An Improvement connected with the Employment of Carbonic Acid Gas in Refrigerating Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement connected with the Employment of Carbonic Acid
Gas in Refrigerating Apparatus.
We EVERARD HESKETH of Dartford Iron Works Dartford in the County of
Kent Engineer and OLIVER JOSOLYNE ELLIS of 29 Victoria Road, Old Charlton
in the said County Engineer 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:-
Carbonic acid gas as obtained commercially contains water which water in
passing through the refrigerating apparatus is liable to become frozen and to then
interfere with the efficient working of the said apparatus. It is also found in
practice that glycerine or other lubricants of a like nature used in such refrigerating
apparatus are liable to become frozen.
According to this invention we inject or introduce into the system where the
carbonic acid gas is used in the refrigerating apparatus a material which will by
mixing with the water which may be present in the gas render the said water
uncongealable at the lowest temperature to which it may be exposed in the said
apparatus. Suitable materials for this purpose are for instance methylated spirit
or alcohol. The said mixture will also dissolve any ice or frozen matter which may
be present such as frozen lubricant.
The amount of material injected into the apparatus as aforesaid varies according
to the percentage of water that is contained in the carbonic acid gas.
In ordinary cases we find that methylated spirit to the extent of 5 to 10 per cent.
of the weight of gas gives satisfactory results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The use with carbonic acid gas employed in refrigerating apparatus of methylated
spirit alcohol or other material which will render water and lubricants uncongealable
at the temperatures employed for the purposes herein before mentioned.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Signals, Parts of which are
applicable to other Signalling or Alarm Purposes.
I, JOSE ORTEGA Y ESPINOSA of 2* Del Reloj num 3 in the City of Mexico,
Civil Engineer and Surveyor, 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:-
The object of the invention is to prevent the collisions of trains that come over
the same road and in opposite directions and also to give other warnings and
alarms.
I will first describe the electric railway signals.
To obtain this object my invention by a special system of electrical apparatus
notifies not only the extreme stations of a portion of a road but also the engine that
runs over said road that another engine is coming in an opposite direction.
To fully explain the manner in which this is obtained I will proceed to describe
in particular and successively each one of the features of the invention that form
the complete system and in order that same may be easily understood and readily
carried into practice I will now proceed to describe my said present invention
with reference to the several sheets of drawings left with the Provisional
Specification herein.
Figure 1 is a front view of one of the signal displaying apparatus partly broken
away to show the devices within.
Figures 2 and 3 respectively are a side and end view of the devices within the
box or case which are acted upon by the mechanical impact of the train and which
I term a commuter and interrupter.
Figures 4 and 5 are side views of modified forms of circuit making and breaking
devices which may be used in the place of the device shown in Figures 2
and 3.
Figure 6 is a side view.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view, and
Figure 8 an enlarged cross section through line of Figure 6 showing
means for causing the line current to connect or separate contact surfaces on the
road bed.
Figure 9 is an end view of the contact devices carried by the engine or car
shown in relation to the contact faces of Figuro 6 on the road bed.
Figure 10 is a side view of the upper part of Figure 9.
Figures 14 and 15 are end and side views respectively of a modification of the
device shown in Figures 9 and 10.
Apparatus: Figure 1. This apparatus is placed in the station in a very
conspicuous point so that it can be easily consulted by the telegraph operator and
station agent as well as by the conductor and engineer of the train that passes by
said station. This apparatus consists of a closed case that placed against the wall
shows on its outside face four holes two with white and two with black backgrounds
the two on the left, corresponding to the south line and the two on the right to
that of the north line.
Four small discs are provided and moved by a mechanism entirely
analogous so that it will be quite sufficient to describe one of them.
Each such disc i is mounted upon and moved by a suitable lever cb which in its
normal position and abandoned to the simple action of gravity places the disc away
from the opening of the box taking the position o b. The small arm of said
lever leans against a soft iron armature ed which oscillates about a pivot at its
bottom end and this is limited in its oscillation by means of a pint on one side
and on the other by means of the clectro magnet A in front of which it is placed
so that when no current passes through the electro magnet the opening that
I
t
D

page_text: corresponds to it is left unoccupied and on the contrary when an electric current
passes through it it attracts the soft iron bar this acts upon the lever of which I
have already spoken and immediately the small disc appears in the opening.
It will be well to say here that the two circuit wires that run to the two
electro magnets of the north side start from batteries placed in the station and
running over other apparatus that I will in their turn describe they lastly pass
over the electro magnets of the south of another similar apparatus placed in the
nearest station and introduce themselves into the earth so as to complete the two
circuits and thus successively in all the stations of a railroad.
Apparatus: Figures 2 and 3. This apparatus is placed at the starting point of
a station outside of the yard; said apparatus is composed of a closed iron plate
box that has on its either side two levers A A advantageously of wrought iron
joined by two cylinders g of the same metal that revolve or rock in the journal
box formed by the plate B B placed upon either side of the case and said levers are
held in the vertical position by means of two springs R symmetrically placed in the
interior of the case and which are secured to the bottom of the case by their
lower ends. These springs exercise their tension on the two bridges S S¹ that
transversely connect the two cylinders or axes. Above one cylinder y is arranged
an arm of the bar B and which slides vertically and longitudinally in the
guide E formed by a box of four sides two of which sides have openings (the one
that remains in front of the lever and the opposite one). The latter has an
opening SE so that a spring G may immediately press the bar and the former
has two holes or openings one of which is opposite the pinion D and the other in
the upper part with the object of leaving free transit to the arm F in the ascending
movement that it has to effect as will afterwards be seen.
The face of the bar B that faces the centre of the figure is formed with ratchet
teeth whose horizontal sides are placed downwards and in an opposite position to
the cogs of the pinion D that have the same form so that they only mesh and inake
said pinion turn when the bar descends. This pinion is placed as is seen in the
figure on the axis of a fly wheel C whose weight and size are calculated in such a
manner with respect to those of the bar that the latter being lifted to its extreme
upper part cannot return to its primitive position without at least two seconds delay
as it has to make said fly wheel turn.around.
The electric circuit connecting with this part of the apparatus enters by the
left side of the figure by the wire (Figure 2) goes to a button n placed in the
wall of the guide E as is seen in the drawings and is in contact with the face of
the corresponding bar by means of a small spring r that constantly presses it and
which in its turn establishes the necessary contact to let the current pass. The
bar being placed in its lowest position said spring rests against the face of the bar
which is made of wood or any other insulating matter. From the farthest end of
the button starts a wire that takes the current to another button fixed in a bar of
soft iron which is placed in front of the electro magnet H by means of its spring.
This last button perforating the bar presents a point that when the same bar is
attracted by the electro magnet is put into contact with the metal sheet f which
in its turn transmits the current to the electro maguet to at last go out by the
wire m m.
Before going any farther I will say that the bar B has in its face next to
spring G an inlaid sheet 6 that extends from point 6 to a point a little below where
the spring rests and goes over to the lower end of the same bar.
Referring to the spring G it will be seen that pressing as it does the plate and
the spring of the button n being placed in turn in contact with the same plate the
electric current is therefore transmitted by the first of said springs G and from its
point of detention X also goes by the corresponding wire to the plate f to run in
its turn to the electro magnet H.
On the other side of the box a small har K is arranged in horizontal position
against the end of which leans the lever J which turns around the point L and
which by its own weight is constantly in contact with the bar at the point g. On

page_text: the higher end of the lever there is a tooth f which corresponds to a similar one o
that is contained on the cylinder or axisp which cylinder on moving upwards makes
tooth o come in contact with tooth fand by this movement throws aside the lever
obliging it to interrupt its contact estabished at g¹.
༡
The corresponding current on this other side of the apparatus enters from the
right side of the box by the wire e e e enters at point L going from L to and
communicates with the bar K at last going out on the left side of the box by the
corresponding wire.
Before describing the manner by which this apparatus works it is well to notice
that the electric current that passes through the mechanism of the right side which
I described before comes from the battery of the station or from any convenient
point passes through the magnet A of Figure 1 and runs over the right side of the
apparatus now being described and then traverses by the left side of the apparatus
of Figure 2 exactly alike and which is placed at the entrance of the proximate
station to work at last upon the electric magnet A³ of Figure 1 of the corresponding
apparatus which must exist in the latter station and directing itself to the ground
so as to join the electric current.
By this it can now be seen how the apparatus works. The engine has on the
bottom part of its pilot or at any convenient point two teeth or bolts symmetrically
placed on either side of its middle line exactly the same distance that separates the
levers A A of Figure 3 in such a manner that corresponding with said levers the
teeth can move them on passing.
"1
The apparatus being placed in the situation already specified the nearest or
starting station being on the right side of the figure the levers are pushed by the
teeth of the pilot of the passing engine which place said levers in the position A
Figure 2 raise the cylinder y which carries in its ascending movement the arm F
which finally drags in its train the bar B. In this movement the spring r of the
button (which has been resting on the wooden part of bar on the ascending of
said bar) is placed in contact with the metallic plate already mentioned. The
current thereby passes which at the same time is transmitted by the spring G
which is also in contact with the metallic plate. Said current goes to plate puts
the electro magnet in operation which attracting the piece of soft iron brings
the piece i in contact with said plate and establishes the direct communication of
button with the electro magnet. So that although the cogged bar replaces itself
in its primitive position and interrupting the current that passes through G the
circuit is wholly established by means of the constant action of the electro magnet
which working on the armature 1 continues to establish the contact between i
and f. The fly wheel and the cogged bar are designed with the object that though
the passing of the engine be very rapid all this mechanism will work equally and at
the same time giving it plenty of time so as to better assure the operation of all
these electric currents.
Having already seen what happens when the train starts from the station I will
now describe what happens when the train enters the station for which it is
directed.
By means of the same teeth of the pilot the levers are now moved in contrary
directions the cylinder g now serving as axle and does not alter in the least the
mechanism of the right side but the cylinder marked with the
diverts with the tooth o the lever J and interrupts the contact at
reacting on the electro magnet H of apparatus Figure 2 of
station.
g
rises and
letter
said interruption
the starting out
This releases the armature I of that station and by this means the current in the
relative circuit is once again definitely interrupted.
Referring now to Figures 67 and 8-All along the line of the road are to be
found placed in the middle of it in places thought to be most convenient as
will be afterwards seen certain apparatus whose longitudinal side view is seen in
Figure 6.
This apparatus is composed on the upper part of a sheet of quadrangular

page_text: hammered iron of about 15 centimetres wide and one hundred in length more or
less. Said sheet must be arched in its longitudinal part so as to form a curve of.
two or three centimetres pitch more or less. Upon this plate are strips E E' of
copper placed parallel lengthwise alongside of each other and separated from each
other and from said plate by means of suitable insulation. These parts which
reinain on a level with the rails and parallel with them cover a subjacent iron box
inside the upper part of which are sustained two electro magnets B B C C Figure 7
which accordingly as the electric current flows through or not elevate or lower
the levers whose fulcrum is in the part M of the support of the form of
an inverted T.
These levers are limited in their movements by the piece D' D' of the T shaped
support and they approach or recede from said electro maguets. Each one of the
levers has transversely and near its fulcrum a sheet of copper Z Z' also seen
att in Figure 8 and which on ascending with the lever is placed in contact with
a pair of conductors e e and e' e¹ which are separated and that go to communicate
with the four plates already referred to that is to say E and E and which are on
the upper surface of the same apparatus. The action of each one of the electro
magnets corresponds respectively to the right or left pair of said plates and serves
to connect them in pairs. The two wires which as has been seen depart from the
station which traverses firstly the apparatus Figure 1 and secondly the apparatus
Figure 2 also run over that which is now being described and to all those that
resemble it which are distributed along the whole line of the road. A wire
connects with all the electro magnets which connect the two plates on the right
side and another wire connects the electro magnets which make connection between
the plates on the left side.
On the engine I provide two thin bars of quadrangular section solidly sustained
and perfectly parallel to the rails and at an adequate height on such part of the
engine as the constructor may think most suitable.
Probably the support and position which would be most desirable to give them
would be to put them on one side of the pilot and on the other extremity under the
ash box it being usually the part that goes nearest the earth. In said bars are
inserted the apparatus shown in Figures 9 & 10 or 14, and 15 at a distance of
90 to 9 centimetres and solidly fixed to said bars.
These are contact making devices and they are of two kinds and can be employed
indiscriminately. One of said systems is of rolling contact and the other of simple
sliding plates. With the first system the apparatus (the sketch of which is found
in Figures 9 and 10) is formed of a support M of wrought iron which is fixed in
the bars by means of the square holes F F. Towards the bottom part it ends off
in five plates B B B B B which serve as supports to as many journal boxes of a
special disposition as will afterwards be seen and which are those in which the four
wheels CCCC turn and the periphery of which is covered by a band of copper
the same as the tyre of a wheel which metal band is constantly in contact with the
plates LL LL which bring the current of the two electric batteries which are
carried by the engine by means of the wires that are seen in the upper part of
the view and which serve to sound as many electric bells which will indicate to the
engineer (as will be seen further on) the existence or absence of the currents in
the two chief circuits of the whole system. The placing of the plate L against
the cylinder C can be better seen in Figure 10.
In this view also is seen the construction of the journal boxes of which mention
has hitherto been made. Each of the plates B B B B B has a vertical slot a b c d
in whose bottom part which is in the shape of a semicircle rests one of the ends of
the shaft of the cylinder C and in the upper part (which is quadrangular) slides a
movable block p9rs which by its rounded lower side completes the circular form
of the journal box. This block is continually forced down upon the shaft of the
cylinder by means of the spring R R which is placed in a closed case which acting
upon the stem N presses the piece in question and of which it is nothing more than
an extension. This combination has for its object that the cylinders may the

page_text: better be applied upon the surface on which they run and establish by this means
a more perfect contact. These wheels C C run upon the metal strips E E¹ of
Figures 6, 7, and 8 (already described) and whose respective correspondence is
shown at the bottom part of Figure 9.
In the place of the rolling contacts Figures 9 and 10 the same results can be
attained with more economical advantages by sliding contacts as shown in Figures 14
and 15.
The cylinders are replaced in this modification by as many simple elastic copper
sheets L L L L L which slipping upon those of apparatus Figures 6 to 8
(i.e. E E E E E¹ Figure 8) do the same work as the cylinder establishing a direct
and close contact with them. To prolong this contact as far as possible (in either
system) it is convenient to place three or four of these apparatus or as many as
can be placed on the length of the bars which sustain them separating them
by a distance of ninety to ninety-five centimetres or thereabouts as already stated.
These four wheels or strips are the two ends of two circuits that come from two
electric batteries which the engine carries each of which passes through an electric
bell of different sound and end in said wheels or strips. The two ends of said
circuits terminate in a pair of said strips or wheels and the other in the opposite
pair in such a way that placed upon apparatus Figures 6 to 8 and in contact with
each of the pair of strips that this apparatus carries the electric current is established
or not according as the strips of the latter apparatus are or are not in communication
between themselves which will be immediately revealed to the engineer by the
sounding of the bells accordingly as the current does or does not pass through them.
It is necessary to note so as to do away with all kinds of confusion that the two
electric currents that sound the bells and which are formed by the batteries that
the engine carries are completely independent and separated from the others which
going from station to station run over the various devices that have been herein-
before described. The first two have for their object as already mentioned to sound
their respective bells giving notice by this means of the communication that exists
between the strips of the apparatus Figure 6 and the others have as sole object to
establish or interrupt this communication.
To make apparatus Figure 8 more economical and without diminishing the good
result of the entire system the two outside strips that are placed in the upper part
of said apparatus can be replaced by the rails themselves so that instead of the
electro magnets connecting two plates they will connect one of the plates that
remain with one of the rails which secures the same result and the batteries which
the engine carries instead of directing its two circuits wires to two of the special
contacts on the engine will direct one wire to one of these contacts and the other
to some of the metal parts of the engine which through the trucks shafts and wheels
makes connection with the rails. This modification of course only has two contact
wheels or sliding plates on the engine.
The description of these devices will enable it to be understood how the whole
system works.
Figure 21 represents a diagrammatic illustration of the whole apparatus as
follows: M is the apparatus Figure 1 placed in the north station and M' the
corresponding one to the south station. B is the apparatus Figure 2 placed between
the rails R R and R' R' at the starting point of north station. B' is another
apparatus Figure 2 same as the last also placed between the rails and which
corresponds to the entrance of the south station. F F F represent apparatus
like those designed in Figures 6, 7 and 8 and lastly the line P P P and T T T
represent the two circuits which run over the whole system.
Let it be supposed that from the south station a train starts. On passing by
the apparatus B₁ the levers are moved and by the same mechanism which has
already been explained transmits the current over wire T in the direction of the
arrows (through the apparatus M' of the starting out station) the electro magnet A
Figure 1 works and on its black face the white disc i appears which assures the
operator and station agent that the train has already taken the road that leads to

page_text: the north. This same electric current working on all the electro magnets which
correspond to the right pair of strips of the apparatus F F1 F2 scattered on the
road establishes the union of said strips between one another in each one of the
same apparatus. This will give as a result that when the engine passes by any of
then the contact sheets or wheels Figures 9, 10 or 14 and 15 coming into contact
with the corresponding ones of the apparatus F F1 F2 the electric current will be
established in only one of the independent circuits which the engine carries and
which ends in the right hand pair of sheets or wheels of the aforesaid pieces because
of the communication that exists between the sheets that form the right hand pair of
apparatus F has been already established by the action of the corresponding electro
magnets. The engineer will hear on passing each one of these the ringing of only
one of the bells which will indicate the existence of the electric current which his
engine has established on going out of the station. This same current in the
apparatus M of the arriving station passing by the electro magnet A³ Figure 1 will
make appear on the white face the black disc 23 and will indicate by this means to
the telegraph operator and station agent that the road is occupied by a train coming
from the south. Lastly when the engine before arriving at the north station passes
by the apparatus B moves the lever in opposite directions it will again interrupt
(as has already been seen) the current and the signal openings on both stations will
again become empty indicating by this means to the employees of the stations that
the road has again become clear.
Let it now be supposed that before the train arrives at the station through fault
of the employees another enters the road from the opposite station by this means
moving the lever of apparatus B corresponding to the last mentioned station. The
current P P P which runs by the wire which is marked by the arrows from left
to right will be transmitted and this acting upon the electro magnets corresponding
to the left pair of sheets of the apparatus F F F will put them immediately in
contact and both engineers will hear on passing by these apparatus not only the
ringing of one bell but the ringing of both together which will indicate to both
that the road is occupied by a train coming in an opposite direction and by this
means it is in their power to prevent a collision-sufficient warning being
thus given.
The apparatus B can be substituted if it is thought fit to do so by a system of
keys whose mechanism is shown in Figures 4 and 5 and to communicate the current
and the other to interrupt it. The first Figure 4 placed longitudinal to the rail is
inlaid in the rail R R aud consists of a bar A curved upwardly above the same
so that being pressed by the wheels of the train on passing it returns to its position
by means of the spring E E. On the bar A being pressed it forces down by
means of the stem B the armature C which is sustained by an elastic sheet H and
establishes the contact between the point i and the sheet z communicates the current
and through it returns to raise the stem B the contact continues on account of the
action of the electre magnet D on the bar of soft iron which obliges it to remain in
its former position. The interrupter Figure 5 is an apparatus very similar to the
preceding one with the difference that the stem B works upon a lever C which
by means of a spring is obliged to put itself into contact with the bar D which
are the two conductor terminals by which the current passes.
So that on being pressed with the passing of the train the bar A lowers the lever
breaking the contact which affects the electro magnet D apparatus Figure 4 of the
other station. The armature C rises and the current is by this means finally
interrupted.
With
The way that these apparatus are to be fixed in the rails is shown in
Figure 22 E E E E³ represent the interrupter and D D₁ the commuters.
this arrangement it will be seen what happens when a train starts from the south
station. Before pressing the bar A Figures 4 and 5 they meet the first apparatus F
which if the road in all its course is free will not make any of the bells ring as up
to this time there is no current in the wires. On the passing of the last pair of
wheels of the train the interrupter E' E' which are placed on both rails nearest

page_text: the station will work so that the last will be pressed by the commuter D¹ which
by the mechanism previously described will at once put into communication the
current TTT which goes by the wire which is indicated by the arrows from right
to left in the drawing. After verifying this and the train following its course the
apparatus F F F will make the bell that corresponds to the trains that run from
south to north ring. On the supposed train arriving at or near the other station
by means of the interrupter E which corresponds to the same current which was
communicated at first the current will once more be definitely interrupted without
that the passing of the same train on the other two apparatus placed on the opposite
rail can communicate the other current for though it is true that on pressing the
commuter D this is communicated it is again and definitely interrupted by the
passing of the last wheel over the interrupter E which is immediate and in
the same rail.
Lastly let it be supposed that while the train in question is going over the way
another one not noticing the indications which as has already been seen the
apparatus M in the north station gives and goes out towards the south on passing
the first apparatus F it will be given another warning that the road is occupied for
the bell corresponding to the current of the left side will immediately ring in
virtue of the communication which has been established by the train coming from
the south. If notwithstanding all this it continues its onward course passing the
apparatus E E D it is certain that on passing the apparatus F F etc. it will have
no further indication that another train is coming over the same line in an opposite
direction but in exchange the train that comes from the south to north will at
once notice that instead of the right hand bell ringing as it had hitherto done the
left one will ring a thing that will at once indicate that the road is occupied by a
train that is coming in the opposite direction. So that with this system of less
perfect interrupters and communicators—an unheard of carelessness on the part of
the employees would be necessary to cause a collision to happen.
In conclusion I would point out that as in some cases it is convenient to shut off*
one of the two general circuits without moving the lever A of the apparatus
Figure 2 a wire from button X must go to the nearest station so that being placed
in communication with a key placed within reach of the employees of said
station goes to the electric battery and a current can be established at will which
passing through the electro magnet H connects the whole circuit which goes to the
other station.
I will now describe and illustrate a modification or modified application of part
of my present invention to another purpose than those described above vz.: to
indicating or signalling in case of a wash-out or flood carrying away part of
the embankment or bed or permanent way of railways.
39
The object of this part of my present invention is to provide a simple aud
effective means for electrically indicating to the stations along the railroad any
danger that may exist along the road due to wash-outs of or similar accidents
to the road beds or bridges and to this end consists in the peculiar construction and
arrangement of the device which I will now proceed to fully describe with reference
to the drawings in which
Figure 17 is a transverse vertical section through an elevated portion of the
road bed showing my apparatus embedded in the bank of earth in its proper
position.
Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional detail of the float and its contained parts.
Figure 19 is an enlarged detail view of the circuit breaker, and
Figure 20 is a side view of a portion of the road bed embankment showing
various water inlets to my apparatus.
In
Referring to Figure 17 A B are the rails arranged upon ties on the railroad
bed at the top of an embankment which is shown cut through transversely.
the earth or filling of this embankment and rather near the bottom there is a
chamber of wood iron or masonry from which there proceeds two pipes G and M
both of which open upon the inclined face of the embankment and of which G is

page_text: lower down and much larger than M. These pipes dip downwardly as they pass
to the outer surface of the embankment so that rain or slight surface drainage will
not enter the chamber F.
In the bottom of the chamber F there are firmly fixed two vertical standards H
provided at their tops with eyes or journal bearings. In these are hinged the
spherical float E of wood or other suitable material so as to turn from the position
shown in full lines in Figure 17 to the higher position indicated by dotted lines.
This wooden float is bored with a diametrical hole that extends nearly but not
quite through the same and this hole is close and hermetically sealed by a screw
plug n m having trunnioned extensions & which constitute journals or hinging
points within the eyes of the standards H.
Contained within this screw plug are two pairs of circuit wires g* * which
emerge centrally through the trunnions or journals and extend to the stations in
any suitable manner. Oue of these circuits terminates in the ends g g' and the
other in the ends the said wires extending in position parallel to each other
into the bore of the float.
N is a freely moving circuit breaker constructed in the form of a block with two
holes through the same (see Figure 19) which holes are lined with copper or other
metal conductor.
The ends of the wires g g¹ approach each other somewhat closer than the width
of the block N but do not touch each other but are doubled back on themselves
to form elastic hooked ends a a' and the wires h h are similarly constructed.
In the normal position of the parts the block N bridges across the broken ends
of the wires gg and hand by the metal lining of its tubes serves to maintain
the electrical circuits closed within the float the circuit wires 9² h³ passing through
the pipe M and going to the said stations.
The apparatus being adjusted in about the position and relation shown in
Figure 17 the operation of the parts is as follows:-
In any ordinary rain the water simply flows down the side of the embankment
without entering the tube G but when from excessive rain fall or the melting. of
large masses of snow the water rises (as a torrent) and attains the level shown by
the dotted lines D D and thereby endangers the stability and integrity of the
road bed said water flows in the pipe G and partly or wholly filling chamber F
causes the float E to rise to its dotted position. This action changes the position
of the bore in said flcat from a horizontal to a vertical one and the circuit
breaking block N drops down from its position and allows the terminals g
g¹
and of the two circuits to become disconnected electrically and a corresponding
alarm is sounded in the stations and on the engine also thus notifying the danger
to be apprehended. When the block N drops away from its bridging position on
the wire terminals the elastic book shaped ends a a¹ b b₁ of the wires prevent it
from ever getting back again to its position so that the circuits are permanently
broken.
In placing the chamber F it is embedded advantageously in such portion of the
bank as is most likely to be washed away before endangering the road bed that is
to say it is placed outside the line C C (Figure 17) so that if the washing takes
place and the bottom of the bank is destroyed the apparatus will in its fall from
its position cause the circuit breaking block to leave its position and by passing
either to the right or left on the wire terminals as may happen in its fall will cause
the circuits to be broken and the alarm sounded even though no water has yet
reached the chamber F.
To make this part of my present invention more effective the chamber F may
by a longitudinal canal be put in connection with a series of tubes or openings G
along the bank as shown in Figure 20. To prevent small animals from crawling
into the tube G and entering the chamber F which might render the device
inoperative a reticulated screen or guard d is placed in each one of the said tubes G
(see Figure 17).
As shown my device is designed to operate in connection with two separate

page_text: ircuits g and h to correspond to and be used with the automatic railroad signal
ystem which I have above described and set forth but it is obvious that the apparatus
would work equally as well with a single circuit wire and any other system of
ignalling and I therefore do not confine my invention to any special arrangement
of circuits and signals or applications thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The railroad signalling system consisting of two independent electric circuits
the one extending along the line of the road bed and provided with electro magnets
controlling the connection of contact faces and commuting or circuit shifting devices
and having also automatically operated electric signals at the stations and the
other electric current carried by the car and having a signal bell and terminating
in electrical contacts adapted to come into bearing with these on the road bed
substantially as shown and described.
2. The contact making devices carried by the engine consisting of a supporting
frame M provided on each side with holes F F adapted to slip over bars or bolts on the
engine or car and having at its lower portion a set of contacts secured to the
frame M and connected with circuit wires substantially as shown and described.
3. The contact making devices carried by the engine consisting of the combina-
tion of supporting frame M provided on each side with holes F F adapted to slip
over bars or bolts on the engine or car and having also a series of parallel plates B
with closed slots a b c d in same-a series of rolling wheels C having their axes
carried in said slots and spring seated journal blocks arranged behind or above the
journals of said wheels substantially as shown and described.
4. The contact making devices for the road bed consisting of a set of curved
longitudinal metal strips insulated from each other and provided with downward
extensions e e¹ and electro magnets and armatures for connecting or separating
these strips by the action of said electro magnets substantially as shown and
described.
5. The current changing device for the road bed consisting of the box with
tilting levers A A¹ having axes p and q the cross bars S S₁ and springs R the
arm F with toothed lift bar the ratchet and fly wheel for retarding the fall of the
lift bar the electric contact spring G the contact breaking devices J K and the
electro magnet H substantially as shown and described.
6. The signal box having two pairs of openings the openings of each pair having
different coloured background four pairs of electro magnets and four fulcrumed
arms bearing signal discs of opposite colours and having elbows or lever extensions
loosely connected to the armatures of the electro magnets substantially as shown
and described.
7. A chamber F with inclined inlet pipe G embedded in and opening through
the side of the railroad embankment in combination with a float arranged in the
bottom of said chamber and containing a movable circuit breaker and one or more
electric circuits adapted to be broken by the change in the position of the float
substantially as shown and described.
8. The float E having a central chamber in combination with a tightly fitting
screw plug n m having parallel wire terminals and trunnion extensions and a circuit
breaker sliding on said parallel wire terminals and connecting the latter substan-
tially as shown and described.
9. The combination with the standards H having eyes or journal bearings: of
the float E having a central chamber and a screw plug n m closing said chamber
and having trunnioned ends fitting in the eyes or journal bearings of the standards
substantially as shown and described.
10. The sliding circuit breaker M having one or more holes through it provided
5 with a metal lining: in combination with wire terminals arranged in line and
having their ends bent back upon themselves to form springs and also act as stops
C

page_text: to prevent the closing of the circuit again when once broken as substantially
shown and described.
11. The combination of the chamber F with pipes or tubes M G standards H
arranged in the bottom of the chamber the float E hinged on its standards and
provided with circuit breaking devices and circuit wires extending through the
trunnions and out through pipe M to the stations substantially as shown and
described.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.