Improvements in Staff Apparatus for the Working of Single Line Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Staff Apparatus for the Working of Single Line
Railways.
I, ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, of 2 Great George Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The objects of my invention are to provide an efficient and economical method of
working a single line railway by a staff system, in conjunction, where required, with
a bell telegraph or telephone system, and interlocking the staff instruments
themselves with the starting signals, the whole apparatus to work with one line wire
only.
66
My apparatus consists of an instrument called a staff instrument, and is provided
with staffs, bars or tablets. A staff is a permit or pass" to allow a train to
proceed from a station to a section or block ahead.
At each end of a section to be worked on this system there is provided a staff
instrument connected by a wire called the "line wire," both alike and each supplied
with a suitable number of staffs, the numbers being decided by the character and
quantity of the traffic. The staffs for each section or block, and for each pair of
staff instruments, should be made specially and unlike those belonging to any other
section or pair of staff instruments.
Each staff instrument is provided with a plunger and gearing by means of which
a current of electricity may be sent along the line wire to the other staff instrument
at the end of the section, also a tapper for ringing the bell in the other instrument,
also releasing gear and indicator, also plunger locking and unlocking gear.
The traffic facilities allowed by this invention are that one or more than one
(according to the number of staffs at the sending section) train or trains may
proceed in the same direction, but until the last train has arrived and the whole of
the staffs have been placed in the instrument at the end of the section no staff can
be drawn from the other instrument allowing a train to proceed in the opposite
direction from this instrument.
It is understood that the staff withdrawn from, say section A, need not
necessarily proceed to 13 before B can send a train to A because it may be replaced
in the instrument thereby freeing B.
I also interlock the starting signals with the staff instruments. The starting
signals are normally locked and cannot be released until a staff has been withdrawn
for the direction to which the starting signal applies; the staff itself can only be
released by the sanction of the section in advance in the direction in which the
train is to proceed, consequently the section in advance indirectly controls the
starting signal through the action of releasing the staff.
Dated this 1st day of January 1894.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster, S. W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.

page_text: DI MITICATION.
Improvements in Staff Apparatus for the Working of Single Line
Railways.
I, ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, of 2 Great George Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
The objects of my invention are to provide an efficient and economical method of
working a single line railway by a staff system, in conjunction, where required,
with a bell telegraph system, and interlocking the staff instruments themselves with
the starting signals, the whole apparatus to work with one line wire only.
My apparatus consists of an instrument called a staff instrument, and is provided
with staffs, bars or tablets; a staff is a permit or
66 pass' to allow a train to
proceed from a section to a section or block ahead.
At each end of a section to be worked on this system there is provided a staff
instrument connected by a wire called a "line wire," both alike and each supplied
with a suitable number of staffs, the numbers being decided by the character and
quantity of the traffic. The staffs for each section or block, and for each pair of
staff instruments, should be made specially and unlike those belonging to any other
section or pair of staff instruments.
Each staff instrument is provided with a plunger and gearing by means of which
a current of electricity may be sent along the line wire to the other staff instrument
at the end of the section, also a tapper for ringing the bell in the other instrument,
also releasing gear and indicator, also plunger locking and unlocking gear.
The traffic facilities allowed by this invention are that one or more than one
(according to the number of staff's at the sending section) train or trains may
proceed in the same direction, but until the last train has arrived and the whole of
the staffs have been placed in the instrument at the end of the section no staff can
be drawn from the other instrument allowing a train to proceed in the opposite
direction from this instrument.
It is understood that the staff withdrawn from, say section A, need not necessarily
proceed to B before B can send a train to A because it may be replaced in the
instrument thereby freeing B.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will describe the drawings hereunto annexed, in which similar letters
refer to similar parts in the several figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a staff instrument.
Figures 2 and 3 show details of the apparatus together with the electrical
connections.
Figure 4 is a staff.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged views of parts of my apparatus.
Figure 8 shows details of the interlocking gear.
Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 show details of my apparatus.
Figure 14 shows a diagram of the connections of two stations A and B.
According to my invention I provide two instruments both exactly alike and I
place one at station A and one at station B, and I connect these two instruments
with one line wire thus forming a section A-B. I provide batteries at each
station giving two different potentials.
With reference to the figures, 1 is an electric bell, 2 is a tapper or communication
key, 3 is a plunger which actuates the contacts 4, 5, 5, & 6. An electro-magnet 7
operates a switch 8, 9 is a two way polarized automatic switch, this consists of two
coils of wire with a magnet 10 swinging between, the magnet 10 works a two way
switch 11, the lock 12 is actuated by the electro-magnet 13, the operation of the
lock 12 actuates an indicator 14 and switch 15. The staff releasing gear consists

page_text: to 17.
of a quadrant 16, discs 17 and 18, cam disc 19, ratchet 20, pawl 20ª. The discs 17
and 18 and cam 19 are pivotted or keyed to axle 22. The disc 16 is loose on the
axle 22. On 17 is cast a lug 21 which engages with the electric lock 12, on the
face of this lug is a contact piece 23 insulated by means of 24, working in
conjunction with two contacts 25. A slot 26 is provided into which the staff*
passes on its way up the exit slot 27, a similar slot is provided for the disc 18,
on 18 is a lug 28 which engages with the lock 29, 29 is pivotted at 30 and is locked
by tumblers 31, 32, 33, 34, which are pivotted at 35, a lug 36 on 29 is locked by
the tumblers 31, 32, 33, 34 until the staff passes and causes the tumblers to move
so that the slots 37, 38, 39, 40 are opposite the lug 36 when the lock 29 can be
moved. Working in conjunction with cam 19 is a lever cam which causes the discs
to go round again after the withdrawal of the staff to their normal position by
means of the spring 99 acting upon the lever cam 100. On moving the ratchet 41
by means of the pawl 42 pivotted at 43 to quadrant 16, the spring attached to
pin 44 brings 16 back to its normal position, attached to 17 is a ratchet 20, a
The staffs are
pawl 20 prevents any backward motion of the discs or axle 22.
provided with wards 45, 46, 47, 48, see Fig. 4, which engage with the tumblers 31,
32, 33, 34, the slots 27 are enlarged at their extremities as shown at 49 and 50.
A casting 51 and 52 is fitted on the lower side at 49 and 50 to allow a staff to be
put in or withdrawn as the case may be. Pivotted at 53 is a disc 54 similar
Instead of two contacts 25 four are used, 55 and 56, together with two
contact pieces 57 and 58. To the quadrant 16 is pivotted a catch rod 42 which
causes a disc 60, see Fig. 3, to revolve, 60 consists of four parts, a large disc 61,
ratchet 41 with which 42 engages, a groove 63 round which a weighted cord passes,
and the disc 64, these four parts being all cast together and are loose on the
spindle 65 (see Fig. 3). Cast on the disc 60 is a lug 66 which engages with a
pin 67 this pin passes through the grooved disc 62, the disc 62 is fixed to the
spindle 65, to 65 is fixed the dial pointer 68. The plunger 3 is locked by the
revolution of the disc 61. When the plunger 3 is operated it first of all breaks
the contact 4 and makes the contacts 5, 5 & 6, 6, the lug 69 fixed to 3 causes the
disc 70 to revolve by means of the grooves 71 cut in the periphery (see Fig. 7).
The disc 70 has a groove and ratchet the same as 60 also a lug 72 whereby the
dial needle 68 may be operated. The disc 70 is loose on the spindle 65. A
spring 59 takes the plunger 3 back to its normal position, the weights 73 attached
to discs 70, 62, 63 effect a similar purpose. Attached to a disc 54, see Fig. 2, are
contact pieces 57, 58 which make contact with the contact springs 55, 56
respectively (see Fig. 2), and an electro-magnet 79 (see Fig. 5) operates a lever 80
and the connecting rod 81 operates the escapement 82 and also a similar
escapement attached to disc 70. The disc 64 attached to 60 and the lug 72
attached to disc 70 interlock with the starting signal. When the plunger 3
is operated the disc 70 is caused to revolve and the lug 72 (see Fig. 8)
allows 83 to fall whereby 84 is raised and locks the rod 85 (see Fig. 1) to the
starting signal lever at 86 (see Fig. 8), the rod 85 is prolonged by means of a
crank 98 (see Fig. 1) into the instrument and by means of the lever 88 (see Fig. 8)
and lock 86 locks the plunger 3 when operated, thus if the starting signal is "off"
the plunger cannot be used. The disc 54 (see Figs. 2 and 4) is used to prevent
When
two staffs being inserted at the same time. The disc 54 is pivotted at 53.
a staff is replaced in an instrument the disc 54 is caused to make a complete
revolution and the contact pieces 57 and 58 complete the circuit at 55 and 56.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Take the case of two sections A.
and B; there is one instrument at each station, both instruments being exactly
alike, and they are connected together by means of one line wire 91 (see Fig. 14).
Suppose a train is at station A and wishes to proceed to station B; the signal-
man at station A rings up station B by depressing the tapper 2, this rings the
bell 1 on B's instrument, B3 replies by depressing his own tapper 2 and so rings the
bell in A's instrument. If B is ready to receive a train from A and the starting
sigual at B in the direction of A is at "danger" he presses in his plunger 3 as

page_text: far as it will go and thereby causes a current to flow in the direction of the
arrows from the main battery of greater potential along the line wire 91. This
current passes through the magnet 7 in A's instrument and operates it and causes
the switch 8 to act, which allows the current to pass to the two way polarized
automatic switch 9, the magnet 10 is deflected to the left and a current passes to
magnet 13 thereby actuating it and drawing out the lock 12 and freeing the staff
releasing gear.
When the lock 12 is drawn out the indicator 14 shows this and at
the same time a local current from A's main battery is switched in by means of
the switch 15 which local current holds out 12 till the signalman is at liberty to
take out a staff. A staff can only be placed in an instrument at one end of the slot
and can only be taken out at the other end of the slot (see Fig. 1). The moment
a staff is taken out the disc 17 is operated and the circuit is broken at 25 and the
lock 12 drops on to the lug 21. The disc 17 is revolved to its normal position by
means of the cam 19 acted upon by the lever 100. When the disc 16 is operated
by the action of taking out a staff the catch rod 42 causes the disc 60 to revolve
and by means of the ratchet 41 and spindle 65 causes the pointer 68 to point
to "1"
on the dial. The same operation goes on for every succeeding staff that
may be taken out. The plunger 3 is locked by the revolution of the disc 61 and
remains locked until the dial shows "0" or zero again.
The above description describes what takes place when a staff is taken out of
an instrument. Thus it will be seen that when the signalman at B plunges to A
his own dial indicates the fact that one staff has been freed in A's instrument.
B's plunger is not locked so that on receiving intimation from A a second staff at A
may be liberated by B again plunging, but it will have been seen that A's plunger
is locked and consequently A cannot plunge to B with the object of freeing a staff
for a train in the conflicting direction.
The following operation takes place when a staff is replaced in an instrument.
The staff being placed in the entrance hole at the right hand side of the
instrument (see Fig. 1), and passing down the slot actuates the disc 54, the
operation of this disc completes the circuit at 55 and 56 by means of the contact.
pieces 57 and 58, the effect of this is that a reverse current is sent to the switch 9
in both instruments. This causes the magnet 10 to deflect to the right, which
closes the circuit to the magnet 79. The magnet 79 by means of the lever 80 and
connecting rod 81 (see Fig. 5) operates the escapement 82 and also an escapement
attached to the disc 70, and allowing the discs 60 and 70 respectively in either
instrument to go back one. Thus, if only one staff has been taken out the dial
needle 68 goes back to zero.
The interlocking with the signals is effected in the following manner :-
All starting signals are normally locked. Assuming two stations A and B,
A wishes to send a train to B, B plunges to A, the act of plunging not withdrawing
the release off B's starter in the direction of A, A by the sanction of B is enabled
to withdraw a staff from his instrument, and the act of withdrawing the staff
releases his own starting signal in the direction of B. B's starting signal in the
direction of A remains locked until, firstly, the staffs withdrawn from A have been
replaced in either A or B's instrument and B himself has withdrawn a staff from
his instrument. Should a starting signal in any section, say A, be left "off" or
in the "all right" position, the signalman at that section cannot plunge to free the
instrument at B until he has placed his own starting signal to
66 danger
; this
starting signal caunot now be pulled a second time until a staff has been withdrawn
from B's instrument.
The disc 64 attached to the disc 60 and the lug 72 fixed to disc 70 interlock
with the starting signal. If the plunger has been operated the disc 70 is revolved
and the lug 72 allows the lever 83 (see Fig. 8) to fall whereby the rod 84 is raised
and locks the rod 85 (the rod 85 being connected to the starting sigual lever at 96.
In a similar manner when a staff is freed and is taken out of the exit hole at the
left of the instrument (see Fig. 1) the rod 85 is freed at 96 by means of the rod 97.
The rod 97 is actuated by the revolution of the dise 60 as above described. The

page_text: rod 85 is unlocked by 84 when a staff is inserted in an instrument, and the disc J+
being actuated and the disc 70 caused to revolve. Normally the rod 84 does not
and the rod 97 does lock the rod 85, the rod 85 being prolonged by means of a
erank 98 into the instrument, and by means of a lever 88 and lock 86 locks the
plunger 3 when operated. In this manner it will be clear that if the starting
signal is placed at "off" the plunger cannot be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In operating traffic on single lines of railway, apparatus such as hereinbefore
described, permitting the withdrawal of one or more staffs from the sending
section thereby allowing a corresponding number of trains to proceed from that
section to the section in advance, no staff being permitted to be withdrawn from
the latter section until the withdrawn staffs have been inserted in either instrument,
substantially as described.
2. In operating traffic on single lines of railway, arranging the starting signals
to be normally locked and that their release only takes place after the withdrawal
of a staff at the section and in the direction to which the starting signal applies, all
substantially as set forth.
3. In operating traffic on single lines of railway, the action of plunging the
instrument at one end of a section, say B, for the release on A at the other end,
additionally locks the starting signal at B in the direction of A, which additional
lock is withdrawn by the reinsertion of the withdrawn staff into either the
instrument at A or the instrument at B, all substantially as described.
4. In operating traffic on single lines of railway, the combination of apparatus
as hereinbefore described and illustrated for the purposes specified.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1894.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster, S. W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.