IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY LOCKING APPARATUS FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Christopher Rapier, of 5, Westminster
Chambers, Westminster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY LOCKING APPARATUS FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS.”.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Christopher
Rapier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his..
Petition, on the 20th August 1870.
I, RICHARD CHRISTOPHER RAPIER, of 5, Westminster Chambers,
Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY LOCKING APPARATUS FOR SWITCHES. AND SIGNALS," to
be as follows:-
In a suitable frame I arrange all the switch and signal levers in a
row, and each lever has a sector made, on it and moving with it, and,
passing through notches in these sectors are horizontal bars, which also,

page_text: .
have notches in them in suitable places. Now when the horizontal bars
are in such positions as that the notches in them coincide with any
sector, that sector (and the lever to which it is fixed) can be moved, but
if the notches in the horizontal bars do not coincide with the sector the
sector is locked thereby and cannot be moved. Also, if the notches in
the sectors do not coincide with the horizontal bars the horizontal bar
or bars with which a sector notch does not correspond cannot be moved,
and so none of the sectors which are locked by the said bar or bars can
be moved. By arranging the notches at suitable places in the sectors
and bars any number of sectors and horizontal bars may be made to lock
and unlock each other at the proper times. The bars may be moved by
hand or by any suitable handles or mechanism. Each of the switch
levers is provided with its own locking bar, and when this bar is so
placed as to free the switch lever, it may lock all the other levers, and
they will remain so locked until the switch lever is again properly
secured. When the switch lever is locked in a front position some of the
notches in the bar will correspond with some of the sectors, and will set
them and their levers free; and similarly when the bar is locked in a
back position either of the notches in the bar will correspond with other
of the sectors, for the locking bar moves opposite ways, one way to lock
its lever in a forward position, and the other way to lock it in a backward
position. The bar cannot be moved the wrong way to lock its lever, as
the locking notches in the segment are differently formed or arranged,
and there is a corresponding difference between the two sides of the
notch in the bar.
The locking bars will usually be equal in number to the switch levers,
and correspond with them, but in some cases one or more of the signal
levers may be provided with a locking bar.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Christopher Rapier in the Great Seal a
Patent Office on the 20th February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
CHRISTOPHER RAPIER, of 5, Westminster Chambers, Westminster, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Richard Christopher Rapier, Her special license
that I, the said Richard Christopher Rapier, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Christopher
Rapier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY LOCKING. APPARATUS. FOR SWITCHES AND
SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard
Christopher Rapier, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, 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 I, the said Richard Christopher Rapier, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of the Invention is to perform the interlocking of switch
and signal levers in a simpler manner than heretofore. With this object
I apply to each lever a sector struck from the centre of the fulcrum of
the lever, and I perform the locking and unlocking at various points on
the periphery of the said sectors, by means of locking bars extending
across the sectors of the levers.
The principle of my Invention may be explained as follows:--A lever
might be locked in its normal position by a simple bolt being shot into
it or in front of it, but when the same lever is moved into its abnormal
position it cannot be locked in the abnormal position by the same bolt,
or catch because the lever is then removed from the said bolt or catch,
and its locking in its abnormal position must be effected by some other

page_text: contrivance involving the use of gear of more or less complication. In
a locking frame it is necessary to apply a number of locking bolts or
catches to each lever, and so the complication becomes greater.
Now by the use of the sectors herein described, I obtain the advantage
that at all times some part or other of all sectors is present to all the
locking bars, and thus any desired locking or unlocking can be per-
formed on the periphery of the sectors, whether the levers are in a front
or back position.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed,
Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine arranged according to my
Invention and adapted to work the switches or points and signals at a
railway junction; Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the same.
.
Figure 4 is a plan of the junction. On the two girders G, G, or on
any suitable base plate or floor, I fix several iron frames W, W, and I
make a boss B on each iron frame and through the bosses B, B, I pass a
shaft or spindle S to form the axis or fulcrum, on which the levers for
moving the switches or signals turn. Each lever has a sector made in
one piece with it or fixed to it, or mounted with it on a short piece of
hollow shaft moving on the said axis or fulcrum or in any other way, so
as to ensure each sector moving uniformly around the axis or fulcrum,
with its own lever. The sectors are struck from the centre of the axis
or fulcrum, and may consist of any portion of a circle or might even be
a whole circle. The curved part C, C, of the frames W, W, is also
struck from the centre of the axis, and in this curved part are formed
holes or slots 8, 8, and in the said slots 8, 8, horizontal bars fand V are
fitted, so that they can be moved to and fro, the inner. edges of such
horizontal bars being a little nearer to the axis than the outer edges of
the sectors so that the vertical edges of the sectors intersect the horizontal
edges of the bars, and in the edges of these sectors and horizontal bars I
cut notches in such a manner that the bars and sectors may be allowed
to pass through each other respectively at proper times and prevented
from passing at improper times.

page_text: The method of cutting the notches will be readily understood by the
following description :-
Lever No. 1 works the main down distant signal.
No. 2
"
"
"
»
"
junction
"
No. 3
"
"
"
No. 4
"
"
"
"
No. 5
"
"
"
دو
"
down points
branch junction signal.
distant
"
وو
No. 6
"
"
up branch
39
"
"
No. 7
"
"
"
"
junction
"
وو
No. 8
"
"
No. 9
"
"
"
"
up points
main junction signal.
""
No. 10
"
"
زو
"
distant
"
"
Figures 5, 5, 5º, are three views of the locking bar f of the point
lever No. 3, showing it in the several positions which from time to time it
occupies in relation to the sectors of the signal and point levers which
are represented in section.
Figures 6ª, 6, 6º, are three similar views of the locking bar V of the
point lever No. 8. Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged views of parts of the
said locking bars and levers. When the levers are in the position shown
in Figure 1, the signals are all at danger, and the switches are all set for
the main line. For example, lever No. 3, which works the down points
now holds them right for the main line, and the lever is secured in that
position by the thickening block X (see Figure 5) on the locking bar f
having its tooth j in the notch on the sector belonging to No. 3 lever, at
the same time the notches opposite sectors Nos. 1 and 2 allow them to
be moved, Nos. 1 and 2 levers being used for working the signals, which
may be put to safety when the No. 3 lever is up and secured. The
levers Nos. 4 and 5 cannot be moved because the solid part of the bar is
in the notches of the sectors Nos. 4 and 5 being the two signal levers,
which may not be moved when. No. 3 lever is up.
Similarly sectors and levers Nos. 9 and 10 may be moved and sectors
and levers Nos. 6, 7, and 8 may not be moved when No. 3 lever is up.
Figure 5b represents the bar f slid along to the left so as to allow
No. 3 sector to be moved, and it will now be seen that during the time
No. 3 sector is free to be moved all other sectors affected by it are
locked, but all other sectors which are not affected by it continue
unlocked. When the lever No. 3 has been moved down and brought

page_text: to its proper position (as in Figure 3) for setting the switches right for
the branch line, the horizontal bar is slid along still further to the left
as in Figure 5º, so that the tooth enters sector No. 3 and secures it in
its new position... Now it will be seen that levers Nos. 1 and 2 which
relate to the main line signals are locked at danger, and levers Nos. 4
and 5 which relate to the branch line signals are free to be moved.
Similarly any of the levers Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, may now be moved as far
as No. 3 lever is concerned.
By reference to Figure 8, it will be seen that the horizontal bar
cannot be slid into its sector in a wrong direction. The bar is fitted with
a block fastened to it by the bolt h which also forms a handle for moving
the bar, and in this block is cut a notch for the sector to work in. On
one side of the notch there is a thick and shallow tooth j and on the
other side a thinner and deeper tooth k, and thus the one tooth will not
go into the notch in the sector which is prepared for the other tooth.
For instance the tooth j which secures the notch N', Figure 2, may be 1"
thick, and go three eighths of an inch deep in the sector, and the tooth k
which secures notch N2, Figure 3, may be three-fourths of an inch thick,
and go five-eighths of an inch deep into the sector, thus the deep tooth
will not go into the shallow notch and the thick tooth will not go into
the narrow notch. Thus after moving any switch lever the operator is
obliged to slide the horizontal bar to lock the switch lever, before he
can unlock any of the signals or switches affected by such lever, and
he can only slide the bar in the right direction because the difference
of the teeth and notches above described prevent him moving it the
wrong way.
On reference to Figures Nos. 6º, 6º, 6º, it will be seen that when the
bar V is in the position of Figure 6*, the up point lever is secured in its
position right for main line and in that position the signal levers Nos. 9
and 10, which work the main line signals are free to be moved, and the
branch signal levers Numbers 6 and 7 are not free to be moved. Before
the bar V can be slid into the position shewn in Figure 6b, No. 3 sector
and lever must be brought down (as in Figure 3) so as to open the down
points to the branch to cover the contingency of a down train accidentally
overrunning the signals. After No. 3 lever has been brought down;
the notch Ns in it coincides with the bar V, which can then be slid
through the said notch into the position shewn in Figure 6%, and then
lever No. 8 is free to be moved down and at the same time all levers

page_text: affected by it, videlicet, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 10 are all locked.
After the
lever No. 8 has been brought quite down the bar V can be slid further
to the left, as shewn in Figure 6º, so as to secure lever No. 8 in its new
position, and then the branch signals 6 and 7 are free to be moved, and
the main line signals 1, 2, 9, and 10, and the down points No. 3 are not
free to be moved.
It will be seen that what is known as "switch back locking" is very
perfectly attained by the present Invention, thus, starting from the
position represented in Figure 5ª, if the main line distant signal sector
(No. 1 lever) be moved even a quarter of an inch from its upright
position, the solid part of the sector of Number 1 lever, shewn in section
at Figure 5 will pass into the notch 9 of the bar f, and then the bar f
cannot be moved, and so the switches worked by Number 3 lever
continue secured in their proper position for the main line, as long as
the main line signal continues down or partly down.
Instead of cutting notches in the bars and leaving the necessary stops
solid on the bars, the bars might be made narrow enough to clear the
sectors, and the necessary stops obtained by fixing stops to the bars
where required, as shewn in Figure 9.
Figure 10 is a view of the guide bars I and J which are fixed in the
frame by keys or bolts. These bars tie the frames together and also
steady or guide the sectors.,
In a frame of forty or fifty levers to work complicated junctions some
of the levers may require to be locked by a great number of locking"
bars.
On reference to Figure 11 it will be seen that the locking bars may be
made of different sizes and shapes, so that if the lever be partially
moved, say, into the position shewn by dotted lines, Figure 11, the bar g.
for example cannot be slid into the notch a because of its different size
or shape, and thus any lever must always be brought into its proper
position before any locking bar affected by it can be moved. The bars
should be arranged so that the smallest teeth of the bars begin at the
top and increase in size towards the lower part of the frame.
Figure 12 shews a method of arranging bars made of a T section, the
bars are arranged on edge.
t

page_text: Figure 13 is a sectional elevation of the frame (which may consist of
forty or fifty levers) looking on the inside of the sectors, the section is
taken through a, b, c, d, Figure 12, looking towards the bars.
Figure 14 is a plan of the top and bottom guiding bars; Figure 15,
shows the bar F with its stops or hooks formed out of the solid;
Figure 15, shows the bar before these are cut. In Figure 15" the stops
or hooks are represented as separate pieces fixed to the bar. Bar F,
Figure 13, belongs to lever No. 3, and has been slid along so as to release
lever No. 3, and during the time No. 3 is released, the levers Nos. 1, 2, 4,
and 5 (which actuate the signals belonging to the switches which are
moved by No. 3) are all locked.
After the movement of No. 3 has been completed, the locking bar F
can be slid along so as to secure it either by the tooth 8 (Figure 15)
when the lever is down or by the tooth t (Figure 15) when the lever is
up, and such movement of the locking bar releases, signal levers Nos. 11
and 2 in the one case and signal levers Nos. 4 and 5 in the other
case.
Reference to Figures 12, 13, and 15, will shew that the tooth t enters
the square hole F', but will not enter the parallelogram F³, also the
tooths will enter the parallelogram F2, but will not enter the square F¹, 2
the operator cannot therefore push the locking bar F in a wrong direction.
In Figure 13 the notches are only shewn in bar F, notches would be
made on the other bars in accordance with the uses to which the levers
might be put as required by the local circumstances of any particular
case and as from the description already given, a railway engineer will 2
well understand.
On reference to Figure 12 it will be seen that these stops or hooks
may be arranged so as to engage into the sectors at the edges (see
bar E, Figure 12) or at different distances from the edge of the sector
(see E, F, G, H,) or both (see bar I) and may also be of different shapes a
so that a hole intended for a tooth of any one bar will not admit a tooth
or hook of any other bar.
In Figures 11 and 12 twelve different sorts of locking bars are shewn,
but it is evident that the number of different bars and the different stops
may be multiplied on the principal of wards in locks and keys indefinitely. 3
The handles of the horizontal bars may be moved by the hand of the
operator, but they can be most conveniently moved by the leg of the

page_text: operator being pressed against them, and although I prefer this simple
method of moving them they might be fitted with treadles or other gear,
as might be found convenient in any particular case or the bars may be
actuated by the sectors, as shewn in Figures 16 and 17 as follows
Figure 16 is an elevation and Figure 17 a transverse section. The
levers are arranged for a double junction as in Figure 4 and similar to
Figure 1, Sheet 1.
The two switch levers are Nos. 3 and 8, and each of these has a
locking bar belonging to it, and each of them has a flange r on the inner
edge of the sector. One of the locking bars is shewn in three positions
at Figures 18, 18, and 18°. On the locking bar is forged or fixed a
piece m, having two fingers n, and the shaped flange' works between
these fingers n, now it will be seen that when the lever is moved from its
upright position the inclined part p of the flanger moves the locking
bar to the left sufficient to lock the signal levers Nos. 1 and 2, as shewn
in sectional plan, Figure 18%, and if the motion of the switch lever be
continued and it be brought down so as to set the switches for the
branch line, the latter part of the motion of the lever brings the other
inclined part q of the flange into the fingers of the horizontal bar,
which is thereby moved further to the left so as to release the branch
signals Nos. 4 and 5 as shewn in sectional plan, No. $185; Figure 19
shows the flanger in rolled out flat with the fingers n in three positions
corresponding to the Figures 180, 186, and 18°.
By a proper adjustment of dimensions and of the angles of the inclined
part of the flange, the locking bar may be made to lock any signal before
the switch handle has travelled half of an inch, and this is before the
switches have moved at all, for the ordinary slack or springing of the
rods leading to the switches is not taken up by such a minute travel of
the lever as is required for moving the locking bar sufficient to commence
the locking of the signal sectors. Figures 20 represent the flange and
fingers half the full size.
It was stated in the beginning of this Specification that the object of
the present Invention is simplicity, reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
will shew that a double junction can be completely interlocked by only
two separate moving pieces, in addition to the levers themselves, videlecit,
the locking bars fand V.

page_text: Desives H
патост
combines the following advantages: —
g parts, the apparatus
1. The locks can, by making the sectors large, be arranged so that the
operator has very little leverage over them and therefore cannot strain
them.
2. Consequent non-liability to derangement.
3. Consequent durability.
4. All the locking is performed in sight of the operator, so that he
can readily see by what other levers any lever about to be operated is
locked.
5. The circumstance that all the apparatus can be arranged entirely
above the floor of the signal house (merely a well being formed in the
floor for the sectors) without the large apertures heretofore required
between the quadrant plates heretofore used will greatly add to the
warmth of the signal box and the comfort of the signalman.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details described, but I claim interlocking switch and
signal levers by means of locking bars engaging into the periphery of
sectors, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Christopher Rapier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.