IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG OR DANGER SIGNALS, AND IN A NOVEL METHOD OF LAYING THE SAME IN POSITION, AND IN REZOVING THE SAME WHEN EXPLODED OR NOT USED.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Keirby, of Vine Works, Rochdale,
Lancashire, India-rubber Merchant and Engine Packing Manufac-
turer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG OR DANGER SIGNALS,
AND IN A NOVEL METHOD OF LAYING THE SAME IN POSITION, AND IN REZOVING
THE SAME WHEN EXPLODED OR NOT USED.'
"
"
Sealed the 9th June 1871, and dated the 17th December 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edward Keirby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 17th December 1870, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
KEIRBY, of Vine Works, Rochdale, Lancashire, India-rubber Merchant
and Engine Packing Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FOG OR DANGER SIGNALS, AND IN A NOVEL METHOD OF LAYING THE SAME IN
POSITION, AND IN REMOVING THE SAME WHEN EXPLODED OR NOT USED," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn Declaration that I am the first and true Inventor thereof, and
that the same is not in use by any other person or persons to the best of
my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Keirby, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and scal,
fully describes- and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement:-
My first improvement refors to the construction of the fog or danger
signals. I construct a metallic shell or hollow globe of such size that
it will hold casily at least eight pegs, upon which I place as many caps,
so that the bruising of the shell by exploding the caps causes fulminating
powder in the ball to explode also and make a sufficient detonation
to be heard by a passenger, guard, or the engineer in charge of a running
train. I prefer to make the shells of a diameter equal to two inches,
so that whenever and however it falls two caps would be opposito each
other, and produce an effective explosion.
My second improvement refers to the method of laying the signals
constructed as in my first improvement in position, and removing the
same when exploded or not used. I place a series of these detonating
signals in a tube lying at an angle, such that they will follow each
other by their own gravity when any one in front is removed. That
only one may be removed at once I employ a double detent, one above
and one underneath, the upper one I withdraw to admit the ball between
the detents, the lower one to admit the ball or shell to the rail, while
the upper one closes out the remaining balls until they are required.
The tube containing balls or shells I call hereafter the charge box.. I
adapt the rail for the reception of a globular signal, such as I have
above described, by removing one length of rail and substituting for it
one adapted for the reception of the ball; I also connect the detents to
the ordinary signal lever, so that by extended wires I am enabled from
any station to place for explosion the balls contained in the charge box
for the purpose at any moment without loss of time in passing from one
place to another.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and
more readily carried into effect I will now proceed to describe the
same, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, in which

page_text: Figure 1 shows in scction the hollow shell with caps, filled with powder
in the ordinary manner; Figures 2 and 3 show sectional elevations of
the method of placing the balls in position for explosion; Figure 4
shows a method of removing the same when used or not exploded, being
a plan view of the rail employed.
In Figure 2 a, a, a, is a series of balls placed in the tube a', which lies
at an anglo sufficient to cause the shells contained in it to roll towards
onc end; 6 is an upright tube, through which the balls can pass freely,
but the detent & stops their passage until it is removed. This lower
detent b' is, on approaching danger, removed by the attendant signalman
by the signal lever c to one side of the fulcrum of which it is attached
directly, or by wire or other similar connection from the station at which
knowledge of the danger is possessed. When the lever c has thus been
thrown over by hand and released a strong spring or weight & restores
it to position, thereby restoring the lower detent &' and withdrawing the
detent c', by which one ball is passed on to the rail e and another onc
in the upright tube b rests on the upper detent c'. The ball which has
been released and passes through the tube 6 is conducted to the rail
through the tube fat a rate so regulated by gravity that it is placed
casily in a small hole made in the plate jointed at ', which holds it
until a train passes over it, when it is exploded; or when not exploded
by means of another lever k this plate à pulls the ball on one side of
the rail and drops the ball free thereof and preserves it for futuro
emergency. The rail which I substitute for the one removed I prefer
to be thickest and strongest towards the edge next that on which tho
train passes. The jointed plate h, hercin-beforo referred to, is level on
the top with the rail; the hole in it, in which the ball rests is mado
right through the plate h, so that the ball passes easily through, and tho
lever by which it is actuated is brought back by a strong spring or
weight 2, so that it is always right when the ball is ready to enter it.
The inserted rail I make wider than the ordinary rail, so as to afford
room for the signal to be laid in it.
Having thus described my said Invention I declare that I claim as
secured to me thereby,+
Firstly. The form of signal described and shown at Figure 1.
Secondly. I claim the apparatus described and shown, by which I
place signals in a tube or charge box, so that they may be withdrawn
one by one and placed upon a rail over which a train passes, and afford

page_text: signal to passengers, guard, and engineer of danger in front by the train
passing over it and causing the signal to explode.
Thirdly. I claim the form of inserted rail shown and described, by
'which the ball is received.
Fourthly. I claim the plate & shown and described, by which the ball 5
or shell is held and removed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Keirby, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
EDWARD KEIRBY. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERTSON,
Engineer,
Chambers 73 A, Market Street,
Manchester.