Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Signalling on Railways, Tramways, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1899 -Accepted, 1st July, 1899
Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Signalling on
Railways, Tramways, and the like.
I, JAMES WILLIAM LAWSON, of 10, Edinburgh Grove, Armley, Leeds, in the
County of York, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to signalling apparatus for use on railways, tramways,
and the like, but it is also particularly applicable for use on railways in foggy
weather. Its object is to provide means for signalling by electrical apparatus
operated, as hereafter described, whenever a train passes over it, and thus to
dispense with the dangerous and costly method of fixing detonating signals upon
the rails.
In the drawings hereunto annexed I have shown the invention adapted for use
upon a railway, but it may also be used on tramways and the like.
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus constructed and arranged according
to this invention.
Fig. 2 an enlarged elevation of electrical signalling apparatus.
Fig. 3 an end elevation of same drawn to the same scale as Fig. 2.
Like parts in all the views are marked with similar letters of reference.
A is a rail of ordinary construction, and such as, say, is used on railways. But
when the invention is employed for, say, tramways, then the rail shown in the
drawings will require to be substituted with one having a groove therein, that is
to say, such as are used on tramways.
B, B, B are a number of bars, arranged either on the outside or inside of the
rail A as circumstances require. Each bar is about say twelve feet in length; and
it may, or may not, be provided with inclined ends.
In the drawings bars without inclined ends are shown. The bars may be arranged
at suitable distances apart, such as for instance, say, fifteen yards apart, but this
distance may be varied, increased, or diminished, according to circumstances.
The tops of the bars B are arranged to project a suitable distance above the level
of the rail A, and each bar is connected by levers or links C and C to pedestals
or bearings D D¹ fixed to a sleeper or other foundation.
In the drawings at Figs. 2 and 3 the lever C is shown somewhat in the shape of
the letter U with one of its vertical arms longer than the other, but it is not
absolutely necessary that the two arms should so vary in length. The short
vertical arm is connected to one end of the bar B, whilst the long vertical arm is
connected to a link or connecting bar E to be hereafter described. The horizontal
part of lever C, that is, the portion between the two vertical arms,--forms a
kind of rocking shaft, which may be supported by and oscillate in the bearings D.
The lever is shown somewhat in the form of the letter L, its upright portion
is connected to the bar B, and the horizontal portion forms a rocking shaft, which.
is mounted and oscillates in the bearings D D. By this means the rails B are
mounted in oscillating supports above the level of the rail A but capable of being
moved level therewith or below the level of the rail, if so desired, whenever, say,

page_text: the wheel or the flange of the wheel of a locomotive passes over it, say, travelling
in the direction of arrow or vice versa.
At or about, say, the centre of each bar B is provided and fixed,-to a sleeper,
or other foundation, a standard of any suitable height which may be made
say of wood, and armed at its upper end with a metal plate f connected to an
electric battery. To the top of the plate f is jointed a tilting framework or carriage
which forms a switch for completing the electric circuit, and the tilting frame-
work is hereafter termed and referred to as the switch G. In the diagrammatic
view (Fig. 1) three of these standards are shown and they are marked above the
switch G, and hereafter referred to, respectively, as standard F¹, standard F³,
and standard 3, but I would distinctly have it understood that this number may
be increased or reduced as circumstances require.
The switch G consists of a skeleton rectangular framework or carriage which
is so mounted upon the standard, such as F', as described so as to be easily tilted
or operated by the aforesaid bar B, levers C, C, and link or connecting bar E,
which is attached at its upper end to the switch G. The rectangular framework
or carriage of the switch G is constructed as follows:-
The base or sole plate G may be made of wood and provided with end-pieces gg.
To the top of each end piece and at each side thereof is fixed a metal plate g¹. At a
suitable distance from, but parallel thereto, is fixed on each side of the sole plate
a second metal plate g², with its upper edge above the upper surface of the sole
plate. By this means a race or guide for a weighted metal roller H is formed. The
metal roller H is provided with flanges h which overhang the plates gl g² at each
end, thus enabling the roller H to travel from end to end of the switch G. The
carriage may, if so desired, be provided at one or both ends with a piece or pieces
of insulated material, and its main portion may also be provided with insulated
strips within the guide strips for the roller H so as to prevent the electric current
passing down the standard to the earth.
In the centre, say, of the race of the switch G, and at one end thereof, is
pivoted a contact former L, which is jointed at or about its centre to the sole
plate G, which is slotted to receive it. The ends of the contact former are arranged
to project both above and below the sole plate G for the purposes to be described.
The contact former L is electrically connected with the plate f by, say, a con-
tinuation of wire 2. The lower end of the contact former may, or may not,-
be enlarged as shown, and it is arranged to work upon a contact plate whenever
the front end of the switch G,- that is, the end carrying the contact former,-is
depressed by the bar B. In the drawings a metal contact plate, say, of copper,
is shown attached to an inclined support fixed to each standard. The contact
plates are marked respectively K¹ K2 K3 and the inclined supports J1 J2 J3. The
inetal contact plates are electrically connected to the opposite pole of the battery
to that of the plate f. That is to say, if the plate f is connected to the positive
pole of the battery, the contact plate would be connected to the negative pole, or
vice versa. Whenever the front end of the switch G is depressed, as described,
the contact former L will be brought in contact with its contact plate, and a
bell M, provided with two terminals m m¹, fixed on the signal or other post N,
and if desired a bell O in the signal cabin or box, will continue to ring, or be
sounded, until the metal roller H has travelled down its race and forced the upper
end of the contact former against the front end of the switch, thus automatically
breaking the electric circuit by removing the lower end of the contact former
away from the metal plate K¹, or K2, or K³ as the case may be. When the wheels
of a locomotive engine or train have passed over a bar Beach switch G and
roller H may be returned to their normal position, as shown in the drawings, by
a weight I.
In the signal cabin or box may be arranged an indicator, batteries, and switch
board of any suitable and ordinary construction, such as for example, as shown
in the drawings, in which P is the indicator provided with an electro magnet or
induction coil Q. R, R¹ are batteries of ordinary construction, S the switch board,

page_text: provided, say, with ten notes arranged in, say, nve plates marked respectively
S4 S5, that is two holes in each plate. Into these holes in said plates, say, six plugs
marked respectively S6 S7 S8 S9 $10 S11 are inserted as shown in the drawings. The
said plates and plugs are each electrically connected with the indicator and the
terminals and r¹, batteries R and R¹, by wires R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 as follows:
Wire R2 is connected respectively to terminal ŕ of battery R to plate S³.
Wire R³ from terminal to plate St.
Wire R from terminal 1 of battery R¹ to plate S².
Wire R³ from terminal r¹ to plate $³.
Wire R6 from induction coil Q to terminal O¹ of bell O.
Wire R7 from the same point of connection as wire R5 on plate S3 to terminal O³
of bell O.
Wire R8 from the induction coil Q to plate S¹.
The induction coil is connected with the batteries in the ordinary manner.
A connection is also made between the indicator and respectively with the
switches G, plates f, former L, contact plates K¹, K2, K³, and bells M and O by
means of wires marked as follows, namely, 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The ends of
wires 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 which are in the signal cabin are attached to the
plugs S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S. These wires are connected as follows:-
Wire 1 from plug S6 inserted in plate $5 in the signal cabin to terminal m of
bell M on signal or other post N.
Wire 1a from terminal m¹ of bell M is connected to wire 2 whereby a con-
nection is formed with the switch board S in the signal cabin.
Wire 2 from plug S7 inserted in plate S¹ in the signal cabin to the metal plates f
respectively on standards F1, F2, 13, and from thence to the contact formers L.
Wires 3 and 4 from respectively plugs S8 (inserted in plate S*) and S9 inserted
in plate S2 in the signal cabin to contact plate K³.
Wires 5 and 6 from respectively plugs $10 (inserted in plate S2) and S" inserted
in plate S in the signal cabin to contact plates K¹ and K².
The portions of the wires 1 to 6 behind the switch board S are shown in dotted
lines.
T is an electric switch lever of ordinary construction arranged to work between
two pins or stops t t¹, the latter one being electrically connected with the plate S₁
of the switch board S by means of wire R9, whilst the switch lever T is connected
to wire 2 by wire R10. When the switch lever T is moved over the stop or pin t¹ an
electric circuit will thereby be formed with the bell M for giving a starting signal to
the engine driver. When the switch lever T is over pin t the circuit will then be
broken.
As the wheel or wheels of, say, the locomotive passes or pass over the wheel A,
it is thereby depressed for automatically giving the necessary signal, either in
foggy or fine weather to the engine driver. This is accomplished by means of the
rail B, which, by its connection with the switch G, causes, as described, the right
hand end of the latter to be drawn down, and in so doing the contact former L is
brought into contact with one of the contact plates K¹, or K2, or K³, thereby forming
an electric circuit and causing the bell to be rung or sounded for giving the
requisite signal. The bell M continues to ring until the roller H, in travelling
down its race, comes in contact with the upper end of the contact former L, when
the lower end of the latter will be moved clear of its contact plate, thus breaking
the electric circuit.
When the engine passes over, say, the first plate B, the signal then given would'
enable the engine driver to proceed cautiously. On passing over, say, the second
plate B and on hearing the necessary signal to slacken speed, and when passing
over, say, the third plate, the signal then given would be to stop. Simultaneously
these signals might, or would be repeated in the signal cabin on the bell 0 by
its electric connection as described with the switch G.
When the engine driver is required to proceed, the signalman moves the handle

page_text: of switch T on to or over the terminal or pin t¹ whereby the requisite electric
circuit is formed for giving the necessary signal on bell M.
The herein described invention may be worked independently or in place of,
or additional to the ordinary signals, and is particularly useful and applicable when
the latter cannot be seen, as, say, in foggy weather, or when the ordinary signals
are out of order, and the operation of the herein described apparatus is the same
when the ordinary signal is at "danger" as when it is at "safety."
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 I am
aware that prior to the date of this invention contact bars mounted between the
rails on rocking shafts have been connected with the ordinary signal connection
and with electric bell and indicator, and I make no general claim to such except
when formed and arranged in the manner hereinbefore described, and what I
claim is:
1. In means or apparatus for signalling on railways, tramways, and the like, a
reciprocating bar mounted on levers at the sides of the rails so as to be capable
of being acted upon by the wheels of, say, a passing engine or train, in com
bination with a tilting and weighted switch mounted upon a standard and con-
nected to said reciprocating bar, said switch being electrically connected with a
battery and with a signal bell or bells and indicator, and provided with a roller
and a contact former arranged to work upon a contact plate fixed to said standard,
all constructed and operating substantially as herein described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In means or apparatus for signalling on railways, tramways, and the like, a
tilting and weighted switch such as G mounted upon a standard electrically
connected with a battery and with the signal cabin, a contact former such as L,
a contact plate fixed to said standard, and a roller such as H, working in a race
formed in the said switch, all arranged, combined, and operating as herein
described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eighth day of April 1899.
JAMES WILLIAM LAWSON..