Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1894--Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling on Railways.
I JOSEPH BOOTH of 25 Rock Street Bury in the County of Lancaster, Salesman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the construction of apparatus for signalling upon
railways the principal object of the invention being to enable the guard to
communicate with and direct the engineer or driver, by audible signals whether the
train is in motion or otherwise whereby shunting and other operations will be
greatly facilitated.
According to my invention I provide the outside of the guards van with a
whistle preferably placed above the roof, and of such a construction that it can be
sounded by means of compressed air. Inside the van I arrange an air pump
preferably fitted with an accumulator in communication with the whistle.
The air pump may be worked by a hand lever if desired but I prefer to work
the same by means of an endless belt or strap from a pulley fixed on one of the
axles of the van so that when the latter is in motion it sets the pump to work and
fills the accumulator with compressed air.
The accumulator is provided with a safety valve which is weighted to any desired
pressure and the pipe communicating from the accumulator to the whistle is fitted
with a stop cock.
The accumulator is therefore always kept full of air at the desired pressure and
whenever the guard desires to signal to the driver he has merely to operate on
this stop cock so as to produce either a single whistle, or such a combination of
short and long whistles in succession, as may correspond with a previously arranged
code, so that any desired signal can be communicated by the guard to the driver
without either of them leaving his post.
Instead of the pump being always at work when the train is in motion the
apparatus may be fitted with a fast and loose pulley and a strap fork or other
known device whereby it can be put into or out of action as desired.
A fan also may be substituted for an air pump, and a direct acting bellows or
other means of forcing air worked by hand or by the axle may be used instead of,
or in combination with the accumulator, so long as the main feature of the invention
is retained, which is, to provide the guards van with a compressed air whistle which
is under his control and can be sounded by him when required to give an audible
signal to the engine driver.
Dated this 9th day of May 1893.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Signalling on Railways.
I JOSEPH BOOTH of 25 Rock Street Bury in the County of Lancaster, Salesman,
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 the construction of apparatus for signalling upon

page_text: railways, the principal object of the invention being to enable the guard to
communicate with and direct the engineer or driver, by audible signals, whether
the train is in motion or otherwise, whereby shunting and other operations will be
greatly facilitated.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference
to the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawing is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a horizontal section of a
guard's van showing the application of my invention thereto.
"
According to my invention I provide the outside of the guard's van with a
whistle a or with
a "buzzer or horn or other equivalent, capable of giving a loud
audible signal by means of compressed air, such whistle (or equivalent) being
preferably placed above the roof.
Inside the van I arrange an air pump 6 which is preferably fitted with an
accumulator c in communication with the whistle, " buzzer
or horn.
"
The air pump b may be worked by a hand lever if desired but I prefer to work
the same by means of an endless belt or strap d passing round one of the axles e
of the van, or round a pulley fixed thereon, so that when the latter is in motion it
sets the pump to work and so charges the accumulator c with compressed air.
The accumulator c may be made in the bellows form as shown, or in a telescopic
form like a gasometer, and it is provided with a safety valve f which is weighted to
any desired pressure, and the pipe g communicating from the accumulator c to the
whistle or buzzer is fitted with a stop cock at h.
C
The accumulator c is therefore always kept charged full of air at the required
pressure, and whenever the guard desires to signal to the driver he has merely to
operate on the stop-cock so as to produce either a single whistle, or such a
combination of short and long whistles in succession, as may correspond with a
previously arranged code, so that any desired signal can be communicated by the
guard to the driver without either of them leaving his post.
Instead of the pump being always at work when the train is in motion, the
apparatus may be fitted with a fast and loose pulley and a strap fork, or other
known device, whereby it can be put into and out of action as desired.
A fan also may be substituted for an air pump, and a direct acting bellows or
other means of forcing air worked by hand or by the axle, may be used instead of,
or in combination with, the accumulator, so long as the main feature of the
invention is retained, which is, to provide the guards van with a whistle, buzzer or
horn worked by compressed air which is under his control, and can be sounded
by him as and when required, to give an audible signal to the engine driver.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
The combination with a whistle, buzzer, or horn placed outside the guards van,
of an air pump, or other air compressor for sounding the same placed inside the
van and worked either by hand or by one of the axles, and a stop cock on the pipe
leading to the said whistle, buzzer or horn, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
T
1
GEO. DAVIES & SON;
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.