Year: 1886

page_text: I, OWEN HUGHES of Aber C. E. School, Bangor, North Wales, Schoolmaster, 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:-
The invention relates to improved means or apparatus employed in transmitting
signals from a stationary or moving Engine or other vehicle, to a signal box or any
other station or fixed point or to another stationery or moving engine or other
vehicle and vice versa, while it is in the inter-signal section of a railway, that is to
say, between the distant signals of two adjacent railway stations or between any
two points provided with the necessary communicating means.
Electricity is the agent I employ in accomplishing this result.
The electric fluid is generated in a battery at the signal box or any other station
or fixed point where there is also an apparatus constructed according to this
invention which for convenience I call the "electric safety signal block" which
I employ for closing and interrupting the electric circuit. The current is conducted
by a line wire, which may be attached to the telegraph poles, to another appliance
constructed according to this invention which I call the "ground electric poles."
These poles are used in pairs one being placed on the inside of each rail and exactly
opposite the other, at stated or convenient intervals, one being connected with a
branch wire from the line wire, and the other with an earth plate.
"
When the current is closed at the signal box or station, or other fixed point, the
electric circuit is not complete until the space between the "ground electric poles'
can be traversed by the electric fluid which latter is accomplished when the engine
or other vehicle passes over the "ground electric poles" the engine or other vehicle
being fitted for such purpose with what I call the "engine poles," one being placed
on each side thereof and in such position as to pass over the "ground electric poles'
and to come into contact there with when the engine or other vehicle is passing over
the same; the circuit is thus completed and the current by flowing through con-
ductors, in the engine or other vehicle, which electrically connect the "engine poles "
causes an electric bell or other indicator on the engine or other vehicle to ring or
otherwise indicate simultaneously with another similar bell or indicator at the
signal box or station or other fixed point.
The drivers or guards are supplied with an apparatus combining a strong battery
and "electric safety signal block" which can be carried about, and by the aid of
which they can from any "ground electric pole" transmit or receive signals to or from
the signal box or station or other fixed point or signal to an approaching train in

page_text: cases of accident, or breakdown. The wheels of the engine or other vehicle may be
made to serve the purpose of "Engine poles," in which case, if the "Ground electric
poles" be made continuous, a continuous mode of communication is established.
The ringing or other indication of the engine bell or other indicator will also
serve the purpose of a fog signal as it will ring or otherwise indicate only when the
line is blocked.
I will now proceed aided by the accompanying drawings to describe the method
in which I carry my invention into effect. In all the figures like parts are marked
with similar letters of reference.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent respectively a vertical section, a front view and an
underside view of one of my "engine poles" and Figures 4, 5, and 6 are separate
views of parts thereof.
In the above views a represents a strong metal frame which is firmly bolted to
any suitable part of, or carried by the locomotive or other vehicle. bb are guides
formed on the inner sides of the dependent arms of the frame a to receive and
guide the block or yielding piece c.-d is the contact rod or bar which is pin jointed
r hinged at d¹ to the lower end of one of the dependent arms of the frame a and is
also pin-jointed at d² to the lug c¹ carried by the yielding piece c which latter is
acted upon by the spring e with a tendency to force the yielding piece c down
towards its lowest position that is to the stops 61 61 at the bottom of the guides b b.
a¹ is a cap which is screwed into the top of the frame a in order to afford facility
for adjusting the spring e and yielding piece c. The lug c is screwed into the
block c to facilitate adjustment and a set screw c² is employed to fix the said lug c¹
in the desired position with respect to the block or yielding piece c.
The contact rod or bar d is formed preferably of the section shown at Figure 5
and is faced with a suitable conducting plate d³ connected to the terminal d' which
is connected to the conducting wire d'-ff are clearers fixed fore and aft of the
contact rod or bar to clear anything out of the way.
A face view of one of such clearers is shown at Figure 6.--Figures 7 and 8 are
respectively a longitudinal section and a cross section of one of my "ground
electric poles."
In the said views g represents the contact piece which is pin-jointed at g' to one
end of a strong frame h and is borne upwards by a block g³ of india rubber, or by
a spring of other suitable construction. An extension g of the contact piece g
comes against the stop h¹ and thus prevents displacement of such contact piece by
the force exerted thereon by the india rubber spring g³-g' is a conducting plate
carried by the contact piece and connected to a conducting wire g' which in one
ground electric pole" is connected by the line wire q with the battery and in the
other is connected with the earth plate p.
The frame h is firmly fixed in the desired position on the ground in any suitable
manner.
Figure 9 is partly a perspective view and partly an elevation of the apparatus
I employ in the signal box, station or other fixed point, and Figure 10 is a perspec-
tive view of part thereof with a cover thereon.
This apparatus consists of a battery i and my "electric safety signal block," and
two electric bells j¹.
The "electric safety signal block" consists of a board or table k on which are
fixed two platinum nipples or contact pieces the nipple being connected with
the coil of the electric bellj by a conducting wire 1, and the nipple being connected
with the coil of the electric bell j¹ by a conducting wire l³.m is a lever which is
mounted on an axis of motion at m¹ and is provided with two platinum nipples or
contact pieces m³ m³ which can by shifting the lever m from one side to the other,
be respectively placed in contact with the platinum nipples or contact pieces 1 1¹.
n is a chained pin which can be passed through a hole in the lever m and into one
or other of two holes in the board or table / when it is required to retain said
lever m in contact with one or the other of such nipples . -o is a conducting
wire connecting the coil of the electric bell; with the battery i.-ol is a conducting

page_text: wire connecting the battery i with the earth plate p'-o' is a conducting wire
connecting the coil of the electric bell with the earth plate p and q is the line
wire which is connected by a binding screw me with the metallic axis m¹ of the
lever m.
m³ is a spring for drawing the handle m when otherwise free, toward the contact
piece or nipple. Figure 10 represents the "electric safety signal block" enclosed
by a cover which is formed with a slot k through which the lever m protrudes.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of my "Electric safety signal block" combined
with a strong portable battery for use by the drivers or guards of a train. In this
case the parts constituting the "electric safety signal block" are constructed and
marked with similar letters of reference to those described with respect to Figures 9
and 10 but only one signal bell (that marked 1) is used.
The "electric safety signal block," the bell as also its coil, and a sand battery i
mounted loosely on axes i¹ are enclosed in a box r through a slot r¹ in the front of
which see Figure 12 the lever m protrudes.
The coil of the electric bell; is by a conducting wire o connected with a stud o³
which stud by a conducting wire o' is connected with the battery i and such stud o
is also connected by a conducting wire o' which is common to o and o¹ with the
battery pole & which when required is placed on a "ground electric pole" connected
with earth plate.
8
The battery is also connected by a conducting wire of with the nipple or
contact piece l' and the axis m¹ of the lever, m is connected by a wire to a stud o
which is connected by a conducting wire q' with the battery pole 8 which when
required is placed on a "ground electric pole" connected with a branch from the
line wire.
Figure 13 represents the "engine poles" in contact with the "ground electric
poles" and thereby completing the electric circuit when the nipple m² of the
handle m of the " electric safety signal block" in the signal box or station or other
fixed point is in contact with the nipple or contact piece l. The direction of the
current is indicated by the arrows.
Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the method in which a stationary train can
communicate with a signal box, station or other fixed point and thus cause the
bell in the latter to ring.
Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the method in which a signal box station or
other fixed point can communicate with a stationary or broken down train at
which time the bells j at both places will simultaneously ring.
Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the method in which a signal box, station or
other fixed point can communicate with a train in motion. In this case the engine
bell and the bell j at the station are caused to ring simultaneously.
The engine bell is of the same construction as that of the electric bell; of the
"electric safety signal block and portable battery" represented at Figure 11 and
answers the same purpose but it is fixed to the engine or to other carriage or vehicle
of a train and is the only signal or indicator carried by the train which indicates
the signal while the train is in motion.
If "engine poles" be attached to the Guard's van and connected to the " electric
safety signal block and portable battery" shown at Figure 11 the bells j and v
would both ring each time the "Engine poles" passed over a
ground electric
pole" when the line was "blocked."
"
"
By these means a signal would be conveyed to both Guard and driver of a train
while the latter is in motion.
Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the method in which the guard or driver of a
stationary or broken down train can communicate with an approaching train on
either line.
In this case the "electric safety signal portable battery" is connected with the
'ground electric poles" of that line on which the train, that is to be stopped,
travels; the pole 8 of the "electric safety signal portable battery" being on the
'ground electric pole" which is connected with the earth plate and the other

page_text: poles on the "ground electric pole" which is connected with the line wire; the
handle m Figure 11 is placed on the nipple or contact piece ¹ a current will thus
be caused to flow from the battery i of Figure 11 through the line wire and to the
train, when the "engine poles" of such train touch the next "ground electric
poles" and cause the engine bell v or other indicator to signal the danger to the
drivers or guards of such approaching train.
Figure 18 represents an arrangement in which the ordinary signal levert may be
caused to place the line wire in connection with the battery i. This is effected by
mounting on the signal lever ta nipple or contact piece t' which by a conducting
wire is connected with one pole of a battery i the other pole of which is con-
nected by a conducting wire ol with an earth plate p¹.
By placing the lever t in the position shown in the drawing, the nipple or contact
piece t¹ of such lever is placed in contact with a nipple or contact piece w which
is connected with the line wire q which may be arranged in connection with the
"Electric safety signal block" in the signal box or station or to pass clear of the
same, both arrangements being shown in the drawings, the one by full lines,
the other by dotted lines.
This arrangement answers the same purpose as that effected by placing the
handle m of the "electric safety signal block" on the line clear" nipple or
contact piece l¹.
All the conductors should be well insulated.
I will now describe the method of working. When the contact rod or bar d of
the "Engine pole" comes into contact with the." ground electric pole," the yielding
piece c connected with such rod or bar d is driven up against the spring e which
forces such rod or bar d down again after the " Engine pole" has passed the
"ground electric pole."
When the line is blocked, then immediately the "Engine poles" and "ground
electric poles" touch each other, the current will flow through the conducting
wire g, see Figures 7 and 8 into the conducting plate g² from thence it flows into
the conducting plate d³ of the "engine pole "and along the conducting wire d³ into
the coil of the engine bell the current returning to the earth plate by the other
engine and "ground electric pole." When the line is blocked, the handle m of the
"electric safety signal block" is unpinned from the platinum nipple or contact
piece and pinned by the pin n (see figure 9) to the nipple or contact piece
whereby the "ground electric poles" are put into electric connection with the
battery in which position of the parts, directly the " engine poles" touch the
ground electric poles," the electric circuit is completed and a current runs along
the conducting wires to the engine and rings the electric bell of the engine see
Figure 13 or Figure 16 simultaneously with another similar bell ; (see Figure 9)
in a signal box, station or other fixed place the current returning by the earth
plates pp' see Figures 9 and 13.
"
When the line is clear, the handle is pinned to the nipple or contact piece /¹
whereby the electric connection is broken and although the " engine poles" touch
the "ground electric poles" neither of the bells will ring.
"
If the guards or drivers desire to communicate with the signal box or station of
other fixed point in case of accident or breakdown they can do so by placing the
poles 8, 81, of the "electric safety signal portable battery on the "ground electric
poles." The driver will know by the ringing or non-ringing of the engine bell v
whether he is travelling on a blocked or clear line; if the line is blocked the com-
munication must be transmitted on the nipple or contact piece of Figure 11 and it
will be communicated to bell j Figure 9 in the signal box or station or other fixed
point. If clear, it must be transmitted on nipple or contact piece and it will be
communicated to bell in the signal box or station or other fixed point the line
wire being thus put in connection with the battery i of the "electric safety signal
portable battery," the current returning by the earth plate p2 Figure 9 and the
earth plate connected to one of the "ground electric poles."

page_text: 28
The operator at signal box or station or other fixed point must signal to guards
or drivers of train in section on the line blocked" nipple or contact piece
Figure 9.
The drivers or guards must send their signals (when required) on the "line
clear" nipple or contact piece Figure 11 when the line is clear, or on the other,
or "line blocked" nipple or contact piece if the line be blocked, but can only
receive answer when the handle m is held to "line blocked" nipple or contact
piece l.
The current is generated in the battery i Figure 9 and flows along the wire o
through the coils of the bell j and when the handle m is on " line blocked," through
nipple or contact piece and handle m (which is made of good conducting material)
to line wire q and thence to the "ground electric poles" through the "engine
poles" when in contact with the "ground electric poles" and returning by
earth plate connected to one of the " 'ground electric poles" touched by the
engine pole" to the earth plate p¹ Figure 9.
"
"3
The current takes the same route when guards or drivers operate on "line
blocked" nipple or contact piece of the " electric safety signal portable battery,"
but when operating on "line clear" nipple or contact piece the current proceeds
from battery i of the apparatus shown at Figure 11, flows through nipple or contact
piece 7, thence through the handle m and the wire q to the "ground electric pole
over which the battery pole s¹ is placed and which "ground electric pole" is con-
nected with the line wire through the handle m Figure 9 and nipple or contact
piece and wire 13 through the coils of bell ¹ returning through earth plate p³ and
the earth plate of the connected "ground electric pole."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The "engine poles" constructed substantially as herein shown and described
with respect to Figures 1 to 6 and for the purpose stated.
2. The "ground electric poles" constructed substantially as herein shown and
described with respect to Figures 7 and 8, and for the purpose stated.
6
3. The electric safety signal block" constructed substantially as herein shown
and described with respect to Figure 9 and for the purpose stated.
4. The "Electric safety signal portable battery" constructed substantially as
herein shown and described with respect to Figure 11 and for the purpose stated.
5. The application to the ordinary signal levert of a. contact piece or nipple t¹
and conducting wire t2 to act in combination with a nipple or contact piece w con-
nected to the line wire q substantially as herein shown and described with respect
to Figure 18 and for the purpose stated.
6. The peculiar combinations and arrangements of the various instruments with
each other, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
7. The use of the "Engine pole" in combination with a continuous "ground
electric pole" substantially as herein described.