An Improvement in Semaphore Signals for Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
An Improvement in Semaphore Signals for Railways.
I, WILLIAM HENRY ISAAC WELCH, of 68, Coborne Road, Bow, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The semaphore signals for railways have often, marked on their arms numbers
or letters which are visible by day but cannot be seen at night.
My invention relates to such modification of the lantern and arm of a sema-
phore signal as renders the number or letter visible at night.
For this purpose I extend the arm beyond the coloured glass and mark the
extended part with a transparent number or letter, and I so extend the side of
the lantern that when this extended part of the arm comes in front of it, light
shines through the number or letter. The number or letter instead of being on
the arm and moved with it may be on the side of the lantern, exposed when the
signal. is at safety but screened by an extension of the arm beyond the red glass
so that it is not visible when the signal is at danger.
Total this 19th dow of Tul, 1908
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improvement in Semaphore Signals for Railways.
I, WILLIAM HENRY ISAAC WELCH, of 6S, Coborne Road, Bow, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner, the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The semaphore signals for railways have often marked on their arms, numbers
or letters which are visible by day but cannot be seen at night.
My invention relates to such modification of the lantern and arm of a sema-
phore signal as renders the number or letter visible at night.
For this purpose, I extend the arm beyond the coloured glass and mark the
extended art with a transparent number or letter, and I so extend the side of
the lantern that when this extended part of the arm comes in front of it, light
shines through the number or letter.
The number or letter instead of being on the arm and moved with it, may be
on the side of the lantern, as I shall describe referring to the accompanying
drawings

page_text: Fig. is an elevation of part of the signal post shewing the semaphore arm a
the coloured glasses b and c attached thereto, and a lantern d, according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the lantern d. At the side of the lantern a com-
partment is formed having an inclined back e preferably coloured white, and a
front which is preferably made of silvered glass but may be of other material
this front being parallel or approximately parallel to the semaphore arm a. By
scraping off so much of the silvering off when glass is used, or cutting an open-
ing through other material so as to present an angle g, the light of the lantern
being reflected from the whitened back e and passing through this transparent
part of the front f renders visible at night an angle which, being a mark corre
sponding to the angle notch of the semaphore arm, indicates that the signal is
a distant one.
Instead of, or in addition to, the angle or a mark of some other distinctive shape,
there may be a number or letter presented.
In order to increase the amount of light reflected from the inclined back, an-
other mirror is placed in position to reflect rays from the flame on to the back e and
in order that this mirror h may be set in the best position it is hinged like a door
at one edge and provided with an adjusting screw and nut by which it can
be adjusted to the required angle.
Sometimes it is desired to have the number, letter or other mark shewn by
the lantern only when the signal is at safety. In such cases it may be screened
by an extension of the arm beyond the red glass so that it is not visible when the
signal is at danger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
The construction of a signal lantern with a lateral extension having an inclined
reflecting back and a front presenting a transparent part or opening in the shape
of a mark figure or number, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of February 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY
Agents for the Applicant.