IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND PASSENGER SIGNALS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Proffitt, of 58, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Land Agent and Surveyor, for the Inven-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Proffitt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd December 1864.
I, JOHN WILLIAM PROFFITT, of 58, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Land Agent and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND PASSENGER
SIGNALS," to be as follows:-
These improvements in railway carriage and passenger signals have for
their object a ready means for communicating with the guard, engine driver,
or signal men along the line in the event of danger in any compartment of
the carriages, enabling the passengers by merely pulling a wire, cord, bar, or
other means at once to expose the danger signal, in which case the train can
be stopped or the guard can go to the carriage where such signal is exposed.
The guard's break or van can also have the same attached so that he may
communicate with the driver or signal station.

page_text: The apparatus is fixed on an enclosed frame or table sufficiently high to
receive the lamp placed and fitted on the top of each carriage; on the top of
said frame or table is fixed, by means of springs, hinges, or other convenient
means for raising the same, a day or tunnel signal, to which is attached a
suitable lamp; this signal when lowered is kept in position by a catch or
other suitable mechanism, an aperture is left for the lamp to enter the
enclosed frame or table so as to be kept out of view when not required; to this
catch is attached one or more pulleys or cranks according to the number of
compartments of the carriage so arranged that by introducing in the carriages
a wire rope or bar of iron the said bar can be made of any other suitable
metal or material running along and fitted in each compartment, and so fixed
to the apparatus that by pulling the rope or pressing on the bar the signal
with the lamp will instantly be released and spring up and show to the guard
or engine driver in which carriage the danger exists. The same signal can be
fixed to the guard's carriage or break van so that he may signal if required to
any passing train or signal station. To prevent the signal being wrongfully
used, a rose or other ornament can be attached to the top of the pull in the
inside of the carriage so as to fall when the signal is released, or an indicator
or indicators can be attached on the roof of the carriage on each side and over
each compartment that will rise when the signal is released by the pull
inside, and so attached by springs, catches, and other convenient means that
the same pull that releases the signal will release the indicators, and which
being on the top of the carriage cannot be replaced in their position by the
passsngers.
The signal I prefer is of a balf circle made of wood, iron, or any other
suitable metal or material, and perforated; it can, if required, be made of any
convenient shape or form; the same can be coloured as required and the lamp
suspended from under the top of said signal, or the lamp, if preferred, may be
fixed on the top of the carriage frame or table, or within the frame or table
enclosed in a case containing a spiral spring, so that should it not be required
for the day it may be kept fast by suitable means, and for night or tunnel
signal the cover may be taken off, and being kept in position by the half
circular or other shaped day signal would immediately on the day signal being
freed, spring up and show the night or tunnel signal. A counterweight can
be attached to the signal so that on the signal being released the weight would
strike a gong or the hammer attached to a gong, the gong being placed
in any suitable position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John William Proffitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM PROFFITT, of 58, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Land Agent and Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John William Proffitt, Her special licence that I, the said John
William Proffitt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John William Proffitt, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND PASSENGER SIGNALS," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said John William Proffitt, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 I, the said John William Proffitt, 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 :-
These improvements in railway carriage and passenger signals have for
their object a ready means for communicating with the guard, engine driver,
or signal men along the line in the event of danger in any compartment of
the carriages, thereby enabling the passengers by merely pulling or pressing
on a bar or other means at once to expose the danger signal, in which case
the train can be stopped or the guard can go to the carriage where such
signal is exposed. The guard's break or van can also have the same attached
so that he may communicate with the driver or signal station.
The signal apparatus is fixed on an enclosed frame or table placed on the
top of each carriage, and of sufficient height to receive the lamp placed and

page_text: fitted on the top of each apparatus, which apparatus is connected to the said
frame or table by means of springs, hinges, or other convenient means for
raising the same. The said lamp can be used as a tunnel or night signal, this
signal when lowered on to or in the frame or table is kept in position by a
catch or other suitable mechanism. An aperture is left for the lamp to enter
'the enclosed frame or table so as to be kept out of view when not required; to
this catch is attached one or more pulleys or cranks according to the number
of compartments of the carriages, so arranged that by introducing in the
carriages a wire attached to such cranks or pulleys in connection with the bar
of iron or other suitable metal or material, and so fixed to the signal apparatus
that by pressing on the bar the signal with the lamp will instantly be released
and spring up and show to the guard or engine driver the carriage in which
the danger exists. The same signal can be fixed to the guard's carriage or
break van so that he may signal if required to any passing train or signal
station. To prevent the signal from being wrongfully used, a rose or other
ornament can be attached to the top of the pull over the bar in the inside of
each compartment of the carriage so as to fall when the signal is released, or
an arm or arms (indicators) can be attached on the roof of the carriage on
each side and over each compartment by independent springs and wires from
the signal fitted in each compartment, that will rise when the signal is released
by the pull inside being attached by springs, catches, or other convenient
means to each bar, that the same pull that releases the signal will release the
arms, and which being on the top of the carriage cannot be replaced in their
former position by the passengers, thus showing in which compartment the
signal was given.
The signal I prefer is of a half circle made of wood, iron, or any other
suitable metal or material and perforated if desired; it can, if required, be
made of any other convenient shape or form and may be coloured and the
lamp suspended from under the top of said signal, or the lamp, if preferred,
may be fixed on the top of the carriage or within the frame or table enclosed
in a case containing a spiral spring, so that should it not be required for the
day it may be kept fast by suitable means, and for night or tunnel signal the
cover may be taken off and being kept in position by the half circular or other
shaped day signal would immediately on the day signal being freed spring
up and show the night or tunnel signal. A counterweight can be attached to
the signal so that on its being released the weight would strike a gong, or the
hammer attached to a gong, such gong being placed in any suitable position.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I will
--

page_text: observe in conclusion that I do not restrict myself to the precise details, as
many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the main
features of my Invention, but what I consider novel and original is, the ready
means of allowing passengers to signal in case of danger to the guard or
engine driver by a signal placed on the top of each carriage with or without a
lamp, gong, or arms (indicators), and also to. enable the guard or engine
driver to signal to railway stations or passing trains.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Proffitt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
J. W. PROFFITT.
(L.S.)