Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 16th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Signalling on
Railways.
I, WILLIAM BAKER of Cross Hill, Greetland near Halifax in the County of
York, Boiler Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention applies to railway trains fitted with the vacuum brake,. for the
twofold purpose of signalling on railways in foggy weather, on dark nights, or
during the temporary or permanent extinction of signal lights, and to the automatic
stopping of trains whenever the signal may be against them, by an attachment to
the vacuum brake on both the guards vans and the engine, and is constructed as
follows:-
I employ a rod, lever, crank, or arms and pulleys, attached to the lever or
wheel of the vacuum brake, and extending downwards through the footplate of
the engine and floor of the van or vans; this rod or arm being held in position by
one or more stays and terminating in one or more grooved anti-friction pulleys,
on the end of the rod is attached a pulley or wheel of suitable design, which runs
up an inclined rail, bar, or other suitable shaped projection.
One or more elevating rails, bars, or other projections, are placed between the
metals, directly under the aforesaid rod a pulley is attached to the vacuum brake,
the said rail, bar or projection to be so fixed upon cranks, rollers, pulleys or other
hinged arrangement as to be free to rise and fall with the working of the ordinary
signal, and to be so shaped that when in working position it presents to the pulley
or wheel on the end of the rod, first a short gradual incline and then a level
run, as this movable projection will be attached to and worked from the ordinary
signal wire, I propose when necessary to attach a counterbalance weight to the
aforesaid cranks, rollers, pulleys, or other hinged arrangement, so as to reduce the
friction and strain of working to a minimum.
The cranks, rollers, pulleys or other hinged arrangement used to work the
aforesaid elevating bar will be attached to each other, so as to work in conjunction,
one end being connected by the usual means of crank and wire, to the passing
signal wire, consequently working in conjunction with and as an auxiliary to the
ordinary signal.
The operation is as follows:-
The signal being against an approaching train, and owing to fog, extinction of
lights, carelessness, or any other cause, the driver and conductor or conductors are
unaware of the fact, immediately the engine and train pass over the said automatic
arrangement, the elevated projection, causes the rod or pulley attached to the
In the case
cock of the vacuum brake to rise and open it, admitting air at once.
of a train with an engine and two vans, the result would be three distinct applica-
tions of the brake, which would serve to bring any train to a standstill, irrespective
of the attention or inattention of the driver and conductor; provided the signal
be off, the projection is released in conjunction with the ordinary signal, the arm,
pulley, and other connections passing over untouched.
°
If desired the said attachment may be extended to the lever of the whistle on
the engine, and a sharp whistle (by this means) may be given; but as a train
may be brought to a standstill apart from any effort of the driver, this may be
found unnecessary; seeing also that the inrush of air caused by the release of the

page_text: vacuum brake, along with the sudden arresting of the progress of the train would
be ample warning for both driver and conductors.
Dated this Fifteenth day of September 1892.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Crossley Street, Halifax, Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation in section of Fig. 1. through the line A. B.
Fig. 3. is a side elevation of Fig. 1. showing bar lowered when not required or
the signal being off.
Fig. 4. is a side elevation of my improved apparatus for signalling on railways.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing pulley and part of lever acting upon the
elevating bar.
I employ a rod, lever, crank, or arm C, connected with or acting upon the lever
or wheel D of the vacuum brake E, and extending downwards through the foot-
plate F of the engine G, or floor of the van or vans as desired; this rod or arm C
being held in position by one or more stays H, the said stays carrying one or more
grooved antifriction pulleys K¹; preferably at the lower end of the rod C, is
attached a pulley or wheel J of suitable design, which runs up an inclined rail, bar
or other suitably shaped projection K, having an incline at each end; the said rail,
bar or projection K is preferably fixed upon suitable shaped cranks, levers, rollers,
pulleys, or other hinged arrangement L, the said cranks L, work within suitable
brackets M, and are connected by a suitable connecting rod or bar N, attached to
a lever P, upon a rocking shaft Ŕ; this lever P' is operated by the signal wire S,
attached to another lever T, at the other end of the shaft R, to this lever if
desired may be also attached a counterbalance weight V to reduce the strain and
friction in working to a minimum, and which will have the same effect upon the
elevating bar as the counterbalance weights connected with the ordinary signalling
apparatus; by this means the elevating har is free to rise and fall with the working
of the ordinary signal, and to be so shaped that when in working position it
presents to the pulley or wheel J on the end of the rod C, first, a short gradual
incline, a level run, and then another incline.
One or more elevating rails, bars, or other projections K may be placed between
the metals as desired.
This arrangement of apparatus for signalling is in conjunction with and as an
auxiliary to the ordinary signal.
The operation is as follows:-When the signal is put against an approaching
train, the elevating bar K is simultaneously raised into position, and immediately

page_text: the engine and train pass over the same, the pulley J upon the rod C, comes in
contact with the elevating bar K, (see Fig. 4.) lifting the said rod C, which
baving a collar or finger X bearing against the lever of the vacuum brake, raises
the same, admitting air immediately, which (should the apparatus be fixed to the
engine and two vans) would give three distinct applications of the brake, this being
sufficient to bring any train to a stop, irrespective of the attention or inattention
of the driver and conductors.
Immediately the signal is taken off, the elevating bar is released or lowered
simultaneously with the ordinary signal as shown at Fig. 3. the arm, pulley and
other connections J passing over untouched.
If desired the said rod C or other attachment may be connected and operate
upon the lever of the whistle on the engine (see dotted lines) and a sharp whistle
by this means may be given, but as a train may be brought to a standstill apart
from any effort of the driver, this may be found unnecessary, seeing also that the
inrush of air caused by the release of the vacuum brake, along with the sudden
arresting of the progress of the train, would be ample warning to both driver and
conductors.
This apparatus is specially applicable and will be found invaluable on dark
nights, foggy weather, extinction of lights, from carelessness or other causes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
11
1. The use of an inclined elevating bar which can be put in and out of operation
from the signal box, so that it acts upon a runner fixed on a sliding rod, which
operates upon the vacuum brake at any portion of the train, and upon a whistle
at the same time if required as and for the purposes substantially as shown and
described.
2. The elevating bar K with cranks L, connecting link or bar N, lever P, rocking
shaft R, lever T and counterbalance weight V, operated from the signal box,
simultaneously with the ordinary danger signal as and for the purposes substan-
tially as shown and described.
3. The runner J upon sliding rod C, carried by stays H, having runners or
guides K', operating upon the lever or wheel of the vacuum brake and upon the
whistle, as and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Tenth day of February 1892
JOHN E. WALSH,
Crossley Street, Halifax, Patent Agent for the Applicant.