IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG, DANGER, OR DISTANCE ALARM SIGNALS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF OPERATING THE SAME."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Kelday, of 64, Finsbury Pavement, in the
County of Middlesex, Auctioneer and Estate Agent, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG, DANGER, OR DISTANCE ALARM SIGNALS FOR
RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF OPERATING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Kelday at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1881.
ARTHUR KELDAY, of No. 64, Finsbury Pavement, in the County of Middlesex,
Auctioneer and Estate Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG, DANGER, OR DISTANCE
ALARM SIGNALS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF OPERATING THE SAME."
My Invention has for its object the communication of an audible signal to the
driver or guard of a railway train in such a manner that it shall always be simple,
reliable, and unmistakeable, and at the same time obviate the necessity of using
detonating signals at present not only expensive in use but the cause of great
danger, and oftimes fatal accident to the man whose duty it is to place them in
position.
My Invention consists, firstly, in providing upon the locomotive or its tender an
arrangement which shall, when operated by the means hereinafter described, give
an audible signal of an unmistakeable character to the driver or guard.
The arrangement upon the engine may be thus described:-At or upon the
frame of engine or any convenient fixed part thereof, or of the tender thereto, is a
depending bracket piece or standard secured by nuts and bolts, or in other
convenient manner. The bracket piece has upon it or is so constructed as to form
guides for a vertical sliding rod, free to move to a limited extent upwards and
downwards, and carrying at its lower extremity a friction roller. At its upper end
this vertical sliding rod is so formed that in its upward motion it operates a
hammer acting upon a gong or bell so as to strike the same, and thereby arrest the
attention of the driver or guard of the train. Upon the downward motion or
return of the sliding rod to its first position, the hammer resumes its former place
under its own weight or the action of a spring and is then ready to act again.

page_text: My Invention consists, secondly, in the means of operating the said audible
signal. At either or both sides of the rail I provide certain projections or angular
jointed levers connected by wires or rods extending therefrom to the station
platform, signal boxes, or other place, and connected at such places to operating
handles or levers in such manner that thereby a railway official can so operate the
projection or angular jointed lever that such projection or angular jointed lever
shall come in contact with the friction roller at the bottom of the vertical sliding.
rod, thereby causing it to rise, actuate the hammer, strike the gong, and thereby
arrest the attention of the driver or guard of the train. The signal given, the
apparatus can, by the operating handles or levers at the station or other place be
thrown out of gear, the projections or angular jointed levers being returned to
their original position.
I have herein described my Invention in connection with a gong or bell, but my
arrangements may instead thereof or in addition thereto be caused to sound the
whistle of the locomotive, or preferably a special steam whistle provided for the
purpose. When it is required to sound a whistle, the upper end of vertical sliding
rod is formed with an attachment for acting on the lever of whistle. It can also
be arranged if required to shut off steam from the engine cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Kelday in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th January
1882.
ARTHUR KELDAY, of No. 64, Finsbury Pavement, in the County of Middlesex,
Auctioneer and Estate Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG, DANGER, OR DISTANT
ALARM SIGNALS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF OPERATING THE SAME."
My Invention has for its object the communication of an audible signal to the
driver or guard of a railway train in such a manner that it shall always be simple,
reliable, and unmistakable, and at the same time obviate the necessity of using
detonating signals at present not only expensive in use but the cause of great
danger, and oftimes fatal accident to the man whose duty it is to place them in
position.
My Invention consists, firstly, in providing upon the locomotive or its tender an
arrangement which shall, when operated by the means hereinafter described, give
an audible signal of an unmistakable character to the driver or guard.
The arrangement upon the engine may be thus described:-At or upon the
frame of engine or any convenient fixed part thereof or of the tender thereto is a
depending bracket piece or standard secured by nuts or bolts, or in other con-
venient manner. The bracket piece has upon it or is so constructed as to form
guides for a vertical sliding rod free to move to a limited extent upwards and
downwards and carrying at its lower extremity a friction roller. At its upper end
this vertical sliding rod is so formed that in its upward motion it operates a
hammer acting upon a gong or bell so as to strike the same, and thereby arrest the
attention of the driver or guard of the train. Upon the downward motion or
return of the sliding rod to its first position, the hammer resumes its former place
under its own weight or the action of a spring and is then ready to act again.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the means of operating the said audible
signal. At either or both sides of the rail I provide certain projections or angular
jointed levers connected by wires or rods extending therefrom to the station
platform, signal box, or other place, and connected at such places to operating
handles or levers in such manner that thereby a railway official can so operate the
projection or angular jointed lever that such projection or angular jointed lever
shall come in contact with the friction roller at the bottom of the vertical sliding
rod, thereby causing it to rise, actuate the hammer, strike the gong, and thereby
arrest the attention of the driver or guard of the train. The signal given, the
apparatus can by the operating handles or levers at the station or other place be
thrown out of gear, the projections or angular jointed levers being returned to
their original position.
I have herein described my Invention in connection with a bell or gong, but my
arrangements may instead thereof or in addition thereto be caused to sound the
whistle of the locomotive, or preferably a special steam whistle provided for the
purpose. When it is required to sound the whistle the upper end of the vertical
sliding rod is formed with an attachment for acting on the lever of the whistle.
It can also be arranged if required to shut off steam from the cylinder.
In order that my said Invention may be better understood and carried out in
practice, I now refer to the annexed Sheet of Drawings in which the same letters
of reference on the Figures represent corresponding parts.
Figure 1 of the illustrative Drawings is a side elevation of a part of my improve-
ments adapted to a locomotive engine, in combination with the apparatus forming
the second part of my Invention for working a semaphore signal simultaneously
with the gong or bell; Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a plan and end elevation of

page_text: this apparatus; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are end elevations of the mechanism for
actuating a gong, or whistle, or shutting off the steam from the cylinders by the
signalman.
The first part of my said Invention is carried out in the following manner :-
Upon the cabin A of the engine is fitted a vertical sliding rod B, which works in
a bracket C bolted or rivetted to the frame of the cabin, and is further guided and
secured by passing through an opening in the side frame D of the engine. It is
furnished with a friction roller E, working in a fork F at its lower extremity ;
F¹ is a vibrating. rod attached to the fork and secured at its opposite end to a
bracket F bolted to the frame of the engine. This arrangement protects the
vertical sliding rod B from injury when put in action by the travel of the loco-
motive; G, G, are two pins or studs fast on the rod B, between which is placed
the end of the hammer H working on a centre pin or fulcrum I, secured to the
cabin by a plate I¹. The hammer is suspended at a suitable distance from the gong
or bell K by a steel spring L; M is another spring placed underneath the frame of
the engine, for the purpose of pressing down the rod B until the collar M¹ rests
upon the frame. The roller E is thus kept in its proper position for being acted
upon by the apparatus forming the second part of my Invention.
This apparatus consists of an angular sliding bar (or bars) N formed of angle
iron, which may be placed at either or both sides of the rail, as shewn in the plan,
Figure 2. This bar is formed of one, two, or more projecting angles 0, 0¹, of the
same or of different gradients, and it is supported in a proper position by means
of links P, P, working on wooden supports Q, Q, or in any other suitable manner.
The bar N is further supported at its extremity by the link R; attached to the
latter is a forked rod S, fitted to a cranked lever T, working on a base U, secured
to a suitable wooden foundation or sleeper V; W represents a lever fitted to a
segmental rack W of the ordinary kind, in order that the signalman may by the
rod X and crank lever T raise or lower the angular sliding bar N and semaphore Y
simultaneously.
When it is necessary for the signalman to operate my improved fog, danger, or
distance alarm signals, the cranked lever Tis pulled by the lever W into the position
shewn in the Drawing. This action places the signal at "danger," at the same
time the angular bar or inclined plane N is thus put into gear, and the roller E
attached to the engine as it passes over the said incline (or inclines) or projection O
causes the hammer H to be lowered, and then the hammer is immediately set free
to strike the gong or bell by the action of the spring L as the roller descends the
incline 0¹. The roller again ascending the incline O2 causes the hammer again to
sound the gong, and thereby arrest the attention of the driver or guard of the
train. Upon the downward motion or return of the sliding bar Ñ to its first
position, as shown by dotted lines A, A, the hammer resumes its former place by
its own weight or by the action of the spring M.
A modification of my method of signalling is shewn in Figure 4, by which
instead of a bell or gong being struck (or in addition thereto) a steam whistle b
(preferably a special one provided for the purpose) shall be employed; c is a lever
working in a pin or fulcrum d, attached to the cabin A or other suitable part of
the engine by a plate e. This lever is formed with a fork fin which enters the
end of the rod B bent here at right angles, as shewn in Fig. 1.
in action will cause the opposite end of the lever to lower the slotted handle g,
and cause the whistle to sound an alarm until the driver shuts off the steam.
The said rod when
Another method of giving a signal by the whistle is represented in Fig. 5,
where the rod B is fitted with a slotted bearing h, through which is placed the
small striking lever i formed with a stud or projection j, and when the rod B is
raised the end jabuts against the bearing. This lever works on the pink. The
object of this arrangement is that when the rod B rises by the action of the
angular sliding bar N the projection or stud of the lever comes into contact with
a corresponding stud l, fixed to the handle of an ordinary steam cock m, which
being thus opened permits the steam to pass by means of a pipe n into the

page_text: whistle n', and thus give the required signal. But when the rod B descends the
slot in the bearing allows the stud of the lever to pass one or both steam cocks
without opening them.
In combination with this whistle signal a method is shewn by which the steam
may be shut off from the cylinders of the engine. Whether one or both of these
methods or apparatus be employed is at the option of the signalman. If it be
desired to use both, the angular sliding bar N is made with angles 0, 0%, of
different gradients, O being raised to such a height by the lever W and rack W₁ that
only the whistle will sound; but the lever being placed at its greatest throw in the
said rack, the gradient 02 then comes into action, and will cause the steam cock o
to be opened, which enables the steam to enter a small cylinder p fitted to the
cabin. This cylinder is provided with a piston q, the rod of which is formed with
a slot at its extremity, and in this slot works an adjustable screw stop or thumb
nut s, which can be adjusted so that when it comes in contact with the steam
lever t, the stroke of the piston in the cylinder p will shut off the steam and thus
stop the train.
The driver of the locomotive has also the power of putting the said steam cocks
in or out of action.
A modification of this arrangement of shutting off the steam is shewn in Fig. 6.
In this method or system, instead of employing the power of steam automatically,
a mechanical arrangement is adopted for the same purpose. The studs u, u, are
fitted to the side of the vertical rod B, as shewn in the Drawing, between which
the end of the crank lever v works, so that when the rod B rises by the action of
the inclined planes of the rod N, it causes the lever v to actuate the slotted rod u¹,
and thus throw the steam lever over and shut off the steam. This slot is furnished
with a similar adjustable stop X to that shown in Fig. 5. This arrangement
also permits of the simultaneous employment of the gong signal at the option of
the signalman or driver of the engine.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood in conclusion
that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described, reserving the
right to modify the same according to circumstances, but what I claim and desiro
to be secured by Letters Patent is, -
Firstly. The attachment to a locomotive engine of a vertical sliding rod B having
suitable projections for signalling by means of a bell, whistle, or shutting off steam
for stopping an engine or train, in the manner herein described and shewn in the
annexed Drawings.
Secondly. The employment in combination with the herein before described
signalling apparatus of an angular sliding bar N with two or more inclined planes,
communicating with a signal box or other suitable place by the usual cranks,
levers, and other signalling appliances, as described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings.
Thirdly. The mode or method of shutting off steam or sounding the whistle, as
shewn in Fig. 5 of the Drawings, by means of two cocks actuated by steam from
the boiler, as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Fourthly. The arrangement of mechanism for the same purpose of shutting off
steam by means of levers, as described and shewn on the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Kelday, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this 19th day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
ARTHUR KELDAY. (L.S.).