An Improved Compensator for Signal Wires and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Compensator for Signal Wires and the like.
I, THOMAS HAMILTON, of 90 Cannon Street, Merchant, in the County of London,
communicated by Edwin Doorey, Railway Inspector, Peter Mineham, Superintendent
of Maintenance, Charles Lodge, Railway Inspector, George Boniface, Carpenter, and
Samuel Allen, Commission Agent, all of Townsville, Queensland, Australia, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Our Invention relates to an improved compensator for signal wires and the like, and
is applicable to any style or class of signals in which wire or chain is used.
The invention is composed of a grooved wheel fixed to work between the bars of the
lover when applied to distant signal lever, or a cabin lever, over and in a wheel works
a chain composed of alternate flat links rivetted loosely together and cross bars, bevelled
slightly from top to bottom, which fits into bevelled grooves cut in the periphery of
the wheel, one end of this chain is fastened to the weight, and the other end being
fastened to a piece of common chain connected to the signal wire.
On the outside of lever, and fixed to the bar by clamps is a sliding rod. In the
upper portion of this rod, which is widened out for this purpose, is a slotted hole square
at top, and circular at bottom, in which the octagonal end of spindle of wheel works.
The rod may be of slightly different form, being pivotted at end to bar of lever and
having a groove a trifle larger than the octagonal spindle cut in underside.
Fixed to upper portion of stand of lever is a bevelled bar fastened to stand, or the
stand to be wrought to the shape, upon which, on the lever being placed in the required
position, the sliding bar rises thus allowing the spindle to work freely and the wheel
to turn, the weight thus keeping the wire always tight. Upon the lever being put
over for the purpose of lowering the signal the rod immediately drops, the square hole
or groove falling over the octagonal spindle, thus preventing the wheel from turning
the wire is thus kept strained tight until the lever is replaced to its normal position.
The weight is made hollow of either wrought or cast iron or other suitable
metal, filled or partly filled with lead or other heavy substance, until the weight
required to keep the wire strained tight is attained, from each side of weight used in
lever project four short studs with small rollers working on edges of bar to reduce
the friction.
We apply the compensator to a cabin lever, by the bottom of lever being formed in
which the wheel is placed, the chain being led from the signal wire, under the usual
guide wheel and over the first wheel, across past side of casting and over wheel at end
of tail piece, which is also formed with weight attached to end of chain, this is to do
away with usual weights on tail piece, but if preferable the weight may lead over the
first wheel only. In front of lever and at or about the height and distance desirable,
is fixed a bar, on which when the lever is at rest the bar is supported; upon the lever
being moved the bar drops, the groove in underside of bar falling over the spindle,
thus preventing the wheel from turning, and keeping the wire tight, as before
mentioned, during the operation of lowering the signal.
If preferable only a small piece of the chain, that is about twelve inches each side of
the wheel, may be used connected to common chain.
The wheel may be any shape or size for automatically holding wheel with spindle.
Data thie 15th day of August 1980
D
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Compensator for Signal Wires and the like.
I, THOMAS HAMILTON, of 90. Cannon Street, in the City of London, Merchant,
communicated by Edwin Doorey, Railway Inspector, Peter Mineham, Superintendent
of Maintenance, Charles Lodge, Railway Inspector, George Boniface, Carpenter, and
Samuel Allen, Commission Agent, all of Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 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 all classes of signals which are operated by levers or similar
contrivances through the medium of wires, chains or rods or through combinations
thereof.
Its object is to provide means whereby these connecting wires, chains or rods will
be free to expand or contract whilst the signal is in its normal position so that the
lever will operate directly upon said signal without having first to take up the slack in
the connections.
It consists essentially in the combination with a signal lever, of a sprocket or
equivalent wheel, provided with a spindle which whilst being circular in cross section
where it passes through its bearings, is of square, bexagonal, octagonal, or other
suitably sided section at or near one or other or both of its ends, in order that a locking
bar or bars hereinafter described may be enabled to slide or fall into such a position
as that the narrow part of a slot cut therein may engage with such squared or sided
end or ends and lock said sprocket wheel whenever the lever on which they are
both mounted is operated either to raise or lower the signal with which they are
connected.
One of these bars may be placed on each side of the operating lever and may be
provided with a spring or springs in order to assist its operation, and when two of
such locking bars are used, the spindle should be so constructed that the flats on one
end will be in line with the angles on the other end, in order to save loss of stroke by
having a greater number of sides, thereby ensuring greater certainty of action.
In order to take up the slack of the signal wire when the signal is "off" as well as
when it is "on," we sometimes arrange a sliding weight upon an arm or lever pivoted
to the signal post and arranged as hereinafter described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary "distant signal" lever with our invention
applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.
Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of the locking bar used in connection therewith.
Figure 5 is a detached side elevation of a certain detail hereinafter described.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a detached front elevation and a side elevation of
the chain or sprocket-wheel herein before mentioned.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a plan and a side elevation illustrating the
construction of that part of the connecting chain which passes over said sprocket-
wheel.
Figures 10 and 11 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a "cabin lever
fitted with our improvements.
33
Figure 10 is a similar view to figure 10, but illustrating a modification of the
arrangement therein shewn.
Figure 12 is an elevation of an operating lever and semaphore post shewing the
application to the latter of the pivoted arm carrying the sliding weight hereinbefore
mentioned.
Figures 13 and 14 are respectively an end and a side elevation of another
form of " signal" "lever" working on the same principle as the others but
different in detail, in order to compensate when the signal is "off" as well as when
it is "on."

page_text: These two figures also illustrate the employment of a plain pulley in lieu of a
sprocket-wheel, as will be hereinafter described.
Referring to the automatic compensating device for the "distant signal" lever
illustrated in figures 1 to 9, it will be noticed that the sprocket or chain wheel A, is
supported in bearings a, a, near the upper end of said lever B, and that the chain C,
after passing over said sprocket-wheel is connected to a counterbalance weight D,
which is free to slide up and down between guides on the lever B, thereby keeping
the connecting chain taut. Fitted to one or both sides of the operating lever B, is
a locking-bar E which is kept in position by passing through suitable guides e, e,
secured to said lever and provided at its upper end with a slot e¹, as clearly illustrated
in figures 3 and 4, whilst its lower end is bevelled, in order that it may ride up the
inclined projection or came, which is either affixed to, or else is made integral
with, the upper surface of the stand F, in such a position that when the lever is in
its normal or inoperative position, the locking bar E, will be raised until the circular
part of the slot e, is brought opposite the spindle a', of the sprocket-wheel A. This
latter will then be free to rotate, thus allowing the counterbalance weight D, to take
up any slack in the chains, wires or rods connecting the lever with its signal; as soon
however as the said lever is operated to lower the signal, this locking-bar E, will
slide down said inclined projection, thus allowing the squared part of said slot to pass
over the sided part of the spindle of said sprocket-wheel A, which will thus be locked
and so be prevented from turning whilst the lever is being operated.
This sprocket-wheel, and the part of the connecting chain C, passing over it, are
preferably constructed as illustrated in figures 6 to 9, that is, the cross-bars c, c, are
constructed to fit into the recesses a², a², provided for them in the flanges of said
sprocket-wheel, whilst the links c', c¹, of said chain pass around said wheel between
said flanges.
If preferred, however, any form of wheel or pulley which will, as it were, grip or
hold the connecting wires, chains or rods, will answer our purpose, although in the
majority of instances a sprocket-wheel such as is here described is more suitable, as
will hereinafter be described, a plain pulley may be used under some circumstances,
the connecting wire being wound around it a sufficient number of times to prevent
its slipping.
A number of conveniently arranged antifriction rollers a, a, are provided upon the
counterbalance weight D, for the purpose of minimising the friction between said
weight and the guides upon the lever B.
In the cabin lever arrangement illustrated in figures 10 and 11, the sprocket-
wheel A is journalled upon one of the horizontal arms of said lever, whilst the
connecting chain Cafter passing over a guide pulley a*, at the other end of said lever
is provided with a counterbalance weight D, as before.
The locking-bar E, is in this arrangement pivoted at one end a³, to the horizontal
arm of said lever whilst it is held with its notch e¹, out of engagement with the
spindle a, of the sprocket-wheel A, by resting upon a fixed horizontal bar e, as long
as the lever B, remains in its normal position, as illustrated in figure 10. If found
preferable, the chain C, may be passed over the sprocket-wheel A, and then be
allowed to hang down upon the other side thereof instead of passing over the guide-
pulley a, at the end of the tail-piece of the lever B. Instead of arranging this
locking-bar as just described, we sometimesjarrange it as illustrated in figure 104, that
is, we pivot it to the arm of the lever B, about midway between the notch e', and its
inner end, and we fasten a stop e, to the underframe of the lever or to the underside
of the floor, as shewn, for the purpose of engaging the end a', of the locking-
bar E, and thereby releasing the spindle a', when the lever is pulled over for
line clear."
It will be obvious, as hereinbefore mentioned, that two locking-bars can be used if
lesired, and arranged to engage cach, with one of the sided ends of the spindle of the
procket-wheel A.
In figure 12, K is a semaphore post, m is the lever or bar on which hangs the usual
ounterbalance weight, the rod leading to the crank on the arm of the semaphore,

page_text: n the chain, wire, or rod leading to the lever, is a stop formed at or near the end of
the lever or bar m, and another stop formed about intermediate between the outer
and inner or pivoted end of the lever or bar m, land l' are springs fitted on the bar
on lever m as shewn. G is a counterbalance weight differing from the usual weights
in having in its centre two antifriction rollers G₁ and being loose on the bar in order
that it may slide freely to and fro along such bar, for a purpose hereinafter
described.
This weight, which whilst at h is sufficient or more than sufficient to counterbalance
the weight D, on the lever-end of the signal wire, upon the arm of the signal being
lowered slides or rolls by gravity from h, to h¹. as shewn in dotted lines, thus reducing
the weight on the wire or chain n, but still keeping enough weight to allow the arm
of the semaphore to fly to "danger" upon the weight D, being lifted up, but
insufficient whilst the weight D is free to move.
The working is as follows:-Upon the lever B, figures 104 and 12, being pulled
over for a certain distance, the end at of the locking-bar E strikes against a stop e
fastened in position as shewn, thus throwing said locking-bar out of gear with the
sided part of the spindle a', and allowing the wheels A, a*, to rotate (the counter-
balance weight G on the semaphore being reduced by rolling as before mentioned
from to ), the weight D keeps the signal down and also allows the wire or chain
to expand or contract whilst the signal is "off." Upon the lever being put over for
the purpose of raising the signal to "danger," the weight D is taken off the wire by
the action of the sprocket-wheel and locking-bar, the signal flies up, and the weight G
rolls back to h, thus putting the heavier weight on before the weight D is released by
the action of the stop e'.
The springs and 7, although not absolutely necessary, are fitted for the purpose
of reducing any shock which may be caused by the sudden stoppage of the
weight G.
Referring to figures 13 and 14, a wheel A, of a diameter to suit the length of wire,
rods or chain used between the lever and signal, is fitted between the frame of a
"signal lever" working on the spindle a', to this wheel the wire, rope, or chain is
made fast, with another short piece of wire, rope or chain also made fast on the same
staple and continuing on round the wheel, with the weight D hanging. loose, as
clearly illustrated in figure 14.
To the side of the lever B (which is fitted loosely on the spindle and is provided
with a tail-piece and counterbalance weight), is attached a locking-bar E, which is
fitted with a spring or springs o, and has a projection as, at a height suitable for
engaging the notches in the wheel A. A hinged projection as is secured to this
locking-bar and is provided with a spring, for the purpose of engaging, (on the lever
being pushed off the inclined plane), with the weight bar B¹, so as to force it also off
its inclined plane.
Affixed to the frame F are three cams or projections and e¹, on the lever side
and, on the other side of the frame F, on the opposite side of the wheel A, is
another bar B1, hereinafter called a weight bar; also attached loosely to the spindle a
and provided with a locking-bar E, and springs o, and having a projection to
engage the notches a of the wheel A, attached to the upper end of this bar is a
weight D¹.
The working of this form of lever is as follows:-
When the signal is " on "the lever B is in or about the position shewn in figure 14,
with the projection as resting on the cam e², the wheel is free to revolve, the weight D
thus keeping the wire, chain or rods leading to the signal always taut, the weight
bar B with weight D is also by the action of the locking-bar projection and cam e
out of engagement with the wheel and resting against a stop fitted to the frame.
Upon the lever being moved the projection a on the locking bar E slides down the
inclined plane and engages in one of the notches a² in the wheel A. Further move-
ment of the signal lever causes the projection as to press against the projection a
fixed to the weight bar B', pushing the said bar off its cam e, the projection a
engaging one of the notches in the opposite flange of the wheel, and to pull the

page_text: signal "off." Upon the lever B reaching the cam el it is freed from the wheel by
the action of the cam as beforo described, but there being no second cam for the
weight bar to rise on, it is held fast to the wheel, thus putting on a double weight
and thereby holding the signal "off," although allowing the wire, chain or rod to
expand or contract whilst the signal is "off; upon reversing the lever the signal
flies** on "and by the action of the came the weight bar is released from the wheel,
having only the one weight D on, as shewn in figure 14.
In the event of rods being used as connections from the signal lever to a pair of
points and from thence on to the signal by wire, a sprocket-wheel such as is herein-
before described may be mounted on one arm of the usual crank by constructing
said crank somewhat as shewn in figure 11, whilst the counterbalance weight upon
the end of said chain may be arranged to hang in a pit formed for the purpose.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a signal lever such as B,
of a sprocket or equivalent wheel such as A having its spindle squared or otherwise
sided for a part of its length, in order that it may be secured in a fixed position by
a suitable locking bar or bars such as E whilst the signal is being operated, sub-
stantially as herein described.
2. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a sprocket or equivalent
wheel such as A, of a locking bar or bars such as E, figures 1 to 4, adapted to be
raised by a projection or cam such as e² on the upper surface of the stand, and having
a slot such as e adapted to fit over the sided part or one of the sided parts of the
spindle of said sprocket or other wheel, substantially as herein described.
"
3. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a sprocket or equivalent
wheel such as A, (journalled at or near the end of the horizontal part of a cabin
lever), of a locking bar or bars such as E, figures 10 and 11, pivoted to said lever,
and provided with a notch or recess adapted to fit over the sided part or one of the
sided parts of the spindle of said sprocket-wheel when the lever is moved to operate
the signal, substantially as herein described.
4. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a sprocket or equiva-
lent wheel, such as A, (journalled at or near the end of the horizontal part of the
"cabin" lever), of a locking bar or bars, such as E, figures 10ª and 12, pivoted to
said horizontal part of said lever, about midway between a slot or recess with which
said locking-bar is provided and its inner end, together with a stop-piece or projection
such as e adapted to raise said slot or recess out of engagement with the sided part
of the spindle of the above-mentioned sprocket-wheel when the lever is in its "off"
position, substantially as herein described.
5. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination of an arm or lever such
as m, figure 12, fulcrumed upon the semaphore post and having a weight such as G
arranged to slide to and fro upon said arm or lever, with a wire, chain or rod
connecting the semaphore with the signal lever, a weight such as D upon the end of
said wire, chain or rod, and means such as those herein described whereby said wire,
chain or rod is automatically disconnected from said lever, the whole being constructed,
arranged, and operating substantially as herein described and according to the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a flanged or equivalent
wheel such as A, figures 13 and 14, having notches or teeth cut or otherwise formed
in its flanges, of a signal lever such as B provided with a locking-bar such as E
having a projection such as as adapted to engage with the notches in said wheel,
whilst said lever is provided with a hinged projection such as a adapted to engage
with a projection upon a weight bar such as B', so as to carry said weight bar
forward, and thereby cause its locking har to engage with the notches in the above-
mentioned wheel when the signal is pulled off, substantially as herein described.

page_text: 7. In a compensator for signal rods, the combination with a wheel such as A, and
signal lever such as B, of a weight bar such as B₁ provided with a locking bar such
as E adapted to engage in notches or teeth such as a² in the flange of said wheel,
and so arranged as to be thrown out of, and into, engagement with said wheel, in
order to put a greater strain upon the signal wire when the signal is "off" than when
it is "on" the whole being constructed, arranged and operating, substantially as
herein described.
Thi and
1800
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.