NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GUARDS AND PASSENGERS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Horace Wilde at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th January 1866.
I, HORACE WILDE, of No. 8, Great Mitchell Street, City Road, in the City
of London, and County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
5 of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GUARDS AND PASSENGERS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be
as follows:-
A line or cord of suitable length and thickness is extended along the top
or at the sides of a train of railway carriages; and traverses the whole length
of the said train in a direction parallel with the movement thereof. One
extremity of the said line or cord is attached to the rear of the said train,
while the other extremity is connected to a drum or cylinder adjusted to an
axis in the guard's compartment. The said line or cord in its extension as
aforesaid along the train is passed through a metallic loop or guide attached
to each compartment of the railway carriages; connected to each loop or
guide is a cutting blade or instrument which by means of a cord, lever, or
other contrivance can be acted upon by a passenger in the interior of the
said compartment. The said cutting blade or instrument being thus acted
upon cuts in two parts the line or cord which as aforesaid extends along the
train, a weight or lever in the guard's compartment is thereby set in movement,

page_text: releasing a spring or other motive power, which causes the afore-mentioned
drum or cylinder to rapidly revolve, and during its revolution to sound a bell
or other signal and to wind up the said line or cord to the point at which it
has been severed, a mark or figure near the said point indicating the number
of the compartment from whence a communication has been sent. It is not
however necessary for the said line or cord to be wound up as above described
in order to ascertain from which compartment a communication has been.
merely
sent, as the guard will be enabled to obtain that information
observing on which compartment the said line or cord has been cut. By
this latter arrangement the spring or other motive power can be dispensed
with as the lever or weight in its descent actuates the afore-mentioned bell
or other signal, and thereby intimates to the guard that a communication has
been transmitted from one of the compartments of the train. To enable the
guard to obtain access to the compartment on which the said line or cord
as afore shown has been cut, I propose to lay a tramway of iron or other
suitable material in a longitudinal position on the top or roof of each carriage
of a train, and secured thereto in a suitable position, and in such a manner
that the upper surfaces of the rails of one carriage will be on a level with
the
upper surfaces of the rails on the adjoining carriage. I also propose to
have a car constructed to move along the said tramway, and in order to afford
the said car a secure transit from the roof of one carriage to the roofs of the
adjoining ones the rails of the said tramway can be made to extend
longitudinally beyond the roof of each carriage to such a distance that their
extremities will form a junction with the extremities of the rails similarly
arranged of the adjoining carriage. To prevent collision between the rails
of one carriage with the rails of those adjoining during the concussions of the
train, the opposing extremities of the said rails are so arranged that they
pass each other in opposite directions so that when the train is stationary or
in movement a small portion of the rails of one carriage will be on the
same level and parallel with an equally small portion of the rails of the
adjoining carriage, thus forming a continuous tramway for the transit of the
afore-mentioned car along the entire length of the train. The said car is
constructed of suitable size and material and made to move along the
tramway as close to the roofs of the carriages as is possible without
contact or friction therewith. It is furnished with two driving wheels,
together with four or more smaller wheels which are constructed with double
flanges in order to maintain the car in its right position while moving on
that portion of the tramway where the junction is formed as afore shown with
the rails of adjoining carriages. When the attention of the guard has been

page_text: called by the apparatus afore described, he or any one so employed enters
the said car, and by turning a crank which is attached to the driving wheels,
moves along the tramway till he reaches the compartment on which ho
observes the afore-described line or cord has been cut. Communication with
the interior of the compartment is then effected through the aperture in the
roof formed for the lamp, or through any other aperture which it may be
thought necessary to make for the purpose. While the said car is thus employed
its occupant will incur no danger from coming into collision with bridges,
tunnels, or other structures, as his position will be such that he will not be
above the level of the highest point of the train. To prevent the possibility
of the said car being thrown off the tramway I purpose furnishing each of
the rails thereof with a rim or groove of suitable width, which will extend.
longitudinally along the entire length of the said rails; two or more pieces of
iron or other suitable metal are attached to the body of the car and are
made to coincide with the said rim or groove moving freely in or upon it as the
car is impelled along the tramway. If, therefore, the car by a sudden shock
or otherwise should have a tendency to deviate from its proper course, the
said pieces of iron or other metal coming in contact with the surfaces of the
said rim or groove will always retain the car in its right position while
passing along the tramway.