Warning Surfacemen of Approaching Trains.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Warning Surfacemen of Approaching Trains.
I, BENJAMIN Cook, residing at No. 4, Garthland Street, Paisley, Scotland,
Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To warn surfacemen or others repairing the permanent way of the danger of
approaching trains, and to prevent the loss of lives on railways, or wherever
applied. The invention consists of an electric battery with bell, and an apparatus
which can be fixed with screws to the railway sleepers, close to the rail on the
inside of the line, or fastened to a piece of wood inserted under the rail adjoining
or near the sleeper, so that the flanges of the locomotive wheels, carriages, or other
vehicles passing over the line at the point where the apparatus is fixed come in
contact with it, and gives the surfacemen or others the alarm at any distance from
the point where the wheels pass over the apparatus. The apparatus is screwed
with thumb or other screws to the sleeper close to the rail, and can be placed in
position or removed in a moment or two's time. The apparatus consists of an iron
stand and top plate in which are bored 4 holes, one at each corner, and of two
uprights which reach from the sleeper to about the surface of the rail. About the
middle of each of the uprights are attached two strong spiral springs, supported by
an iron rod through the springs, so that, if necessary, the uprights in the centre
yield if pressure is brought to bear upon them.
On an iron plate of the same size as the top plate of the stand, in both of which
4 holes are bored near the corners, is solutioned a piece of india rubber, or other
material about " thick, of the same length and breadth as the iron plate, but with
the corners considerably cut away. On the top of this piece of india rubber or
other material, is solutioned a thin copper plate of the same length and breadth,
but with the corners considerably cut away, and in the centre of which at one of
the ends it projects about of an inch, on which projection a binding screw is
attached, or in which a hole is simply made.
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On a similar copper plate with projection at the opposite end to that of the
other is solutioned a piece of india rubber or other material, of the same dimensions
as the other, which is also solutioned to an iron plate of the same dimensions as the
other iron plate, near to the corners of which are rivitted 4 small iron rods, with
eyes at the ends. Round these iron rods are placed spiral springs, and the rods led
through the holes in the other iron plate and stand, and fastened through the eyes
with iron pins, but the iron rods and springs are free from the india rubber or
other material, and copper plates. The two copper plates are thereby kept
separate at a sufficient distance from each other. This forms the top con-
struction of the apparatus over which the train passes, and when the flanges of
each of the wheels come in contact therewith, press the two copper plates together.
From each of the two projections in the copper plates is led a copper wire to the
battery, or a single double wire attached to both projections. These wires are
also attached to a bell, which rings continuously while the flanges of the wheels
are passing over the apparatus, and pressing the two copper plates together, thereby
giving the surfacemen warning of the approaching train. The battery and bell are
placed alongside the surfacemen at any distance from the point where the apparatus
is attached to the railway sleeper. The copper wires are on a coil or bobbin with
a catch at the end, which tightens the wires or connections, so that the wires may
be lengthened at pleasure, and the battery and bell shifted further along the line
as the surfacemen proceed, if necessary, without interfering with, or removing the
apparatus. Iron stakes with insulated, or porous earthenware eyes, are driven into
the ground at considerable distances from each other, from the apparatus to the

page_text: battery, to keep the wires off the earth. It is also known that the connection
would be equally suitable by stationary wires laid along the line.
Dated this the 30th day of September 1892.
BENJAMIN COOK.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Warning Surfacemen of Approaching Trains.
BENJAMIN COOK, 4 Garthland Street, Paisley, Scotland, Clerk, 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:-
This invention is to warn surfacemen or others repairing the permanent way of
the danger of approaching trains, and to prevent the loss of lives on railways, or
wherever applied. The invention consists of an electric battery with bell, and an
apparatus which can be fixed with a wooden or steel wedge to the rail marked R
on the inside of the line, as shown and marked A in the accompanying drawings,
or can be made extended to be fastened with thumb or other screws from railway
sleeper to sleeper, so that the flanges of the locomotive wheels, carriages, or other
vehicles passing over the line at the point where the apparatus marked A is fixed,
come in contact with it, and gives the surfacemen or others wherever applied the
alarm at any distance from the point where the wheels pass over the apparatus.
The apparatus marked A is fixed with a wooden or steel wedge marked B to the
rail marked R and can be placed in position, or removed in a moment or two's
notice. The apparatus marked A consists of an iron stand marked A and top
plate marked C in which are bored four holes, one at each corner, and of two
uprights marked D which reach to about the surface of the rail marked R. The
uprights are in two portions, made to slide up and down, and supported on the
outer sides by the frame work marked A which is led under and fastened to the rail
marked R in the manner described. About the middle of each of the uprights
are attached two strong spiral springs marked E, supported by an iron rod
marked F through the springs, so that, if necessary, the uprights marked D in the
centre yeild if pressure is brought to bear upon them, as shown in the drawings
herewith. These iron rods marked F are steadied by guides marked G in the top
portion of the uprights marked D.
On an iron plate marked H of the same size as the top plate marked C of the
stand, in both of which four holes are bored near the corners, is solutioned a piece
of india rubber marked I or other material about thick, of the same length and
breadth as the iron plate marked H, but with the corners considerably cut away.
On the top of this piece of india rubber marked I or other material, is solutioned
a thin copper plate marked J of the same length and breadth, but also with the
corners considerably cut away, and in the centre of which at one of the ends it
projects, on which projection a binding screw is attached, or in which a hole is
simply made, to admit of the connecting wire marked P which is led under the rail
marked R to the outside of the railway line to the battery.
On a similar copper plate marked K, with projection at the opposite end to that
of the other, is solutioned a piece of india rubber marked L or other material, of
the same dimensions as the former, which is also solutioned to an iron plate
marked M of the same dimensions as the other iron plate marked H near to the
corners of which are rivitted four small iron rods marked N with eyes at the ends.
Round these iron rods marked N are placed spiral springs marked O and the rods
led through the holes in the other iron plate marked H and top plate C of the
stand marked A, and fastened through the eyes with iron pins, but the iron rods
marked N and springs marked O are free from the india rubber marked I and L
or other material, and copper plates marked J and K. The two copper plates
marked J and K are thereby kept separate at a sufficient distance from each other.

page_text: This forms the top construction of the apparatus marked A over which the train
passes, and when the flanges of each of the wheels come in contact therewith, press
the two copper plates together marked J and K. From each of the two pro-
jections in the copper plates marked J and K is led a copper wire marked P to the
battery, or a single double wire, attached to both projections. These wires are
also attached to a bell, which rings continuously while the flanges of the wheels
are passing over the apparatus marked A and pressing the two copper plates
together marked J and K thereby giving the surfacemen or others warning of the
approaching train. The battery and bell are placed alongside the surfacemen or
others at any distance from the point where the apparatus marked A is attached
to the rail marked R. The copper wire marked P, or wires, are on a coil or
bobbin with a catch at the end, which tighten the wires or connection, so that the
wires may be lengthened at pleasure, and the battery and bell shifted further along
the line as the surfacemen proceed-if necessary, provided the invention be applied
in this purpose, without interfering with or removing the apparatus marked A.
Iron stakes with insulated or porous earthenware eyes, are driven into the ground
at considerable distances from each other, from the apparatus marked A to the
battery, to keep the wires or connection off the earth. It is also known that the
connection would be equally suitable by stationary wires laid along the line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The apparatus marked A to be attached to the rail marked R.
BENJAMIN COOK.