ENCLOSING RAILWAY SIGNALS IN CASES, ALSO IMPROVING THE PRESENT METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1885

page_text: Method of Construction.
CHARLES JOSEPH HOWE Joiner 5 Cooper Street JOHN GEORGE HOWE Engineer
5 Cooper Street Roker Avenue, Sunderland do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for ENCLOSING RAILWAY SIGNALS IN CASES, ALSO IMPROVING THE
PRESENT METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION to be as follows:-
Protecting them from the action of the weather or wilful damage and by accident
from falling to the ground connecting cases with dovetail slips and slotholes and
screw with turnbuckle and safety pin fastening and fixing red and green signals in
circular shaped rebated frames for the purpose of effecting immediate repairs.
Also shortening signal frame arms to get quicker action and hung to cased bolt
which acts as clips and bearing for bolt ends also for the purpose of adjusting
signal frames in which small circular frames are fitted with red and green signals.
Our invention which relates to certain methods of enclosing protecting and
working railway signals in cases and improving the present method of construction.
By this invention these signals will at all times and at whatever position they
may be placed will always be protected from the action of the weather also from
wilful damage and should the crank or action bolt by which the signal frames are
connected to the cases become defective they will slip down in front of light at
bottom of case and immediately indicate danger and should they be at the bottom
of the cases and indicating danger at the time, they would remain in that position
until the required repairs are effected.
In constructing these cases which will be required to be made in various shapes
and fixed in various forms to suit the connection to and position of signal posts but
accompanying plans show them oval shaped with bottom end of inside cover
continued down to bottom of lamp or centre case B and cut square with dovetail
shifting slips fitted at back for connections to lamp or case marked B also with
oblong holes at bottom end and adjusting bolts with checknuts for securing them
to bracket which is fixed to signal post under lamp or case B. These cases are
also fixed to side of signal post with screws as per elevation plans.
The circular shaped frames in which the danger signals are fitted and work
inside of cases are hung midway by an action bolt which is incased with three
tubes which acts as clips for adjusting signal frames and as a bearing for ends of
bolt See plan of cases A. C. For the purpose of effecting immediate repairs I have

page_text: made the opening in cases which are covered by the hinged frames which the front
and back lens are fitted large enough for the signal frames to pass through after
removing the nut and checknut and withdrawing the action bolt from its position.
Home or advance signals will not require back case marked C. on plan or
elevation F. The improvements I make in the present construction and working
of these signals are to remove the lens from both front and back of the present
distant signal lamps or make new cases similar in shape to present lamps but
without lens see plan marked B and fit two dovetail shifting slips up each side of
case B or the lamp from which the lens have been removed with slotholes and
screws to shift and support it by a shaped bracket being fixed to signal post with
screws and slotholes formed in flang of bracket for the purpose of making it to rise
and fall, I also propose to remove the present circular shaped frame in which the
present night danger signal glasses are fixed from both sides of signal post but in
lieu of these frames, I make similar shaped frames but much shorter in the arm
and work them in cases A. and C. and rebated on the inner circle for the purpose
of housing, a small round rebated frame in which I fix red and green signals see
plans marked A. and C. or elevation E. F. and secure these frames to outer frames
with pins slotholes and screws for the purpose of effecting immediate repairs.
The plans accompanying this specification are drawn real size to suit 7 inch
lens but should a smaller len be used the cases will be made smaller in proportion
and should the lamps at present in use be reconstructed and fitted up as per case B.
on plan it may be found necessary to fix front and back cases to front of signal
post and not to side of signal post as shown by elevation plans E. and F.
In all cases the connection for fixing will have to be regulated by the construction
and position of the signal post.
Plan of cases A. and C. show signals indicating danger. Elevation plans E,
and F. show signals indicating line clear.
The signal frames in which the red and green glasses are fixed and at present in
use may by our invention have by drilling two holes and fitting slotplate to them
may have the small circular frames fitted to them for the purpose of effecting
immediate and very inexpensive repairs.
It will be observed that the signals worked by our invention will always have
to be at the bottom of cases and indicating danger, before small circular frames in
which the red and green signals are fitted can be removed.
501
1
2
100K

page_text: Method of Construction.
We, CHARLES JOSEPH HOWE, Joiner, and JOHN GEORGE HOWE, Engineer, of
No 5 Cooper Street Roker Avenue Sunderland in the County of Durham, 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:
The objects of this invention are, firstly to protect the signals from damage by
stone throwing and from failure to act by frost or snow, and, secondly to so
construct them that in case of breakage of any of the working parts and while
repairs are being done they shall indicate "danger" only, and to construct the
signal glasses and frames so that they can be readily removed and replaced.
To attain the first object we enclose the signal glasses, frames and action bolts in
cases, formed with or attached to the lamp case, the lenses (or "bulls eyes.") being
fitted in front of the cases instead of in the lamp as at present, or in a modification
the lenses being themselves fitted in frames, and coloured red and green or plain,
working in such cases with a protecting glass in front.-To attain the second
object we fit the coloured glasses, or the lenses as the case may be, in their frames
in such positions in the cases that failure or breakage of any of their working parts
will cause the "danger" signal to fall in front of the lamp and there remain until
repairs are effected which repairs are facilitated by the frames with their arms
being removeable from the action bolt and out of the cases, or where a glass is
broken so fitted that a new glass-kept for such an emergency in signal cabin, can
be immediately placed in frame by pressing back slot plate.
The drawing sheet 1 filed with provisional specification shews by Figure marked
A B C a plan of a lamp B fitted with front case A which contains the lens (or
"bulls eye") and back case C with small lens for back signal. Figure marked D
shews an end elevation (the upper portion in section) of the front case A and
Figure marked E an end elevation (the upper portion in section) of the back case C
and Figure F shews a vertical section through G H of Figure E.
The drawing marked sheet 2 filed herewith shews by Figure 1 an end elevation
(the lower portion in section) of a case K fitted with frames L and M on one arm N
secured on action bolt O on outer end of which is the crank arm P to which
the connecting rod is attached.-Figure 2 shews a plan in section through X-X-
Figure 1. The frame L carries a red lens and frame M a white lens in such
positions that any breakage of the working gear will cause the red lens to fall in
front of the lamp and indicate " 'danger."
The frames L and M are preferably made separate as shewn, to facilitate their
removal out of the case for repair and replacement through the opening in front in
which the protecting glass Q is. fitted in a hinged frame R upon an india rubber
ring S. The coloured lenses are also fitted on india rubber rings on the frames
from which they can be readily removed by pressing a small set screw fixing a
sliding clip T, which with two fixed clips T¹ T' secure the lens. The mode of fixing
arm on action bolt which we prefer is by a A hole in arm, fitting a similar part on

page_text: the bolt, and a nut and check nut. Where a back case is required a green and
white lens will be fitted at opposite side of lamp on same action bar, as shewn by
plan on sheet 1, and we propose to fit between the two arms upon the action bolt
a tube which will keep the arms a proper distance apart and the glasses or lenses
in position. When cases are to be fitted to existing lamps of different sizes the
action bolt and the tubes will be made to suit the required length.
Any of the existing signal lamps can be altered to our system by removing the
lenses (or bulls eyes) from the lamp and fixing them in front of cases, altering
the length of action bolt and shortening the arms of glass frames into which we
prefer to fit the glasses as shewn on Figures D and E sheet 1, namely by fixing
the glass into a light frame fitting into the "rebate" in arm frame and secured by
a projecting stud and a sliding clip.
The enclosing cases may be fixed by lugs either to sides or face of signal post
and to the bracket which carries the lamp which is made adjustable so as to bring
the light fair with centre of lenses and glasses.
1
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention
and in what manner. the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The construction and application of railway signals enclosed in cases
forming part of or attached to the lamp, which is preferably supported on signal
post by an adjustable bracket, with the objects set forth substantially as shewn
and described.
Second. The method of arranging and fitting the frames of signal glasses in
such enclosing cases by which "danger" is signalled in case of accident to working
gear and until repairs are effected substantially as shewn and described.
Third. Placing the lenses of signal lamps in the working frames instead of flat
glasses, said lenses being coloured or white and so fitted, to signal post or in cases,
that "danger" is signalled in case of accident to working gear and until repairs
are effected substantially as shewn and described.
"
Fourth. In combination with signals enclosed in cases and so fitted as to indicate
'danger," in case of accident to working gear and until repairs are effected, fixing
the arms of glass frames to action bar, constructing the frames and the appliances
for securing glasses or lenses therein, so as to facilitate the removal of the frames
and glasses, or of the glasses only, from the cases for repair and replacing them
therein substantially as shewn and described.
1002
33331 COLLEC
Vi vonuary
Witness,
1004
1030
Signed on behalf of self and Jno. Geo. Howe,
T. J. DANSON, F. Inst. P. Agents,
St. Nicholas Buildings,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
CHARLES JOSEPH HOWE.