An Improved Alarm Signalling Apparatus and Break Operator for Use on Railway Trains.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1889
Comp ete Specification Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1889
An Improved Alarm Signalling Apparatus and Break Operator for
Use on Railway Trains.
•
I, ANTOINE CHABEAU, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to apparatus for enabling alarm signals to be given on
railway trains and for simultaneously stopping the trains.
The apparatus comprises a box or case conveniently placed above the carriage on a
branch pipe leading to the pneumatic brake of the train so as to allow the brake to be
applied and a horn to be sounded by means of a cock located in the said box and
arranged to be operated by a passenger pulling a cord or chain which, by means of
suitable connections, simultaneously actuates the trigger of a revolver and the hammer
of a bell. The revolver is so arranged that when it is fired, will by igniting a
gun-cotton wick or fulminate set light to a lanp or candle in a suitable lantern and
burn a ribbon.or the like, which releases a flag so that the latter becomes unfurled or
displayed.
By this means, in case of emergency, a passenger can, by operating the cord or
chain which would be placed in a convenient position in the carriage, give five different
signals and at the same time stop the train.
My alarm apparatus can also be used on trains which are not provided with
pneumatic brakes. In this case the apparatus would not operate the brake, and the
horn together with the branch air pipe and cock, would not be used. I can however,
if required, sound the horn by employing, a blower placed in the box and arranged
to be operated by a supplementary rod.
It will be obvious that my alarm-signalling. apparatus can also be adapted to be
operated from other parts of a train, for example, it could be applied to the luggage
van so as to give an alarm in case of the van being broken into.
boll
1
A
:1 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Alarm Signalling Apparatus and Break Operator for
Use on Railway Trains,
I, ANTOINE CHABEAU, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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 relates to apparatus for enabling different oral and sight alarm
signals to be given on railway trains and for simultaneously stopping the trains, the
apparatus being applicable to all trains provided with compressed air breaks such as
the Westinghouse, the Wenger, and others worked by means of an automatic pump.
The invention consists of a detent or releasing mechanism enclosed within a case and
serving to cause various signals to be given such as an explosion, the appearance of a light,
the sound of a bell or gong, the sound of a horn, and the unfurling of a flag, the
said mechanism at the same time causing the break to be applied.
The apparatus being placed on a railway carriage, if an alarm is required to be
given, a passenger, by simply pulling a conveniently placed cord, can give five signals
Outside and at the same time stop the train.
The luminous signal is of especial service during the night time or in a tunnel in
. conjunction with the sound of the bell, the liorn and the explosion. The flag serves
as a day signal in conjunction with the others.
In order to enable my invention. to be fully understood, I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in the several
figures of which similar letters indicate parts which are similar.
Figure 1 is an elevation of an alarm signalling apparatus and break operator
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is an interior view.
Figure 3 is a back elevation, and
Figure 4 is a sectional side view of the apparatus.
The apparatus comprises a box or case conveniently placed above the carriage on a
branch pipe 1 fitted to a compressed air pipe 2 extending along the top of one side of
the carriage and connected to the main pipe leading to and supplying compressed air
to the pneumatic brake of the train, so as to allow the brake to be applied.
The tube enters the case, and conveys compressed air to the horn and it is
provided with a cock 18 within the said case, the cock being operated by a passenger
pulling the alarm cord or chain passing into the case through one or more barrels or
tubes 6, 6. The other end of the tube 1 carries the horn 23 projecting outside so as
to resound in the air when the cock is more or less opened through the traction of
the chain 19, the opening of the cock at the same time causing the brake to operate.

page_text: The alarm cords or chains 5 as they leave the tubes or barrels 6 through which they
pass into the case are attached by their ends to a ring 7 to which are fixed the ends
of two rods or metal cords one of which is connected to the handle 18 of the cock
on the tube 1, and the other to a lever 16 operating the trigger of a revolver 8.
By this means when the cord or chain is pulled, the lever 16 and handle 18 will
be operated and the lever 16 will operate the trigger of the loaded revolver and the
handle 18 will cause air to pass to the horn 23. The revolver discharges into a box 9,
which I call the fire-box, because it contains gun cotton wick, powder and fulminate
or phosphoric powder.
This box is constructed with three tubes one of which forms an extension of the
revolver barrel; the second tube 15 projects into a lantern 11 and the third tube 14
enters a drum 12, the whole being arranged outside the main casing.
When the explosion of the revolver has taken place, the ignition is effected of the
fulminate contained in the box 9 and the fire passing out through the tube 14
consumes the retaining-wick; the flag 13 then becomes unfurled whilst a flame issuing
from the box 9 through the tube 15 will light a candle or lamp in the lantern 11.
The wick which retains the flag being burnt at its point of attachment, the unfurling
of the said flag takes place through the speed of the train causing a wheel to revolve
a few times.
The release of the bell alarm 22, figure 1, is caused by the traction on a chain also
attached at one end to the ring 7 of the alarm chains or cords, its other end being
attached to a rod 17 connected with the said bell alarm.
I can employ an ordinary spring bell, or a bell the hammer of which would be
connected to the rod or attached to the ring 7. When the apparatus has been
operated and the alarm signal shall have produced the required results, it is only
necessary for the guard of the train to pull a chain or cord 20 connected to the
handle 18 of the cock of the tube 1 and provided with a ring 21 outside the box
when the cock will be closed and the brake will be again ready to be applied. The
position of the handle 18 of the said cock shows that the cock is not entirely closed
and by lengthening or shortening the chain 19 the train could be stopped in a shorter
distance.
3 is a stopper in the end of the compressed air tube. 25 is the door and lock of
the apparatus. 26, 26 are angle irons by which the apparatus is fixed to the carriage.
27 is the fastening of the lantern.
By means of my alarm apparatus, a passenger can without the assistance of.
the engine driver or guard, stop the train when running at full speed and the
five alarm signals simultaneously produced will attract not only the attention of the
officials of the train but also of any other person or persons who may be near
the railway.
The apparatus can be placed on any kind of carriage, with or without compressed
air brake in the latter case, however, the horn would have to be dispensed with as
well as the air tubes and cock; a whistle could nevertheless be employed placed in the
case and operated by pulling a supplementary rod adapted to the ring 7.
The apparatus could also be made use of as an alarm signal in any other place
where mechanism of the kind described can be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1). An alarun apparatus for railway trains comprising a case placed above the
carriage on a branch of the compressed air tube of the brake for the purpose of
applying the said brake by means of a cock placed in the said case and operated"
by pulling an alarm chain or cord connected therewith, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
(2). In an aların apparatus the combination of a lantern, a revolver, a flag, a bell or
gong, and a horn arranged to operate simultaneously upon an alarm chain or cord
being pulled, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: (3). The combination of the various parts forming an improved alarm signal and
means for automatically stopping a train in motion, the whole operating simul-
taneously by pulling an alarm chain or cord placed for this purpose in a carriage of the
train within reach of the passengers whereby a revolver is discharged which, through
the medium of a box containing an explosive compound and receiving the discharge
of the revolver, lights a lantern and burns the retaining cord of a flag which then
becomes unfurled, a horn and a bell or gong being at the same time sounded, substan-
tially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 28th day of January 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.