IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LAYING. DOWN AND TAKING UP DETONATORS OR FOG SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, AND IN SIGNALLING THEREBY
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Hinds and Donald
Nicoll at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 6th July 1875.
We, WILLIAM HINDS, of Ironmonger Row, Old Street Road, London,
Engineer, and DONALD NICOLL, of 15, Olement's Inn, Strand, London,
Esquire, Justice of the Peace, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LAYING. DOWN AND TAKING
UP DETONATORS OR FOG SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, AND IN SIGNALLING THEREBY," to
be as follows:-
Our improvements in railway signals are applicable to those signals
used in dark or foggy weather, or to those under the control of and
worked by the passengers; in either case to warn or call the attention of
the engine driver and guard.
"
Heretofore it has been necessary in the case of fog signals that men
should be stationed on the line and near to a signal post for the purposo
of setting or placing the signals at the required places: This practice:
is not only expensive but is dangerous to the signalmen, who may be.
injured by a passing train, and to the passengers because the men'máy..

page_text: but imperfectly comprehend the signals which are worked from a distant
box.
In our improved arrangement, the fog signal is worked by and is
entirely under the control of, the men in tlie signal box, and requires no
attendants on the line.
حدة لا محلها
اذا لا انا
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To carry out this Invention we arrange our apparatus in the following
manner:- -At the side of the outer rail and at any required distance
from the signal box we fix two long metal chambers or cases placed a
few yards apart. These cases project above the rails, but do not
interfere with the free passage of the train; passing through each case]
or chamber is a long bar or chain, on which is threaded a number of
wires or thin bars, carrying at their outer ends detonating cartridges ;
between the detonators and on the bara distance pieces are threaded, so
that the detonators in the cases remain at equal distances apart; the
two sets of detonators are connected together by a bar or chain, so that
both sets may be actuated by the same apparatus. To the front end of
the first set is hooked a long chain, which is passed over guide pulleys,
and round a chain pulley or barrel, thenco round other guide pulleys,
and hooked to the back end of the second set of detonators; the chain
pulley or barrel is actuated by bevil or other convenient system of
gearing having direct communication with the signal box and worked
by the signal man. When the chain barrel is turned the chain with the
detonator is,. drawn forward and placed as required on the line. The
front end of each case is cut-in-a-spiral-form, so that the detonators
which traverse, vertically through the, case, are turned to a horizontal
position when over the lino of rails, ready for, usc. The position of tho
two cases is so. arranged that the first, set, of detonators is slightly in
advance of or has a slight lead over the back set, so that if desired one;
detonator only may be placed on the line, and not necessarily one from
each case. A ratchet wheel and indicator in communication with the
gearing aro placed in the signal box, that tho signal man may at any
time see the position of his signals, and also how many remain in each
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40 Co.:
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page_text: handle or hook. In the roof of the carriage is fixed a ring into which
the handle is placed for supporting the rod; the lower end of the rod
passes through the floor, and terminates with a large head to act as a
hammer; under the hammer and fixed to the under side of the carriage
is a plate or anvil on which is placed a detonating signal. When
requiring to signal the guard or driver the passenger releases the rod
from the ring; the hammer head of the rod then falls on and discharges
the signal; at the same time by releasing a spring pushes out from the
side of the carriage a metal plate colored red to indicate the precise
carriage where assistance is needed.
The third part of our Invention consists of signalling by means of a
detonating cartridge or signal, the mechanism for actuating which is
placed outside the carriage; the passenger merely presses a spring,
when the apparatus outside explodes the cartridge, and causes the train
to stop.