Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
(A communication from PAUL EMILE LEGRAND, of Pau, (Department des Basses
Pyrénées) in the Repubile of France, Railway Employé.)
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to alarm-signals consisting of an upright lever
provided at its end with one or several detonators which at any given moment may be
placed on the rails from a distance and in a rocket apparatus placed within reach of
the superintendent who discharges it at a suitable moment in the desired direction.
The discharge of the rocket is effected according to predetermined arrangements in
the desired direction at a certain moment.
The combination of the lever for placing the detonator in position and the rocket
apparatus has for its object to warn the driver of a moving train to stop or to slacken
speed or to reverse.
Placing detonators on the rails by hand as is done at present is combined with
many drawbacks and is moreover dangerous as the man as soon as he has received
the signal that two trains are approaching each other has to run a certain distance on
the line, and consequently often arrives too late to prevent danger.
This drawback is still greater at night or during a fog, but is obviated by the
arrangement forming the subject of the present application as it enables danger to
be signalled instantaneously from a distance simply by moving a lever-as in closing
a bar of a lever crossing-and by letting off a rocket which is lighted either by hand
or by means of a mechanical device or by electricity.
The detonator is placed on the upper part of an upright lever and is secured to the
latter only very slightly so as to be capable of being readily detached by an easily
acting disengaging gear. The detonator placing device is operated from a distance
by means of a cable or chain and a second lever placed in the box of the signalmen
or other workmen entrusted with duty in question. The lever pivots about a horizontal
spindle secured at the foot so as to place the detonators on the rails when it is caused
to rotate. In order to produce this movement without any special devices, the lever
is slightly inclined towards the rail. It is provided at its upper part with a balance
weight which causes it to fall till the detonaior is placed on the rail. The cable or
chain serves to raise the lever after the detonator has been placed.
The detonators are provided on both sides with spring arms which grip the rail
so that when the lever is raised, the detonator remains secured to the rail and leaves
the lever.
As it may happen that one or other detonator may refuse to act either by being wet
or having been exposed too long it is advisable to place several detonators at a small
distance from each other so as to ensure an explosion even when one or other of the
detonators refuses to act..

page_text: Instead of the described method of lowering the lever and of fisengaging the
detonators two other arrangements have been devised, which may be substituted
for it.
1st. The arm carrying at its end the detonators may be lowered as described; but
it may be provided with a wood or other finger which strikes against the line in
order to deaden the fall. In such case the lever may be maintained, without incon-
venience in this position till the train has passed.
2nd. In case vertical lowering of the lever be objected to the lever may be arranged
horizontally instead of vertically and may comprise a trident with detonators secured
to it which turns horizontally in an arc say of 180° the pulling of the chain bringing
the three detonators on to the rail.
The return of the lever into its original position may be effected by a second wire
or by hand or by a helical spring released from a distance.
Assuming that a zone of 4 kil. in length is to be protected that is to say a distance
of 4 kil. in which the danger of collision of two trains must be avoided, a central
post will be established between each station as far as possible in the house of a man
in charge of the level-crossing barrier the man himself being charged to actuate the
signal. At each end of the prescribed distance is arranged a lever provided with
detonators connected to the house by a chain or cable so that they may be operated
together by the same balance or operating lever.
As an additional precaution this first safety device may be supplemented by the
use if desired of a rocket producing a red light and emitting a sound which can be
heard within at least 3 or 4 kilometres which rocket can be actuated even when it is
raining by means of a striking device the operative parts being protected by a piece
of goldbeaters skin or otherwise.
These rockets are of the ordinary description and are so well known that they need
not be described.
They are placed in a cane or casing and let off on the line if there is danger or if
one of the trains has already passed the limits and entered into the protected area.
A fixed rocket carried in a metallic sheath may however be placed in front of the
signal house said rocket being provided with a wick or fuse which extends through the
wall thus enabling it to be lighted without difficulty from the interior in cases
where is would be for any reason impossible or inconvenient for the attendant to go
outside.
The rocket could be operated directly from one or the other stations by means of
an electric spark.
The use of these two apparatus (detonator-placing lever and the rocket device)
may be controlled by an alarm transmitted to the post either by electric bells
telegraphic communication or in other suitable manner.
Dated this 19th day of Janisary 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
“Improvements in or relating to Alarm Signalling on Railways.”
(A communication from PAUL EMILE LEGRAND, of Pau (Department des Basses
Pyrénées) in the Republic of France, Railway Employé.)
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
The present invention relates to alarm signals consisting of an upright lever

page_text: provided at its end with one or several detonators which at any given moment may
be placed on the rails from a distance, and in a rocket apparatus placed within reach
of the superintendent who discharges it at a suitable moment in the desired
direction.
The discharge of the rocket is effected according to predetermined arrangements
in the desired direction at a certain moment.
The combination of the lever for placing the detonator in position and the rocket
apparatus has for its object to warn the driver of a moving train to stop or to slacken
speed or to reverse.
Placing detonators on the rails by hand, as is done at present is combined with
many drawbacks and is moreover dangerous, as the man, as soon as he has received
the signal that two trains are approaching has to run a certain distance on the line,
and consequently often arrives too late to prevent danger.
This drawback is still greater at night or during a fog, but is obviated by the
arrangement forming the subject of the present application, as it enables danger to
be signalled instantaneously from a distance simply by moving a lever-as in closing
a bar of a level-crossing-and by letting off a rocket which is lighted either by hand
or by means of a mechanical device or by electricity.
The detonator is placed on the upper part of an upright lever and is secured to the
latter only very slightly so as to be capable of being readily detached by an easily
acting disengaging gear. The detonator placing device is operated from a distance
by means of a cable or chain and a second lever placed in the box of the signalmen
or other workmen entrusted with the duty in question. The lever pivots about a
horizontal spindle at its foot so as to place the detonators on the rails when it is
depressed or released. In order to produce this movement without any special
devices, the lever is slightly inclined towards the rail and is provided at its upper
end with a weight which causes it to fall and place the detonator on the rails. The
cable or chain serves to raise the lever after the detonator.has been placed in position
on the rail.
The detonators are provided with spring arms or clips which grip the rail so that
when the lever is raised the detonator remains secured to the rail and leaves the
lever.
As it may happen that one or other detonator may refuse to act either by being
wet or having been exposed too long it is advisable to place several detonators at a
small distance from each other, so as to ensure an explosion even when one or other
of the detonators refuses to act.
The accompanying drawing illustrates a lever provided with three detonators with
a device for lowering them. A are the detonators B the lever.
Instead of or as a modification of the described method of lowering the lever and
of disengaging the detonators two other arrangements have been devised which may
be substituted for it.
1st. The arm carrying at its end the detonators may be lowered as described; but
it may be provided with a wood or other block which strikes against the line in order
to deaden the fall. In such case the lever may be left without inconvenience, in
this position till the train has passed.
2nd. In case vertical lowering of the lever by objected to the lever may be
arranged horizontally instead of vertically and may comprise a trident with detonators
secured to it, which turns horizontally in an arc say of 180° the pulling of the chain
bringing the three detonators on to the rail.
The return of the lever into its original position may be effected by a second wire
or by hand or by a helical spring released from a distance.
Assuming that a zone of 4 kilometres-in length is to be protected. that is to say a
distance of 4 kilometres in which the danger of collision of two trains must be
avoided a central post will be established between each station say in the house of the
man in charge of the level-crossing barrier or switch box, the man himself being
charged to actuate the signal. At each end of the prescribed distance is arranged a

page_text: lever provided with detonators connected to the house by a chain or cable so that
they may be operated together by the same balance or operating lever D.
As an additional precaution this first safety device may be supplemented by the
use if desired of a rocket producing a red light and emitting a sound which can be
heard within at least 3 or 4 kilometres which rocket can be actuated even when it is
raining by means of a striking device the operative parts being protected by a piece
of gold beaters skin or otherwise.
These rockets are of the ordinary description and are so well known that they need
not be described.
They are placed in a cane or casing and let off on the line, if there is danger or if
one of the trains has already passed the limits and entered into the protected area.
A fixed rocket carried in a metallic sheath may however be placed in front of the
signal house said rocket. being provided with a wick or fuse which extends through
the wall thus enabling it to be lighted without difficulty from the interior in cases
where it would be for any reason impossible or inconvenient for the attendant to go
outside.
The rockets could be operated directly from one or the other station by means of
an electric spark.
The use of these two apparatus (detonator placing lever and the rocket device)
may be controlled by an alarm transmitted to the attendant either by electric bells
telegraphic communication or in other suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same is
to be performed I declare that what I claim is;--
1. A signalling device for railways comprising a vertical slightly inclined lever
carrying at its upper end a detonator or detonators said lever being pivotted at its
lower end so that upon being released it will fall forward and place the detonator on
the rail said detonator being provided with spring clips or equivalent to grasp the
rail and secure it firmly thereon.
2. A modificatiou of the signalling device described comprising a horizontal lever
pivotted near the rail so that when turned through say half a circle its free end
carrying a detonator or detonators may place the detonator upon the rails substantially
as described.
3. In combination with a signalling device of the character described a rocket
which may be actuated mechanically or by hand from the house of the attendant
where it can be operated from the interior or directly by means of an electric spark
from the station substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1897