Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
1, SIGISMUND LICHTENFELD of 45 Great Portland Street London, W.,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in railway signalling apparatus and has
for its object to provide means whereby electric communication may be effected
between the signal box or shunting lever and the driver of an engine for the
purpose of facilitating shunting and other operations in the vicinity of a station or
elsewhere.
In carrying my invention into practice, I arrange on one side of the track and at
suitable intervals insulated bars upon which may pass a spring contact piece
attached to the corresponding side of a locomotive engine.
The various metal bars are connected to the binding screws of a switch board
arranged in the signal cabin and connected to an electric battery placed in the said
cabin. A pointer moves upon a number of contacts equal to that of the binding
screws and as the engine is furnished with an electric bell when the pointer carrying
a contact under its front end is placed on No. 1 contact, the bell will ring in the
engine as it passes over the first insulated bar by the side of the track and when it
has passed this bar, the pointer will be shifted on No. 2 and so on in such a manner
as to warn the driver that the line is not clear whereas should it be otherwise the
bell would remain silent.
Another wire is attached to the lever by means of which the points are operated
so that when this lever is drawn, a bell is rung in the cabin warning the signalman
that the main line is not clear and that a goods or local train is being shunted into
a siding whereupon the signalman places the pointer on No. 1 contact so that when
the engine passes along the first insulated bar, its bell will ring warning the driver
to stop. When the shunting lever is moved forward and the line is clear, the
shunting lever bell ceases to ring in the cabin, the signalman moves his pointer on
No. 2 contact and if the last-mentioned bell still continues to remain silent, the
said pointer is moved on line clear" and the bell ceases to ring in the engine as
the latter successively passes along the three or more insulated bars provided so
that it will now proceed onward over the points aforesaid.
This mole of signalling may be used with equal success during the prevalence of
foggy or snowy weather."
As my improvements are capable of some modifications without departing from
the principle thereof I do not restrict myself to the material, dimensions, or to the
precise form or placement of the several parts thereof.
Dated this 12th day of August 1891.
FREDERICK GEORGE CASSELL,
The West End Patent Agency,
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
I, SIGISMUND LICHTENFELD late of 45 Great Portland Street, at present
residing at 1S Bentinck Street, London, W., 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 :—
A
My invention relates to improvements in railway signalling apparatus and has
for its object to provide means whereby electric communication may be effected
between the signal box or shunting lever and the driver of an engine for the
purpose of facilitating shunting and other operations in the vicinity of a station or
elsewhere. In carrying my invention into practice I arrange on one side of the
track and at suitable intervals insulated bars upon which may press a spring
contact piece attached to the corresponding side of a locomotive engine the various
metal bars are connected to the binding screws of a switch board arranged in the
signal cabin and connected to an electric battery placed in the said cabin.
pointer moves upon a number of contacts equal to that of the binding screws and
as the engine is furnished with an electric bell when the pointer carrying a contact
under its front end is placed on No. 1 contact the bell will ring in the engine as it
passes over the first insulated bar by the side of the track and when it has passed
this bar the pointer will be shifted on No. 2 and so on in such a manner as to warn
the driver that the line is not clear whereas should it be otherwise the bell would
remain silent. Another wire is attached to the lever by means of which the points
are operated so that when this lever is drawn, a bell is rung in the cabin, warning
the signalman that the main line is not clear and that a goods or local train is being
shunted into a siding whereupon the signalınan places the pointer on No. 1 contact
so that when the engine passes along the first insulated bar its bell will ring
warning the driver to stop. When the shunting lever is moved forward and the
line is clear, the shunting lever bell ceases to ring in the cabin the signalman moves
the pointer on No. 2 contact and if the last mentioned bell still continues to remain
silent the said pointer is moved on line clear and the bell does not ring in the
engine as the latter successively passes along the three or more insulated bars
provided so that it will proceed onward over the points aforesaid.
This mode of signalling may be used with equal success during the prevalence of
foggy or snowy weather. As my improvements are capable of some modification
without departing from the principle thereof I do not restrict myself to the
material, dimensions, or to the precise form or placement of the several parts
thereof.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure is a diagram illustrating the system of signalling according to this
invention, this view representing as much of a double or up and down line as is
controlled by the one signalman in the example given the extent of this portion
being greater or smaller according to requirements.
Figure 2 is an elevation of an indicator used in connection with the switch board
at a signalman's cabin as shewn on a smaller scale in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front end elevation of a locomotive provided with contacts for
completing an electric circuit according to this invention.
Figure 4 is a view of a contact making device for signalling from the line to the
signalman's cabin.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In Figure 1A represents say the up line, B the down line and C a junction
or connecting line between these lines. The rail A¹ of the up line A is employed
as an electrical conductor and for this purpose is connected by one or more
wires or conductors D (represented in dotted lines in Figure 1) with the battery E
or other source of electricity and the rail B' of line B is similarly employed as an

page_text: 8
electrical conductor and may be similarly connected to the source of electricity
by wires or conductors D as shown. Both rails CC of junction C may be
connected to the source of electricity by conductors D. All the before mentioned
rails serving as electrical conductors and the wires connected therewith are insulated
from the other rails and conductors hereinafter described. G' G² G³ G* G* G*
GG are eight different lengths of rail herein sometimes referred to as periodic
rails each of which is insulated from the others and is connected by its respective
conductor gg³ 9' 9° 9° y² g³ (represented in dot and dash lines) through one of
the binding screws H to the appropriate annunciator H H H H H H H or H
of the indicator HP at the cabin of the signalman controlling this portion of the
railway. Where in this Specification no particular one of the rails G-Gs or
conductors g- is required to be specified the reference letter G or g¹ will be
respectively used. The rails G' may each be about 600 yards long so that a train,
receiving a signal to stop, at one end of the rail, may be brought to a standstill
before it leaves the other end of the rail G. An express train travelling at its
maximum speed may generally be "pulled up in less than 600 yards and it is
deemed sufficient to have the rails of that length; but they may however be
longer or shorter than 600 yards according to requirements among which may be
mentioned the varying grades of the permanent way a train being brought to a
standstill in a shorter distance when ascending an incline than when running on a
level or down-hill. The rails G' may be located at the various stations or at any
required parts between the stations or both at the stations and intermediate parts
and may be used in conjunction with the existing semaphore signals or in substitution
for them. J¸‚J³ ‚J* ‚J³ ‚Jº J* ‚Jª are short pieces of rail or contacts each insulated
from and at a short distance in advance of one of the rails G'. Each of these
contacts (this reference letter being used to indicate any of the contacts when no
particular one is referred to) is connected through a binding screw I by its
appropriate conductor j¹ ja j³ jjjj orj (each of which in Figure 1 is indicated
by a line composed of alternately thick and thin dashes) with its respective
annunciator K K K K K K K K of the indicator.
For convenience in describing this invention the word "annunciator" is herein
used to mean any of the well known devices which by an electric current is caused
to expose a word or words, symbol or equivalent either by presenting it opposite
an opening or by removing a shutter from before it or otherwise and in Figures 1
and 2 eight sets of two or sixteen of these annunciators are represented, each set
consisting of an "arrived "annunciator and a "left" annunciator. As the working
parts of these annunciators form no part of my invention I have simply represented
the openings through which the symbols are exposed and diagrammatically shown
the conductors connected with the working parts as taken to these openings. These
last mentioned conductors are connected to the electro-magnet of the bell L
preferably a single stroke bell, so that it will be sounded whenever the circuit is
completed to operate any of the annunciators. The word indicator" is herein
used to mean the apparatus in which the annunciators are comprised.
Ho is the knob or bar by pushing which nearer to or further into the indicator
the annunciators are returned to the position in which the words "arrived" and
« left are out of sight.
8
One pole of the battery or other source of electricity E as before described
is connected by conductor's D with the rails A' and the other pole of E iş
connected by conductors D' preferably through the switch M with the contact
plates N of switches N N N N N N N N each of which is connected by a
conductor D with its appropriate annunciator H-H³ as shown clearly in Figure 1.
The annunciators K-K are connected with the battery E through the con-
ductors and D' or they may instead be connected with it through the switch M
by the conductors and D'.
As shown more distinctly in Figure 2 the face of the indicator H bears a
miniature representation H" of all that portion of the line controlled from the
cabin where the indicator is fixed and the position of each set of annunciators bears

page_text: practically the same relation to the representation H" as the particular rail Gand
contact J to which it is connected bears to the permanent way. For convenience
these corresponding rails and sets of annunciators in Figs. 1 and 2 are designated
by like numerals thus,-numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the up line are represented on the
indicator by the numbers 1, 2 and and so on, and each of the switches N N N³
N N N N N also bears a number corresponding to that of the set of annunciators
with which it is connected.
Instead of each switch and its corresponding set of annunciators being designated
by a number each may bear the name of the station, junction, siding or other place
at which the particular rail G to which it pertains is situated or may be otherwise
identified.
For enabling the driver of a locomotive engine to be placed in electrical
communication with the signalman controlling the portion of the line (constructed
as before described) on which the locomotive at the time may be running, said
locomotive as shown in Fig. 3 is provided with a preferably two flexible contacts O
which may be of any desired construction and either of which, according to whether
the locomotive is travelling with the funnel forward or in the reverse direction
is adapted to travel over the rails G and make electrical contact therewith.
These contacts O are insulated from that portion P of the engine to which they
are secured.
The contacts are electrically connected together by a conductor Q and by
conductor with one terminal of an electric bell R shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 3.
The other terminal of the bell R is connected by a wire or other con-
ductor S to the conductor S which by any suitable means is placed in electrical
contact with the engine wheels T one or other of which runs on the line A' or Bl
according to whether the locomotive is travelling with its funnel forward or not.
In the drawing this is effected by the wire S¹ being connected with the two
axle boxes.
It will be seen that whenever the locomotive is travelling or standing over one
of the rails G and provided that the switch N' pertaining to that rail is closed
an electrical circuit is completed through rail G contact O conductors QQ bell R
conductors S S wheel T and rail A or B and the appropriate connecting wires of
the system, and besides causing the bell R on the locomotive to ring also causes
the bell L to be sounded in the signalman's cabin and the appropriate annunciator H
to be operated and to expose its word "arrived." The ringing of the bell R on
the locomotive is a signal to the engine-driver to stop which he does before the
locomotive leaves the rail G' over which it is travelling so that the driver may
know that as soon as the ringing of the bell R ceases which is effected by the
opening of either the appropriate switch N or the switch M he is free to run the
train or locomotive further along the line.
If desired a telephonic or telegraphic instrument the latter preferably a tape
machine may be mounted on the locomotive and in the signalnian's cabin so that
free communication may be had between the signalman and engine driver.
Supposing that the up and down trains travel respectively in the directions
indicated by the arrows y and Fig. 1 and that for some reason say a train ahead,
it is desired to stop the next up train at the part No. 3. For this purpose only
the switches M and N need be closed, all the others pertaining to the up line,
riz. No. 1 and No. 2, being open because in other respects the line is supposed to
be clear. The locomotive of the said up train completes the circuit in which the
bells R and L are then included through the rail G³, conductors g3 annunciator H³
switch N³ conductor D¹ switch M conductor D' to battery E then by conductor D
and rail A' to engine so that the bells R on the locomotive and L in the signalman's
cabin are sounded which indicates to the engine driver that he is to stop and to
the signalman that the train has arrived at the part at which he has signalled
it to stop the annunciator H³ exposing its word "arrived" indicating at a glance
the place or rail G³ at which the train is stopped. As soon as the signalman
receives communication that the line is clear he opens the switch N³ so that the

page_text: ::
bell R on the locomotive stops ringing which is a signal to the driver that he is to
go ahead. The signalman may then push-in the knob H¹ so as to again obscure.
the No. 3 arrived" and shortly afterwards as the locomotive passes over the
contact the signalman's bell L will be sounded and the No. 3 left will be
exposed thus indicating to the signalman that the train has left the No. 3 rail (G³).
and passed out of his control. Had the previous illustration referred to one of the
earlier sections controlled from this cabin the train upon leaving it would have.
been passed to the succeeding section in the illustration given the train has been
passed on to the first section controlled from the next cabin.
The circuits which when the switches N-N are all closed would otherwise be
closed by the locomotive or equivalent contact may all be simultaneously broken
by opening the switch M.
The contacts J may be so arranged that when the contact of the locomotive
passes over any one of them the then-completed circuit will embrace both the
signalman's bell Land engine driver's bell R as before described with regard to
the similar function of the rails Gin which case the engine-driver would know
that he is to take no notice of any but a sustained ringing of the bell or what is.
preferable the contacts J may each be formed as shown in Fig. 4 which is simply
a device for making electrical contact between say A' and 'without necessitating
the passage of the current through the bell R of the locomotive, the spring
controlled foot or contact plunger O or O' for this purpose pressing the spring
controlled contact U which is secured to A' down upon the contact
contact U being if desired guided in a bracket U. Any other suitable form of
contact may be employed instead of that last described.
the
The before described apparatus which may be modified without departing from
the spirit of the invention will be of especial service during foggy weather and will
enable the ordinary detonating fog signals and the labour attendant on their use to
be dispensed with.
Any other parts of a train besides or instead of the locomotive may be fitted with
contact making devices or the circuit may include the bell and the other electrical
instruments provided on the locomotive and other electric bells and instruments at
different parts of the train and if desired visible signals may be employed on the
locomotive or train either in addition to or instead of the audible signals or bells.
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. Signalling to a train or locomotive in motion by means of periodic rails such
as G substantially as described.
2. For signalling with a train or locomotive in motion the employment in an
electric circuit of one of the continuous rails and a rail such as Gtwo or more of
which are laid along the permanent way at known positions substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for signalling to a locomotive or train in motion the combination.
with the permanent way one rail of which is included in an electric circuit of a
series of rails such as G also included in the circuit and a series of electric contacts
such as J substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus for signalling to a train or locomotive in motion the combination.
with a continuous rail and a series of non-continuous rails such as G¹at known
positions along the line of contact-making and signalling devices carried by the
locomotive or vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying.
drawings.
5. In apparatus for signalling to a train or locomotive in motion the combination
with a continuous rail and a series of rails such as G¹ laid at known positions along
the line of an indicator such as H' bearing a miniature representation of the portion
of the line appertaining thereto and having a series of annunciators electrically-

page_text: connected with the continuous and periodic rails and occupying on this miniature
representation the same relative positions as the rails G¹ or contacts do to the
corresponding portion of the permanent way substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In apparatus for signalling to a train or locomotive in motion the combination
of a continuous rail and a series of rails G¹ laid at known positions along the line a
series of annunciators H electrically connected with the continuous and periodic
rails and a series of switches one for each annunciator for breaking or completing
a circuit which is otherwise completed by a contact device carried by a locomotive
or vehicle travelling along the line substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
7. In apparatus for signalling to a locomotive or train in motion the combination
with a length of rail such as G for announcing the arrival or presence of the
locomotive or vehicle of a detached contact such as J¹ for announcing the departure
of the said locomotive or vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
8. In a system of electric signalling on railways the combination with the con-
tinuous rail of independent lengths of rail such (arranged so that both stopping
and starting signals may be given before the locomotive or vehicle leaves the same
length of rail substantially as described.
ليهد
1009
S. LICHTENFELD.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.