IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DETONATING RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ancel Alexander Routledge, of Neath, in the County
of Glamorgan, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF DETONATING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
Sealed the 12th January 1855, and dated the 12th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ancel Alexander Routledge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th October 1854.
I, ANCEL ALEXANDER ROUTLEDGE, of Neath, in the County of Glamorgan,
do. hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF DETONATING RAILWAY SIGNALS" to be as follows:-
The objects of these improvements are to render such signals impervious to
moisture, and to insure the fixing them to the rails of railways more certain.
In constructing detonating railway signals, it has heretofore been usual to
make them of sheet metal, in the form of boxes and otherwise, and to close
the parts where they come together, by pressing the edges in contact with the
other surfaces, and the exteriors have been varnished, and in some cases
covered with paper, which modes of closing the joints have not, however, been
sufficient to exclude moisture getting to the interior; and in order to fix such
signals to the rails of railways, straps have been fixed to them on either side to
clip the sides of a rail.
Now, my improvements consist, first, of so forming and connecting the parts
of such like signals that the edges may be soldered or fixed, and rendered
impervious to moisture; and, secondly, of forming such like signals with a

page_text: projecting end or plate which, being bent down, will pass between the ends of
two rails of a railway, and thus prevent the signal being brushed off the rail.
And I prefer to form the case wedge-shaped, so as to ensure the wheel being
well on the signal before the detonating caps become subject to the pressure
and blow of the wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ancel Alexander Routledge in the Great Seal Patent Ollice
on the 11th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANCEL
ALEXANDER ROUTLEDGE, of Neath, in the County of Glamorgan, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Iler
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Ancel Alexander Routledge, Her special licence that I, the said Ancel
Alexander Routledge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Ancel Alexander Routledge, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DETONATING RAILWAY SIGNALS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ancel Alexander Routledge, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ancel Alexander Routledge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
The objects of these improvements are to render such signals impervious to
moisture, and to insure the fixing them to the rails of railways more certain.
In constructing detonating railway signals, it has heretofore been usual to
make them of sheet metal, in the form of boxes and otherwise, and to close

page_text: the parts where they come together, by pressing the edges in contact with the
other surfaces, and the exteriors have been varnished, and in some cases
covered with paper, which modes of closing the joints have not, however, been
sufficient to exclude moisture getting to the interior; and in order to fix such
signals to the rails of railways, straps have been fixed to them on either side to
clip the sides of a rail.
Now, my improvements consist, first, of so forming and connecting the parts
of such like signals that the edges may be soldered or fixed, and rendered
impervious to moisture; and, secondly, of forming such like signals with a
projecting end or plate, which, being bent down, will pass between the ends of
two rails of a railway, and thus prevent the signal being brushed off the rail.
And I prefer to form the case wedge-shaped, so as to ensure the wheel being
well on the signal before the detonating caps become subject to the pressure
and blow of the wheel.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The box or case for containing the combustibles is to be made of good char-
coal tin plate, cut to the shape represented in Drawing No. 1, which is the
full size, being 3 inches by 31 inches. The tin plate is then to be worked
in the shape represented in Drawing No. 2, which shows a cross section. The
edges a, a, are to overlap each other a full quarter of an inch, then insert a
wooden or iron tool of the shape of the section; when on this tool, solder the
lap securely from end to end; close one end of the box down, doubling or
lapping it under one-sixth of an inch, soldering it securely; the box will then
be as represented in No. 3. The box is then ready for the clip A or B, as
required. The clip A is formed of a piece of stout tin plate, 1 inch square,
and bent into shape, as the section shows in No. 4; the upper or short piece
is to be laid on the closed end of the box, and securely soldered to it. If the
clip or fastening B is used, it is composed of a strip of lead, one-sixteenth of
an inch thick, quarter of an inch wide, and five inches long, soldered to the
flat or under side of the box, one inch from the open end of the box. The
box will then be ready for charging with the combustibles, which are gun-
powder and percussion caps, and applied as follows:-On a piece of tin,
three-quarters of an inch long and one-half an inch wide, solder two iron
rivets, tinned, (known in the trade as H machine rivets, No. 9,) are the best,
placing them on the tin as represented in Drawing No. 5; on each of these
rivets place a small percussion cap (pistol cap), fitting the rivets closely,

page_text: and on each of these caps place a larger percussion cap, closely fitting
the former, then give the caps and the exposed portion of the rivets a coat
or two of quick drying varnish; when dry, put this tin plate with the rivets
and caps prepared into the box crossways, pressing it down moderately
tight towards the closed end of the box, which is now ready to receive the
charge of gunpowder, which should be of good quality. The box to be filled
to within two-thirds of an inch of the mouth or open end; when loaded, this
end is to be closed, and doubled under in the same manner as the opposite
end, taking great care to make it as close as possible by means of a hard
wooden hammer; this end has to be soldered also, so that the whole of the
seams, when the box is finished, are perfectly air and water tight. The
method of soldering the last joint of the box after the gunpowder and caps
are therein is as follows:-Brush off any remaining grains of gunpowder, then
apply to the joint either diluted spirits of salts or fine powdered rosin, as in
ordinary work, and then with a soldering tool, only sufficiently hot to melt and
work the solder, proceed as in ordinary work, which can be done with safety,
as solder can be used at a less temperature than is required to ignite fine
gunpowder; the test I apply being to try the soldering tool on a few loose
grains of powder. Should they not ignite, and the tool at the same time hot
enough to work the solder, no danger need be apprehended. After the above
work has been done, the box may be varnished or left, as thought desirable.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details herein described; but what I claim is, the manufacture of
detonating railway signals herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ancel Alexander Routledge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
ANCEL ALEXANDER ROUTLEDGE. (L.S.)
WILLIAM SMART,
Neath, Glamorganshire.