Improvements in the System of Railway Signalling and in Apparatus and Means therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the System of Railway Signalling and in Apparatus
and Means therefor.
I EDWARD COOPER WARBURTON of Bolton in the County of Lancaster Electrical.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SYSTEM OF RAILWAY SIGNALLING AND IN APPARATUS AND MEANS THEREFOR, to be
as follows:
My invention relates to railway signalling and more particularly to improvements
in the existing system of signalling during foggy weather and the chief object of
my Invention is to dispense with the detonators or fog signals now employed and to
substitute therefor a thoroughly safe and reliable system of signalling and apparatus
or means for carrying the same into practical effect."
For the sake of convenience and clearness I will describe my Invention under
several heads.
First. When an automatic system of signalling is to be adopted
propose to
employ beneath the rails an electric contact maker in the form of a mercurial force
pump or syringe the piston rod of which is actuated when the rail is deflected by
the weight of a passing train thereby forcing mercury from the pump cylinder
through a pipe or passage and through a small nozzle or jet hole contained in a
suitably prepared chamber. The mercury is forced up through the nozzle or jet hole
against insulated contact points placed within the jet chamber whereby the electric
circuit is completed. When the rail resumes its normal position a spring raises the
piston or plunger of the force pump and allows the mercury to flow back into the
passage and pump cylinder through a valve whereby the incrcury leaves the contact
points and the electric circuit is broken. In place of a piston or plunger a metallic
diaphragm might be employed to force up the mercury but I consider that the piston
would be more durable and its action more certain.
An electric contact maker arranged as above indicated would be thoroughly safe
and reliable and sufficiently sensitive to be actuated by the lightest rolling stock and
yet would not be damaged by the heaviest rolling stock and as I propose to close in

page_text: the parts with a weather tight cover the apparatus would be uninjured and for all
practical purposes unaffected by atmospheric changes frost snow hail or rain in either
its mechanical or electrical portions.
Second. The contact maker described under the first head of my Invention may
be employed in conjunction with any suitable system of railway signalling set in
operation by the depression of the rail completing an electric circuit as previously
mentioned but its chief function would be in combination with a railway Semaphore
Signal Audible Repeater of the special form hereinafter described or of any other
suitable form which would appeal to the ears of the engine drivers guards and others
concerned.
The chief advantages and uses of such a system would be
(a.) To attract the attention of and communicate the signals to the engine driver
and others in case of fog or darkness when lamps or other visible signals are not
available whereby the danger delay to traffic and cost of fogging the line by the
present system of detonating fog signals would be avoided.
(b) To automatically warn workmen in tunnels and elsewhere.
(c.) To warn signalmen audibly or visually of the whereabouts of trains at or near
junctions or standing under the protection of signals out of their sight.
(d.) To automatically warn the gatekeepers and the public at level crossings of the
approach of trains.
Third. The special form of apparatus or appliance above referred to and which
I will now describe is for the purpose of making an audible signal to warn engine
drivers and others and may be used either in combination with my improved contact
maker or with other forms of contact makers where an automatic system of signalling
is adopted or may be used alone and be operated by fogmen or others stationed near
the ordinary semaphore signals or at the cabins.
This appliance then is an electro-magnetic Fog Horn or Trumpet and is arranged
substantially as follows:-
In front of a strong permanent horseshoe or other suitable form of magnet 1
mount adjustably a metal diaphragm and furnish the magnet pole or poles with a coil
of wire somewhat in the form of a telephone. Close to but not touching the
diaphragm and preferably concentric therewith I mount a horn or trumpet for enlarge-
ment and direction of sound. 1 also have an induction coil or transformer with a
make and break magnetic vibrator somewhat similar to the well known medical
shocking coils the secondary wire of which I connect in circuit with the polar coils of
the trumpet arrangement and actuate the same with the vibrator by a battery placed
in circuit with the primary wire of the induction coil.
It will be readily understood that this arrangement of fog horn can be operated in
conjunction with the ordinary semaphore or visible signals either automatically by
means of a contact maker or independently of a contact maker by means of fogmen
with any fog horn so as to give warning notes of different pitch or according to any
suitable code signifying "Stop " "Proceed" etc., and I include as part of my
improved system of signalling the use by fogmen of horns or other wind instruments.
for the purpose of repeating audibly or conveying by sound to engine drivers and.
others information as to the position of the semaphore signals as above indicated.
Dated this 5th day of November 1887

page_text: and Means therefor.
I EDWARD COOPER WARBURTON of Bolton in the County of Lancaster Electrical
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 :-
My invention relates to railway signalling and more particularly to improvements
in the existing system of signalling during foggy weather and the chief object of my
Invention is to dispense with the detonators or fog signals now employed and to sub-
stitute therefor a thoroughly safe and reliable system of signalling and apparatus or
means for carrying the same into practical effect.
For the sake of convenience and clearness I will describe my Invention under several
heads which are illustrated by the three Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed and
forming part of this Specification.
The first part of my Invention which relates to an electric contact maker is illustrated
by Sheet 1.
When an automatic system of signalling is to be adopted I propose to employ
beneath the rails not shown an electric contact maker a in the form of a mercurial
force pump or syringe the piston rod of which is actuated when the rail is deflected by
the weight of a passing train thereby forcing mercury by means of its piston or
plunger from the pump cylinder c through a pipe or passage el and through a small
nozzle or jet hole d¹ contained in a suitably prepared chamber d. The mercury is
forced up through the nozzle or jet hole d¹ against insulated contact points ee (shown
detached in Figs. 4 and 5) placed within the jet chamber d whereby the electric
circuit is completed. When the rail resumes its normal position a spring fraises the
pision or plunger of the force pump and allows the mercury to flow back into the
passage el and pump cylinder e through a passage g¹ and valve 9 whereby the mercury
leaves the contact points ee and the electric circuit is broken. In place of a piston
or plunger a metallic diaphragm may be employed to force up the mercury but I
consider that the piston would be more durable and its action more certain.
An electric contact maker arranged as above indicated would be thoroughly safe and
reliable and sufficiently sensitive to be actuated by the lightest rolling stock and yet
would not be damaged by the heaviest rolling stock and as I propose to close in the
parts with a weather tight cover the apparatus would be uninjured and for all practical
purposes unaffected by atmospheric changes frost snow hail or rain in either. its
mechanical or electrical portions.
The second part of my Invention is illustrated by the series of Diagrams
Sheet 2.
The contact maker described under the first head of my Invention may be employed
in conjunction with any suitable system of railway signalling set in operation by the
depression of the rail completing an electric circuit as previously mentioned but its

page_text: chief function would be in combination with a Railway Semaphore Signal Audible
Repeater of the special form hereinafter described or of any other suitable form
which would appeal to the ears of the engine drivers guards and others
concerned.
The chief advantages and uses of such a system would be-
(a) To attract the attention of and communicate the signals to the engine driver
and others in case of fog or darkness whon lamps or other visible signals are not
available whereby the danger delay to traffic and cost of fogging the line by the present
system of detonating fog signals would be avoided.
Suitable arrangements for this purpose are indicated by the Diagrams Figs. 6
and 7.
In the Diagram Fig. 6 we have from earth to earth one of the usual modes or
circuits for electrically repeating the position of the outside Railway Semaphore
Signals to the pointsmen stationed in the cabins who work theso signals by levers in
the manner adopted by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company and known
as Warburton's system of Signal Repeaters.
"
"
A is the signal contact maker or commutator having at position 1 a contact spring
always electrically connected to earth which spring being connected by a suitable lever
to the part actuating the arm of the Railway Semaphore Signal is movable to positions 2
and 3 signifying "On" and "Off" respectively and makes contact with the divided
electric battery and c and completes the electrical circuit through an electrical
needle instrument morked 4 placed in the pointsmans cabin and joined there to
"earth
thus showing the pointsman whether the signal is "On or "Off" or
"Wrong."
Now by placing another instrument called a relay " and marked B whether
polarized or plain in the circuit above described at a place or point suitably near to an
ontside Railway Semaphore Signal my Audible Repeater can also be brought into use
at the same time as the Visual one in the cabin as a warning to the ears of a driver
passing the same of the then position of the signal semaphore arm. Such relay would
be actuated at the same time as the needle indicator in the pointsman's cabin the
tongue of which relay, marked 5, being brought to one or other of the contact points 6
or 7 according to the "On or Off movement of the outside Semaphore Signal
and thereby actuating one of the magneto electric horn arrangements 8 and 9 on
either side as follows:-
"
The tongue 5 is connected to one end of the secondary circuit of an induction coil
while the other end of such circuit is connected to the contact points 6 and 7 which
are continued through by connection with either of the coils of the magneto electric
Audible signal horns in such a manner (as shown) that if the tongue 5 be in contact
with point 6 horn 8 will be brought into play; or if with contact 7 then horn 9 will
sound on bringing the primary wire of the induction coil before mentioned into circuit
with its battery, through contact by rail pressure on the mercurial rail pump or
contact maker marked 10. This arrangement at once forms a visual signal repeater
to the pointsman and an audible signal repeater to drivers and others at the same time
the horns being made of high and low pitched tones to represent "On" and "Off"
positions of signal as may be arranged for working.
In the Diagram Fig. 7 the Audible signal alone is brought into play by the use of
a Warburtons Signal Repeater contact maker or commutator before mentioned which
takes the place of the relay described in Fig. 6 and marked B its spring, marked 1,
being however well insulated from the earth for this purpose.
The description of the arrangement B in Fig. 6 as to the action may be taken
to describe that of Fig. 7 exactly.
(b.) To automatically warn workmen in tunnels and elsewhere as illustrated by
Fig. 8.
The Diagram Fig. 8 represents a level crossing audible signal protector or for
warning workmen in tunnels etc. and may be described as follows for Down Line
working the Up Line working being exactly similar in all respects for trains coming
in an opposite direction.

page_text: From A to B represents an electric wire laid in any suitable way between those two
points the level crossing being at B. At position 1 the mercurial pump or contact
maker is placed in circuit with a battery c and joined to earth. At position 2 and
within full hearing distance of passengers crossing the level a residually polarized
relay or relay which once having had an intermittent or momentary current of a
positive character passed through it will by residual magnetism hold its tongue over
against one of its relay contact stops (such as 6 or 7 described with reference to
Fig. 6) until a negative current is sent through it to reverse the position of the
tongue to the opposite stop to be held there by residual magnetism,
The residually polarized relay has long been in use on the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway and is known as Warburton's residually polarized relay or in similar principle
as Warburton's one wire block instrument dial arrangement.
This relay is furnished with contact stops similar to relay B in Fig. 6 and also
with the horn or other sounding arrangement after the manner of Fig. 7. At
position 3 another mercurial pump or contact maker is placed in circuit with a
battery connected to earth as shown so as to reverse the residually polarized
relay when a train has arrived at the level crossing.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-On a train entering a section at
A the contact is made by the mercurial pump or contact maker which throws
the relay to its contact stop and sets an electrical horn or other electrical alarum
going. This alarum continues until the train arrives at B the end of section when
the relay tongue becomes reversed by the engine actuating the mercurial pump at 3
which stops all noise and so the trains one after another automatically warn them-
selves forward.
(c) To warn signalmen audibly or visually of the whereabouts of trains at or near
junctions or standing under the protection of signals out of their sight two arrange-
ments being indicated by the Diagrams Figs. 9 and 10.
The Diagram Fig. 9 is intended to show when a train is standing under the pro-
tection of a signal when such signal cannot be seen by the pointsman. A mercurial
force pump or contact maker a with its battery is placed in a suitable position to
show that a train has entered a section by a residually polarized needle dial instrument
well known on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway as Warburton's pattern to
be placed in the cabin in advance. Another pump or contact maker with its
battery is placed at or near the signal which is under the signalman's control
and when such signal is lowered it permits the train to pass forward over such
treadle contact and reverse the cabin indicator to train
[
passed" or gone
forward."
66
This arrangement is useful at junctions and covered stations where "starting"
"home
or other signals are not within sight of the signalman.
The Diagram Fig. 10 is intended to show a means of automatically dividing a
railway line for absolute block working. Mercurial force pumps or contact makers 1
and 2 are placed as shown at either end of a block section A to B with batteries z
and c and also two residually polarized needle block dial instruments (such as are used
in Warburton's one wire block instruments on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway)
numbered 3 and 4 one at either end cabin to show "Train on Line" and "Line
Clear" etc.
The action is such that on a train entering the section at A over the mercurial
contact maker 1 placed under the rail both end stations are shown simultaneously
that the train has entered the section and the line is "cleared" by a similar action
when the train passes "B" over the mercurial contact maker 2.
(d.) To automatically warn the gatekeepers and the public at level crossings of
the approach of trains as in Fig. 8.
The third part of my Invention is illustrated by Sheet 3.
The special form of apparatus or appliance above referred to and which I will now
describe is for the purpose of making an audible sigual to warn engine drivers and
others and may be used either in combination with my improved contact maker
Sheet 1 or with other forms of contact makers where an automatic system of signalling

page_text: is adopted or may be used alone and be operated by fogmen or others stationed near
the ordinary semaphore signals or at the cabins.
This appliance then is an electro magnetic Fog Horn or Trumpet and is arranged
substantially as follows:-
:-
In front of a strong permanent horse shoe or other suitable form of magnet h
I mount adjustably a metal diaphragm i and furnish the magnet pole or poles with a
coil of wire somewhat in the form of a telephone. Close to but not touching the
diaphragm and preferably concentric therewith I mount a horn or trumpet k for
enlargement and direction of sound. I also have an induction coil or transformer m
with a make and broak magnetic vibrator o somewhat similar to the well known
medical shocking coils the secondary wire pp of which I connect in circuit by the
wires ss with the polar coils of the trumpet arrangement and actuate the same with
the vibrator o by a battery not shown placed in circuit with the primary wire tt of the
induction coil m.
It will be readily understood that this arrangement of fog horn can be operated in
conjunction with the ordinary semaphore or visible signals either automatically by
means of a contact maker or independently of a contact maker by means of fogmen
with any fog horn so as to give warning notes of different pitch or according to any
suitable code signifying "Stop. "Proceed" etc., and I include as part of my improved
system of signalling the use by fogmen of horns or other wind instruments for the
purpose of repeating audibly or conveying by sound to engine drivers and others
information as to the position of the semaphore signals as above indicated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is―
1. In railway signalling apparatus the construction use and application of an
electric contact maker consisting of a mercurial force pump or syringe which when
in use is placed beneath the rails in such manner that the piston or equivalent
part of said pump is operated by the deflection of the rail caused by the weight of
rolling stock thereon to force mercury from the pump cylinder and thereby complete
an electric circuit for the purpose specified.
2. In railway signalling the method of repeating audibly a railway semaphore
signal or other signal substantially as and for the purposes and by the means herein
set forth.
3. The combination either with the improved electric contact maker herein described
and illustrated by the Drawings Sheet 1 or other suitable form of electric contact
maker, of the special form of railway semaphore sigual audible repeater herein described
and as illustrated by the Drawings Sheet 3.
4. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in the system of railway signalling and in apparatus and means
therefor substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings and Diagrams.
Dated this 4th day of August 1888