Improvements in Means for Giving Warning of the Approach of a Train to Plate-layers or other Persons working upon a Line of Railway.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Means for Giving Warning of the Approach of a
Train to Plate-layers or other Persons working upon a Line of
Railway.
I, HENDRIK LEDEBOER, of No. 72, Mark Lane, in the City of London, Wine
Shipper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements in means for giving warning of the
approach of a train to plate-layers or other persons working upon a line of railway.
It is well known that very serious accidents frequently occur to plate-layers
and other persons working upon lines of railway by reason of their failing to
hear an approaching train, or the negligent omission of some person deputed
to give warning thereof.
Now, the object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive
portable contrivance adapted to be carried about by plate layers or the like
from place to place, and which will give an audible indication of the approach
of a train, a suitable time in advance, so as to enable them to get clear of the
line before the train passes.
In carrying the invention into effect, a suitable case or box is employed within
which is arranged an electric battery having connected thereto the ends of two
electrical conductors, whilst an electric bell is placed in the circuit and carried
by the case or box and these conductors are coiled down or around a drum within
the case in such manner that any length thereof may be drawn off, as required.
The opposite ends of these conductors are each connected to a contact plate
above which is a contact maker adapted, when brought into contact with the
contact plates, to complete the circuit, and this device is clamped upon one of
the rails so that the engine of an approaching train will depress the contact
maker and complete the circuit, thus causing the bell to ring.
.
By uncoiling a suitable length of the conductors the contact making device
may be placed a considerable distance from the workmen, whilst the case or
box and bell are near at hand and thus a warning will be conveyed to them a
corresponding time before the train passes.
In lieu of having two conductors of equal length, one conductor may be
carried to a distance as hereinbefore described and may be there connected to
a contact maker adapted to be brought into connection with one of the rails or
metals by a passing train, whilst the other conductor need only be comparatively
short and connected directly with the said rail near the case or box and thus
the rail may be caused to act as a conductor for the return current.
When the device is not in use or is required to be transported from one place
to another, the contact making device and the conductors may be stowed away
in the box or case which will then form a small and convenient package adapted
to be carried in the hand.

page_text: р-сушень от the
apparatus hereinbefore described, the disastrous
condents, now so common, may be entirely avoided.
Dated this 3rd day of Fehma
1000
pparatu hereinbefore described, the disastrous
now so common, may be entirely avoided.
Dated this 3rd day of Feb 1998.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
ments in Means for Giving Warning of the Approach of
Train to Plate-layers or other Persons Working upon a Line
Railway.
I, HENDRIK LEDEBOER, of No. 72, Mark Lane, in the City of London, Wi
Shipper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manne
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in an
by the following statement:-
My said invention relates to improvements in means for giving warning o
the approach of a train to plate-layers or other persons working upon a line
of railway.
It is well known that very serious accidents frequently occur to plate-layers
and other persons working upon lines of railway by reason of their failing to
hear an approaching train, or the negligent omission of some person deputed
to give warning thereof.
Now, the object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive
portable contrivance adapted to be carried about by plate-layers or the like
from place to place, and which will give an audible indication of the approach
of a train, a suitable time in advance, so as to enable them to get clear of the
line before the train passes.
In carrying the invention into effect, a suitable case or box is employed within
which is arranged an electric battery having connected thereto the ends of two
electrical conductors, whilst an electric bell is placed in the circuit and carried
by the case or box and these conductors are coiled down or around a drum within
the case in such manner that any length thereof may be drawn off as required. 3
The opposite ends of these conductors are each connected to a contact plate
above which is a contact maker adapted, when brought into contact with the
contact plates, to complete the circuit, and this device is clamped upon one of
the rails so that the engine of an approaching train will depress the contact
maker and complete the circuit, thus causing the bell to ring.
35
In lieu of having two conductors of equal length, one conductor may be
carried to a distance as herein before described and may be there connected to
a contact maker adapted to be brought into connection with one of the rails or
metals by a passing train, whilst the other conductor need only be comparatively
hort, and connected directly with the said rail near the case or box and thus 40
he rail may be caused to act as a conductor for the return current.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and
eadily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings,
ore fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a side elevation representing an apparatus constrirated
the present invention applied to
Figure
46

page_text: Figure 3, represents a portion of Figure 2, with the conducting wires removed.
Figure 4, is an elevation of part of Figure 1, looking from the opposite side.
Figure 5, is a sectional view of part of Figure 2.
Figure 6, is a diagrammatic view representing a slight modification.
In the several figures, in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 3, to 5, are drawn to an increased scale with respect to
Figures 1, 2, and 6.
a, represents a railway line, which is of the ordinary character, and b, repre-
sents the wheel of a locomotive or other vehicle running thereon.
c, represents a box or case provided with a lid c, and within this box and
at one end thereof is arranged an electric battery d, and the rest of the box
affords space for the storage of other parts of the apparatus when out of use
whilst the box is provided with handles, by means of which it may be carried
about.
To opposite poles of the electric battery d, are connected the ends of two electri-
cal conductors e, f, and within the circuit, of which these conductors form part,
is placed an electrical bell g, which is carried by the side of the case or box c, and
the opposite ends of these conductors e, f, are electrically connected with binding
posts h, carried by standards 3, fixed with the box or case a
The binding posts h, are formed hollow to receive studs h¹, which are by
springs h³, held in contact with contact rings ¹, which are fixed upon, the ends
of a drum i, upon which are coiled the electrical conductors j, k, which, at one
end, are, by binding screws j¹, k¹, electrically connected with offsets i¹*, from
the contact rings .
The opposite ends of the conductors j, k, are connected to spring contact
plates l, m, above which is a contact maker n¹, carried by a spring arm n furnished
with a roller n², so that as the wheel b, of a passing vehicle rolls over the roller n²,
the contact maker n', will bring the contact making ends of the contact
plates l, m, together as represented at Figure 1, thus completing the circuit and
causing the electric bell g, to sound an alarm.
The contact plates l, m, and spring arm n, are carried by, but insulated from,
a table 0, the leg o, of which is pinjointed to a lug o², which works in a slot o³, in
a clamp o, shaped to embrace the foot of the rail a, and furnished with a binding
screw 5, by which means the table o, may be forced against the web of the
rail a, and the lower part of the leg o¹, which is furnished with a rib ol*, may be
pressed against the foot of the rail a, and thus the device may be firmly clamped
in position whilst the peculiar form of the clamp readily adjusts itself to rails
of varying size.
By uncoiling a suitable length of the conductors j, k, the arm n, and contact
making device n¹, may be placed a considerable distance from the workmen,
whilst the case or box c, and bell g, are near at hand, and thus a warning will
be conveyed to the workmen a corresponding time before the train passes.
If desired, the drum i, and co-acting parts may be dispensed with and the
electrical conductors j, k, may be connected with the battery d, and bell g, and
coiled down after the manner of ropes within the box c, as will be readily under-
stood.
When the device is not in use or is required to be transported from one place
to another, the contact making device comprising the parts carried by the
clamp o, may be stowed away in the box or case c, which then forms a small
and convenient package adapted to be carried in the hand, and when the con-
ductors are adapted to be coiled down in the box as lastly herein before described
they also may be similarly stowed away for transport.
In the example given at Figure 6, in lieu of employing two conductors j, k, of
equal length, one, k, of the conductors, is carried to a distance as hereinbefore
described and there connected for example to the contact plate 7, which is duly
insulated from the rail a, whilst the other contact plate m, is through the
clamp o, electrically connected with said rail, whilst the other conductor, j,

page_text: only
electrically connected by a clamp o*, with the rail a, near to the apparatus and
De comparatively short, as represented in the drawings, i
thus the rail a, is caused to act as a conductor for the return current.
By the means hereinbefore described, plate-layers and others working upon
lines of railway will be duly warned of the approach of trains and thus accidents
of the character hereinbefore referred to will be prevented.
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:
: 1. A device for giving warning of the approach of train, comprising a box
fitted with an electric battery, a spring contact maker adapted to be acted upon
by the wheels of a passing train and provided with a clamp by means of which
it may be fixed to a railway rail at a distance, electrical conductors connecting
the two parts of the contact maker with the poles of the battery and an electric
bell carried by the box and placed in the electric circuit, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. A device for giving warning of the approach of a train, comprising a box
fitted with an electric battery, a spring contact maker adapted to be acted upon
by the wheels of a passing train and provided with a clamp by means of which
it may be fixed to a railway rail at a distance, a drum carried by the box,
electrical conductors at one end connected with the two parts of a contact maker
and at the other end connected with metal discs carried by the drum on which
said conductors may be coiled, means for electrically connecting said metal
discs with a battery and an electric bell carried by the box and placed in the
electric circuit, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose:
stated.
..
Dated this 3rd day of November 1898.