signal appar
Year: 1885

page_text: the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements on and additions to the apparatus
described in the specification of the patent granted to George Kift Winter
No. 2390 dated 12th June 1880 entitled working of railway signalling apparatus.
The invention has for its object,
1st. Rendering it impossible for lightning or stray currents from other wires to
affect the indications of the instrument in any way.
2nd. Rendering it impossible for any false current to liberate the semaphore arm
of the interlocked semaphore.
The local battery which is made to operate on the Black or "Train going "
indicator is now made to liberate the semaphore arm as well. This local battery
in the improved instrument is in the ordinary state of the instrument cut out of
circuit but is brought into circuit on pressing an extra key prior to and while
giving the acknowledgement to the "Line clear" signal and to the "Arrival
signal" from the distant station and as the signals from the distant station which
are thus acknowledged have corrected the effect of any false current on the relay
of the receiving instrument it follows that the effect of the local battery on the
indicator and the semaphore arm must be correctly controlled by the relay which
has thus been corrected immediately before it is brought into action.
When used for single lines an alternative but less desirable plan is to cause the
switch to cut out the local battery when placed at "on."
3rd. Adding an indicator in the semaphore circuit which may have the form of
a miniature semaphore and which falling to caution when the current passes into
the starting semaphore shows the signalman that Line clear has been obtained and
his starting seinaphore unlocked thereby. This indicator may form an addition to
the instrument when used as a block instrument simply without the interlocked
semaphore but does not form a necessary part of it.

page_text: Dmprovements in Kanway signaling Apparatus.
I, SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey Gentleman (a communi-
cation from George Kift Winter of Arkonam India, Engineer) 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 consists of improvements on and additions to the apparatus
described in the specification of the patent granted to George Kift Winter
No. 2390 dated 12th June 1880 entitled working of railway signalling apparatus.
The invention has for its object, 1st. Rendering it impossible for lightning or
stray currents from other wires to affect the indications of the instrument in
any way.
i
2nd. Rendering it impossible for any false current to liberate the semaphore arm
of the interlocked semaphore.
"
The local battery which is made to operate on the Black or "train going"
indicator is now made to liberate the semaphore arm as well. This local battery
in the improved instrument is in the ordinary state of the instrument cut out of
circuit but is brought into circuit on pressing an extra key prior to and while
giving the acknowledgment to the "line clear" signal and to the "arrival signal
from the distant station and as the signals from the distant station which are thus
acknowledged have corrected the effect of any false current on the relay of the
receiving instrument it follows that the effect of the local battery on the indicator
and the semaphore arm must be correctly controlled by the relay which has thus
been corrected immediately before it is brought into action.
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.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a block telegrap signalling apparatus arranged in
accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 represents diagrametrically the internal arrangements and connections
of the instrument.
"
The external appearance of the instrument is as represented in Figure 1. There
are three manipulators namely, the plunger P, the button V, and the switch lever L.
There are also two indicators and dials. A black indicator referring to trains going
from the station at which the instrument is to the station with which the instru-
ment is connected, and a red indicator referring to trains coming from that station.
Each indicator has two positions pointing respectively to the words "cleared line
and "on line." Under the black indicator are the words "train going to," and
under the red indicator are the words "train coming from." Underneath and
common to both the above sentences is the name of the station with which the
instrument is connected. The indicators by their positions on the dials are
intended to show at a glance whether there is a train on the line and if so in which
direction the train is proceeding.
The principal operative parts of the instrument are the following :—
The key at K. This is operated by the plunger P, and consists of a lever / which
is connected with the line wire and which, when at rest, bears against the stop r

page_text: connected with the bobbin m² of a relay. When the plunger is pressed in the
lever is moved away from the stop r and it makes contact at f which is connected
as hereinafter described with the line battery. The plunger P is itself connected
with an insulated spring h which (when the button V is left free) has no other
connection. The plunger P when pressed in makes connection with a spring g,
but not with the lever 7, there being a stout insulated material interposed between g
and l. The spring g is connected with the coils of the train going indicator and
through these coils with other parts as hereinafter described.
The key at k. This consists of the press button V on a spring arm d which, by
means of a block of insulating material carries the contact spring h this as before
stated, is connected with the plunger P. The arm d is itself electrically connected
with the relay stop W₁ and except when the relay tongue t is resting against the
stop there is no path for a current in this direction. When the button V is pressed
contact, is made between d and q. q. is connected with the carbon pole of the local
battery. Also when Vis pressed a contact is made between h and j. j is connected
with the middle of the local battery.
The switch at S. This is a battery commutator and is very similar to that
employed in the old drop handle needle instrument. X is the axle on which the
switch lever L is fixed. It is connected with the carbon pole of the line battery-
n and n¹ are two springs; they tend to rest and make contact with the bridge b,
and this is connected with the zinc of the line battery. The arm c however on the
axis X lifts one or other of these springs from the bridge b and so separates it from
the zinc of the battery and connects it with the carbon.
The compound relay R. This is a combined polarized and unpolarized relay.
Every time a current passes through the coils m' the armature a is attracted and
comes up to the contact w¹1; the relay tongue t also is held against one or other of
the contact screws W W¹ according to the direction of the current. The tongue t
is connected with the coils of the train going indicator and is polarised by the
magnet NS and it plays between the pole pieces P P¹ of the relay magnet m¹.
The relay stop W is connected with the zinc of the local battery. The contact
tongue a when it is attracted, (that is to say during the passage of any current in
the coils m¹) closes a contact and puts the coils of the train coming indicator into
connection with the spring n, and this is connected with one or other pole of the
line battery as already stated.
The indicators. These are soft iron needles e e¹ polarized by the magnet N¹ S¹
they play in front of the pole pieces o, o, o¹, o¹, of the indicator electro-magnets.
At the other end of the electro magnet which actuates the rod indicator is an
armature which works the bell B and playing between the poles at the other end
of the electro magnet which actuates the black indicator is the relay tongue ť¹
polarized by the magnet S* N*.
"
In order that the method of using the instrument may be clearly understood
I will describe the working routine. Suppose a single line of railway connecting
two stations A and B and a signalling apparatus such as the drawing shows at
either end. Suppose the line to be clear and both instruments with the indicators
as represented in the drawing also that the attendant at A. desires to pass a train
on to the line to proceed to B. 1st. A presses his plunger P and thereby as
hereinafter explained causes the bell at station B to ring. 2nd. B now being
willing to receive the train on to the line replies by putting his switch lever S over
to a position marked " on and by pressing the plunger P of his instrument―
A's bell is thereby rung and the relay tongue t in A's instrument passes to contact
at to but this will be explained further on. 3rd. A now by the ringing of the bell
having received leave to allow the train to pass on to the line presses the button V
and thereby he unlocks the arm of the starting semaphore to allow it to be
lowered. He also while still pressing the button V presses in the plunger P, this
again causes B's bell to ring and the red indicator on his instrument to move to
the position "on line" and there to remain. The black indicator of A's instrument
also at the same time goes to on line" and stops there. The relay tongue t¹ in

page_text: arrives.
.
"
A's instrument also moves to u¹, the purpose of this will be presently explained.
The arm of the starting semaphore is now lowered the train passes on to the line
and as it proceeds it (by well known mechanical means forming no part of my
present invention and which it is needless to describe) raises the semaphore arm
again to "danger" there it becomes locked by electrical locking apparatus and can
only be released by a current from A's instrument when the proper time again
Both instruments now show that there is a train upon the line and the
direction in which it is preceding 4th. On the arrival of the train at B's station
he moves his switch lever S from the position on" to the position "off," this in
itself does not cause any indication to be given but B now presses the plunger P
in his instrument, and then the bell at A's station rings, and the relay tongue.t
moves to W. 5th. A now in acknowledging the signal presses the button V and
also the plunger P. The red indicator at B's station goes to "cleared line" and so
does the black indicator at A's station. The relay tongue t'also at A's station
moves over to the stop u. All of the parts of the signalling apparatus now occupy
the same positions which they did at the commencement and when another train
is required to pass the same routine is repeated excepting of course that if the train
be coming from B's station B calls in the first instance and throughout he acts as
already described in respect to A whilst A performs the operations previously
ascribed to B.
The following are the circuit arrangements. 1. When A pushes in the plunger P
a current may be traced as follows; in A's instrument from zinc of the line battery
to b and n¹ and so to earth and from the carbon terminal of the line battery to X
n. f. l, and so the line wire L. In B's instrument from the line wire L to l. r. m¹
and so to earth completing the circuit. In B's instrument a is attracted by the
relay magnet m¹ whilst the tongue t remains at was B's switch lever is now
standing at "off." The movement of a closes a local circuit through the coils of
the indicator e; thus C X n a. e. n' b. Z. The indicator e. being already correctly
placed at "cleared line" does not move and the only result is that B's bell is rung.
If by any accident either the tongue or the indicator e. were incorrectly placed
they would now be brought to correct positions. Whenever the plunger P is pressed
similar currents pass.
2. When B having first moved his switch lever to "on" pushes in his plunger P
to answer A's call and give to him the "line clear," signal like currents pass
and A's bell is rung but as the movement of B's switch lever has changed the sign
of the line current, the tongue t in A's instrument passes to w¹ and thereby places A
in a position to release the semaphore arm of his starting signal.
3. When A presses the button V a current passes in A's instrument as follows:-
C, q. d. w. t. u. t¹ and through the semaphore locking apparatus to Z-this
current frees the semaphore arm. When A now presses the plunger P the button V
still being held down a current passes in A's instrument, thus, M.j. h. P. g the indicator
coils e¹. t. w. d. q. C. This current moves A's indicator to "on line" it also shifts
the tongue t¹ to u¹. In addition the pressure on the plunger P transmits a current
through the line as already traced which passing through the relay m¹ in this
instrument results in B's bell being rung and also in the indicator e, in B's instru-
ment being placed at "on line " B's switch lever being in the on position.
4. B's signal on the arrival of the train which he gives after placing the switch
lever at "off"
passes in the course already traced and causes A's bell to be rung;
it also by reason of its polarity causes the tongue t, in A's instrument to pass to w.
5. A presses both V and P and a current passes in his instrument as follows :—
M. j. h. g. e'. t w. Z. and it results in his indicator el passing to "cleared line'
and the tongue t¹ to u, this enables A to give the line clear "signal. The move-
ment of the plunger P also causes a line current to pass which as usual causes B's
bell to ring; it also places B's indicator e. at "cleared line" and the cycle of
operations is complete.
66
""
It will be seen from the foregoing that although the tongue t may be acted upon
by lightning or other false current it affects neither the semaphore nor the "train

page_text: Hence
going" indicator until the key k is pressed and this is only done immediately after
either "the line clear" or the "arrival" signal has been received from the other
end and this signal automatically corrects the effect of the false current.
notwithstanding false currents the instrument will always be in proper arrange-
ment at the time when the executive signals are given. Thus also the indications
of the instruments are dependent on the co-operation of the signalmen at either
end and without this cooperation no change in the indications can be made.
It will also be seen that when an operator gives the "on line " signal on the
train starting from his station the tongue t¹ goes to u¹ and puts the zinc of the
line battery to earth and then if by any mistake the switch lever be put to " on
(and without this the line clear signal cannot be sent) the only result will be that
both terminals of the battery will be put to earth and no signal will be sent. The
tongue t¹ cannot be replaced at u until the arrival signal has been duly received.
When the instrument is used on a double line this however is unnecessary and the
connection S. Z. indicated by a dotted line in Figure 2 is removed.
It is sometimes desirable to control the position of the red train coming indicator
by means of a second polarized relay actuated by the outgoing current as described
in the Patent No. 2390 of 1880 instead of controlling the indicator by means of the
switch S. In this case the coils of this second relay are inserted between the
spring n. and the working contact f. The line battery is still used to actuate the
bell and the red indicator but an extra terminal is provided connected to the middle
of the battery and the direction of the current through the coils o. o. is controlled
by the polarized tongue of the local relay referred to by making use of one or other
half of the line battery in the same manner as the tongue t controls the direction of
the current from the local battery through the coils o¹. o'.
The position of the relay tongue of this second polarized relay depends upon
the direction of the outgoing current as controlled by the switch handle so that
the position of the red needle depends upon the position of the switch handle at the
time the last signal was sent and not upon its position when the acknowledgment to
that signal is received. This provides against the wilful misplacement of the switch
handle after giving a signal, as such misplacement would not alter the effect that
has been produced by the outgoing current of the last signal sent. The incoming
current causes the completion of the circuit by actuating the arinature a in the
same manner as has been already described but it is evident that it in no way
affects the tongue of the second polarized relay the coils of which are only traversed
by the outgoing current.
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. My improvements consisting in providing a key to apply the battery which
affects the "train going" indicator and unlocks the starting semaphore arm, when
required and also in so arranging the instruments that the effect of lightning and
other false currents may be counteracted by a signal current received immediately
before this battery is applied.
2. My improved railway signalling apparatus substantially as described and
illustrated by the annexed drawings.