An Improved Railway Fog Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railway Fog Signalling Apparatus.
We, THOMAS WILLIAM MILLER of 82 Pitt Street Sydney, in the Colony of
New South Wales, Engineer, and PERCY BRERETON COLQUHOUN of 114 Pitt
Street Sydney aforesaid, Solicitor, 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 improvements in railway fog signalling apparatus and
consists essentially first of the peculiar construction of an underground magazine
for detonators, from which a passage is provided to enable a detonator, to be
forced onto the rail by a sliding bar or piston; secondly of the combination and
arrangement with an underground magazine, of sliding bars or pistons, of counter
balance weight, of bell crank levers and connecting rods or wires to actuating
mechanism at a signal cabin or station. Thirdly, of the combination and arrange-
ment with an underground magazine, of mechanism for raising the detonators into
position in the feeding passage, and a shield to protect the end of detonator
passage.
A
Now this invention provides a means whereby, a detonator may be placed upon
the rail and held secure in the proper position until either exploded by a passing
train or withdrawn from the rail and passed into a receptacle provided to receive
the same, all operations being under the control of the signal man while in his
cabin, the apparatus being placed at any required distance therefrom.
In order that the magazine may be kept properly charged with detonators,
means is provided wherely, an electric bell will ring in the signal cabin indicating
when the number of detonators in the magazine has been reduced to any desired
number, when this happens, it would be the duty of the signal man to have the
magazine recharged.
But in order that this invention may be more fully understood reference will
now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which.
Figure 1 is a plan of this improved apparatus with the covering plate removéd,
also showing connection to bell crank mechanism.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of this improved apparatus.
Figures 3 & 4 are plan and side elevation of the detonator mount.
!
A is the magazine which may be constructed of any depth according to the
number of detonators required to be stored; B is the carrier for supporting the
detonators; this carrier is provided with the extended side pieces C to which are
attached the chains D (one on either side) these chains pass over the sprocket
wheels E and F and have a small weight G attached to the ends. H is. the
detonator secured to the mount.1; J is a sliding bar or piston connected to one
arm of bell crauk K by the rod L; to the other arm of the bell crank K is
attached the wire M leading one way to the operating lever or mechanism in the
signal cabin, the other way over the pulley N and is secured to the counter"
weight O. To the sliding bar or piston J is attached, on one side the rod P used
to operate another. sliding bar or piston Q this bar consists of a piece cut out of
the centre of the bed of the detonator passage R. The rod S is secured to the
other side of the sliding bar or piston J, and carries on the under side à pawl to
operate the ratchet wheel T, this rod S after passing over the supports U and U
is jointed so that the forward or rail end is below the level of the supports U
and U' and is attached to the lever V which lever operates the shield W.
X is the covering plate to which is secured a piece of metal Y used for the
purpose of preventing the detonator mount going too far and for holding same in

page_text: position on the rail Z. This piece of metal is forked to suit the shape of the
detonator mount.. a is a covering stop on the covering plate X in such a position
that the end of the shield W when raised into the position shewn in dotted lines
in Figure 2 will be covered.
b is the trap door over the magazine A so placed to permit of the magazine
being recharged this door is provided with recesses 6' on each side, for the purpose
of admitting the upward turned sides of the covering plate X on the top of
which may be placed strips of leather, gutta percha, or any other suitable
substance.
The clamp or lock e is hinged at d and when this clamp is lowered into position
shewn in Figure 2 it presses down the trap door 6 through contact with f, the
strips of leather or other material above mentioned will permit of the tightening
down of the trap door. The clamp or lock c is fastened at e. by either a padlock,
cotter, or any other suitable means.
The covering plate X extends right over the apparatus (shewn in dotted lines
of Figure 1) so that the apparatus may be protected from the weather, the
shield W protecting the rail end. The covering plate being bolted to the
apparatus through the ears g.
h is a storage box or receptacle provided at the rail end of the apparatus to
receive the unexploded detonators as they are, withdrawn from the rail, this,
storage box extends outwards so as to allow of a door i being placed on the top,
to permit of the unexploded detonators being removed therefrom.
The sprocket wheels F and the ratchet wheel T are keyed on to the spindle j
which is supported by hangers or in any other suitable manner.
To operate the apparatus and place a detonator on the rail the signal man will
actuate the mechanism in the signal cabin and allow the weight O to fall, this
will cause, by the intervention of the bell crank K, the bar or piston J to enter
the detonator passage, this bar or piston has to enter the passage a sufficient
distance before forcing the detonators along the passage to allow the rod S to
operate the lever V and drop the shield W a sufficient distance so that the
detonator may pass on to the rail, at the same time the rod P forces the bar Q
towards the rail this assists in carrying the detonator into the required position
on the rail and supports it in position. The metal clip Y prevents the detonator
mount going too far.
When the detonator has reached the rail the bar or piston .J will have entered
the passage so far as to cover the magazine and take the place of the top-most
detonator.
When it is required to remove the detonator from the rail the signal man actuates
the mechanism in the reverse way and thus draws up the weight O and causes the
slides and rods to be withdrawn; the bar Q recedes and while this is taking place.
the shield W is being raised and strikes the detonator tipping it into the storage
box ; the slide J is also receding and when the end has cleared the magazine, the
pawl attached to the under side of the rod S engages with the ratchet wheel T
causing it and the sprocket wheels F to revolve just sufficient to raise the carrier B
and bring another detonator into position, a second pawl is attached to the under
side of the support U in such a position that it will engage with the ratchet wheel T
and prevent it revolving in the opposite direction. The pawl secured to the under
side of the rod S is inoperative when moving towards the rail, and only engages
with the ratchet wheel T after the bar J has left the space quite clear for the
ascending detonator.
An insulated bar B¹ is secured to the under side of the carrier B and projects
slightly beyond the extended sides C, so that when the carrier B rises in the
magazine to any desired point it will make contact with an electrical connection on
each side and cause the current to travel to the signal cabin in which an electric bell
and indicator is placed, this is to warn the signalman that the magazine requires
recharging. It will be obvious that many modifications, may be made in the method.
of making the electrical contact.

page_text: The detonator mount I may be made of any suitable material and is shaped ke
wo squares joined by a bar as shewn in Figure 3 the detonator H is secured to one
of the squares the other square is covered, when the detonator is forced onto the
ail the forked piece of metal Y will fall into the recesses k of the detonator
mount 1, and will thus prevent the detonator going too far, it will also serve to.
hold the detonator in position on the rail.
A modification may be made in the method of raising the detonators in the
magazine, by dispensing with the ratchet and sprocket wheels TE and F and
passing the chains D over two pulleys and securing weight to the ends so that
when the topmost detonator is removed and the sliding bar J is withdrawn another
detonator will rise into position owing to the weights being heavier than all the
detonators in the magazine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.-
1st. In apparatus for placing detonators upon rails; for the removal therefrom,.
and storage of unexploded detonators the combination and arrangement with an
underground magazine for detonators such as A having a passage such as R to
the rail, sliding bars such as J and Q, a shield such as W bell crank mechanism
such as K connecting rods or wires such as L and M and counter weight such
as O substantially as herein described, explained and illustrated in the drawings.
2nd. In railway fog signalling apparatus the combination and arrangement with
an underground magazine such as A a carrier such as B lifting chains such as D,.
ratchet wheel such as T sprocket wheels such as E and F substantially as herein
described explained and illustrated in the drawings.
3rd. In railway fog signalling apparatus the combination and arrangement with.
an underground magazine such as A, a sliding bar such as J connected to rods
such as S and P a shield such as W a second slide such as Q a forked metal stop.
such as Y, a detonator storage box such as h. substantially as herein described,.
explained and illustrated in the drawings.
4th. In railway fog signalling apparatus an underground magazine such as A.
having a trap door such as b. secured in position by a clamp or lock such as c
hinged to a covering plate such as X substantially as herein described, explained
and illustrated in the drawings.
5th. In railway fog signalling apparatus the combination and arrangement with
an underground magazine such as A a detonator carrier such as B having an
insulated bar or rod such as B' and electrical contact points placed in the said
magazine substantially as herein described, explained and illustrated and for the
purposes set forth.
6th. In railway fog signalling apparatus the combination and arrangement with
an underground magazine such as A a detonator mount such as I aud a forked
piece of fine metal such as Y substantially as herein described, explained and
illustrated in the drawings.
7th. The peculiar combination and arrangement of the mechanical parts herein
5 described explained and illustrated altogether forming the improved railway fog
signalling apparatus substantially and for the purposes set forth.
T. W. MILLER.
P. B. COLQUHOUN.
Dated this tn
Witness
T. W. MILLER.
P. B.
COLQUHOUN.
O. P. CLAYTON, J.P.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicants..