IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED BY PASSENGERS IN SIGNALLING TO THE GUARD OF RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Joseph Curtis at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
September 1864.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH CURTIS, of Clifton Road, Holloway, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED
BY PASSENGERS IN SIGNALLING TO THE GUARD OF RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to the use of percussion signals to be ignited
by railway passengers in order to draw the attention of the guard to a par-
ticular carriage of a train in motion; and, secondly, to a means of giving the
guard access to any carriage of a train while in motion.
In constructing the percussion explosive signal I employ a tin, pasteboard,
or other tube, which I divide into two parts, and temporarily connect them
together so as to form a cylinder. One of these tubes is intended to receive
explosive powder to be ignited, and is tipped with percussion composition, and
the other is charged with pyrotechnic composition. The percussion signals
thus formed I propose to place in railway carriages, which are to be fitted
with suitable means for facilitating their ignition. In each compartment of
each carriage I fit one or more tubes or boxes to receive each a percussion
signal. The tube or box is fitted with a propeller, which is held back by a
catch, but when released is intended by the action of a spring to drive the
percussion signal forward out of the tube. For this purpose the tube is

page_text: made with an open end projecting through the carriage, and it is fitted with
longitudinal grooves to receive a pin projecting laterally from the hinder part
of the percussion signal caso in order to retain hold of the same when pro-
jected forward. The tube is closed by a hammer which gives way when the
signal is propelled forward to allow of the discharge of the explosive part of
the signal from the carriage, but offers sufficient obstruction to effect the
explosion of the detonating compound, or friction may be used to effect tho
ignition. When the explosive compound is ignited, the foremost part of
the cylinder will break away, and by its report arouse the attention of the
guard, and the retained portion of the cylinder containing the pyrotechnic
composition will protrude from the carriage, and being ignited, will give a
powerful light, whereby the guard will be directed to the carriago where his
attendance is required.
I also propose to make these percussion signals portable, fitting them with
a removable cap for covering and protecting the percussion compound, and
with a handle attached to the tube containing the pyrotechnic composition, in
order that while burning it may be held out of a carriage window to attract
the attention of the guard.
To enable the guard to reach any carriago of a train in motion, I propose
to fit under the threshold of each carriage, and at each side thereof, a folding
platform formed of bars hinged together so as to admit of being let down for
use, or folded back to clear the platforms or other erections with which they
might interfere in the working of the railway. These platforms propose to
let down on the off' side only; but to provide for all the exigencies of railway
working, both sides of the carriages must be similarly fitted.