Improvements in Electric Railway Signaling and Communicating Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1990
Complete Specification Left, 28th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Signaling and Communicating
Apparatus.
I, HENRY MERRITT HARCOURT, of 135 Upper Circular Road, Calcutta, East Indies,
Examiner of Post Office Accounts, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
According to this invention sections of rails insulated at or near the "points" are
both connected with an electric battery, or system consisting of negative (-) or
positive (+) cells only: the trains to travel on this line being provided with the same
sign cells. On the passing of these trains over the "points" nothing will happen,
while other line trains, being provided with the opposite sign cells, will form a
complete or active battery. as soon as they get on the wrong rails, and the electric
circuit being completed, and passed through an electric alarm boll, will cause it to
ring on the train or carriage touching the insulated rails, and so give timely warning
to the engine driver or guard, also at the railway station, if desired, by means of an
additional bell, and set of line wires attached to the rails.
The electric current will pass from rail to carriage wheel, and wheel to axle which
will have to be in two pieces, one for each wheel and each piece must be insulated
from the other and connected separately with the binding screws of an electric bell.
In the case of any train going on to a particular line, as a "siding," by accident,
notice would be given by the following arrangement.
One of the insulated rails is connected to the positive, and the other to the negative
pole of an electric battery, an alarm bell placed on the engine or carriage being in
metallic contact with the rails; as soon as the engine or carriage comes on to the
insulated rails, so arranged, the circuit would be completed and the alarm rung.
The wheels intended for conducting the current to the alarm should run on separate
axles not on a single shaft which touches both wheels. These wheels should also be
the very first pair in front of all as otherwise the current would be short circuited
without ringing the alarm.
To provide further against trains going on wrong lines without due warning being
given, and to give warning of a line being "not clear or occupied by a train
immediately ahead, a complete cell battery could be furnished to every brake van, or
carriage, such battery having metallic connection with the rails, any train or engine
following would pick up the current, and complete circuit through suitably arranged
connections with alarm bell. Or if telephones or telegraphic instruments were attached
communication could be maintained by these means, between moving trains and rail-
way stations and between one train and another while in motion over insulated or partly
insulated rails.
All the wheels would be required to be on separate axles insulated from each other
to prevent "short circuit" unless only one of the pairs of line rails was utilized for the
current and another light rail laid for running only a small wheel from the engine or
carriage to take the current back to the battery.
If it were found too expensive to insulate a whole line of rails sections of them at
convenient distances or at dangerous junctions only could be insulated.
Rails painted or coated on three sides with an insulating material like india-rubber
would perhaps not cost much and answer the purpose.
T20 of 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Signaling and Communicating
Apparatus.
1, HENRY MERRITT HARCOURT, of 135 Upper Circular Road, Calcutta, East Indies,
Examiner of Post Office Accounts, 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:-
According to this invention sections of rails insulated at or near the "points"
are both connected with the negative (-) or positive (+) poles or plates of an
electric battery hereinafter called the fixed battery, the train or trains intended to
travel on this line being each fitted with a battery having the same sign terminals
arranged to be placed in connection with the rails by contact makers, that may be
the wheels of one of the vehicles, and with an indicator or alarm such as an
electric bell, in circuit with said battery. With this arrangement on the passage
of the train over the "points" no signal will be given owing to the two batteries
being in opposition to each other any small current that might flow being too weak
to work the alarm bell. Trains intended to travel on other lines are each provided
with a battery having the opposite sign poles in connection with contact makers
arrange to make contact with the insulated rails, so that when such a train passes
onto the wrong line, the circuit of the two batteries will be completed through
the insulated rails and through an electric alarm bell on the vehicle, this bell
being thus caused automatically to ring and give timely warning to the engine
driver, or guard. Warning may also be given at the next railway station, if
desired, by means of an additional bell, and set of line wires attached to the rails.
In this case a wire extends from one of the rails to the station, where a bell is
placed in circuit with it, and then extends to the battery to which the other rail
is attached. When the wheels of one of the vehicles are used as contact makers,
the electric current will pass from rail to engine or carriage wheel, and wheel to
axle, which must be made in two separate pieces, insulated from each other, and each
having a separate metallic connection with an electric bell or alarm in the usual manner.
In cases where it would be expensive to insulate a whole length of rails, sections
of them only at convenient distances apart, or at dangerous junctions, can be
insulated.
Another way would be to use only one rail of the line for the current, and to lay
another light rail between the two ordinary ones to serve as a return conductor and
upon which a small metallic wheel attached to the engine or carriage can run.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of apparatus such as just
referred to.
1, 1 are insulated rails, each connected to the negative pole of a cell 2 of the fixed
battery 3.4 is the vehicle intended to run on the rails 1; it is fitted with a battery
composed of cells 5 the negative poles of which are connected by conductors 6 to
contact makers 7 that travel in contact with the rails 1, when the vehicle moves over
them. S is an electric bell in circuit with the cells 5. 4 is a vehicle intended to run
on another line and consequently fitted with a battery the cells 5 of which have their
positive poles connected with contact makers 7 to make connection with the rails 1
and to then give an alarm when the vehicle is on a wrong line. A dynamo driven
by a hand from the axle of one of the carriages or otherwise would do as well as a
battery, the positive and negative poles of the generator being so arranged as to
oppose the positive and negative poles of the fixed battery.
In the case any train going on to a particular line, as for example a "siding,"
by accident, the following arrangement is provided to give notice of the fact.
One of the insulated rails is connected to the positive, and the other to the negative
pole of an electric battery, an alarm bell placed on the engine or carriage being in
metallic contact with the rails through the wheels so that as soon as the engine or

page_text: carriage comes onto the insulated rails so arranged, the circuit would be completed
and the alarm rung.
This arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 in which 1 1 are the insulated
rails of the siding; 3 the battery having its positive pole connected with one
insulated rail 1" and the other pole with the second rail. 4 is the vehicle fitted with
the electric bell 8.
The wheels intended for conducting the current from the rails 1 to the bell, should
run on separate divided axles, the wheels having no metallic contact or connection with
each other except through the battery, rails and bell. This pair of wheels must also
be the first pair in the direction of movement of the vehicle as otherwise the current
would be short "circuited" without ringing the bell and giving an alarm.
To further provide against trains going on wrong lines, without due warning being
given, and to give warning of a line being "not clear" or occupied by a train
immediately ahead, a complete battery is provided on each brake van or other vehicle
of the train, such battery having metallic connection with the insulated rails. By this
arrangement, a second train or vehicle following the first one on the same section of
rails, and provided with a bell in connection with the rails, would complete the circuit
of the battery on the first train or vehicle through such bell, thus causing an alarm to
be given on the second train or vehicle. Such an arrangement is illustrated diagram-
matically in Fig. 3, where 11 are the insulated rails as before and 4 is a vehicle fitted
with a battery 9 having its two poles connected by rubbing or rolling contacts 7 with
the insulated rails. 4ª is a second vehicle fitted with an electric bell 8 having its
terminals in rubbing contact with the rails 1.
If the trains be provided with telephones or telegraphic instruments communication
can by these means be maintained between the moving trains and railway stations, and
between the one train and the other whilst they are in motion over the insulated or
partly insulated rails.
Another great advantage, viz., positive assurance of a line of rails being intact for
any number of miles ahead of a train, can be secured by the use of the closed circuit
made through the insulated rails of a line, and through suitable connections on an
engine or carriage, in conjunction with an electro magnet and armature carried thereby
the armature being so arranged as to be kept in place by an uninterrupted flow of
current, but should a part of the line rails be severed or be moved, the "circuit" will
be broken and the armature will move, and call into play another electric battery on the
engine or carriage so as to complete its circuit and ring the alarm bell carried by such
engine or carriage.
This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4 where 11 are the insulated rails connected
to the opposite poles of the battery 3, and also by rubbing or rolling contacts 7 with
the terminals of an electro magnet 10 on the vehicle 4. 11 is the armature of the
electro-magnet. 12 is a battery on the vehicle 4; it has one of its poles connected
to the contact piece 13 and the other pole with the armature 11, the circuit being
made through the electric bell 8. When the circuit of the electro-magnet is broken
from any cause, the armature 11 under the action of a spring will move and make
contact with the contact piece 13, thus completing the circuit of the battery 12 and
causing the electric bell 8 to ring.
All the wheels should be on divided axles, each piece being insulated from the other
to prevent "short circuiting" that is to say to prevent the current passing from one
rail to the other, except through the proper connections between the bell or telegraphic
instrument and rails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
The mode of producing electric currents automatically on railways for giving alariu,
and for electric signalling and communicating on railways and apparatus for the
purpose constructed arranged and operating as herein before described with reference

page_text: respectively to and illustrated in Fig. 1; in Fig. 2; in Fig. 3; and in Fig. 4 of the
drawings annexed, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 28th day of November 1890.
H. M. HARCOURT,
By L. W. per F. B.