IMPROVEMENTS IN WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brunton, of Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS."
Sealed the 24th May 1870, and dated the 26th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brunton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th November 1869.
1, JOHN BRUNTON, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar mode of working and locking
railway points and signals, whereby the switch point or moveable rail
is prevented from accidental displacement, whether in its open or closed
position, and the point or moveable rail and signal are interlocked so
that the one cannot be moved without the other.
According to this Invention the switch points or moveable rail, which
may be otherwise of the ordinary construction, is provided with a pro-
Price 8d.]

page_text: jecting stud on its under side, which works in a spiral groove formed in
a cylindrical scroll cam mounted upon a rocking shaft or spindle, which
is placed transversely to the line of rails, and is actuated by a lever or
other convenient arrangement of mechanism. The two extremities of
the spiral groove terminate in a straight portion made directly in the
path of rotation of the cam, and consequently imparting no motion to
the switch point or moveable rail when its projecting stud enters therein.
On the inner sides of the two straight portions of the groove are provided
wedge pieces, which project some distance from the surface of the
cylindrical cam, on or to which they are formed or secured, and bear
against one side of the switch when in its open or closed position,
thereby effectually locking it in its place, a bridge piece serving as the
abutment of the switch (if a switch be used) when open, and the side of
the main rail as the abutment when shut. In the case of using a
moveable ail a special abutment will be provided for both ends of its
traverse. By making a portion of the groove straight, or in the direction
of the circumference of the cam at each end, the cam is permitted to
rotate sufficiently to allow of the wedge picces being brought into or
out of action before the switch point or moveable rail begins to move,
or after it has been driven home by the cam. In order to prevent
the accidental lifting or rising of the switch point or moveable rail a
Theaded stud or guide piece may be employed fixed to the switch point
cr moveable rail, and working in a corresponding curved groove in the
base plate. Upon the can or rocking shaft above referred to there are
keyed one or more segineutal locking pallets, which interlock with
corresponding pallets upon a subsidiary shaft communicating with the
main line and branch or siding signals in the usual manner, and actuated
by a hand wheel or lever weighted or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Brunton in the Great Seal Patent Office 3
on the 26th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BRUNTON, of 3, Russell Road, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in tho
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Brunton, Her special
license that I, the said John Brunton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John Brunton, my executors,
administrators, or 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Brunton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 I, the said John Brunton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar mode or modes of working and
locking railway points or switches in conjunction or not with an inter-
locking apparatus for the signals.
The main objects to be attained by my Invention are as follows:-
First. That ine switch or point when either completely open or closed
shall be so fixed in its position that the vibration of the passing trains, even
at high velocities, shall have no tendency or power to alter such position,
and thereby either throw the passing vehicle off the line of rails or cause
unpleasant and dainaging jolts.
Second. That the signals indicating the position of the points shall be so
arranged that it is out of the power of the pointsman to make any error,
such as shewing "main line clear" whilst his points are open to the siding
or branch, and vice versa.

page_text: Third. That the arrangement of the signalling and points locking
apparatus shall be such that each of the three movements necessary for
the whole operation, videlicit, blocking the main line, moving the points,
and opening the siding or branch, or vice versû, must be complete before the
next movement can be made, and that the order or rotation of these move-
ments cannot be interfered with by any carelessness on the part of the
pointsman.
According to this Invention the switch point or moveable rail, which
may be otherwise of the ordinary construction, is provided with a pro-
jecting stud or its equivalent on its under side carrying an antifriction
roller or not as preferred, which works in a spiral groove or in a raised
spiral thread formed in or on a cylindrical cam or boss mounted upon a
rocking shaft or spindle, which is placed transversely to the line of
rails, and is actuated by a lever or other convenient arrangement of
mechanism. The two extremities of the spiral groove or thread terminate
in a straight portiou made directly in the path of rotation of the cam,
and consequently imparting no motion to the switch point or moveable
rail when its projecting stud or equivalent therefor enters therein. Upon
the periphery of the cam and parallel with the two straight portions of
the groove are provided wedge pieces or blocks, which project some
distance from the surface of the cylindrical body of the cam on or to
which they are formed or secured, and bear against one side of the switch
when in its open or closed position, thereby effectually locking it in its
place, or the wedge pieces or blocks may be formed on separate bosses.
A bridge piece serves as the abutment of the switch when open, whilst
the side of the main rail serves as the abutment when shut. When
using a moveable rail a special abutment will be provided for both ends
of its traverse. By making a portion of the groove or spiral thread
straight, or in the direction of the circumference of the cam at each end,
the cam is permitted to rotate sufficiently to allow of the wedge pieces
or blocks being brought into or out of action before the switch point or
moveable rail begins to move, or after it has been driven home by the
cam. In order to prevent the accidental lifting or rising of the end of
the switch point or moveable rail a T headed stud or guide pin may be
fixed thereto, and work in a correspondingly shaped curved groove in
the base plate; or the toe of the switch point or moveable rail may be
extended on the lower side, and work in a horizontal groove specially
provided in the base of the chair, either of which arrangements may be

page_text: applied or not as desired. Upon the cam or rocking shaft above referred
to there are keyed (when used in conjunction with an interlocking
signal apparatus) one or more segmental locking pallets or sectors, which
interlock with corresponding sectors carried on a subsidiary shaft or
shafts communicating with the main line and branch or siding signals
in the usual manuer, and actuated by a hand wheel or lever, weighted
or otherwise.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings, represents a plan showing my
improved arrangement of apparatus for actuating switches, points, or
moveable rails, and for locking or immoveably fixing the same in their
open and shut position; also the mechanism of the points and of
the signals of the main line and branch or siding; Figure 2 is a
transverse vertical section of the same corresponding to Figure 1;
Figures 3 and 4 are detached sectional elevations of the interlocking
mechanism; Figure 5 is a detail shewing the mode of preventing the
accidental rising of the toe of the switch point or moveable rail; and
Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged details of the cylindrical grooved cam and
its wedge projections or blocks for actuating and locking or fixing the
switch point or moveable rail in its open and shut positions
A, A, are the rails of the main line; B, B, are the rails of the branch
line or siding; and C, C, are the switches, all of which may be secured
in the usual manner by chairs. The toe of each switch at the lower part
thereof may be extended, as shewn at a (Figure 6), and slides to and fro
laterally in a horizontal groove or channel cast in the side of the
chairs D, D, for the purpose of preventing any accidental rising of the
pointed end of the switches. These switches are by preference rolled
with a base of equal or nearly equal breadth to the rails, and are
provided on their under sides near their pointed ends with a vertical
stud or projection 6 (Figure 2) carrying, or not as preferred, an anti-
friction roller, which works in a groove c made in a cylindrical cam E.
This groove is of a spiral form for a portion of its length equal to the
amount of traverse to be given to the switch, and terminates at each

page_text: end in a straight portion extending circumferentially round a portion of
the circumference of the body of the cam, as will be clearly seen on
referring to Figures 6 and 7. Two of these cams are employed situate
one underneath each switch, and both keyed or otherwise secured upon
a transverse rocking shaft F, which passes under the rails and is sup-
ported in bearings G, G, on the bed plate H. Each of the cams E, E,
is provided with two wedge pieces or blocks I, I, situate on one side of
each of the straight portions of the groove c', c', (Figure 6,) for the
purpose of locking or fixing the switch in its open and shut position
after it has been adjusted by the partial rotation of the cam. This
fixing of the switch is effected by the forcible entrance of one or other
of the wedge pieces or blocks I, I', either between the face of the switch
and the main line rail next to it (when the point is open), or between
the foot of the switch and an arched abutment k bolted to the bed plate
(where the point is closed), as shewn clearly in Figures and 2, thus
effectually preventing any accidental displacement of the switch after it
has been adjusted. If desired the movement of the switches may be
accomplished in the ordinary manner in lieu of by a cam groove, as
described, and the switches may then be locked or fixed in position by
the aid of the wed ge pieces or blocks I, 1', which in that case would be
carried on plain bosses on the transverse rocking shaft F. This rocking
shaft F may be actuated either by a lever handle attached directly
thereto or, which I prefer, it may derive its motion from a subsidiary
shaft L, on which the point lever M is mounted, such subsidiary shaft
carrying a toothed segment N, which gears into a pinion O fast on the
shaft F. By this arrangement the arc through which the point lever
has to move will be considerably reduced. The subsidiary shaft L is
carried in bearings in the sides of a closed box P, which also contains
the mechanism for actuating the main line and branch or siding signals,
and for interlocking such mechanism with the points actuating me-
chanism. Q is the shaft for actuating the main line signal, and R is
a similar shaft for actuating the branch or siding signal; these shafts
are worked by the lever handles S and T respectively, and carry short
lever arms U and V, which are connected to the signal rods or wires W
and X. On each of the two shafts Q and R there is mounted a sector
indicated in my Drawings by the numerals 1, 2, and on the subsidiary
shaft L there are mounted two sectors 3 and 4. The sectors of 1 and 3
are in the same plane and interlock the one with the other, whilst the
sectors 2 and 4 are in another plane, and also interlock the one with the

page_text: other. When the several sectors are in the position shown more clearly
in Figure 3, it is obvious that the sector 1 will prevent the sector 3 from
moving, siuce its periphery bears against the end of the sector 3, whilst
the sector 4 locks in the same manner the sector 2. Consequently until
the shaft Q and its sector 1 have been turned to their full extent by the
signal lever S, as shewn in Figure 4, in order to block the main line or
show main line clear, as the case may be, the points, which are worked
from the shaft L cannot be moved, neither can the signal for the branch
or siding be actuated, since the periphery of the sector 4 by bearing
against the end of the sector 2 effectually locks the shaft R.
So soon
however as the sector 1 has been turned full over, as seen in Figure 4,
then the sector 3 is free to move and locks the sector 1 by bringing its
periphery against the opposite end of that sector. This movement of
the sector 3 keyed on the shaft L opens or closes the points and unlocks
at the same time the sector 2, which allows of the branch signal being
actuated, but not until the points have been fully open or shut and
wedged or locked, whereupon the several sectors will assume the
positions indicated in Figure 4. In Figures 1 and 3 the sectors are in the
position they assume when the points are open to the branch or siding,
the main line being blocked and the branch signal showing line clear,
but in Figure 4 the points are closed to the branch or siding, the main
line signal showing line clear, whilst the branch or siding is blocked by
the branch signal. A small raised lug or projection is formed on one
end of each sector to serve as a stop by coming in contact with the
surface or periphery of the corresponding sector.
On Sheet 2 of my Drawings I have illustrated a slightly modified
arrangement of the apparatus for actuating and locking the switches;
the same letters of reference as those employed in Sheet 1 serving to
indicate the parts which correspond to the first arrangement.
Figure 1 is a plan of the switches and parts in connection therewith.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 1-2, in
Figure 1, but drawn to double the scale.
Figures 3 and 4 represent respectively a detached sectional plan
and elevation of the interlocking mechanism already described and
referred to.
Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 3-4, (Figure 2,) shewing
the bearing or support of the switch and the mode of preventing the

page_text: accidental rising of the toe a of the switch already described in
reference to Sheet ].
Figures 6 and 7 are details of the switch actuating cam, shewing the
application of a raised thread or projection in lieu of a groove, as in the
first arrangement.
Figure 8 is a plane projection of the thread, shewing the straight
portions cl, cl, and the inclined or spiral portion c.
Figure 9 is a transverse section taken along the line 5-6, (Figure 2,)
and shewing the combination of antifriction rollers with the raised o
projecting thread or spiral on the switch actuating cam.
Figure 10 is a transverse section taken along the line 7-8, (Figure 2,)
and shewing one of the locking wedge pieces or blocks for fixing or
locking the switch in its open or closed position.
Figures 11 and 12 are side views and cross sections of the switch and rail
shewing the mode of supporting the fixed rails and of affording a lateral
bearing or abutment to the switch to prevent its lateral deflection when
an engine or carriage is passing quickly over it. As the general arrange-
ments are very similar to those on Sheet 1 it will only be necessary to
refer to those parts wherein they differ. The moving of the switch rails
is here accomplished by means of a sliding rod Y working through slots
in the end plates d, d, of the covered cast-iron trough H, which also
encloses the cam shaft F. This trough is provided with lugs or flanges
by which it rests upon and is bolted to a pair of sleepers, the trough
being suspended between them, as is clearly shown in Figures 1, 5, 9,
and 10. The rod Y has shoulders or projections e, e, formed thereon,
and between these projections it is of a round section, the rest of the rod
being either round or square as preferred. Oblong openings are made
through the switches to allow of the passage of one of the shoulders
through each switch. After the rod has been thus inserted it is turned
a quarter of a revolution, which effectually locks it into the switches, so
that they must follow its longitudinal sliding motion. Two antifriction
rollers b, b, are fitted to studs on the under side of the rod Y, and work
against the opposite sides of the raised thread or spiral projection c
and c', c', formed on the cam boss E. The straight parts c answer the
same purpose as the straight parts c¹ of the cam groove previously
described, and the inclined or spiral part c serves to move the rod Y,
and with it the switches. The outer end of the rod Y is guided by
sliding in a hollow boss in the side of the boss P.
In place of having

page_text: the wedge pieces or blocks I, I', on the cam E itself they are fitted on.
separate bosses f, f, keyed on the shaft F, by which arrangement in
combination with the sliding rod Y, which serves above as a tie rod, one
cam only is sufficient for actuating both the switches. K, K, are the
abutment surfaces formed on the end plates d, d, for the wedge piece on
the foot of the switch (as the case may be) to abut against when the
switch is locked either in its open or closed position. 9, 9, are the
bearing surfaces upon which the under side of the free end of the switch
rests, one of such surfaces being situate on each side of the cam shaft, as
shewn clearly in Figure 5, and thereby they afford a perfectly firm base
or support to the switch against vertical strain. Any tendency which
the toe of the switch may have to rise is checked by the projecting too
piece a working in the groove in the chair, as already described. The
mode of securing the rails at the chair Z (Figure 1) next to the junction
of the switch rail is shewn at Figure 11; it consists of an intermediate
block between the two rails, to the opposite sides of which the rails
are fastened. In Figure 12 I have shown a lateral abutment piece I
for forming a lateral bearing to the switch rail when the point is closed.
It is obvious that the mechanism for actuating and locking the switch
may be employed either separately or in conjunction with my improved
or any other suitable apparatus for interlocking the points and signals.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The system or mode of actuating the switches, points, or
moveable rails of railway permanent way, and of locking the same in
their open and shut positions by the aid of cams, grooved or otherwise, in
conjunction with wedge pieces or blocks mounted upon a rocking shaft
worked by a single lever, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The use of a horizontal rocking shaft, and a cam or cams
having spiral or inclined and straight actuating surfaces for moving or
actuating railway switches, points, or moveable rails, as herein-before
described.
Third. The use of wedge pieces or blocks on a rocking shaft worked
by the same lever, hand wheel, or sector and pinion that actuates the

page_text: points for locking or fixing in their open and shut positions switches,
points, or moveable rails, as herein-before described.
Fourth. The peculiar arrangement of interlocking sectors, whereby
each of the three movements necessary for the whole operation, namely,
the blocking the main line by signal, moving and locking the points and
opening the siding or branch by signal, or vice versa, must be com-
pleted before the next movement can be made, substantially as herein.
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Brunton, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May
One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
JOHN BRUNTON. (L.B.)