Improvements in Apparatus for Locking Railway Signals or Signal Levers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1896.
Complete Specification Left, 24th May., 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Locking Railway Signals or Signal
Levers.
I, GEORGE CROSSLAND of Walker's Buildings, Streethouse, Pontefract,
Yorkshire, Pointsman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention refers to signalling apparatus by which the signalman opens and
closes or controls the main lines, the cross over lines from oue main line to another
and the loop lines or sidings branching off the main lines, and comprises means
for locking the home signal levers or cross over levers in such manner that, if
say the latter be locked, the home signal levers or one of said levers can be actuated
and, vice versa, if the home signal levers are locked, the cross over levers can be
actuated, whereby, whether the fact that a train has been placed in a section, loop
or siding, or on another line within control of the station, is forgotten or otherwise,
the reopening of the line, section, loop or siding concerned before the train has
passed out cannot be acomplished, unless wilfully, because the position of the parts
will check and remind the pointsman of what has been already done, and thus
the liability at present existing of one train being allowed to run into a section
or siding, or from one line to another, already occupied by another train, will he
avoided.
In carrying out my invention I employ for say-one set of signal levers and
cross over lever, two additional levers, which may comprise some of the extra
levers usually provided in the signal cabin, these said levers each being coupled by
a rod or link to one end of bell crank or other suitable form of levers. The opposite
ends of said levers are connected to suitable rods or bars, one to each lever, said
bars being adapted to slide endwise in ways in a bracket or brackets and carry-
ing two or more projections or fingers whose ends are beut at right angles or have
rolls or studs secured thereto which are capable of engaging in one position with
a home signal lever and in another position with the cross over lever and forming
looking slides for locking levers. These locking slides are actuated separately by
the additional signal or like levers which, when drawn over to the front position,
will, through the medium of the connecting rods and levers, move the slides end-
wise in one direction to release the home signal levers and lock the cross over
lever, and, when put back to their rear positions, will cause the slides to be moved
in a contrary direction to lock the home sigual levers and release the cross over
lever. If one home signal lever is locked and the other home signal lever re-
leased, the slide which has been moved out of engagement with the latter will
lock the cross over lever and prevent it being actuated until both home signal
levers are again locked; and in the same way, if the cross over lever is released,
the home signal levers cannot be actuated until said cross over lever is again
locked.
By the means described a more perfect and reliable locking of the signal levers
is obtained when passing trains from one line to another or into a loop or siding,
the positions of the parts controlling the locking mechanism serving to prevent

page_text: the pointsman, whether from forgetfulness or error of judgment, opening the line
o section to a train when it is already occupied by another train and thus
avoiding all risk of collision from this cause.
For sidings at a distance away, I may couple levers thereat by chaius or wires
passing round pulleys and connected to one or more levers in the cabin or the
tongues of said lovers, so that when the siding lever or levers are actuated by hand
to open the siding to a train on the main line, it or they will draw the chain or wire
tight and thus hold the signal lever or levers in the cabin, which cannot, therefore, be
altered or actuated until the siding lever or levers has or have been put back to
their normal position.
Dated this 21st day of June 1806
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents for Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Locking Railway Signals or Signal
Levers.
I, GEORGE CROSSLAND, of Walker's Buildings, Streethouse, Pontefract, York-
shire, Pointsman, 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 refers to the levers for actuating railway signals, crossings and
points, and my improvements comprise means for locking said levers in such
manner that if, say, the home signal levers, or one of said levers he released, or
free for actuating, the cross-over lever will be locked and, vice versa, if the cross-
over lever be free for actuating, the home signal levers will be locked whereby,
whether the fact that a train has been placed in a section, loop, or siding, or on
another line within control of the section, is forgotten or otherwise, the re-opening
of the line, section, loop or siding concerned before the train has
passed out cannot be accomplished, excepting wilfully because the posi-
tion of the parts will check and remind the pointsman of what has
already been done, and thus the liability at present existing of
train being allowed to run into a section, or siding, or from one line to another,
already occupied by a train, will be avoided.
one
In carrying out my invention, I employ for, say, one set of signal levers and
cross-over lever, two additional levers which may comprise some of the extra lovers
usually provided in the signal cabin, these said levers each being coupled by a
rod or link to one end of bell crank, or other suitable form of levers, each con-
nected with n separate bar or rod adapted to slide ondwise in ways in brackets or
pedestals. The said sliding bars or rods each carry two or more projections or
fingers whose ends may be bent at right angles, or have bowls or studs secured
thereto, and they form locking slides for locking the levers in the desired order.
The locking slides are actuated separately by the additional signal or like levers
which, when drawn over to the front position, will, through the medium of the
connecting rods aud levers, move the slides endwise in one direction to release the
cross-over or other lever and lock the home signal levers, and, when put back to
their normal positions will move the slides in a contrary direction to release the
home signal levers and lock the cross-over or other lever. If one home signal
lever is locked and the other released, the slide which has been moved away from
the latter will lock the cross-over or like lever and prevent it from being actuated
until both home signal levers are again locked; and, in the same way, if the cross

page_text: over lever is released, the home signal cannot be actuated until said cross-over
lever is again locked. The additional levers in the cabin may also be coupled to
levers at the advance signals by means of wires or chains passing round pulleys,
in order that the fireman or driver of a train standing near to the advance signal
can draw over the lever thereat by hand, thereby drawing the wire or chain tight
and holding the additional lever coupled thereto in such mauner that the points-
man cannot actuate it and, therefore, cannot accept another train into such section
until the lever at the advance signal has been put back again on the train proceed-
ing to move out of the section. This is of considerable advantage at night or in
foggy weather when the pointsman is unable to see whether a train has passed
beyond the advance signal or has stopped in the section and enables the driver of
a train stood in a section to guard against the admission of another train into said
section until he is ready to move out.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood, reference is hereafter
had to the annexed drawings forming a part of this specification, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved apparatus for locking the levers which
control or open and close the main, cross-over and loop lines, or sidings; and,
Fig. 2, is end clevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is plan view of a modified form of my improved locking apparatus; and
Fig. 4 is end elevation of same taken on line a, b.
Referring to the drawings, I employ for, say, two home signal levers A, B, for up
and down main lines, and one cross-over lever C for the crossing from one main
line to the other, two additional levers D, E, which may be extra levers already
provided in the cabin, these said levers each being coupled by rods or links D', E¹,
to one arm F, G, of bell crank or other suitable form of levers F, G, whose
opposite ends or arms F, G, are hinged to forked or other shaped brackets or
lugs H, I, secured respectively to rods or bars J, K, or equivalent moveable pieces,
such as, levers, cams or cranks, which are adapted to slide cudwise in ways in
brackets or pedestals L or move on suitable centres. Integral with each of said
rods or bars J, K, or suitably secured thereto are two fingers or projections. M, M',
and N, N', respectively, whose free ends are bent or formed at right angles, or have
friction bowls or studs secured thereto, one of each set of said fingers being capable
of engaging with the home signal lovers A, B, corresponding to same when the
bars or rods J, K, are moved in one direction, and the remaining finger of each
set being capable of engaging with the cross-over lever C when the said bars or
rods are moved in a contrary direction, the said parts forming locking slides for
locking the home signal levers, or the cross-over lever.
These locking slides are actuated separately by the additional levers D, E,
which, when drawn over in the direction of the arrows to the front position, cause
the sliding bars J, K, through the medium of links D, E, and levers F, G, to
move endwise in the direction indicated by the arrows from the positions shewn
in full lines to those shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and place the bent ends of
fingers M and N in front of their respective home signal levers A, B, and the
ends of fingers M and N clear of the cross-over lever C whereby the home signal
levers are locked while the cross-over lever is released. When the additional
levers D, E, are put back to their normal positions, the slides J, K, are moved
in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows, thereby moving the bent
fingers M, N, clear of the home sigual levers and releasing them, and placing tho
fingers M, N, in front of the cross-over lever and locking it, as shewn in full line
in Fig. 1.
By this arrangement of locking apparatus, the pointsman cannot, unless wilfully,
actuate the cross-over lever when one or both home signal lovers is or are free to
be drawn over to the front position to lower the signal or signals; and, conversely,
he cannot actuate either of the home signal lovers when the cross over lever is
free to be drawn forward to the front position.
In order to pass a train from one main line to the other, the pointsman must
draw over the cross-over lever G; but before he can do so, he is obliged to release it,

page_text: that is to say, he must first draw over to the front position both additional levers D, E,
in doing which he releases the cross-over lever and simultaneously locks each home
signal lever A, B, which, therefore cannot possibly be released and actuated in
error or by mistake until the additional levers are put back again to the rear posi-
tion. In like manner, if one or both main line home signal levers is or aro
released by sliding one or both fingers M, N, clear of same, the cross-over lever
will be locked by one or both of the fingers M, N, correspondingly, and cannot be
nctuated until both home signal levers are again locked.
The abnormal position occupied by the additional levers when they have been
actuated to release the cross-over lever, is also a safeguard against accidental or
eironeous actuation of the signal or points levers, as the pointsman, should bo
for the moment forget that the cross-over is open from one line to another and is
going to accept a train into the up or down main line section, will pause when he
observes the position of the levers and, being thus reminded of the reasons which
led to the release of the cross-over lever, will make sure that the line is clear before
pulling back the additional levers to their rear position and releasing the home
signal levers.
For facing loops to each main line, I employ slides and bent fingers correspond-
ing to those herein before described, one linger on each slide being adapted to
engage the home signal levers and the other finger on each slide being adapted to
engage the corresponding facing loop lever in a similar manner to those already
shewn and described, it not being thought necessary to shew same, as one is a
repetition of the other.
I may apply any desired number of locking apparatus to the levers in a cabin to
serve for the several sections worked therefrom, each apparatus being similar to
that shewn, although they may be altered and arranged in such order as will best
suit the working and the position of the various sets of levers, without departing
from the principal features of my invention. The links D, E, may be provided
with slots d to allow for any excess of radial movement of the levers D, E, over
that of the bell crank levers F, G.
In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a modification consisting in arranging the additional
levers D, E, to act horizontally, these being preferably supported on a shelf fixed
midway of the height of the signal or other levers, or in any other suitable posi-
tion which will be most convenient for the pointsman, while the slides for locking
the levers may be supported on a lower plane, as distinguished from the lever
form shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. For this purpose the said additional levers aro
supported horizontally in brackets or pedestals P and are moved forwards and
backwards in a horizontal plane to actuate the levers F, G, (to which they are
coupled direct or through suitable connections) and slides J, K, said levers being
held at each extremity of movement by the engagement of one or other of the ends
of a projecting piece e, on the bottom edge of each lever, with the lower outer edges
of slots P in the brackets P through which the levers F, G, are adapted to slide.
Weights f on the levers D, E, (or springs attached thereto) to ensure the descent of
the levers to the base of the slots P when the projecting pieces e are placed clear
of the brackets P.
In the case of the advance siguals for up and down main lines, I may couple to
Jevers thereat, chains or wires passing round pulleys and connected at the opposite
ends to the levers D, E, at g so that when oue or both said levers is or are forced
to their rear positions after a train has entered the section or sections concerned,
the driver or fireman can, by actuating the lever at the advance signal, draw tight
the chain or chains and hold or lock the levers D, E, which the pointsman cannot,
therefore, actuate until the lover or levers at the advance signal or signals is or aro
put back to the normal.
This is of importance, more especially when it is dark or foggy and the points-
man is unable to see whether the train is still in the section or has left it, those in
charge of the train being able to protect it against the possibility of the pointsman
accepting another train into said section by preventing the actuation of the

page_text: levers D, E. When ready to leave the section the lever is put back and slackens
the chain so that on trying the levers D, E, and fluding them released, the
pointsman knows the train has left the section.
The additional levers D, E, shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 cau likewise be connected by
chains or wires to levers at the advance station.
I prefer to use in conjunction with the cross-over and facing loop lines, long
hinged locking bars, say, about thirty feet in length, similar to those now em-
ployed at crossings and points and occupying positions at a suitable distance from
the fouling points, these being actuated by the lovers ou opening and closing the
cross-over lines or facing loop as at present. These bars are provided in order
that when a train moves over from one line to another or to a facing loop, the bars
will be held down by the wheels of the train until it nasses clear thereof aud
thereby prevent the levers in the cabin from being actuated so long as any portion
of the train remains on the hinged bars, such provision entirely avoiding the ac-
ceptance of a train to a section when another train is foul of the lines or points in
said section.
By the means herein shewn and described, a more perfect and reliable locking of
the actuating sigual and other levers is obtained, having no dependence on the
judgment or skill of-the pointsman, and acting compulsorily in all cases, as re-
quired, instead of in an optional way us is the case with locking anparatus now
employed, whereby all danger of collision arising from forgetfulness, or error of
judgment on the part of the pointsman, or by mistake in opening a section
already occupied by one train, to a second train, is avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
Firstly. The application and employment of slides or their equivalents having
fingers, projections, or engaging pieces for engaging with and locking the levers
for actuating railway signals, cross-over lines, and facing loops, or sidings, in the
manner and for purposes substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. The combination, with meaus described for locking home signal
levers, cross-over levers and other like levers for controlling, or opening and clos-
ing the main, cross-over and facing loop lines, or sidings, of additional locking
levers, such as D, E, in Figs. 1 and 2, or Figs. 3 and 4, and bell crank or other
suitable levers such as G, all arranged, operated and operating substantially
as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. The combination with the herein described locking apparatus and
means for actuating same, of a connection, between the additional locking
lovers D, E, and supplementary levers at the advance signals, substantially as
described and for purposes specified.
Dated thin 00nd ...
1007
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.