SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR IMPROVING THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PERSONS IN CHARGE OF AND THE DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND TO RENDER COLLISIONS LESS FREQUENT ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1855

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Andrew Taylor at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd February 1855.
I, ANDREW TAYLOR, of 21, Duke Street, Manchester Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR
IMPROVING THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PERSONS IN CHARGE OF AND
THE DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND TO RENDER COLLISIONS LESS FREQUENT ON RAILWAYS,"
to be as follows:-
A, in the Drawing accompanying this Specification, is the steam whistle as
now in use on railways; B, the handle thereof, but made long enough to allow
it to project clear of the body of the locomotive (excepting where it is so placed
in a locomotive as already to be in that position), so that the chain, wire, or
rod C may pass in a straight line or otherwise down the body of the locomotive
by the side of the fire box, or the handle to be the length now in use, in which
case the chain, wire, or rod C to be fitted in rollers, to allow the chain, wire, or
rod to be pulled easily down the body or bend of the boiler; the handle to be
raised, depressed, or pulled round by the action of the chain, wire, or rod upon
it, whichever way will most effectually open the valve of the whistle. C, a
chain, wire, or rod fastened to the handle of the whistle B by a moveable joint,
and passing down the fire box of the locomotive through and underneath the
standing place of the driver, and fastened by another moveable joint to the
upward end of the lever D. D, lever or bar of iron or other metal or substance
let into a groove in the bar E, and fastened by a moveable joint or pin passed
through it and the bar to allow it to move freely up or down similar to a scale

page_text: beam, but the lower end or part that strikes the "catch L" being the longest.
E, bar of iron or other metal or substance fixed to the buffer frame, or other
part of the locomotive under the standing place between the engine and tender,
or in any other part of the locomotive where the same may be requisite,
having a groove or partition cut in it lengthways to allow the short arm of
the lever D to move freely through it, and to pass below the same when
required. F, the handle as now in use, by means of which the driver shuts
or opens the valve of the locomotive to stop or start it. G, the same
apparatus as that described above under the letters C, D, E, or an adapta-
tion thereof, for the same purpose, to be fitted to the said handle F, as to
the said whistle handle B, so as to shut off the steam or other motive power.
H, the break as now used on locomotive tenders and railway carriages.
I, a spring or coil spring of steel or other substance fitted under the handle of
the break, and fastened to the same, or to the screw of the break, so that the
spring turns the handle and screw round, so that the break would be always
pressing on the wheels if the spring was allowed liberty, but the same to be
wound up, or coiled, or compressed by the driver, stoker, guard, or breaksman,
and the stop J, below described, inserted in the teeth of the cog below or above
the spring, and fastened in the middle to the engine, tender, or carriage, thereby
putting the break off the wheels until the stop be withdrawn or released by the
apparatus above described under letters C, D, E. J, stop or bar fitted into
the teeth of a cog wheel below or above the spring, fastened in the middle
to the engine, tender, or carriage. K, the same apparatus; or an adaptation
thercof, for releasing the spring by means of raising or pulling out the
stop J from the teeth of the cog wheel, as that described under letters C, D, E;
and, if deemed necessary or advisable, the same apparatus to be fitted to the
reversing lever of the locomotive, so as to pull that backward or forward,
as the case may be, to throw the engine out of gear. L, "catch," made of
iron or other metal or substance, to be fitted to the rails of the railway, and
carried by the trains until required or permanently fixed, if requisite. They
consist of a cradle "a" passing under the rail and grasping each side
of it; the inner side thereof to have a screw hole in it to enable the handle
or bar "6" to be screwed into it and bite the rail, nipping the same between
its end and the outward side of the cradle, the top part of the handle being
some inches higher than the rails, so as to lift the lever D when passing over
it. "," the handle, with a screw made at one end, to be screwed into the
cradle and so grip the rail, or the bottom of the handle to be made square, and
fitted into a square hole cut into the rail on the inner side, or the same to
be fitted to the rails and set up so as to strike the lover, by reason of the same

page_text: being made as a screw wrench, or the same to be fastened to the rails by means
of a vice made to screw up, so as grasp the rail tight; the inner nipper
thereof to have a square hole cut into it to allow the handle "b" to be let into
it, or a square nob to project from the inner side thereof, and the handle put
on it by means of a square hole made therein, or the handle to be let into the
iron cradle now used for fastening the rails to the sleepers by means of its
square end being let into a hole made through the bottom of the same, and cut
into the sleeper it rests upon, a plug being kept in the hole to prevent its
being filled with dirt, &c.
The action of the various apparatus is as follows, viz:-Supposing it is
necessary to communicate with the driver, guard, or other person or persons in
charge of a train by any employés of the railway in charge of another train,
station, or points, and he or they wish to stop or warn a train, as in the caso
where an accident happens to one train, and the persons in charge thereof wish
to signal or stop a train approaching, one of the "catches L" is taken and fixed
a sufficient distance up the line, and the approaching train coming on with its
lever or levers in position, and the bottom end of the same being some inches
below the bar or handle of the "catch," it is evident that for the lever or levers
to pass the bar of the "catch" it must be raised by striking against the handle
or bar, thus passing over it and depressing the upward end of the lever or levers,
thereby pulling the chain, wire, or rod down, and that either raising, lowering,
or turning the handle of the whistle, thereby letting the steam or other motive
power into the whistle and blowing it; also having the same action to shut off
the motive power of the engine; also having the same action to reverse the
gear of the engine; and also to withdraw or raise the bolt from the cog, so as
to release the spring, and allow it to act on the break, thereby letting it act on
the wheels. And I reserve the right to use the same apparatus, or any part
thereof, either for all the above purposes, or for some or one of them, and by
means of one lever or several levers, or to adapt the same to one or all or some
of them; and as the same may be used in various ways for various purposes on
railways, I reserve and claim to adapt the same to any of such purposes as
those mentioned in the title of this Invention or in this Specification.
And I claim as new or as improvements the apparatus severally described
under letters B, C, D, E, G, I, J, K, L, and every part thereof, as above
mentioned.