IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF SIGNALLING ON RAIL- WAYS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Wilman Wood and William
Henry Shakespear at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th
April 1876.
JOSEPH WILMAN WOOD and WILLIAM HENRY SHAKESPEAR, both of Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF SIGNALLING ON RAIL-
WAYS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention consists chiefly in electric signals for communicating on railways,
and consists
1st. In arranging a rail or thin metallic rod between the main rails.
2nd. In each signal box we place an instrument that can at will bring this rail or
rails in electric connection with one pole of a battery, and the main rails or either of
them with the other pole. The same instrument can connect or disconnect an
electric bell with the special rail and main rail, disconnecting it whenever it connects
the battery. Similarly a telegraphic instrument can be connected, and the bell
and battery thrown out of connection; we usually, however, leave the bell in con-
nection. A similar instrument, bell, battery, and also if desirable a telegraphic instru-
ment, can be stationed on each railway locomotive, and also on each guard's van.
3rd. The way in which we connect the special rail with the contact instrument
is by a metallic spring carrying a wheel in bearings at the end. The wheel runs
on the special rail.
4th. As a single line of rail is liable to become distorted by expansion and con-
traction, we sometimes make our special rail of numerous pieces with fished joints
overlapping each other. These we connect with each other by ineans of flexible
metallic loops. Gas pipe or tec-iron are good things to make the special rail of.
The mode of action is as follows:-5th. If a driver of one locomotive wishes to
communicate with another on the same line of rails, or with a signal box, he
connects his battery with the special and main rails (it need never be disconnected
from one of them), provided it is fromt he other), this causes the circuit to be com-
pleted and rings the nearest bells on the circuit. The periods of time during which
the bell rings can represent different signals. Four short periods together night
mean "put on the telegraph instrument." The driver could then send a regular
message. The same way a signalman could communicate with a driver while at full
speed.
This apparatus could also be used for a block signal system by having the con-
nection of the special rail broken at each block, and each train as it enters a block
must ascertain for itself if the line is clear ahead by simply telegraphing its
I Price 211

page_text: approach. If no train is ahead there is no reply, or a reply comes from the station
ahead all right.
This line signal system to be complete should be worked in connection with our
train signal arrangement, care being taken however to keep the wires distinct so
that the driver can communicate with the guard without signalling to the station
and vice versa.
According to this arrangement we have a line of wires from the engine, insulated
from the rails which form the return circuit and connected at each junction of
carriages by springs and discs. A guard rail is placed round each spring, but
not touching it when the springs are in compression owing to the discs being in
contact, the moment, however, by a coupling breaking or a carriage getting off the
line, the spring flies against the guard rail the circuit is completed and the bells
are rung in both engine and guard's van. One battery and 2 bells on the
engine will answer for both signal arrangements, and we do not propose to connect
the guard's van with the line signals, so one battery and one bell will do there.
These are connected in the usual manner. A rope tied to one or both spring
lises can be pulled from the passenger compartments, if desired, and thus sound an
alarm at both ends of the train, the rope can be placed in any convenient position,
and tell-tales thereon will show the compartment from which the alarm comes.
This arrangement is fully detailed in our Specification, No. 1263, of 1876.