CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING FIXED AND REPEATING PORTABLE MEANS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Fleet, William Payne,
and Frederick Rock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th August 1866.
We, THOMAS FLEET, of the Crown Boiler and Railway Bridge Works,
Swan Village, in the Parish of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford,
WILLIAM PAYNE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, and
FREDERICK ROCK, of Swan Village, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING FIXED
AND REPEATING PORTABLE MEANS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS," to be as follows.
(that is to say):
Our Invention consists of a double incline secured within or without (by
preference) the outer rail or rails, underneath which an arm applied to an.
axis arranged in suitable carriages is placed, and on the outer end of this axis
another arm is keyed for elevating or depressing a signal working at the top
of a signal post after the fashion of the ordinary "semaphore" signals, and
on the same axis a weighted lever or arm is placed, together with an arm
connected with a wire or other suitable means for extending along the live

page_text: to any given point for connection with another double incline and attendant
parts.
The object of this arrangement is that as the engine or train passes over the
first incline (which, for instance, may be at the entrance of a tunnel, curve, or
other position) the signal at the top of the post is set in position, and the
danger signal or red light shown in a lamp attached to the same post, which
signals remain so set, and on emerging from the tunnel, curve, or other desirable
position, and the engine passing over the second incline, the signal or signals
before set by means of the depression of the first incline will be reversed, that
is to say, the projecting right-angular signal arm will fall perpendicularly, and
the white light shown in the lamp, thereby clearly indicating that no obstructing
train or engine is on the metals between the inclines, whilst the apparatus is
left by the counterpoising effect of the weighted lever or arm before referred
to ready for use for the succeeding train or engine, thus providing clear and
intelligible self-acting means for indicating to the engine driver of trains when
his road is open or blocked.
But as a further security against collision from behind or in front on
sidings, as well as main lines, we apply a small portable incline to the outer
rail in advance, or at the rear of the stationary or disabled train in foggy
weather or other circumstances in which it may be desirable from a station or
any part or branch to convey notice or caution of danger to the engine driver,
guard, or break van attendant on or with an approaching train; and this we
effect by securing the incline before referred to by means of a clip, set screw,
wedge, or other equivalent means for ready attachment or removal to or from
(by preference) the outer rail, and which portable incline plane (which we
prefer to be of tempered steel or other yielding material) is so attached for
coming in contact with a vertical arm attached underneath the frame of the
engine by means of an axis working in a suitable carriage, and in connection
with this axis another arm is fixed which is connected with a rod which actuates
a lever attached to the steam whistle, from which it will be seen (by illustra-
tion) that if it is necessary to arrest the progress of an express or other train
under any condition of circumstances it is only to apply a portable incline
(a quantity of which is intended to be freely distributed at each station and
carried with the trains) to the rail, when as the engine arrives and passes by
where it has been placed the steam whistle will be opened, thereby requiring
from this understood notification that the engine driver should immediately
shut off the steam and apply the break, to the tender; and the break van or
vans being fitted with a similar apparatus, so in like manner as the van or

page_text: vans passes over the incline in the progress of the train, and the pendant arm
passing over the portable incline a suitable understood signal will be given to
them to immediately apply the break, which in combination with effort
and attention of the driver the progress of the train will be speedily arrested
and the object (which is frequently of the greatest importance to life) fully
effected.