IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR GIVING SIGNALS, AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THERE WITH
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Lloyd Price, of Beaufort, in the County of
Brecknock, Electrical Engineer, for the Invention of "" IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR GIVING SIGNALS, AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THERE WITH."
Sealed the 14th August 1857, and dated the 19th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Lloyd Price at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th February 1857.
I, DAVID LLOYD PRICE, of Beaufort, in the County of Brecknock, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR GIVING SIGNALS, AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the construction of apparatus for giving signals
in railway trains, and at railway stations and other places, by the agency
of electric currents and mechanical arrangements, and which may also be
applied for other purposes.
I have, in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me for "improve"
ments in electric telegraphs, and in appliances connected therewith, as applied
to railway trains and fixed stations," bearing date the Eighteenth day of
December, Onethousand eight hundred and fifty-five, described certain means
of giving audible aud visible signals by means of electric currents and mecha-

page_text: nical arrangements therein mentioned, but I have since found by practical
experience that the centrifugal hammer of the bell may be liberated and set
in action and the signals given by the agency of a more feeble current of
electricity than the said arrangements described in my said Specification
requiro for that purpose, and which is therefore a great advantage. The
centrifugal hammer is caused to rotate by means of a spring or barrel. or
other krown maintaining power, connected with a train of wheels and
pinions, in the ordinary and well-known way, and which I therefore need
not particularly describe and my improvements relate to the means of
liberating and allowing the centrifugal hammer to rotate, and thereby act on
the bell, and I effect that by means of a cross pin attached to or connected
with the pin or axis which passes through the pinion and carries the centri-
fugal hammer. This cross pin is caused to press against the pin which carries
one of the toothed wheels, which are separate from the above-mentioned
train of wheels, but which work into each other, and by means of such pressure
the hammer is prevented rotating. The last-mentioned pin is cut away, so
as to be half round, or nearly so.
When the circuit of the electric current
is completed, one end of the armature is drawn to press against the
electro-magnet, and thereby the other end of the armature, which is connected
with the other of the said two toothed wheels by means of a pin con-
nected with such wheel, and working in a slot in the armature, is drawn or
pressed outwards, and by that means such last-mentioned wheel is caused
to make a part of a revolution, and with it of course the other wheel and
its half-round pin are also moved partly round, and therefore as soon as the
cross pin reaches the part of the pin which has been cut away, the pin carrying
the cross pin and centrifugal hammer are liberated, and allowed to rotate,
by means of the maintaining power, until the circuit is broken. In some
cases I add another toothed wheel on the pin which carries one of the said
two last-mentioned wheels, and a blank wheel with one or more notches or
stops therein on the pin of the other wheel, so as to stop the rotation of the
hammer when the wheel acts on the said notches or stops arranged for that
purpose. In some cases I fix a piece or steel spring towards each end of
the cross pin to break the momentum when tho circuit is broken.
My improvements also consist in the means of conducting the electric
current along the train of railway carriages by preserving metallic contact
between the carriages, and to allow the carriages and connections between
them to be easily attached and detached; and also in case the connections
between the carriages become drawn out beyond a certain distance by the
carriages becoining separated or otherwise, to cause the circuitofthe electric

page_text: current to be completed by bringing the negative and positive poles in*
contact, and by that means to act on the bell apparatus on the engine or
other part of the train: Connected with each of the electric wires on one
or more of the carriages of the train I have a piece of metal, and these pieces'
of metal are so placed that the surfaces are about an inch or more apart, and
the connections between the carriages are also so arranged, that when they are"
drawn out or stretched beyond a certain distance, a cord, wire, or other material
which is attached thereto, and also to the piece of metal, becomes tightened,
and pulls or draws the metal to which it is attached, so as to bring it in
contact with the other piece of metal connected with the other electric wire,
and thereby the circuit is immediately completed, and the bell apparatus
put in action. The pieces of metal may be made to lock in each other or
otherwise, as may be found convenient. For the purpose of easily connect-
ing the electric wires between the railway carriages, I use suitable metal
catches or fastenings connected with the insulated wires, and which catches
are fixed to blocks of wood or other suitable material, having an india-rubber
or other spring attached thereto, and the other end of the spring is secured to
another block, which is fixed to the railway carriage, and the insulated wire
bas a slack of about three feet after the wires are connected between the
carriages by means of the metal catches or fastenings.
My improvements, herein-before described, relating to the means of libe-
rating and setting in action the bell apparatus, may be easily employed for a
variety of purposes; for whenever metallic contact is so made as to complete
the electric circuit, whether it be by the opening or closing of a door or
window, or by the action of a spring, or otherwise, the bell apparatus may
bc liberated and set in action, and alarm or notice be thereby given.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Lloyd Price in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
LLOYD PRICE, of Beaufort, in the County of Brecknock, Electrical Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said David Lloyd Price, Her special licence that T, the said David Lloyd Price,
my executors, administrators, and assigns,or such others as I, the said David
Lloyd Price, 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,
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
MEANS OF GIVING SIGNALS BY THE AGENCY OF ELECTRICITY AND MECHANICAL
ARRANGEMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David
Lloyd Price, 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 David Lloyd Prico, 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, and by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and the figures and letters thereon :-
My improvements relate to the construction of apparatus for giving signals
in railway trains, and at railway stations and other places, by the agency of
electric currents and mechanical arrangements, and which may also be
applied for other purposes.
I have, in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me for "improve-
ments in electric telegraphs,and inappliances connected therewith, as applied
to railway trains and fixed stations," bearing date the Eighteenth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, described certain
means of giving audible and visible signals by means of electric currents
and mechanical arrangements therein mentioned, but I have since found by
practical experience that the centrifugal bammer of the bell by which the
audible signals are given may be liberated and set in action, and the signals
given by the agency of a more feeble current of electricity than the said
arrangements described in my said Specification require for that purpose,
and which is therefore a great advantage.
In Figures 1 and 2 the same letters refer to the same parts.
In those Figures the centrifugal hammer a is caused to rotate by means of
a spring or barrel or other known maintaining power connected with a train
of wheels and pinions in the ordinary and well-known way,and which I there-

page_text: fore need not particularly describe; and my improvements relate to the means
of liberating and allowing the centrifugal hammer a to rotate, and thereby act
on or strike the bell, and I effect that result by means of the cross pin b
attached to or connected with the pin c, which passes through the pinion d
and carries the centrifugal hammer a. This cross pin is caused to press against
the pine which carries one of two toothed wheels, which are separate from
the above-mentioned train of wheels, but which work into each other, and by
means of such pressure the hammeris prevented rotating. The last-mentioned
pine is cut away, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, so as to be half round, or
nearly so. When the circuit of the electric current is completed, one end of
the armature fis drawn to press against the electro-magnet, and thereby the
other end of the armaturef, which is connected with the other of the said two
toothed wheels, by means of a piny connected with such wheel, and working
in a sloth in the armature, is drawn or pressed outwards, and by that means
such last-mentioned wheel is caused to make a part of a revolution, and with
it of course the other wheel i and its half-round pin are also moved partly
round, and therefore as soon as the cross pin breaches the part of the piu' e
which has been cut away, the pin carrying the cross pin b and centrifugal
hammer a are liberated, and allowed to rotate, means of the maintaining
power, until the electric current is broken. In some cases I add another toothed
wheel on the piu c, c, and a blank wheel on another pin or nut at j, with
one or more notches or stops therein to work into each other, so as to stop
the rotation of the hammer when the wheel acts on the said notches or
stops arranged for that purpose. In some cases I fix a piece of steel spring
towards each end of the cross pin 6 to break the monientum when the
electric circuit is broken.
My improvements also consist in the means of conducting the electric
current along the train of railway carriages by preserving metallic contact
between the carriages, and yet allowing the carriages and connections between
them to be easily attached and detached; and also in case the connections
between the carriages become drawn out beyond a certain distance by the
carriages becoming separated or otherwise, to cause the circuit of the electric
current to be completed by bringing the negative and positive poles in contact,
and that by means to act on the bell apparatus placed on the engine or other
part of the train. I effect that object thus:-Connected with each of the
electric wires on one or more of the carriages of the train I have a piece of
metal, and these pieces of inetal are so placed that the surfaces are about an
inch or more apart, and the connections between the carriages are also so

page_text: arranged, that when they are drawn out or stretched beyond a certain distance,
a cord, wire, or other material which is attached thereto, and also to the piece
of metal, becomes tightened, and pulls or draws the metal to which it is
attached, so as to bring it in contact with the other piece of metal connected
with the other electric wire, and thereby the circuit is immediately completed,
and the bell apparatus, Figures 1 and 2, put in action. The pieces of metal
may be made to lock in each other, or otherwise, as may be found convenient.
For the purpose of casily connecting the electric wires between the railway
carriages I use suitable metal catches or fastenings connected with tho
insulated wires.and which catches are fixed to blocks of wood or other suitable
material having an india-rubber or other spring attached thereto, and the
other end of the spring is secured to another block, which is fixed to the
railway carriage, and the insulated wire has a slack of about three fect,
more or less, after the wires are connected between the carriages, by means
of the metal catches or fastenings.
My improvements, herein-before described, relating to the means of libe-
rating and setting in action the bell apparatus, may be easily employed for a
variety of purposes; for whenever metallic contact is so made as to complete
the electric circuit, whether it be by the opening or closing of a door or
window, or by the action of a spring or otherwise, the bell apparatus may
be liberated and set in action, and alarm or notice be thereby given.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 shew my improvements in the means of completing
and breaking the electric circuit as applied to doors, windows, and other parts
of buildings or places, and to iron safes, desks, and other articles. In Figure
3, the metal hand or pointer a, which is fixed on the pin b, is allowed to
move freely forwards to aud backwards from "off" to "on," and inside the
box or chest there is another metal hand or pointer, fixed on the pin b,
parallel to the hand or pointer a, and inside the box or chest there is also a
picce of metal attached to or in connection with the wire from one of the
poles of one of the electro-magnets, and it is so arranged, that when the hand
or pointer a is moved forwards to "on," the inside haud or pointer is brought
in contact with the metal connected with the above-mentioned wire, so
that when it is desired that metallic contact be made it will only be necessary
to have the metallic hand or pointer "on," and when it is desired to break
metallic contact it will only be necessary to move it to "off." A watch, clock,
or alaram may be so placed, as in Figure 3, that the hand or pointer C
on reaching and making contact with the point or projection of the wire d,
which is connected with one of the poles of one of the electric magnets, that

page_text: the bell apparatus may be set in action, or the wire being divided in the centre
and a snail being added, the aların may-be given on the pointer or hand
making contact with it, and thereby making or breaking the circuit.
My improvements in frames 4, 5, and 6 show how the circuit of the electric
current may be completed or broken by those mechanical contrivances when
applied to doors, windows, shutters, drawers, desks, safes, boxes, and other
articles.
Figures 4 are different views of the same arrangements to be placed on or
fastened to the sill of a window or the back edge of a door, or to a suitable
part of a desk, safe, or other article to which the apparatus is applied. bis a
ring of wood or other non-conducting material or substance; e is a metal
washer fixed thereon; d is a cross pin on the pin c, which is pressed in con-
tact with the metal washer e by the springf; so long therefore as the window,
door, or other article is closed, the pin c is pressed in, and the contact
between the cross pin d and the metal washer e is broken i but when the
door, window, or other article is opened, or the pressure on the pin c is
otherwise removed, the cross pin is brought in contact with the metal
washer, and the circuit being thereby completed provided (in cases where the
arrangement in Figure is used) the hand in Figure 3 is moved to "on"
the said bell apparatus connected therewith is liberated and the alarm given.
Figures 5 shew the same arrangements, with the exception of the metal
plate being placed differently for more convenient fixing to a safe or
chest.
g
In soine cases I use as conductors of the electric current to the bell appa-
rutus one insulated wire and one wire uninsulated twisted together, and
thereby forming one wire cord.
In some cases I use another kind of spring catch for the purpose of breaking
and making contact, as shown in Figures 6. The metal spring m is rivetted
to metal plate 2, and there is nonon-conducting substance interposed between
the spring mand the metal plate n, but the spring and plate are thus made
to forin one conductor.
It is obvious that the arrangements I have described may be easily applied
to set the bell apparatus in action on the breaking of the circuit or in the
event of the wires being cut.
In all the foregoing descriptions it must of course be understood that the
above mechanical arrangements are connected by wires in the usual and known
ways to the poles of the electro-magnets so as to be actuated by means of
the electric currents.
"Having described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is or may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
any of the parts heroin-before described taken separately, but I claim the
several combinations herein-before describod for the purposes aforesaid, and
the right to make all such variations therein, as circumstances may require,
without departing from the nature of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Lloyd Price, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
DAVID LLOYD PRICE. (L.S.)