New IlluminatiNG AND Daw A GOEDD RATTWAVE” EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS ON RATTWAVE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Empson, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Architect, for the Invention of "New IlluminatiNG AND
Daw
A GOEDD
RATTWAVE”
EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS ON
RATTWAVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Empson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th March 1874.
I, FREDERICK EMPSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
3 Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW
ILLUMINATING AND EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS ON RAILWAYS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described for
indicating to engine drivers up to a certain and safe limit how long the
previous train has passed any point on the line, and thereby enable each
driver to regulate his speed.
I will now describe my Invention, which consists of a continuous fuse
of bright illuminating lights formed of different coloured fires, each
:

page_text: burning a defined number of minutes, in connection with which are
colored balls and explosive compounds so arranged that an explosive
report will occur at any defined time, cither by the action of the fire or
friction from the engine. This fuse is attached to a frame or cradle,
which the guard after applying a match to the "touch" deposits on
some portion of the line of railway by means of a trough or other
appliance adapted for the purpose whilst the train is in motion, and may
be slung on to posts at the side of the line, somewhat in the same
manner that mail bags are. By way of illustration I will suppose a
"fuse" to consist of three different colored fires, red, green, and blue,
each lasting two minutes, one blue ball and one explosive, it being
desired that the blue ball should give the first intimation of the signal
having been placed on the line, and the explosion to take place at the
expiration of two minutes from that time. In this case the blue ball
would be placed in the front part of the fuse, and the explosive com-
pound immediately after that portion of the fuse containing the red fire,
so that when the colour become exhausted the explosion would take
place, and the green light would commence burning, and therefor
indicate that the previous train was more than two minutes ahead, and
so in like manner when the green fire become exhausted the blue would
commence, and it would be thus shewn that more than four minutes had
clapsed since the previous train had passed, and in like manner when
the blue flame becomes extinct there would be the distance of six
minutes between the two trains, whilst on the other hand if the driver
of an approaching train saw the blue ball ascend in the air it would act
as a signal to him to stop, whereas if he were not near enough to see
the blue ball he would know not only by the colour of the burning fuse
being red, but also by the report which his engine would cause by
passing over it that the train by which the fuse was left was not two
minutes in advance, when he would of course exercise extreme caution,
whilst if the green colour were burning when he approached he would
know that between two and four minutes divided the two trains, but if
the blue colour was exhibiting itself it would be from four to six minutes,
since the line was used. But though I give this as an "illustration" I by
no means confine myself to any particular number of colours, colored
balls, or explosions, my Invention being capable of boing expanded within
any ordinary limit of time.

page_text: med by the said Frederick Epson in the
on the 3rd September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
EMPSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Architect, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Empson,
Her special licence that I, the said Frederick Empson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick
Empson, 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
"NEW ILLUMINATING AND EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS ON
RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
Empson, 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 Frederick Empson, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the use of different colored fires, each
burning a defined number of minutes, in connection with which are
explosive compounds and colored balls, thereby indicating to engine
drivers up to a certain and safe limit of time by the methods herein-after
particularly described how long the previous train has passed any point

page_text: .
on the line, and thereby enabling each driver by regulating the speed of
his engine to avoid collisions.
Having thus described the nature and object of my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which the same is to be performed. The same letters of
reference are employed to indicate the same parts in cach Figure of the
Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Figure 2 a front elevation of
an expanding cradle or fuse holder to be deposited on the rail itself.
The letter A represents a fuse of bright illuminating lights formed of
different colored fires, each burning (say) two or more minutes, tho
number of such fires being regulated by the class of train by which it is
deposited, as, for instance, if it is deposited by an ordinary passenger
train two colors may suffice, such as red and green, the present indicators
of danger and caution, with an explosive B between the two, such
cradles with fusces attached to be placed in charge of the guard at the
rear of the train, who at certain intervals, as circumstances may require,
would whilst the train is in motion place them on the rail by means of
the trough shewn by the Figures 3 and 4, the former being a front view
thereof, the latter a section through the same. C, casing; D, hinged
spring board, which passing over the top of the cradle keeps it in
position horizontally; E, E, flanges at the sides thereof, which do so
laterally; and F, guide wheel, which running on the rail keeps the trough
directly over the same; and G, expanding spring, the fuse being lighted
before being placed in the trough or becoming ignited either by abrasion
or concussion in its transit through the same. When in position on the
rail the red color will burn the prescribed number of minutes, and
should the succeeding train approach during the burning of such red
fire the driver thereof will know that the previous train was not that
number of minutes ahead, and of which he would have further evidenco
by the report which would be caused by the train passing over the
unexhausted explosive, when he would exercise the same caution that
he now does when the danger signal is exhibited, whilst if sufficient
time had elapsed for the red fire to be exhausted the explosive would
have been discharged by the fire heat thereof, and the green color be
burning, indicating caution, and when the green color was in like
manner consumed the object of the fuse would be accomplished,
inasmuch as there would be a clear interval of the desired number of

page_text: minutes. between the two trains, and the way would be clear so far as
regards two ordinary passenger trains, but on the fuse being left by an
excursion or wagon train as an extra precaution an additional color
would be added, but of different lines, so that whilst such third color
was burning it would shew the class of train in advance, and when any
train was about to stop for the purpose of shunting a further distinctive
color should be added, or even two signals might be placed a short
distance apart, so as to obtain two separate explosions; but it is to be
understood that such depositing of the fuse on the rail itself will only be
essentially necessary in the case of fogs or misty weather, when all colors
are more or less invisible, rendering even the block system defective,
and consequently in ordinary dark weather when the different colors.can
be distinguished it will be immaterial (except for the détonating portion)
whether it be on the metal bar itself or other portion of the line.
Different colored ascension balls may be used, according to circum.
stances, to denote either that a fuse has just been placed in position, or
to give notice that a break down or other casualty has occurred, so that
by means of pyrotechny a perfect system of signalling in the darker
hours, and during the prevalence of fogs, &c., is secured, whilst a con-
tinuous fuse of bright illuminating lights formed of different colored
fires, each burning a defined number of minutes, will be obtained by
suspending ignited flags or banners formed of flameless canvas or other
suitable material of corresponding colors to those already indicated for
the different classes of trains, and in like manner exhausted by com-
bustion (smouldering away) within similar defined limits of time; such
variegated flags or banners affixed to pasteboard or other sufficient
backing will in the first instance be suspended on a pivotted crane
attached to the side of a van in any part of the train (as mail bag
suspenders are), and thence be slung on to posts or the abutments of
bridges by means of rods affixed thereto; for the purpose of transference,
with springs attached to reduce concussion, and such other appliances as
be necessary to prevent the action of the wind dislodging the same,
or otherwise.
may
Although for the convenience of description I have only described the
manner of carrying my Invention into effect by placing the same on the
rail and suspending it in the air whilst trains are in motion, I claim for
my. Invention that whilst it may be used as a whole to form a complete
system of signalling for the prevention of accidents on railways, it may

page_text: likewise be used in detail, or in part only, for the like purpose. Thus,
the explosive portion with one fire. only burning a fixed number of
minutes may be used under any circumstances as a fog signal, with this
advantage, that it will last so long only as may be considered necessary
to ensure safety, whereas the ordinary fog signal when once placed on
the line (unless the danger of removing it is incurred) remains there
permanently till destroyed by an engine passing over it, and the driver
scarcely knowing whether to stop or not frequently disregards. it,
whereas when he knows that if a safe interval existed between the
passing of the previous train and his own there would be no explosion
he will pay due regard to it whenever he hears it, whether it be deposited
by a train in motion or by hand; and although I have for the con-
venience of description described the night signals as being placed on
the ground, and the day signals as suspended in the air, the whole of my
Invention is capable of being used by being deposited on. the ground, or
by suspension, with the exception of the detonating portion, which to be
effective must be placed on the ground, and further it will depend upon
the construction of the vans, and the position of the buffers to which the
depositing machinery is attached, whether the same be placed at the
extreme end thereof, or as shewn in the illustration; nor do I restrict
myself to any such particular method of depositing the signals, but
reserve to myself the privilege of adopting other known modes of
doing so..
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as
the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The application to railway signalling of combustible and
explosive signals of different colored fires in various forms deposited on
the rails or other parts of the line whilst trains are in motion, which
colored fires burning in succession for a defined number of minutes each
will indicate to engine drivers by the color exhibiting itself, whether by
night or day, how long the same has been deposited, and thus enable
them to regulate their speed and thereby prevent collisions, as herein-
before described.
. Secondly. The application of explosive compounds in connection with
such signals, likewise to be exhausted by combustion within defined