Improved Method of and Means for Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Method of and Means for Signalling on Railways.
I, WILLIAM PEARSON, of 58, Bedford Road, Birkdale, near Southport, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The main object of my invention is to provide an improved method for audibly
notifying the driver (or other person) on a train in motion that a predetermined
point is being passed. It also comprises apparatus therefor. It is especially
designed for use with locomotives in case of fog and its use will obviate the
necessity for the ordinary fog signals. I will describe my invention as adapted
to such a situation.
At any suitable point or points adjacent to the track I provide a retractile catch
which may be operated from a signal box and is preferably automatically caused
to assume its projecting or active position whenever an adjacent semaphore or
other signal indicates "danger."
Each engine carries one or more depending tubes or guides arranged adjacent to
the sides of the cab and reaching down to within a short distance of the top of the
catches (when the latter are in their active position). Each tube is adapted to
receive (and retain by spring catches, or otherwise) an inner slotted or skeleton
tube and the bottom ends of said skeleton tubes are provided with spring catches
or jaws which serve to hold the hangers hereinafter described. When a hanger
is placed in the skeleton tube and the latter in the outer tube, said hanger pro-
jects into a lower level than the top of catches aforesaid when said catches are
in active position. Each hanger, of which a supply is intended to be carried,
comprises a thin central core of cast iron or other brittle material having a swell-
ing or head at its lower end and surrounded by an outer loose sleeve, the latter
being transversely divided near its top end. A cord or other flexible connection
running on pullies is at one end attached to the top end of said core and at its
other end holds back a gong hammer or other alarm device in the cab against the
influence of a strong spring.
In action, for instance where the engine enters a bank of fog, the attendant
fixes a hanger to the lower end of the skeleton tube, and then inserts the latter
in the outer tube so as to cause the hanger to project. The latter is now (or before)
coupled to the alarm and tension thereby placed on the flexible connection which
tends to draw the hanger up the tube but is unable to do so by reason of the head
on the core of the former. On attempting to pass the danger signal or other place
where the track catch has been placed in active position by the signalman, the hanger
comes in contact therewith and is at once snapped off at its weakest point, viz., the
junction of the two portions of the outer sleeve, and its headed portion being thus
removed the tension on the flexible connection is suddenly eased and the alarm
given.

page_text: The skeleton tube may now be withdrawn and another hanger coupled up and
inserted.
I do not confine myself to the precise details specified.
CHAS. COVENTRY,
Applicant's Agent.
Improved Method of and Means for Signalling on Railways.
I, WILLIAM PEARSON, of 58, Bedford Road, Birkdale, near Southport, in tho
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, 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:—
The main object of my invention is to provide an improved method for audibly
notifying the driver (or other person) on a train in motion that a predetermined
point is being passed. It also comprises apparatus therefor. It is especially
designed for use with locomotives in case of fog and its use will obviate the
necessity for the ordinary fog signals. I will describe my invention as adapted
to such a situation.
At any suitable point or points adjacent to the track I provide a retractile bar
or stop which may be placed in its active or protruding position, or withdrawn
into its inoperative position, from a signal box. It is preferably caused to assume
its active position automatically whenever an adjacent semaphore indicates
danger."
+6
These bars may be of any suitable shape, the essential feature being that they
are capable of assuming two positions, one the active position in which they
protrude into the path of the hangers hereafter described, and the other in which
they clear said path.
Referring to the drawings.
Fig. 1 an elevation of a portion of a locomotive engine having my invention
applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the outer tube A.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the inner tube B.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of Fig. 3, and taken as at right
angles thereto.
Fig. 5 is a section of one of the hangers hereafter described.
According to my invention each engine carries a tube A which is affixed thereto
by brackets or other suitable means, its bottom end reaching down to within, a
short distance of the top of the track bars above mentioned when the latter occupy
their active position. Each tube A is adapted to receive (and retain by spring
clips or otherwise) an inner slotted or skeleton tube B, which may consist of a
strip of sheet metal B¹, bent over upon itself so that the bight or loop forms a con-
venient handle B. Distance pieces B³ serve to retain the shape of said skeleton
tube B and perforations b are provided to allow the passage of the cord H herein-
after described. The bottom of said skeleton tube B is provided with spring
jaws C which serve to hold the hangers D hereafter described. The dotted lines
in Fig. 4 show these jaws C sprung into their open position. When a hanger D
is placed in the jaws C of skeleton tube B and the latter in the outer tube A, said
hanger projects into a lower level than the top of track bars aforesaid when said
bars are in active position. Each hanger, of which a supply is intended to be
carried, comprises a thin central core E of cast iron or other brittle material having

page_text: a swelling or head F at its lower end and surrounded by an outer loose sleeve G,
the latter being transversely divided near its top end as shown at g.
A cord or
other flexible connection H running on pullies is at one end attached to the top
of said core E, and at its other end holds back a gong hammer I, or other alarm
device in the cab against the influence of a spring.
In action, for instance where the engine enters a bank of fog, the driver fixes
a hanger to the lower end of the skeleton tube B and then inserts the latter in the
outer tube A so as to cause the hanger to project. See Fig. 1. The hanger is now
(or before) coupled to the alarm, and tension thereby placed on cord H which
tends to draw the core E up the tube but is unable to do so by reason of head I
thereon. On attempting to pass the danger signal or other place where the track
rod has been placed in active position by the signalman, the hanger comes in con-
tact therewith and is at once snapped off at its weakest point, viz. the junction g
of the two portions of the outer sleeve G, and its headed portion being thus
removed the tension on cord H is suddenly eased and the alarm given.
The skeleton tube B may now be withdrawn and another hanger D inserted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. The improved method of signalling on railways which consists in locating
brittle hangers upon the moving vehicles and providing retractile bars upon the
permanent way, the various devices being so arranged relative to each other, that
said hangers are adapted to come in contact with said bars when the latter are placed
in active position and to be broken by the impact thereon, and to release an alarm
device carried on said vehicle, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for signalling on railways the combination of an outer depend-
ing tube, an inner skeleton tube, a hanger carried by said inner tube and pro-
jecting from said outer tube, with means such as a retractile bar for breaking
said hanger on impact therewith substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for signalling on railways, in combination with suitable sup-
porting devices, a hanger comprising a core E of cast iron or other brittle material,
having a swelling or head F and an outer sleeve G G, the latter divided trans-
versely as at g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The improved method of and means for signalling on railways, taken as a
whole, substantially as described.
TJ 1:00
Al 1000