IMPROVEMENTS IN DETONATING SIGNALS, FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN DETONATING SIGNALS, FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, Communicated to me from abroad by Gustave Lirand
and Ernest Gaupillat, both of 17 Boulevard Saint-Martin, Paris, France, to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in detonating signals, by petards, for use
on railways, and to apparatus to be employed therewith, said apparatus being
operated by the levers of the signal posts, and automatically substituting fresh
petards for the crushed ones.
The petards, which may be ordinary disc-shaped petards, are placed on small
plates, arranged in the form of a star, by means of screws, around a table or plate
turning on a vertical axis. It is this turning or rotation which allows of fresh
petards being substituted for the crushed ones. The table or plate is mounted on
an apparatus which, in addition to the movement of rotation, communicates to it a
forward and backward motion, according as to whether the petard has to be placed
on the line when the disc is closed, or withdrawn in the case of "line clear."
Instead of the ordinary disc-shaped petards, petards of special form may be used,
the same consisting of a cylindrical body containing the powder, and of a priming
tube, at the somewhat enlarged end of which is placed the primer destined to
bring about the explosion. This end of the priming tube, when the line is closed
or blocked, is caused to take up a position on the rail by means of apparatus about
to be described.
An iron rod connected to the lever of the signal post, and attached by means of
a pin to a fork travelling on friction rollers, carries the petard table or plate. On
the shaft of this table or plate is keyed a notched disc, carrying studs, which strike
against a finger piece when the fork pushed towards the rail. This brings about

page_text: the rotation of the disc and consequently that of the petard table or plate. A pawl
enters the notches of the disc.
There may be any suitable number of these studs and notches, so that different
positions may be given to the table or plate.
This table or plate, for the purpose of ensuring the certainty of the signal, is
furnished with a double set of petards, that is to say, at each fresh position of the
same, two fresh petards are placed upon the line. There are say, two sets of four
petards, eight petards in all, which may thus explode without it being necessary to
make provision for replacing them, this being effected automatically.
A stop determines the limit of travel of the table or plate by stopping the stud
which follows that which the finger piece had previously struck against. The
pawl enters a notch and thus prevents rotation of the table or plate in a backward
direction.
A plate prevents the petard from catching against the rail, and is only employed
when disc-shaped petards are used. At the moment of the return motion the
spring of the finger piece, yielding to one of the studs, the apparatus will then bo
in a position to operate afresh in the same manner.
The apparatus is mounted on an iron plate supported on a frame.
provided which protects the apparatus from external influences.
A cover is
When one or more of the eight petards, which are placed in chambers contrived
in the table or plate, like cartridges in a gun, have been exploded, it is necessary, if
it be desired, to replace them by fresh petards, without the aid of manual labour:
1st that, by reason of the explosion, the petard case should be completely expelled
from the chamber, and
2ndly that a reserve of fresh petards should be placed successively in communication
with these several chambers.
For this purpose the petards are so constructed that the priming tube penetrates
the cylindrical body. This arrangement ensures the complete explosion of the
powder, and the petard case is forcibly ejected from the chamber.
This empty chamber then passes, by reason of the rotation of the table or plate,
beneath a fixed hopper containing a reserve of fresh petards. This hopper containing
two chambers corresponding exactly to the two sets in the table or plate, a fresh
petard will descend from the hopper into the chamber if this be empty, but, if on
the contrary, the chamber be occupied by an unexploded petard, then nothing will
be changed.
This arrangement, which is adapted for a reserve of four petards, thus allows of
the successive explosion of two sets of six petards each, or in all twelve petards,
without it being necessary to recharge the apparatus.
The hopper may be made as large as desired, and the number of petards, in
reserve, may be consequently increased at will.
This arrangement of hopper may be also applied to a modified form of apparatus
wherein the petards are similar to those above described, as being of special
construction, but the rotary motion of the plate or table is here replaced by a to
and fro motion. In this case the travelling hopper contains two reverse sets of
three petards each, and runs, by means of wheels, on two rails. An iron carriage
is supported on drums and is worked by the rod which is connected to the lever of
the signal post. A driver fixed to the carriage, causes the hopper, when the line is
clear, to follow, for a short distance, the motion of the carriage, and in case the
impulse of the movement should be too strong, a counterweight is provided, and
carried over a pulley tends to cause the hopper to bear against the driver.
On the side towards the rail, the carriage carries a fork with two branches, each
of which branches carries a petard, which is lodged in two chambers containing the
cylindrical body of the petard. stop arrests the hopper at a determined point
and also serves as an explosion guard.
So long as there are no crushed petards, the same two remain on the rail.

page_text: After the explosion has taken place, the chambers will be empty, and upon the
whole carriage arrangement being drawn backward, it will travel on the drums,
until the empty chambers arrive beneath the hopper carriage, and two fresh. petards
then fall therein, the apparatus being, in this way,, furnished for the next blocking
or signalling operation.
The complete apparatus is fixed upon a bed plate resting on a frame. As in the...
preceding case the number of petards in reserve in the hopper may be increased.
I ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN DETONATING SIGNALS, FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, communicated to me from abroad by
Gustave Lirand and Ernest Gaupillat, both of 17 Boulevard Saint-Martin, Paris,
France, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in detonating signals, by petards, for
use on railways, and to apparatus to be employed therewith, said apparatus being
operated by the levers of the signal posts and automatically replacing fresh petards
for the crushed ones.
And in order that the Invention may be readily understood I proceed to
describe the same, with reference to the accompanying drawings, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents.
Fig. 1 shews the petards K, which are ordinary disc or pastil-shaped petards
(pétards à pastille) placed on small plates arranged in the form of a star, by means
of screws b, around a table or plate a, turning on a vertical axis. It is this
rotation which allows of fresh petards being substituted for the crushed ones. The
table or plate is mounted on an apparatus which, in addition to the movement of
rotation, communicates to it a forward and backward motion, according to whether
the petard has to be placed on the line when the disc is closed, or withdrawn in
the case of "line clear."
The apparatus in question is identical with that represented in perspective
view, Fig. 2, except that the table or plate A, in Fig. 2, is replaced by the table or
plate a, of Fig. 1.
Therefore the description hereinafter given of the method of working the table
or plate A, will readily apply to a
In the apparatus represented in Fig: 2, the petards are of special construction,
and consist of a cylindrical body containing the powder, and of a prining tube, at
the somewhat enlarged end of which is placed the primer, destined to bring about
the explosion. This end of the priming tube, when the line is closed or blocked,
is caused to take up a position on the rail, by means of the apparatus hereinafter
fully described.

page_text: .
E, is an iron rod connected to the lever of the signal post and attached, by means
of a pin, to a fork F, travelling on rollers G, and carrying the petard table or
plate A. On the shaft of the table is keyed a notched disc A', carrying studs H,
which strike against a finger piece H', when the fork is pushed towards the rail P.
This brings about the rotation of the disc A¹, and consequently that of the petard
table or plate A. A pawl J, enters the notches I of the disc.
In the apparatus shewn, there are four studs and four notches, so that four
different positions can be given to the table or plate.
This table or plate, for the purpose of insuring the certainty of the signal, is
furnished with a double set of petards, that is to say, at each fresh position of the
table or plate, two fresh petards are placed upon the rail. There are two sets of
four petards, in all, eight petards, which may thus explode without it being
necessary to make provision for replacing them, this being effected automatically.
A stop K, determines the limit of travel of the table, or plate, by arresting the
stud H, which follows that which the finger piece had previously struck against.
The pawl enters a notch and thus prevents the rotation of the table or plate in a
backward direction.
A plate M, prevents the petard from catching against the rail; it is only
employed when disc or pastil-shaped petards are used. At the moment of the
return motion, the spring of the finger piece H¹, yielding to one of the studs II, the
whole apparatus is in a position to operate afresh in the same manner. Such is
the very simple action of this apparatus.
The apparatus is mounted on an iron plate N, supported on a frame O. The
whole is enclosed by a hinged cover which protects the apparatus from external
influences.
When one or more of the eight petards, which are placed in the chambers B
of the table or plate A, in like manner to cartridges in a gun, have been exploded,
it is necessary, if it be desired to replace them by fresh petards without the aid of
manual labour :-
1st That, by reason of the explosion, the petard case shall be completely projected
from the chamber, leaving it entirely free; and
2ndly That a reserve of fresh petards shall be placed successively in communication
with these several chambers.
For this purpose, the petards are so constructed that the priming tube passes
into the cylindrical body. This arrangement ensures the complete explosion of the
powder, and the petard case is projected forcibly from the chamber.
This empty chamber then passes, by reason of the rotation of the table or plate,
beneath a fixed hopper D, containing a reserve of fresh petards. As this hopper
· contains two chambers corresponding exactly to the two sets in the table or plate A,
a fresh petard will descend from the hopper into the chamber when this is empty,
but if, on the contrary, the chamber B, is occupied by an unexploded petard, then
nothing will be changed.
This arrangement, which in Fig. 2, is adapted for a reserve of four petards, thus
allows of the successive explosion of two sets of six petards, each, or in all, twelve
petards, without it being necessary to recharge the apparatus.
The hopper may be made as large as desired, and the number of petards in
reserve may be increased at will.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, is :-
1. The construction and arrangement of the rotary discs operated by the action
of the lever corresponding to the alarm signal when this lever is brought into
position indicating danger, said discs carrying petards so arranged as to be replaced
by others each time the closing or blocking signal is set, substantially as herein
described, the said petards being either flat, or of a construction in which the whole
of the casing is expelled by the explosion as set forth.

page_text: 2. The novel construction of petards in which the outer casing is expelled from.
the cavity which contains them by the explosion itself, thus allowing of the same
being replaced either by hand or by means of a hopper containing other petards in
reserve, as herein described, and whatever may be the movement adopted for
facilitating this replacement.
3. The arrangement of hopper combined with the rotary movements of a disc or
plate carrying petards, for the purpose of automatically replacing fresh petards for
the exploded ones, as herein described, whatever may be the rotary movement
imparted to the disc carrying the petards.
4. The special arrangements of apparatus herein described and shewn, by way of
example, in the annexed drawings, and for the purposes set forth.
.
5. The employment, in alarm signals, of the petards herein described in which
an exterior casing is so arranged as to be expelled by the explosion itself, as set
forth, whatever may be the means of charging and the arrangement of the casing.
Dated this 29th day of December 1884.