IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS UPON RAILWAYS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Richardson, of the Eastern Counties.
Railway, Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS AND IN
THE MEANS OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS UPON RAILWAYS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 16th February 1854, and dated the 16th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Richardson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th August 1853.
I, GEORGE RICHARDSON, of the Eastern Counties Railway, Shore-
ditch, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
SIGNALS AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS UPON RAILWAYS,
AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to means of indicating to the driver of an
approaching engine or train the existence of obstruction or danger at
}
Sp

page_text: a distance from a station, junction, level crossing, or other point,
guarded by apparatus to be acted upon by the flange of the wheel or
other projection from the locomotive engine or tender or other carriage
of the train, such apparatus acting upon fog, percussion, detonating, or
other explosive material as a signal, or on a bell or gong or other
alarum, to indicate to the driver of such engine or train the existence
of danger or obstruction in advance of him. The said apparatus,
although situate at a distance from a station junction, level crossing, or
other point of obstruction or danger, to be under the controul of the
signal man or other appointed agent to throw it in or out of gear by
means of connecting wires, chains, or cords, or hydraulic or air power.
Also, to causing the setting of a distant signal for indicating danger to
put in position an apparatus to be acted upon by other apparatus
carried by a locomotive engine or tender, or both of them, when passing
on the rails, guarded by such signal set to danger, so that an alarm
as above shall be given, except when the driver, by having duly
regarded such signal, has previously so moved out of the way the
apparatus under his controul as not to permit its contact with the
other apparatus on the line of railway put forth or exposed by the
setting of the signal to danger. Also, to making the distant signals,
guarding the approach of a station or other point guarded, a means of
indicating to a person in charge of a train departing from such station
(or other point guarded) in the direction of such signal that he is to
stop his train. For this purpose I at such time communicate a vibratory
motion to the day signal, or cause a red or other distinguishing coloured
light from the lantern to appear in the direction of meeting such de-
parting train. Also, to the arrangement of the signals and the gates
used therewith for protecting roads crossing lines of railways. The gates
closing the roads and lines alternately are so connected in pairs that
the opening or closing of either gate of each pair of gates shall cause
the simultaneous opening of the gate opposite; and those gates which
form the guides and barriers across the lines are so fixed on axes under
the rails that they may readily be caused to rise up before the road
gates are opened for crossing the line, and be depressed to the hori-
zontal position with proper celerity when the road gates are again

page_text: closed, the signal of danger, and all right, respectively being duly given
at a distance from such crossing by this operation, so that whenever
the gates are elevated the signal shall give its explosive or other loud
alarm as above to any driver who may then heedlessly or otherwise
advance beyond the said danger signal.
S
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Richardson in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 16th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE RICHARDSON, of the Eastern Counties Railway, Shoreditch, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Richardson, Her special
license that I, the said George Richardson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Richardson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the 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, AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING
ACCIDENTS UPON RAILWAYS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Richardson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said George Richardson, do hereby de-
clare 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates, first, to means of indicating to the driver
of an approaching engine or train the existence of obstruction or
danger at a distance from a station, junction, level crossing, or other
point guarded by means of apparatus which is to be acted upon by the
flange of the wheel or other projection from the locomotive engine or
tender or other carriage of the approaching train, such apparatus
acting upon fog, percussion, detonating, or other explosive material as
a signal, or on a bell or gong or other alarum, to indicate to the driver
of such engine or train the existence of danger or obstruction in
advance of him; the said apparatus, although situated at a distance
'from a station, junction, level crossing, or other point of obstruction or
danger, to be under the control of the signal man or other appointed
agent to throw it in or out of gear by means of connecting wires,
chains, or cords, or hydraulic or air power.
Second, to causing the setting of a distant signal for indicating
danger to put in position an apparatus to be acted upon by other
apparatus carried by a locomotive engine or tender, or both of them,
when passing on the rails guarded by such signal set to danger, so
that an alarum, as above, shall be given, except when the driver, by
having duly regarded such signal, has previously so moved out of the
way the apparatus under his control as not to permit its contact with
the other apparatus on the line of railway put forth or exposed by set-
ting of the signal to "danger." Also, to the arrangement of the signals,
and the gates used therewith, for protecting roads crossing lines of
railways. The gates closing the roads and lines alternately are so
connected in pairs that the opening or closing of either gate of each
pair of gates shall cause the simultaneous opening of the gate opposite;
and those gates which form the guides and barriers across the lines
are so fixed on axes under the rails that they may readily be caused to
rise up before the road gates are opened for crossing the line, and be

page_text: depressed to the horizontal position with proper celerity when the road
gates are again closed, the signal of "danger," and "all right," respec-:
tively, being duly given at a distance from such crossing by this operation,.
so that whenever the gates are elevated the signal shall give its explosive
or other loud alarm, as above, to any driver who may then heedlessly:
or otherwise advance beyond the said danger signal. Also, to making.
the distant signals, guarding the approach of a station or other point
guarded, a means of indicating to a person in charge of a train,
departing from such station (or other point guarded), in the direction
of such signal that he is to stop his train. For this purpose, I, at such,
time, communicate a vibratory motion to the day signal, or cause a red
or other distinguishing colored light from the lantern to appear in the
direction of meeting such departing train. For carrying out this part
of the Invention, the lanterns used should have signal indications on
each side thereof, and the operation requisite is the quick and repeated
setting of the signal to danger before a departing train.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, of my Drawings, represents a plan, and
Figure 2, a side elevation of parts of my signal apparatus. A, is a.
signal post, with signal apparatus arranged to be worked by means of
the mechanism contained in the box or. frame D, as herein-after
described. E, is another post, supporting other signal apparatus.
capable of being set to indicate by sound to the engine driver or other
person in charge of a passing train the existence of danger or of any,
obstruction in advance of him. The means of giving off sound which.
I prefer to use consists of a rotating cylinder containing a series of
charges of explosive mixture capable of being discharged by pulling a
trigger, and is in fact part of a rotating pistol which is capable of
giving a partial rotation to the charge cylinder at cach discharge,
so as to bring a fresh chamber into position to be fired. The arrange-
ment of revolving chambers of fire-arms which I use is well known as
that patented by Mr. Robert Adams. h, h, is a sliding bar, which
is capable of being held by a stop rod j, j, and of being released when
danger is to be indicated. The bar h, h, at the point 1, where it rests
(when held by the stop rod j,j, against the upper end of the slot in
that rod), is somewhat hooked, the better to hold on to the bar j, 3, to

page_text: prevent a releasement by any vibration in the ordinary working of the
apparatus by the passing of carriages or trains of carriages. The
bar j, j, is suspended, as shewn, by a pin joint to the lever 1, which
turns upon the centre l', so that when the said lever 1, is raised by the
action of the projection h², upon the tappet k, the bar j, j, as well as
the bar j, is raised, and the parts then take the position indicated
by the Drawing, ready to cause the sounding of the signal E, on the
passing of a carriage or train of carriages, in the following manner.
The bar h, h, is, by means of the chain or wire 2, connected to the
sliding bar 3, which is supported so as to slide in the guides 4, 4, and
is constantly drawn upon by the weights 5. The bar 3, carries a
sliding bolt 6, which, when the apparatus, as shewn by the Drawings,
is set to indicate "danger," will be between the hammer head 7, and the
vertical rod 8. The upper end of this rod rests under one end of the
lever 9, which turns upon the axis 10, and at its lower end there is a
projecting pin which acts against the trigger 11, by which, through the
arrangement referred to of such description of revolving fire-arms, acts
upon the hammer of the fire-arm, at the same time causing it to
discharge the contents of the chamber brought opposite to it. The
hammer 7, is affixed to the axis 12, upon which is also affixed
the lever arm 13, which, when the parts are in the position as
shewn to indicate "danger," is capable of being acted upon by the
wheels of a passing carriage or train of carriages, and of sounding an
alarm, as explained. In order, however, to avoid the repeated sounding
of the alarm by the successive passing of the wheels of a carriage or
train of carriages, the apparatus is capable of fixing itself so as not to
be acted upon by more than the first wheel of such carriage or train
of carriages. This is effected in tlie following manner :--The hammer
head 7, is formed on the lever 14, which, when depressed at its other
end by the depression of the lever arm 13, is caught by projections
formed on the inside of springs 15, shewn in detail at Figure 3, to
prevent the rising of the lever arm 13, for the action thereon of a
second wheel until the apparatus is again set to indicate "all is clear."
In setting the apparatus D, to indicate that the line is clear, the plate
16, affixed to the under side of the sliding bar 3, passes between the

page_text: upper ends of the two springs 15, (one on each side of the lever 14,)
to open them and release the lever 14. When the parts are at rest
so that the ordinary signal indicates "all clear," the parts of the
apparatus E, will be in the position indicated by dotted lines. The
same results as regards effecting an explosion within two or three
yards of a driver's head, should he pass a signal when set to danger
from a station or other point guarded, may be obtained by an apparatus
differing from the above described as to certain parts fixed on the post
E. In the arrangement to which I now allude 16 chambers, or, if
required, twice that number, may be discharged consecutively without
any reloading.
Figure 4, is a front view, and Figure 5, a side or edge view of this
arrangement. A, is a wheel moveable on the axis a³. This wheel is
formed by two exterior iron plates, about a quarter of an inch thick,
enclosing a dise of wood of less diameter, and about one inch and a
half thick; through which wood the plates are firmly connected by
screws or rivets. Near the periphery of the circular plates a series of
short barrels A', A', are inserted transversely as magazines for the
discharge of explosive matter, with nipples m, m; m, for gun caps at
or near their centres. The open ends of the barrels are passed through
appropriate holes in the outer plate, nipple downwards, and screwed
into the further plate by a suitable key until the ends of the barrels are
even with the surface of the inner plate next the post E. The shoulders
at 1, 7, hold the barrels firmly with the nipples in the line of radius from
the centre of the disc, and consequently presenting them fairly under
the hammer C. When in rotation each barrel is elevated to its highest
point. The wheel A, is bushed on to the axis a³, and on the same
bush is fixed the toothed wheel B, so that any amount of rotation of the
one of these wheels will effect a like rotation of the other. The arm of
the lever C, which is to act as a hammer on the gun caps m, m, m, is
fixed on a bush working on the centre j'; on which bush is also fixed
the other arm of this lever c', working in the plane of the toothed
wheel B, on which the bar c', moving in the pin-joint c', so operates as
to cause a motion of the wheel A, sufficient to bring a fresh nipple
under the hammer at o, whenever this hammer is elevated to the catch

page_text: or stay at p. S, is a spring tending to increase the speed and power:
of the descent of the hammer. The discharge from the barrels passęs
through an opening S', formed for that purpose in the post E. D, is
the arm of a lever forming a stay or catch for the end of the lever C,
at p; it is in the same plane as the lever C; but the other arm d',
of this lever rests on the top of the rod 8, herein-before described and
shewn at Figure 2. This arm d', acts as a trigger in releasing the
hammer from the catch at p, whenever the ascent of the rod 8, is
effected by pressure on the treadle lever 13, Figure 2. d², is a catch
to detain the wheels in their proper course round their common axes;
and a small weight I, suspended by a line passing in a groove between.
the two wheels A, and B, ténds to hold the teeth against this catch,
and to indicate by its position and length of line exposed the amount
of charges in reserve, the weight moving upwards as the wheel A,
turns on its centre for each discharge. The setting of this apparatus,.
after being discharged, is effected by the pointsman drawing the chain.
or wire F, which is attached to one end of the bell-crank lever G, and
to a hook on the top of the sliding bar 3. The other end of the bell
crank is connected by a pin-joint to the vertical rod H, which is open
or slotted to allow the wheel A, to pass freely through. It will thus
be seen that by raising the rod H, the lever C, will also be raised, and
the end placed in the notch p, ready for action again. I have shewn
and described a vertical wheel with barrels as chambers for charges
elevated to about the level of a driver's head when passing on a loco-
motive engine; but I do not confine myself to the precise mode of
operation, and so long as the principle is maintained that when a signal
is set to " danger" there may be also an alarm detonating signal set
therewith, whether as fog signals deposited on the rails by arms
projecting from the periphery of horizontal wheels near the level of the
rails, or discharged from vertical wheels at an elevation containing
short barrels or other cells or magazines; but instead of operating as
shewn above on explosive matter, or in conjunction therewith, if
required, the partial revolution of the spindle 12, Figure 2, on setting
the signal to danger, may be made to lift up a piece of wood so as to
form a double inclined plane at such an elevation and such a distance

page_text: from the rail laterally as to range duly in the same plane, and come in
contact with the ends of triggers or levers from the locomotives or
tenders, so as to effect the sounding of steam tell-tale whistles or other
alarum thereon, whenever, through negligence or an obstructed vision,
the drivers may fail to observe the signal at danger. I do not here
claim the parts connected with the whistle or alarum, or the planes
operating thereon; but the means of connecting the motion of these
planes with the action of this danger signal so as to insure a proper
position for a due contact with the triggers to be carried by locomotives
or tenders. In place of using explosive matter to sound an alarm a
bell or a gong may be used; but when a bell or gong is used the spring
catches 15, will be omitted, in order that the successive wheels of a
carriage or train of carriages may act upon the lever arni 13, to pro-
duce repeated vibration to the bell or gong, and the rod 8, will act
upon a clapper movement for the necessary vibrations. In lieu of the
lever 13, there may be an arm projecting upwards at an angle from
the axis 12, so as to be in position to be acted upon by an instrument
projecting from the side of an engine or carriage; which instrument
may be capable of being turned out of the way, by the engine driver or
other person in charge of the passing train duly regarding the signal,
when the alarm will not be sounded. I have described the explosive
signal as being thrown in and out of gear by means of connecting
wires or chains; but it is obvious that the parts of the apparatus in
the box D, may be actuated by hydraulic or by air power, moving a
piston near the sliding bars h, and h, h, and connected thereto by
chains. The piston may be so arranged that when moved it shall
draw the connecting chains, and the bars h, and h, h, in a like manner
and to a like extent as they are shewn to be actuated by the chain and
wire represented. For this purpose, instead of a lever as the power
and wire and chain as the connection, the power is to be obtained by
a small force pump, and the connection is to be made by a tube
extending from the pump to the piston near the box D. Either air or
water may be forced through this tube to act on the piston; but I
much prefer the use of a wheel lever with the wire and chains as
media; and I only mention other means because they are already used
to operate on so me distant signals.

page_text: Sheet 2, of my Drawings represents a plan view of my improved gates
for level crossings. A, A, and B, B, are the two lines of rails, and C, C,
are the gates guarding a crossing on such rails. These gates are caused
simultaneously to open or close, by having upon their axes drums or
pulleys partly around which pass endless chains or bands D, which pass
under the rails so as not to be interfered with by the traffic on the
line. E, E, and F, F, are other gates across the line of rails. The axes
E', E', and F', F', of these gates have pulleys or drums E, F, con-
nected by chains G, H, by which they are connected in pairs for
simultaneous opening; and there are other chains J, J, passing around
the pulleys E, F, in connection with signal apparatus to indicate at a
distance when the gates are open or closed. The axes of these gates E,
and F, lie across but under the line of rails, so that when the gates are
open they are simply lying on the road; when closing the lines of rails
these gates are raised into a vertical position; and when the gates are thus
raised, the signal apparatus is caused to indicate "danger"; but when
the gates are depressed, a weight draws the signal apparatus to indicate
"all clear." These gates may have connected with them the explosive
or other alarm signal such as above described. It is evident from the
arrangement shewn, that, if desired, not only may the gates be connected
in pairs for simultaneous opening, but two or more pairs may be con-
nected in like manner, so that the opening or closing of one gate may
cause the simultaneous opening or closing of all the other gates so con-
nected. Thus in the illustration given, the opening or closing of either
of the gates C, may be caused to open the gates E, and F, suitable
guide pullies being used to guide the connecting chains to the pullies
or drums on the separate axes, which drums or pullies on the axes of
the gates must, when thus connected, be of similar diameter.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not con-
fine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I
have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of my said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and

page_text: therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in S
part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the arrangement and construction of apparatus herein-before
described for the purpose of indicating danger to the person in charge
of an engine or train while such engine or train is in in the act of
passing such apparatus.
Second, the arrangement and construction of apparatus applied to
gates or level crossings, as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of the distant signals, guarding a
station or other point to be guarded, as a means of stopping an engine
or train departing from such point to be guarded in the direction of
such signals, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the working or setting of signals simultaneously with and by
the action of the opening or closing of the gates at level crossings, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Richardson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
GEORGE RICHARDSON. (L.s.)