A NEW OR IMPROVED RAILWAY LIFE-PRESERVING SIGNAL
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Higham, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED RAILWAY
LIFE-PRESERVING SIGNAL."
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 5th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Higham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1877.
JOSEPH HIGHAM, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED RAILWAY LIFE-PRESERVING SIGNAL."
This Invention has for its object the working of an indicator or signal on the
locomotive in unison with the semaphore signals placed along the line, so that the
driver or stoker can tell at what position the semaphore is at in dark or foggy
weather, and at the same time that the required signal thus appears to the eye, a
similar signal is made by a gong or bell on the engine. For this purpose I place a
pulley with a rim of about six inches wide, hooped with india-rubber about two
inches thick, about two feet diameter, which is placed between two sleepers between
the rails in advance of the semaphore signal, free to revolve on its axis, and to slide
transversely with and between the line on a shaft fixed in brackets fastened on the
sleepers, which is connected by a rod and an L shaped lever to the rod working the
semaphore signal, and as the semaphore signal is worked in the direction from
"all right," through "caution," to "danger," the communication pulley occupies
three different positions in the track of the engine.
The top of the pulley stands about six inches above the rails, so that the bottom
of the fire-box of the engine clears the top of the pulley by about three inches in
any of the positions. Under the foot plate of the engine I fix two levers in a hori-
zontal position on a fulcrum fixed on the ash pan, the bottom edges of which are
fish belly or angular shaped, and their centre lines are placed so far apart and
parallel with the rails as to correspond with the positions of the communication
pulley at the different positions.
When the engine is in motion the angular or bottom edge of the levers on the
engine are about two inches below the level of the communication pulley, and some

page_text: "
five inches below the bottom of the ash pan, so that when passing over the pulley
in the "caution or "danger” positions contact ensues and the pulley revolves,
and one of the levers on the engine with its eccentric and cam-shaped upper edges
presses against a valve fixed on a bracket and releases it from its seating, and thus
opens communication for a jet of steam from the boiler to raise the indicator signal
on the engine to correspond with the semaphore signal on the side of the line, and
at the same time sound the gong or bell. When the engine has passed over the
communication pulley the lever falls by its own weight, and the valve is closed by
a spring, and the driver or stoker lets the steam out of the indicator by a small cock
to discharge the jet of steam under the foot plate, the discharge cock is then closed,
and all is again ready for action.
Should the "all right" signal of the engine remain undisturbed when passing
over the pulley, the driver will know at once that it corresponds with the obscured
"all right" signal of the semaphore, and will proceed on his journey without fear.
By this mode of communication the force of contact is reduced to a minimum, as
follows:-
-
First. The points of contact meet at an angle of some 15° instead of at 90°.
Secondly. They recede from each other by the pulley revolving and the lever
ascending.
Thirdly. The blow is received on the elastic cushion of the pulley, which also
maintains its form and position.
It is intended that the engine (to which these improvements are applied) should
proceed in the proper direction (the engine in front and tender behind, carrying
the tail board).
In clear weather the steam may be shut-off from the signal valves, and the levers
may be suspended (if desired), from the foot plate by a chain, and the levers will
pass over the pulley in either direction, as when in shunting.
A second apparatus (of the same kind) may, if desirable, be attached to the van
for the attention of the guard, the signals of which may be worked. by compressed
air served from the air tubes of those trains to which the air brakes are applied; or
by a few mere modifications, to where steam or compressed air cannot be applied,
the spring or the weight may be substituted, on which a similar kind of lever may
act in releasing or raising the desired signal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Higham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
January 1878.
JOSEPH HIGHAM, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED RAILWAY LIFE-PRESERVING SIGNAL."
This Invention has for its object the working of an indicator or signal on the
locomotive in unison with the semaphore signals placed along the line, so that the
driver or stoker can tell at what position the semaphore is at in dark or foggy
weather, and at the same time that the required signal thus appears to the eye a
siinilar signal is made by a gong or bell on the engine. For this purpose I place a
pulley with a rim of about six inches wide, hooped with india-rubber about 2 inches
thick and about 2 feet diameter, which is placed between two sleepers between the
rails in advance of the semaphore signal, free to revolve on its axis, and to slide
transversely with and between the lines on a shaft fixed in brackets fastened on the
sleepers, and connected by a rod and an L shaped lever to the rod working the
semaphore signal, and as the semaphore signal is worked in the direction from "all
right" through "caution" to "danger," the communication pulley occupies three
different positions in the track of the engine.
The top of the pulley stands about six inches above the rails, so that the bottom
of the fire-box of the engine clears the top of the pulley by about three inches in
any of the positions. Under the foot plate of the engine I fix two levers in a hori-
zontal position on a fulcrum fixed on the ash pan, the bottom edges of which are
fish belly or angular shaped, and their centre lines are placed so far apart and
parallel with the rails as to correspond with the positions of the communication
pulley at the different positions.
When the engine is in motion the angular or bottom edges of the levers on the
engine are about two inches below the level of the communication pulley, and some
five inches below the bottom of the ash pan, so that when passing over the pulley
in the "caution or "danger" position contact ensues and the pulley revolves, and
one of the levers on the engine with its eccentric and cam-shaped upper edge presses
against a valve fixed on a bracket and releases it from its seating, and thus opens
communication for a jet of steam from the boiler to raise the indicator signal on the
engine to correspond with the semaphore signal on the side of the line, and at the
same time sound the gong or bell. When the engine has passed over the communi-
cation pulley the lever falls by its own weight and the valve is closed by a spring,
and the driver or stoker lets the steam out of the indicator by a small cock to
discharge the jet of steam under the foot plate, the discharge cock is then closed,
and all is again ready for action.
Should the "all right" signal of the engine remain undisturbed when passing
over the pulley, the driver will know at once that it corresponds with the obscured
"all right" signal of the semaphore, and will proceed on his journey without fear.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing parts of a locomotive engine and railway fitted
with my improved signalling apparatus.
Fig. 2, a plan of the railway seen in Fig. 1, with the actuating part of the
apparatus attached.
Fig. 3, enlarged front view of the signalling parts of the apparatus fixed on the
engine; Fig. 4, a side view of the same.
Figs. 5 and 6, section and elevation respectively of one of the steam valve boxes
forming parts of the same.
represents a pulley or wheel (herein-after called the "communication wheel") of
suitable diameter mounted and capable of sliding at its centre on a fixed shaft b,

page_text: and having its periphery or rim hooped with india-rubber, leather, or other elastic
material. The shaft bis supported at its end transversely with the track in brackets
or bearings c (Fig. 2). The whole being placed between two sleepers d, d, in
üdvance of the semaphore at any required distance therefrom. The centre or
sliding journal of the communication wheel a, where it slides on the shaft b, is
connected by rod and an crank f to the semaphore rod.
As the semaphore signals are being worked by the signalman's lever from the
"all right" caution to "danger" position, the communication wheel a is moved
along the shaft 6 into three similar positions 1, 2, 3, in the track of the engine, its
top sliding in an imaginary line from one rail to the other at about six inches
(more or less) above, and parallel with the bevel of the rails,starting from its "all
right" position 1 next to the six foot way. The bottom of the ash pan of the
engine when travelling clears the top of the communication wheel a by about three
inches (more or less) in any of its three positions 1, 2, 3. g represents one of two
levers g, g, (Fig. 2), placed side by side under the foot plate of the engine in a hori-
zontal position edge downwards, and free to vibrate on a fixed bracket or fulcrum h
secured to the ash pan or other convenient part of the engine. The centres of the
two levers g, g¹, are placed at the same distance apart as the centres of the com-
munication wheel a when in its "caution" position 2, and danger position 3
respectively. Their bottom edges are made fish belly or angular shaped longi-
tudinally, and of the same width as the periphery of the communication wheel a,
whilst the upper edges are of a curved or cam shape, as shewn. The line of the
bottom edges of the levers g, g¹, when in their lowest position will be about two or
three inches (more or less) below the line of the top of communication wheel a, and
about five or six inches (more or less) below the line of the ash pan.
$
Attached to the weather plating or other convenient part of the engine, adjacent
to the driver, are two cylinders j, j, in each of which works a piston k, normally.
retained at the bottom of its cylinder by a spiral or other spring 7, as shown. To
the upper end of each piston rod m is attached a horizontal arm n, one end of which
carries a glass or disc o or o¹, that of the cylinder j being green or caution," and
that of cylinder jred or "danger." To the other ends of the arms n are attached
the pendant bolts 2 which pass through lugs or flanges at the tops of the cylinders
,, and terminate in heads or stops p¹, to which are attached the lovers formed
at their extremities with hammer pieces q¹ for striking against the gongs or bells
7, as hereafter described.
The cylinders j, j¹, are surmounted by a fixed lamp S shewing a white light.
Leading from the cylinders j, j¹, below the pistons are pipes 4, 5, which communi-
cate with two valves t respectively, placed side by side, and carried by the fixed
brackets u beneath the foot plate, as shown. Through the pipe 6, steam is con-
veyed from the boiler to the valve boxes t when required. In the latter are valves
V formed with upper and lower guiding stems, and normally retained on their seats
by spiral or other springs, as shown.
The extended lower portions of the valve boxes t are provided with sockets or
caps w, which are in contact with the ends of the lower guiding stems of the valves
V, and are capable of sliding upwards over the said extended portions of the valve
boxes t; or in lieu of the valve arrangement here described, steam cocks may be
used as found most suitable.
When the engine is in motion and passes over the communication wheel.a, the
latter, if in the danger position 3, obedient to the semaphore, comes in contact
with the angular lower edge of the lever g¹, and revolving, raises the latter, thereby
causing its cam-shaped upper edge to press upon the socket or cap w which lifts the
valve V off its seat, when the steam passing from the boiler through the pipe 6
enters the valve box t, and passing through the pipe 5 into the cylinder j¹ raises the
piston k, and with it the arm and red or "danger" disc o³ until the latter covers
the fixed lamp or white light S; the hammer q¹ at the same time striking against
the gong or bell calls the attention of the driver to the signal given. Having
thus received the signal and passed over the communication wheel a, the lever g

page_text: by its weight, and the valve V by its weight, spring, and top pressure of steam,
return to their former positions to be again ready for action. At the same time
the driver opening a cock, the steam is discharged from the cylinder below the
piston k, through the pipe 7 to waste beneath the foot plate, and the spiral spring
acting upon the piston k, forces it back to the bottom of the cylinder j¹, its rod m
carrying with it the arm n and red or "danger" dise O1 (away from white light S),
and hammer q¹ to their original positions; the discharge cock x being then closed,
all is ready for the next desired signal.
When the cominunication wheel a is in the "caution" position 2, obedient to the
semaphore, the same operation as above described is repeated by means of lever g
and cylinder j, so as to bring the green or "caution" disc O over the white light S.
Should the "all right" signal or fixed white light S of the engine when passing
over the communication wheel a remain undisturbed, the driver will know that it
corresponds with the obscured "all right" of the semaphore, and so proceed in
confidence. By this mode of communication the force of contact is reduced to a
minimum, as follows:
-
Firstly. The points of contact between the communication wheel a and lever g or
g meet at an angle of about 15° (more or less) instead of at 90°.
Secondly. They recede from each other with a force diminished in proportion as
the angle of contact.
Thirdly. The blow is received on the elastic cushion of the periphery of the com-
munication wheel a, which also maintains its form and position.
In the above description it is assumed that the engine carrying the apparatus
should proceed in the proper direction, or engine in front and tender carrying tail
lamp, but the same result in the signalling can be obtained when travelling in the
opposite direction, or with tender in front of engine. For this purpose the pipes
leading from the boiler to the valve boxes t, and from the latter to the signalling
apparatus on the engine are connected with a four-way cock 2 (see Figs. 7 and 8)
fixed beneath the foot plate midway between the two levers g, g¹. The plug of
this cock is forned with suitable grooves, and on the end of its spindle is attached
a cam-shaped lever which is operated by a lever A in connection with the
reversing lever B of the engine.
"
It will readily be understood that when the engine is travelling tender in front,
the communication wheel a, if in the "danger position 3, obedient to the sema-
phore, will come in contact with and raise the lever g which gives a green or
"caution" signal on the engine when running in its proper direction or tender
behind. To rectify this, the reversing lever B being thrown over or reversed, acts
through the lever A upon the cam-shaped lever which turns the plug of the
cock, so that the steam from the boiler passes through the valve box in con-
nection with the lever and then through the grooves in plug of the cock x³
so as to raise the required red or "danger" disc 01, and vice versa, that is to say,
by means of the cock x¹ the action of the levers g and g₁ is reversed, the raising
of lever g¹ giving the "caution" signal and the raising of lever g the danger signal
on the engine.
A second apparatus similar to that above described may if desirable be attached
to the van for the guard's attention, the signals of which may be raised by com-
pressed air; or where this could not be applied, the spring or the weight may bo
substituted, on which a similar kind of lever may act in releasing or raising the
desired signal. The "whistled signal" of "down brakes" will answer the purpose
quite as well.
It has been shewn by the foreging description that by means of this Invention a
perfect and distinct signal of "caution" or of "danger" can be transmitted to the
driver on his engine, and to one who is acting in obedience to one or other of these
signals, he will receive his "all right" signal as described in the special rules of his
own Company, or as in those approved of by the meeting at the clearing house, or
as follows: If the "caution" signal be given the driver will shut-off steam and

page_text: proceed cautiously till he ascertains its meaning, or receives an "all right" from
signalman, either verbally or by hand lamp, on passing his cabin.
If the " danger" signal be given the driver will shut-off steam, and bring his
engine to a stand short of the place of obstruction, or close by the signal post so
that he can observe when the signal is lowered to "all right;" or if at a junction, to
"caution," where he will whistle for the road, and proceed.
An additional signal lamp affixed to work on the signal post on a level with the
sight of the driver, and a "gong" affixed to the same post a little lower, the latter
to sound by the act of the signal being lowered to proceed would be the most
perfect "all right". signal that can be given to the driver after his stopping at the
signal post in obedience to his "danger" signal.
"
33
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the method of giving distinct signals of "caution" and "danger
on a locomotive engine in motion within sight and hearing of the driver, such signals
being in combination and corresponding with those given by the semaphore, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Higham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOSEPH HIGHAM.
(L.S.)