IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY OAKDEN FISHER of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS " to be as
follows:-
In apparatus constructed according to this invention for working and locking
railway points and signals the point rails can be moved freely and set by an
independent lever when the signals for the main line and branch are both at
danger.
A divided stretcher bar is passed across from the point of one point rail to the
point of the other point rail as is described in a Provisional Specification lodged by
me on the 2nd November 1877 N° 4082. With this divided stretcher bar I employ
two locking bolts as is also described in the above mentioned Specification. The
locking bolts lie centrally between the rails. When the points are set for the main
line one of these bolts can be shot through holes formed through the two parts of
the divided stretcher bar-whilst when the points are set for the branch the other
bolt can be shot through these holes. The bolts I make to work to and fro through
passages in a block or casing so that should either bolt be broken the broken off
piece shall not be able to fall away but shall still serve to keep the points locked.
The two locking bolts I actuate by separate levers One locking bolt I connect by
a system of rods or rods and wires and cranks or cranks and wheels with the
main line signal and the other locking bolt with the branch signal. The connection
between each bolt and its signal is so contrived that before the signal can be
lowered or before it can commence to lower the bolt must of necessity be shot
sufficiently far to lock and hold the points. Neither signal can therefore be
lowered unless the points have first been properly set and locked.
The rods or rods and wires leading from the locking bolts to the signals would
not in all cases be made to directly work the signals but would in some cases when
a signal is controlled from one or more cabins be made to move stops to allow or
not to allow of the signals being lowered.
In conjunction with the above apparatus I also employ a locking bar set along-
side of one of the rails just in front of the points to prevent the points being moved
whilst a train is passing over them. The bar is a lifting bar-it is supported on

page_text: arms which can turn upon pins that are at right angles to the rails. The end of
the bar which is towards the points is supported by an arm on a shaft which passes
transversely across the space between the rails. The shaft passes below the locking
bolts and where it passes below the bolts it has a projection standing up from it.
On the underside of each bolt is a jointed tooth. When a bolt is shot the tooth
can turn up out of the way and pass the projection on the shaft. When the bolt is
withdrawn the tooth catches the projection and turns the shaft in a direction to
lift the locking bar so that if the locking bar cannot be lifted by reason of a train
standing upon it, the locking bolt cannot be withdrawn. To ensure the tooth
being in such a position as to catch the projection on the shaft whenever the bolt
is withdrawn, the upper end of the tooth is formed with an arm extending from it
horizontally. When the bolt is being shot the tooth comes against the projection
and turns upwards so as to pass the projection-the horizontal arm of the tooth is
in this way also caused to turn upwards When the tooth has passed over the
projection the horizontal arm of the tooth is brought against a fixed incline and is
by it forced back to its original position.
It may at times be found more convenient to employ a separate lock bar with
each bolt.
Deted this 95th day of January 1884
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: G
I HENRY OAKDEN FISHER of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
In apparatus constructed according to this invention for working and locking
railway points and signals the point rails can be moved freely and set by an
independent lever when the signals for the main line and branch are both at
danger.
A divided stretcher bar is passed across from the point of one point rail to the
point of the other point rail as is described in a Provisional Specification lodged by
me on the 2nd November 1877 N° 4082. With this divided stretcher bar I employ
two locking bolts as is also described in the above mentioned Specification. The
locking bolts lie centrally between the rails. When the points are set for the main
line one of these bolts can be shot through holes formed through the two parts of
the divided stretcher bar-whilst when the points are set for the branch the other
bolt can be shot through these holes. The bolts I make to work to and fro through
passages in a block or casing so that should either bolt be broken the broken off
piece shall not be able to fall away but shall still serve to keep the points locked.
The two locking bolts I actuate by separate levers. One locking bolt I connect by
a system of rods or rods and wires and cranks or cranks and wheels with the main
line signal and the other locking bolt with the branch signal. The connection
between each bolt and its signal is so contrived that before the signal can be
lowered or before it can commence to lower the bolt must of necessity be shot
sufficiently far to lock and hold the points. Neither signal can therefore be lowered
unless the points have first been properly set and locked.
The rods or rods and wires leading from the locking bolts to the signals would
not in all cases be made to directly work the signals but would in some cases
when a signal is controlled from one or more cabins be made to move stops to
allow or not to allow of the signals being lowered.
In conjunction with the above apparatus I also employ a locking bar set along-
side of one of the rails just in front of the points to prevent the points being moved
whilst a train is passing over them. The bar is a lifting bar-it is supported on
arms which can turn upon pins that are at right angles to the rails. The end of
the bar which is towards the points is supported by an arm on a shaft which
passes transversely across the space between the rails. The shaft passes below the
locking bolts and where it passes below the bolts it has a projection standing up
from it. On the underside of each bolt is a jointed tooth. When a bolt is shot
the tooth can turn up out of the way and pass the projection on the shaft. When
the bolt is withdrawn the tooth catches the projection and turns the shaft in a
direction to lift the locking bar so that if the locking bar cannot be lifted by
reason of a train standing upon it, the locking bolt cannot be withdrawn. To
ensure the tooth being in such a position as to catch the projection on the shaft
whenever the bolt is withdrawn, the upper end of the tooth is formed with an arm
extending from it horizontally.-When the bolt is being shot the tooth comes
against the projection and turns upwards so as to pass the projection-the
horizontal arm of the tooth is in this way also caused to turn upwards. When
the tooth has passed over the projection the horizontal arm of the tooth is brought
against a fixed incline and is by it forced back to its original position.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a sectional elevation showing apparatus for
working and locking railway points and signals arranged in accordance with my
invention.
A A are the fixed rails and B B the point or moveable rails. C is a lever handle
by which these moveable rails are shifted to set them for the main line or for the
branch line as may be required.
Although a simple lever handle in the immediate neighbourhood of the point
rails is here shown it will be understood that the point rails may be worked from
any convenient distance as is the practice at present. D and E are the signal and
locking levers and these also may and generally would be placed at a distance
from the points.
F1 F2 are the two parts of a divided stretcher bar attached to the extremities of
the point rails; they have holes in them through which bolts G and H may be
shot. The holes are in such a position that when the point rails are set for the
main line the bolt G may be shot through them and when the point rails are set for
the branch line then the holes in the stretcher bar are in a position to receive the
end of the bolt H.
The object in the use of a stretcher bar in two parts is that if either of the point
rails should be bent at its extremity it will become impossible to shoot the bolts
through the holes and consequently the signals cannot be lowered whilst the line is
thus deranged.
The system of rods and levers by which the bolts G and H are connected with
the lever handles D and E are clearly represented in the Drawings, and the same
lever handles by other rods and levers which also clearly appear upon the Drawings
are connected with the semaphore signals.
The lever handle D which operates the bolt for locking the point rails in the
position for the main line also operates the main semaphore signal K. After
shooting the bolt sufficiently far through the holes in the divided stretcher bar to
secure the point rails in position it gives motion to a weighted lever L in such
manner as to lift the weight by which the signal arm is sustained, the arm then
falls to a position to notify to an approaching main line train that the points are
ready to receive it. In the same way the hand lever E which operates the bolt H
works in connection with the branch signal M first to lock the point rails in the
position for the branch line and then to let down the arm of the branch signal.
In order to prevent the movement of the point rails whilst a train is upon them,
the locking bar N is provided; it is mounted in the usual way on links alongside
of the fixed rails whenever either of the locking bolts G or H is withdrawn the
locking bar N is lifted by connections which I will immediately describe, and if
the wheels of a train being over the locking bar N prevent it from being lifted it
follows that the bolts G and H cannot be withdrawn.
The bar N is pin jointed to an arm upon the transverse borizontal axis O. This
axis has upon it a projection 0¹ and this operates in conjunction with fingers P¹ P¹
which are jointed to the bolts; one finger P¹ being upon the bolt G and the other
finger P¹ upon the bolt H. The projection 0¹ offers no impediment to the forward
movement of the bolts to enter the holes in the stretcher bar for the fingers P' P¹
are able then to turn upwards about the joint and to pass the projection. But
when the movement of the bolt is in the direction for withdrawal then the finger P¹
which is carried by that bolt comes against the projection O¹ on the axis O and is
unable to yield for the joint allows no freedom in this direction; consequently

page_text: either the further movement of the bolt is stopped, or else by the rotation of the
axis and the movement of the locking bar N the finger is allowed to pass.
Inmediately afterwards the locking bar descends again by gravity.
The fingers P¹ P₁ also after they have passed the projection O' in the forward
movement of the bolt will immediately unless the joint be unduly stiff return by
their own weight. I do not trust however to gravity to cause the return of the
fingers, but I fix to each finger an arm P* which is raised when the finger comes
against the projection 0₁ and I also provide a fixed incline R with which the
arm P* if raised comes into contact immediately after the finger has passed the
projection O¹. This incline then during the forward movement of the bolt replaces
the finger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is-
(1) The combination of apparatus for working and locking railway points and
signals substantially as described.
(2) In apparatus for working and locking railway points and signals the com-
bination of apparatus consisting of point rails, a stretcher bar (preferably divided)
and two bolts one suitably placed to enter a hole (or holes) in the stretcher bar
only when the point rails are set for the main line and the other only when the
point rails are set for the branch line; also of a lever and connecting parts
controlling the main line signal and one of the bolts in such manner that when the
bolt is withdrawn the signal is placed at danger; and lastly another lever and
connecting parts which similarly control the branch line signal and the other bolt
substantially as described.
(3) In apparatus for working and locking railway points and signals providing
a locking bolt which locks the point rails with a connection to the corresponding
semaphore arm or signal such that the lowering of that semaphore arm or signal at
the proper time is effected directly from and by the movement of the bolt itself
substantially in the manner described.
(4) In apparatus for working and locking railway points providing on the
locking bolt which locks the point rails, a finger which as the bolt is withdrawn
engages with an axis or part connected with a locking bar and raises the said bar
above the level of the rails or if the said locking bar is not free to rise from a
carriage being upon it then prevents the withdrawal of the bolt substantially as
described.
Dated this 25th day of October 1884.