Improvements in Railway-signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway-signalling Apparatus.
I, CHARLES MARTIN HOPE, of 15 Berkeley Street, Lawrence Hill, Bristol,
Iron Turner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus by means of which an engine-
driver may be warned against a signal standing at danger.
In carrying out my invention I adopt substantially the following arrangements.
Beside the track and adjacent to either of the rails I place or fix a small rail or
piece of suitable length rising in the centre to form an inclined plane upon which a
small roller attached to the engine may travel as the train proceeds on its way.
This roller is connected with a valve opening and closing a steam-pipe to the
whistle, which will be sounded when the roller passes over the rail or piece afore-
said. These improvements are applicable, for use to warn plate-layers of an
approaching train, the apparatus in that case being made portable so that the
workmen may place it in any position for temporary use.
When employed in connection with the signals, the appliance above described
may be arranged in such manner that it will be brought into position for giving the
desired warning to the driver when the line is not clear.
Dated this 15th day of December 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents.
I, CHARLES MARTIN HOPE, Iron Turner, 15 Berkeley Street, Lawrence Hill,
Bristol, 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 :-
My invention consists of an apparatus by means of which an engine driver may
be warned against a signal standing at danger.
In carrying out my invention I adopt substantially the following arrangements:
Besides the track and adjacent to either of the rails 1 place or fix a small
rail or piece of suitable length rising in the centre to form an inclined plane upon
which a small roller attached to the engine may travel as the train proceeds on
its way.
This roller is connected with a valve opening and closing a steam pipe to the
whistle, which will be sounded when the roller passes over the rail or piece afore-
said; or instead of thus causing the whistle to sound, may arrange for a gong to
be sounded, or an alarm given in any other suitable way.
These improvements are applicable for use in to warn plate layers of an
approaching train, the apparatus in that case being made portable so that the
workman may place it in any position for temporary use.
When employed in connection with the signals, the appliance above described

page_text: may be arranged in such manner that it will be brought into position for giving
the desired warning to the driver when the line is not clear.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the annexed sheet of drawings wherein,
Fig. 1. is an end view, and Fig. 2. a side view of the portion of the apparatus
which is preferably attached to the engine, and Figs. 3 and 4 are details of parts
thereof,
Fig. 5 is side elevation, and Fig. 6, end elevation of the portion of the apparatus
which is preferably placed in position on the permanent way.
Fig. 7 shews a method by which the parts shewn in Figs. 5 and 6 may be
brought into their operative position by means of a chain connected with the
signal box.
A, (Figs. 1 and 2) represents the wheel, which may be provided with an india
rubber or other tyre, for which a space may be left, as shewn at a Fig. 1. The
wheel A revolves on a steel or other axle pin B. The wheel A is preferably
adjusted to a normal height of one inch higher than the top of the metals.
The axle B of the wheel A is carried in a frame C, attached to the engine by a
rod D, screwed at d to permit of adjustment when the tyres of the engine wheels
become worn. The frame C and rod D may move in wrought iron or other
guides E fixed on any convenient part of the engine. A groovey is provided in C
(Fig. 1) and a set screw Z is passed through E so that the point rests in the
groove y. The object of this being to keep the wheel A parallel with the
metals.
The rod D is provided with a projection, shoulder, or enlargement F above the
top guide E, which enlargement F prevents the wheel from descending lower than
the position to which it is adjusted.
Pivotted on rod Dat d' is an arm G which may be held in position by spring H.
The gong apparatus operates as follows. When the rod D raises the projection
on the arm G it catches the bolt to which the hinder part of hammer J is fastened
causing it to rise (about ths of an inch) until the wheel gl mounts to the highest
part of the bevel mon block M whereupon the hammer becomes released and the
spring L pulls it quickly down and in doing so the gong K is struck. The rod D
will continue to rise until the wheel A (having passed the middle of the rail Fig. 5).
causes it to fall to its normal position, the spring H pressing the projection g back
to its place again ready to catch the hinder part of J again on the upward
movement of D.
N and P are brackets through which the moving parts work, as shewn.
Q, Fig. 5 is the fixed or portable rail, which is preferably level with the top of
the metals at each end, and rising about 24 inches above them in the centre, so
that the wheel A which is normally one inch higher will strike said rail Qat
about 1 foot from the end thereof, and be raised 1 inches in passing over the
centre of the rail Q.
Fig. 6 shews an end view of rail Q attached to the slide u supported on the
rest the position of the rail on the rest being at danger when the wheel A (Fig. 1)
would pass over it, causing the gong to sound.
I may use, two, three or other number of the rails Q, placed in line along the
track, so that the engine will pass over one after another, and the alarm will be
repeated.
This allows of special signalling codes being used; for instance, if three of the
rails were in operation, three sounds would be produced in quick succession
by the passage of the engine; or if one of the three were cocnected to the signal
box and two worked independently one sound might be used to indicate "caution
and two sounds "danger" or two sounds might indicate "caution'
and three
"danger" and so on.
"
If " caution
"
If the line is clear the signalman pulls the three rails aside.
warning is necessary one rail would be pulled aside leaving two to strike the
gong.

page_text: If to indicate to the driver to "stop" the three rails would remain in their
normal position, so as to give three strokes on the gong.
In Fig. 7 R. represents the chain or cord operated from the signal box; and S
represents another chain or cord passing over a wheel or pulley T and having
attached to it a weight (not shewn) which brings the rail Q back to its normal
position when chain R is released so as to allow the engine to pass without sounding
an alarm, when such alarm is not required.
Fig. 8 is a side view of the portable rail to be fastened by means of grips (as
shewn in end view Fig. 9); midway between the metals A. B. and C are chairs
to rest on the sleepers and support the portable rail Q. The chair C is provided
with a lap cas shewn, placed in the direction, from which the train would come.
B is provided with two brackets 1 and 2 for the grips w and a (Fig. 9) to rest in
when not in use. e and fare eye pins, (connected to the rail by a chain) to pass
through nut d (Fig. 9) after fastening to keep it locked. The grips are attached
to and loops
the portable rail Q by the portable oil showing one pair of grips w aud x-
(there are two pairs of grips to each portable rail). The portion is provided
with right and left handed screws as shewn and also with the double nut d. t and t¹
represent a cross section of the metals of the permanent way.
One rail Q might be fixed permanently at a convenient distance from level
crossings, so as to warn the driver to blow his whistle when approaching a level
crossing for the purpose of notifying the approach of the train to persons about to
cross the line; or the whistle might be blown automatically by means of such
rail Q. In the drawings Fig. 1 I have shewn a gong for giving the alarm instead
of a valve for blowing the whistle but it will be understood that the use of
either a gong or whistle is not essential to the working of my invention, so
long as the alarm is given in any effective way.
Where the alarm is given by whistling, the rails Qwill have to be longer
than usual, in order that they may act properly in the case of trains going at a
higher rate of speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In railway signalling apparatus the wheel A and alarm mechanism connected
therewith, set in motion by inclined rails Q for warning an engine-driver against a
signal standing at danger, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 15th day of December 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.