IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND REGULATING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter
Holland, all of the Vulcan Iron Works, in the City of Worcester,
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND REGULATING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS.”
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John M°Kenzie, Thomas
Clunes, and Walter Holland at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th July 1866.
We, JOHN M'KENZIE, THOMAS CLUNES, and WALTER HOLLAND, all of the
Vulcan Iron Works, in the City of Worcester, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND REGULATING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for the purpose of actuating railway
points and signals, the object being to effect a simultaneous adjustment of
points and signals agreeing together and preventing the possibility of accident
by collision at railway junctions, and to ensure the efficient working of the
points and signals in combination or otherwise.
. The apparatus consists of a scries of vertical hand levers placed side by
side and set on horizontál fulcrum shafts passing from end to end of the appa-
ratus, and fixed in suitable bearings in the framework. The signal levers aro

page_text: provided with a pall or catch actuated by a rod and spring lever on the handle of
the signal lever; this pall or catch traverses during the passage of the lever the
surface of an arc, having teeth cut therein so that the position or distance of the
lever may be maintained by the pall and teeth; the lower part of the lever works
on the shaft first mentioned, and carries an arm to which chains, wires, rods, or
other connections to actuate the signals are attached, so that by the motion of
the signal lever the rods or chains are pulled and the signal moved. At a
distance from the fulcrum each lever has a stud which traverses the curvilinear
surface of a rocking lever set on another fulcrum, the face of this lever on
which the stud travels corresponds with an arc of a circle drawn from the
centre of the signal lever fulcrum, the rocking lever also has another arc
formed upon its rear, this are being drawn from the centre of its fulcrum,
whereby it will follow that when the signal lever is thrown over to actuate
the signal the stud will traverse the slot or arc and prevent the point lever
from being moved, the stud holding up or down (as the case may be) the
rocking lever, so also when the point lever is thrown back its stud travels
down a corresponding slot in a rocking lever and raises the same, so that the
rear are comes up and faces the stud of the signal lever and prevents it from
being moved. From the rocking levers or quadrants of the point levers a
connection is made to a way bar, and from this as required a connection is
made to the rocking levers facing the signal lever studs by means of rods
and bisected levers, so as to facilitate connections and repairs. Any two or
more point or signal levers may be made to act upon each other and in com-
munication. The extremities of the point levers have arms for the purpose
of attaching rods or other connections to actuate the points.
The method we adopt to attach the levers and the rocking or oscillating
levers to the shafts on which they are carried is as follows:-The shafts have
transverse grooves cut around their periphery, and the ends of the levers are
formed with open forks through which pins pass and rest in the corresponding
grooves cut in the shafts; by these arrangements any one of the levers or
rocking levers can be placed on the shafts or removed therefrom without
interfering with the others, moreover, they cannot slide sideways on the rod
when once fixed thereon, although they are perfectly free to oscillate.
The result accomplished by the foregoing arrangements will be that when
one or more sets of point levers are moved, such signals as may be required
to be moved in accordance therewith are set at liberty, and all other signal
levers, which if moved would be antagonistic to the position of the points,
become locked and rendered incapable of motion; also, one or more signal
levers would control one or more point levers in like manner to regulate such

page_text: versa.
point levers in relation to the signal levers. From the foregoing it will be
seen that no cross signals can be given, or that the signals and points can be
in antagonistic positions, so that it will be out of the power of the signalman
to give a signal not in accordance with the position of the points, or vice
In connection with the switches worked from the box, in order to
compensate for the expansion and contraction of the rods caused by change of
temperature, and in order to effectually keep the switch up to the rail, we
employ what we term a "duplex switch balance" constructed as follows:-
We form a frame or bed carrying the sliding rod in communication with the
switch and the point lever, the sliding rod has an eye bolt attached towards
each end on opposite sides thereof, from which are attached two chains fixed
to and working in the two outside grooves of a triple chain pulley in opposite
directions, the sliding rod lying under the centre groove; attached to the
tripled groove pulley is a weighted arm or lever working with the pulley, and
capable of moving to and fro an equal distance over its centre, the sliding rod
being moved by the point lever; a slot in the extremity of the sliding rod
allows of sufficient motion or play between it and the switch rod to enable
the weight to be raised a portion of the distance without moving the points,
and the weight when over will always ensure the switch coming close home
on either side without any adjustment of the point lever rods. This duplex
switch balance may also be applied to close the switches upon the rails where
the switches are preferred to be fixed rigidly in a chair and without a heel
joint as at present used; the switch being forced by the weight close up to
the rail, the weight overcoming the rigidity of the switch and keeping it close
up to the rail; these duplex balances may also be worked by hand from a
box or otherwise independently of any point levers. For working points at
a distance the same application may be used with the addition of a chain
wheel or pulley fixed to the triple grooved pulley and weighted lever. The
continuous chain or wire passes once and a half round the wheel, and both
ends return to the point lever, so that the motion of the lever either way
acts upon the chain and weighted lever and effects the certain closing
and maintenance of the position of the switches. In using the chain
arrangements, in place of a slot in the sliding rod, we apply a slack
chain from the triple pulley to the sliding rod, so as to allow of a certain
amount of play and elevation of the weighted lever before the sliding rod is
actuated.
Another modification consists in using links working in slots in the sliding
rods for the purpose of creating a slack, the same as in the case of slots in
the sliding rod, or as with a slack chain described.

page_text: For actuating signals at long distances we use an apparatus consisting of
an upright double-jointed break lever, in a frame or foundation, one side of
this frame is provided with a fixed semicircular toothed rack, and underneath
one side a bracket is formed to support a balance catch, within the frame a
chain pulley having on one side a ratchet or toothed wheel, and on the other
a break wheel, all set on the same axis as the lower end of the lever, which
has a balance or counterweight, the break wheel is surrounded by a steel, iron,
or other friction band, the two extremities of which are brought into con-
nection with the lower end of the upper portion of the jointed lever, so that
when the upper part of the lever is moved the band tightens upon the break
wheel and carries the wheel rack and chain pulley a portion of a revolution;
then the balance catch attached to the bracket above described gears with the
ratchet toothed wheel and prevents its return when the handle is brought back
to take another grip. When the signal is pulled in, a catch attached to the
upper part of the lower portion of the lever falls into gear with the fixed
semicircular toothed rack, the balance catch is then disengaged from the
ratchet wheel, thus leaving the whole strain or pull of the wire or chain to
be borne by the friction band and break wheel, when the lever is eased to
allow the chain to run off the pulley and the signal to go up to danger. The
object of this arrangement is to compensate for the expansion and contraction
or stretching of the chain wire or rods, and to accumulate power for the
purpose, and for working the signal.
Another part of the Invention consists of a facing point indicating apparatus.
On an upright or standard of suitable dimensions a vertical sliding rod is set in
bearings, the upper part of the rod passes into a hollow or tubular weight
having the upper end closed, the extremity of the rod when at its lowest
being some distance from the top or interior of the weight. From the top.
of the weight a chain passes over a pulley, to the axis of which the arm or
signal is attached, the lower part of the vertical rod is placed in connection
with a triple grooved quadrant, having chains attached thereto, the quadrant
being supported by a bracket attached to the standard. The point rod being.
attached to a bell-crank lever set in a bearing near the bottom of the upright
will give motion thereto; then the other extremity of the bell crank being
attached to a vertical connecting rod in communication with the quadrant, it will
follow that a very slight motion of the points will effect a very considerable
increase of motion to the vertical rod, which descending sets at liberty the
hollow weight and thus raises or actuates the arm or signal; the contrary
motion with the rod ascending raises the hollow weight and causes the chain
to slacken and the arm or signal to fall by its own gravity. Connected to the

page_text: small chain wheel attached to the axis of the arm is a rod and bell crank
joined to a spectacle or spectacles working at the side of a lamp so as to
indicate a corresponding signal at night.
The object is to indicate whether the facing point is close home or not, the
signal shewing danger though the points may be only within half an inch of
being quite closed, yet sufficiently open to throw a train off the line.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter Holland in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
MCKENZIE, THOMAS CLUNES, and WALTER HOLLAND, all of the Vulcan Iron
Works, in the City of Worcester, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter Holland, Her special licence
that we, the said John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter Holland, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter Holland, our exccutors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, excrcisc, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND
REGULATING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes, and Walter Holland,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes,
and Walter Holland, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and

page_text: 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 certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for the purpose of actuating railway
points and signals, the object being to effect a simultaneous adjustment of
points and signals agreeing together and preventing the possibility of accident
by collision at railway junctions, and to ensure the efficient working of the
points and signals in combination or otherwise.
The apparatus consists of a series of vertical hand levers placed side by
side and set on horizontal fulcrum shafts, passing from end to end of the
apparatus and fixed in suitable bearings in the framework. The signal levers
are provided with a pall, actuated by a rod and spring lever; on the handle
of the signal lever this pall or catch traverses during the passage of the
lever the surface of an arc having teeth cut therein so that the position or
distance of the lever may be maintained by the pall and teeth; the lower
part of the lever works on the shaft first mentioned and carries an arm to
which chains or wires or rods to actuate the signals are attached, so that by
the motion of the signal lever the rods or chains are pulled and the signal
moved. At a distance from the fulcrum each lever has a stud which traverses
the curvilinear surface of a rocking lever set on another fulcrum, the face of
this lever on which the stud travels corresponds with an are of a circle drawn
from the centre of the signal lever fulcrum; the rocking lever also has another
arc formed upon its rear, this arc being drawn from the centre of its fulcrum,
whereby it will follow that when the signal lever is thrown over to actuate the
signal the stud will traverse the slot or arc and prevent the point lever from
being moved, the stud holding up or (as the case may be) down the rocking
lever, so also when the point lever is thrown back its stud travels down a
corresponding slot in a rocking lever and raises the same so that the rear aro
comes up and faces the stud of the signal lever and prevents it from being
moved. From the rocking levers or quadrants of the point levers a connection
is made to the rocking levers facing the signal lever studs. Any two or more
levers may be made to act upon each other and in communication. The
extremities of the point levers have arms for the purpose of attaching rods
to actuate the points.
The method we adopt to attach the levers and the rocking or oscillating
levers to the shafts on which they are carried is as follows:-The shafts have
transverse grooves cut around their periphery, and the ends of the levers are
formed with open forks, through which pins pass and rest in the corresponding
grooves cut in the shafts. By these arrangements any one of the levers or

page_text: rocking levers can be placed on the shafts or removed therefrom without
interfering with the others, moreover they cannot slide sideways on the rod
when once fixed thereon, although they are perfectly free to oscillate..
The result accomplished by the foregoing arrangements will be that when
one or more sets of point levers are moved such signals as may be required
to be moved in accordance therewith are set at liberty, and all other signal
levers which if moved would be antagonistic to the position of the points
become locked and rendered incapable of motion; also one or more signal levers
would control one or more point levers in like manner to regulate such point
levers in relation to the signal levers. From the foregoing it will be seen that
no cross signals can be given or that the signals and points can be in antago-
nistic positions, so that it will be out of the power of the signal man to give
a signal not in accordance with the position of the points, or vice versa. In
connection with the switches worked from the box, in order to compensate for
the expansion and contraction of the rods caused by change of temperature,
and in order to effectually keep the switch up to the rail, we employ what we
term a duplex switch balance constructed as follows:-We form a cast-iron
frame or bed carrying the sliding rod in communication with the switch and
the point lever; the sliding rod has an eye bolt attached towards each end
on opposite sides thereof, from which are attached two chains fixed to and
working in the two outside grooves of a triple chain pulley in opposite
directions, the sliding rod lying under the centre groove; attached to the triple
groove pulley is a weighted arm or lever working with the pulley, and capable
of moving to and fro an equal distance over its centre; the sliding rod being
moved by the point lever, a slot in the extremity of the sliding rod allows of
sufficient motion or play between it and the switch rod to enable the weight
to be raised a portion of the distance without moving the points, and the weight
when over will always ensure the switch coming close home without any
adjustment of the point lever rods. This duplex switch balance may also be
applied to close the switches upon the rails, the switch being fixed rigidly in a
chair without a heel joint, as at present used, the switch being forced by the
weight close up to the rail, the weight overcoming the rigidity of the switch
and causing it to spring against the rail; these duplex balances may be
worked by hand from a box or otherwise independently of any point levers.
For working points at a distance the same application may be used with the
addition of a chain wheel or pulley fixed to the triple grooved pulley and
weighted lever. The continuous chain passes once and a half round the wheel,
and both ends return to the point lever, so that the motion of the lever either
way acts upon the chain and weighted lever and effects the certain closing and

page_text: maintenance of the position of the switches. In using these chain arrange-
ments, in place of a slot in the sliding rod, we apply a slack chain from the
triple pulley to the sliding rod, so as to allow of a certain amount of play and
elevation of the weighted lever before the sliding rod is actuated.
Another modification consists in using links working in slots in the sliding
rods for the purpose of creating a slack, the same as in the case of slots in the
sliding rod, or as with a slack chain described.
For actuating signals at long distances we use an apparatus consisting of
an upright double jointed break lever set in a bearing in a frame or foundation,
one side of this frame is provided with a fixed semicircular toothed rack, and
underneath one side a bracket is formed to support a balance catch within
the frame, a chain pulley having on one side a ratchet or toothed wheel, and
on the other a break wheel all set on the same axis as the lower end of the
lever, which has a balance or counterweight, the break wheel is surrounded
by a steel or iron friction band, the two extremities of which are brought into
connection with the lower end of the upper portion of the jointed lever, so
that when the upper part of the lever is moved the band tightens upon the
break wheel and carries the wheel rack and chain pulley a portion of a
revolution; then the balance catch attached to the bracket above described
gears with the ratchet or toothed wheel and prevents its return when the
handle is brought back to take another grip. When the signal is pulled in,
a catch attached to the upper part of the lower portion of the lever falls into
gear with the fixed semicircular toothed rack, and the foot is applied to the
lever of the balance catch, pressing the lever inwards and disengaging the
catch from the ratchet wheel, thus leaving the whole strain or pull of the wire
or chain to be borne by the friction band and break wheel; then the lever is
eased to allow the chain to run off the pulley and the signal to go up to
danger. The object of this arrangement is to compensate for the expansion,
contraction, or stretching of the chain, wire, or rods, and to accumulate power
for the purpose and for working the signal.
Another part of the Invention consists of a facing point indicating appa-
ratus. On an upright or standard of suitable dimensions a vertical sliding rod
is set in bearings, the upper part of the rod passes into a hollow or tubular
weight having the upper end closed, the extremity of the rod when at its lowest
being some distance from the top or interior of the weight. From the top of
the weight a chain passes over a pulley, to the axis of which the arm or signal
is attached, the lower part of the vertical rod is placed in connection with a
triple grooved quadrant, having a chain attached thereto, the quadrant being
supported by a bracket attached to the standard. The point rod being attached

page_text: to a bell-crank lever set in a bearing near the bottom of the upright will
give motion thereto; then the other extremity of the bell-crank being
attached to a vertical connecting rod in communication with the quadrant,
it will follow that a very slight motion of the points will effect a very con-
siderable increase of motion to the vertical rod, which ascending, the hollow
weight ultimately raises the same and causes the chain to slacken, and the
weight of the arm or signal causes it to fall by its own gravity. Connected
to the small chain wheel attached to the axis of the arm is a rod and bell
crank jointed to an elongated spectacle or spectacles working at the side of a
lamp, so as to indicate a corresponding signal to the arm at night. The
object is to indicate whether the facing point is close home or not, the signal
shewing danger though the points may be only within half an inch of being
quite closed, yet sufficiently open to throw a train off the line.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1 refers to junction locking apparatus, shewing an ordinary junction,.
the point levers being right for main line. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation
through the line E, F, in Fig. 2, and shewing the locking and general arrange-
ment. A is the up main signal lever lock acted upon by the up point lever
through the oscillating lever B and way bar C; D is the branch distant signal:
lever counterbalanced lock acted upon by the up and down point levers,
through the oscillating levers B and B', and way bars C and C¹.
Fig. 2 is a back section of elevation through the line C, D, in Fig. 1,
the locking gear being removed. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, are the signal levers;
5 and 6 the point levers; E, the shaft carrying the signal and point levers;
E', the shaft for carrying the locks and oscillating levers; F, F, &c. are the
studs upon the signal levers acting upon the locks; G, G', being the studs
upon the point levers acting upon the oscillating levers B, B¹. Fig. 3 is a
sectional plan through the line A, B, in Fig. 1, shewing the locking con-
nections, &c., the main line locks A, A', A", being off and the branch line
locks D, D¹, D", being on; Fig. 4 is a side, and Fig. 5 a back elevation
shewing the mode of connecting the levers and locks to their bearings upon
the shafts; Fig. 6 is a side, and Fig. 7 a front elevation of bisected levers for
connecting the locks and oscillating levers with the way bars.
Sheet 2 refers to duplex switch balances. Fig. 1 is an outside elevation
of balance acted upon by a point lever; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal' section of
same. A, the frame; B, the rod attached to the point lever; C, the rod attached
to the switch; D, the triple grooved pulley; E, the lever fixed to pulley; F,
the weight; G, the slot. Fig. 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 an end elevation of

page_text: same; Fig. 5 is an outside elevation of balance worked by hand; Fig. 6 is
a longitudinal section; Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. 8 is an end elevation of same;
Fig. 9. is an outside elevation of balance for acting upon points at long
distances; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of same, shewing wheel and chain
motion; Fig. 11 is a plan and Fig. 12 an end elevation of same.
Sheet 3, Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of balance with link motion for
creating a slack in place of chain. The following Figures refer to break lever
for actuating distant signals; Fig. 1* is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is an end
elevation. A, the frame; B, the upper portion of the lever, C, the lower; D, the
joint; E, chain pulley; F, break strap; G, counterweight; HI, balance catch
with foot plate; I, catch gearing with the semicircular toothed rack. Fig. 3
is a back elevation of same; Fig. 4 refers to tracing point indicating appa-
ratus, it is a front elevation. A, the upright or standard; B, the vertical
rod; C, the tubular weight; D, chain pulley attached to signal arm spindle;
E, chain quadrant; F, bracket; G, bell crank connected with point rod H;
I, the lamp, and J, the spindle. Fig. 5 is a side clevation of same.
We claim and desire to be secured to us by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent, the improvements in machinery or apparatus for actuating
and "regulating railway points and signals," substantially as herein specified
and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John McKenzie, Thomas Clunes,
and Walter Holland, have hercunto sct our bands and seals, this
Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.