IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING OR SIGNALLING FROM ONE PORTION OF A RAILWAY TRAIN TO ANOTHER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Goldsmith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
March 1869:
I, GEORGE GOLDSMITH, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester; do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING OR SIGNALLING FROM ONE PORTION OF A
RAILWAY TRAIN TO ANOTHER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the production of an apparatus simple
in its action, inexpensive in construction, subject to but little wear and
tear, and not likely to get out of order.
The following is a description of the apparatus proposed to be
employed:-Beneath the seat and either above or below, or partly above
and partly below the floor, or other convenient situation, a cylinder
closed at the bottom, and by preference made of metal, is attached to the
carriage. This cylinder is fitted with a piston and piston rod, the rod
being carried up the back or partition dividing the compartments, to

page_text: which it is held by a spring, bolt, or other suitable contrivance. At the
bottom or lower side of the cylinder an outlet is made, which by means
of a metal pipe screwed or otherwise fastened thereto leads to the next
cylinder. The pipes at the end of each carriage are however carried
some distance up the outside of the back thereof, where they each
terminate in a socket; and in order to connect the pipes of each carriage
together recourse is had to a flexible pipe having metallic plugs at
each end, which can be inserted in the sockets before mentioned, and
retained in position by a bayonet catch or other appropriate fastening,
such, for instance, as a short metal pipe with a stud on the exterior
passing into a pipe of slightly larger diameter, with a slit to receive the
stud, and fitted with a leather disc which will surround the interior pipe,
so as to make a close joint. All the cylinders and pipes are thus put
into communication with each other, and extend from the one end of a
train to the other, or from the tender of the engine. to the guard's van.
In lieu of the metallic cylinder and piston before mentioned the cylinder
may be made of a flexible material, but with a rigid top and bottom, sa
that upon the bolt being released the chamber would collapse,
Within the guard's van and also attached to the tender duplicates of
the following apparatus are employed :-A metallic cylinder similar to
that before described, fitted with a piston and rod, or a collapsible
cylinder, as before mentioned, is fixed in a convenient position. The
cylinder is however inverted in this instance, the piston rod descending
beneath the case, and is so arranged that by means of a lever handle the
piston or collapsible cylinder can be forced up or down at pleasure. The
upper portion of the cylinder is connected with a chamber, which is
divided into two parts by a flexible diaphragm, the top of the diaphragm
being open to atmospheric pressure through an orifice in the top of the
casc. To the centre of the diaphragm a rod is attached which passes
through the case into a dial and bell chamber. The upper portion of the
rod is formed with a rack upon it, the teeth of which take into a pinion
mounted on an arbor furnished with an index. On the arbor just
mentioned a lever is fixed, which terminating in a hammer is free to
strike the bell fixed in the upper part of the bell chamber. Or the rod
may actuate the hammer by means of a lever without the intervention of
the rack and pinion. Attached to the rod and protruding through a slot
in the case a metal catch is adapted so as to hold one end of a compound
lever formed with a hook at the other end which takes into a loop on

page_text: the clapper of an exterior and independent bell mounted on an arm
screwed to the case.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Supposing a passenger
wishes to communicate with the guard, he applies his hand to the spring
bolt in the carriage and releases the piston rod, which in its descent
produces a pressure of air which extends through the pipes and cylinder
in the guard's van to the flexible diaphragm, and causes it to rise,
whereupon motion is given through the rack and pinion to the hammer,
and the bell is struck accordingly. At the same time the catch is raised
and thus releases the lever, holding the exterior bell so that the two are
sounded simultaneously. The same action also takes place in the appa-
ratus attached to the tender, so that the driver's attention is also attracted.
The guard and driver may then communicate with each other by means
of the pressure exerted on forcing the air in their respective cylinders,
which when the exterior bells are released from their catches operate on
the interior bells alone. The guard or driver may always therefore
ascertain whether they are signalled from a passenger or an official.
Should it however be from a passenger the guard is made acquainted
with the carriage from which the signal proceeded by means of an arm,
which is made to fall across the outside of the window of the particular
compartment; this is effected by a crank or lever arrangement con-
nected with the piston rod in each compartment, which on being
released from the spring bolt comes into operation. The adoption of
the arm to indicate the particular compartment is not new, and therefore
not claimed by me.
By dispensing with the dial an apparatus of even greater simplicity
may be produced, while its efficiency remains unimpaired.
It will be seen from the foregoing that the apparatus or parts of the
same are equally adapted for signalling from one part of a mine to
another, or from the bottom to the surface, or from one part of a building
or ship to another, or in fact in any situation where signals of such a
nature are applicable.