IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING BY SELF-ACTION THE EXPANSION OR CON- TRACTION OF WIRES. USED FOR MOVING RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Manston, of No. 81, St. John's Cottages, Heneker
Road, Stratford New Town, in the County of Essex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING BY SELF-ACTION THE EXPANSION OR CON-
TRACTION OF WIRES. USED FOR MOVING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
Sealed the 1st February 1878, and dated the 7th August 1877.
་ "། ་
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Manston at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th August 1877.
2.4
"
WILLIAM MANSTON, of No. 81, St. John's Cottages, Heneker Road, Stratford
New Town, in the County of Essex. IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING BY SELF-
ACTION THE EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF WIRES USED FOR MOVING RAILWAY
SIGNALS."
This Invention has for its object the regulation by self-action of the expansion
and contraction of wires used for moving railway distant signals so as to always
maintain an equal tension, and thus render at all times the action of the lever
that which it is desired it should be. It is in doing this and in the means.
for effecting it that my Invention consists, as will be seen by the following
description and by reference to the Drawings accompanying this Provisional
Specification.
In these Drawings, Nos. 1. and 2 represent two distant signals, No. 1, say, fifteen
hundred yards, and No. 2, say, five hundred yards from No. 11 signal lever. The
signal wires commence at No. 3 and 4, and pass over pulley No. 6, terminating
with weights No. 5, such weights being. sufficiently heavy to maintain a suitable
strain upon such wires. Weights Nó. 5 have a suitable rack to work in; and these
weights, in their normal state, are free to rise or fall according to the requirements
of the signal wire, thus allowing for the contraction and expansion due to variations
of temperature or other causes. Weights No. 5 also work in frame No. 7 and 8,
which frame works to and fro, on a swivel No. 12, being connected with lever
No. 11 by rods Nos. 9 and 10,

page_text: Upon the signalman putting No. 11 lever in its proper position, the weights
No. 5 become unlocked, thus allowing the signals to go out of their proper position.
Upper or lower signal arms may be used as may be required. My Invention is
applicable to either or both.
It is not at all compulsory to work the two signals Nos. 1 and 2 together, but
each can be worked by lever No. 11 when required, say, on curves or inclines when
two signals are used in place of one.
I do not limit myself to the exact details of the Invention, but may somewhat
vary them, but in all cases I maintain the principle of the Invention by availing
myself of weights or other equivalent means, so as to regulate by self-action the
expansion and contraction of wires used for moving railway signals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Manston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th February
1878.
WILLIAM MANSTON, of No. 81, St. John's Cottages, Heneker Road, Stratford 1
New Town, in the County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING BY SELF-
ACTION THE EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF WIRES USED FOR MOVING RAILWAY
SIGNALS."
This Invention has for its object the regulation by self-action of the expansion
and contraction of wires used for moving railway distant signals so as to always
maintain an equal tension, and thus render at all times the action of the lever on
the signal that which it is desired it should be. It is in doing this and in the
means for effecting it that my Invention consists, as will be seen by the following
description and by reference to the Drawings accompanying this Specification.
In these Drawings, Nos. 1 and 2 represent two distant signals; No. 1, say, fifteen 2
hundred yards, and No. 2, say, five hundred yards from No. 11 signal lever. The
signal wires commence at Nos. 3 and 4, and pass over pulley No. 6, terminating
with weights No. 5, such weights being sufficiently heavy to maintain a suitable
strain upon such wires. Weights No. 5 have a toothed rack to work in; and these
weights, in their normal state, are free to rise or fall according to the requirements 3
of the signal wire, thus allowing for the contraction and expansion due to variations
of temperature or other causes. Weights No. 5 also work in frame Nos. 7 and 8,
which frame works to and fro on a swivel, No. 12 being connected with lever
No. 11 by rods Nos. 9 and 10.
Upon the signalman putting No. 11 lever in its proper position, the weights 3
No. 5 become unlocked, thus allowing the signals to go out to their proper position.
Upper or lower signal arms may be used as may be required. My Invention
is applicable to either or both, and I may apply it to existing signals.
It is not at all compulsory to work the two signals Nos. 1 and 2 together, but
each can be worked by lever No. 11 when required, say, on curves or inclines, when
two signals are sometimes used in place of one.
I do not limit myself to the exact details of the Invention, but may somewhat
vary them, but in all cases I maintain the principle of the Invention by availing

page_text: myself of weights or other equivalent means, so as to regulate by self-action,
expansion, and contraction of wires used for moving railway signals.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is carried into
effect, what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the regulating by self-action the expansion and contraction of wires used
for moving railway signals, for the purposes and in the manner as described in this
Specification, and in the accompanying Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Manston, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM MANSTON. (L.S.)