Fog and Audible Railway Signals.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Fog and Audible Railway Signals.
THOMAS ROBERT SHELLEY Wellington Road Smethwick Staffordshire Civil
Engineer, ROBERT HENRY FITZSIMONS Owen Street Tipton, Staffordshire Wine
& Spirit Merchant, ANNIE ELIZA SHELLEY, Wellington Road Smethwick
Staffordshire wife of T. R. Shelley do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
On the side of the rail traversed by the flange of the wheel of the vehicle passing
along and at or nearly the same level as the top of the rail, is placed a longitudinal
bar of flat or other shape similar somewhat to the facing point lock already in
general use, and of such length as to be always depressed while a train of vehicles is
passing, and is secured on underside to rod or rods which are continued to the wheel
hereafter described for the purpose of exploding the detonator and placing another
in position, the horizontal bar may be made in one or more parts with ends cut
diagonally so that one part presses on the other and prevents its rising till the last
vehicle is clear. In place of this horizontal bar if preferred one, two or more
vertical hammer or other shaped rods can be used placed at certain distances and
acting on each other by chain spring or rods with or without ratchett motion.
The wheel referred to is made either of solid metal or with spokes, and is
preferably placed in a horizontal position between the two lines forming the track,-
it works on a pinion passing thro' the centre and on the upper surface as near the
edge as possible round the wheel it has a series of boxes cast or secured on, each
one about 2 inches square or if round diameter, these holes or boxes have no lids
but are sufficiently deep to allow a detonator to lie down flat ways the sides
projecting slightly higher than the thickness of the detonator, over the wheel is
placed a solid plate the centre passing through the pinion and the edge which
projects past the face of the wheel is supported at intervals on standards to prevent
it pressing on the wheel such standards having projecting from them a roller wheel
of small diameter under the wheel proper, on which the wheel revolves as it is
moved without friction.
The top plate is secured down by a nut at the top of the pinion which is removed
when the wheel requires recharging and is itself perfectly solid excepting in one
place which has a piece cut out of its outer rim about 2 ins. square thus allowing
one detonator always to be visible.. Over this hole is placed a hammer of peculiar
shape which when the bar is pressed down strikes the detonator causing it to explode
and when the bar is allowed to rise it operates on a rod by means of weights or
cogs or springs or ratchett, which revolves the wheel a distance equal to one of the
squares thus bringing another signal into position ready for explosion by the hammer
which has also resumed its normal position.
The bar &c. before described when not required for use will be permanently out
of reach of the flange of the wheels, and when a fog occurs by means of the lever
from this signal cabin either an independent one or the one that works the
semaphore signal, the bar is raised into position, and a gong can also be attached to
the signal post so that when the signal is lowered in case the train is brought to a
stand it can proceed.
The detonator can be struck either from top, or below or the detonators them-
selves can be put edge ways and struck in a vertical position.
Dated this
1
1001
T. R. SHELLEY.
R. H. FITZSIMONS.
A. E. SHELLEY.
T. R. SHELLEY.
[I'rice 8d.]
R. H. FITZSIMONS.
A. E. SHELLEY.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Fog and Audible Railway Signals.
We THOMAS Robert ShellEY Wellington Road Smethwick Staffordshire
Civil Engineer, ROBERT HENRY, FITZSIMONS Owen Street Tipton Staffordshire
Wine & Spirit Merchant, ANNIE ELIZA SHELLEY Wellington Road Smethwick
Staffordshire wife of T. R. Shelley, 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 invention as stated in our Provisional Protection relates to an improved
manner of placing in position and exploding detonators on railways together with a
means of communication if required between the apparatus and the man controlling
same after each single or double explosion; the aims of the invention are to
practically do away with the serious loss of life attendant on the present way of
fixing the signals to the rails and also to materially reduce the cost of this kind of
signalling.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure one is a detail plan shewing mechanism when placed in position between
the rails,
Figure two shews a transverse section of the mechanism, and
Figure three shews an alternative manner of operating on the striking hammers
and means of revolving the main plate, and
Figure four shews a section of the wheel with alternative means of revolving
same.
Figure five shews an elevation of the striking hammer.
Figure six, shews details of bars at y¹.
Figure seven, shews a modified form of wheel or plate with manner of working
same.
Figure eight shews another form of hammer for exploding the detonators.
Figure nine, shews section of rail, parallel bar and mechanism attached thereto.
Figure ten, shews elevation of sliding bar with stays attached also balance
weights.
Figure eleven, shews elevation of transverse bar acting between the parallel bar
and the bar operating on the wheel or disc.
Referring to Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 & 11. a. a¹ represent the rail on
which the train travels. b. 11111 are chairs supporting the rails and keeping
them in position. c. care sleepers of wood or iron to which the chairs are secured.
d. d' are parallel plates which operate on the striking hammers. e. e¹ are parallel
plates which either in duplicate or singly operate on the wheel or disc causing it to
remove as required and in the case of Fig. 7. Sheet four it likewise operates on the
striking hammer. ff are spaces cast in the wheel to decrease weight of metal.
9. g¹ are the outer and inner spaces to receive the detonators and in case of Sheet 4
Fig. 7 & 11 these spaces are hollowed out of the metal instead of being raised as in
Fig. 1. and provided with cavity round the detonators so that when they are
exploded the discharged cartridges can be removed with ease. h. h represents the
top cover of the wheel containing the detonators. j is the overlapping flange of
centre of top plates. kis the line of division. 1. are springs or pauls acting
as power to revolve and hold the wheel. m. is the metal Fig. 1. to separate the
detonators either made of a tapering shape or otherwise. n are small holes to allow
for the escape of any moisture. o is the edge of sleeper. p is a cog or ratchet
wheel secured to underside of main wheel or top side as preferred Fig. 1. p Fig. 7.
is a lever bar working round the shaft and connected to bar al by slot hole and
pin as shewn in place of p. Fig. 1 either fixed above or below the disc. is position
of main shaft round which the wheel revolves. 7. are hinges to attach
tan
sawan which is nonfounted fan ho
1111ave wooden

page_text: keys to keep rails in position. tttt till are balance weights to operate on the
levers when required. u. u¹ u¹¹
are standards, frames or pins to act as
fulcrums for the levers. vis the point of balance of the striking hammer.
w. ww are the main beams of striking hammers. x. Fig. 1 to 6 are the levers
acting on striking hammers. " is the rod or lever operating either on cog wheel p.
or lever bar p'. Fig. 7 to 11 are pins or studs operating on striking hammer.
is a lever acting on hammer by studs. y is the detonator placed in position.
y' is the quadrant or other form of mechanism situated between the fulcrum and the
end of Fig. 7 to 11. is the curved or other shaped bar attached to e. and
end of x is one of a series of short bent levers pivotted on yil attached to E.
at one end and elongated at the other terminating in balance weight (". "I are
stops of metal to prevent the bar e rising too high or being too much depressed, also
supports for . z. is the nose of hammers which strike the detonators either made
with plain flat surface or hinged or in the shape of wheel or otherwise. 211 21
11 are supports or stays to keep the rods in position. 21 are rollers or
balls which revolve to facilitate the motion of the main plate. a cogs or catches
cast out of metal of plate which engages with ". a catch attached to all which
works in notches round plate al
1111
The parallel bar d. de. e' are kept in position by grips or supports of any kind
as required. Fig. 3 and also 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 shew alternative ways of operating on
the disc, and striking hammers in Figures 3 and 4. a. a. are hammers or other
shaped pieces of metal with notched teeth on as shewn. b. b. are pauls or catches
secured to g 9.
c. c. are cog wheels. d. d. are springs. e. e. is a worm screw.
ff. is a rod running parallel to the rails. g. g. is a cog wheel larger than c. c. h. h. is a
wheel with cogged teeth. j. j. is a smaller wheel instead of wheel p. Figure 1.
k. k. is the pivot or axis for h. h. to work round. Two or more rods f. f. can be
used if desired with cogs connecting to facilitate the working.
The manner of working the mechanical contrivance is as follows, as shewn in
Figures 1. 2. 5. & 6. When a train passes on to d. it causes it to be depressed by
the flange of the wheel which raises lever a and thus allows the nose z of the
hammer to fall on the detonator y. with sufficient force to explode same. Levers ...
instead of being loose if desired can be attached to w. w. The bar d is prevented
from rising as the bar e is immediately forced down and bevelled or splayed off as
shewn. The bar e is only a connecting link unless otherwise required between the
bard & and is made sufficiently long so is e¹ to always have a wheel pressing on
it during the passage of a train bar d' is then operated on as was d. with like results.
e when depressed operates on lever all which rises and being connected to all by
means of y forces the rod ell outwards a distance equivalent to one notch on
wheel P. the said wheel p. being prevented from revolving by catch or spring .
On the train having passed over the bare the bar rises to its normal position by
the pressure of weight " which operates on rod all thus dragging it forward, this
action by catch being engaged in teeth of wheel p. drags the wheel containing the
detonators a space round its axis q sufficient to place two more or more as required
unexploded detonators under the hammers z to be again operated on by another
train and this motion is continued automatically as long as required-the exploded
detonators being removed by hand and the wheel freshly charged when necessary.
The action of e rising to its original position liberates bars marked d¹ e. and d.
which also rise by the pressure brought to bear by the balance weights.
In Figures 3 and 4. the mode of operating on the wheel is as follows-The train
passes on to the first of the hammer shaped bars a. a. which depresses the spring d. d
and revolves the cog g. 9 which is allowed to move freely round rod ff. When
the depression is effected, the striking lever is operated on in the manner before
described and explodes a detonator. The hammer shaped bar a. a. is prevented
from rising for the time being by the paul or catch b. b. which is secured to cog 9.9.
engaging itself in the teeth of cog c. c. which is secured to the rod f.f. and not loose
like 9. g. the train then passes on to the second hammer shaped bar a. a. and a
similar operation takes place with like result. Of course one, two or more of these

page_text: can be provided on each machine to meet requirements of the respective positions
where they may be fixed.
The train then passes on to the parallel bar el before described which is depressed
and operates on the cog wheel g. 9. and on the ratchett er paul b. b. The spring d d
can be used on the balance weights t. t. as found most desirable. When the train
has passed over the bar e' the bar rises to its normal position and in so doing the
pauls b. b. become engaged in the face of the fixed cogs c. c. and then forces the
cogs c. c. a portion of its circumference and again brings the heads of the bars a. a.
into position also in the act of the rod f. f. being revolved by the operation of the
springs d. d or balance weights the worm screw e. e. operates on the teeth of the
wheel h. h. which revolves round shaft k. k. and this motion is immediately trans-
mitted to the wheel marked jj which causes the plate or wheel that contains the
detonators to revolve, just enough to bring two more unexploded detonators in
position to be acted upon by their respective hammers w. w¹.
In Figures 7. 8. 9. 10 & 11. the mode of operating on the wheel and hammers is
as follows. The train passes on to the bar e. before. described which is kept in
position by which is depressed, such depression on account of y'il assumes a
sliding motion which draws y", which in its turn draws the portion of up to u
the remaining portion of r is pushed and this being connected with the bar a" that
passes over the plate (or if preferred under it) by means of the slotted hole and pin
this bar is likewise pushed forward and immediately this takes place the pin
projecting from face of all presses against 1111 and causes it to release the pin in w
thus allowing the hammer to drop & explode a fog signal. It also with the same
motion, draws the paul or catch over one or more notches a". When the train
has passed over the bar e. a reverse motion takes place caused by the balance
weight raising the bar e. and a" is drawn forwards, in doing which the catch /11
engages with the catch a¹ and drags it forward thus brings the plate round
sufficiently to place fresh detonators under the hammers. It likewise draws
catch a which is secured to either side of bar into one of the notches a
preventing the plate from revolving further than required, the same motion likewise
causes the pin on to engage itself against w raising the hammer and this
allows to come back to its normal position by the balance weight thus engaging
itself with the pin in and thus keeping the hammer suspended till again
required.
thus
When there is no fog and the apparatus is not required to be worked the bars
which are operated on by contact with the carriage wheels are drawn down so as to
be out of reach of the flanges of the wheels by a wire or chain or rods worked by
the man having control over the mechanism and which is attached either directly to
the bars or by means of levers attached to one or more of the bars and this wire
or chain or rod can also be used to work the semaphore signal if desired thus
ensuring the fog signal only being exploded if desired, when the semaphore is at
danger even during a fog. A wire or chain or rod can also be attached to the
mechanism which when an explosion takes place will sound a gong in the signalman's
box, thus telling him of the satisfactory working of the machine, and also of a train
being near his location.
The mechanism can be placed if preferred in any other position than between the
line of rails and the machine can be operated on if preferred instead of working
automatically by means of a rod, or chain, or wire working direct from the signal
DOX.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In apparatus for exploding detonators or fog signals, employed on railways the
use of a wheel or plate arranged to contain any suitable number of detonators y
substantially as described.
2. In combination with the plate, the use of parallel bars d. e. d' and e¹ operating

page_text: on levers x. x¹ and " during the motion of a train on the said apparatus and
actuating the wheel or plate by means of a paul 1. and ratchett wheel p. and
exploding the detonators y. by hammer w. substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
3. In combination with the wheel or plate, the use of hammer shaped rods a. a.
parallel bars e cog wheels c. c. g. g. longitudinal rods f. f. worms e. e. and weights
or springs d. d. substantially as described and shewn at Figures 3 and 4 and used
for the purpose set forth.
4. In fog signalling apparatus the use of a wheel or plate or its equivalent
operated by means of a parallel bar e. and levers y" y bar a¹¹ and rod p' with
paul substantially as described in Figures 7. 9. 10 and 11.
5. In combination with a wheel or its equivalent containing detonators the use of
a parallel bar d' e. or e¹ operating on striking hammer w. w woll by means of rods
and levers, all arranged substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
6. In apparatus for automatically exploding detonators on railways the use of a
parallel bar such as d. e. d¹ and e' substantially as described.
T. R. SHELLEY.
R. H. FITZSIMONS.
A. E. SHELLEY.