IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR WARNING THE ENGINE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF ANY OF THE CARRIAGES BECOMING SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE, AND FOR INTER- COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS. GUARDS. AND ENGINE DRIVERS.”
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Whyte, of Northview, Elgin, North
Britain, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MECHANISM FOR WARNING THE ENGINE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF ANY OF
THE CARRIAGES BECOMING SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE, AND FOR INTER-
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS. GUARDS. AND ENGINE DRIVERS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Whyte at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th September 1875.
I, GEORGE WHYTE, of Northview, Elgin, North Britain, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR WARNING THE ENGINE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF
ANY OF THE CARRIAGES BECOMING SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE, AND FOR INTER-
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS," to be
as follows:-
:-

page_text: described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 2722, Oct. 27;
A.D. 1874, I substitute insulated metallic rods and tubes having a ball
and socket or other universal joint, the rods and tubes being maintained
in the straight position by means of springs arranged so as to allow
freedom of motion at the joint when the train is proceeding (though
weights may also be used for the same purpose). These rods and tubes
are placed on the ends of the carriages, one rod and one tube on each
side of the centre line of the carriage, so that when the carriages are
coupled-the rod of one carriage goes into the tube of the other, thus
-forming a double metallic connection between the carriages, the joints
allowing full play to the movements of the carriages, without interfering
with the metallic connection between them. The rod of one end of the
carriage is connected by insulated wire with the tube of the opposite
end, and the rod and tube of the engine or tender is connected with an
electric bell and battery, and the rod on the guard's van with an electric
bell.
.
For a third metallic way..for the train I make use of the rails; there
is a battery in the van, which is connected to the electric bell, and
through the wheels of the van to the rails; there is also on the van a
switch for the purpose of completing the circuit in connection with the
bell and battery in the engine.
On the engine there is another switch (if thought necessary), for the
purpose of completing the circuit in connection with the bell in the
guard's van, making use of one of the metallic ways formed by the rods
and tubes, and using the rail for the other through the wheels of the
engine and guard's van. There are also cords or other means in
connection with contact makers, which complete the circuits in con-
necțion with the electric bell, passing into the various carriages, for the
purpose of communicating with the guard or engine driver, or both, as
may be desired, making use of two or three of the metallic ways for the

page_text: sponding tube or third conductor above mentioned. When the train
is made up the tube in passing over the rod breaks the contact with
the spring. The tubes should be wide at the mouth or bell shaped,
so as to easily allow the rod to enter, the whole arrangement being
automatic.
sponding tube or third conductor above mentioned. When the train
is made up the tube in passing over the rod breaks the contact with
the spring. The tubes should be wide at the mouth or bell shaped,
so as to easily allow the rod to enter, the whole arrangement being
automatic.
The three metallic ways may be differently arranged so as to produce
the same effects.
The various switches in connection with the different carriages should
have some simple indicator or detector to shew from which carriage the
electric bell had been rung.
For preventing the ringing of electric bell by vibration of the engine
I turn the hammer of the bell round, covering the whole with the boll,
and making the hammer strike upwards on the inside of the bell, the
hammer being jointed to the keeper; also I make use of the electro-
magnet of the electric bell to couple in the local battery or other
battery, so as to maintain the ringing of the bell. This is effected by
making use of the keeper of the electric bell to strike the spring, which
lies on an insulated rest into the catch, and so completes the circuit
through the spring in connection with the battery through the binding
screws, and also through the electric bell (being first rung by means of
a battery) through the binding screws; thus, the electric bell will go on
ringing until specially stopped by the engine driver; it may be stopped
by simply pressing on the spring by means of a button suitably placed
to depress it, when the spring goes back to its insulated rest.
25 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Whyte in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th March 1876.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WHYTE, of Nortlíview, Elgin, North Britain, Doctor of Medicine, send
0 greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the

page_text: thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Whyte, Her special
licence that I; the said George Whyte, my executors, 'administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Whyte, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no 5
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 "IMPROVED―
MECHANISM FOR WARNING THE ENGINE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF ANY OF THE ]
CARRIAGES BECOMING SEPARATED From the Engine, and FOR INTERCOMMUNICATION
BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, Guards, AND ENGINE DRIVERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Whyte, 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 George Whyte, do hereby declare a
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 in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say -
The nature and novelty of my said Invention consist mainly in the
substitution of insulated metallic rods and tubes, having a ball and
socket or other equivalent compensating or universal joint at the ends of
the carriages instead of the serics of insulated clastic metal conductors,
such as are described in the Specification of the Letters Patent granted
to me, No. 2722,.and-dated-28th October, A.D. 1874, the rods and tubes
being maintained in the straight position by means of springs arranged_
_so:as-to-allow-freedom-of-motion at the joint when the train-is-pro-
deeding (though weights may also be used for the same purpose). These
rods and tubes are placed on the ends of the carriages, ono rod and one
tube "rights and lefts" on each side of the centre line of the carriage,
so that when the carriages are coupled the rod of one carriage enters
the tube of the other, thus forming a double metallic connection between.
2

page_text: the carriages, the joints allowing free play to suit the movements and
inequalities of position and level of the carriages without interfering
with the metallic connection between them. The rod of one end of the
carriage is connected by insulated or covered wire with the tube of the
opposite end, and the rod and tube of the engine or tender is connected
with an electric bell and battery, and the rod on the guard's van with an
electric bell or bell and battery. For a third metallic way or conductors
for the train I make use of the rails. There is battery in the van,
which is connected to the electric bell, and through the wheels of the
van to the rails. There is also on the van a switch for the purpose of
completing the circuit in connection with the bell and battery in the
engine.
On the engine there may be.another switch (if thought necessary) for
the purpose of completing the circuit in connection with the bell in the
guard's van, making use of one of the metallic ways formed by the rods
and tubes, and using the rail for the other through the wheels of the
engine and guard's van. There are also cords or other means in con-
nection with contact makers, which complete the circuits in connection
with the electric bell, passing into the various carriages for the purpose
of communicating with the guard or engine driver, or both, as may de
desired, making use of two or three of the metallic ways for the
purpose.
As a substitute for the rail a third metallic conductor may be used,
and if so, should be placed in the centre line of the ends of the carriages,
and made either of elastic metal or a double rod and tube, so as to fit
into or come in contact with a corresponding conductor in the end of the
carriage next to it.
For warning the engine driver when the carriages become separated,
a spring is attached to one of the rods, making contact in the corre-
sponding tube or third conductor above mentioned. When the train is.
made up the tube in passing over the rod breaks the contact with the
spring. The tubes should be wide at the mouth, or bell shaped, so as to
easily allow the rod to enter, the whole arrangement being automatic.
The three metallic ways may be differently arranged so as to produce
the same effects.
t
>
:

page_text: have some simple indicator or detector to show from which carriage the
electric bell has been rung.
To prevent the ringing of the electric bells by the vibration of the
engine or vans of the train I turn the hammer of the bell round
(covering the whole with the bell) so as to make the hammer strike
upwards on the inside of the bell, the hammer being jointed to the
keeper otherwise in a usual manner. I also make use of the electro-
magnet of the electric bell to couple in the local battery or other
-battery-so-as-to-maintain-the-ringing-of-the-bell. This-is-effected-by-
making use of the keeper of the electric bell to strike a spring which
lies on an insulated rest into a metallic catch, and so completes the
circuit through the spring in connection with the battery through
binding screws, and also through the coil magnet of the electric bell
(which is first rung by means of battery) through the binding screws ;
thus, the electric bell will go on ringing until specially stopped by the
guard or engine driver; it may be stopped by simply pressing on the
spring by means of a button suitably placed to depress it, when the
spring goes back to its insulated rest.
And in order that my said Invention, and the mode of performing it
may be fully understood, I now proceed to describe the several Figures
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended
for the purpose of showing the best modes and means I am at present
aware of for carrying the same into effect or practice, the same reference
letters and numerals indicating the same or like parts in all the Figures
where shown:
Figure 1 shows a plan or horizontal diagram to a small scale of a
short train of carriages, consisting of a locomotive engine and tender A,
•front van B, two passenger carriages C, C, and a rear luggage or guard's
van D, all fitted with one modification or construction and arrangement
of my new or improved electric telegraph mechanism and connections
for signalling on railway trains; Figure 2 is a plan of one modification
-or-construction-of-the-new-or-improved-metallic connections.or-mechanism=
fitted-at-the-ends-of-the-carriages-for-automatically effecting the electro-
metallic connection of these, and of the signals or alarms throughout
the train between the engine driver. and guard, or between them and the
passengers; and Figure 3 is a front view of the improved alarm bell
shown as removed; and only indicated in red lines.

page_text: -
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 (and especially to the latter, which is
drawn to a large scale, to show the mode and details of construction
more clearly), the new or improved metallic conductors between the
carriages consist of a rod E and tube E', E", the former with a ball or
projecting and sliding joint head E² at the point, and the latter with a
wide trumpet-shaped or bell-mouthed tube or socket end E", into which
the head Es slides to insure metallic contact when secured, on the
right and left at equal distances off the centre line of the coupling
hooks and chains, indicated by the dotted line z --z, to the end
beam Z of each carriage, preferably having the back end E³ of each
passed through a hole in the front end F of a close, round, or square
box F¹ firmly screwed or otherwise secured to the end frame Z, and so
as to oscillate freely in the said front end F made of wood or other
equivalent to insulate the stems E³ of these rods and tubes, which are
kept in their straight position by a broad or flat conoidal or helical
spring F on each secured at its base to the inner end F* of the box, and
at the other end to the wood or other insulated collar F³ at the top or
end E³, the rods being counterbalanced by the weight G secured to this
end with an insulating washer of vulcanite or other equivalent G³, and is
free to move within the box F¹ to suit the different positions of the front
ends E, E, caused by turning curves, or by different heights or levels
of the ends of the carriages, and yet insure the proper contact and
working of the head and socket joints E³, E"; made smooth and kept
clean at their bearing parts. These metallic rods or bars E and
socket E¹, E", are in this case formed in two parts e, e¹, as seen in the
two transverse sections, Figures 2 A, 2 B, taken on the lines X and Y in
Figure 2 with a space e¹¹ between them through the centre cither verti-
cally or horizontally, and secured by strong wood or other insulating
central stems e¹¹¹ at their rear ends E³, thus forming each two complete
metallic lines of electric conductors insulated from each other throughout
the train when all are closed or coupled up, and connected by their
respective insulating coated wires 1, 2, and 3, 4, as seen in Figure 1;
each wire 1, 2, 3, and 4, through each carriage being joined to the respec-
tive sections e, e, and e', e¹, preferably at the end flange E³ behind the
sustaining springs F", but these wires might be attached to any other
convenient parts of the sections e, e¹, of the rods and sockets E, E¹, E";
but they might each be divided into four or more parts, as shown in the
two transverse sections, Figure 2 C, 2 D, (otherwise analogous to
Figures 2A and 2B,) giving eight or other corresponding number of

page_text: separate electric conductors, lines, or ways e, e¹; and when not divided
at all they would only form a conductor each, but a third or other extra
conductor and current could be got through a line of the rails and the
wheels and metallic axles and their boxes. A small oscillating spring e³
is fitted to oscillate on one of the parts e of each duplex bar E, so that
as it enters a socket E¹ the tail of the spring is depressed, which raises
its front end off a contact point es on the end of the part e of the bar E,
so as to automatically break contact therewith, and vice versa make
-contact when the head E³ is withdrawn from a socket E" by the
separating of the carriages from any reason or accidental cause, as by 1
the breaking of a coupling hook or chain, which would separate the
train when the electric circuit would be, closed or completed to the
engine or guard's van at the front and back ends of the train, or to
both, so as to ring the alarm bell H with one of any of the electric or
galvanic batteries as I or I' usually employed placed and connected 1
thereto for the purpose of alarming or drawing the engine driver's or
guard's attention to what is wrong, as more particularly shown at A. and
D, Figure 1, but when desired there might be a bell H or a bell and
battery H, I, in the front van B also.
'
Referring to Figure 3 as to the construction of the alarm bell
apparatus, and the improvements connected therewith, a is the coil
magnet; a', the wire from the one end of the coil connected to the
screw 6 of one of the main line conducting wires 2, the other screw 6¹
of the line or wire 1 being connected through the keeper or arbor a* by
its carrying bracket and spring c, and through the back pressing spring c¹ 2
to the other end a¹¹ of the wire of the coil magnet. The keeper or
arbor a* is linked to the hammer c¹¹ of the bell H, carried on the centre.
spindle h, projecting from the frame H¹ carrying the whole, so that the
bell covers in all the working parts preferably placed vertically, so the
that hammer strikes the bell H upwards from the inside to effectually 8
-prevent-the-ringing of the bell by the shaking of the engine or van.
carrying it, all so far much the same as in ordinary alarm trembling
The main line wire 1 is attached to one end of the battery I, while
the wire 1¹ at the other end of the battery is attached to the screw 6¹, 8
completing the connection of the two lines of insulated metallic
circuits 1 and 2 through the battery I and bell H on the engine A from

page_text: end to end of the train, and which if closed at any point throughout the
train by the separation of any of the carriages and consequent closing
of the circuit by one of the springs e² as before stated, or by the closing
of it by a switch for the purpose in the guard's van D, the bell H would
alarm and call the attention of the engine driver at any time the guard
wished; or otherwise, each carriage may be fitted with such a closing
switch, and have a cord, wire, or other equivalent 'led into each com-
partment with a drawing handle or turning, and pushing knob, which
would close the circuit to the engine A or to the guard's van D (or
both), and ring the trembling bell to warn the engine driver or guard;
and the same action of the handle or knob may be made to push out or
turn up a red signal, so that the guard or driver would at once see the
compartment from which the alarm was given.
In addition to the main line battery I on the engine A a local
battery I might also be fitted and connected to the trembling alarm
bell H' in the guard's van D to ensure the ringing of that bell when
first rung by the main line battery I through the closing of the circuit
between the engine and guard's van or between the latter and any of
the carriages which are fitted with switches for that purpose through
the line of wires or circuits (indicated by the letters 2 and 3) attached
to the screws 6¹ and 6 of the bell, shown in the guard's van D, and in
Figure 3. This local battery I' is connected by one of its wires 2¹ to the
screw b¹, and the other 3' to the extra screw i connected by the wire i¹
to the new or improved make and break current contact spring 2",
having the engaging and disconnecting light spring secured to the
bracket connected to the other screw 6 of the bell coil a by the wire *,
all so that the first stroke of the hammer and closing of the keeper a*
strikes the contact spring off the insulating rest 2 on the spring
in front of the rest so as to complete the
circuit through the local battery I' through the wires 1, 2, and 3¹, 2',
into the metallic catch
and
and bell coil and striking mechanism, and ensure the constant ringing
of the bell until the spring ¹¹ is pressed down by a finger knob or other
equivalent acting on it, as at *, which would allow the point of the
contact spring to resume its position on the insulating rest
break the circuit through the local battery I'.
or contact maker in the guard's van is made to close the circuit 1 and 2
the bell. H on the engine will ring, and when the contact maker on the
Thus when the switch

page_text: engine is made to close the circuit on the lines 2, 3, the bell in the
guard's van will ring.
Although a bell H has not been shown on the front van B, one might
be fitted there also, either with or without a local battery I', as shown in
the rear van D, and coupled up to any of the metallic circuits found
desirable.
The other metallic circuits, as 3 and 4, or 1 and 3 and 1 and 4, and
the permanent rails and way when-that-is-used-as-a-metallic-circuit,-
might all be used for telegraphing or message purposes or intercom-
munication between the guard and engine driver if fitted with contact
makers and signal apparatus on the engine and on the guard's van for
that purpose when found desirable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein
described, neither on the other hand do I desire to claim the whole of
the parts by themselves of mechanism or apparatus for intercommuni-
cation between passengers, guards, and engine drivers on railways, as
many of these parts have heretofore been used; but what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. The general construction and arrangement of mechanism for
effecting intercommunication in railway trains between passengers,
guards, and engine drivers, and for warning the driver when any of the
carriages become separated from the train, all substantially as hercin
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction and arrangement of the parts of rods and
tubes E, E¹, E", whether made in one; two, or more sections e, e', and their
connections with the ends of railway carriages for automatically engaging
_and_disengaging and making and breaking metallic contact in one,
two, three, four, or-more-clectric.circuits throughout railway trains or
carriages, all substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The new or improved arrangement of automatic spring contact
11
B
Janal hatta Tl h.. th. 1.
"

page_text: alarm bells on the engine or guard's van in railway trains, all sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 1
and 8 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Whyte, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.