Improvements in and relating to Fog Signalling for Railway Trains.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 26th Feb.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Fog Signalling for Railway Trains.
I, NIKOLANS LENK, of Fabrikenstrasse, Magdeburg-Newstadt, in the German
Empire, Coppersmith, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved system, and apparatus in connection
therewith for signalling to the drivers of railway trains in foggy weather, and has
for its object to dispense with the noisy and dangerous detonators in present use and
the services of the men for operating the same.
In order that my said invention and the manner of its use may be fully understood
reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings of which
Fig. 1 is an off side elevation of a railway locomotive and the off side portion of
the apparatus according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a back end view of such an engine and the duplicated apparatus according
to my invention.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of that portion of the apparatus shewn upon the
locomotive in Fig. 1, an exact duplicate of which, but in reverse order, is fitted to
the opposite side of the engine and the track upon which it runs.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of that portion of the apparatus shewn upon the
left side of Fig. 2.
For the purposes of my invention I provide upon any suitable or convenient
portion of the railway track, such as the entrance to a station or tunnel, a shaft or
spindle A, placed transversally across the track and beneath the rails B, and carried
in suitable bearings C, upon one end of which said shaft is fixed a grooved pulley or
wheel D, adapted to be rotated in one or either direction by the means of a chain or
rope E, actuated from the signal box, or it may be arranged that the said pulley may
be rotated in one direction by the means of a pull upon the said chain in the
direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 exerted from the signal box, while the return
motion of D may be effected by the means of a weighted lever in the usual
way, or by the means of a spring drum such as F11, when such pull upon E is
released.
The said shaft A carries at its ends, outside the track rails B, and either outside
the pulley D as at Figs. 1, 3 and 4, or inside as at Fig. 2, (the position of D upon A
being arranged accordingly) arms F and F1, the positions of which upon A are such,
that when F1 is raised, by the rotation of D, as at Figs. 1 and 3, the arm F would be
lowered into the position shewn by dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 3, and vice versa.
In any convenient position upon the sides of the locomotive, preferably beneath
the cab G, is pivotally mounted a pair of independent arms or levers H and H¹, in
such positions that the lower end of one or the other of these would collide with
whichever of the arms For F¹ be raised, while their upper ends have connected
thereto the one ends of cords, chains or ropes J and J¹ respectively, which said cords
or the like pass over and around suitable guides or pulleys such as K, and are
connected at their upper or opposite ends to indicators such as Land L' within the
cab G, and conveniently within reach and in sight of the driver, one of which,

page_text: say L, may carry the word "STOP," while the other L, may carry the word
"CLEAR," or any other word, letter or letters or sign or signs by means of which
the driver may learn from the one exposed to view whether or not he may proceed.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of indicator, as these and the manner
of their operation may vary to suit such space as may be available clear of the fittings
of the engine, but when convenient I prefer to employ a fixed part such as a, bearing
the words or equivalent device stated, and having a closing flap or shutter such as b,
(Figs. 2 and 4) adapted to automatically engage (when closed up by the driver) with
any suitable form of catch c adapted to be released by a pull imparted by the cords
or the like J and J¹, and so allow the flap 6 to fall. The manner of operation is as
follows.
It would be the duty of the driver to always keep the indicators L and L¹ closed as
at L in Fig. 2, and assuming that the line be clear, the operator in the signal box
would place the pulley D in such a position that the arm F is raised as at Fig. 4, and
as the engine passes, the said arm would deflect the lever arm H and so operate the
signal or indicator L as to release its flap b and expose the word CLEAR or its
equivalent as at Fig. 4, but should the line be blocked, the signalman would so
operate the pulley D as to raise the arm F1 as at Figs. 1 and 3, and this acting upon
the lever arm H' would operate the release of the flap b of the indicator L' and
expose the word STOP or its equivalent, as shewn at Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In an improved system and apparatus in connection therewith, for signalling
to the drivers of railway trains in foggy weather, the construction, use and
application of the herein described device, and the means for operating the same,
the whole connected, combined and operating substantially as set forth, and shewn
by the appended drawings.
2nd. In a fog signalling apparatus for railway trains, the combination of a shaft
such as A, mounted in suitable bearings such as C, across and beneath the railway
lines B, and carrying a pulley such as D, and adapted to be partially rotated by and
from an adjacent signal box, the said shaft having suitably disposed arms such as F
and F, adapted to collide with and deflect levers such as H and H¹ upon a locomotive
engine, the said levers when so deflected imparting a pull upon cords or the like
J and J, and operating signal indicators such as L and I, placed within the reach
and sight of the driver, substantially as herein described and shewn by the
accompanying drawings.