Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Nov., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 11th Jan., 1887.
I SÁMUEL ALFRED VARLEY, of 2 Hamilton Road Highbury in the County of
Middlesex Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in Electric Bells for signalling in
railway trains in motion where they are subject always to more or less oscillation.
I construct an electromagnet of two soft iron cores wrapped with insulated wire.
These soft iron cores are united together at one end by a bridge of soft iron and which
forms the neutral end of the magnet.
I mount this Electromagnet vertically, the neutral end being preferably at the
bottom, and the active poles at the top.
Between the soft iron cores, and in a line with them I mount a steel axle, the lower
end of this axle works in a pivot hole drilled in the iron bridge at the neutral
end of the magnet, and rests against a tempered steel screw capable of adjustment,
the upper end of the steel axle works in a pivot hole drilled through a bridge piece
attached to the upper end of the electromagnet, and made of a suitable non magnetic
metal preferably gun or bell metal.
The poles of the electromagnet are constructed with pieces of soft iron (termed pole
pieces) projecting inwards in a horizontal plane.
Between these pole pieces a soft iron armature mounted on the steel axle works,
being attracted towards them when the electromagnet is active, and as the radius of
the circle through which that portion of the armature which is near to the centre
of motion is a small one, the distance separating this part of the armature from
the pole pieces is but small, when the angular distance of the armature from the
pole pieces is the greatest, consequently the conditions for magnetic attraction are
very favorable.
A light lever is mounted on the upper end of the axle and projects on either side of
the centre of motion; on one end of this lever a hammer is attached and a weight
which balances it, is fixed to the other end.
When the Electromagnet is rendered active by closing an electric circuit through
it, the hammer strikes a bell, but when the circuit is opened as the steel axle to which

page_text: the hammer lever is attached is mounted vertically and the hammer which moves in a
horizontal plane is balanced by the weight at the opposite end of the lever to which
the hammer is attached, there is no tendency for false signals to be given by the
shaking of the Engines or vans in which the bells are usually placed, and the necessity
for any special apparatus to prevent this occurring is obviated-A spiral spring
attached at one end to the metal work of the electromagnet and at the other end to
the armature, pulls the armature away from the pole pieces and against stops which
limit the motion of the armature, and when in this position a contact pin made of
suitable non oxidable metal and attached to the armature presses against a light contact
spring This contact spring is mounted on a metal plate attached to, but insulated
from, the metal work of the electromagnet, and is considerably weaker than the
spiral spring which pulls the armature away from the "pole pieces" of the electro-
magnet.
The electromagnet and its attachments are placed inside a strongly constructed box
usually made of wood and fastened securely by screws.
The bell is mounted outside the box on one side and the end of the light lever which
carries the hammer passes from the inside of the box through a slot cut through the
side of the box into the interior of the bell.
Two metal contact lugs, termed for distinction Nos. 1 and 2 contact lugs, are
securely attached by means of screws to the back of the box.
One of these lugs say "No. 1 contact lug" is connected to the "contact spring,"
and the other "No. 2 contact lug," is connected to one end of the insulated wire of the
electromagnet, the other end of the insulated wire is connected to the metal work
of the electromagnet.
"
When it is desired to send a signal, a galvanic battery is interposed in the circuit,
which becomes closed through "No. 1 contact lug" to the "contact spring" through
the contact pin" attached to the armature to the metal work of the electromagnet
and through the insulated convolutions of insulated wire of the electromagnet to
"No. 2 contact lug."
The Electromagnet now becomes active and attracts the armature and causes
the hammer to strike the bell. The "Contact spring" is so adjusted that the contact
pin attached to the armature becomes separated from contact with the contact spring,
à little before the hammer has reached the bell, and divides the circuit, when the soft
iron cores of the electromagnet resume their normal non-magnetic condition, and the
armature is no longer attracted.
"
The momentum acquired by the hammer however causes it to move onwards and to
strike the bell from which it rebounds assisted by the action of the spiral spring
attached to the armature, the "contact pin now comes again into contact with the
"Contact Spring" and the circuit becomes completed the electromagnet is rendered
active and again attracts the armature towards it, the circuit becoming again divided
as before described just before the hammer has reached the bell; in this way a back-
ward and forward motion is imparted to the hammer lever and the bell continues to
ring as long as the galvanic battery is connected in the circuit.
The contact lugs of the electric bells used in the Guards vans are usually mounted on
the back of the box near the top on either side and they are placed in circuit by
simply hanging them on to metal contact hooks but as there is more oscillation in
the engines than in the vans the contact lugs of the bells used in the engines are
usually placed at the back of the box one at the top and the other at the bottom, and
the bell is firmly secured by means of clamping screws which clamp the lugs against
metal contact pieces attached to an insulated tablet fixed to the engine.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Electric Bells.
I, SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY, of 2 Hamilton Road, Highbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 electric bells for signalling in
railway trains in motion where they are subject always to more or less oscillation.
I construct an electromagnet of two soft iron cores wrapped with insulated wire.
These soft iron cores are united together at one end by a bridge of soft iron and
which forms the neutral end of the magnet.
I mount this electromagnet vertically the neutral end being preferably at the
bottom and the active poles at the top.
Between the soft iron cores and in a line with them I mount a steel axle, the lower
end of this axle works in a pivot hole drilled in the iron bridge at the neutral end of
the magnet and rests against a tempered steel screw capable of adjustment, the upper
end of the steel axle works in a pivot hole drilled through a bridge piece attached to
the upper end of the electromagnet and made of a suitable non-magnetic metal
preferably gun or bell metal.
The poles of the electromagnet are constructed with pieces of soft iron (termed pole
pieces) projecting inwards in a horizontal plane.
Between these pole pieces a soft iron armature mounted on the steel axle works,
being attracted towards them when the electromagnet is active and as the radius of
the circle through which that portion of the armature which is near to the centre of
motion is a small one the distance separating this part of the armature from the pole
pieces is but small, when the angular distance of the armature from the poles is the
greatest consequently the conditions for magnetic attraction are very favorable.
A light lever is mounted on the. upper end of the axle and projects on either side of
the centre of motion; on one end of this lever a hammer is attached and a weight
which balances it is fixed to the other end.
When the electromagnet is rendered active by closing an electric circuit the hammer
strikes a bell but when the circuit is opened as the steel axle to which the hammer
lever is attached is mounted vertically and the hammer which moves, in a horizontal
plane is balanced by the weight at the opposite end of the lever to which the hammer
is attached, there is no tendency for false signals to be given by the shaking of the
engines or vans in which the bells are usually placed and the necessity for any special
apparatus to prevent this occurring is obviated.
A spiral spring attached at one end to the metal work of the electromagnet and at
the other end to the armature pulls the armature away from the pole pieces and
against stops which limit the motion of the armature, and when in this position a
contact pin made of suitable non oxidable metal and attached to the armature presses
against a light contact spring. This contact spring is mounted on a metal plate
attached to, but insulated from, the metal work of the electromagnet and is consider-

page_text: ably weaker than the spiral spring which pulls the armature away from the "pole
pieces" of the electromagnet.
The electromagnet and its attachments are placed inside a strongly constructed box
usually made of wood and fastened securely by screws.
The bell is mounted outside the box on one side and the end of the light lever which
carries the hammer passes from the inside of the box through a slot cut through the
side of the box into the interior of the bell.
Two metal contact lugs termed for distinction Nos. 1 and 2 contact lugs are securely
attached by means of screws to the back of the box.
One of these lugs say "No. 1 Contact lug" is connected to the "Contact spring"
and the other "No. 2 Contact lug" is connected to one end of the insulated wire of
the electromagnet the other end of the insulated wire is connected to the metal work
of the electromagnet.
When it is desired to send a signal a galvanic battery is interposed in the circuit
which becomes closed through "No. 1 Contact lug" to the "Contact spring" through
the "Contact pins" attached to the armature to the metal work of the electromagnet
and through the insulated convolutions of insulated wire of the electromagnet to
"No. 2 Contact lug."
The electromagnet now becomes active and attracts the armature and causes the
hammer to strike the bell. The "Contact spring" is so adjusted that the contact pin
attached to the armature becomes separated from contact with the contact spring, a
little before the hammer has reached the bell and divides the circuit when the soft
iron cores of the electromagnet resume their normal non magnetic condition and the
armature is no longer attracted. The momentum acquired by the hainmer however
causes it to move onwards and to strike the bell from which it rebounds assisted by
the action of the spiral spring attached to the armature; the "contact pin now
comes again into contact with the "contact spring" and the circuit becomes
completed, the electromagnet is rendered active and again attracts the armature
towards it the circuit becoming again divided as before described just before the
hammer has reached the bell. In this way a backward and forward motion is
imparted to the hammer lever and the bell continues to ring as long as the galvanic
battery is connected in the circuit.
"
The contact lugs of the Electric bells used in the Guards Vans are usually mounted
on the back of the box near the top on either side and they are placed in circuit by
simply hanging them on to metal contact hooks but as there is more oscillation in the
engines than in the vans the contact lugs of the bells used in the engines are usually
placed in the centre of the box one at the top and the other at the bottom and the bell
is firmly secured by means of clamping screws which clamp the lugs against metal
contact pieces attached to an insulated tablet fixed to the engine.
And in order that my said invention may be readily understood I annex drawings
of the different parts.
The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures. Fig. 1 is a general view
of the Electric bell enclosed in its protecting box used for giving signals in the
Guards Vans.
Fig. 2 is a general view of the bell used on the Engines.
Fig. 3 represents the bell with the front of the protecting box removed to show the
working parts.
Fig. 4 is a top view with the cover removed to show the working parts.
Fig. 5 is a top view of the electromagnets showing the position of the armature
with respect to the pole pieces when the hammer strikes the bell and indicating by
dotted lines the position of the armature when the bell is not active.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view showing the way the different parts are electrically
connected.
AA is the protecting case enclosing the working parts of the Electrical bell.
B is the bell mounted on the side of the case.
CC Fig. 1 are the metal lugs of the bells used on the Guards Vans and which
• form also part of the electrical connections.

page_text: CC Fig. 2 show the lugs used on the bells and on the engines.
D D are screws to enable the front of the case to be removed when necessary for
the purpose of examining and adjusting the internal parts.
EE Fig. 3 is the electromagnet mounted vertically.
FF are the pole pieces, between which the armature moves, which are more clearly
seen in the top views Figs. 4 and 5.
G is the axle to which the armature H shown in Fig. 5 is attached.
I is a lever mounted on to the upper part of the axle G and carrying the hammer J
and balance weight K.
L is the pivot at the lower end of the axle G and works on the top of the tempered
Screw M.
r
N is the contact spring which breaks connection with the non oxidable metal
contact O of the lever I and divides the electrical circuit when the hammer J is in the
act of striking the bell.
P Fig. 6 indicates the convolutions of insulated wire wrapped on the cores of the
Electro magnet E E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The construction of an electric bell in which the axle carrying the armature
and striking lever to which the hammer and balance weight are attached is mounted
vertically and by which mode of construction the necessity for special apparatus to
prevent false signals being given by the oscillation of the train is obviated and by
which with a small motion of the armature through space I obtain a large motion
through space of the hammer substantially as herein before described and shewn on
the drawings.
2nd. The general combination and arrangement of parts together constituting my
improved apparatus for giving signals in trains in motion substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.