Improvement in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Ju'y. 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
I PETER BERGNA Jeweller of 1 John Street Sunderland in the County of
Durham do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention being to provide a simple and effective danger
signal apparatus for the purpose of indicating to the driver or conductor of any
train on his own engine or car whether the line is clear and if not warning him to
pull up the train.
According to my system I use on the railroad a balance-like lever working in a
suitable block or stanu reed that one side will, by the means of a spring
have the tendency of remaining higher than the other side, which in itself is
practically the same in shape.
The effects of those balance like levers be thus, that by any pressure coming upon
one side, the opposite side will go up or in other words, elevating the other part
which acts as the danger indicator, and in that position remaining through the
medium of a suitable bolt or sneck worked by a spring.
I have those levers arranged at a suitable distance along the lines connecting
cach sneck or bolt, with the following lever in such a mode that as one lever being
set will release the previous one and so on.
In case where shunting or changing the lines I continue in the same system
connecting each lever with one on main line.
The working of those levers is done by preference by the engine, for this purpose
I add to the engine two or more suitable arranged bars one of which at one side
is for the purpose of pressing one side of the lever down while the engine is running
along the lines and so elevating the danger side, the other bar which must be
arranged in a more forward position on the engine is for the purpose of communi-
cating an alarm or indication to the driver in case it should come in contact with
any levers that has not been released by the train in front.
In cases where the engine run either ways two of those alarum bars will be needed
as they must be always in front of the danger setting bar, should however the
attachment be preferable on any other part of the train it could be accomplished
by the same principal.
To attain the full scope the alarum bars must be adapted to be slid up and down
a spring to keep it on a downward tendency attached by some means to the whistle
or connected with an indicator to show danger to the driver, the other bar or
danger setting bar must be set as a fixture although provision could be made to be
set off so as to prevent the working of the arrangement altogether.
By this means which I claim as my invention any train will set its danger
relieving it after it set another and so forth so that any coming train approaching
another too closely will be warned under any circumstances of the dangerous
approaches.
: 18th October 1894.
PETER BERGNA,
1 John Street, Sunderland.

page_text: I PETER BERGNA of 1 John Street Sunderland in the County of Durham,
Watchmaker, 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 :—
This invention consist in an improved apparatus to be automaticaly set in action
by railway trains or vehicles passing upon the lines or rails of a railway for signal-
ling to the driver of any train in case the train being in imminent danger so that
the driver may take such steps as may be necessary to avoid a collision or otherwise.
This automatic signalling is a continuous repetition (performed by every passing
train) of setting a danger signal and relieving the saine by the action (increased or
multiplied to avoid and overcome the difficulty.of expansion and retraction of the
metal that connects the system) of setting another danger further on as the train
proceeds and so clearing the lines for the coming train.
This system can be applied between the lines or rails deriving its working power
by the train passing over it or arranged outside the lines deriving its working
power from the side of the train, or partly in or out as best suited, and consist of
levers arranged at suitable distances on the lines or railroad working on a balance-
like principle provided by means of a spring or superior weight at oue side to act
as force so that one side will when free always spring higher than the other, the
extent of the up and down action to be determined by the circumstances and the
mode the system is applied.
1
Those levers work in a suitable block (which can if desired be provided with a
cover to overcome the disadvantages the weather may impose) the end of those
levers are shaped or provided with an incline so that the bars from the train or
vehicles that work the system will run over it without any obstruction, and at the
other side the corresponding bar will easily elevate itself by running over the said
inclination of the lever.
Two bars on the train will work the system and they are by preference arranged
as follows: On the guard van I have a bar arranged about the centre of the
width of the van descending from the floor of the van having at the end a small
wheel or roller, this bar is a fixture but provision is made to remove the same so
as to prevent the working of the system. This bar when the train is running
along will come in contact with one end of the lever which is in turn pressed down
and in that position remain by a sneck or bolt and this is the mode the danger is
set. Another bar on the engine is adapted to be slidden up and down a spiral
spring to keep it down and should it come in contact with a lever that stands at
danger or in other words sneckt up, this bar will slide at the top elevating itself
and by its connection with a dial or the whistle an alarum or indication is given
and the driver will readily understand that he has passed a danger signal which
mean that there is a train in front which has not cleared the lines or in other
words is running into another train. This bar is also provided with a lock for
the purpose that when once elevated will in that position remain untill the driver
lets it down again this is for the purpose that should their be any negligence no
other alternative could be taken but to answer the signal given.
The connection of those levers on the lines is merely an attachment by mean of
wire or chain between one sneck or bolt on one lever and one side of a previous
lever which having an extra suitable shaped attachment will increase the up and
down motion to a suitable pull.
In the annexed drawings:-
Fig. I is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the levers along the lines or
railroad with the corresponding connecting wires a.

page_text: Fig. II are views illustrating parts and construction of the aforesaid levers
and part connected therewith.
Fig. I represent front view of the lines with the said levers standing set to
communicate danger.
Fig. IV illustrate the locomotive with its arm or bar and roller about to be
elevated by the lever C which stands at danger.
Fig. V and VI are elevation showing the danger setting bar or arm on the
guard van with modified or alternative construction of the saine.
Fig. VII is a front view of the danger communicating bar running clear of the
lever on the road.
A
I will further explain the above automatic system in the following alphabetical
description:-The danger setting arm F running on the lines will come in contact
with the lever side d which being depressed causes the opposite side C to rise, this
side act as danger indicator a sneck I which by the medium of a bolt J and is kept by
pressure of a spiral spring H working against the lever, will lock the aforesaid
lever, another spiral spring E is suitably arranged in the construction of the frame
for the lever and act as pressure for the part d to elevate itself when released by
the sneck through the medium of the wire a. L represent the lever that works
in the block R the extreme part being shaped with an inclination as in La.
sliding arm B attached to the engine provided with aforesaid spring and sneck will
run clear of the levers unless the said lever stand at danger in which case running
over side C is duly elevated and the communicator put in motion by the medium
of a dial or whistle. The automatic action is derived by the danger setting bar F
pressing on the lever side d this small extent of up and down action is increased by
an extra attachment merely consisting of multiplying levers, by the aforesaid
combination the downward action will thus pull the wire attached to
antecedent sneck or bolt I which as soon as the spring is sufficiently retracted
liberates the lever which will at once fall in its normal position thus clearing
the line.
the
In cases where the lines devides for shunting purpose and the system is thereon
extended the levers are connected with the one on main line in a similar way as
shown in Fig. I, provision for conducting, support and slide the connecting wires A
is provided according to requirement of circumstances.
No retrograde movement of any train will effect the system and should there be
any necessity to have a danger signal kept set as in case of shunting this can be
accomplished by removing the danger setting arm F for which purpose preparation
are made as shown in Fig. VI.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same as to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
An automatic arrangement for protection of running trains consisting of levers
set at different points on the lines worked by passing train through the medium of
arms or bar applied on the train for the purpose of setting the danger and
communicate any danger if such exist direct to the driver under any circumstances
5 so that he may act according to requirement.
Dated this 18th day of July 1895.
PETER DERONA,
1 John Street, Sunderland.