Im- PROVED MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND THE GUARD
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Preece, of the Town and County
of Southampton, Civil Engineer, Charles Goldstone, of Southampton,
Telegraph Engineer, James Radcliffe, of Retford, in the County of
Nottingham, Telegraph Engineer, and Matthew Gray, of Black-
heath, in the County of Kent, Engineer, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVED MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND THE GUARD
Sealed the 16th February 1875, and dated the 13th October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Preecc,
Charles Goldstone, James Radcliffe, and Matthew Gray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th
October 1874.
We, WILLIAM HENRY PREECE, of the Town and County of
Southampton, Civil Engineer, CHARLES GOLDSTONE, of Southampton,
Telegraph Engineer, JAMES RADCLIFFE, of Retford, in the County of
Nottingham, Telegraph Engineer, and MATTHEW GRAY, of Blackheath,

page_text: •
in the County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGERS
AND THE GUARD AND ENGINE DRIVER OF RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide in an efficient and
inexpensive manner an improved means for the transmission of signals
by electric currents to any part of a train in motion. To attain this
result we attach temporarily or fit permanently to the interior or exterior
of the roof or other part of each carriage of the train a rope containing
as a core two insulated copper wires. This rope will be of sufficient
length either to extend along the whole train, or when fitted to each
coach to permit of its being coupled up when they are separately
attached. It will make and maintain metallic connection of the insulated
wires throughout the train, and it will be so fitted as to allow of a passenger
in any compartment of the several carriages by pulling at the portion of
rope exposed to reach to effect the severance of the metallic connection,
and thereby to attract attention.
We propose to employ a battery and signal apparatus at each part
with which it is desired to communicate, and to keep the electric wires
and apparatus in constant connection with their respective batteries, and
with the rope wires on the "equilibrium circuit" principle, so that when
the rope wires are coupled up the currents derived from the different
sources will neutralize each other, and prevent any action on the several
signal apparatus. When however the continuity of the rope is broken
at any point the two wires contained in the core will be placed in electric
contact, the batteries will be brought into action, and each signal
apparatus will be set in operation.
.
The lengths of rope terminate at each end in a peculiar construction
of coupling, the one being a counterpart of the other, to facilitate the
coupling up of the carriages. This coupling has a double objeot, viz.,
to bring the insulated wires of one rope into connection with the
insulated wires of the next adjacent rope, and on an emergency to
connect its own wires together so as to destroy the equilibrium of the
circuit, and to enable the batteries in that circuit to put the signal.
apparatus in operation.
Without limiting ourselves to the details of the coupling we may

page_text: securing to each end of rope to be coupled a block of vulcanite or other
non-conductor, and fitting to this non-conductor a pair of elongated clip
springs, to which the ends of the insulated wires are to be respectively
soldered. To the inner faces of these springs strips of vulcanite, wedge-
shaped at their ends, and triangular in cross section, and tapering
inwards are to be attached. On one of their inclined sides, in metallic
connection with the clip springs, a metal plate is secured, which comes
into contact with a similar plate on the counterpart clip coupling, when
the two are brought together and caused to interlock. These metal
plates are each provided at their outer ends with a lip or stud piece,
which in the act of coupling up the ropes will be forced to part, but
which, on the continuity of the rope wires being broken, will be forced
into connection by the closing of the spring clip, and thereby put the
rope wires in contact.
We propose to provide the couplings with a waterproof tubular
covering of vulanized rubber or other suitable material to protect them
from rain and dust. These coverings if mado to slide upon their
respective ropes will be always at hand and ready for use when
required.
We propose also to provide drums upon which the rope can be wound,
of such a size and weight that each guard can carry that length of rope
with him which is necessary for his portion of the train, and we propose
to construct the signal apparatus and batteries of such a size and weight
as to admit of their being combined in a box and carried by the hand, so
that in the case of unfitted and special trains each guard shall be pro-
vided with his own communication.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Preece, Charles Goldstone, James
Radcliffe, and Matthew Gray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th April 1875.

page_text: Engineer, CHARLES GOLDSTONE, of Southampton, Telegraph Engineer,
JAMES RADCLIFFE, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham, Telegraph
Engineer, and MATTHEW GRAY, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said William Henry Preece,
Charles Goldstone, James Radcliffe, and Matthew Gray, Her special:
licence that we, the said William Henry Preece, Charles Goldstone,
James Radcliffe, and Matthew Gray, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Henry Preece, Charles
Goldstone, James Radcliffe, and Matthew Gray, our executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from 1
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 MEANS FOR
COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND THE GUARD AND ENGINE DRIVER OF
RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
William Henry Preece, Charles Goldstone, James Radcliffe, and Matthew
Gray, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 William Henry Preece, on behalf of
myself and of the said Charles Goldstone, James Radcliffe, and Matthew
Gray, do, hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to

page_text: of one rope into connection with the insulated wires of the next adjacent
rope, and in case of need to break up the extended circuit into smaller
circuits by connecting its own wires together. The electric equilibrium
being thus destroyed the batteries in the short circuits will put their
respective signal apparatus in operation, and thereby warn the guards
and engine driver of danger.
In Sheet I. of the Drawings Fig. 1 shews in side view our improved
coupling, which consists of two counterpart spring clips A, A², to which
the ends of two ropes B, B¹ (each provided with two insulated wires), are
respectively attached, and Figures 1", 1", are end views of the spring
clips; Fig. 2 is a side view of the spring clip A, Fig. 1, the spring
clip Abeing separated or withdrawn therefrom, as shewn at Fig. 3;
Fig. 2 shows one of the springs of the clips detached; Fig. 4 shows the
coupling enclosed in a waterproof cover, one-half of the cover being
drawn in section. In these views the ends of the ropes B, B³, are shown
as coupled to a block of vulcanite, ebony, or other non-conductor a.
Fitted to this non-conductor is a pair of elongated clip springs b, b, to
which the ends of the insulated wires are respectively soldered. To the
inner faces of these springs strips of vulcanite c are attached. These
strips are wedge-shaped at their ends, triangular in cross section, and
tapering inwards. On one of their inclined sides, in metallic connection
with the clip springs, a metal plate d is secured, which comes into
contact with a similar plate on the counterpart clip coupling, when the
two are brought together and caused to interlock. These metal
plates d, d, of each spring clip are each provided at their outer ends
with a lip or stud piece d³, which in the act of coupling up the ropes
will be forced to part, but which on the continuity of the rope being
broken will be forced into contact by the closing of the spring clip, and
thereby put the wires of the spring clip in metallic connection.
The spring clips are each provided with a waterproof tubular cap or
covering of vulcanized rubber C or other suitable material to protect
them from rain and dust. These caps or coverings are free to slide upon
their respective ropes, and will thus be always at hand and ready for use
when required.

page_text: the alarums in the guard's van or vans and on the tender in action, is
illustrated at Fig. 5, Sheet II., which shows in elevation four carriages
electrically connected. In this example the ropes B, B, are threaded
through eyes secured to the roofs of the passenger carriages, and they
are provided with stops to prevent the displacement of the ropes. This
is better shewn in the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 6, where in one
compartment the rope is shewn as having been pulled down by a
passenger to give a signal, the stop having come into contact with the
adjacent eye or guide, and thus preventing an undue endway motion of
the rona
compartment the rope is shown as having been pulled down by a
passenger to give a signal, the stop having come into contact with the
adjacent eye or guide, and thus preventing an undue endway motion of
the rope
The ropes it will be understood are coupled up by the spring clip
couplings A above described, and the unattached couplings at the two
extremities of the coupled rope are held apart by the insertion of wedges
of some non-conducting material.
The wires of the coupled rope are connected with batteries and alarums
on the equilibrium principle already described and illustrated at Fig. 7.
Each battery and alarum apparatus we prefer to enclose in a portable
box, and to supply one of these boxes to each guard's van, as at D,
Fig. 5, and to the tender, as at D¹. By the above-described arrangement
no provision is made for the introduction of foreign carriages into the
train. In order however to ensure that the continuity of the ropes may
be preserved from end to end of the trains notwithstanding the attach-
ment thereto of foreign carriages we propose to provide portable drums
on which lengths of rope can be wound, suitable for coupling up with
the attached ropes of carriages, fitted as at Fig. 6. By this means each
guard of an attached group of carriages will be enabled to carry a length
of rope with him sufficient for his portion of the train, and he will
likewise be furnished with a signal apparatus and battery combined in a
box, and capable of being carried by hand. This arrangement, which
provides for the furnishing of unfitted and special trains with an electrical
communication, is illustrated at Figures 7, 8, and 9.
Fig. 9 shews in elevation a composite train containing two guards'
vans, each of which is provided with a drum E furnished with a length
of rope suitable for extending over any given number of carriages, and
also with a battery and alarum apparatus, which is kept in permanent

page_text: connection with the wires of the rope. This drum is shewn detached
and on an enlarged scale at Fig. 8 as fitted to an axle. This axle is
made hollow to allow of one end of the rope which is to be wound on
the drum being passed through it, a hole being made through the drum
for that purpose.
This end of the rope is led to the box containing the
battery F, Fig. 7, a spring coupling being interposed, and its wires are
connected to opposite poles of the battery, the one directly and the other
through the electro-magnetic coil of the alarum apparatus. These wires
then leave the box in the form of a continuation of the rope, and to the
extremity of the rope a spring coupling is fitted. The end of the rope
which is led off from the drum is passed along the train outside the
carriages, it being threaded through fixed guides, and it is coupled up
either with a rope permanently attached to a carriage, or with a signalling
apparatus box, fitted as described with reference to Fig. 7. In using
this rope the passengers will gain access thereto from the open windows
of their respective compartments, and by pulling upon the rope, as
explained with reference to Fig. 6, the nearest coupling will be dis-
connected, and each alarum apparatus contained in the train will be
instantly set in action, whereby both the engine driver and guards will
be warned to stop the train.
It will also be understood that if any link or chain coupling of the
train should from any cause break and effect the detachment of a portion
of the train an alarm will instantly be given, owing to the simultaneous
disconnection of the rope B, which may be instantly recoupled and made
fit for action on the remaking up of the train.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improved
Means for Communicating between Passengers and the Guard and
Engine Driver of Railway Trains," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent, we claim,—
First. The construction of spring coupling as above described with
reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings.
Secondly. The arrangement above described with reference to Figures 7,
8, and 9, whereby trains may be furnished with or supplemented by any
desired length of rope or ropes for giving or maintaining throughout the

page_text: length of the train a means of signalling by currents of electricity to
the guard or guards and engine driver of such trains.
of
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Preece, have hereunto
set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of April, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.