adapted to engage shoulders or rollers on said slide and a detector
bar connected with said driver, said parts being combined substantially as
described.
Dated thin 20th 1n of Inn
1004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.