CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BY SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1855

page_text: by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Cranston Foster at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th April
1855.
I, CRANSTON FOSTER, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BY SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
To
every locomotive engine employed upon a line of railway I propose to
attach a dark lantern or lamp, but furnished with colored glasses or lights, to be
opened or made visible as occasion may require, and representing safety, danger,
or other signals. The lamp is to be operated upon as hereafter described.
In communicating signals from a station to the engineer or "driver" of any
advancing engine, I employ (placed at a proper distance from the station)
moveable inclined planes or treddles placed abreast or side by side (the number
or set being the same as the different colors of the lamp). These treddles are
worked from the station by a winch handle and drum, round which a con-
necting wire passes. Beneath the treddles may be placed either weighted levers
or excentrics on a shaft, or any other mechanical equivalent, which, when the
connecting wire is tightened at the station, that treddle should be elevated

page_text: which would communicate the desired signal to the "driver." This is effected
by the signal lamp of the engine being furnished with doors or flaps, always
kept closed by a weighted catch or chick, when no communication is necessary
between the station and the driver. The lamp is also provided with vertical
sliding rods, carrying small runners or bowls at their lower extremity. What-
ever signal may be desired to be communicated to the driver, the corresponding
treddle must be elevated from the station; the runner of the vertical rod
passing over and in contact with the elevated treddle causes the rise of the
vertical bar, releases the flap or door of the signal lamp, which springs open,
and the requisite signal is at once presented to the close view of the driver.
By a similar arrangement of treddles, placed at convenient distances, and con-
necting wires ranging the whole or any length of the line of railway, I am
enabled to communicate a signal of danger back a considerable distance, so as
to avoid collision or being "run into," should an accident occur to train or
engine at any part of the line. This is effected by causing the driver to carry
with him a small apparatus so constructed as to be capable of being firmly
secured to the rail, and being furnished with a winch and pulley. Round this
pulley a rope or wire runs, which, being secured to the connecting wire of the
treddle, the engineer or driver by turning the winch tightens the wire, and thus
causing the elevation of the treddle; the danger signal is at once communicated
to the driver of any advancing engine, as before described. At level or other
crossings where gates are employed, by attaching the connecting wire of the
treddles to the gates, the gates may be made a self-acting signal, and the
engineer informed at a considerable distance from them whether they are open
or closed, thus effecting great security to the traffic. In all cases of the danger
signal being shewn, the steam may be shut off, and the whistle applied by the
same apparatus, actuated by passing over the raised treddles or traps, as
aforesaid.