IMPROVED MECHANISM AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING TELL-TALE AND OTHER SIGNALS AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION AND SWITCHES, PART BEING APPLICABLE TO COUPLING SHAFTINGS GENERALLY
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ford, of Reading, in the County of Berks,
Railway Truck Maker, for the Invention of."IMPROVED MECHANISM
AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING TELL-TALE AND OTHER SIGNALS AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th September 1872.
I, JOHN FORD, of Reading, in the County of Berks, Railway Truck
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MECHANISM AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING TELL-TALE AND OTHER SIGNALS AND
SWITCHES, PART BEING APPLICABLE TO COUPLING SHAFTINGS GENERALLY," to be as
follows:-
This Invention refers to the locking gear and appliances whereby the
signalmen or attendants on railways work the distant and home signals
and switches, and the object of these improvements is to render such
locking gear capable of being worked from within the signal man's box
notwithstanding the wire has become slack (as it can be taken up by

page_text: my mechanism without going outside the box), also to render more
perfect the reversing motion, the locking action, and the repeating or
tell-tale arrangements.
I effect the above by constructing the locking gear (which locks
directly the handle is moved) in the following manner:-I construct a
frame similar to that usually used; but in the ends thereof, and also in
intermediate parts where deemed necessary. I have a number of orifices
to form the bearings of as many shafts as there are signals to be worked
from the same signal box. To each of these shafts a cranked arm is con-
nected (and the end of a handle is keyed thereon), which cranked arm
is provided at one end with a friction roller in the centre with another
friction roller, and at the other end with another friction roller, a
counterbalance being also attached to each shaft outside the framing.
In addition to the above arrangements I also use the following:―The
wire for operating the signals passes over the friction rollers, and is
carried up and secured to a ratchet wheel which is fixed with quadrant
and brackets on the framing. The ratchet wheel has orifices on its
circumference to admit of a loose handle being inserted to operate on
the ratchet wheel in taking up the slack of the wire. The shafts instead
of being in one piece can be made in parts and coupled by coupling
boxes without bolts or screws, coupling outside the shaft. The lock and
bolt of the locking mechanism in order to ensure reversing motion I
make by striking the same from the same centre as the switch centre,
and at the back of the bolt I make a dovetailed support for the action,
whereof a slot is provided in the bolt to allow it to slip into the slide of
the lock.
In order to ensure the signal and repeating or tell-tale signal working
correctly, I place on the line, half way between the signals and repeater
or tell-tale, an arrangement consisting of a handle with counterbalance
weight attached at an angle of 45° degrees to pillar or frame, provided
with a quadrant guide for the handle. The wire going to the box is
connected to one end of this handle and near the centre thereof are a
number of orifices to enable the centre of the lever to be changed, or for
the axes of friction pulleys to be inserted therein. The wire from the
distant signal passes over the friction rollers, and is carried on to the
repeater or tell-tale. This handle can however be placed horizontally
instead of standing at 45°. I use bars tapped through the lever with

page_text: square heads instead of studs, placed on the switch lever for the purpose
of locking the signal upon the movement of the switch. The friction
rollers work between cheeks which are secured to bolts at the handle
end.
If required I can connect two or more of my arrangements of
mechanism to be worked together in unison.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Ford in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FORD, of Reading, in the County of Berks, Railway Truck Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Ford, Her special licence that
I, the said John Ford, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Ford, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MECHANISM AND
ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING TELL-TALE AND OTHER SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, PART
BEING APPLICABLE TO COUPLING SHAFTING GENERALLY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Ford, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ford, do hereby declare the
nature of my said 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 in the first place refers to the locking gear and
appliances whereby signalmen or attendants on railways work the distant
and home signals and switches, the object of my improved mechanism
and arrangements being to render such locking gear capable of being
worked from the inside of the signalmen's box notwithstanding the wire
has become slack, as it can be taken up by my improved mechanism
without going outside of the box. My mechanism also provides for
working the same at other points on the line than the signal boxes.
And my Invention renders more perfect the reversing motions, the
locking action, whether of signals or switches, and the repeating or
tell-tale arrangements. And further my Invention includes improved
coupling arrangements suitable for connecting parts of my said improved
mechanism, such coupling arrangements being applicable to coupling
shaftings generally.
To carry out my said Invention I construct (in the manner herein-
after described) locking gear which will lock directly the handle is
moved, that is to say, I provide a frame similar to that usually used,
but in the ends thereof, and also in intermediate parts when deemed
necessary, I have a number of orifices to form the bearings of as many
shafts as there are signals which are required to be worked from the
same signal box. To each of these shafts an arm is connected (and the
end of a handle is keyed thereon), which arm is provided at one end
with a friction roller, and in the centre with another friction roller, and
at the other end with another friction roller, a counterbalance being
suitably attached to each shaft.
In addition to the above-described arrangements I also use the fol-
lowing-The wire for operating the signals is passed over the friction
rollers and carried up and secured to a ratchet wheel, which is fixed with
quadrants and brackets on the framing. The ratchet wheel has orifices
in its circumference to admit of a loose handle being inserted to operate
on the ratchet wheel in taking up the slack of the wire. The shafts
instead of being in one piece can be made in sections and coupled by
coupling boxes without bolts or screws, and coupling outside the shaft,

page_text: as shewn by the Drawings accompanying these Presents, and herein-
after described with reference thereto. The lock and bolt of the locking
mechanism in order to secure reversing motion, I make by striking the
same from the same centre as the switch centre, and at the back of the
bolt I make a dovetailed support for the action, and a slot is provided in
the bolt to allow it to slide along the said dovetail.
In order to ensure the signals and repeating or tell-tale signals
working correctly I place on the line, half way between the signals and
repeater or tell-tale, an arrangement consisting of a handle with counter-
balance weight, such handle being at an angle of 45° or thereabouts
attached to a pillar or frame furnished with a quadrant guide for the
handle. The wire going to the box is connected to one end of the
handle, and near the centre thereof are a number of orifices to enable
the centre of the lever to be changed in order that the axes of friction
pulleys may be inserted therein. The wire from the distant signal
passes over the friction rollers, and is carried on to the repeater or tell-
tale. This mechanism may also be arranged to work horizontally, and
the handle may be lengthened or shortened as required. Bars tapped or
rivitted through the lever with square heads should be used placed on
switch lever for the purpose of locking the signal upon the movement of
the switch. By my mechanism the main line can be secured so as to be
free of the cross lines. Thus the line can be effectively locked and
blocked when and where required. The friction rollers work between
cheeks, which are secured by bolts at the handle end.
If required I can connect two or more of my arrangements of
mechanism to be worked together in unison.
In order to prevent the pointsman pulling over or reversing the
points during the time the train is passing over them I use an extra
switch tongue in front of the meeting points, the tongue facing the
meeting points, and the train running over same. This prevents the
second locking being unlocked, and the signal can be put at danger in
the usual way, that is, as soon as the engine has passed it.
This Invention can be applied to gong ringing from station to station,
or box to box; however, to make the ringing complete and safe for
both lines, I provide a few links in the wire, as hereafter particularly
described, to admit of a proper portable lever to work through the links
down to a rack under the wire at a proper distance, which lever will have

page_text: to be carried in the luggage or breake van for the guard of the train to
use at any moment in case of a break down on the line between the
boxes or stations, as he will be able to ring and signal both ways at once
as the electric telegraph would, but I consider this a more safe and
advantageous plan than the electric telegraph, as there is free access
to communicate up and down at one pull, whilst the electric telegraph
hetween the boxes or stations is not alway accessab

page_text: friction rollers; S, W, signal wire which passes over these friction rollers,
and is secured to the ratchet wheel (placed above) hereafter described.
The centre friction roller has a friction bush therein which receives the
signal shaft. G, quadrants and guides for switch and signal levers
respectively; H is the ratchet wheel, in the axle of which is an orifice
to enable the signal wire to be secured thereto, the teeth of which
ratchet take into a tooth or click in the dog I, which being lifted by
the hand or foot of the signalman the ratchet wheel can be pulled round
by a loose handle or hand spike inserted into openings for the same
provided therein, so as to take up the half distance slack; K, switch
levers centred at their lower extremities to the plummer blocks L;
M, M, M", denote a frame for locking bars (N), such frame being
secured to the switch levers aforesaid; O, counterbalance weights, one
or more for each signal shaft; P denotes cone bearing and bush
arrangements for the shafts (one for each shaft), similar to what are
used in lathes; Q, collars and washers on the ends of shafts to secure
the ends of the levers carrying counterbalance weights (0, 0,);
L, A, locking arm; B, T, bolt. This locking arm is keyed on signal
shaft (a boss being on one side to facilitate same), and the cnd × passes
through the frame M, M³, M", of switch lever, and locks over locking
bar N, thus locking together switch lever and signal lever. The bolt B, t,
is enabled to slide by having a slot therein at X, X.
Note. The said Figs. 1, 2, 3, shew double mechanism, that is, with the
levers back to back; they can, however, be placed in a single line, that
is, all in the same row if desired.
In Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, a denotes a sleeper or bed plate embedded in the
ground near the rail in any suitable position. To this is bolted or
secured the foot b of the hollow standard 6', which should be made by
casting or otherwise all in one piece; c, a curved guide secured by bolts
or rivets to b¹; in this the hollow handle lever d works; e, counterbalance
weight attached by an arm to the hollow hand lever as shewn; f, the
handle of lever with projections provided with eyes or holes to enable
the wire to be secured thereto as shewn. At the ends x, x, of the
curved guide c are rollers so placed as to ease the wire, if in working it
should strike against the said ends.
In order to allow the said lever to be lengthened and shortened in
accordance with the expansion and contraction of the wire, I provide a
number of orifices in the said lever, as shewn by Drawings Figs. 5

page_text: and 6. By this means the hand lever can be adjusted on its axis g
secured to the standard b¹; h, denotes a lever to be placed horizontally
for effecting the same objects. This works upon a centre i, secured to
a plate bolted or secured to a sleeper like a herein-before described.
This lever is provided with a shackle chain and weight, the chain
running down into the earth over a pulley.
In Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 (switch arrangements at meeting points),
1 denotes the main timber of line; m, rail; n, switch tongue; o, joint
and tie rod of tongue; p, p, T irons for keeping the switch locking
action in position. These are secured to the tie rods q, q, which are
secured at their ends to the main timbers of the line. The joint and
tie rod o are situate beneath the said T irons.
The locking action for locking and closing fast the switches consists
of a notched lever r, one end of which is attached by a centre pin to
a brackets fixed to the main line timber as shewn. The other end
is attached to a double action crank arm arrangement, as shewn.
***, notched locking piece secured underneath the joint and tie rod o.
This corresponds with the notched lever r, so that when by the action
of the lever the switches are worked, the two fit into and lock cach
other; o¹, crank for working switches by a jointed rod in connexion
with and workable by the mechanism shewn in Figs. 1 to 7;
c, b, g, counterbalance and lever system for locking and closing the
points, a joint rod x, x, being operated on by the mechanism herein-
before described, to which the levers are at one end secured, the other
end being secured to another system of levers 8, 1, acting upon the
notched lever as before mentioned, which by the joint rod (the
divisions whereof are secured by screw coupling so as to allow
adjustment) acts upon another system of cranked levers c, l, which
works the locking tongue 1, t, this system being secured thereto at the
part marked 1, t.
In Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15 (coupling arrangements) shew a disc (1)
having a spindle (2) constructed for the purpose of being interposed
between two ends of shaft to be coupled in the same line. This has at
3 grooved flanges, one on each on each face, for the reception of a collar
or coupling box (4), so formed as to correspond with the face of the disc,
and to be fitted on to one end of a shaft to be coupled to the end of
another similar shaft, the end of which other shaft is to have a

page_text: similar collar or coupling box fitted thereon. Fitting into the notch
x, x, Fig. 12 is a moveable piece (5) of peculiar form, fitted on the
spindle (2), said piece having a nut (6) above it, which may be a screw
nut or otherwise. The said piece 5 being pressed home upon the
disc (1) after the coupling box or collar 4 has been brought face to face
and fitted thereto, the nut is screwed upon it and can be secured by a
key or pin above the nut. Of course the similar collar or coupling
box on the end of the other shaft to be coupled has to be fitted to the
disc (1) in the same manner, and secured as herein-before described.
Figs. 16 and 17 shew the portable lever and the jointed links in the
wire for enabling the guard to signal when required, as herein-before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the herein
described Invention of "Improved Mechanism and Arrangements for
Working Tell-Tale and other Signals and Switches, Part being Applicable
to Coupling Shafts generally," the nature and character whereof are set
forth by the words preceding the words description of the Drawings,
further exemplified by the statements herein contained referring to the
said Drawings which illustrate the said description; it being understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, but
claim any arrangement of details of substantially similar character and
effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
0
THOMAS MORGAN,
JOHN FORD. (L.S.)
Secretary Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
S.W.