Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
JAMES THOMAS, Thomas's Buildings South Street Atherstone Warwickshire
Hat Manufacturer and Amateur Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
This signal consists of 3 posts eather iron or wood with an arm perjecting out on
each post which is worked in or out of place with a separate wire and pullys and
chains the 3 posts form one complete set of signal which can be used eather 12 or 3
the posts are placed 30 yards apart just as required, approaching any station or
where ever they may be required.
1 means steady, 2 slower, 3 stop, the projecting arm on the post when in play
comes in contact with a catch fixed on the passing engine which rings a bell close
to the drivers head giving 1 2 or 3 distinct rings as they pass the post according as
the arms are placed.
1. First it can be put in work at a minutes notice instead of having to call extra
men up to place fog cartridges on the line thus it might save life and limb.
2. It will save a lot of lamps which are liable to go out thus endangering peoples
lives.
3. It will save a lot of expence as the same signal man can work it.
4. It will not require much learning as I propose to make the arm in shape of the
old signal board so that the catch on the engine which is always in play will catch
the end of the board which will ring the bell.
5. The arms may be made in several ways either as a bar to lower and higher
in and out of place fixed on a pole or a bracket or as a board lifting up out of
play to give head room.
JAMES THOMAS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
JAMES THOMAS Thomas's Buildings South Street Atherstone Warwickshire,
Hat Manufacturer. I 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 apparatus is intended to save life and limb by doing away with the dangerous
work of placing fog cartridges on the rails, and can be put in work at a moment's
notice. The new improvements consist of three posts, A, either iron. or wood, or
partly made of each, about twelve feet high, the three posts being exactly the same
pattern. Each post A is fitted with an iron arm B, in the shape of a fork with a
pin going through the arm B and the posts A to fasten them together so as to work
freely.
There is a catch C made in the shape of a horse shoe with a plate going across it,
fastened by two pins. The plate, having two ears turned inwards, fits into a similar
plate, which is fastened across the forked end of the arms B. A pin M, goes through
the four holes N, and acts as a hinge. At the end of the catch C is an iron
roller E, encased with indiarubber, or left bare. There are two rods, forming the
frame D, the two ends of the rods being fastened to the arms B at the top, and the
bottom end being fastened to a lever D.

page_text: This lever is bolted to the post A. About the centre, or six feet from the base,
the lever (or rods) D, being weighted at the bottom, pulls the arms B up or down,
out of play, but it is preferred to pull them up, to give head room.
Between the catch C and the arms B are two sheet springs K, bolted to the
round end of the fork or arms B, and a third sheet spring L lying along the back
of the arms B. This third spring is fastened by two pins to the back end of the
arms B, and fastened to the round end of the catch C by a pin going through the
arms B. The catch C works loosely, and gives way when struck by the catch F
on the engine, and at the same time it rings a bell in the signal box to prove that
it has acted properly.
The posts A and arms B and the catch C are made complete, being joined together
so as to form one portable structure. They are placed by the side of the rails, about
four feet away, and standing thirty yards apart from one another (or thereabouts).
They will give three distinct warnings of danger.
"Caution."
When the
When the arm B on No. 1 post is in play, this means
arm B on No. 2 post is also in play, this means "Extra Caution." When the arm B
on No. 3 post is also in play, that is, when all three are in play together, this means
"Stop." When all three are set for danger, the catch F, which is always in play
on the engine, will strike them. In the act of striking the arms B, the catch F
strikes the bell, or opens the whistle on the engine, or turns on a red light by the
same action.
The catch F is made complete and bolted to each engine on the left side near the
driver's head.
Its frame is made of a piece of plate iron about nine inches long by six inches
wide, or any other convenient size or strength, and it has two corner plates
each fastened on by two bolts. There is in each corner plate a hole, in which the
catch F works. The catch F is in the shape of a cross, with its tail end working
through a slot, and this is the part which strikes the bell. The tail end of the
cross is fitted with a hammer, and connected with a lever G, so that it will strike
the bell or open the whistle or call the driver's attention in any other
There
way.
are two springs to the catch F, a flat sheet spring H, and a round wire spring I to
keep the catch F in place. There is also a spring J at the extreme ends of the two
corner plates, to resist the back action.
There is a separate wire to each post A, and arms B, and a set of six chain
pulley levers to be fixed in the signal box. Three of these will work a set of
signals up the line, and the remaining three a set down the line, although any signal
lever gear will work the apparatus.
A fourth wire connects the three posts and arms, and rings the bell in the signal
boxes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
(1) The three posts constructed of iron or wood, or partly of iron and partly of
wood, furnished with iron arms and catches, to work together as one complete
railway signalling apparatus.
The catch on the arms of each post.
The catch to be fixed on each engine, which moves automatically on
coming into contact with the catch on each post, thus ringing a bell or opening the
steam whistle on the engine or calling the driver's attention in any other manner
whatsoever.
Dated this Fifth day of December 1890.
JAMES THOMAS,
Hat Manufacturer, Atherstone.