IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Richard Atha, of Heckmondwike, in the
County of York, Engineer, William Pearson, of Birstal, in the said
County of York, Engineer, and William Spurr, of Birstal aforesaid,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Richard Atha,
William Pearson, and William Spurr at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd September 1857.
We, JOSEPH RICHARD ATHA, of Heckmondwike, in the County of York,
Engineer, WILLIAM PEARSON, of Birstal, in the said County of York, Engineer,
and WILLIAM SPURR, of Birstal aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS," to be
as follows:-
Our Invention consists in affixing to each locomotive engine a steam whistle
which is to be set in action by levers attached to the locomotive and pro-
jecting from its side. The whistle is put in action by one of the levers coming
in contact with pins or studs placed at such points upon the railway as may be
requisite to secure the proper signals being given, and the momentum of the
stroke upon the levers is broken by a spring or springs. These studs may
either be movable upon their axles or fixed, or some of them may be movable
and others fixed in the same system of studs.
The signals may be given thus:-The levers may be so arranged that one

page_text: lever by coming into contact with the stud opens the steam valve, and puts the
whistle in action, and it then continues whistling until the second lever comes
in contact with a second stud, which closes the valve, stops the whistle, and at
the same time restores the first lever to its original position.
By the aid of the movable studs (amongst other advantages), an arrange-
ment may be made so as to produce the following result:-A movable stud is
originally placed in a position in which it would not act upon the whistle of a
passing engine, but it is attached to a lever so arranged that another lever
upon the engine shall alter the position of the stud, and place it in such
a position that it would act upon the whistle of any following engine. The
movable stud so acted upon may be attached by a wire or other means
to a lever fixed further on upon the line, so constructed that when the first
engine, which had altered the position of the movable stud, should pass
the fixed lever, the lever of the engine should come in contact with the fixed
lever and restore the movable stud to its original position. By this means the
moveable stud would put in action the whistle of any engine following the
first engine, and thus warn the driver of the following engine of the risk of a
collision until after the first engine should have passed the fixed lever and
restored the moveable stud to its original position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Richard Atha, William Pearson, and William Spurr
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
RICHARD ATHA, of Heckmondwike, in the County of York, Engineer,
WILLIAM PEARSON, of Birstal, in the said County of York, Engineer, and
WILLIAM SPURR, of Birstal aforesaid, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Joseph Richard Atha, William Pearson, and William Spurr, Her
special license, that we, the said Joseph Richard Atha, William Pearson,
and William Spurr, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Joseph Richard Atha, William Pearson, and William Spurr,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the

page_text: term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
SIGNALS," upon
the condition (amongst others), that we, the said Joseph
Richard Atha, William Pearson, and William Spurr, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Richard Atha, William
Pearson, and William Spurr, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention of "Improvements in Railway Signals" consists in affixing
to each locomotive engine a steam whistle, which is to be set in action by
levers attached to the locomotive and projecting from its side. The whistle is
put in action by one of the levers coming in contact with pins or studs placed
at such points upon the railway as may be requisite to secure the proper
signals being given at the proper time, and the momentum of the stroke upon
the levers is broken by a spring or springs. These studs may either be move-
able upon their axles or fixed, or some of them may be moveable and others
fixed in the same system of studs.
The signals are made by arranging the levers in such a manner that one
lever by coming in contact with a projecting stud placed near the line of rails
will open the steam valve and allow steam to rush through the whistle,
and thereby produce a shrill sound, which will continue until the engine-man
closes the valve, or until a second lever comes in contact with a second stud,
which will close the valve and stop the sound by preventing the steam from
passing through the whistle, and at the same time the action of the second
lever will assist in restoring the first lever to its original position.
By the aid of moveable studs (amongst other advantages), an arrangement
may be made so as to produce the following result:-A moveable stud may be
originally placed in a position in which it would not act upon the whistle of a
passing engine, but it is attached to a lever so arranged that another lever
upon the engine shall alter the position of the stud and place it in such
a position that it would act upon the whistle of any following engine. The

page_text: moveable stud so acted upon may be attached by a wire or other means to a
lever fixed further on upon the line, so that when the first engine, which had
altered the position of the moveable stud should pass the fixed lever, the
lever of the engine should come in contact with the fixed lever and restore the
moveable stud to its original position. By this means the moveable stud
would put in action the whistle of any engine following the first engine, and
thus warn the driver of the following engine of the risk of a collision, until
after the first engine should have passed the fixed lever and restored the
moveable stud to its original position.
In order, however, that the Invention may be clearly understood, we have
shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views of the different con-
trivances above referred to whereby signals may be made.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive engine, with the present improve-
ments adapted thereto. E is the boiler; F, the engine frame; 1 is a lever
mounted upon a fulcrum at the lower end of the vertical supporting rod 2, which
is screwed to the engine frame F in any convenient manner; attached to the
vertical supporting rod 2, are two or more iron loops or guides G, through which
slides the vertical rod 3, the upper end of which is attached by a joint to a second
lever 4. At the lower extremity of the rod 3 is formed a catch, which is made
to fit the tail end or bended part of the lever 1, which thereby retains the rod 3
in its position. Upon the rod 3 is coiled a spring S, one end of which rests upon
the upper side of the framing of the engine, while the other end presses upon
a loose collar furnished with a set screw screwed to the rod 3, the said collar
being made to slide on the rod 3, so as to adjust the spring S to the required
strength. To one end of the lever 4 a valve V is connected by a short lever
or a rod or link; this valve V slides in its box B, supported on and attached
to the pillar P, which is screwed to some convenient part of the boiler or
framing; this pillar P is hollow, and is furnished with a partition in its centre,
so as to guide the steam into the valve V from the steam pipe Q. The steam
passes under the partition through the valve V, and into the upper part of the
pillar P, and through the whistle W, which is fixed upon the top of the pillar;
or if preferred the whistle may be fixed on any other part of the engine or
boiler, and the steam conducted by a suitable pipe from the pillar to it. D is
a guide for the lever 1 to work in. This lever is put in motion by coming
in contact with certain inclined studs or projections 5, placed a few inches:
above and beyond the rail on which the engine runs.
These studs may be
either fixed to the sleepers permanently or they may be moveable, or both
kinds may be used in combination. In Figure 1 a fixed stud 5 is placed in
its position near the rail R, and is secured to sleepers or other fixed parts

page_text: in any convenient and suitable manner. The stud consists of two inclined
planes, against which the lower end of the lever 1 is made to strike as the
engine passes along the rail, and by that means the other part of the appa-
ratus is brought into action, as will be hereafter more particularly explained.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation of a moveable inclined stud, which is
mounted and turns upon its fulcrum H. The arm A of the stud is made
of requisite weight, so as to bring the inclined part of the stud into and retain
it in a raised or elevated position, as shewn by dots in Figure 2, after being
moved or depressed by an arm or lever attached to the engine being brought
against it. Figure 3 is a plan view of the moveable stud, shewing the
apparatus whereby it is moved when necessary. This apparatus, parts of which
are also seen in Figure 2, consists of a horizontal shaft X, upon one end of
which, and under the arm A of the inclined stud, is mounted or fixed a tongue
of iron T. The shaft X is moved by a wire U attached to the arm a of the
bent lever a, b, which is fixed on the other end of the shaft X. Upon the
arın 6 is placed a weight Y, so that as the wire U is liberated or slackened,
the weight Y draws round the shaft X, and thereby brings the tongue T into
an horizontal position, thereby allowing the stud 6 to rise by the weight of its
arm A into its elevated position, as shewn by dots in the Figure. The
working apparatus of the stud 6 can be worked by hand at the stations by
means of a wire, or it can be worked by each train by the self-acting lever,
as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. 7 is a stud lever, placed between the rails and
fixed upon a shaft X, upon the other end of which is fixed a wheel or disc N
with a notch in its circumference; into this notch the catch c of the vertical
lever c falls, and is kept in by means of a spring coiled round its fulcrum.
Upon the shaft X is fixed an upright rod Z, which supports the arm of the
bent lever Z, which moves upon its fulcrum H. To the other end of the
arm or lever Zx is attached a wire or cord U, the other end of which is fixed
to the arm a of the moving apparatus of the stud 6, shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
The apparatus is put in motion by the flanges of the engine or carriage
wheels pressing down the lever 7, which stands slightly above the rail, and
thereby moving the shaft X and with it the rod Z, thereby liberating the arm
of the bent lever Z* and slackening the wire or cord U, which allows the
weight Y on the moving apparatus of the stud 6, Figures 2 and 3, to fall
and carry the tongue T into an horizontal position, thereby allowing the
inclined stud to rise into an upright position, which would act on the lever 1
of any following engine, and by allowing steam to rush through the whistle W,
would sound the same. The stud or lever 7, Figures 4 and 5, is restored
to its original position by lifting the arm of the bent lever Z* and supporting

page_text: it upon the upright rod Z, and drawing back the catch c, which liberates the
stud or lever 7 and allows the latter to rise to its original position by means
of the spiral spring attached to the arm Z, as seen in the Drawing.
In Figure 6 is shewn an arrangement whereby a combined series of appa-
ratus of similar construction may be extended for some distance along a
railway, for the prevention of accidents by collision in case a train should
break down between the stations on any part of the railway. A bell-crank
lever, provided with two arms A, B, is mounted upon a pin or stud F, and to
the arm A is fastened a wire or cord w, and upon the arm B is placed a
weight S, which falls and carries down with it the lever B when the wire wis
liberated; the weight S will fall upon the arm of the bent catch K, and by
depressing it will liberate the disc M and allow the arm P to turn with its
shaft F, thereby liberating the weight Tx attached to another bell-crank
lever A, B. The weight T*, by falling upon the arm of another catch K*,
liberates the disc M*, and allows the lever P* and wire w* to be pulled
forward by the weighted arm T* of the next lever, and so on in succession to
the last station post, in the office of which the last falling weight rings a bell,
thus intimating that an accident has occurred to the train that has last passed
between this and the following station. To the fulcrum of each of the bell-
crank levers A, B, is connected the shaft X, with its tongue T, of Figures 2
and 3, and which tongue elevates an inclined stud as each of the weights falls,
as shewn at 6. These inclined studs 6, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, may be
placed every quarter or half a mile apart, and when the weights S and T* are
elevated, the inclined studs are pressed down by the tongue T of Figures 2
and 3. The method of working is as follows:-There is a fixed inclined
stud, as shewn at 5 in Figure 1, or a moveable stud 6 or 7, as shewn in
Figures 2 and 4, without the moving apparatus attached, as in those Figures.
This inclined stud is placed balf a mile or any required distance from a station,
and the lever 1 (Figure 1) upon the engine comes in contact with the
inclined stud and liberates the rod 3, which is forced up by the spring S and
moves the lever 4, which acts on the slide valve V and allows the steam from
the steam pipe to pass through the pillar P and sound the whistle W. The
lever 4 may work either a slide valve or a plug stop-cock. The valve V is
Kept to its face by a spring at its back, adjusted by a set screw, and the
momentum of the lever 1 is overcome by a spring, coiled round the fulcrum
upon which it works; the engine driver then moves the lever 4 and shuts off
the steam, and at the same time presses the catch on the rod 3 past the end
of the lever 1 into its original position. This inclined stud 5 is always elevated,
and gives the signal on the arrival or passing of every train, thus letting the

page_text: engine driver know he is approaching a station, and that he is a certain
distance from it. Near the present signal lights is placed a moveable inclined
stud, such as is shewn in Figures 2 and 3; this is worked by being attached
to the present signal wire or a wire carried independent of it, or worked by
the trains in passing over the falling lever, shewn in Figures 4 and 5, thereby
giving a second signal when the train is required to stop. If worked by the
trains, every train elevates the moveable inclined stud, so that a following
train would receive the signal to stop independent of the signal man, as the
stud would always be erected until the lever is liberated by the signal man
when the line is clear. By this means a collision at a station from the
negligence of the signal man is effectually prevented. If a train should break
down between two stations, the engine driver, or guard, or any person should
press down the catch K in Figure 6, or sever the wire w, which will liberate
one of the weights T* or S and knock off the catch K* of the next succeeding
apparatus, and thereby elevate a stud every quarter or half mile up to the last
station, when the last weight will ring a bell in the said station, so that all
trains could be stopped at the station until the line is cleared, and all trains
that had passed the station would receive the signal upon the engine every
quarter or half mile, as may be desired, so as to indicate that an accident had
occurred before them, thereby preventing a collision.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Railway Signals,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we claim as
our Invention the mode herein described of producing and working signals
on railways, so as to prevent collisions and accidents thereon.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Richard Atha, William Pearson,
and William Spurr, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second
day of March, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.