Improvements in or relating to Railway Signalling and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Railway Signalling and the like.
We, WILFRID SWANWICK BOULT, of 60 Castle Street, Electrical Engineer,
nd CEDRIC RANDAL BOULT, of 62 Dale Street, Merchant, both of Liverpool,
n the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
ollows:-
This invention belongs to the class in which stationary magnets act on keepers
We will describe its
or armatures carried by passing vehicles or vice versa.
application to the ringing of a bell on a locomotive engine or a carriage; but by
means of suitable subsidiary appliances or gearing it may be arranged to actuate
other signals, such as a whistle or a semaphore, or to apply the brakes, or shut off
steam, or reverse the engine, or do other work as required.
In order that when the engine to be signalled is running fast sufficient time may
be allowed while under the influence of the stationary magnet for the movement of
the apparatus on the engine, we prefer to construct the magnet with elongated
pole-pieces in the form of bars or rails of any suitable section set parallel with
the metals of the permanent way, and connected together by a number of
transverse magnets spaced along their length. It is not essential, though preferable,
that the bars should be continuous throughout their length each transverse magnet
might carry independent pole-pieces.
:
It will be seen that, in the manner here indicated, any required length of magnetic
field may be obtained. One of the permanent way metals may be used instead of
an independent pole-piece.
The armature carried by the engine and bridging across the pole-pieces may
partially embrace each pole-piece, leaving a sufficient clearance in all directions to
prevent actual contact through swaying of the engine. It may be so mounted on
the engine that it may be lifted or withdrawn into a better protected position when
its use is not required.
The method of obtaining movement of the bell-hammer, &c., that we prefer is to
have a gap in the armature, bridged by an iron tongue, which we call the striking-
tongue, hinged to one side of the gap and normally kept away from the other side
by springs or weights.
When the armature enters the magnetic field of the stationary magnet, the
striking-tongue is at once pulled across the gap, and if the bell-hammer is carried
by it, this movement causes a direct blow on the bell gong or withdraws the hammer
so as to strike when the tongue is released, according to the construction adopted.
A convenient arrangement is to enclose the gong and striking gear in a box
(having non-magnetic sides and top) of which the armature and striking-tongue
form the bottom. A sound-tube may lead from the bell-box to a convenient position
above.
Instead of ringing a bell, the striking tongue may be made to open or close a
local electric circuit, or may govern or actuate any suitable apparatus whatever.
The gap and striking-tongue or equivalent may be placed either in the travelling
armature, as above described, or in the stationary part of the magnetic circuit. In
the latter case it may be used for actuating signals, &c., on the roadside or in the
signal cabin or elsewhere; and it may be desirable to have a series of tongues
5 spaced along the length of the pole-pieces; or a single stationary magnet with
short pole-pieces may be used, and the travelling armature on the engine be in the
form of a long plate, bar, or equivalent, so as to maintain magnetization in a single

page_text: striking-tongue for a sufficient time to cause movement without necessitating the
use of an unduly powerful magnet.
The bell apparatus above described is specially suitable as a fog signal, and may
be applied for this purpose to both the engine and the guard's van of a train. In
this case the transverse magnets together forming the stationary magnet may with
advantage be electro-magnets, energized when the contiguous road-side signal is at
"danger," and not when it is at "line-clear." This is conveniently arranged by
some part of the signal gear actuating a switch in the magnet-coil circuit.
If permanent magnets are used it will be necessary to employ some means of
short-circuiting or neutralizing the magnetic flux when the travelling armature is
not to be excited. This may be effected in a variety of ways, such as rotating
alternate magnets till they are connected the reverse way with the pole-pieces, with
which and the unmoved magnets they then form closed magnetic circuits; or
introducing short-circuiting bars of soft iron; or the magnets may all be rotated or
bodily withdrawn clear of at least one of the pole-pieces. The method we prefer
is to form the magnets of tubular or equivalent cross section and permanently
connect them to the pole-pieces, leaving the ends of the tubes open, and through
these to introduce soft iron cores for the purpose of demagnetizing the pole-pieces.
Springs or weighted levers may if required be arranged to approximately counteract
the varying magnetic pull on the movable cores, magnets, &c.
Another way of utilizing the magnetic pull between the stationary magnet and
travelling armature, or the reverse, is for closing an electric circuit part of which
is stationary and part carried by the train. For instance, the armature on the
engine may be flexible, say in the form of an iron wire brush, and act as part of the
electric circuit, the magnet pole-piece being the terminal of the stationary part of
the circuit; or a magnetized steel wire brush may be used to rub on iron contact-
plates.
Numerous modifications of detail may be made in the application of this
invention.
To enable a passing train or engine to set a roadside signal at danger so as to
block the section of road on which the train is travelling we prefer to make use of
the following arrangement.
The setting of the roadside signal at "line clear," is done by hand from the
signal cabin in the usual way and the action of our apparatus is simply to release a
trip or catch and allow the signal to fall to danger by its own weight or otherwise.
To effect this we attach the striking-tongue to the stationary part of our magnetic
gear and arrange for it to actuate an electric switch of any suitable construction
so that, as a train passes, the circuit is closed and an electro-magnet in or near the
signal-cabin is energized. The electro-magnet then lifts a catch by which the
signal-wire is held and thus allows the signal to fall to " danger." The "catch"
may be part of the usual gripping apparatus used to allow for temperature
variations in length of wire or a separate device as preferred. As the signal falls
to dauger it opens the switch to which it is suitably connected and sets the striking-
tongue ready for the next train when the signal has been again set by hand at line
clear.
Dated this Ninth day of September 1902

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Railway Signalling and the like.
We, WILFRID SWANWICK BOULT of 60 Castle Street Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Electrical Engineer, and CEDRIC RANDAL BOULT of
62 Dale Street Liverpool, aforesaid, Merchant, 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 belongs to the class in which stationary magnets act on keepers
We will describe its
or armatures carried by passing vehicles or vice versa.
application to the ringing of a bell on a locomotive engine or a carriage; but by
means of suitable subsidiary appliances or gearing it may be arranged to actuate
other signals, such as a whistle or a semaphore, or to apply the brakes, or shut off
steam, or reverse the engine, or do other work as required.
In order that when the engine to be signalled is running fast sufficient time may
be allowed while under the influence of the stationary magnet for the movement of
the apparatus on the engine, we prefer to construct the magnet with elongated
pole-pieces in the form of bars or rails of any suitable section set parallel with the
metals of the permanent way, and connected together by a number of transverse
magnets spaced along their length. It is not essential, though preferable, that the
bars should be continuous throughout their length; each transverse magnet might
carry independent pole-pieces. It will be seen that, in the manner here indicated,
any required length of magnetic field may be obtained. One of the permanent
way metals may be used instead of an independent pole-piece.
The armature carried by the engine and bridging across the pole-pieces may
partially embrace each pole-piece, leaving a sufficient clearance in all directions to
prevent actual contact through swaying of the engine. It may be so mounted on
the engine that it may be lifted or withdrawn into a better protected position when
its use is not required
The method of obtaining movement of the bell-hammer, etc., that we prefer, is
to have a gap in the armature, bridged by an iron tongue which we call the
striking-tongue hinged to one side of the gap and normally kept away from the
other side by springs or weights.
When the armature enters the magnetic field of the stationary magnet, the
striking-tongue is at once pulled across the gap, and if the bell-hammer is carried
by it, this movement causes a direct blow on the bell gong or withdraws the
hammer so as to strike when the tongue is released, according to the construction
adopted.
A convenient arrangement is to enclose the gong and striking gear in a box
(having non-magnetic sides and top) of which the armature and striking-tongue
form the bottom. A sound-tube may lead from the bell box to a convenient
position above.
Instead of ringing a bell, the striking-tongue may be made to open or close a
local electric circuit or may govern or actuate any suitable apparatus whatever.
The gap and striking-tongue or equivalent may be placed either in the travelling
armature, as above described, or in the stationary part of the magnetic circuit. In
the latter case it may be used for actuating signals etc., on the road-side or in the
signal cabin or elsewhere; and it may be desirable to have a series of tongues
spaced along the length of the pole-pieces; or a single stationary magnet with
short pole-pieces may be used, and the travelling armature on the engine be in the
form of a long plate, bar or equivalent, so as to maintain magnetization in a single
striking-tongue for a sufficient time to cause movement without necessitating the
O use of an unduly powerful magnet.
The hell apparatus above described is specially suitable as a fog signal, and may
be applied for this purpose to both the engine and the guard's van of a train. In

page_text: 66
this case the transverse magnets together forming the stationary magnet may with
advantage be electro-maguets, energized when the contiguous road-side signal is at
danger," and not when it is at "line clear." This is conveniently arranged by
some part of the signal gear actuating a switch in the magnet-coil circuit. If
permanent magnets are used it will be necessary to employ some means of short-
circuiting or neutralizing the magnetic flux when the travelling armature is not to
be excited. This may be effected in a variety of ways, such as rotating alternate
magnets till they are connected the reverse way with the pole-pieces with which
and the unmoved magnets they then form closed magnetic circuits; or introducing
short-circuiting bars of soft iron; or the magnets may all be rotated or bodily
withdrawn clear of at least one of the polc-pieces. The method we prefer is to
form the magnets of tubular or equivalent cross section and permanently connect
them to the pole-pieces, leaving the ends of the tubes open, and through these to
introduce soft iron cores for the purpose of demagnetizing the pole-pieces. Springs
or weighted levers may if required be arranged to approximately counteract the
varying inagnetic pull on the movable cores, magnets, etc.
Another way of utilizing the magnetic pull between the stationary magnet and
travelling armature, or the reverse, is for closing an electric circuit part of which
is stationary and part carried by the train. For instance, the armature on the
engine may be flexible, say, in the form of an iron wire brush, and act as part of
the electric circuit, the magnet pole-piece being the terminal of the stationary part
of the circuit; or a magnetized steel wire brush may be used to rub on iron
contact-plates.
Numerous modifications of detail may be made in the application of this
invention.
To enable a passing train or engine to set a road-side signal to danger so as to
block the section of road on which the train is travelling we prefer to make use of
the following arrangement.
The setting of the roadside signal at "line clear" is done by hand from the
signal cabin in the usual way and the action of our apparatus is simply to release
a trip or catch and allow the signal to fall to danger by its own weight or otherwise.
To effect this we attach the striking-tongue to the stationary part of our magnetic
gear and arrange for it to actuate an electric switch of any suitable construction
so that as a train passes the circuit is closed and an electro-magnet in or near the
signal-cabin is energized. The electro-magnet then lifts a catch by which the
signal-wire is held and thus allows the signal to move to "danger." The "catch"
may be part of the usual gripping apparatus used to allow for temperature
variations in length of wire or a separate device as preferred. As the signal moves
to danger it opens the switch to which it is suitably connected and sets the
striking-tongue ready for the next train when the signal has been again set by
hand at line clear.
Without binding ourselves to the exact details of construction set forth in the
accompanying drawings we present these as indicating, one manner in which the
invention may be successfully carried out.
Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus.
Figure 2 an end view,
Figure 3 a side view of the rails.
Figure 4 a sectional view of one magnet and core,
Figure 5 a section of the armature and tongue, and
Figure 6 an enlarged view of the armature in a modified form.
Figure 7 shows a movable magnet.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
A are the pole plates of the magnets made in the form of curved rails as shown
in the side view Figure 3. B are the magnets made in the form of tubes, Figure 4,
and provided with soft iron cores C which can be inserted or withdrawn by
the hollow or other rods D operated from the semaphore-arm mechanism so that
the soft iron cores move with the semaphore-arm. In Figures 1 and 2 the

page_text: "
semaphore-arm would be at "danger so the soft iron cores are withdrawn.
leaving the magnets to operate when the train comes by; on the other hand, if
the signal were at "line clear" the soft iron cores would all be inserted
neutralizing or demagnetizing the magnets and preventing the operation of
the signal upon the engine. As shown in Figures 1 to 3 each magnet B is.
connected by a suitable plate B₁ with the pole-plates A supported in any
convenient manner say upon the wooden beams E the magnets and their
connections being thus sufficiently insulated. For this purpose also the guide
tubes B of the iron cores are made of gun metal so that when the cores are
withdrawn a complete break is made between them and the magnets.
The armature F is made of a bent bar the ends F of which project over the
pole plates A and are adapted to approach as nearly to them as can safely_be-
done allowance being made for the swaying of the engine while running. The
armature F is made in two pieces with a break or opening F' between them
adapted to be closed by the tongue G pivotted at G' to one side of the armature.
The tongue G carries an arm and hammer G adapted to strike the gong H when
the tongue under the influence of the magnetic current is drawn down so as to rest
upon or nearly approach the second portion of the armature F thus giving an
audible signal. If desired also a sound tube G³ may extend from the box or
casing G in which the gong and tongue are situated to the cab or other convenient
part of the engine. The box or casing G is preferably made of brass or other
equivalent non-magnetic material, the bottom of the box being formed by the
armature and the tongue. The hammer G' is sufficiently heavy to overbalance the
tongue G and consequently under normal conditions it rests in the position shown
in Figure 5 with the tongue raised; upon the passage of the engine over the
magnet or pole-plates A the tongue is attracted to the armature and assumes the
position shown in dotted lines either absolutely touching the armature with its free
end or, if so constructed, stopping just short of actual contact. The pulling down.
of the tongue causes the hammer G to strike the gong and produce the sound the
magnetic influence overcoming the overbalance of the hammer which, when
the engine leaves the pole-plates re-asserts itself and pulls up the tongue into the
position shown in full lines in Figure 5. If desired either in addition to or instead
of the weight G a spring G' may be employed.
In Figure 7 the magnet B is shown of horse-shoe shape, pivotted at B³ and.
connected with the moving parts of the semaphore mechanism so that when the
apparatus is operated and the signal to be given the position shown in full lines in
Figure 7 is assumed with the arms of the horse-shoe respectively under the pole
plates A.
When a signal is not to be given the magnets take the position shown
in dotted lines, being moved entirely away from the pole-pieces A.
In Figure 6 a modified arrangement of the tongue G is shown; in this case it is
pivotted at G¹ between the two ends of the armature and is provided with the
contact faces G (as above explained however these faces need not absolutely
touch the armature). This tongue as in the former case may carry the bell-
hammer and may be weighted or spring-controlled and may also have a stop to.
regulate its movement as required.
Although we have herein described the armature bars F as not making contact
with the pole plates A, which arrangement is preferable owing to the swaying and
jolting of the engine it will be understood that if the armature ends F¹ are made
elastic or yielding or are provided with suitable yielding devices actual contact
between F and G may be made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. For transmitting force between the ground or other stationary body, and a
moving train or body the employment of one or more permanent or electro-
magnets on the one body bridged across by a divided armature with movable

page_text: '
tongue or contact-maker on the other body substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for transmitting force between the ground or other stationary
body and a moving train or body the combination with armature bars such as F
with a gap between of a tongue such as G substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for transmitting force between the ground or other stationary
body and a moving train or body the combination with an armature such as
described in the last preceding claim of one or more magnets on the ground for
exciting such compound armature.
4. For transmitting force between the ground or other stationary body and a
moving train or body a series of magnets and a contact-maker or the like
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The employment of magnetized contact plates for obtaining good electrical
contact between an insulated conductor on the ground or other stationary body and
one on a moving train or body substantially as described.
6. In apparatus for transmitting force between the ground or other stationary
body and a moving train or body the combination with a divided armature such as F
of a combined tongue or contact-maker and bell-hammer substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In apparatus for transmitting force between the ground or other stationary
body and a moving train or body the combination with a divided armature such as F
of a tongue or contact-maker audible signal device and sound box substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
8. In apparatus for transmitting force between the ground or other stationary
body and a moving train or body the employment in combination with a permanent
magnet in the form of a tube of a movable soft iron core adapted to be inserted
into the magnet for the purpose of neutralizing its magnetic force when no signal
is to be given substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of June 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.