Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus, more especially for Use in Foggy Weather.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus, more especially
for Use in Foggy Weather.
GEORGE KNIGHT LETTS, Whitesmith, 7, Milton Street, Kingsley Park,
Northampton, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It consists of semi circular balanced levers fixed to the rails. And a double
acting lever fixed to the engine and guards van, which in passing over the semi
circular balanced levers sounds the whistle and rings a bell on the engine. And
also rings a bell in the guards van.
The semi circular balanced levers are fixed from one to five hundred yards
before reaching the distant or home signals and so indicating to the driver and
guard the position of the signals ahead.
And when the signal is put at line clear it sounds a bell on the signal post.
These levers are worked by the present signal rods or wires.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1899.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus, more especially
for Use in Foggy Weather.
GEORGE KNIGHT LETTS, 7, Milton Street, Kingsley Park, Northampton, Iron-
monger, 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 relates to improvements in the means and methods of signalling
on railways, and has for its object the provision of means and methods of operating
the said means, whereby the signal may be sounded on the locomotive, guards
van, or any part of the train in motion.
And its operation controlled from the signal box.
According to this invention, the signals are sounded by a double acting fulcrum
lever gear, fixed on the side of the locomotive, tender or guards van, working
over a balanced cam fixed on the side of the metals, which automatically actuates
the lever gear, and so rings a bell or pneumatic whistle on the locomotive or guards
van, and can also be attached by lever H, to the steam whistle on locomotive,
and so indicate to the driver and guard that the signal is at danger.
When the signal is put at line clear, it sounds a bell or pneumatic whistle,
fixed on the signal or half way post. So the driver knows the line is clear.

page_text: The balanced cam at the side of the rails is connected with the ordinary
signal wires to the signal box, and so arranged that when the signal is at
danger, the balanced cam is in the path of the double acting fulcrum lever and
automatically rings the bell or pneumatic whistle, so in foggy weather the
driver would know the signal was against him.
When the signal is put at line clear, the balanced cam is moved clear of the
double acting fulcrum lever.
By introducing additional balanced cams on the side of the metals, any
desired signals can be given, such as Caution" Danger" "Shunt."
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One
or more of these cams can be placed before reaching the gates at level crossings,
and can be temporaly fixed where gangs of men are working and so warn the
driver of danger ahead.
In reference to the accompanying drawings the same letters represent like
parts.
Sheet 1, is a diagram showing the double acting fulcrum lever gear, with rod
to bell and whistle.
Sheet 2, shows the cam levers fixed to rail and attachment to signal rod and
bell on signal post.
Sheet 3, shows the double acting fulcrum lever gear, connected with pneumatic
whistle, and also pneumatic whistle fixed on signal post.
Fig. 1 represents the double acting fulcrum lever A and rod E connected with
bell G.
The fulcrum joint being at B when A comes in contact with I (Fig. 4) it pulls
the slotted lever c, or c, according to a backward or forward movement and so
raises rod E which as it comes back in position pulls back bell trigger F and so
strikes the bell G. D is bracket for holding fulcrum lever.
Fig. 2 is cap and nut for fulcrum lever.
Fig. 3 is side elevation of Fig. 1 showing lever H which is connected to
steam whistle on locomotive, by moving centre H, the desired lift can be
given.
Fig. 4 shows balanced cam I fixed to metals M, which is free to move on
centre J so when A (Fig. 1) strikes I it will move on centre J and so break
force of impact. P is an elbow lever with loose joint K with signal wire Q
attached at P, so when signal is put at line clear it pulls cam 1 clear of A
(Fig. 1).
Fig. 5 is sectional drawing of Fig. 4 showing clamp N for fixing I to
metals M.
Fig. is signal post O showing grid iron striker L for striking bell G, the
short end of grid iron is connected with signal wire at F so when signal is put
at line clear the grid iron catches the trigger of bell and so strikes the bell the
number of times there are bars across.
Fig. 7 is front elevation of Fig. 6.
Figs. 8 and 9 is modification of Figs. 1 and 2, showing pneumatic whistle, R is
a plunge working in a cylinder which forces the air through whistle T.
Fig. 10 is a modification of Fig. 6 showing connection with signal wire Q
for working pneumatic whistle.
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 apparatus and means of communicating the position of signals ahead,
to the driver and guard of moving trains, substantially as described and set forth.
2. The apparatus and means of performing the same mechanically and sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
3. The apparatus and means of performing the same from the present signal
wires, by the signalman from the signal box substantially as described and

page_text: 4. The apparatus and means of sounding the steam whistle where gangs of men
are employed working on the line, substantially as described and set forth.
5. The apparatus and means of informing the driver of a train the position
of gates at level crossings etc. substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this Thirty-first day of May One thousand eight hundred and ninety-
nine