A NEW APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONVEYING SIGNALS OR TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS
Year: 1841

page_text: . TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WIGSTON, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eighth day of February, in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William:
Wigston, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and 'authority, that I,
the said William Wigston, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as
I, the said William Wigston, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no other, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,.
and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "A NEW APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONVEYING SIGNALS OR
TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, that I, the said William Wigston, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part.
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said:
William Wigston, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, of a new.
apparatus for the purpose of conveying signals or telegraphic communications,:

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of an apparatus suitable for conveying
signals from one station to another on a line of railway, and Fig. 2 is a side
elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation, in which part of the
framing and machinery is' removed for the purpose of more conveniently.
explaining the interior 'construction: . In these Figures, A and B represent two
double cylinders; air-tight, and of a peculiar construction, as will be better
understood by reference to the sections Fig. 4. In this section it will be seen
that the interior cylinder of both is of a smaller diameter; sotas: to allow of its
being moved perpendicularly within the lexterior cylinder," to wbich fit is: con-
nected by a circular tube or belt, as indicated by the: red line in tlii's Figure.
In constructing this belt or tube; I prefer cloth formed with india-rubber or
caoutchouc, but leather or any .elastic air-tight-medium may, be substituted:
One extremity of this tubo or belt is firmly attached round the /top: of 'the
exterior cylinder, and the other round the bottom of the interior; so that
the latter acts as a solid piston inits: perpendicular traverse, the-elastic tube
rolling over and assuming the position indicated by the tred lines, while any.
air contained in the exterior cylinder is expelled. or admitted at the tube g.
Both cylinders are closed at the bottonii and the exterior cylinder is a little
enlarged in the upper part for the reception of the rolling cloth or leather:
when the interior is elevated, "as seen in the Drawing at Figs 4: The interior
cylinders are counterbalanced by the-weights Q, and attached to the rods a
and b, both of which are elbowed or bent at the upper end, so as to intersect
and support the central shafts on which the signals C. and D.are placed, as
seen at Figs. 1 and 3, where the small shaft carrying the signal-C will `be
seen to pass through the centre of the shaft which supports the signal D.
Both these centre shafts are provided with an army carrying the small pulliės c
and. d, which 'respectively move in' grooves or guides, the form of which is best:

page_text: seen at Fig. 3, where the oblique or diagonal part constitutes one-fourth of a
circle; of which the central shafts forms the centre. The position of the signals
C and D,. therefore; depend on the position of the small pullies or bowls c and
d, the elevation or depression of which revolve them one quarter of a revolution
at each traverse.. Between the cylinders A and B is placed the perpendicular
shaft E, provided with a cross head e, e, see Figs. 1 and 3, and. connected with
the lever F.at the lower extremity, while the counterweight G gives it a
constant tendency to rise. The cross head e, e, intersects the two rods a and
by which are provided, with rings or sliding pieces f,f, supported on spiral
springs, which proceed to the bottom of the interior cylinders of the parts A
and B, as best seen in section at Fig. 4. Fig. 5 represents an arrangement
of levers as applied to a line of rails for the purpose of imparting motion to
the apparatus:above described, and conveying signals or telegraphic com-
munications of the approach or advance of a train of carriages. In this
Figure H, H, represents. the line of rail, and h, h, levers,, moving on their
fulcrums h¹; h¹,.and resting on the levers I, which also moves on its fulcrum i,
and.is.supported in like manner on the lever F, already described. So that,
supposing the ends of the levers h, h, to stand a little above the surface of the
rail H, H, a small depression by the carriage wheel as it passes will cause a
considerable. depression in the lever: F; and the perpendicular rod E; with
which it.is.connected.
In applying this.apparatus to railways, I propose to place, one at regular
intervals.along the line, and to connect them by means of the pipes or tubes g,
the cylinder B in Fig. 3. being connected to cylinder A in Fig. 1; and the cylin-
der Bin Fig. 1 being connected to cylinder A at the succeeding station. 'The'
apparatus must then be so,adjusted that each part of the cylinders, so connected,
shall contain sufficient. air to support the one in an elevated position; as seen at.
B, in Fig. 3; while the other is depressed, as seen at A, Fig: 1. If Fig. 3
represent one. station, and Fig.1 another with which it is connected, we will
suppose 'a, carriage to pass Fig. 3 in the direction of Fig. 1, and to depress the
series of levers seen at Fig. 5; by this depression, the shaft E and cross head
e, e, will also descend, and carrying down the ring f on the shaft b, compress:
the spiral spring, which rests on the interior cylinder of the part B, and. expell
the air, which, passing forward by the tube .g,.elevates the opposite. cylinder A
at Eig. 1, which traversing the shaft ȧ, revolves the signal C one quarter (pre-
senting its edge to. the line), and conveys a signal of the trains approach, at the
same time that the signal D at Fig. 3.is. also. placed with its edge to.the line
by the depression of the shaft b, ás already explained. But no sooner has the
train arrived at the station, where.: Fig. 1.is placed, than it depresses the

page_text: internal cylinder A, replaces the signal C with its face to the line, and forces,
the air back to the cylinder B at Fig. 3, which is again elevated, and the
signal D placed as before; thus, the approach of the train is known at Fig. 1
as soon as it passes Fig. 3, and the progress of the train is known at Fig. 8 as
soon as it passes Fig. 1, while the cylinder B, Fig. 3, and A,. Fig. 1, are left
in a position to record the approach and progress of the succeeding train; but
should a train stop, or any accident occur between the stations Fig. 8 and
Fig. 1, the position of the signal D, Fig. 3, which remains with its edge to the
line, will warn any succeeding train that there is danger in the road, requiring.
the driver to slacken his speed; and this warning I make more obvious, by
placing a concave reflector at the back of the signal D, which is always out of.
sight of the engine driver except when danger is in the road. In addition to
the notice indicated by the position of the signals C and D, the apparatus at
each station is provided with a bell kc, see Figs. 1 and 2, which rings by means
of a series of pegs placed on the disk L, which strike against a small projection
on the shaft 7, to which the bell is suspended, as best seen at Fig. 2. The
disk L is revolved by the rack M, which is connected with the shaft a, and
partakes of its upward movement when the train is passing the previous
station. The rack M is kept in gear by a small spring m, and a similar
spring n arrests the rotation of the wheel L, when the rack is forced out of
gear, as it occasionally is, by the projection or tappet O coming in contact with
the friction roller P, for the purpose of allowing both internal cylinders A and
B to be moved down, without interfering with or ringing the bell k. The
tappet O is supported on the shaft N, connected to the internal cylinder B, and
partakes of its motion, so that the bell k does not only ring at the advanced
station when the trains are proceeding in regular succession, but the bell at the
station which the train is passing will also ring, by the depression of the
interior A cylinder, if the preceding train has not passed the next signal station
and elevated the interior B cylinder to force the rack M out of gear at the
station which the latter train is passing; so that the signals indicated by the
position of C and D are also indicated by the sound of the bell k, which
should never ring at the station when a train is passing except when the
preceding train is between it and the next station.
At the back of the cylinders A and B is placed the cylinder R, which is of
the same construction, only inverted, so that the moving or interior cylinder is
connected by the rod r to the lower extremity of the lever F; the object of
this cylinder R is to hold down or prevent the rising of the interior cylinder A
and B when depressed by the lever F, and allow time for the air to pass
forward to the connected cylinders A and B at the next station. To effect

page_text: :
this, a valve opening inward is placed on the exterior R cylinder at S,.
see Fig. 2, through which the air rushes as soon as the interior cylinder R
is depressed by the action of the lever F, and all the three cylinders A, B, and..
R are held down, and only allowed to rise gradually as the air from the
cylinder Rescapes through a small tap, the opening of which can be adjusted so
as to give time for the air from the cylinders A and B to proceed through the
pipes g to the adjoining stations, as already explained. T represents a small
lever, the longer end of which is elevated by the rise of the cross head e, e,
when at the end of its upward traverse, by which means the reverse end:
presses and opens the valve S, through which the air escapes, and allows the,
counterwights Q and G to rise the lever F, and place the apparatus in the.
position seen in Fig. 1, 2, and 3, ready for the next train which may pass the
station. In conveying signals from station to station by this apparatus, it will.
be observed that no compression of air is required, or is the air employed
allowed to escape from the connected cylinders A and B, to which it belongs;.
and as regards any variations of volume which may take place from varied
temperature, the perpendicular portion of the guide, in which the pullies c and d
are placed, allow ample space for a varied elevation of the interior cylinders.
B and A, in which the air is contained. The means of conveying motion from:
any passing train to the apparatus may also be varied from the mode described,.
by allowing the rail itself to fall a little by the pressure of the carriage, or by.
a projection from the carriage arranged to press against the lever F, similar to
the wheel as already described; but these variations will all depend on the
nature of the apparatus and the purpose to which it is to be applied. For.
though, I have explained this apparatus as applicable to railways as the most.
obvious way of shewing its utility, it is applicable to various other purposes,
some of which I shall hereafter allude to.
Fig. 6 represents a side view, and Fig. 7 a front view, of one modification.
of the former apparatus, in which the connexion between one station and
another by the tube or pipe 9 (as already described) is obviated, and it is only
by the position of the signal D, or the sound or silence of the bell k, that the,
transit or position of the preceding train, when applied to a railway, is in-
dicated. In this apparatus the cylinders A and B are dispensed with, and the..
nature of the remaining parts will be sufficiently seen by the figures of reference,.
the main variation being in the rack M, which is connected with the part E,
and is vibrated in or out of gear by a stud moving in the guide t, t. Supposing,
therefore, a train to pass one of these stationary apparatus, and depress the
lever F and parts E and r, the cylinders R will be filled with air, and the.
signal D turned with its edge to the rail, but the rack M being out of gear,.

page_text: the bell remains silent; but as soon as the train has passed, and the escape. of
air from the cylinder R allows the rack M (which is then held in gear by the
form of the guide t, t, to rise gradually, the bell continues to ring for a
period of time dependent on the escape of the air, and as soon as the stud in
the guide-t, t, arrives at the top it falls out of gear and descends, until the next
train passes, without ringing the bell, as before; but: should. a second train
arrive before the stud which guides the rack M has arrived at the top of the
guide t-t, the bell will be ringing, and the signal M will be with. its edge.to
the rail, indicating that a train has only just-passed, while the action of the
passing train will increase the ringing, by running the rack. down to its
lowest point, from which it will again rise and continue to ring 'till. all the air
has escaped from the cylinder R., and thus warn the train that it is close upon
the preceding one.
A third modification of-my-apparatus, for conveying signals or telegraphic"
communications, is represented in sido and front elevation at Figs. 8 and 9,
which consists of a smaller apparatus, similar to those already described; but
instead of using air to communicate motion to the B-cylinder at a distant:
station; as -represented at Figs. 10 and 11,' I 'use-water or other: non-elastic
liquid, so that the rod a; which is joined to the interior or moving cylinder,"
being adjusted-by-the hand to any position on the adjoining scale, see Fig. 9,
will record the same at the distant station on the scale of the cylinder B; see
Figs. 10 and 1-1, which represent side and front view of this apparatus-placed.
in-an-inverted position. In operating with this modification of my apparatus,
the first thing is to rise the rod a orb (according to the direction in which the
signal is to be. conveyed,) which coming in contact with a small lever, seen at
Figs. 9 and 11, rings the bell. k at the opposite stations, and calls the
attention of the attendant, and at whatever part of the scale the pointer of the
handle V is placed at one station, the same will be conveyed to. the other
pointer at the other station; both scales being marked alike, the signal will be
repeated To guard against the risk of frost, I propose using naptha in the
communicating' tube g; but as this liquid would decompose the elastic tube by
which the interior and exterior-cylinders A and B are connected; when formed
of caoutchouc or india-rubber, I. fill the cylinders A and B with mercury,
which-when-forced-out for the purpose of conveying a signal. is received into
an adjoining vessel, as shewn in. dotted lines at X, Figs. 9 and 11. The
connecting pipe G in this case is placed at the top of the vessel. X, so that the
naptha-always rests-on-the-surface of the mercury, and free of the caoutchouc
or india-rubber tube, which is thus protected. In this apparatus, when water,'
naptha, or other ponderous medium is used, it is desirable to balance or keep.

page_text: the two internal cylinder: A and B at the distant stations as much at equi-
librium as possible, which when they are level or nearly of an equal altitude
will be the case; but when one station is-materially elevated above the other,
the liquid will naturally have a tendency to run to the lowest, and act on the
internal cylinder when no signal is to be conveyed. To obviate this, and
procure an equilibrium under such circumstances, I fill the space above the
elastic tube of the cylinders A and B at the apparatus placed at the lowest
station with mercury, and thus balance the superior column caused by the
elevation of the higher station. It is also desirable to attach the handles V
to the rod a and b, by means of a set screw, to allow of an occasional
adjustment.
Fig. 12 represents a further combination of the last-described apparatus, by
which I am enabled to convey figures or words delineated at one station to a
similar apparatus placed at another. In this apparatus, the two cylinders A and
B are placed at a right angle to each other, the V. handle of the perpendicular
traverse of the cylinders A carrying a pencil at ; and the horizontal traverse
of the cylinders B. carrying a board-z, which is moved by means of the: handle
U; the pencil at y is pressed to the board by means of a small spring, and
it is obvious that the combined' motions of the handles Vand U will trace a
figure, letter, or word on the board which is conveyed, as already explained,
to a similar board z at the distant station. In constructing apparatus of this
nature the joints of the tubes and other parts are of the greatest importance,
and, as far as my present experience enables me to judge, I prefer lead piping
and soldered joints with cylinders, as described at A and B, of malable zinc ;
and although I have removed the framing in the Figures shewn in the Draw-
ings for the purpose of shewing the construction of the
apparatus, I propose
covering the whole, so as to preserve the parts, and present merely an
ornamental column; but those and other details must be varied, according to
the purpose for which apparatus is to be used, and the position in which it
has to be placed.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, together with the
manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into effect, I wish
it to be understood that I not only claim the combination of parts of which my
new apparatus is composed, as already described, but I claim more par-
ticularly the construction and arrangement of the cylinders A and B, as
already described, for the purpose of conveying signals or telegraphic
communications, together with such modifications of the same, as herein set
forth and described. And such Invention being, to the best of my know-

page_text: ledge and belief, new, and never before used in this kingdom, I deliver this as
a true and faithful Specification of the same..
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wigston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.