Improvements in or relating to Means for Operating and Locking Series of Hand Levers or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Means for Operating and Locking
Series of Hand Levers or the like.
We, GEORGE DOMINY, of King Street, Weymouth, Dorsetshire, Purveyor, and
JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY, of 19, Hertford Street, Coventry, Warwickshire,
Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to means for operating and locking series of hand levers
or the like such as a railway signal and points levers, autocar variable speed levers
and the like, and has for its object to provide the proper working of such levers.
To attain our objects, we arrange the series of levers in suitable relative posi-
tions, preferably so that their movements may take place in parallel planes. Each
lever is preferably adapted to work in a separate slot cut in a plate through
which all the levers pass. Over or under this first plate a second plate having
oblique slots is adapted to slide transversely to the slots in the first plate. The
said second plate may work in or on suitable guides, pivots or links and is
impelled in one direction by a suitable spring, a cord, weight or pulley, or
equivalent device. There is sufficient room for the levers to pass through between
one end of the slots in the first plate and the adjacent edge of the second plate.
When the levers are all in the "out of action" position the second plate is held
by the spring in such a position that the mouths of the slots in the second plate
register with the slots in the first plate. Upon one of the levers being moved
into the "in action" position it bears on one of the inclined sides of the slot
in the second plate and moves the said second plate transversely until the com-
plete parts of its said edge lie across all the slots in the first plate and prevent
any other lever being moved into action, without first returning the lever which
is in action to its " out of action position. The levers may be retained or
pushed in or out by springs and may also be locked in each position by finger
catches.
Instead of the first plate being complete, a notched plate, in which the notches
are adapted to receive the levers in, say, their "out of action" position or any
other suitable equivalent device may be employed. And generally, we do not
confine ourselves exactly to the above description, which is intended to indicate
the nature of our invention without excluding modifications.
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G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Means for Operating and Locking
Series of Hand Levers or the like.
We, GEORGE DOMINY, of King Street, Weymouth, Dorsetshire, Purveyor, and
JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY, of 19, Hertford Street, Coventry, Warwickshire,
Journalist 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; -
Our invention relates to means for operating and locking series of hand levers
or the like, such as railway signal and points levers, autocar variable speed levers
and the like, and has for its object to promote the proper working of such levers.
And in order that our invention may be properly understood we will describe
the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings which show one embodyment
thereof.
Figure I is a side elevation showing the application of our invention to a series
of four levers.
a
Figure II is a plan of the same showing one lever in action.
Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings.
To attain our objects, we arrange the series of levers in suitable relative posi-
tions, preferably so that their movements may take place in parallel planes as
shown. Each lever 2, 3, 4, 5 is preferably adapted to work in a separate
slot 6, 7, 8, 9 cut in a plate 10 through which all the levers pass. Over or under
this first plate 10, a second plate 11, having oblique slots 12, 13, 14, 15 is adapted
to slide transversely to the slots in the plate 10. The said plate 11 may work
in or on suitable guides 16, or pivots or links and is impelled in one direction
by a suitable spring 17, a cord, weight and pulley or equivalent device, towards
suitable stop such as 20. There is sufficient room for the levers
2 etc. to pass through between one end of the slots 6 etc. in the
plate 10 and the adjacent edge 18 of the plate 11. When the levers are all in
the "out of action" position the plate 11 is held by the spring or the like in such a
position that the mouths of the slots 12, 13, 14, and 15 register with the
slots 6, 7, and 9 respectively. Upon one of the levers say 3, being moved
into the "in action" position, it bears on one of the inclined sides of the slot 13
in the plate 11 and moves the said plate 11 transversely until the complete parts
of its edge 18 lie across all the slots in the plate 10 and prevent any other lever
being moved into action, without first returning the lever 3 to its "out of action
position. The levers may be retained, or pushed in or out, by suitable springs
if desired and are preferably locked in each position by finger catches 19. The
motion may be transmitted from the levers through rods such as 21.
"
Instead of the first plate (10) being complete, a notched plate or rack, in which
the notches are adapted to receive the levers in, say, their "out of action" position
or any other suitable equivalent device may be employed, and in this case the
plate 11 may be arranged in the same plane as the said rack or the like.
generally, we do not confine ourselves exactly to the above description, which
is intended to indicate the nature of our invention without excluding modifications.
And
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. Means for operating and locking series of hand levers and the like, constructed,
arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: 2. In means for operating and locking series of hand levers and the like, the
employment of two overlapping plates the first of which has straight slots and the
second of which has oblique slots, the first plate being adapted to move trans-
versely to the second plate but being normally held by a spring or the like
against a stop so that when all the levers are out of action the mouths of the
slots in the second plate register with the mouths of the slots in the first plate.
3. In means for operating and locking series of hand levers and the like, the
employment of two overlapping plates the first of which has straight slots and the
second of which has oblique slots, the first plate being adapted to move trans-
versely to the second plate, when one lever is moved into action, so that the edge
of the second plate obstructs the movement of the other levers.
4. The modified construction in which a rack or the like is employed instead of
the first plate.
5. In means for operating and locking series of hand levers and the like, the
employment of a transversely moveable obliquely slotted plate, so arranged and
adapted to operate that when the levers are all out of action anyone of them may
be moved into action, and so that when one of the levers is moved into action the
edge of the plate prevents the movement into action of any or all of the other
levers.
6. The improved means for operating and locking series of hand levers and
the like substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 21st day of January 1899.
DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, M.Cy.E.I.,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham, and
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.