Improvements in Treadles for Use in Railway Signalling.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 23rd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treadles for Use in Railway Signalling.
I, JOHN GEORGE DIXON, of Ivy House, Lindley, Huddersfield, in the County
of Yorkshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the form of dash-pot or cylinder
In that
described in my Specification No. 23945, dated December 13th 1893.
Specification there was described a treadle bar fulcrumed at one end below the
rail and projecting above the rail at the other end. Attached to that bar was a
transverse lever and at the other end of the transverse lever a piston working in a
cylinder. The cylinder was fixed on timbers and was consequently rigid. With
this cylinder, if the timbers got out of position or the rails were packed or through
any cause the position of the piston was slightly moved or the transverse lever
moved out of its position, there was a great tendency to the piston binding in the
cylinder, getting jammed and rendering the correct working thereof difficult.
With my present invention I arrange that the cylinder itself is an oscillating one
pivotted at the bottom or resting loosely and oscillating in a socket, so that
whatever variation may take place through the packing of the sleepers or sinking
or movement to either side of the cylinder no obstruction can take place because
the cylinder absolutely works on a centre and accommodates itself to any unevenness
that may arise.
My improved form of oscillating cylinder is applicable to any of the uses to
which a treadle can be employed in railway signalling. It can be suitably employed
in connection with my "Improvements in Fog Signal Apparatus for Railways,"
No. 9545 of 1893, or in connection with my said invention for Improvements in
connection with Electric Treadles, No. 23945 of December 13th 1893, or it may be
used in connection with switches and ground levers and generally for any use
where a treadle would be desirable for railway signalling purposes.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1894.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
70 and 71, Palace Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster, S.W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treadles for Use in Railway Signalling.
I, JOHN GEORGE DIXON, of Ivy House, Lindley, Huddersfield, in the County
of Yorkshire, Engineer, 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in the form of dash-pot or oylinder
described in my Specification No. 23945, dated December 13th 1893. In that
Specification there was described a treadle bar fulcrumed at one end below the rail
and projecting above the rail at the other end. Attached to that bar was a

page_text: transverse lever and at the other end of the transverse lever a piston working in a
cylinder. The cylinder was fixed-on timbers and was consequently rigid. With
this cylinder, if the timbers got out of position or the rails were packed or through
any cause the position of the piston was slightly moved or the transverse lever
moved out of its position, there was a great tendency to the piston binding in the
cylinder, getting jammed and rendering the correct working thereof difficult.
With my present'invention I arrange that the cylinder itself is an oscillating
one pivotted at the bottom or resting loosely and oscillating in a socket, so that
whatever variation may take place through the packing of the sleepers or sinking
or movement to either side of the cylinder no obstruction can take place because
the cylinder absolutely works on a centre and accommodates itself to any unevenness
that may arise:
*My improved form of oscillating cylinder is applicable to any of the uses to
which a treadle can be employed in railway signalling. It can be suitably employed
in connection with my "Improvements in Fog Signal Apparatus for Railways,"
No.:9545 of 1893, or in connection with my said invention for Improvements in
connection with Electric Treadles, No. 23945 of December 13th 1893, or it may
be used in connection with switches and ground levers and generally for any use
where a treadle would be desirable for railway signalling purposes.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will describe the drawing, hereto annexed.
Figure 1 is a cross section showing the rail, sleeper, dash-pot or cylinder and
cylinder case.
:
Figure 2 is a side elevation of my apparatus.
a
Figure 3 is a plan of the dash-pot or cylinder partly showing the treadle bar.
The same letters refer to the same parts in the several figures of the drawing.
is the rail, the treadle bar, e the connection from the latter to the transverse.
lever d; d' is a rocking shaft forming the fulcrum. of the transverse lever d, e the
balance weight, is the pin connecting the transverse lever to the piston rod, g is
the fulcrum of the treadle bar, his the upper cap of the piston rod, is the piston
rod, h' the piston, kis the cylinder, the pivot, ie the cylinder case, m is the cup
at the lower end of the cylinder case, receiving the pivot k.
The action of my invention is as follows:-
In the normal position of the treadle the end attached to transverse lever dis
above.rail level and in position to be struck by the first wheel of the passing train.
When the treadle is depressed by the passage of the train the far end of the trans-
verse lever is moved upward into the dotted position shown in Figure 1 and
the piston carried with it. The piston is free to move upward as the air has a
free exit.
During the passage, of the train the treadle is kept out of position free of further
blows from the wheels from the fact that before the treadle can return to its
Dormal position, that is, above rail level, the air must escape from the lower part
of the cylinder through the valve to the upper part; the time necessary for this
movement is a matter of adjustment and can be regulated as desired, depending on
the operator.
The principal feature of my invention, however, consists that the cylinder,
through the pivot and its seating.m', accommodates itself to any unevenness of the
road and consequently the piston is always correct in action there being no tendency
to jamming.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, I wish it to be understood that I am aware that a dash-pot or piston and
cylinder has been used before in railway signalling, I therefore do not desire to
broadly claim this, but what I do claim is:
1. For use in connection with treadle bars for railway signalling, an oscillating
cylinder substantially as described and illustrated.

page_text: 2. In railway signalling, the combination of a treadle bar, transverse lever
and oscillating cylinder operatively connected, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1804
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
70 and 71, Palace Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster, S.W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.