Patent GB-191514193-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Signalling Appliances for Collieries and the like.
Inventor: NEIL JAMES
IPC: B66B19/06
Filed: 1915-10-07
Abstract: 14,193. Neil, J. Oct. 7 [Cognate Applications, 15,535/15 and 3266/16.] Bell and gong signals; mechanical telegraphs. -In mine signalling-apparatus in which a pointer moves over a dial to indicate the number of signal impulses given, and a cautionary flag or semaphore is also raised when men are to be carried, the " men " signal can only be cancelled by the cancelling-gear operated from the winding-engine after the next active signal has been given. The indicator mechanism may be duplicated so that two independent pointers move in opposite directions over portions of the same dial. The two pointer spindles may be mounted co-axially like the hands of a clock or side by side, and the cancelling-gear may be duplicated. The actuating-mechanism comprises two ratchetwheels 5, 6 respectively fixed to, and loose upon, a spindle 4 carrying the pointer 3. A lever 23 pivoting on the spindle 4 carries an actuating - pawl 27 adapted to engage the teeth of the loose ratchet and advance it one step each time the lever 23 is operated by pulling the link 24. Normally, the pawl 27 is held out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel. by a stop 28. Each ratchet-wheel is provided with a pulley 7 and counterweight 8. The loose ratchet 6 has a projection 12 engaging with a similar projection 13 on the ratchet 5, so that this ratchet and the pointer 3 are advanced step by step with the ratchet 6. Projections 17, 18 on counterweighted levers 14, 15 mounted on a spindle 16 serve as detents respectively engaging the fixed and loose ratchets 5, 6. The detent 17 is normally in engagement with the fixed ratchet-wheel, and the detent 18 is normally held out of engagement with the wheel 6 by a weight 21 hung from the lever 23 by a chain 25 passing over a wheel 26. The weight 21 is lifted, allowing the detent 18 to come into engagement, when the lever 23 is operated. The wheel 26 forms part of a clock-train driving a flier 39, whereby fall of the weight 21, with consequent resetting of the loose ratchet-wheel, is retarded. The lever 14 is connected by a chain 20 with the cancelling-gear. The lever 23 carries a preferably pivoted projection 30 adapted to strike a bell 31, and it also has a pin 32 adapted to depress the lever 14 and withdraw the detent 17, so that a signal impulse given after sufficient pause serves to cancel the previous pointer signal. To prevent cancellation of the cautionary signal by the winding- engine before the succeeding active signal has been given, the ratchet 5 is provided with a broad tooth 42, preferably on the edge of a disk 41, corresponding to the cautionary signal, and this broad tooth is engage by an additional detent on a counterweighted lever 43. This detent remains in engagement when the detent 17 is disengaged by the cancelling-gear. An arm carrying a plate 48 with the word " men " is mounted on a sleeve 46 with a single-tooth wheel 44 operated by a projection on the wheel 5 to swing the plate so that the word " men " is exposed through an aperture, through which the dial numeral 3 is normally exhibited, when the cautionary signal is given. The two wheels 5, 6 may be replaced by a single wheel with teeth broad enough for engagement by the two detents 17, 18; a modified form of tooth on the disk 44 is described..