IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR AND IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING OR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS BETWEEN THE PARTS OF A RAILWAY TRAIN, AND FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS IN CONNECTION WITH TRAIN WORKING
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Stinson Farmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th March 1868.
I, JOHN STINSON FARMER, of the Firm of Saxby & Farmer, of
Canterbury Road, Kilburn, Railway Signal Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS
FOR AND IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING OR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS BETWEEN
THE PARTS OF A RAILWAY TRAIN, AND FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS IN
CONNECTION WITH TRAIN WORKING," to be as follows:-
I place a horizontally vibrating V frame or lever of suitable shape,
having one end mounted on a stud fixed upon a sleeper or block, and
placed sufficiently near to the inner edge of one of the rails that
when the arm is so inclined that its outer end or the point thereof is
in contact with or near to the rail, there is sufficient space between
the outer end and the rail to allow of the pendant end of a rod or
bar from the under side of a carriage, break van, or engine to enter
between them, and by coming in contact with the inclined face of the
vibrating frame or lever to change its position and cause it to move
through a limited arc, whereby the other inclined face or outer arm
of the vibrating frame or lever is made to present a still greater angle
with one or both of the rails, and in doing so it will be set in a
position to come in contact with any projection from the under side of

page_text: the guard's van or other carriage where it has been suitably arranged
and disposed for the purpose of receiving the signal. To each passenger
carriage, and it may be also to the engine, tender, guard's van, or
break I fit a vertically sliding rod or bar which is capable of being
lowered by the passenger or other person when required to be brought
in contact with, for the purpose of acting upon and changing the
position of a horizontally vibrating frame or lever placed between the
rails. This rigid bar or rod is capable of being readily withdrawn or
raised out of action by means of a lever or pull fitted within the carriage.
This part of the machinery is employed for the purpose of setting in
action the signal gear or apparatus, and for transmitting the signal as
herein set forth.
A somewhat similar and also pendant bar or rod is fitted to the
guard's van or other carriage in a position suitable for receiving,
through contact with the outer face or edge of the horizontally vibrating
frame or lever mounted between the rails, the signal communicated
by the previous movement thereof, and in doing so the vibrating
apparatus is restored to its normal position, and is again set for receiving
another signal. A passenger in any carriage in advance of the guard's
van or the engine driver or guard in advance of the van fitted with
the signal receiving apparatus may thus effect a communication there-
with whilst the train is in motion. The vibrating frame or lever
mounted between the rails may be set by hand, and so be used by a
platelayer or other person for the purpose of communicating with the
guard in his van; moreover, by connecting it with other signal apparatus
by the side of the railway or elsewhere, the signals may be transmitted,
exhibited, and recorded by the passage of the train, and in like manner
station and other signal and point working apparatus may be connected
therewith and be operated upon or be actuated thereby. Each compart-
ment may be fitted with a means of recording the use of the signalling
apparatus, and such index or instrument is placed out of the control
of the passengers. The signal receiving rod in the guard's van may
act upon a bell, gong, or other signal. The vibrating apparatus may
be fitted at convenient distances apart along the up and down lines.