Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 30th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
I ARTHUR EDWARD NICHOLL of Streatham Rectory Streatham in the County
of Surrey, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus
for electrical automatic block signalling whereby the driver of a locomotive may be
immediately informed when another train or locomotive is within a certain distance
either before or behind him, and it will also enable the drivers of different locomotives
to communicate with each other or with stations, pointsman's box or other buildings
when they are in electrical connection. On the permanent way of a railway, or other
means of locomotion, insulated wires are laid down in connection with which are
projecting bars, springs or other contrivance, placed at suitable distances from one
another and arranged so as to be normally out of contact with the wire laid down, but
they can be brought into contact by a locomotive passing over them. This arrangement
when required is protected in a suitable manner from the effects of exposure to the
weather. Every locomotive is provided with a metal plate or other means of making
contact with the said bars, springs, or other contrivance, which is in connection with
a galvanic battery, or batteries, or other generators of electricity and also with
electro-magnets or magnetic needles on the locomotives, to which are attached signals
or any suitable means of indicating to the driver that the circuit is completed. The
insulated wires are laid down in predetermined lengths and are so arranged that when
a locomotive runs along the metals it will be connected with the laid wire. Should
two locomotives come within the certain predetermined distance of one another their
proximity will be notified to the driver by the aforesaid magnetic signals being actuated
on the locomotives. It is obvious by this arrangement of wires in connection with
the locomotives, that they can signal to any station pointsman's box or other buildings
which are in electrical contact. Moreover in the case of a block the drivers may
telegraph to each other or to the pointsman by any convenient prearranged system.
Dated this 30th day of August 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
1, ARTHUR EDWARD NICHOLL of Streatham Rectory, Streatham in the County
of Surrey, Associate Member of the Institute. of Civil Engineers, 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 has for its object improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for
Railways which can be worked in fog or bad weather in connection with the present
Semaphore systein and be extended to supersede it, and will also make the present lines
available for increased traffic by increasing the number of Sections. By means of this
-invention the driver or guard of a locomotive will be immediately informed when
another train or locomotive is within a certain distance before him and will also
enable the drivers of locomotives to communicate with Stations Pointsman's Box or
other Buildings and with platelayers repairing the line when they are in electrical
connection. The invention can also be used to indicate to the driver or guard that
any points he may be approaching are set against him, or are not pulled over
sufficiently to prevent the locomotive from striking them, and also that any moveable
bridge is out of position, or that any gates are shut against him or that any contacts
or wires used are out of order.
On the permanent way of a Railway or other means of locomotion insulated wires
are laid down in connection with which are projecting bars, springs, or other con-
trivances placed at suitable distances from one another and may be arranged so as to
be normally out of contact with the wire laid down, and be brought into contact by
a locomotive passing over them. This arrangement when required is protected in
any suitable manner from the effects of exposure to the weather.
Every locomotive is provided with a metal plate spring or other means of making
contact with the said bars, springs, or other contrivances and the said plates or springs
may be in connection with a galvanic battery or batteries or other generators of
electricity and are in connection with electro-magnets or magnetic needles on the
locomotives to which are attached Signals, or any suitable means of indicating to
the driver either by sounding a bell, or by a Visible Signal that the circuit is
completed..
The insulated wires are laid down in predetermined lengths and are so arranged
that when a locomotive runs along the metals it will be connected with the laid wire.
Should a locomotive approach within the certain predetermined distance of another,
their proximity will be notified to the driver by the aforesaid magnetic Signals being
actuated on the locomotive. By this arrangement of wires in connection with the
locomotives it is obvious that signals or messages from the locomotive can be sent to

page_text: received from any Station, Pointsman's Box or other Buildings which are in
electrical contact by any convenient prearranged system, or plate layers can be
informed of the approach of a train, and can stop the same if necessary.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the permanent way of a railway fitted with my improved
and received from any Station, Pointsman's Box or other Buildings which are in
electrical contact by any convenient prearranged system, or platelayers can be
informed of the approach of a train, and can stop the same if necessary.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the permanent way of a railway fitted with my improved
apparatus.
Figure 2 is a continuation of the right hand side of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a reduced plan of Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively elevations and plan of a modification of my
improved apparatus ; and
Figure 6 is an elevation of a second modification.
Each locomotive may carry a galvanic battery one end of which is in connection
with two metal plates, springs or other contrivances used as contact makers whilst the
other end is in connection with any metallic earth connected part of the locomotive.
The battery may be either on the ground or on the locomotive. The two metal plates
or springs are so arranged upon the under side of the locomotive that the one making
contact with the projecting pieces A shall sound a bell or similar contrivance upon
the locomotive whilst the other shall make silent contact with the projecting
pieces B.
Between the track of the permanent way of a railway insulated conducting wires
are laid down in sections and provided with any desired number of projecting rods,
springs or other suitable contrivances A A (say at the commencement of the
section one,
at the centre one, and at the end 2 or 3 for the locomotive to stop at)
for the purpose of making contact in any convenient manner with the metal plate or
other contrivance attached to a locomotive passing over the same.
Between each two sections an independent projecting rod Spring, or other contact
making contrivance B, B1 B2 &c. is placed on the opposite side of the track to the
contact makers A as shewn in Figure 3.
Each section of the line is provided with two electro magnets CD, C1 D1C2 D2
C3 D3 &c. with an armature EE1 E2 E3 &c. pivotted midway between them so
that a current through either of the electro magnets C or D will equally influence the
arinature.
The contact maker B is connected by the wire to the electro magnet D which is
connected by the wire d to the electro magnet C of the next section the said electro
magnet being connected to earth by the wire c. The armature E is counterpoised
at e so that its centre of gravity may very nearly coincide with the point upon which
it is pivotted the object of this being to reduce the weight to be overcome by the
attraction of the magnet, and to minimise the swing or oscillation of the armature
when contact is suddenly broken.
The said armature E hangs vertically over a rocking piece F pivotted at G. so that
the rocking piece F is in contact with one of the stops H and J according as the
armature is actuated by the electro magnet D or C. The stop J is an insulator the
stop being connected to earth.
The pivot G is connected by an independent wire to the contact pieces A A1 A2 A3
laid between the track.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
A Locomotive moving from right to left makes contact with one of the independent
projecting pieces BB1 B2 &c. say B1 at position M a current will flow to earth
through the electro magnets D1 and C2. The armature E1 will be actuated and
knock over the rocking piece FI until one of its extremities is in contact with the
earth connected stop H 1.
The armature E2 is actuated by the electro magnet 02 and knocks over the
ocking piece F 2 bringing it in contact with the insulated stop J 2; so blocking the
ection it has just left and clearing the one next behind. As long as the locomotive

page_text: was on the section between B1 and B2 it would prevent a second locomotive from
leaving the section between B 2 and B 3, by a current flowing as the plate or spring
on the locomotive makes contact with any one of the projecting pieces A 2 through
the wire a² the pivot G 2 rocking piece F 2 stop H 2 and wire 2 to earth.
If however the locomotive passes on to the point B 1 then the position of the ♬
armatures and rocking pieces will be as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 and the section
B2 to B3 will be clear.
Now the plate making contact with the projecting pieces A will sound a bell or
similar device on the locomotive each time contact is made and will therefore indicate
to the driver that the line is blocked by a locomotive on the next section ahead
The distance between the projecting pieces B B1 B2 &c. may be varied to suit the
requirements of the traffic, and any convenient number of projecting pieces A may be
placed between the said pieces B B1 B2 &c.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a modification of my invention in which a constant Battery K
is connected to the stop J so that when the rocking piece F is in contact with J a
current flows from K through stop rocking piece l', pivot G wire a and projecting
contact pieces A the said Battery K being oppositely coupled up to the Battery on the
Locomotive as shewn in Figure 4 and developing a current of greater strength so
that when the circuit is completed by the contact of the locomotive with one of the
contact pieces A a current will be sent through the locomotive Battery in the opposite
direction.
By this arrangement the pieces A and B may be in one line as shewn in Figure 5
and therefore the locomotive need only be provided with one contact making plate.
On the locomotive the currents in one direction can be used for "
currents in the opposite direction for "stop" and a continuous "
signal can be placed on the locomotive if desired.
:.
go on
" and the
on or stop
"
go
:>
Figure 6 shews a second modification of my invention by means of which it can be
arranged that when a train is leaving a section it does not "clear" the section next
behind until it has actually blocked" the section it is leaving. This can be effected
by putting another contact maker say at P (see Figure 6) running a wire direct to
the electro magnet (2 then to the nearest contact piece A 1 on the section 131 to B2,
and by earth connecting the wired as indicated at R. Then as the locomotive passes
over B1 if it fails to force over the rocking piece F1, no current will flow when the
locomotive makes contact at P and will therefore not force over the rocking piece F 2.
Hence section B2 to B3 will remain "blocked."
By connecting the wires c and h or either of them to any Station Pointsman's Box
or other Building the driver of the locomotive may send signals or messages to and
receive signals or messages from the said station pointsman's box or other buildings,
also when any locomotive makes contact with the pieces BB1 B2 B3 &c. the current
will pass by the wire c to the Station Pointsman's Box or other Building and thus
indicate the exact position of the said locomotive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I would observe that I am aware of
Patent No. 2711 of 1881 and make no claim to any part or parts of the invention
described therein, nor do I claim any special manner of making contact between
a passing train and the contact pieces laid between the permanent way of a railway
but I declare that what I do claim is :-
(1) The arrangement of the contact pieces A and B electro magnets C & D
armature E rocking piece F stops and connecting wires all combined and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1,
& 3 and for the purpose specified.
(2) The arrangement of the contact pieces A and B electro magnets C & I
armature E rocking piece F stops connecting wires and constant Battery Kal
combined and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated wit
reference Figures 4 and 5 and for the purpose specified.

page_text: (3) The arrangement of the contact pieces A, B, and P electro magnets C and D,
armature E rocking piece F, stops and connecting wires all combined and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figure 6, and
for the purpose specified.
(4) The combination of the rocking piece F with the armature E and stops H and J
arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and illustrated.
(5) The pivotted armature E counterpoised at e substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and illustrated.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention Office,"
54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.