IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND GUARDS OR OTHERS ON RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Fife John Scott at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd November
1864.
I, FIFE JOHN SCOTT, of Princes Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND GUARDS OR OTHERS
ON RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
To each compartment of the carriages I apply a shaft with a handle in
position to be acted upon by the passengers, and a spring, ratchet, or other
suitable means of. imparting motion by a line, chain, wire, or rod to another
shaft, having two arms and an upright affixed to it, together with a wheel at
one end and a spring ratchet with cord and balance weight at the other end.
Upon the upright is placed a lamp and a piece of flat perforated iron or other
suitable day and night signalling apparatus. Upon motion being given to the
handle by a passenger the signals are brought into view at the side or top of
the carriage. In place of a balance weight to act on the danger signal the
same effect may be obtained by the use of a wire or other connector pulling
on the ratchet. A sliding bar with handle, slot, or catch inside, and ratchet
spring and wheel outside will act in like manner on the signals.
By another arrangement a guide fixed to the side of the carriage supports a
sliding box, lamp, and signal, which under ordinary circumstances are covered
by a shield, but when required they may be acted upon by a passenger pulling
the connecting means to the spring ratchet, when the signal will be released

page_text: and brought into view. The box is raised from outside by pulling a cord
attached to the pulley wheel. This cord is kept under cover.
By another arrangement on the end of each carriage are placed two
brackets, one flush with the edge of the carriage to support a sliding frame
carrying the signals, which are worked by pulling (inside the carriage) a
handle attached to a wire, cord, or chain connected to pullies placed on
brackets reversed by a balance weight when the ratchet is lifted.
By another arrangement on the front of the guard's van or other of the
carriages I apply a plain glass lamp pointing up the line, and on the engine I
place a similar lamp pointing down the line. On each carriage I apply a
slide arm or rising or falling signal, in which I place coloured glass. When
one of these is out it will cover and reflect danger to both ends of the train.
The coloured glasses are worked from the inside of the carriages, and they are
reversed by balance weights.
By another arrangement I apply coloured glass to the sides of the carriages
in a line with the inside lamps, and outside I apply angle or other mirrors on
hinges pointing up and down the line, and parallel with other mirrors on the
engine and van. By working a handle or other connecting means inside any
of the carriages, as before described, these side angle mirrors will be moved to
such an angle in relation to the light inside and the coloured glass that they
will reflect the colour upon the other mirrors, which I apply in suitable
positions on the engine and guard's van. To act as signals in the day-time
pieces of circular sheet iron may be attached on the tops of the angle mirrors.
I make the signals from No. 1 compartment act on the mirror of No. 3
compartment, and so on.
Signals may be obtained by applying frames over the lamps used at present
in the carriages working in guides, so that the lamps may be raised out of
their sockets on pulling a handle operating a spring, ratchet, and balance
weight.
These signals may be worked from the top of the carriage by placing slides
or guides with lamps and other indicators attached to them. When all clear
the signals will be in hollow boxes, and they may be raised by ratchet and
balance weights, or by working a handle inside the carriage.
Reflectors at each end of a train serve to indicate to the guard and engine
driver any signal made between those points along the train.