Improvements in Fog-signalling Apparatus for Railways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fog-signalling Apparatus for Railways.
I, ABRAHAM TAYLOR, of 139, Swinton Hall Road, Swinton, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Window Cleaner, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for placing detonators on
the rails of railways, the object being to provide a simple and efficient apparatus
which operates automatically after once being set and until the relay of detonators
is finished and which can be put out of action from the signal box at the will of
the signal man with very little expenditure of effort on his part.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a storage and receiver drum for
holding a series of detonators fixed to a chain passing round the drum; mechanism
for periodically rotating the drums a predetermined amount; an anvil on
which the detonators are exploded; mechanism for exploding the detonators;
means for holding the exploding mechanism in a fixed position after the first
wheel of an engine or train has passed the apparatus; means for placing the
apparatus in operative position again and means for rendering the apparatus non-
operative when required.
In carrying out my invention I mount a pair of drums in suitable bearings,
preferably in the interior of a suitable box that can be placed between the
sleepers of the railway or in any other position found most suitable. One of
these drums carries a chain on which the detonators are fixed whilst the other
drum receives the chain as the detonators are exploded. Between the two drums
is an anvil over which the chain passes and situated in close proximity to the
latter is a rocking lever mounted on a rocking shaft which also carries one or a
pair of levers which alternately engage with the detonator chain and allow it to
move a certain predetermined distance yet serve to hold it in operative position
when required. The rocking lever has also connected to it an arrangement of
levers forming a kind of ratchet mechanism so arranged in conjunction with a
series of arms or teeth on one of the chain drums that the latter can be rotated
a predetermined distance to place each detonator on the rail, a holding lever or
catch being removed prior to the rotatory movement by the same mechanism to
allow of the drums being moved. The rocking lever referred to also carries on
its upper side a depressing rod or bar which is elastically mounted on said lever
and which is also capable of being turned about its pivots so as to bring it along-
side the rail where the flange of the first wheel of an engine or train may come
into contact with it, depress it and explode a detonator, or of being turned up
entirely out of the way of the wheel flange so that no detonators explode. This
depressing lever is connected to the wire or wires of one or more signals the opera-
tion of which causes the action iust referred to to take place. The rocking lever
has in addition, pivoted to its underside an arm or stand so arranged that when
the depressing rod and rocking lever are moved into a horizontal position by the
wheel flange the arm assumes a vertical position and holds the rod and lever in

page_text: the position stated until the last wheel of the engine or train has passed when a
projecting bracket on the last vehicle operates a pivoted arm carried in suitable
brackets, the said arm engaging with a projecting portion of the stand just
referred to in such a way that the latter is pushed out of the vertical position and
the apparatus assumes its normal position ready for being operated again.
In order that the whole of the actions referred to should take place it may be
said that the rocking lever and depressing rod carried by it are normally in an
inclined position with a detonator on the anvil and beneath the highest end of
the lever. The farther end of the depressing rod from the approaching train is a
little above the level of the rail so that when the train comes along the flange
of the first wheel may depress it to the horizontal position, at the same time
exploding the detonator. The remaining flanges of the wheels pass over the
depressing rod quite clear of it and meanwhile it and the rocking lever are kept
horizontal the latter pressing tightly on the chain until the stand referred to is
knocked out of the vertical position. When this occurs the levers assume their
inclined position and the chain is traversed a short distance to place another
detonator in position. If the line is clear and no detonator is required to go off
the signalman in pulling the signal to the right away" position also at the
same time tilts the depressing rod so that it is out of the way of the wheel
flange. The same action may also be made to remove the pivoted arm, which
operates the stand, out of the path of the bracket on the last vehicle of the train.
When the whole of the charge of detonators is exploded the chain is wound back
from the receiving drum to the storage drum, fresh detonators placed therein or
another charged chain substituted.
Dated this 22nd dov of Al 1900
66
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Swan Chambers, 69, Market Street, Manchester.
Agent for the Applicant.
I, ABRAHAM TAYLOR, of 139, Swinton Hall Road, Swinton, in the County of
Lancaster, Window Cleaner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for placing detonators on
the rails of railways, the object being to provide a simple and efficient apparatus
which operates automatically after once being set and until the relay of detonators
is finished and which can be put out of action from the signal box at the will
of the signalman with very little expenditure of effort on his part.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a storage and receiver drum or
the like for holding a series of detonators fixed to a chain passing round the drum ;
machanism for periodically rotating the drums a predetermined amount; an anvil
on which the detonators are exploded; mechanism for exploding the detonators:
means for holding the exploding mechanism in a fixed position after the first
wheel of an engine or train has passed the apparatus; means for placing the
apparatus in operative position again and means for rendering the apparatus non-
operative when required.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which,

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan of a fog signal apparatus constructed in accordance with my
invention,
Fig. 2 an end elevation of same,
Fig. 3 a side elevation, and
Figs. 4 to 7 views of details that will be more particularly referred to herein-
after.
In carrying out my invention I mount a pair of drums or the like a and a¹ in
suitable bearings preferably in the interior of a box 6 that can be placed between,
rest upon, and be secured to the sleepers of the railway or in any other position
found most suitable. The drums or pulleys are flanged and simply dropped in
their bearings loosely, being free to rotate easily when required. One of these
drums a carries a chain c on which the detonators are fixed whilst the other.
drum receives the chain after the detonators are exploded. The chain is pre-
ferably, but not necessarily made in two parts. That is to say, two chains similar
to cycle chains are used and these are connected together at intervals by metal
plates on each of which a detonator is fixed by simply clasping its flexible
strips round the plate. The plates are each sufficiently far apart to allow one
detonator to be moved clear of the exploding mechanism by the time the other
is in position. The ends of the chain are secured to their respective drums by
screws or other suitable means, but so that the chain can be easily removed when
all the detonators have been exploded and be refilled with the latter or a new filled
chain be substituted.
Between the two drums or pulleys and secured to the sides of the box b and
resting upon its top edges is an anvil e over which the chain c passes and on
which each detonator is exploded. Above this anvil and mounted on a rocking
shaft carried in bearings f¹ attached to or formed on the box is a rocking
lever g capable of being moved around its shaft f a short distance to effect the
crushing and explosion of the detonator, which it does by means of a boss g¹ at
its right hand end (see Fig. 2) coming into contact with the detonator. The
rocking lever carries on its upper side a depressing rod or bar h which is elasti-
cally mounted on the said lever. As will be seen that bar his arranged to be
parallel to the railway rail and is inclined at each end so that the wheels of the
train coming towards it from either direction engage with the rod without shock.
The bar is elastically mounted on the rocking lever and at the same time is
capable of being turned upwards in the direction of the arrow 1 (Fig. 3) when
the line is clear" and no detonator requires exploding. The arrangement of
the lever is as follows:-At each end it is provided with pivots that engage
with holes in lugs at the top of plungers i. The latter are a sliding fit in
cylinders (see particularly enlarged sectional view Fig. 4) fixed to the rocking
lever 9. The plungers are hollow and internally are cach provided with a
shoulder or short tube between which and the bottom of cylinder is placed a
spring. This spring is held in place laterally by being passed over a boss or
tube and the plunger i is kept from rising too far in the cylinder by a bolt
passed through this tube and screwed into the plunger. By means of this arrange-
ment when the wheel flange of a train enters on the rod h the downward pressure
is elastic but the resistance of the springs is still sufficient that in the tilting
of the rocking lever due to the passage of the wheel the parts are sufficiently
rigid to cause the proper explosion of the detonator.
The depressing rod as before referred to is capable of being turned up out of
the way of the wheel flange. To do this it is connected to the wire k or wires
of one or more signals the operation of which causes the action just referred to
to take place. The whole of the signal wires from different signals may be
spliced to the single wire which is connected to loop & on the rod h. The
rocking lever g has in addition, pivoted to its underside an arm or stand 7 (Figs. 1,
2, and 7) so arranged that when the depressing rod and rocking lever are
moved into a horizontal position by the wheel flange the arm assumes a vertical
position its lower end resting on an adjustable bracket ) and holds the rod and

page_text: :
lever in the position stated until the last wheel of the engine or train has passed
when a projecting bracket or arm on the last vehicle strikes the upper end of a
pivoted arm m (Figs. 5 and 6) carried in a suitable bracket n causing the lower
end of the arm to engage with a projecting portion of the stand just referred
to in such a way that the latter is pushed out of the vertical position and the
apparatus assumes its normal position ready for being operated again.
As the rocking lever is tilted forward as stated a projection o on the right hand
cylinder engages with and depresses one end of a lever p pivoted to the box b
and correspondingly lifts up the end carrying a weight. The left hand end
of the lever is connected by an adjustable chain q with the free end of a lever q¹
pivoted on the axle of drum or pulley a'. The last named lever carries a pawl q
which engages with a ratchet wheel p fixed to or forming part of the drum a¹. It
will thus be seen that as the weighted lever is depressed the pawl rides over
the teeth of the ratchet wheel and that so soon as the rocking lever g assumes
the inclined position shown in Fig. 2, by the removal of its support, the weight
or lever causes the depressed end of the latter to rise simultaneously. This
action causes the pawl to engage with the ratchet and therefore pull the drums a al
round a predetermined distance thus taking the exploded detonators from beneath
the rocking lever and bringing a fresh one under it. To prevent the rocking
lever falling too far down at the left hand side an adjustable rod ol is secured to
the bracket its upper end bearing against the under side of the lever. The
drum a holding the chain is also prevented overrunning itself by the application
to one of its bosses of a suitable braking medium. The one employed and
indicated in the drawings in Figs. 1 and 3 is a strap brake kept to its work by
means of a small spring r and adjusting nut r¹. The whole of the mechanism
contained in the box is kept free from dirt by means of a suitable cover which
at the same time admits of the free working of the upper part of the mechanism.
In order that the whole of the actions referred to should take place in proper
order it may be said that the rocking lever g is in the position indicated in Fig. 2
with the right hand end of the depressing rod or bar about level with the top of
the railway rail. When in this position a detonator is on the anvil beneath the
highest end of the rocking lever. As the train comes along the flange of the
first wheel enters on the depressing bar and causes the right hand end to he
depressed which action explodes the detonator. By this time the depressing rod
has by the action referred to assumed the horizontal position at some little dis-
tance below the surface of the rail in which it is held by the stand or arm 7.
Whilst in this position the flanges of the remaining wheels of the train pass over
the depressing bar without operating it. At the same time the underside of the
rocking lever g presses tightly on the exploded detonator and chain and prevents
them being moved out of position. Whilst this has been taking place the
weighted lever has allowed the pawl to ride over the teeth of the ratchet wheel
so as to be ready to engage with such teeth and turn the drums the distance
between two detonators immediately the whole train has passed the apparatus.
As before described a projection on the last vehicle of the train comes into contact
with the pivoted arm, operates it, and causes the apparatus to resume its normal
position. Should the line be clear and no detonator be required to explode the
signalman in pulling the ordinary signal to the “line clear" position at the same
time through the connection of the signal wire tilts the depressing rod upwards
out of the way of the wheel flange, the depressing rod falling to its normal
position immediately the signal lever is returned to the "danger" position. The
same action may also be made to remove the pivoted arm which operates the
stand out of the path of the bracket on the last vehicle of the train. When
the whole of the charge of detonators is exploded the chain may be entirely
removed and refilled or wound back from the receiving drum to the storage-drum
at the same time placing fresh detonators thereon. Or another charged chain
may be substituted.
It will be obvious to engineers that the details of the apparatus may be altered

page_text: without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, instead of attaching
the side chains to the boss of receiver drum such chains may be caused to pass
over sprocket or chain wheels t taking the place of say, the drum flanges, the
end of the chain being quite free. In this case the chain would simply fold on
itself at the bottom of the box b. The arrangement is indicated in Fig. 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An apparatus for fog-signalling on railways comprising a storage and
receiver drum or the like, for holding a chain to which is secured a series of
detonators; a chain carrying detonators; ratchet and lever mechanism for rotating
the drums or pulleys a predetermined amount as required; an anvil on which
said detonators are exploded; an elastically arranged and pivoted depressing bar
and tilting mechanism for exploding the detonators; a pivoted arm for holding
the mechanism in a fixed position after the first wheel of an engine or train has
passed the apparatus, and means for placing the apparatus in operative or non-
operative position again substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for fog-signalling on railways constructed, arranged and operating
substantially in the manner described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1900.
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
62, Market Street, Manchester, Agent, for Applicant.