Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Signalling upon Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Signalling
upon Railways.
!, GEORGE SOUTH, of Cambridge House, Church Street, Morley, near Leeds,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to certain improvements in the method of and in
apparatus for signalling upon railways.
My said improvements being specially intended for signalling at crossings or
junctions.
The object of my invention being to prevent the signalling of the line at "clear"
when it is blocked, and so prevent collisions; an important feature of my invention
being that it is self acting and a check upon the signal-man in case he fails from
memory or otherwise to attend to the signals.
According to my invention I employ a series of signals or semaphores arranged
at suitable positions at the junction or other position, the said signals or semaphores
are connected by wires to lever boxes fixed at the side of the rails; each of the
said lever boxes consists of a suitable box or case in which is pivotted a heavy
ended lever which is connected to the wire or wires communicating with the signals,
the top ends of the said levers project outside the said boxes and are so adapted as
to be depressed by the action of a wheel or wheels or runners carried on the train,
and operate the signals in the required manner.
My said improvements are also specially applicable for foggy weather by
arranging the signals as near to the lines as possible and providing them with
lanterns or lamps having an intense light.
Dated this 2nd dow of January 1893
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Signalling
upon Railways.
I, GEORGE SOUTH, of Cambridge House, Church Street, Morley, near Leeds,
Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention has reference to certain improvements in the method of and in
apparatus for signalling upon railways.
My said improvements being specially intended for signalling at crossings or
junctions.
The object of my invention being to prevent the signalling of the line at "clear"
when it is blocked and so prevent collisions; an important feature of my said.
invention being that it is self-acting and a check upon the signal-man.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, is a plan of my improved apparatus for acting upon the wire or wires
communicating with the signals.
Fig. 2, is an end view and Fig. 2 is a detail view thereof.
In Figs. 1, and 2,
and in Fig. 3, which is a side elevation, the positions of the levers and parts
connected therewith are shown as when the signals are locked.
Fig. 4, shows the positions of the levers when the signals are unlocked.
Fig. 5, is a sectional side elevation of my improved lantern or lamp for giving
an intense light during foggy weather.
Fig. 6, is a plan,
Fig. 7, is a back elevation, and
Fig. 8, is a front elevation of Fig. 5.
Fig. 9, is a detail view showing signal arm unlocked.
Fig. 10, is a detail view showing signal arm locked, and
Fig. 11, is a diagramatic view.
According to my invention A. are "distant" signals as now arranged at the
junction or other position, the said signals A are fitted with weighted levers or
catches B connected by wires C to lever boxes fixed at the side of the rails, each
of the said lever boxes consists of a suitable box or case E, in which is pivoted a
heavy ended lever F which is connected to the wire or wires C communicating with
the weighted levers or catches B, the ends of the said levers F project outside the
said box or case E, and are connected to swivel rod G which is fastened to a
lever H, fulcrumed at J, upon a support or pillar K, upon the bed plate L, the
other end of the said lever H is connected to a link M which is in turn connected
to another lever N, fulcrumed at upon the pillar or support P, upon the bed
plate L. Hinged to the rail R is a lever S having a boss T thereon, adapted so as
to depress the lever N by means of the flange U of the wheel V acting upon
such lever.
The lids E of the lever boxes E are hinged at one end and connected to the
lever F at the other and have upon them or affixed thereto a curve or slot W, in
which works a pin X upon a weighted rod Y (which is so weighted as to have a
tendency to keep the pin X at the top of the curve or slot) to which a wire X' is
connected from a secondary lever box X2 further on the line from which the
unlocking action is controlled.
This secondary lever box X2 has also a weighted lever like F and the end of the
wire from the weighted rod Y is connected to such lever, which is operated by
the train wheel in the same manner as before described.
The action is as follows:-
On the flange U of the wheel V coming in contact with the lever S, it depresses
it so causing it to likewise act upon the lever N which in turn acts upon the lever H
which brings down the unweighted end of the lever and raises its weighted end,
the unweighted end of the lever F in falling brings with it the hinged lid E' (of
the lever box E) to which it is connected.
The curve or slot W upon the lid E' moves or falls with the lid and so brings
the pin of the weighted rod Y to the top of the curve or slot W. By the
falling of the unweighted end of the lever F and the raising of the weighted
end the wires communicating with the levers or catches B are tightened which
moves the said levers of catches B into position for locking the signals, see
Fig. 10, and Figs. 1 2, and 3, which show the parts as when the signals are
locked.
When it is required to unlock the signals, the weighted rod Y is moved either
by hand such as by the brakesman or guard touching it with a rod or by the
wire connected to the secondary lever box X2 and which is put into operation
as before described.
When the weighted rod Y is moved as aforesaid the pin X is moved to the lower

page_text: end of the curve or slot W the hinged lid E' tilting upwards (such movement being-
regulated by the length of the slot or curve W) and the weighted end of the
lever F falling, which tilts the lever H, so causing it to act on the lever N which
moves the lever S back into its position ready for the next wheel to act thereon;.
with the falling of the weighted ends of the levers F the wires C are slackened
which causes the levers or catches B to unlock the signal, by falling into the
position shown in Fig. 9.
My improved lantern or lamp for giving an intense light during foggy weather,
consists of a reflecting chamber Z, which is fitted at the front with glass Z¹.
Connected to the lower part of the said reflecting chamber Z is a lamp or
burner Z provided with a hinged door (not shown) and air holes; this lamp is for
heating and keeping the reflecting chamber Z and the glass Z dry and free from
moisture and dulness likely to be caused by the state of the weather. At the back
of the said reflecting chamber Z is a lens Z³ fitted in a frame Z. At the back of
the said lens is a lamp or burner Z having a glass at the front, but metal back
and sides.
Interposed between the said reflecting chamber Z and the lens 73 is a chamber Z
fitted with coloured glass slides Z and Z, Z being red, and Z green.
connected to a rod or lever Zº.
Z7 is
The said lantern or lamp can be either mounted on or fastened to the ordinary
"distant" signal post at about the height of the driver's head, or placed upon a
separate post (a little in advance of the "distant" signal) so as to give it about.
that height.
The lever or rod Z' is connected to and operated by the apparatus which works
the signal arm, and is so adapted as to work the slides Z' and Z so as to correspond
with the signal arm, Fig. 11.
up branch" line
In this diagramatic view A are distant signals one on the "up main" line A',.
and one on the "up branch" line A2 A3 indicates a train from "
which cannot proceed for some reason and signal A* against it.
The train on passing over the lever S, (affixed to the side of the rail and com-
municating with lever box and parts connected therewith as before described)
causes it to act upon the lever box E and so lock the signals A, A, at the same
time wires D2 connected with a semaphore or small signal inside the signal box D³,
move the said semaphore or small signal to give a corresponding indication, and
show inside the signal box that the signals A, A, are locked. So long as the
train A³ stands at the position indicated, it is safe, as the signal man cannot lower
the signals A A, they being locked, and the unlocking action is not effected by the
signal man, but by the movement of the train wheel over a secondary lever box X
further on the line, as before explained. When the train acts upon this secondary
lever box the signals A A are unlocked, and are again within the control of the
signal man.
D indicates the fogging lamp or lantern.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In railway signalling, the locking of the signal arms in the manner and for the
purposes shown and described.
2. In railway signalling, the combination of lever boxes, lever mechanism inter-
posed between the said lever boxes and the flanges of the wheels, weighted levers
or catches upon the signal posts, and wires connunicating from the said lever boxes
to the weighted levers or catches upon the said signal posts, substantially as and
for the purposes shown and described.
3. In railway signalling apparatus, the combination of the case or box E,
lever F, curve or slot W, rods Y and G, pillars K and P, levers H, N, and S,.
links M, wires C, weighted levers or catches B, and signals A, substantially as and
for the purposes shown and described.

page_text: 4. In railway signalling, the employment of a lamp or lantern combining a
reflecting chamber Z, glass front Z', lamp or burner Z2, lens 7, lamp or burner Z³,
chamber Z, coloured slides Z' and Z8, and rod or lever Z³, substantially as and for
the purposes shown and described.
Date: 1741 day of Ontahan 1002
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.