IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY SIGNALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Mackellar Gooch, of Bolton-le-
Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY SIGNALS, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
Sealed the 7th February 1853, and dated the 6th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Mac-
kellar Gooch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 6th December 1852.
I, FREDERICK MACKELLAR GOOCH, of Bolton le Moors, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY
SIGNALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING RAILWAY
SIGNALS," to be as follows: -
To one of the axle boxes of the engine or tender, I attach a box
having a hollow pillar carrying a lamp on the top in a vertical
position, supported at the upper end from the body of the engine

page_text: or tender in any convenient manner. Within this pillar is a move-
able rod, attached to a sliding bar working within the box, and
furnished at the lower end with an anti-friction roller. To the top
of the rod and within the lamp is attached a slide, working between
the light and the outer glass of the lamp, and bored in three places,
two of the said places being fitted with glasses, one red and the
other
green, the third being vacant. The slide is of such a length
that, when down to its lowest point, the solid part of the slide is
interposed between the light and the outer glass of the lamp, thereby
rendering it dark. The outer glass of the lamp is turned towards
the engine driver, so that any appearance of light of whatever colour
is immediately seen by the engine driver.
The action on the sliding parts is given as follows: - At those
parts of the line where the ordinary semaphore posts are placed
(or at any other convenient part of the line) an inclined rail is
laid parallel to the line of rails; the said rail being set so as to
coincide with the anti-friction roller attached to the slide within the
box, which in passing along the inclined rail becomes raised, thereby
altering the position of the slide within the lamp, so as to cause
either the red, green, or plain light to appear on the outer glass.
The inclination of the rail can be set to the required angle by means
of an elbow lever actuated by the wire now employed for working
the semaphore arms, or in any other convenient way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Frederick Mackellar Gooch in the 2
Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FREDERICK MACKELLAR GOOCH, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
3

page_text: teenth year of Iler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Mackellar Gooch, Her
special licence that I, the said Frederick Mackellar Gooch, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Frederick Mackellar Gooch, my executors, adininistrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF RAILWAY SIGNALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Frederick Mackellar Gooch, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what inammer 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 Frederick Mackellar Gooch,
do hereby declare the nature of any said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to
say):
My Invention consists in an improved combination of parts,
forming a railway signal, which is attached to the locomotive engine
or tender, and in an improved combination of machinery for
actuating railway signals attached to engines, tenders, or other
railway carriages; and in order that my Invention may be fully
understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe
the means pursued by me, reference being had to the annexed Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.

page_text: is a plan view of the machinery for working the signal; and Figure 3,
is an end elevation of Figure 1. In these views a, a, are the rails
supported by chairs and sleepers in the usual manner; b, b, arc
inclined rails lying parallel to the rails a, a; the inclines b, are fixed
upon the fulcrum shaft c, which is represented as passing through
the rails a, but which may in some cases be placed under the rails
and supported by the sleepers. The inclines b, are supported at the
other end by friction bowls bearing on the cams d, fixed to the
shaft c, on which shaft is also fixed the elbow lever f. This lever is
caused to vibrate, and thereby to move the cams d, partly round by
the wire p, one end of which is attached to the leverf, and the other
end is attached to a lever similar to those generally employed in
working the semaphore or other signals. In order to facilitate the
working of the machinery, the elbow lever f, is furnished with a
counterpoise f¹, and the inclines b, with the weights b¹, fitting on
the levers 62. The signal is in this instance attached to the tender,
but it may be attached to the locomotive or to the guard's carriage;
it consists of a lamp g, fixed to the upper end of a hollow upright
h, the lower part of which forms the box i. This box is screwed
to the bracket, which is bolted to the axle box of the tender,
consequently the lamp remains at all times equidistant from the
rails, notwithstanding the working of the springs by which the
tender is supported. The upper part of the upright h, is supported
in the ball socket l. The lamp g, is furnished with a slide m, shewn
by dotted lines in Figs. 1, and 3, containing two colored glasses,
and the slide is fixed to the upper end of the rod n, passing through
the hollow upright h, the lower end of which rod is flattened and
furnished with an antifriction roller o. A sliding bush /¹, is fitted
on the upper end of the upright h, and a key passing through the
bush, and through the rod n, is guided by two slots in the
upright ; the object of this sliding bush will be explained hereafter.
The mode of operation is as follows: When the front wheel of the
tunder to which my improved signal is attached, and which is sup-
posed to be moving in the direction of the arrow, arrives at the place
indicated by a dotted circle in Figure 1, the antifriction roller o,

page_text: comes in contact with the inclined rail b; the slide m, which is now
in its lowest position, shades the light of the lamp g, but during the
progress of the tender over the rail b, the antifriction roller o, rod n,
and the slide m, attached to it, are clevated so as to bring the green
glass in the slide in a line with the lamp; consequently the engine
driver is aware that he has arrived near the station or other part
of the line where the caution signal is required. If the incline 6,
instead of being in the position shewn in Figure 1, is elevated to a
greater angle, as shewn by the dotted line above it, the antifriction
roller o, in passing along the incline b, will be raised so as to bring
the red light or danger signal in a line with the lamp. The light
being thrown towards the engine driver, it is evident that the signal
is instantaneously communicated to him, however dark or foggy it
may be at the time. After the train has passed the inclined rail
6, the engine driver by pressing on the sliding bush ¹, lowers the
slide m, so that the light of the lamp may be covered, and so that
the antifriction roller o, may be in the proper position for again
cominunicating the required signal when the train arrives near the
next station, or wherever the next incline b, may be laid. I wish
to remark here that I have shewn two inclines b, in order that the
signals may be communicated when the tender is placed before or
behind the engine: one incline is sufficient, if the engine and tender
are always in the same relative positions. The above described
improved signal may be used in addition to, or instead of, the
ordinary seinaphore or other signal; and when used in connection
with the semaphore or other signal, the same wire p, and lever
actuated by the signal man, may be employed for communicating
motion to the lever f, and to the semaphore or other signal. The
inclines b, may also be used to actuate a steam whistle or other
signal attached to the locomotive or other carriage.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not claim any of the parts referred to taken separately,
but I do claim as of my Invention the improved combination of
parts herein-before shewn and described, forming a railway signal,

page_text: and the machinery or apparatus for working the same or other
signals used on railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Mackellar Gooch, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
FREDERICK MACKELLAR GOOCH. (L.S.)