IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS & APPARATUS FOR WORKING SEMAPHORE AND OTHER SIGNALS, ALSO FOG SIONALS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edward Tallent, of Norman Terrace,
Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS & APPARATUS FOR WORKING
Sealed the 12th January 1872, and dated the 13th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edward Tallent
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th July 1871.
I, THOMAS EDWARD TALLENT, of Norman Terrace, Dulwich Road,
Herne Hill, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
WORKING SEMAPHORE AND OTHER SIGNALS, ALSO FOG SIONALS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of certain additional parts

page_text: the action of the arm of the signal post to be in conformity with the
lever, and also to ensure the laying of a fog signal on the metals.
The apparatus consists of a pair of clamps, one of which is fixed on
the lever, the other loose on the lever but attached to the trigger rod
of the lever, and is so positioned as to take hold of the chain, which is
made fast to the end of the line leading to the signal post, and consc-
quently to the arm by the usual means. The chain is carried round a
wheel, fixed in a convenient position for such purpose, to which is
attached a weight, which is the means of keeping a tight line between
signal post and lever. One of the clamps is fixed on the lever, the
other or loose clamp is actuated by the trigger rod, which release the
lever so as to allow the lever to be worked. Each clamp is provided
with a lug or projection, which upon the clamps being closed grips
the chain.
Another part of the apparatus consists of a quadrant, upon which
rests the loose clamp. This quadrant is sunk at one end so to allow the
loose clamp to drop into when the lever is in its normal position, so as
to release the grip upon the chain, and thus to allow of expansion or
contraction freely taking place. When the lever is pulled over in the
frame the grip upon the chain is maintained by the loose clamp being
raised out of the sunken part of the quadrant on to the high part of the
quadrant upon which the loose clamp travels, and thus the grip upon
the chain is maintained during the time the lever is required to be pulled
over.
The other part of the apparatus for laying the fog signal and worked
by the lever herein-before described, consists of a casting placed on the
sleeper at the end of the chain, which casting is provided with a slide
which carries the fog signal and puts it on the metals. The slide is
worked by a crank arm, attached to the slide, there is a pall or catch
that drops in behind the fog signal when in its proper position on the
metals, and which drives the explosed case out of the slide on its return
for another fog signal. The fog signals are contained in a case or box
situated on the casting above the slide, which case is made to revolve
when a certain number of fog signals have been exploded. The case
containing a certain number in so many columns, so many in each
column.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Edward Tallent in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
EDWARD TALLENT, of Norman Terrace, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, in
the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Edward Tallent, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas
Tallent, executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Edward
Tallent, my executors, administrators, 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,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING SEMAPHORE AND OTHER
SIGNALS, ALSO FOG SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Edward Tallent, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Edward Tallent, do hereby
declare 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 :-
This Invention relates to the construction of certain additional parts
to be applied to the levers of locking and other frames so as to ensure
that the action of the arm of the signal post shall be in conformity with
that of the lever, and also to ensure the laying of a fog signals on the
metals.
The apparatus consists of a pair of clamps, one of which is fixed on.
the lever the other loose on the lever but attached to the triggon ved

page_text: so positioned as to take hold of the chain which is made fast to the end
of the wire leading to the signal post, and consequently to the arm,
by the usual means. The end of the chain is carried round a wheel
fixed in a convenient position for such purpose, to which is attached a
weight which is the means of keeping a tight wire between signal post
and lever. One of the clamps is fixed on the lever and the other or loose
clamp is actuated by the trigger handle which release the lever so as
to allow the lever to be worked. Each clamp is provided with a lug
or projection which upon being closed grips the chain.
Another part of the apparatus consists of a quadiant upon which rests
the loose clamp. This quadiant is sunk at one end so as to allow the
loose clamp to drop into when the lever is in its normal position, so as
to release the grip on the chain and thus to allow of expansion or
contraction freely taking place. When the lever is pulled over in the
frame the grip upon the chain is maintained by the loose clamp being
raised out of the sunken part of the quadiant on to the high part
of the quadiant upon which it travels, and thus the grip upon the
chain is maintained during the time the lever is required to be pulled
over.
The other part of the apparatus for laying the fog signals, and worked
by the lever herein-before described, consists of a casting placed on the
sleeper at the end of the chair, which casting is provided with a slide
The slide is
which carrics the fog signal and puts it on the metal.
worked by a crank arm, attached to the slide, there is a pall or catch
that drops in behind the fog signal when in its proper place or position
on the metals, and which drives the exploded case out of the slide on
its return for another fog signal. The fog signals are contained in a
casc or box situated on the top of the slide which case is made to
revolve when a certain number of fog signals have been exploded.
The case containing a certain number in so many columns, so many in a
column.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the lever with the clamps on them.
Fig. 1 showing the clamp open, Fig. 2 closed; Fig. 3 is an end
elevation with the clamps shewn in the correspondings positions as in
Fig. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of the fog signal box with the top or
cover removed shewing the opnings to receive the fog signals and the
connection to the crank arm for working the slide; Fig. 5 is a sectional

page_text: elevation of the fog signal box with the cover on; Fig. 6 is a plan of the
slide; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a is the lever; the trigger rod; c, the clamp
made fast upon the lever; d, the loose clamp worked by e the pin in
the trigger rod b. The pin e works in a slot in the loose clamp d so as
to allow the trigger rod b to fall into the keep on the top of the frame in
the usual way when the lever a is pulled over. g is the quadrant sunk
at one end to allow the loose clamp d to fall into, so as to release the
grip upon the chain / when the lever is in its normal position; i, i, are
two wheels which carry the chain placed on cach side of the lever
in any convenient position. The one to lead off to the runing wire,
the other to lead off for a counterbalance. The levers are all shown
as broken, being made of various lengths, but usually termating at
onc common centre k; is a lug or projection covering a portion
of the quadrant g to prevent the quadrant or lever getting out of
place. The quadrant is shewn without fixings, being sometimes made
fast to the woodwork of the house, or when in a frame to any con-
venient part of the ironwork; m is the wire runing in the usual fixings
to the crank arm of the fog signal box, Fig. 4, 5; n is the crank
arm attached by the connecting rod o to the slide p, by which means
the slide is worked; q is the chambers to hold the fog signals 1; 12
is the spring which presses upon the fog signals q 1, and puts them
through the opening in the bottom of the case into the recess in the
slide p1 ready to be placed upon the rail r; s is the cover of the box
cramped down by means of a plate, a bolt, and nut; t is a pin fixed in
the bottom of the case u, upon which the box turns by means of the
spring 1; is the projections on the covers placed between the fog
signals 1 and the spring q 2, which as the box turns comes into contact
with the stop w which prevents the box moving again until all the
fog signals 1 contained in the chamber have been delivered on to the
rail 1.
When the last fog signal has been pushed out the projection v is
allowed to pass through the opening in the stop at x, when the box
is made to turn until the projection of the next chamber comes round
to the stop w. On the slide p is a recess p1 into which the fog signals
fall after having left the chambers, the slide on being pushed forward
delivers the fog signal on to the rail r, which having been exploded by
the wheel passing over, the old or exploded case is prevented from
being brought back by means of a pally falling upon the exploded case

page_text: and driving it from off the slide p. The fog signals having been all
delivered the case is easily refilled by taking off the cramp and cover 8,
removing the springs 2 and covers, the required numbers having
been put in each compartment the box is again closed in the way as
before described, care having been taken in the refilling to wind up or
tighten the spring (1 so as to cause the box to revolve by means of
the spring.
I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent the "Improvement in the Means and Apparatus. for
Working Semaphoro and other Signals, also Fog Signals.".
In witness whercof, I, the said Thomas Edward Tallent, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of December, in
the year of our Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-
ane