Improvements in or relating to Fog or Audible Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: ., PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fog or Audible Signalling Apparatus
for Railways.
We, EDMUND WILLIAMSON, of Bulwell Forest Great Northern Railway Station,
in the County of Nottingham, Station Master, and JAMES RAYNER, of Nottingham
Great Northern Railway Station, District Superintendent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to railway signalling apparatus for giving audible signals
to the driver of a train in connection with or independently of the ordinary
visible signals either at all times or in foggy or other weather when the ordinary
signals are not visible.
In carrying out our invention, at a point where it is desired to give the signal,
we place on the inner side of one of the ordinary rails, an additional rail or bar
which is arranged in a similar manner to a switch point, and is hereinafter termed a
switch rail.
One end of this switch rail, that is the end which is the first to receive the
wheels of a passing engine when the latter is running in the usual direction, is
connected to the ordinary rail by one or more pins or bolts passing through the
two rails. A spring is also preferably placed on each bolt between one of the
rails and the head or nut of the said bolts, in order to hold this end of the switch
rail close up to the ordinary rail, and also allow it to open for the passage of the.
wheel flanges of an engine or train which may be travelling in the reverse
direction.
The other end of the switch rail is free and is normally held by springs or other
means a short distance from and is thus at an angle to the ordinary rail, but is
moved parallel to the ordinary rail by the action of the wheel flanges of a passing
engine or train.
The free end of the switch rail is connected either directly or through the inter-
mediary of suitable links and levers to a piston fitting in a cylinder, the latter
being fixed in any convenient position.
The cylinder is connected by a pipe to two wind instruments such as whistles
or horns, one of which produces an entirely different note to the other, or two
different instruments may be employed, for example, a whistle and a horn.
The two wind instruments are placed in a convenient position and the com-
munication between them and the cylinder is controlled by cocks a sliding
valve, or other suitable device which is connected to the lever in the signal cabin
which operates the ordinary signal. The controlling mechanism is preferably
arranged so that one of the instruments is always in communication with the
cylinder and as the signal is changed the connection with one instrument is cut
off and the other opened.
When an engine passes the action of the wheel flanges moves the switch rail
parallel to the ordinary rail, and this movement is communicated to the piston
0 in the cylinder. Air is forced from the latter through one of the instruments and

page_text: by the sound emitted by the latter the engine driver will learn the position of
the signal or will have conveyed to him the required instructions as to how he
is to proceed.
Other devices may be employed instead of the switch rail, the controlling
mechanism may also be connected to the ordinary signalling mechanism as
described, or to independent mechanism. Provision may also be made for
throwing the apparatus out of gear when it is not required.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1897.
BOULT & WADE
Agents for the Applicants.
.
Improvements in or relating to Fog or Audible Signalling Apparatus
for Railways.
We, EDMUND WILLIAMSON, of Bulwell Forest Great Northern Railway Station,
in the County of Nottingham, Station Master, and JAMES RAYNER, of Nottingham
Great Northern Railway Station, in the City of Nottingham, District Superin-
tendent, 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: -
This invention relates to improvements in railway signalling apparatus for
giving audible signals to the driver of a train or engine, which may be used in
COD Lection with or independently of the ordinary visible signals, either at all
times, or only in foggy or other unfavourable weather when the ordinary signals
are not visible at a distance.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1. is an elevation partly in section, and
Fig. 2. a plan showing signalling apparatus constructed according to our
invention.
Fig. 3. is an end elevation of the pneumatic cylinder and controlling mechanism,
the latter being partly in section.
Fig. 4. is a plan showing an alternative arrangement of the operating switch-
rail.
Fig. 3. is drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1. and 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out our invention, at any point on the permanent way where it
is desired to give a signal to the driver of a passing train or engine, we place on
the inner side of one of the ordinary rails A a comparatively short additional
rail or bar B, which is arranged as shown in a similar manner to an ordinary
switch-point, and is hereinafter referred to as a switch-rail.
One end B of the switch-rail B is connected to the ordinary rail A by one or
more pins or bolts C passing through the two rails, the end 131 being normally
held close to the rail A by springs D placed on the pins C, between the rails and
the heads or nuts on the said pins as shown.
The end B of the switch-rail B is free, and is normally held a short distance
fron the ordinary rail A. as shown.
When a train or engine is passing in the direction indicated by the arrow in
Fig. 1., which is the proper direction, the flanges of the engine and following
wheels will engage with the inner face of the switch-rail B and move the end B
close up to the rail A. This end of the switch-rail being connected to the sound

page_text: or indicating mechanism, which is hereinafter described, the latter will
be operated.
When an engine is moving in the reverse direction to that indicated by the
arrow, for example, in shuuting operations, or when moving a train back a short
5 distance, the flanges of the wheels will pass between the switch-rail B and the
ordinary rail A and will move the end B₁ away from the rail A against the action
of the springs D. The signal will not in this case be operated and the switch-
rail B when arranged as described forms no obstacle to the passage of an engine
or train in either direction.
The free end B2 of the switch-rail B is connected by a connecting link E and
rod F to a piston G¹ which latter fits in a cylinder & secured to the permanent
way. The rod F may be carried in bearings F1, F¹ secured to the permanent way
as shown.
The switch-rail B and piston G may be simultaneously returned to their normal
positions by a spring F placed on the rod F between a collar F3 secured to the
rod F, and one of the bearings F¹.
The rod F may be directly connected to the piston G³, or a spring G³ may be.
interposed between the two as shown, in order that the inward movement of the
rod F may be gradually imparted to the piston G.
In this case the end of the rod F fits loosely in a sleeve G³ on the piston G¹
and the spring G2 is placed between the end of said sleeve and a collar G on the
rod F.
The interior of the cylinder G is connected by a pipe H to a valve casing I (see
Fig. 3.) and the latter is connected to two pneumatic instruments J, K, one of
which is constructed to give out an entirely different sound to the other. The
instrument J may be directly connected to the valve casing I as shown, but the
instrument K which gives the danger signal we preferably place level with
the cab of an engine and connect it by means of a pipe K¹ to the casing I.
The outlet from the casing I to the instrument J may be closed by a valve L
whilst the outlet from the casing I to the instrument K may be also closed by a
second valve M. The spindles L', K', of the respective valves are carried through
stuffing boxes in the lower part of the casing I and the lower ends of said spindles
are connected to a rocking lever N fulcrummed at N. By oscillating the lever
about its fulcrum one valve is raised as the other is lowered and the outlet to one
instrument is thus closed as the other is opened.
Normally the outlet to the danger signal K is open as shown in the drawings,
the lever N being returned to the position shown by a weight N2 or spring N³,
or both, and in order to give a signal to proceed to the driver of a passing train
or engine the position of the lever N must be reversed.
This may be effected by connecting the end N4 of the lever N to the ordinary
ignal operating lever by means of a flexible connection which passes under a
ulley placed below the said lever.
ignals the position of the lever N will be reversed simultaneously with the pulling
If used in connection with semaphore
wn of the semaphore arm and the outlet to the danger signal K closed and that
o the signal L opened.
The lever N is fulcrummed on a bracket P secured to the cylinder G, this
racket is also provided with two stops P1, P¹ to limit the movement of the
ever N.
When an engine passes the point where the apparatus is placed the action of
e wheel flanges moves the switch-rail B parallel to the ordinary rail A and the
ovement of the end B2 is communicated to the piston G' in the cylinder G. Air
forced from the latter through one of the instruments J or K, and the sound
nitted will indicate to the driver whether he is to pull up, or proceed.
The length of the switch-rail B may be regulated so that each wheel of the
ain or each pair of wheels of a bogie truck operates the signal, and the latter is
us repeated several times, and there is consequently no liability of the driver
guard misunderstanding the purport of the signal given.

page_text: The cylinder or the piston may be provided with an air inlet valve or the
piston packing arranged so that the air will pass it as it returns to its normal
position.
In order to indicate to a driver any change in the signal after he has pulled
up his engine and is waiting for the signal to proceed, a gong or other convenient
device may be connected to and be operated by the lever N as the position of the
latter is reversed.
Where the apparatus described is placed at some distance from the signal
cabin, say at a distance signal, the apparatus may be electrically connected to an
indicator in the cabin in order to indicate that it is working properly.
In Fig. 4. the switch-rail B is shown in the reverse position, the signalling
mechanism being in this case connected to the end B¹ which is normally held
close to the ordinary rail A.
The end B2 of the switch-rail B is in this case held away from the rail A by a
spring R placed between the head of or a nut on the end of the pin R¹ connected
to the switch-rail B, and a bracket S for supporting the said pin.
The end B of the switch-rail B may be connected to the piston rod by a link E
in the same manner as the switch-rail in the arrangement previously described.
With this arrangement when a train or engine is passing in the direction in-
dicated by the arrow, the flanges of the wheels will pass between the switch-rail B
and the ordinary rail A and move the end 13 of the former away from the rail A.
This movement of the end B' will be imparted by the link E to the indicating
mechanism.
The flange of the wheel of an engine or train moving in the reverse direction
will pass inside the switch rail B and will move the end 132 close to the rail A
without operating the indicating mechanism.
If desired both the described arrangements of the switch-rails B may be
employed to operate one indicating mechanism the two rails being connected to
the piston rod F so as to work in conjunction with each other.
The apparatus may be thrown out of action when not required by fixing the
end 132 of the switch-rail close to the ordinary rail A, or fixing the end B' away
from the rail A.
A switch-rail such as described may be also used for automatically operating
cther forms of indicating mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
:—
(1.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with an ordinary
rail A of a moveable or switch-rail such as B operating substantially as and for
the purpose described.
(2.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with an ordinary
rail A of a switch-rail such as B one end of which is held to the rail A by a spring
or springs such as D or other yielding device and the other connected to indicating
apparatus substantially as described.
(3.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with an ordinary
rail A of a switch-rail such as B one end of which is held away from the ordinary
rail by a spring such as R or other yielding device and the other end is held
close to the rail A and is connected to the indicating apparatus substantially as
described.
(4.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with a switch-rail
such as B of a cylinder such as G and a piston G' connected to the switch-rail
substantially as described.
(5.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with a cylinder such
as G and piston G₁ of one or more pneumatic instruments connected with the
cylinder G substantially as described.
(6.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with a cylinder

page_text: such as G and piston G₁ of one or more pneumatic instruments such as J, K,
Ising I, valves L, M, and lever N, substantially as described.
CE
(7.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with an ordinary
raii A of a switch-rail such as B, cylinder such as G, provided with a piston G¹
connected to the switch rail B and one or more pneumatic instruments such
as J, K, substantially as described.
(8.) In signalling apparatus for railways the combination with an ordinary
rail A of a switch-rail such as B, cylinder such as G provided with a piston G¹
connected to the rail B, pneumatic instruments such as J, K, casing I, valves L, M,
and lever N substantially as described.
(9.) The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete fog
or audible signalling apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of November 1897.
EDMUND WILLIAMSON
JAMES RAYNER
Boult & Wade
Agents for the Applicants.