Compound lever Compound lever The compound lever is a simple machine operating on the premise that the resistance from one lever in a system of levers will act as power for the next, and thus the applied force will be amplified from one lever to the next (as long as the mechanical advantage for each lever is greater than one). Almost all scales use some sort of compound lever to work. Other examples include nail clippers and piano keys. A lever arm uses the fulcrum to lift the load using and intensifying an applied force. In practice, conditions may prevent the use
Lever frame as it requires more force to move the lever. Therefore, later, especially in Germany, lever frames with pivots inside the signaller's room were used, that allow for a lever angle of approximately 180° (as seen on the photo on the right). By the movement of individual levers (or sometimes cranks), signals, points, track locks, level crossing gates or barriers and sometimes movable bridges over waterways are operated via wires and rods. The signaller chooses the correct combination of points, facing point locks and signals to operate, which will control the movement of each train through their area of control. The