The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-15
RAILWAY SIGNAL
DEVICE INVENTED
BY R|CHM0NDER
Robert L. Hudson Has a Ora
witty Semaphore Believ-
ed Infallible
GIVES WARNING OF
ALL TAMPERING WITH
RAILROAD TRACKS
Automatically Raises Danger
Signal When Train Enters
Block and is lmpervious
10 Weather Conditions

MT. Robert +. Hudson. a Well
known merchandise broker, and for
thirty-two years a citizen Of Rich
mona. has perfected what he calls
an Automatic Mechanical Railway
signal, which seems to be one OF
the most valuable and dependah bic
Iue-protectfng devices ever discov-
cred for railway signal use.
The device, while too com plicated
TO bear discussion BY the lay writer.
is operated by com bination OF
gravity and electricity and it has the
advantage OF being sleepiess,
man proof. signal-man who will show
the danger signal mediately any
thing goes wrong on It's beat"
The signals In general use through
out the country at this time are
operated by stationmen from signal
towers within the yard limits at the
respective towns and cities. with the
sole exception of electric signals,
which can be operated by electricity
only.
The operation of the electric sig
nal LIS not absolutely dependable for
there are numerous conditions that
make electricity liable to fail in time
OF urgent need.
MI aIIaHfUte ~iEnm
The object of MIR. Hudson's inven-
ton ia to equip railroads with a
signal that is infallible, one that
works at all times and under all con-
ditions. II may he operated on every
mile OF railway system, thereby,
Il according t., tA<. belief of tho tr1veu-
TOR. insar!ng perfect safety to the
travelling public and preventing loss
OF life and property arising from rail-
way accidents.
The signal gives notice of broken
rails, open switches, bridges washed
away trains ahead or following. or
of any and all disturbance of the
rails.
Mr.. Hudson has three model ma
chimes, the cost or the construction
OF which was nearly ten thousand
dollars. and at No 1913 East Cary
street he has miniature car, a rail-
road some thirty feet long and his
machines showing what they can do.
Many prominent railroad men and
engineers from all parts of the United
States and some from foreign coun-
tries have examined the device and
have been unanimous in expressing
the belief that II Is one OF the most
complete and useful inventions me-
chanical skill has ever devised.
a corporation has been organized
for the purpnse Of manufacturing MIR.
Hudson's device, and II is proposed
tn establish the plan in Richmond. 1t
being Mr.. Hudson's belief, and that
of his associates. that II will prove
eventually one OF the great enter
prises of the city The inventor takes
great pleasure snr showing the work
ings of the device.
Inventors Description.
Mr.. Hudson has written for The
Richmond Nirgtnian the following
concise description OF the working
of the device.
This signal ia operated practically
hy means OF gravity on closed track
circuit In the following manner:
1.-The train. upon entering block,
or passing q signal. puts 1t to dan
ger or stop POSITION, first by deprsss-
ing a suppienssnAAl rail one-half inch.
thereby ,rsleSDkht 1.-The retaining me-
chansrn In the~machine- II by chance
or accident this should fail. the track
now being short circuited the signal
will go to danger or the stop position
by gravity as before. both being in
dependent of the other.
''If from any cause the semaphore
fails to go to the danger or stop posi-
ton by gravity. force OF about ESQ
hounds is brought into play COM
polling it to go to the danger or stop
position. In either event the sema-
phore in securely locked. and the
clearing mechanism Is placed In posi-
ton, that also being securely locked
After the train passes OUT or the
block. or protected zone, the track
circuit again becomes closed and the
clearing mechanism is unlocked and
the semaphore carried to the clear
position by gravity and held there
on closed circuit"
ssweather conditions have no erect
ppon the operation of the signal"