Improvements in Railway Fog Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Fog Signalling Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR COMBER, of the Town Hall, Kidderminster, in the County of
Worcester, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
-
My invention has for its object improvements in fog or detonating signals and
in apparatus for distributing and placing the same in position at any point or
points on the rail or metal where desired without the necessity of calling out special
men for the purpose and the detonators are of special shape as will be presently
explained to facilitate their distribution.
The apparatus may be worked from the ordinary signal boxes, or from a specially
arranged place. The object of my invention is to permit of the distribution of the
detonators by the signalman without the aid of fog men. The apparatus consists
of a box or casing constructed of metal containing an electro magnet together with
a combination of levers acted upon by the magnet, also a spring. At one end of
the casing is placed a rectangular tube or pillar for containing the detonators to
be hereafter described; this pillar may be made to any height necessary according
to the number of the detonators required to be stored. The detonators are made
rectangular in shape and may be of varying sizes to suit different gauges of rails
and wheels. They consist of metal sheaths or cases filled with an explosive, and
are made so as to explode on being compressed or struck on any part of their sur-
face; they are rendered waterproof to prevent injury to the explosive compound by
wet or damp. Attached to the outside of the before mentioned casing is a spout
or trough. The method of working the apparatus is as follows:-The casing is
fixed upon a wood sleeper or other suitable support so that the lip of the trough or
spout is close to the rail or metal on the outer side; on the inner side of the rail
and immediately opposite the centre of the trough is placed a metal block or anvil
so constructed that the groove or space between the block and the rail is sufficient
to clear the flange of the wheels of a train. On top of the said block is a tapered
recess. The current for working the electro magnet may be supplied by a wire or
wires conveyed or fixed on ordinary telegraph poles, or by insulated wires under-
ground, and the return current may be an ordinary earth one, or the rail itself may
be used in place of a second wire. The current may be obtained from a power or
hand dynamo, the existing batteries in use in the signal box, or by special batteries.
To enable the signal man to manipulate any number of the machines from one
source of electricity a switch-board is provided, so that by turning the handle of
the switch to any point indicated and making contact by pressing a button a
detonator is placed in position on the rail where desired.
The action of the
machine is as follows: An iron lever or keeper is suspended so that the fulcrum
end is as close as possible to the upper pole of the magnet without quite touching
it, being somewhat farther away from the lower pole when the magnet is not in
action. By this arrangement the lever or keeper is readily attracted; the lower end
of the keeper is attached to an elbow or other lever and a spiral spring is connected

page_text: to the keeper so as to keep it the required distance from the magnet when out of
action. When a current of electricity is passed round the magnet the keeper is
attracted and closes on to the magnet thus forcing the lower lever outwards and
pushes by means of a pushing rod a detonator from the storage pillar into the
trough or spout from whence it, slides on to the rail or anvil. Should it overshoot
the rail its progress is arrested by the anvil or stop block, and whether on the rail
itself or on the stop block it will be exploded by the wheel of a passing train.
Immediately the passage of the current is arrested the levers are pulled into their
original position by the spring, thus allowing the detonators in the pillar to drop
ready for the discharge of another one when the current is again passed round the
magnet. The top of the casing is covered with a hinged lid secured by a lock.
D
111 1
100%
GEORGE BARKER,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.
Improvements in Railway Fog Signalling Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR COMBER, of the Town Hall, Kidderminster, in the County of
Worcester, Civil 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:-
My invention has for its object improvements in fog or detonating signals and in
apparatus for distributing and placing the same in position at any point or points
on the rail or metal where desired without the necessity of calling out special men
for the purpose and the detonators are of special shape as will be presently
explained to facilitate their distribution.
The apparatus may be worked from the ordinary signal boxes, or from a specially
arranged place. The object of my invention is to permit of the distribution of the
detonators by the signalman without the aid of fog men. The apparatus consists
of a box or casing constructed of metal containing an electro magnet together with
a combination of levers acted upon by the magnet, also a spring. At one end of
the casing is placed a rectangular tube or pillar for containing the detonators to
be hereafter described, this pillar may be made to any height necessary according
to the number of the detonators required to be stored. The detonators are made
rectangular in shape and may be of varying sizes to suit different gauges of rails
and wheels. They consist of metal sheaths or cases filled with an explosive and
are made so as to explode on being compressed or struck on any part of their sur-
face; they are rendered waterproof to prevent injury to the explosive compound
by wet or damp. Attached to the outside of the before mentioned casing is a
spout or trough. The method of working the apparatus is as follows. The casing
is fixed on a wood sleeper or other suitable support so that the lip of the trough or
spout is close to the rail or metal on the outer side; on the inner side of the rail
and immediately opposite the centre of the trough is placed a metal block or anvil
so constructed that the groove or space between the block and the rail is sufficient
to clear the flange of the wheels of a train. On top of the said block is a tapered
recess. The current for working the electro magnet may be supplied by a wire or
wires conveyed or fixed on ordinary telegraph poles, or by insulated wires under-
ground, and the return current may be an ordinary earth one, or the rail itself
may be used in place of a second wire. The current may be obtained from a power
or hand dynamo, the existing batteries in use in the signal box, or by special
batteries. To enable the signal man to manipulate any number of the machines

page_text: from one source of electricity a switch-board is provided so that by turning the
handle of the switch to any point indicated and making contact by pressing a
button a detonator is placed in position on the rail where desired. The action of
the machine is as follows. An iron lever or keeper is suspended so that the
fulcrum end is as close as possible to the upper pole of the magnet without quite
touching it, being somewhat farther away from the lower pole when the magnet
is not in action. By this arrangement the lever or keeper is readily attracted.
The lower end of the keeper is attached to an elbow or other lever and a spiral
spring is connected to the keeper so as to keep it the required distance from the
magnet when out of action. When a current of electricity is passed round the
magnet the keeper is attracted and closes on to the magnet thus forcing the lower
lever outwards and pushing by means of a pushing rod a detonator from the storage
pillar into the trough or spout from whence it slides onto the rail or anvil. Should
the detonator overshoot the rail its progress is arrested by the anvil or stop block,
and whether on the rail itself or on the stop block it will be exploded by the
wheel of a passing train. Immediately the passage of the current is arrested the
levers are pulled into their original position by the spring, thus allowing
the detonators in the pillar to drop ready for the discharge of another one when
the current is again passed round the magnet. The top of the casing is covered
with a hinged lid secured by a lock.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto two double sized sheets of drawings
upon which I have illustrated examples of my fog signalling apparatus.
Figure 1 is a part sectional side elevation of my fog signalling apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the trough and rail.
Figure 3 is a sectional front elevation through the case looking towards the
magnets.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan view through the case shewing the magnets and a
section of the detonator tube.
In carrying my invention into practice I construct the box or casing A prefer-
ably of metal with the lid a¹ which may be secured by a lock, and in the interior
at one side of this casing I mount the electro magnet B and at the other side I
form the partition or separate chamber D for containing the the detonators E, this
chamber may be of any height necessary according to the number of detonators
required. The detonators which are preferably rectangular in shape and may be
of varying sizes to suit different gauges of rails and wheels are formed of metal
sheathes or cases filled with an explosive so as to explode on being compressed or
struck on any part of their surface and rendered water proof to prevent injury to
the explosive compound by wet or damp. Fixed to the outside of the casing A
on a line with the base of the chamber D is the spout or trough F placed at an
incline the lower end or lip of which is close to the rail or metal R and on the
inner side of this rail and immediately opposite the centre of the trough I fix the
metal block or anvil H constructed so that the groove or space h¹ between the block
and the rail is sufficient to clear the flange of the wheels of a train and provided
with the tapered recess h² on the top, which enables two detonators to be exploded
simultaneously as the one would force the other partially into this recess.
Pivotted or suspended at j¹ to the side in the interior of the case A is the iron
lever or keeper J so that the fulcrum end is as close as possible to the upper pole b¹
of the magnet without quite touching it, being somewhat farther away from the
lower pole 62 when the magnet is not in action. By this arrangement the lever or
keeper is readily attracted, and to the lower end of this lever or keeper I attach
one end of the elbow or lever K one end of the spiral spring S being also attached
to this end of the lever or keeper the other end of this spring being fixed to the
front portion of the case A so as to hold the keeper the required distance from
the magnet when out of action. Pivotted to the other end of the lever K is one
end of the lever L which is also pivotted near this end at 11 to the bracket 2 fixed
to the side of the case A and the other end of this lever is pivotted to the sliding or

page_text: pushing rod N which works in the guide n¹ fixed to the side of the frame and this
rou N when the apparatus is in action pushes a detonator from the storage chamber
into the trough from whence it slides on to the rail or anvil.
Should the
detonator overshoot the rail its progress is arrested by the anvil or stop block H and
whether on the rail itself or on the stop block it will be exploded by the wheel of
a passing train.
The current for working the electro magnet may be supplied by the wires con-
nected to the insulated block w¹ by the binding screws w² and conveyed or fixed
on ordinary telegraph poles, or by insulated wires underground, and the return
current may be an ordinary earth one, or the rail may be used in place of a second
wire, and the current may be obtained from a power or hand dynamo, or the exist-
ing batteries in use in the signal box or by special batteries. To enable the signal-
man to manipulate any number of these machines from one source of electricity
so as to place a detonator in position on the rail where required a switch-board is
provided and by turning the handle of the switch to any point indicated and mak-
ing contact by pressing a button a current of electricity is passed round the
magnet attracting the keeper J which closes on to the magnet thus forcing the
lever L outwards and consequently the rod N by which means the detonator at
the bottom of the chamber D is pushed into the trough or spout from whence it
slides on to the rail or anvil.
Immediately the passage of the current of electricity is arrested the levers are
pulled into their normal position by the spring S as shewn in dotted lines this
allowing the detonators in the chamber D to drop ready for the discharge of
another one when the current is again passed round the magnet. The casing A and
the anvil block H may be secured by pius or bolts or screws to the sleeper P or to
any other support so long as the lip of the trough or spout is close to the outer
side of the rail or metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and, in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
CLAIMS.
First. In signalling apparatus the electrical apparatus box A with its storage
chamber for the fog signals and arrangement of levers for thrusting the signals
upon the rails by the action of the signal man from his box substantially as herein
set forth and shewn upon the drawings.
Second. The improvements in fog or detonating signalling apparatus for dis-
tributing or placing the detonators in position consisting essentially of a such like
casing or box as A with its storage chamber D and electro magnet or magnets with
the arrangement of levers, the stop block or anvil such as H and operated from the
signal box so as to place the detonators or signals upon the metals or rails at the
desired point substantially as herein set forth and shown.
Dated this 4th day of Februar
1000
TUJUA
ARTHUR COMBER,
By George Barker,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.