AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Armand Gilbee, of No. 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR MAKING SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS."-A communication from
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd April 1860.
I, WILLIAM ARMAND GILBEE, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in the construction of an im-
proved apparatus for signalling on railways, in which electricity is employed
for the working of the signals.
The apparatus is composed of a cylindrical case perforated with two dia-
metrically opposite openings, for the passage, horizontally, of the rays of two
lights. This case is enclosed in a concentric outer case, having three different
coloured lenses round its circumference. The exterior case is fixed on a post
or support in the ground, which supports it, and the inner case, which is
moveable, turns with the ball or sphere, by which it is surmounted. This ball
or sphere is divided into two hemispheres of very visible colours, which act as

page_text: signals by day; the lights serving to transmit the signals by night. Enclosed
in a small case is a clock movement, which by means of a pinion, catches in a
wheel & causes the apparatus to turn round a central pivot. Stops placed at
certain distances apart on a platform above these wheels, prevent this action,
so long as a trigger at the side of the platform is not drawn back, which is
effected by the electric current crossing an electro-magnet placed in the interior
and attracting the trigger towards itself. The electric current which causes
the movement of the signals, is set up on the passage of a train, by a cam or
other suitable contrivance fixed to the first carriage of the train; this cam
engages in passing between two iron bars suitably placed on the road near the
signal apparatus, and separates one of them, forming part of the apparatus,
which acts on a rectangular piece. This rectangular piece moves a horizontal
lever, the opposite extremity of which is thereby raised and put in contact with
the poles of an electric battery. A hook catches the rectangular piece when
it is displaced by the action of the cam, and holds it the required time for
setting up the electric current in the apparatus until another cam of the train
disengages it and breaks the communication of the wires.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Armand Gilbee in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ARMAND GILBEE, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Armand Gilbee, Her special licence that I, the said William
Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS," a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Desgabriel, of Lyons, France, upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said William Armand Gilbee, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Armand Gilbee, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The Invention communicated to me consists of an improved apparatus for
employing electricity for working the signals on railways in a more safe and
expeditious manner than by manual labour as at present generally adopted.
The apparatus is composed of a cylindrical case perforated with two dia-
metrically opposite openings, for the passage, horizontally, of the rays of two
lights. This case is enclosed in a concentric outer case having three different
coloured lenses round its circumference. The exterior case is fixed on a post
or support in the ground which supports it; and the inner case, which is
movable, turns with the ball or sphere by which it is surmounted. This ball
or sphere is divided into two hemispheres of very visible colours, which act as
signals by day; the lights serving to transmit the signals by night. Enclosed
in a small case is a clock movement, which by means of a pinion gearing with
a wheel, causes the apparatus to turn round a central pivot. Stops placed at
certain distances apart on a circular plate above these wheels, prevent this
action until a click lever (in gear with the stops) is drawn back by the electric
current from an electro-magnet placed in the interior and attracting the click
lever towards itself. The electric current which causes the movement of the
signals is put in action on the passage of a train, by a projecting arm or other
suitable contrivance fixed to the first carriage of the train.
between two iron bars suitably placed in the road near the
and separates one of them, which acts on a bell crank lever.
a horizontal lever, the opposite extremity of which is thereby raised and put in
contact with the poles of an electric battery. A hook catches the bell-crank
lever when it is displaced by the action of the cam, and holds it the required
time for completing the circuit of the electric current in the apparatus, and
until another cam of the train disengages it and breaks the communication of
the wires.
This arm passes
signal apparatus,
This lever moves

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will now proceed
to describe the same more particularly by reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a section of my improved signalling
apparatus; Figure 2 a plan of a portion of the same; Figure 3 an arrange-
ment of signals. The same letters refer to similar parts in the Drawing.
The apparatus is composed of an inner cylindrical case A formed with two
openings A', diametrically opposite to each other, and through which pass the
rays of light from the lamps B. This case is surrounded by a concentric outer
case B', having three lenses of different colours fixed to its circumference.
The exterior case is secured to a post, which supports it, and the inner case A,
rotating on a vertical pivot C, turns with the spherical body C' placed on the
top; this ball is divided into two hemispheres, each painted with a conspicuous
colour. These colours act as signals during the day, and the lamp lights serve
to transmit the signals by night. A small case C" contains a clock movement,
which, by means of a pinion D gearing with the toothed wheel E, causes the
apparatus to turn round the central pivot C; F is a circular plate, on the
periphery of which are stops or teeth placed at calculated distances. The short
end of a click lever gearing in these teeth or stops prevents the action of the
clockwork on the signal until the long end of the lever is attracted by the
electro-magnet G', when in connection with an electric battery.
A projecting arm causes the passage of a train to actuate the mechanism, so
as to complete the electric circuit, and by that means causes the movement of
the signals. This arm is fixed to the first carriage of the train, and in passing
between two iron bars H, H', gives motion to the bar H fixed to the top of
the bell-crank lever J, and thus actuates the horizontal lever K, the opposite
extremity of which being raised puts in contact the poles of an electric battery.
To prevent the sudden passage of the arm of the train from injuring the
mechanism, the lever J is made to press on the lever K by means of a spring I.
The lever K has, in addition, a small joint K', so that the excess of force may
be destroyed on the movable parts. The movement of the lever K is limited
between two stops L, L'; the latter may be raised or lowered as desired. A
hook S takes into an eye or staple on the bent lever J when it is displaced, and
holds it the required time for completing the current, and then another arm
of the train disengages it, and interrupts the communication of the wires until
another train passes. These warning signals are placed near the rails, and the
distance from one to another may vary according to circumstances, but it is
more convenient that they should be about 3 miles apart. A train passing on
the rail communicates to each of the signals movements which indicate that
the line is occupied, consequently a train coming in the opposite direction,

page_text: cannot advance without seeing that the line is closed, or shew "danger;" in the
same manner, a train coming from behind with greater rapidity will slacken
its speed when the signal before it shews the presence of a train with which it
would come in collision; Figure 3 shows the successive movements of these
signals. A train, at T, in motion has always three signals before it and one
behind it, the colours of which are placed crosswise; the brightness of the
lights will then indicate that the way is closed, whilst the others have their
colours and lights masked to show the way is open or clear. The train in
passing before each post touches the levers which correspond with them, and the
electric current causes the movements which render apparent a new signal in
front of the train concealing the one behind, and at the same time the signal
touched changes sides. By this means the train is always protected from
collisions; and if, by accident, it were forced to stop, the position of each signal
will continue the same, and correctly indicate the presence and position of the
danger.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself
to the exact mode of constructing the apparatus herein-before described,
reserving the right of modifying the same without departing from the peculiar
features of the said Invention; what I claim is, the peculiar arrangement
and construction of apparatus for working signals on railways by means
of electricity, as herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Armand Gilbee, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
W. A. GILBEE. (L.S.)