Improved Method of Giving an Alarm by Passengers on Railway Trains.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Method of Giving an Alarm by Passengers on
Railway Trains.
I, GEORGE RENNIE POWELL, Rosebank, Ashley Down, Bristol, Author and Journalist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The revolution of an appliance within a railway carriage, that is to say, of a bar, or
rod, rings a bell which is fixed between that and the adjoining compartment; whilst
the release by the same action, of a metal flag, or disc upon the exterior of the
carriage explodes a detonating cartridge.
Improved Method of Giving an Alarm by Passengers on
Railway Trains.
I, GEORGE RENNIE POWELL, Author and Journalist, residing at Rosebank, Ashley
Down, Bristol, 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
:-
The revolution of an appliance within a railway carriage, that is to say, of a bar or
rod, rings a bell which is fixed between that and the adjoining compartment; whilst
the release by the same action of a metal flag, or disc, upon the exterior of the
carriage, explodes a detonating cartridge.
That the construction of my appliance may be the more readily understood, I will
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows
the general combination of the parts connected with the bar, or rod A, and also the
bell F, with appliance for mechanically ringing the same. Fig. 2 is the signal, the
signal retainer and cartridge case, with cartridge in position for giving an alarm...
Fig. 3 is the cartridge case and cartridge. Figs. 4, 5, and 6, are shown on their
reverse side in order to expose details. Fig. 4 is the cam wheel, with projecting rim
to make the contact for electric working of the appliance. Fig. 5 is the signal
retainer where electricity is employed. Fig. 6 is the signal retainer, and arm to pull
the cord, in its normal position. Fig. 7 is the signal retainer and arm when the
alarm is given. Within the woodwork, or attached to the surface, of a partition
dividing two compartments, or otherwise forming either end of a compartment in a
railway carriage, at a point above that usually occupied by the parcel rack I
fix a bar, or rod, of iron or other suitable material A, in such a manner as to allow of
its turning when so required for the purpose of giving an alarm. When the method

page_text: adopted for giving the alarm is that known as the cord system, this rod extends the
full width of the carriage, and the exterior appliance in connection therewith is fitted
to each end, so that the cord may be brought into operation on either side of the
carriage, but when electricity is employed, this bar or rod may extend only to a point
sufficiently near to the opposite side of the compartment to that upon which the
signal or locality indicator Q is fixed, to permit of a "pull" B being within reach of
passengers occupying that end of the compartment, a similar pull C stationed
immediately beside it, being passed through the woodwork of the partition for the
use of the occupants in the adjoining compartment. At such position, or positions,
upon the bar or rod A as is thought desirable to provide these pulls, (I suggest three
for each compartment) the bar or rod is of increased diameter, in order to multiply
the power of the pull in turning it, and upon these larger portions are attached, and
wrapped, the pulls, made of webbing or some other strong flexible material, whilst at
a point dependant from the bar or rod not calculated to affect the turning of the
appliance, a steel ribbon D is employed, it being safely rivetted to the webbing or
other flexible material, and to the end of the steel ribbon is attached the handle E.
At or near to the centre of the compartment partition and above the bar or rod A, I
provide a bell F, the woodwork of the partition being cut away in such a manner as
to allow of the bell, when sounded, being heard both in the compartment from which
the alarm is given, and in that adjoining upon the side whereat the appliance is
fixed, and which is also provided with the pull, or pulls, C before referred to. When
the method-of-communication-with-the-guard-or-driver-is-that-known as "the cord
system," that is to say by means of a cord conveyed to those points, or to one of
them, outside of the carriages, I employ a ratchet bell, the appliance for the ringing
of which consists of a ratchet wheel attached to the bar A as shown in Fig. 1
and the usual appliance of a ratchet-rung bell with fly clapper as shown in Fig. 1.
But where electricity is employed the ratchet wheels and fly clapper hereinbefore
specified, and shown upon the drawings, are not provided, but instead I employ a
continuous ringing gong, or bell, with the customary electrical appliances employed
for ringing bells of this description. I encase the bell-aperture in both compartments
with open wire work, so as to protect, but not to interfere with the loud sounding of
the bell when an alarm is given.
The bar or rod is continued along the partition and through the carriage side, and
upon the exterior is furnished with a cam-wheel G and beyond that again with the
signal retainer H, to which it acts as a pivot. Both the cam-wheel and signal
retainer together with their uses are presently described.
Slightly in front of the cam when in its normal position, and so situated that the
cam in turning raises its lower surface, or elbow, I provide a pivotted spring catch I,
with a projecting head K, which is pressed forward by a spring J, and which until
withdrawn by the action of a pull upon the handle E from the interior of the carriage,
prevents the apparatus from working, whilst below this catch, and underneath the
surface of the cam, I provide a spring button L, or other appliance which upon being
pressed by the cam-rim as hereinafter described, or some action of similar effect, the
result of the turning of the cam G, establishes an electrical contact.
The cam-wheel G (Fig. 4) whose greater diameter is vertical, has just within the
periphery a curved slot, or groove M, and upon the inside edge of that portion of the
cam which travels over the electrical contact maker, is a smooth ridge N of increasing
prominence, to provide the pressure necessary for establishing the contact.
Outside of the cam wheel is the signal retainer H (Fig. 5 or 6) a plate of sufficient
circumference to permit the cam to turn within the rim O with which it is provided, and
which acts as a weather guard to the cam. Fixed to this plate is a projecting arm P
which stands out horizontally towards the rear of the carriage, and which retains the
signal Q until an alarm is given; upon the inner surface of the plate is a stud R which
travels in the cam slot, or groove M. When the cord system of communication is
employed a long arm S is also fitted to the plate at an angle of about 97 degrees from
the arm P, and extending upwards, Fig. 6. A pivotted ring T is provided at the
point of this, and through this ring the cord is to be passed. A small length of the

page_text: plate rim O is cut away, as at U, to allow of the spring catch head K protruding
between the two ends, and so prevent the turning of the signal retainer H and
working of the apparatus until an alarm is to be given, when the catch is withdrawn
in the manner hereinafter described.
At such a distance from the cam to the rearward of the carriage as will permit the
end of it being held laterally with the woodwork of the carriage side by the arm P
when in its horizontal position, I fix a metal flag shape signal Q, designed to indicate
to the guard the locality at which the alarm is given. Beneath the top hinge-
ring, this indicator is furnished with a powerful spring
and which throws the flag
signal when released at right angles from the carriage side, and downwards. The
socket W of the signal staff has in front a cut, down which the lower portion of the
flag-signal Q is thrust when thrown outward by the pressure of the spring V, thus
holding the flag signal in position against the air current.
Beneath the socket W I provide a case Y into which a detonating cartridge Z may
be placed. It will be understood that this cartridge signal is specially designed for
use in connection with my other signalling apparatus under special conditions such
as conditions of weather, or temperature, which impair the efficiency of the signalling
cord, and render it desirable to have supplementary means of signalling at command.
The cartridge case Y (Fig. 3) has from front to rear, upon its side, a slit which at
the rear extremity or thereabouts, extends at an angle or on a curve to a shorter slit,
extending from the rear slightly towards the front upon the top of the case, and
terminating exactly at the point whereon the signal staff must strike upon being
thrust downward. At the rear of the case I provide a coil or spiral spring, and in
front of that, and attached thereto, a plate or false back Y Y to the case Y. The
cartridge Z is constructed upon the principle known as a "pin-fire cartridge," that is
to say with a pin protruding, which pin Z Z upon being smartly struck downward,
explodes a percussion cap within the cartridge which in turn explodes the cartridge.
To insert the cartridge Z, this pin is placed opposite the slit Y, and the cartridge Z
being pressed back into the case Y, the pin travels backward protruding from the slit.
When the butt end of the cartridge comes in contact with the plate or false back Y Y,
it is still pressed back against the resistance of the spring, and upon reaching the
angle, or curve, the cartridge is so turned as to permit the pin to travel there through
until it reaches the short slit. It is then released from the fingers, and being
pressed forward by the spring and false back Y Y, the pin Z Z is brought beneath
the signal staff at the exact point whereon the signal staff will strike in its downward
course.
Upon the engine and in the guard's van, I, in convenient positions, fix gong bells,
and with the striking mechanism of these I connect the electric wires, or the
communicating cord which are also in connection with the appliance fitted upon the
passenger carriage, and already described above.
The apparatus operates in the following manner-Upon either of the
handles E within the carriage being pulled, the rod A is turned forward, the cam G
turning with it. The upper portion of the cam lifts the elbow of the catch I, and
the catch being lifted at the base, the catch head K is raised, and also withdrawn
into the woodwork of the carriage until it is no longer an obstacle to the turning of
the rim 0. The projection N upon the cam-rim presses the button L, or the other
appliance provided for the purpose of establishing the electrical contact. When the
catch head is sufficiently raised and withdrawn to allow of the signal retainer rim O
passing, the slot or groove M upon the cam has travelled its full length upon the
stud R, the signal retainer is therefore by the continued rotary movement of the bar,
or rod, pulled forward with the cam; the retaining arm P being thus raised above the
horizontal, the flag shaped signal Q escapes, and by the pressure of the spring V is
thrown outwards, and downwards, and the staff being thrust into the socket W strikes
the pin Z Z, and explodes the detonating cartridge Z, after the usual manner of
exploding pin fire rifle, or gun cartridges.
The electrical contact having been established by N and L, rings the bell F, and
also that provided upon the engine, and in the guards van. The long arm S also,

page_text: when provided for use in connection with the cord system, is thrown forward and
downwards, dragging with it the cord, the tension upon which causes the ringing of
the bell upon the engine, and in the guard's van with which it is connected.
When
I use mechanically rung bells the turning of the bar or rod A rings the rachet bell F.
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. The general combination of the parts as herein described, and shown in the
accompanying drawings..
.
2. The combination with a railway signal, such as herein before described, of the
bell F for alarming occupants of an adjacent compartment, as herein described and
shown by the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a railway signal, such as hereinbefore described, of the
appliances herein described, and shown, for exploding a cartridge in connexion with
the signalling of an alarm.
1000