In- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF PASSENGERS AND OTHERS IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michel Siegrist, of 12, Montpelier Street, Brompton,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF PASSENGERS AND OTHERS IN
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY TRAINS."
Sealed the 15th June 1866, and dated, the 20th December 1865,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michel Siégrist at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th December: 1865.
I, MICHEL SIEGRIST, of 12, Montpelier, Street, Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF PASSENGERS AND OTHERS
IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY TRAINS," to be,as follows:
The, object of the improvements is to afford facility to passengers and
others in signalling on railway trains. In each compartment or division of
a railway carriage.I apply suitable pulls or communicators, each of which
communicates with an indicator and with a, rope, chain, or band extending
from each end of the carriage to a lever arm, so that by drawing upon any
one of these pulls or communicators the indicator in connection with it
will, be brought into view at, the side or upper part of the earriage to
indicate the compartment to which attention is desired to be drawn; and
this pull or communicator, simultaneously with its action on such indicator,

page_text: will also act upon to draw the portion of the rope, chain, or band to which
it is attached, and consequently the lever arm to which one end of such
rope, chain, or band is attached. This lever arm turns upon an axis of
motion, and at its opposite end it carries apparatus which serves when
raised as an indicating signal. A ratchet or other catch, or a weight, or
other means may retain the apparatus in position for indication. I also
apply along each carriage a tube, the ends of which are forked or branch
into two tubes; to one end of each of these forks or double ends of the
tube I apply a piece of flexible tubing, the outer end of which is provided
with a mouth-piece capable of fitting closely into the other branch or fork
of the double end to which such flexible tubing is attached, or of being
passed into a corresponding end of a fork or double-ended tube of an
adjoining carriage so as to communicate with the tube of that carriage.
These flexible portions of tubing are applied to the same relative arm or
limb of each fork or double end of a tube; as, for instance, when looking
from the centre of the carriage towards one end of it, if the flexible tube
is applied at that end to the right-hand limb of the fork, then on turning
to look towards the opposite end the flexible tube should be applied also
on what would then be the right-hand limb. By this arrangement, what-
ever the number of carriages connected into a train and however their
ends are turned in relation one to another, the flexible tubes of adjoining
carriages may always be in correct relation, that of one opposite the limb
to receive it of the other carriage; and when disconnected the outer end
or mouth-piece of the flexible tube may be used to close the other limb of
the tube it is connected to. Tubes thus arranged are provided with
whistles and mouth-pieces to communicate with. parts of the train. For
the use of the passengers the main pipe or tube of each passenger carriage
is provided with branches to the separate compartments, each of which has
a mouth-piece with directions attached indicating how to use it; as, for
instance, "In case of danger or alarm pull the rope and blow down the
pipe;" or the directions may be on paper applied over the mouth-piece
to require being destroyed before use of the tube, when a mischievous
destruction would lead to detection. These branch pipes may also have
valves opening inwards. Peculiarities of whistling may be adopted by the
guards or others to distinguish from those which would ordinarily be
adopted by passengers. There may be two or more sets of these tubes,
one to communicate between passengers and guards, and another or others
to communicate between the guard or guards and engine driver.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Palent,
filed by the said Michel Siegrist in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHEL
SIEGRIST, of 12, Montpelier Street, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by: Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Michel Siégrist, Her special licence that I, the
said Michel Siégrist, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Michel Siégrist, 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 APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF PASSENGERS AND
OTHERS IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst
'others) that I; the said Michel Siégrist, 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 Michel Siégrist, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 :-
The object of the improvements is to afford facility to passengers and
others in signalling on railway trains. In each compartment or division of
a railway carriage I apply suitable pulls or communicators, each of which
communicates with an indicator and with a rope, chain, or band extending
from each end of the carriage to a lever arm, so that by drawing upon any
one of these pulls or communicators. the indicator in connection with it
will be brought into view at the side or upper part of the carriage to in-
'dicate the compartiment to which attention is desired to be drawn; and

page_text: this pull or communicator, simultaneously with its action on such indicator,
will also act upon to draw the portion of the rope, chain, or band to which it
is attached, and consequently the lever arm to which one end of such 'rope,
chain, or band is attached. This lever arm turns upon an axis of motion,
and at its opposite end it carries apparatus which serves when raised as an
indicating signal. A ratchet or other catch, or a weight, or other means may
retain the apparatus in position for indication. I also apply along each car-
riage a tube, the ends of which are forked or branch into two tubes; to one
end of each of these forks or double ends of the tube I apply a piece of
flexible tubing, the outer end of which is provided with a mouth-piece
capable of fitting closely into the other branch or fork of the double end to
which such flexible tubing is attached, or of being passed into a correspond-
ing end of a fork or double-ended tube of an adjoining carriage so as to com-
'municate with the tube of that carriage. These flexible portions of tubing
are applied to the same relative arm or limb of each fork or double end of
a tube; as, for instance, when looking from the centre of the carriage to-
wards one end of it, if the flexible tube is applied at that end to the right-
hand limb of the fork, then on turning to look towards the opposite end
the flexible tube should be applied also on what would then be the right-
hand limb. By this arrangement, whatever the number of carriages con-
nected into a train and however their ends are turned in relation one to
'another, the flexible tubes of adjoining carriages may always be in correct
'relation, that of one opposite the limb to receive it of the other carriage;
and when disconnected the outer end or mouth-piece of the flexible tube
may be used to close the other limb of the tube it is connected to. Tubes
thus arranged are provided with whistles and mouth-pieces to communicate
'with parts of the train. For the use of the passengers the main pipe or
tube of each passenger carriage is provided with branches to the separate
compartments; each of which has a mouth-piece with directions attached
indicating how to use it, as, for instance, "In case of danger or alarm pull
'the rope and blow down the pipe;" or these directions may be on paper
applied over the mouth-piece to require being destroyed before use of the
tube, when a mischievous destruction would lead to detection. These
branch pipes may also have valves opening inwards. Peculiarities of
whistling may be adopted by the guards or others to distinguish from those
which would ordinarily be adopted by passengers. There may be two or
more sets of these tubes, one to communicate between passengers and
guards, and another or others to communicate between the guard or guards
and engine driver.

page_text: But that the Invention may be fully understood I will, by the aid o
the accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE. DRAWINGS..
Figure 1 shows by plan' view, and Figure 2 by sectional or end-view.
one part of the improvements applied. In each of the views the same
letters indicate corresponding parts. The lines a, a, indicate in outline.
parts of a railway carriage; b indicates a cord or other pull, having-a knob
8 at the lower end thereof to "act as a handle, in position to be acted
upon by a passenger. There is at least one of these cords in each com-
partment of a carriage arranged according to my improvements. At its
upper end it passes over a pulley'c, and is thence connected to the outer
end of the arm d¹ of an indicator d, each of which-turns upon an axis of
motion d, so that when a cord b'is pulled the indicator-d in connection
therewith will be turned from the position of rest in which they are
mainly shown by Figure 1 to that indicated by red lines.in one case in
that Figure 1 and by Figure 2, so that it may project over the side of a
carriage, and when seen by a guard or others in charge of the train indi-
cate 'the particular compartment where assistance is required. A spring
'catch applied under the lever ärm & will retain the indicator d in either
position as placed against the simple vibration of the carriage or the
"action of the wind, and yet. admit of motion thereto when required. To
the outer end of each arm d is also connected one end of another cord or
chaine, the other end of which is connected to another cord, chain; or
band. There are two of these cords, chains, or bandsf to each carriage,
and each of them is attached at one end to a fixing on the carriage, and
at the other end to the end of the lever'arm g, which turns upon an axis of
motion g¹, and at its upper end carries the 'signal g³, in order that simul-
taneously with the 'action upon any one of the indicators d to cause it
to be seen at the side of a carriage, the signal 'g may be raised so as to
be seen along the top of a train. A weight or a catch applied to the
lever'g will serve to keep the signal in position when raised.
Figure 2, in connection with Figure 3, also shows another part of the im-
provements; h is a tube applied along the carriage and having its ends each
divided or forked into two parts h¹, h. To each end is applied one end
of a piece of flexible tubing h³, and to the other end of each of such-pieces of
flexible tubing is applied a conical piece /*, one of which is shown sepa-
rately at Figure 4, and is adapted to fit closely into the mouth of the-opening
formed in the enlarged end of the tube h³ (as is more clearly shown

page_text: by sectional view on a larger scale at Figure 5), so that when the end /* of
a piece of tubing of each carriage is fitted into the opening h³ of the other
adjoining carriage continuity of tubing will be preserved in the pipe from
one carriage to another, as shown at A in Figure 3, or the conical mouth-
piece h* may be turned into the opening h³ of the same tube, as shown by
red lines at B in Figure 3, when it happens to be at the end of the train;
h' is a packing of leather or other suitable material to prevent the escape
of air between the conical piece h and the mouth ; he is a spring
fixed on the end h of the tube h³, which when the conical piece /*
is in position in the mouth h' serves, by its end h pressing against the
flange formed on the conical piece h*, to prevent that conical piece
from being drawn out of position by the weight of the tube ³ and the
motion of the carriage.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 show detail views of the end he of the tube h³; i is a
branch pipe to a compartment of a carriage with a flexible mouth-piece j
(Figure 2), by blowing through which communication may be made
through the series of tubes h of a train of carriages to the compartment
for the guard or others, where a whistle may be applied in a corresponding
mouth-piece j. A valve (of which an arrangement is shown separately at
Figure 9) is applied at the junction of each pipe i with a pipe h, so that
the passage may be open only from the pipe i to the pipe h, and not from
the pipe to the pipe i. Each mouth-piece ; may have applied over it
directions indicating how to use it.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 show apparatus of the character of bellows with
flexible sides or peripheries which may be used for the purpose of producing
a current of air in the pipe i. In such case this apparatus would be con-
nected to the pipe i in place of the mouth-piece j; the end A thereof is
.connected to the cord b, in pulling which that end will be drawn towards
the end, forcing air therefrom through the pipe i, and at the same time
acting to place the signals or indicators d and g³ in position. Spiral or a
other springs cause the end to move in the opposite direction for re-
inflation of the bellows . There are inlet and outlet valves at ; and I, I,
are guides fixed to the end and embracing the rods, for the purpose of
retaining the upper part of the bellows in position.
Having now described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carry-
ing the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details shown and described, as these may be varied;
but what I claim is,―
First, the mode of arranging or combining apparatus for the use of

page_text: passengers and others in signalling on railway trains, substantially as
described in respect of Sheets 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly, I claim the application of branched ends to tubes for commu-
nicating sound between parts of trains, such branched ends being arranged
and combined so as to form connections in manner substantially as
explained in respect of Sheets 3 and 4.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michel Siégrist, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
M. SIEGRIST. (L.S.)