IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AND INDICATING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Anderson, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Railway Manager's Assistant, for the Invention
of. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AND INDICATING ON
RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 6th March 1866, and dated the 9th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
September 1865.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Railway Manager's Assistant, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AND INDICATING
ON RAILWAYS," to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the securing of increased safety on
railways by providing signalling apparatus of a peremptory character, and
O not likely to be overlooked, and apparatus for indicating the time of passage
of trains.
The improved signalling apparatus is not intended to supersede the ordinary
existing signals,, but is to be worked in conjunction with them; and in one
modification the wire, rope, chain, or -rod passes beyond the ordinary signal

page_text: "
which it works to whatever distance in advance is cousidered necessary, and
.it is there attached to a movable signal block. When the signal -is set for
danger" or "caution" this signal block, which is situated near the rails,
+is moved into a position to be encountered by a pendent lever carried by the
locomotive or other part of the train, and on the lever being thus: acted on it
sets in motion a bell or other alarm -apparatus placed in a position to attract
the attention of the engine driver or guard.
In one modification of the alarm apparatus the bell is actuated by clock-
work arranged to run for a predetermined time, and so that it cannot be
stopped, and the same clockwork may also register the giving of alarms so as
to provide a check upon the engine driver or guard.
The improved arrangement may be conveniently used in place of the
ordinary repeating signal, where, owing to the curvature of the line or con-
figuration of the ground, the ordinary fixed signal cannot be placed sufficiently
far out from the point of danger without being lost sight of. In this appli-
cation the fixed signal will be placed just in sight whilst the block signal in
connection with it will be placed as much further in advance as may be
desirable.
i
When trains are provided with the alarm apparatus portable blocks may
"be provided to be laid at any part of the line to stop coming trains when
required, as, for example, when the line is obstructed or under repair, or
when a train has been unexpectedly stopped or delayed. For this purpose
the portable blocks will be carried by trains and by platelayers. The
actuating mechanism of the signal block is arranged by means of a weight or
spring to set the block in the "danger" position should the wire or other
"connection fail.
If trains are fitted with self-acting break apparatus the lever or equivalent
acted on by the signal block may be arranged to set such break
action.
apparatus in
For indicating the time of passage of trains a simple clock face with hands,
and with any simple means of setting the hands is provided in, conspicuous
positions at stations and other points. It may also be provided with tablets
descriptive of the various trains. An attendant sets the hands and changes
-the-tablets on-the passage of each train, so that those in charge of a succeed-
ing train or anyone concerned can at any time ascertain at a glance at what a
time the preceeding train passed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION-in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said John Anderson in the Great. Seal. Patent Office on the 8th
March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS, SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ANDERSON, of Glasgow, in the County. of Lanark, North Britain, Railway
Manager's Assistant,.send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, 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 John Anderson, Her special licence that I, the said John
Anderson, my executors;.administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the-
said John Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns; should at any..
time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times there--
after 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 "IMPROVE--
MENTS, IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AND INDICATING: ON RAILWAYS," upon the-
condition (amongst others) that I; the said John- Anderson,, 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 per-
formed, 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 John Anderson,. do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be per--
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,.
that is to say.
My said Invention has for its object the securing of increased safety on.
railways by providing signalling apparatus of a peremptory character, and not-
likely to be overlooked, and apparatus for indicating the time of passage of
trains.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the.
saune, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing simple
and conveniently applicable modifications of my improved arrangements.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and Figure 2-is a
transverse vertical section showing the arrangements; whilst Figure 3 is a
plan of a portion of the apparatus.. The same reference numerals mark the
same parts in all the Figures.
.
My improved signalling apparatus is not intended to supersede the ordinary 5
semaphore or other existing signals, but is to be worked in conjunction with
them ; and in one modification shown in the accompanying Drawings the.
-wire, rope, chain,-or-rod-1, for actuating the ordinary-semaphore. signal .2.is_
continued as shown at 3, beyond that signal to whatever distance in advance
is considered necessary: For convenience the parts are shown near together I
in the Drawing, but it will be easily understood that there is in reality a
'considerable space between the signalling lever 4 and the semaphore post: 5),
on one side, and between the post 5 and the point in advance, at which my.
improved peremptory signal is applied. The signal wire 3. continued, as.
'described, is arranged to actuate a movable signal block 6, which is situated
between (or near) the rails, being by preference mounted upon a cast-iron.
plate 7, upon which it can easily slide transversely.. A rod 8 connects the
movable signal block 6 to a weighted lever 9 carried by a cast-iron frame 10
at the side of the railway; and this frame 10 also carries a pulley 11,.over
which the signal wire 3 is led down to a point of attachment on the lever 9.
When the semaphore or ordinary signal 2 is set for "danger" or " caution,"
the movable signal block 6 is moved into a position to-be encountered by a
pendent lever 12 carried by the guard's van 13 of the train, and on the.
lever 12 being thus acted on it sets in, motion a bell or other alarm apparatus.
14 placed in a position to attract the attention of the guard. Or the alarmi:
apparatus may be fitted in connection with the locomotive, in order to attract:
the engine driver's attention. I prefer to use alarni apparatus (14),. com-
prising a bell actuated by clockwork, arranged to run for a predetermined
time and so enclosed that it cannot be stopped; and the same clockwork may
also register the giving of alarms, so as to provide a check upon the guard or
engine driver. The pendent lever 12 is fixed on a transverse borizontal
spindle 15 carried.. in brackets 16 fixed to the carriage framing, and on this
spindle there is fixed a short arm, or lever 17, which is jointed to, the lower
end of a rod 18, the upper end of which is connected to the stop or detent
piece 19 of the alarm apparatus 14. The action of the signal block 6 when
placed in position is as the train comes forward to throw back the lever 12,
which causes the detent piece 19. to be drawn down, whereupon the alarm
bell instantly begins to ring and continues ringing for whatever period the
clock movement is adjusted for. In this way the guard or engine driver: lias:

page_text: his attention attracted by an audible signal close beside him, and quite
independent of weather and other circumstances affecting the ordinary visible.
signals.
. My improved arrangement may be conveniently used in place of the;
ordinary repeating signal, where, owing to the curvature of the line or the
configuration of the ground, the ordinary fixed signal cannot be placed
sufficiently, far out from the point of danger without being lost sight of. In:
this application the fixed signal (2) will be placed just in sight, whilst the:
signal block (6) in connection with it will be placed, as much further..in.
advance as may be desirable. When trains are provided with the alarm
apparatus portable signal blocks (6).may be, provided to be laid at any part
of the line to stop coming trains when the line is obstructed or under repair,
or when a train has been unexpectedly stopped or delayed. For this purpose
the portable signal blocks will be carried by trains and by platelayers. The
lever (9) for actuating the signal block 6 is weighted so as to set the block in
the "danger" position should the wire or other connection fail.
337
A more complete protection may be obtained with the apparatus by-per-
manently fitting signal blocks (6) and their actuating apparatus at regular
intervals along the line, with wires continued to levers at suitable distances
beyond the blocks, so that the time that would be occupied in carrying a
portable signal block sufficiently far from any point to be protected would be
saved, a lever immediately at hand being actuated or the wire being cut,
whereupon the signal block would be moved to the "danger" position by the
.counterweight.
Level crossings with gates may be automatically, and simply protected by
connecting the wire for shifting the signal block (6) to the gate in such a
way that when the gate is across the line the signal block will be in the
"danger" position.
If trains are fitted with self-acting break apparatus the lever (12) or equi-
valent piece acted on by the signal block may be arranged to set such break
apparatus in action.
For indicating the time of passage of trains a simple clock face 20,
Figure 1, with hands arranged to be easily set either directly or by means
of any intermediate connection, is provided in conspicuous positions at
stations and other points. It may also be provided with tablets 21, descriptive
of the various trains. An attendant sets the hands and changes the tablets
on the passage of each train, so that those in charge of a succeeding train, or
anyone concerned, can at any time ascertain at a glance at what time the
preceding train passed, and what train it was.

page_text: Having thus particularly described my said Invention; and the manner in-
which the same is or may be effectively performed, I have to state that I do
not restrict myself to the precise details herein described and delineated, but
that what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The combining of the ordinary semaphore or other visible signals on
railways with appliances placed in advance and arranged to act upon audible.
alarm apparatus carried by trains, substantially as herein-before described. And
2. The providing of a clock face with adjustable hands and changeable
tablets for indicating at stations and other points the time of passage and
other particulars of trains, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Anderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of March; in the year of our Lord One-
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN ANDERSON. (L.8.)