Improvements in Signalling and Controlling the Movements of Trains on Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1803-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signalling and Controlling the Movements of
Trains on Railways.
We, HENRY WILLIAM TANNER, of 7 Osborne Grove, Walthamstow, in the
County of Essex, Machinist, and ROBERT HENRY RICHARDSON, of 5 Osborne
Grove, Walthamstow, in the County of Essex, Builder, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the working of railways with absolute safety
by operating the semaphore and other signals automatically by the passage of the
trains and also signalling to the drivers of moving trains and stopping such trains
independently of the control of the drivers.
According to this invention we place along the side of one of the rails on the
track two bars of suitable length each supported by two or more crank arms so
that they may have a rising or falling motion after the manner of the safety
locking bars now in use on railways. These two bars are arranged at a suitable
distance apart and connected to each other by means of a connecting rod of such
length that when one bar is in its elevated position, the other is in its depressed
position. It will thus be seen that the depression of the elevated bar effects the
elevation of the others. These bars are preferably placed one at each end of a
section of the line, which is provided with a semaphore or other signal to control
the entrance of trains thereto. This semaphore or other signal is actuated by
the movement of the said rising and falling bars and is connected to them in
such a manner that when the first bar, or that at the entrance of the section,
is raised into the path of the wheels or other suitable part of the train, the
signal is lowered to permit of the entrance of the train into such section. On
the trains passing into the section it depresses the said bar which effects the
reversal of the signal so as to close the section against the entrance of another
train, and also elevates the rising and falling bar at the other and outer end of
the section. These parts remain in such positions until the train on reaching the
outer end of the section comes in contact with and depresses the second rising and
falling bar. This, through its connection with the parts already mentioned, elevates
the first mentioned rising and falling bar and lowers the signal for the admission of
another train into the section from which the first train has just passed. It will be
understood that two rising and falling bars and a semaphore or other signal
connected as described are provided for each of the sections, into which the line
may be divided.
To provide against the possible contingency of a driver disregarding the signal
and passing into the closed section, we connect the rising and falling bars
hereinbefore mentioned with another bar of similar construction.
This bar,
however, is placed out of line with the others so that it is not acted upon by the
passing trains and is so arranged that it occupies its depressed position when the
bar at the entrance to the section is in its most elevated position. This third
rising and falling bar is placed at a suitable distance before the entrance to a
section. It will thus be seen that when a train is on the section and the signal at
the entrance of such section is against any trains that may be following it, the third
rising and falling bar is elevated. When in this position it acts upon suitable
appliances upon the locomotive of any passing train so as to signal to the driver
and at the same time shut off the steam and apply the brakes. For this purpose
the locomotive is provided with an arm, push-piece, or other device, depending
from it into the line of the before mentioned rising and falling bar. This arm
push piece or other device is connected by a suitable arrangement of levers with a

page_text: semaphore arm placed in sight of the engine driver in the locomotive cab, and also
with the hammer of a gong or with the steam whistle. An arrangement of levers
for closing the steam regulator and applying the air brake are also connected to
these levers. To operate the steam regulator we mount upon the spindle of the
same a bush or collar having a projecting lug on its face, which lies against the
handle of the regulator when the same is in its extreme open position. The said
collar is connected with the arrangement of levers before referred to so that on the
arm-push-piece, or other device, being elevated by contact with the rising and
falling bar the collar or bush is rotated on the spindle of the regulator and, by
means of the projecting lug, moves the handle of the regulator round until the
same is shut.
It will be seen that when the parts are in their normal position the lug on the
collar does not interfere with the manipulation of the steam regulator.
On a locomotive attempting to pass the signal which is against it, a signal or
signals will be operated upon the same, the steam regulator will be closed and the
brakes applied by means of the third rising and falling bar and the herein before
mentioned devices on the locomotive.
Where desired the third rising and falling bar can be connected by proper rods
and levers to any signal box, so as to allow of the bar being operated by hand when
convenient. The system can furthermore be applied to sections of the line occupied
by level crossings in which case the apparatus would be connected by proper rods
and levers with the gates of such level crossings. Upon opening these gates the
third bar would be raised and the signal made, the same remaining in such position
until after the passage of the vehicle etc., when the gates would again be shut and
the line open for traffic as before.
Dated this 28th day of July 1802
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signalling and Controlling the Movements of
Trains on Railways.
We, HENRY WILLIAM TANNER, of 7 Osborne Grove, Walthamstow, in the
County of Essex, Machinist and ROBERT HENRY RICHARDSON, 5 Osborne
Grove, Walthamstow, in the County of Essex, Builder, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the working of railways with absolute safety by
operating the semaphore and other signals automatically by the passage of the
trains and also signalling to the drivers of moving trains and stopping such trains
independently of the control of the drivers.
According to this invention we place along the side of one of the rails of the
track two bars of suitable length each supported by two or more crank arms so
that they may have a rising and falling motion after the manner of the safety
locking bars now in use on railways. These two bars are arranged at a suitable
distance apart and connected to each other by means of a connecting rod
of such length that when one bar is in its elevated position the other is in its
depressed position. It will thus be seen that the depression of the elevated bar
effects the elevation of the others. These bars may be placed one at each end of a
section of the line, which is provided with a semaphore or other signal to control
the entrance of trains thereto, but both are preferably placed at the commencement
of the section as shown in the accompanying drawings. This semaphore or other
signal is actuated by the movement of the said rising and falling bars and is
connected to them in such a manner that when the second of these bars is raised

page_text: into the path of the wheels or other suitable part of the train, the signal is lowered
to permit of the entrance of the train into such section. On the train passing into
the section it depresses the said bar which effects the reversal of the signal so as to
close the section against the entrance of another train, and also elevates the first of
these rising and falling bars. These parts remain in these positions excepting the
signal which is dropped on the train reaching the outer end of the section. It will
be understood that two rising and falling bars and a semaphore or other signal
connected as described are provided for each of the sections, into which the line
may be divided.
To provide against the possible contingency of a driver disregarding the signal
and passing into a closed section, we connect the rising and falling bars herein-
before mentioned with another bar of similar construction. This bar, however, is
placed out of line with the others so that it is not acted upon by the passing trains
and is so arranged that it occupies its depressed position when the first of the two
bars described is in its most elevated position. This third rising and falling bar is
placed at a suitable distance before the entrance to a section, i.e. within the
preceding section. It will thus be seen that when a train is on the section and the
signal at the entrance of such section is against any trains that may be following
it, the third rising and falling bar is elevated. When in this position it acts upon
suitable appliances upon the locomotive of any passing train so as to signal to the
driver and at the same time shut off the steam and apply the brakes and so lock
the second train within its section. For this purpose the locomotive is provided
with an arm push piece, or other device, depending from it into the line of the
before mentioned rising and falling bar. This arm push-piece or other device is
connected by a suitable arrangement of levers with a semaphore arm placed in sight
of the engine driver in the locomotive cab and also with the hammer of a gong or
with the steam whistle. An arrangement of levers for closing the steam regulator
and applying the air brake are also connected to these levers."
On a locomotive attempting to pass the signal which is against it, a signal or
signals will be operated upon the same, the steam regulator will be closed and the
brakes applied by means of the third rising and falling bar and the hereinbefore
mentioned devices on the locomotive.
Where desired the third rising and falling bar can be connected by proper rods
and levers to any signal box so as to allow of the bar being operated by hand when
convenient. The system can furthermore be applied to sections of the line occupied
by level crossings in which case the apparatus would be connected by proper rods
and levers with the gates of such level crossings. Upon opening these gates the
third bar would be raised and the signal made, the same remaining in such position
until after the passage of the vehicle, etc., when the gates would again be shut and
the line open for traffic as before.
And in order that this invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practice we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying three sheets of drawings illustrative of our said invention of which
Figs. 1 to 3 show a portion of railway line or track fitted according to our
invention,
Figs. 4 to 7 an enlarged view of certain parts of the same, and
Figs. 8 to 10 show the appliances fitted upon a locomotive for controlling the
movement of the same and signalling to the driver.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of line fitted according to our invention at the
entrance of each section of which is placed a semaphore as shown at a Fig. 1. In
this figure the signal arm is shown facing the observer which is not its true position for
the proper position of which reference must be made to Fig. 2 which is a plan of
the arrangement shown at Fig. 1. At Fig. 1 the section is supposed to be
unoccupied, the signal showing it to be clear for the entrance of a train. Fig. 3 is
a similar view to that shown at Fig. 1 but the section is here supposed to be
occupied, the rising and falling bars and their connections being reversed in position
to that shown at Fig. 1. As shown at Figs. 1 to 3 we place along the side of one

page_text: of the rails of the track two bars b and c of suitable length and supported by two or
more crank arms so that they may have a rising and falling motion after the manner
of the safety locking bars now in use on railways. These bars are arranged at a
suitable distance apart and are connected to each other by means of a connecting
rod of suitable length and arranged in such a manner that when one bar is in
its elevated position the other is in its depressed position as shown at Figs. 1 to 3.
Though we stated in our Provisional Specification that we preferred to place
these bars and c one at each end of the section we have found in our experiments
that it is better to place both these bars at the commencement of the section.
Thus as shown at Fig. 2 the pairs of bars b, c, connected in the manner described
are placed at the entrance of one section and another pair f, g, similarly connected
are placed at the entrance to the next section. Each pair of bars b, c; f, g, is
connected to a third bar d, e, which is constructed similarly to those already
described and connected with the same in such a manner that it synchronises in its
movements with the second bar of the pair. Thus d synchronises with e and
e with 9. As shown at Fig. 2 the rising and falling bars d are placed out of
alignment with the others so that they are not operated by the passing locomotives
as are the remaining bars; they are however, as has already been stated, operated
by these bars so as to bring them into and throw out of position for actuating
suitable appliances carried upon the locomotive in order to stop its progress and
signal to the driver. If the rising and falling bars b, c, and the signal a be regarded
as at the commencement of a section it will be seen that the bar d lies some little
distance before this point and therefore within the preceding section; the object
of this arrangement is to stop a train before it enters an already occupied section.
It will be understood that the distance between each of these levers must exceed
the maximum length of a train.
Figs. 4 to 7 show the method of operating the signal by the rising and falling
bars, Figs. 4 and 5 being respectively an elevation and plan of the mechanism
employed for this purpose when the signal is at danger, Figs. 6 and 7 being similar
views of the same parts when the signal is down to admit a train on to the section
which it controls.
it moves.
As shown in the drawings now under reference the semaphore is provided with a
weighted lever which is pivoted to the rod operating the signal arm with which
This weighted lever acts to maintain the signal at danger which may
therefore be considered to be its normal position. At its lower end the rod is
pivoted to a sector m which is provided with a curved slot n struck from the centre
upon which the sector turns. One end of the said slot is turned inwards towards
the centre of the sector. In this slot lies a pin p connected to the end of a rod or
link 9 which is connected at its other end with the rising and falling bar e at the
outer end of the section, which as already stated synchronises with the bar g. It
will thus be seen that on the train passing out of the section it depresses the bar g
which previously elevated by the weight of the locomotive upon the bar elevates
the bar e which in turn pulls the rod the pin p of which lies in the bent end of
the slot n. By reason of the direction of the pull the pin p remains in the bent
part of the slot and consequently pulls the sector m upon its pivot and so moves
the signal arm out of its normal position at danger in opposition to the action
of the weighted lever . The section is thus prepared to receive another train.
In front of the sector m and a little to the side of the same is mounted another
sector also having a concentric curved slot s the end of which is bent inwards
similarly to the slot n. This sector has a cam-like projection t which lies in front
of the first mentioned sector m, and when the same is in the position shown at
Fig. 6 the projection t acts on the oscillation of the sector to lift the pin p out
of the bent end of the slot n so that the weighted lever k is free to return the
sector m to its normal position of danger, the pin p remaining stationary within the
slots as the same moves past it. As shown at Figs. 5 and 7 the pin p projects
sufficiently beyond the surface of the sector m to be acted upon by the cam
projection in the manner described. The sector is operated by the pin lying

page_text: within its slots carried at the end of the rod u which is connected to the rising
and falling bars b and c so that the parts may operate in the manner hereinbefore
described as will be understood from an inspection of Figs. 1 to 7. In order to
release the pin or rod from the bent end of the slot a provide a stationary cam
surface immediately in front of the sector and so construct it that the said pin
shall ride against the same after it has travelled with the sector a sufficient distance
to lift the pin pout of the end of the slot n. After having been so lifted out of the
slots it still continues its movement along the concentric part of the same and the
sector falls into the position shown in the drawings by reason of its end t being
heavier than its other end. The rod u is connected to a lever a which is secured to
the shaft carrying the crank arm which supports and actuates the rising and
falling bar e and which is connected by means of a rod with the arm or lever w
which is similarly connected to the rising and falling bar b. By reason of these
connections the parts perform the motions herein before described as will be well
understood.
Fig. 8 is a rear view of a locomotive fitted with appliances constructed according
to our invention. In this figure the locomotive is supposed to be upon an other-
wise unoccupied section of line, the signal in the cab being shown as down and the
steam regulator open. Fig. 9 is a similar view but the engines shown over one
of the rising and falling bars for operating the appliances upon the same, conse-
quently the signal stands at "danger" and the steam regulator is closed. Fig. 10 is
a side elevation of a locomotive showing the connections of the appliances about to
be described. For operating the rising and falling bars b, c; f, g, we mount upon
the axles of the locomotive a drum of such diameter that it comes into contact
and depresses any of these levers over which it is passing that may be in their
elevated position. In the drawings we have shown two drums in order that the
rising and falling bars may be operated by the locomotive whether it is going funnel
or tender first. These pulleys may if preferred be supported in any other manner
below the framework of the locomotive. In order to operate the whistle, gong,
semaphore or other visible or audible signal carried upon the locomotive we
preferably employ a spring-seated rod 2 which projects below the framework of the
locomotive and carries at its lower end an anti-friction roller 3 which comes in
contact with any of the rising and falling bars d, e, that may be elevated. Such
contact gives a longitudinal movement to the rod 2 which is communicated through
a suitable arrangement of levers such for instance as those shown in the drawings
under reference to the signalling arrangement which is in the present instance
supposed to be a semaphore 4 mounted inside the cab of the locomotive. An
inspection of the drawings will make the connection and working of the parts
obvious. We also employ this arrangement of levers for closing the steam
regulator 5 and applying the brakes. As shown in the drawings these levers are
connected to a stop 6 travelling within a curved slot placed behind the regulator
lever 5. When the parts are in a normal position as shown at Fig. 8 this stop lics
at the extreme end of the slot and permits of the free movement of the regulator
lever 5 but when the position of the parts is altered by the movement of the rod 2
as shown at Fig. 9 the stop 6 is drawn across the slot and carries with it the regulator
lever 5 cutting off the steam, and stopping the vehicle. The connection of these
levers with the steam or air brake will be readily understood without the aid of
further drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to he performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1) In apparatus for signalling and controlling the movements of trains upon
railways, the employment of rising and falling bars placed along the track in sets
of three for each section into which the track is divided, two being placed at the
commencement and one at the outer end of each section connected to each other and

page_text: to a semaphore or other signal substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set
forth and described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2) In connection with a semaphore or other signal to be operated by a system
of three rising and falling bars such as is described in the preceding claim and
normally maintained at a position of danger by the action of a weighted lever or
its equivalent, the employment of two concentrically slotted sections each having a
detent or depression at one end of its slot in which to receive a pin carried by its
actuating rod, and placed one behind and to the side of the other, the one being
provided with a cam-like projection arranged for lifting the pin out of the detent
in the slot of the other sector and arranged by the side of a stationary cam surface
for lifting the pin out of the detent in the slot of the can-bearing sector substantially
as and for the purpose herein before set forth and described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of Anril 1892
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, Loudon, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.