Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for use on Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for use on Railways.
I, RALPH BOSTOCK; of White Swan Inn, Brighouse, in the County of York,
Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to improvements in appliances for automatically signalling
or indicating to the driver on a locomotive engine as to whether the way is clear or
otherwise, the object being to enable the signalman from his cabin to signal
to the driver on the engine, dispensing with the signals and semaphores (except
the "home" signal as now used, and also obviating the use of fog signals, as being
on the engine the signals can be seen by the driver whatever the state of the
weather. The apparatus is equally applicable for sigalling to the driver when
working or repairing gangs are on the line, and so giving warning that the line
is not clear. At the same time that the signals or semaphores indicate danger, on
the engine an electric bell is caused to ring, and will continue to ring until the
driver reverses the signal or indicator.
According to this invention I employ three small signals, indicators, or semia-
phores on the engine, each signal or semaphore being by links connected to
weighted fallers or strikers free to move up and down in slides of bearings. To the
underside of each faller or striker is a finger or contact maker, and below each
faller or striker is a recess in which is another contact maker. The weighted faller
or striker is by spring and wire connected to one pole of a small electric battery on
the engine, and the lower contact maker is connected to the opposite pole of the
battery. Each of the weighted strikers or fallers is by links and levers connected
with runners or wheels underneath the engine.
Between the rails forming the permanent way are three plates or levers one for
each signal or semaphore, and each plate or lever has an eccentric bearing by which
it can be raised or lowered by the signalman from his cabin in the ordinary
manner.
If the signalman lowers the plate or lever, the runners on the engine will clear
the plate and no change of the signal takes place except the distance signal which
will go "off, but if the plate or lever is raised then one of the runners coming in
contact therewith will be raised and will release the faller or striker which falling.
will complete the circuit of the battery and cause a bell to commence ringing and
the faller being connected by links to a semaphore will at the same time raise the
latter and indicate to the driver in the usual manner.
The bell will continue to ring until the signal is reset by the driver raising the
weighted faller. There is one signal for the "home" signal, and two for the.
"distance" signal, so that the latter is shewn
on" or "
off" as the case may be."
If working gangs are at work on the line, a plate or lever will be secured on the
ci

page_text: permanent way, and a warning will thus be given to the driver of every engine
coming along the line, who will in turn warn the workers.
Dated this 19th day of June 1897.
BRIERLEY & HOWARD,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in signaling Apparatus for use on Kailways.
I, RALPH BOSTOCK, of White Swan Inn, Brighouse, in the County of York,
Licensed Victualler, 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 improvements in apparatus for automatically signalling
or indicating to the engineer on a locomotive engine as to whether the road is clear
or otherwise, the object being to enable the signalman from his cabin to signal
to the engineer on the engine, dispensing if desired with the signals and semaphores
(except the home signal) as now used, and also obviating the use of fog signals,
as being on the engine the signals can be seen by the engineer whatever the state
of the weather. The apparatus is equally applicable for signalling to the engineer
when working or repairing gangs are on the line, and so giving warning that the
line is not clear. At the same time that the signals or semaphores on the engine
are against the engineer, an electric bell is caused to ring and will continue to
ring until the engineer re-sets the signal or indicator.
Such being the nature and object of the said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation on line A. B. of Fig. 2 shewing the box containing
the signals, indicators, or semaphores which are carried on the engine.
Fig. 2 is a plan on line C. D. of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1 on line E. F.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of the general arrangement of the apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a detail of a part shewn in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of the rails shewing the method of operating and
controlling the plates or levers.
Fig. 6 is a plan shewing one of the rails and two of the plates or levers.
According to this invention I employ one, two, three, four, or any desired
number of small signals, indicators, or semaphores 1-1 enclosed in a glass fronted
box 1^ fixed inside the locomotive in a position easily visible to the engineer.
Each signal or semaphore 1 is connected by links 2 to weighted fallers or strikers 3
free to move up and down between pillars which form slides or bearings 4. On
the underside of each faller or striker 3 is a finger or contact maker 5 and below
each faller or striker is a recess 6 in which is another contact maker 7. The
weighted faller or striker 3 is by spring 8 and wire 9 connected to one pole of a
small electric battery 10 on the engine, and the lower contact maker 7 is connected
by another wire to the opposite pole of the battery 10. Each of the weighted
strikers or fallers 3 is provided at the back with a catch or projection 11. A
lever 12 having a corresponding catch or projection 13 engages with the catch 11
on the faller or striker 3 and holds it up. Each of the levers 12 is connected to, a
crank or arm 14 on a shaft or rod 15 by means of a connecting rod or link 16.
Each shaft or rod 15 has a crank 17 on one end, which cranks are connected by

page_text: pendant rods 18 and links or levers 19 to levers 20 on which are runners 21 free to
pivot in the bracket 22 fixed to the underside of the locomotive.
Between the rails forming the permanent way are three or four plates or
levers 24 preferably inclined at each end, one being used for each signal or
semaphore 1, and each plate or lever 24 has underneath it an eccentric or cam 23
by which it can be raised or lowered by the signalman from his cabin in the
ordinary manner, it being connected thereto by wires and lovers and operated in the
reverse direction by a weighted lever 25 as usual.
If the signalman lowers one of the plates or levers 24 the runners 21 on the
engine will clear the plate and no change of the signal takes place, but if the
plate or lever 24 is raised, then one of the runners 21 coming into contact therewith
will be raised and will pull down the pendant rod 18 and the lever 12 will release the
faller or striker 3 which falls and completes the circuit of the battery and causes a
bell to commence ringing and the faller 3 being connected by links 2 to a
semaphore 1 will at the same time raise the latter and indicate to the driver in the
usual manner.
The bell will continue to ring until the signal is re-set by the driver raising the
weighted faller 3 by moving the hand lever 26 and giving a partial turn to
the rod 27 on which are arms 28 connected by slotted links 29 on the tops of the
strikers 3. This raises all the strikers which may be down, but those that are up
are not moved as the arms 28 move up the slots in the link 29. The catch levers 12
are pulled towards the strikers 3 to catch and hold them up by means of spiral
springs 30, one being connected to each lever 12.
"
There is one signal for the "home" signal and two for the distance signal, so
that the latter is shewn on or "off" as the case may be, i.e., if the signalman
wishes to signal all clear at the distance he will pull down one lever which will
raise one of the plates to operate the distance semaphore on the locomotive and
indicate "all right," or by pulling another lever in his box he will raise the plate
for operating the signal or semaphore "line blocked." By this means the driver
will always be warned when he passes the distance signal; and by connecting the
plates by wires to an electric bell in the signalman's cabin and completing the
circuit by the locomotive passing over same, the signalman is warned that
the signals are in working order and operative.
The signals or indicators may be used independently, or in conjunction with the
ordinary semaphores which will be operated by the same lever and at the same
time that the plates are put into action by the signalman, the wire or chain from
the cabin being divided so that one end passes to the ordinary semaphore, the
other to the plate.
If working gangs are at work on the line a plate or lever is secured on the
permanent way, and a warning will thus be given to the driver of every engine
coming along the line who will in turn warn the workers by whistle or otherwise.
It will be understood that there is for each indicator its separate and independent
connection with its own runner beneath the locomotive and that there is an
independent lever or plate for each, and the latter are laid parallel to one another
but not lineable unless for actuating the same signal.
In order that the engineer may be checked, and it ascertained that he has re-set
the indicators after passing such signal, the lever for reversing the indicators may
be connected to an ordinary register or meter which- registers the number of times
the indicators have been re-set.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) In apparatus for signalling on locomotives the combination with a semaphore
carried on the locomotive, of a weighted faller, connections between same and the
semaphore an electric contact carried by the faller, a fixed corresponding contact
beneath the faller contact, an electric circuit normally open between the contacts

page_text: but closed when the semaphore is operated and the faller descends, a bell in said
circuit, means for operating the semaphore from the track during the travel of
the locomotive, and means for restoring the semaphore and breaking the circuit as
berein described and substantially as illustrated by the annexed drawings..
(2) In apparatus for signalling on locomotives the combination with a w weighted
faller and a semaphore connected thereto carried by the locomotive, of means for
guiding said faller, a catch lever for holding same, a shaft for operating the catch
lever, connections between said catch lever and the shaft, a pivoted lever carried
by the locomotive, connections between said lever and the shaft, a plate situated
between the tracks and means for operating same to bring it in contact with the
pivoted lever during the travel of the locomotive, so that through the shaft, the
catch lever of the faller is removed and the semaphore operated, means for raising
the faller, and means for replacing the catch lever as herein described and
substantially as illustrated by the annexed drawings.
(3) In apparatus for signalling on locomotives the combination with seiṇaphores 1
carried by the locomotive, of fallers 3, guides for same, means for holding and
releasing the fallers, a slotted link 29 carried by each faller, a rod 27, a series of
arms carried thereby engaging with the slotted fallers, and a handle for operating
the shaft to restore such fallers as have been operated, as herein described and
substantially as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(4) In apparatus for signalling on locomotives the combination with a series of
semaphores, means for raising and lowering same, and a series of pivoted levers 20
for operating such neaus all carried by the locomotive, of a correspond-
ing number of pivoted plates 24 on the track, eccentrics beneath said
plates and means connected with the signal cabin for operating the
eccentrics to raise any one of the plates to bring it in contact with the correspond-
ing lever 20 on the locomotive as herein described and substantially as illustrated
by the annexed drawings.
D
1011
1
L
1 1000
RALPH BOSTOCK,
By his Agents;
Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax: