IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND REGULATING THE WORKING OF RAILWAY SIGNALS AND THE POINTS AND SWITCHES OF RAILS (A PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES), AND ALSO IN THE MODE OF FISH-JOINTING RAILS
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Frederick Cashin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th April 1868.
I, THOMAS FREDERICK CASHIN, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Civil Engineer, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I am in possession
of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND
REGULATING THE WORKING OF RAILWAY SIGNALS AND THE POINTS AND SWITCHES
OF RAILS (A PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES), AND ALSO IN
THE MODE OF FISH-JOINTING RAILS."
The Invention consists, firstly, of switch levers for working single
sets of points on sidings of main lines, branch lines, or for shunting;
secondly, of combined levers and appliances for working the points and
signals of junctions or stations; thirdly, of an arrangement for per-
mitting trains to run behind the points at junctions and stations without
deranging the system of locking; fourthly, of a contrivance for forcing
the points home close, and crushing any compressible matter that may
lic between them and the rails by the action of the train passing over
them; and, fifthly, of a method for preventing the abutting ends of fish-
jointed rails from being depressed below one another, or the connecting
bolts from being turned loose.

page_text: "
In
"
In substitution of "switch boxes I propose to usc
"switch levers
with single or double standards and base plates which may or may not
have columns or frames let into the ground. For main lines where it
is undesirable that the points should be "set" out of their normal
position I affix the balance weight above the fulcrum to a curved arm
projecting from the vertical lever, or where placed horizontally, on the
lever itself between the fulcrum and the handle. For general shunting
I use a lever with the attachment below the fulcrum, so formed that
the pin of the rod which moves the points or cranks in connection with
them works in a curved slot in such manner that when the handle
with the balance weight above the fulcrum is depressed in one direction
one end of the slot holds the points firmly in the normal position, and
admits of a train running behind without throwing them out of that
position; but if the handle and weight be depressed in the contrary
direction the points are held in the abnormal position for a train running
in front of them, but a train running behind the closed points throws
back the weight and points again into their normal position.
particular places the operations of the shunter can be facilitated by
enabling him to either set or lock the points in the normal or abnormal
position, or both. To set the points in either position I use a lever with
a curved slot below the fulcrum as before described, but so adjusted
with reference to the direction or inclination of the handle that the
weight above the fulcrum will hold the points on either side, but if set
against a train running behind them the action of the train either turns
the lever over and changes the set of the points or not, according to
the length of the slot. For locking both ways I use a compound lever
with a slit in the top of the lower one (which moves the points), in
which a pin, fixed in the top lever between the fulcrum and the handle,
works and locks it on either side of the centre, when the two levers
incline towards each other from the fulera at a right or an obtuse angle.
For locking in the abnormal position only I use a combination of the
lover last described and that first described for main lines; a balance
weight is placed on a projection from the lower lever which is formed
without a portion of one cheek of the slit in such manner that it is
actuated by the pin on the upper lever on one side only, and can only
be locked on that side, the balance weight drawing the points into their
normal position when unlocked; a loose ferule on the pressure pin will
admit of the points being unlocked by the pressure of a train running
behind them if the groove or partial slit in the lower lever terminate

page_text: at a proper distance from the fulcrum. All these levers can be attached
by adjustable oscillating jaws to cranks on the base plates so as to work
parallel with the rails, and be connected with signals so as to indicate
the set of the points. The position of the balance weights in all cases
must be determined by the comparative ease or difficulty of working
the particular points or signals to which the levers are attached.
For junctions and stations where the points and signals are worked
from a box I propose to use suitable frames in which two rods or sets
of rods are fixed; the lower set to act as fulcra for the levers which
actuate the points and signals, and the upper set as fulcra for levers with
two radial arms which act within an eccentric curve or fork in the top
of the lower levers, and when moved cause the latter to oscillate in the
manner and to the extent desired for acting upon the points or signals;
for ease of motion the arms of the upper levers are provided with
friction rollers. The lower levers lock and interlock, so that one can
hold one or many, or be held by one or as many as may be necessary;
for this purpose from projections at a proper point of the controlling
lever a horizontal connecting link is jointed to a vertical projection from
a horizontal rod which turns in its bearings, and causes projections from
the rod to act on links parallel with the link imparting the first motion.
When the controlling lever is moved the links on the same side of the
rod as the moving link move in the same direction as the moving link
and those on the opposite side of the rod in the opposite direction and
lock the levers on which they operate in the corresponding positions by
slots in the links holding projecting pins.
It is obvious that this arrangement may be applied either before or
behind the levers, and is susceptible of being adapted to the requirements
of any situation.
The apparatus for permitting trains to run behind the points at
junctions without derangement to the locking gear consists of a standard
and horizontal lever with balance weight to a continuation of the lever
on the side of the fulcrum opposite to that on which the weight is
placed; an attachment is made by a loose or clastic link working in
connection with a crank or pulley, and operated upon with wire or
clastic ropes by the levers in the box; these ropes need only be pulled
when a train is running in one direction over the facing points. For
all other purposes the weight secures them in their normal position, and
the connecting link or flexible cord admits of the points being opened

page_text: by a train running behind tliem, and when clear again closed by the
action of the balance weight alone.
For closing points I propose to use a strong horizontal bar with an
inclined plane on the upper edge at each end, and corresponding in
length beyond the points with the greatest distance between two wheels
on a train. This bar I fix on crank bearings which may be weighted
to keep the bar normally above the rails, or it may be borne up by a
strong spring or springs. At the end next the tongue of the points the
bar is formed with a strong bolt, which when the bar is depressed by
the weight of a train running over it shoots into a groove in a bolt
projecting from the point, and draws it close home. When the train
is clear of the bar the spring or springs or weights, or both, raise the
bar, and set the points free to be again moved when necessary.
To give increased rigidity to fish joints, and prevent the nuts for
securing the plates from being shaken loose, I insert in holes formed
across each joint a round, rectangular, or other shaped plug or tongue
having an equal bearing ou cach rail, and corresponding in length
with the thickness of the rails. These plugs are kept in position by
the fish plates, the nuts of which are prevented from turning by having
wire twisted round and binding them in such manner that the motion
of loosening one would react on and tighten the others, and vice versa,
or cach nut may be prevented from turning by being fastened with wire
to its respective bolt. The same result may be secured by having a
strip of steel or other metal of sufficient elasticity and strength to admit
of being bent under the middle nuts and over the two end ones, or
vice versa, and holding them so that the vibration set up by the passage
of a train cannot turn them; the bolts are prevented from turning by
being formed with square shoulders. Instead of the plug or tongue
enclosed by the fish plates a bolt passing through them and the rail
ends can be used; but in this case the plates should be formed of extra
thickness or with a shoulder in the middle.