Improvements in Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Signalling Apparatus.
I, JOHN MCKELLAR MAIN, of Whitehaven, in the County of Cumberland, Mining
and Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this. Invention to be as
follows-
This Invention, which relates to signalling apparatus of the kind used in mines for
conveying from the pit bottom instructions to the engineman or other attendant at
the surface, as well as for other signalling purposes, has for its object to provide a
simple and reliable device which shall not be liable to become deranged or to repent
the signals transmitted..
The improved signalling apparatus comprises the usual bell or gong against which
a lever hainmer is fitted to strike. The hammer is centred on a plate or fmme on
which is also secured, but at a lower point, a quadrant or disc to one side of which the
wire or chain leading to the pit bottom is attached, a weight being suspended on the
opposite side of the quadrant to maintain the wire in tension. Upon the disc is
pivoted a tumbler which is adapted to engage and depress a tail piece on the hammer
when the wire is pulled the tumbler drawing down the tail to raise the hammer, and
clearing the tail, which travels through an arc of smaller radius, to allow the hammer
to drop and strike the gong. An arm or horn on the hammer comes into contact
with a spring buffer when the bainmer falls and prevents its recoil effecting a second
stroke. The stud on which the hammer is pivoted passes through a curved slot in
the disc or quadrant to which the pull wire is attached.
Dated thin 91st dam
Improvements in Signalling Apparatus.
I, JOHN MCKELLAR MAIN, of Whitehaven, in the County of Cumberland, Mining
and Civil Engineer, 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, which relates to signalling apparatus of the kind used in mines for
conveying from the pit bottom instructions to the engineman or other attendant at
the surface, as well as for other signalling purposes, has for its object to provide a
simple and reliable device which shall not be liable to become deranged or to repeat
the signals transmitted.
The Invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, figure 1 being a
front elevation and figure 2 a side elevation of the improved signalling

page_text: The improved signalling apparatus comprises the usual bell or gong A against
which a lever hammer B is fitted to strike. The hammer B is centred on a plate or
frame C on which is also secured, but at a lower point a bell crank or beam lever or a
disc or quadrant D to either side of which, or to the top as shewn, the wire E or chain
leading to the pit bottom is attached, a weight F being suspended on the opposite
side of the quadrant lever or disc to maintain the wire E in tension. Upon the
quadrant D is pivoted a tumbler G which is adapted to engage and depress a tail
piece Bon the hammer B when the wire E is pulled, the tumbler & drawing down
the tail B to raise the hammer, as shewn in dotted lines at figure 1, and clearing the
tail B which travels through an arc of smaller radius, to allow the hammer B to
drop and strike the gong A. An arm or horn B on the hammer comes into contact
with a buffer H when the hammer B falls and prevents its recoil effecting a second
stroke. The stud I on which the hammer B is pivoted passes through a curved slot
Din the disc or quadrant D to which the pull wire E is attached.
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 :-
The improved signalling apparatus constructed combined and arranged sub-
stantially as described.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather, Chartered Patent Agents,
62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.