Improvements in Means for Communication between Passengers in Railway Trains and the Guards or Driver of same, or other similar Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
TROY ROTUNAL DITUITIVATION.
Improvements in Means for Communication between Passengers in
Railway Trains and the Guards or Driver of same, or other similar
Purposes.
I, JOSEPH DAYNES, of 25, Paradise Street, Rugby, in the County of Warwick,
Engine Driver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in means for communication between
passengers in railway trains and the guards or driver of same, but which may be
applied to other purposes and which is primarily intended as a means for com-
munication from the various compartments to the guards or driver when required.
In carrying out this my invention I make use of the now well known automatic
vacuum power which is used for braking purposes, or of course if need be, under
other circumstances an equivalent apparatus would be provided.
I will describe it therefore as applied to a train having such vacuum apparatus.
At a suitable place in the guards van, or upon the engine an alarm or bell is
placed. The mechanism relative to the striking or ringing of the bell may be
varied, but the kind of bell which answers my purpose very well is that whose
mechanism is wound up from time to time by a spring, and again withheld from
operation by a frictional spring or the like, so that when the latter is at any time
released, the mechanism is free to ring the bell &c.
--
Connected to that part of the bell mechanism which has to be released or retained
I provide a hiovable spindle or the like which said spindle is operated as follows:-
I make a short (flat) air tight cylinder or case, having upon its upper side a remov-
able cover in which is a central hole through which the spindle freely passes. Upon
the underside of this cover and also across the entire face of the cylinder I place
an air proof diaphragm, and further, around the flange like edge of such and between
it and the cover I place a leather or other joint of a given thickness, so that there
is a small space (centrally) between such diaphragm and the cover. The spindle
is also centrally secured to the said diaphragm by means of a washerlike collar
upon the spindle being above the diaphragm and a washer and screwnut upon the
underside thus making an air tight joint thereat. The spindle is then extended
somewhat further towards the base of the cylinder, and also pressed upwards by a
spiral or other suitable spring. At the one side of the cylinder I connect a pipe
having communication to the interior. This pipe I will term the communication
pipe, as it is carried along the train with suitable branches or connections in the
various compartments as desired. From coach to coach it is coupled up as may
he most convenient. Within the compartments a suitable handle, knob, cord or
the like is placed by the movement of which a tap or valve in the said pipe may be
opened and may be closed. Such movement also serves to operate indicating
mechanism which shall show upon the exterior of the coach or other desirable
place, the particular coach requiring attention.
Again. A second pipe is introduced into the cylinder, which is in communica-
tion with the main” vacuum pipe (or train pipe). This pipe I will term the

page_text: communicating vacuum pipe. Within the cylinder is a valve through which this
pipe communicates with the interior of the cylinder. This valve consists of a
chamber having a ball which falls upon an opening seat. The walls of this
chamber are contracted towards such seating so that a given quantity of room only
is allowed between the ball and such wall. At the upper part of this chamber is
further provided a second seating which at times serves to receive the same ball.
A small bye pass is also made from the chamber to the pipe independently of the
seating.
The chief features of its operation are thus: Assuming all the taps or valves
in the communicating pipes to be closed and the vacuum pipe put into action the
diaphragm will be drawn downwards and held there. While in such position
the bell is prevented from ringing. Should however any of such taps be opened the
vacuum in the cylinder is thus destroyed and the diaphragm raised to its normal
position, and thereby the bell set ringing. By this however the ball has been raised
from its lower seat to and is held against its upper seat by reason of the atmo-
spheric pressure, (unless the vacuum is destroyed in the train pipe). As thus held
the apparatus could not be re-set, even in the taps, were again closed, but for the
bye pass in the valve. This bye pass now permits the slow withdrawal again of
the air from the cylinder, and thus again establishes the state of vacuum in the
cylinder. When this point of equilibrium in the cylinder with the main vacuum
pipe is reached, then the ball necessarily falls again on to its lower seating as
before, and during such operation the diaphragm has been drawn downwards so
as to prevent the bell from ringing until the vacuum in the cylinder has again been
destroyed, through the communication pipe.
Dated this 29th day of November 1897.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Means for Communication between Passengers in
Railway Trains and the Guards or Driver of same, or other similar
Purposes.
I, JOSEPH DAYNES, of 25, Paradise Street, Rugby, in the County of Warwick,
Engine Driver, 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 invention relates to improvements in means for communication between
passengers in railway trains and the guards or driver of same, but which may be
applied to other purposes and which is primarily intended as a means for com-
munication from the various compartments of trains to the guards or driver when
required.
In order to more clearly explain this my invention I have appended hereunto
an illustrative drawing upon which are figures and numbers of reference similar
numbers referring throughout to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1, is a sectional view of this my invention.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged detailed view of the re-setting valve.
In carrying out this my invention I make use of the now well known automatic
vacuum power which is used for braking purposes, or of course if need be, under
other circumstances an equivalent apparatus would be provided.
I will describe it therefore as applied to a train having such vacuum apparatus,

page_text: At a suitable place in the guards van, or upon the engine an alarm or bell is
placed. The mechanism relative to the striking or ringing of the bell may be
varied, but the kind of bell which answers my purpose very well is that of ordinary
construction, whose mechanism is wound up from time to time by a spring, and
again withheld from operation by a frictional spring or the like, so that when the
latter is at any time released, the mechanism is free to ring the bell &c.
Connected to that part of the bell mechanism which has to be operated
I provide the movable spindle 4 (or the like) which said spindle is operated as
follows:-I make a short (flat) air tight cylinder or case 5, having upon its upper
side a removable cover 6, in which is a central hole through which the spindle 4,
freely passes. Upon the underside of this cover and also across the entire face
of the cylinder I place an air proof diaphragm 7, and further, around the flange
like edge of such and between it and the cover I place a leather or other joint S,
of a given thickness, so that there is a small space 9 (centrally between such
diaphragm and the cover. The spindle is also centrally secured to the said dia-
phragm by means of a washerlike collar 10, upon the spindle being above the
liaphragm and a washer 11, and screw nut 12, upon the underside, thus making an
air tight joint thereat. The spindle is then extended somewhat further towards
the base of the cylinder, and also pressed upwards by a spiral or other suitable
spring 13. At the one side of the cylinder I connect a pipe 14 having communica-
tion to the interior. This pipe I will term the communication pipe, as it is carried
along the train with suitable branches or connections to the various compartments
as may be desired. From coach to coach it is coupled up as may be most con-
venient. Within the said compartments a tap or valve is placed upon such pipe
which by a suitable handle, knob, cord or the like the said pipe may be opened to
the atmosphere and may be closed. Such movement may also serve to operate any
suitable indicating mechanism which shall show upon the exterior of the coach or
other desirable place, the particular coach requiring attention. This indicating
mechanism however forms no part of this my invention.
Again. A second pipe 15, is introduced into the cylinder 5, which is in com-
munication with the main vacuum pipe (or train-pipe). This pipe I will term the
communicating vacuum pipe. Within the cylinder is a valve 16, through which
this pipe communicates with the interior of the cylinder. This valve (see Fig. 2)
consists of a chamber 17, having a ball 18, which falls upon an opening seat 19.
The walls of this chamber are contracted at 20, towards such seating so that a
given quantity of room only is allowed between the ball and such wall. At the
upper part of this chamber is further provided a second seating 21, which at times
A small bye pass 22,
serves to receive the same ball, as shown in dotted lines.
is also made from the chamber 17, to the pipe 15, independently of the seating.
The chief features of the operation of this my invention are thus;-Assuming
all the taps or valves in or connected with the communicating pipe 14, to be closed,
the action of the vacuum pipe 15, will be to cause a vacuum in the cylinder 5,
so that the diaphragm 7, will be drawn downwards similar to that shown in dotted
lines and of course held there. While in such position, the alarm bell or whistle
is prevented from sounding. Should however any of the taps or valves in any
part of the pipe 14, or its connections be opened to the atmosphere the vacuum
in the cylinder 5, is thus destroyed, and the diaphragm 7 raised to its normal
position, and by the movement of the spindle 4, caused thereby, the bell or alarm
is sounded. By this however the ball 18, has been raised from its lower seat to and
is held against its upper seat 21, by reason of the atmospheric pressure in the
cylinder 5, (unless the vacuum is destroyed in the train pipe). As thus held the
apparatus could not be re-set. even if the taps in or connected with the pipe 14,
were again closed. This difficulty however is overcome by means of the bye pass 22,
in the valve 16. This by pass now permits the slow withdrawal again of the air
from the cylinder 5 &c. and thus again establishes the state of vacuum in the said
cylinder. When this point of equilibrium in the cylinder 5, with the pipe 15 and
main vacuum pipe is reached, then the ball necessarily falls by gravitation again

page_text: on to its lower seating as before, and during such operation the diaphragm 7, has
been again drawn downwards so as to prevent the alarm from sounding until the
vacuum in the cylinder has again been destroyed as before explained.
Thus by these means a direct communication may be given from the passenger
to the guard or driver or both without in any way interfering with the train breaks,
also that it may be used in any portion or portions of a train connected with a
guards van or engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In signalling apparatus for railway trains and similar purposes, the combina-
tion with the pipe 14, and its connections, and the vacuum pipe 15, of the cylinder 5,
with elastic diaphragm 7, connected to and operating spindle 4, all constructed and
operating substantially as set forth and shown and for the purposes specified.
2. The combination with pipe 14, cylinder 5, diaphragm 7, and spindle 4, and
vacuum pipe 15, of the valve 16. having ball 18, with double seatings 19 and 21.
with bye pass 22, all substantially as set forth and shown and for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 29th day of August 1898.
CHARLES T. POWELL.
Applicant's Agent, 12. Cherry Street, Birmingham.