An Improvement in Railway and like Semaphore Signalling Apparatus, Applicable also for use in connection with Points.
Year: 1898

page_text: 7
Date of Application, 28th June, 1898
L
C 001
1000
6th Mo 1000
An Improvement in Railway and like Semaphore Signalling
Apparatus, Applicable also for use in connection with Points.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM HUTT, of Appley Towers, Ryde, Isle of Wight, in the
County of Hants, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention has for its object a certain improvement in railway and like
semaphore signalling apparatus and point operating mechanism the introduction
of which will ensure the semaphore arms or points being moved at a uniform
speed however the operating parts may be actuated, and will ensure the arms or
points being in one of two positions only, no intermediate or doubtful position
being possible.
Such improvement embraces essentially the operation of a semaphore arm or
a point through the medium of a slide or frame having a weight arranged to roll
or slide in or upon it, said slide or frame being so connected to the signalling
apparatus or point operating mechanism, that it may be oscillated from the signal
box, or station, or other point, and its movement, augmented by the weight carried
by it, will be communicated to and operate the semaphore arm or point.
Such an arrangement, as applied to signalling apparatus, may be carried into
effect by dividing into two lengths the wire, rod, or the like extending from the
signalling box or station to the rod or the like directly coupled to and operating
the semaphore arm, and connecting the adjoining ends of these lengths each to the
end of a lever. The opposite ends of said levers are connected to the opposite
ends of a tubular slide or carriage in which rolls or slides a suitable weight and
this slide or carriage is so arranged that normally it has one end sufficiently raised
to cause the weight to roll to and remain at the opposite end. When the slide is
in such normal position the semaphore arm will be held in either a raised or
lowered position simply by its own or a suitable counter weight attached to the
end of it. By, however, the operation of the lever or its equivalent at the signal-
ling box or station, the normally depressed end of said slide or carriage is raised
and the weight carried by it caused to travel to its opposite end, and by thus
increasing the weight of said slide or carriage at its normally raised end so depress
said end and effect the lowering of the semaphore arm.
Such mechanism may be arranged either near the signalling box or station, or
near the semaphore upright, or between the two, as desired, and may be protected
either by a suitable cover or by arranging it in a suitable cavity in the ground, as
may be found preferable.
A similar arrangement is applicable to the points rod, to ensure the points being

page_text: placed in one of two positions only, but in this case it is not necessary to divide
the rod into two lengths; the said slide may be attached, if preferred, to a prolonga-
tion of the rod.
1211
1000
8081
An Improvement in Railway and like Semaphore Signalling
Apparatus, Applicable also for Use in Connection with Points.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM HUTT, of Appley Towers, Ryde, Isle of Wight, in the
County of Hants, Esquire, 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:-
1
My invention has for its object a certain improvement in railway and like sema-
phore signalling apparatus and point operating mechanism the introduction of
which will ensure the semaphore arms being in one of two positions only, no inter-
mediate or doubtful position being possible, and will automatically consume
variations in the length of the wire or rod owing to variations of temperature,
etc and in the case of points will neutralise any slackness in the joints in the
point-rod and ensure the points going absolutely into position on either side, not-
withstanding such slackness.
Such improvement embraces essentially the operation of a semaphore arm or
a point through the medium of a slide or frame having a weight arranged to roll
or slide in or upon it, said slide or frame being so connected to the signalling
apparatus or point operating mechanism, that it may be oscillated from the signal
box, or station, or other point, and its movement, augmented by the weight carried
by it, will be communicated to and operate the semaphore arm or point.
Such an arrangement, as applied to signalling apparatus, may be carried into
effect by dividing into two lengths the wire, rod, or the like extending from the
signalling box or station to the rod or the like directly coupled to and operating
the semaphore arm, and connecting the adjoining ends of these lengths each to the
end of a lever. The opposite ends of said levers are connected to the opposite
ends of a tubular slide or carriage in which rolls or slides a suitable weight and
this slide or carriage is so arranged that normally it has one end sufficiently raised
to cause the weight to roll to and remain at the opposite end. When the slide is
in such normal position the semaphore arm will be held in either a raised or
lowered position simply by its own or a suitable counter weight attached to the
end of it. By, however, the operation of the lever or its equivalent at the signal-
ling box or station the normally depressed end of said slide or carriage is raised
and the weight carried by it caused to travel to its opposite end, and by thus
increasing the weight of said slide or carriage at its normally raised end so depress
said end and effect the lowering of the semaphore arm.
Such mechanism may be arranged either near the signalling box or station, or
near the semaphore upright, or between the two, as desired, but preferably close
to the signal post, and may be protected either by a suitable cover or by arrang-
ing it in a suitable cavity in the ground, as may be found preferable. In the
case of signals, the bottom of such cavity must slant in that direction which will,
in case of the wire or rod breaking and the slide thus falling to the bottom of

page_text: the cavity, cause the weight to find its normal position and the signal to fly to
danger.
A similar arrangement is applicable to the points rod, to ensure the points being
placed in one of two positions only, but in this case it is not necessary to divide
the rod into two lengths; the said slide may be attached, if preferred, to a prolonga-
tion of the rod.
My invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which
Fig. 1 is an end view and Fig. 2 a side view of my improved apparatus as
applied to signals.
Fig. 3 is a section of permanent way showing the apparatus applied in connec-
tion with points, and
Figs. 4 and 5 are details of construction.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the apparatus consists of a tubular slide a preferably
situated in a pit and having a weight arranged to roll or slide in it. This slide
has its ends connected, one to the inner end of one of a pair of suitably mounted
levers and the other to the inner end of the second of these, so that it may be
oscillated by the operation of one of them.
The opposite ends of these levers are connected, one to the usual signal wire or.
chain from the signal box, and the other to the rod operating the semaphore arm
of the signal, so that the operation of the first mentioned one will effect an oscil-
lation of the slide and a transition of the weight carried by it, as shown in dotted
lines, and this movement will be communicated to the second lever and so on to
the semaphore arm as the weight approaches the end of its travel.
The size of the weight and length of the slide will, of course, be based upon the
resistance of the parts to be operated.
As applied to points (see Fig. 3) the slide a may be connected to the lower ends
of and carried by bell-crank levers e pivoted to the sleeper for other part, and
having their upper ends connected to the rod by which the point is operated.
The chain or the like extending from the ends of the levers to the slide may be
connected to the latter by clamping bands and adjustable screws /, but I do not
confine myself to any particular details of construction in this, or any other respect,
as it will be obvious that such details may be modified considerably without depart-
ing from the main features of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) In railway and other signals the use of an oscillating slide or carriage
carrying a reciprocating weight as and for the purpose described.
(2) In railway and other points the use of an oscillating slide or carriage carry-
ing a reciprocating weight as and for the purpose described.
and
(3) Apparatus for controlling the operation of railway and other signals con-
sisting of an oscillating slide or carriage a carrying a reciprocating weight
connecting levers e substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
(4) Apparatus for controlling the operation of railway and other points consist-
ing of an oscillating slide or carriage a a reciprocating weight and levers c
substantially as described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of March 1899.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.