away WITH SpecRICIES.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
uv away WITH SpecRICIES.
(5) To vary the signals.
6) To arrange for the generation of electricity along a length of railway in order
to supply the electric lighting and electric signalling batteries at different stations.
With these objects in view I make a signal lamp with as many lenses or disc
glasses (whether two or three) as there are positions of the signal arm. These lenses
may be white with colored glasses behind or in front or lenses of the color of the
light to be reflected whether red or green or white. I then place one lamp whether
electric or otherwise and raiso or lower it in suitable guides by means of a lever arm
or rods or chains or other suitable contrivance so that it is opposite the lens which
corresponds with the position of the signal arm. The lamp is actuated along with
the signal arm.
The lamp case is fitted with the proper back lights.
If an electric lamp is used the electric connection is made through part of the
framework in which it works or with flexible wires or other suitable means.
Instead of using one electrically lighted lamp I may use as many lamps as there
are lenses with safety and economy and in this case I do away with all raising and
lowering arrangements and on the disc or pulley or other mechanical gearing which
I use to actuate the signal arm or on a separate one I fit conducting pieces (as many
as there are lenses) and there is one general conducting piece on this disc or pulley.
When the sigual arm is at danger there is a connection made between the positive
wire from the battery and one of the conducting pieces from which a lead carries
the electric current to the lamp opposite the danger (say red) lens. And when the
signal arm is at any other position say "caution" (if a three position signal) or
"alright" the connection is made from the positive wire from the battery to one of
the other conducting pieces from whence the current is taken to its corresponding
lamp the return wires from the lamps are taken to the general conducting piece and
thence to earth or the battery.
Of course the direction of the current may be reversed. By this means there is
no movement of any part in the lamp and no spectacles. The signal arm goes to
danger by means of a suitable weight or spring.
I may light the signal lamp electrically and only employ one disc and still use
spectacles as one of the main objects I have is to light signal lamps.electrically.
In case it is considered advisable to use electricity to work the signals at a station
or, and, to light the signal lamps and any other lamps in the station fix a secondary
battery or more than one in some convenient position at the station for these purposes.
I place a dynamo driven by any suitable power at a convenient central position (say
a station) and charge the different batteries through a long length of line with it.
The ampère hours required by each battery at each station would be well known

page_text: and I arrange the batteries so that each battery receives its increment of charge
periodically.
The increment of charge may be sent in several ways to each battery over a length
of line. A small amount of current may be sent for a number of hours or a larger
amount of current for a fewer number of hours--the arrangements depending on the
convenience for running the dynamo and also the question of cost in deciding the
thickness and conductivity of the line wire.
I prefer sometimes-for instanco in the case of yard signals and distant signals to
alter the light shown in the same way that the semaphore arms are now altered so
that the drivers may distinguish these signal lights from others. Thas a feather edge
or other mark may be made on the lens or disc or spectacle to denote a distant
signal light and a ball or ring or other suitable mark may register a station yard
signal light. This can the more readily be done if there are no spectacles and the
light is reflected through one glass only.
If an ordinary lamp is used I repeat it thus:- when the lamp is not lit the
repeater disc shows "lamp not in use.' When the lamp is lit it slows "lamp_in."
This is effected by the expansion of a bar and multiplying levers and when the lamp
goes out the bar contracts makes a contact alters the signal and rings a hell.
But if I use electric lamps incandescent or otherwise I use the "return current to
work a small relay and disc or say double disc the one (normal) showing "lamp out”
and the other when the current is running, showing "lamp in."
I may use the same battery to light the lamps and work the signals at a station or
more than one battery.
Of course at a large station a special lighting installation may have to be put up.
But in a long length of line where electricity is used to either light the lamps at the
stations or work the signals and or points or to do both I especially claim the arrange-
ment for keeping the batteries at the different stations regularly supplied with their
increment of charge.
And also the combined object of lighting the signal lamps and working the signals
by electricity.
The switching in or out of the electric current to any signal lamps is effected at
any convenient place-for instance in the signal cabin.
Dated this 13th day of March 1889.

page_text: white with colored glasses behind or in front or lenses of the color of the light to be
reflected whether red or green or white. I then place one lamp whether electric or
otherwise and raise or lower it in suitable guides by means of a lever arm or rods or
chains or other suitable contrivance so that it is opposite the lens which corresponds
with the position of the signal arm. The lamp is actuated along with the signal arm.
The lamp case is fitted with the proper back lights if required.
If an electric lamp is used the electric connection is made through part of the
framework in which it works or with flexible wires or other suitable means as herein-
after described and illustrated.
Instead of using one electrically lighted lamp I may use as many lamps as there are
lenses with safety and economy and in this case I do away with all raising and
lowering arrangements and on the disc or pulley or other mechanical gearing which
I use to actuate the signal arm or on a separate one 1 fit conducting pieces (as many
as there are lenses) and there is one general conducting piece on this disc or pulley.
When the signalarm is at danger there is a connection made between the positive
wire from the battery and one of the conducting pieces from which a lead carries the
electric current to the lamp opposite the danger (say red) lens. And when the signal
arm is at any other position say "caution" (if a three position signal) or "alright"
the connection is made from the positive wire from the battery to one of the other
conducting pieces from whence the current is taken to its corresponding lamp the return
wires from the lamps are taken to the general conducting piece and thence to earth
or the battery as hereinafter described and illustrated.
Of course the direction of the current may be reversed. By this means there is no
movement of any part in the lamp and no spectacles. The signal arm goes to danger
by means of a suitable weight or spring.
I may light the signal lamp electrically as heroinafter described and only employ
one disc and still use spectacles as one of the main objects I have is to light signal
lamps electrically.
In case it is considered advisable I use electricity to work the signals as described
in my patents Nos. 571883 2991 & 1674088 at a station and, to light the signal lamps
and any other lamps in the station. I fix a secondary battery or more than one in
some convenient position at the station for these purposes. I place a dynamo driven
by any suitable power at a convenient central position (say a station) and charge the
different batteries through a long length of line with it.
The ampère hours required by each battery at each station would be well known
and I arrange the batteries so that each battery receives its increment of charge
periodically, along or through a charging lead, there is nothing used in charging
batteries from any distance by means of a dynamo & leads.
The increment of charge may be sent in several ways to cach battery over a length
of line. A small amount of current may be sent for a number of hours or a larger
amount of current for a fewer number of hours. This will determine the thickness
& capacity of the leads, & the arrangements will also depend on the convenience for
running the dynamo and also the question of cost in deciding the thickness and
conductivity of the line wire.
I prefer sometimes-for instance in the case of yard signals and distant signals to
alter the light shown in the same way that the semaphore arms are now altered so
that the drivers may distinguish these signal lights from others. Thus a feather edge
or other mark may be made on the lens or disc or spectacle to denote a distant
signal light and a ball or ring or other suitable mark may register a station yard
signal light. This can the more readily be done if there are no spectacles and the
light is reflected through one glass only.
If I use electric lamps incandescent or otherwise I use the return current to work a
small relay and disc or say double disc the one (normal) showing "lamp out" and
the other when the current is running, showing "lamp in as hereinafter described
and illustrated.

page_text: I may use the same battery to light the lamps and work the signals at a station or
more than one battery.
Of course at a large station a special lighting installation may have to be put up.
But in a long length of line where electricity is used to either light the lamps at the
stations or work the signals and or points or to do both as described in my previous
patents above named I especially claim the arrangement for keeping the batteries at
the different stations regularly supplied with their increment of charge.
.And also the combined object of lighting the signal lamps and working the signals
by electricity.
The switching in or out of the electric current to any signal lamps is effected at any
convenient place for instance in the signal cabin.
The accompanying drawings together with the following description will enable the
invention to be more readily understood.
Fig. 1 represents a side view partly in section and partly in elevation of a three
disc electrically lighted lamp. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of
some of the details and fig. 4 a front sectional view. rr are the reflectors. a, a the
incandescent lamps. 2, the discs which may be as already described of colored glass
or of white glass with colored glass in front or behind.
"
In figs. 1 and 2-A B and C represent respectively the three lamps for "danger
" caution " and
alright" which may be red green and white or any suitable
arrangement.
Instead of three lenses and lamps there may be two or such number as is
suitable.
-Should one Electric lamp be used to light up any and all of the signals then either
I use spectacles, as at prosent, or the lenses shown on the accompanying drawing
sheet 1. In Fig. 6 Sheet 2 which is a side view and Fig. 7 a front view of the lenses
hereinafter described the lamp is raised and lowered according to the position
of the signal arm by means of a pulley on the post working at the same time
as the arm. This lamp is raised and lowered in suitable guides by means of a
chain x.
Fig. 5-Sheet 2-represents a signal post p arm d with mercury contact m.
On the post p is shown a small disc to worked as described in my previous patents
above named with three connecting strips of metal marked 1, 2, and 3-and one
positive strip, from the battery, marked 4.
When the signal arm is at danger a connection is made by a metal collar with two
tongues (not shown) between strip 1 and positive strip 4 and the electric lamp a in
lens A is lighted-but should the signal arm d be moved to an angle of 45° indicating
"caution" a connection is made by the collar above mentioned moving at the same
time as the arm between strips 2 and 4 and then the lamp a lens B is lighted and
reflected through the green or any other suitable colored lens.
And consequently when the arm d goes to an angle of 90° through the same means
a connection is made between strips 3 and 4 and the light is shown through lens C
which may be white or any suitable color.
By means of the mercury contact m the signals are repeated at Repeater R at foot
of fig. 1 as described in my above mentioned patents.
The lamps are repeated as follows:-When the lamp is lit the current goes along
lead L through bobbin b in the repeater R' and the armature is attracted and the
small disc e which is attached thereto shows lamp in but when the lamp is not lit the
armature of bobbin by means of a small spring completes the circuit from
battery to the bobbin 6 and rings the bell 63 which still continues ringing until
seen to. The current to the bell b is taken from two cells of the battery as shown or
a primary battery.
The lamp electric circuits may be arranged in any known way but I prefer the
way illustrated in Fig. 5. Of course it will be understood that when the lamp a in
lens A is alight the other lamps are out-one lamp only can be lighted at a time.

page_text: 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 :-
:-
First: The lighting of Railway signal lamps electrically without the use of
spectacles substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Secondly-The lighting of Railway signal lamps in conjunction with the station
lamps electrically substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Thirteenth day of December 1889.
1. A. TIMMIS.