Improvements in Railway rog signals.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Railway rog signals.
FREDERICK ARCHER LUDLOW, of 6, Andover Street, Birmingham Railway Fog
Signal Manufacturer. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
The object of my improvements in railway fog signals is to connect two inde-
pendant fog signals together, & that they in combination, will explode, at the
same time. Thereby rendering the detonator's very effective, & not liable to
misfire, through the mere insufficiency of their charges, with gunpowder, or
other explosives-In carrying out my improvements in fog signals I construct
the ordinary fog signal, but of a smaller, or larger size & with its long narrow
At its
lead clips I make a tin, or iron case, with a rimmed edge, in this case.
base I pierce a hole therein, & throw up a central rim-To fit on this case I form
hollow circular cap, and in the case, I use an iron ring, with nipples thereon-
Operation The iron ring, with its nipples, carrying the cap's, I place in the open
ring of the case, & fill the same. with the usual explosive compounds, & put
the circular cap, thereon, & close them together. The ends of the small ordinary
fog signal, I push through the central hole in the case, & draw the clips under-
neath the case. Thus my round ring detonator & ordinary signal are joined
It is understood any mere
together making a duplex detonator & ready for use.
modification, I shall adopt in carrying out my invention in my ring-indentate
its centre-& not a hole, or use my ring detonator in any way required.
Tinted thin 20th day of November 1899.
3. T. B. BENNETT
5 Albert St, High St, Birmingham
Agent for the Applicant.
61
Improvements in Railway Fog Signals.”
I, FREDERICK ARCHER LUDLOW, of
Andover Street, Birmingham, Railway
Fog Signal Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
"
'duplex" railway fog
This invention has reference to what are known as
signals consisting of two independent fog signals connected together so that
they will explode at the same time and thus prevent the possibility of a misfire

page_text: through one of the parts failing to explode. A duplex fog signal constructed
according to this invention consists of an ordinary fog signal or detonator of
small size combined with and fitting in the centre of a ring shaped detonator or
fog signal the two detonators forming a fog signal of about the usual diameter
and height. The lead clips for attachment of the combined fog signal to the
rail are fixed to the smaller or centre detonator and threaded through the ring
shaped detonator and bent round the rails either under or over the fog signal
as desired. By making the fog signal in this way the two detonators can
instantly be separated if required and used as two signals the ring shaped
detonator being applicable for use with the automatic fog signal layers now in
use on some railways and the other or central ordinary fog signal being applicable
for shunting, fogging, or plate laying to fix to a rail by its clips in the usual way.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a complete duplex fog signal constructed
according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 shews the two
detonators represented by Figs. 1 and 2 separated; Fig. 4 shews how the fog
signal represented by Fig. 1 can if desired be used in an inverted position; Fig. 5
represents in sectional view the two parts of which the case of the ring shaped
detonator represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 is formed and also shews the ordinary
nipple ring for the same provided with the nipples and caps; Fig. 5* shews
a part of another form of nipple ring for the ring shaped denotator;
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the case of
the ring shaped detonator and Fig. 7 shews the two parts of the
ring before they are closed together; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of another
modification of the case of the ring shaped detonator and Fig. 9 shews in sectional
elevation the two parts of which the case is formed before they are fixed together;
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of another modification of the case of the ring
shaped detonator and Fig. 11 shews the two parts of the said case separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures.
I will first describe the arrangement of my invention illustrated by Figs. 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 and 5*.
A is the ordinary disc like circular fog signal or detonator made with the usual
projecting flange a¹ where the shell closes over the top plate and provided with
the lead clips B for securing the fog signal to the rail, C is my improved ring
shaped detonator within the inner circumference of which the ordinary
detonator A fits or rests. The ring shaped detonator C is composed of a tin or
other suitable metal case made of રી raised sheet metal bottom
ring like part c² and a top ring like part c¹ closed together as herein-
after described so as to be watertight and contain the nipple ring I with
its nipples d¹ №² №³d and caps fitting thereon and the gun-
powder or other explosive. The nipples may either be cast in a
piece with the ring D or made separate therefrom and fitted in holes in the same
with heads underneath as in Fig. 5* both of which constructions are well known
and form no part of my present invention. The bottom ring 2 of the case has
raised with it an upwardly projecting rimmed outer edge and has a central
hole with the metal thrown up around the hole so as to form a similar projecting
rim on the inside. The upper ring c¹ is made of an inverted trough section
of the proper size to fit within the rims of the lower ring. When the
ring D with its nipples and caps has been placed within the ring c² and the gun-
powder or other explosive has also been placed therein the upper ring is
placed in position within the ring 2 and then the edges or rims 3 are closed
against the inner and outer circumference of the ring c¹ as shewn in Figs. 1
and 4 thereby effectually securing the two ring parts c¹² of the case C together
and making the same watertight.
In using the duplex fog signal above described the lead clips B of the ordinary
detonator A are threaded through the ring detonator C so that the detonator A

page_text: then rests within the ring C as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The clips are then ready
to be pressed round the rail to attach the combined detonator thereto, the clips B
being either underneath the detonator A C as in Figs. 1 and 2, or over the top
of the same as in Fig. 4. The flange a' of the ordinary detonator A prevents the
same from pulling through the ring C. It will be seen that the two detonators A
and C can instantly be separated when required and the detonator A used to
attach to the rails by the clips B in the ordinary way, and the ring detonator C
used with one of the automatic fog signal layers which are now in use on some
railways.
Instead of attaching the bottom ring and the top ring or cap, el of the case C
together in the manner above described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
the two parts c¹ c² may be secured together by their edges being flanged and closed
down one over the other. For instance as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7 the upper ring
like part c¹ is made with a flange c5 on its inner circumference and a flange
with a projecting rim c on its outer circumference. The bottom ring c² is
made of the proper size to fit within this rim so that when these two parts
have been placed together the rim c is closed over the flange c and the rim c
is closed over the flat part of the ring ² thereby effectually securing the parts c¹ c²
€2
together and forming the case as illustrated in Fig. 6.
Figs and 9 shew another method of securing the two ring like parts of the
case C together by flanges. In this case the upper ring like part c¹ has a
flange on its inner ciroumference and a flange c6 on its outer circumference
and the bottom plate 2 is made with the upwardly projecting rims c3 c4 which
after the two parts c¹ c² have been placed together are closed over the flanges c³ ch
thereby connecting the two parts of the case together as in Fig. 8.
Figs 10 and 11 shew another method of constructing the two ring like
parts c¹² of the case C and securing them together. In this case the bottom
ring is a flat ring and made to fit within the flanged rims e 8 of the upper
part of the case which are then closed down over the edges of the ring so
as to secure the two parts together as illustrated in Fig. 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I am aware of the Specification of the Patent of Jenkins and
Illidge No. 1513 of 1894, and of the Specification of Jenkins' Patent No. 26,820
of 1896, and I do not claim anything described and claimed therein, but I
declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination with an ordinary dise shaped railway fog signal, of a
ring shaped detonator fitting around the same and through the central opening
of which the lead clips of the said ordinary fog signal can be passed to attach
the combined signal to the rail, substantially as described.
2. The improved ring shaped fog signal for fitting around an ordinary dise
shaped fog signal and having the casing made of the two ring like parts e c³
formed and shaped and secured together in any of the ways substantially as set
forth and illustrated.
Dated this 29th day of August 1900.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.