IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS ON RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Reid, of Derby, in the County of Derby,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS
ON RAILWAY TRAINS."
Sealed the 21st April 1874, and dated the 25th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Reid at the
"
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1873.
I, JOHN REID, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE
DRIVERS ON RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the better mode or method of giving
signals or alarm on or in railway trains, and consists of providing each
compartment or carriage of a railway train with a communication cord
(made for greater strength of silk and copper), this cord on being pulled
communicates by means of cranks and levers to a box or receptacle

page_text: containing a detonating ball or signal, and on this cord being pulled
releases the detonating ball or signal which descends through a tube or
conductor and is discharged under the wheel or wheels. At the instant
that the communication cord is pulled the same action also releases by
means of a spring or other contrivance a sheet of iron or other 5
convenient substance which projects out from the side of the carriage or
compartment, thereby shewing at once the carriage or compartment in
which the alarm has been given.
By means of this Invention all trouble of connecting or disconnecting
as in the present unsatisfactory system of communication is avoided as 1
each carriage or compartment is separate and distinct from each other
in its system of communication.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Reid in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
REID, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Reid, Her special licence that
I, the said John Reid, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Reid, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS ON
RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
John Reid, 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

page_text: 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 John Reid, do hereby declare the
5 nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in certain improved methods of and
O apparatus for intercommunication between the passengers in and the
guards and drivers of railway trains by means of signals which are
audible and visible to the ear and sight in the most effectual manner,
whilst the mode and apparatus in and by which they are employed are
of a very simple character.
Each compartment of the several carriages of which the train is
composed, or any desired engine, break van, or component part of such
train, is provided with a cord composed of any suitable material or or
materials, but by preference of silk and copper wire for the purpose of
obtaining greater strength, and which cord is passed through an aperture
in the interior or exterior of the carriage or compartment, as may be
deemed most suitable, one end thereof being within the interior of the
compartment, and the other being connected by means of cranks and
levers with a box or receptacle containing any desired number of
detonating balls or signals. The said box or receptacle is immediately
above and in connection with a tube or conducting channel constructed
of any suitable material or materials, capable of allowing the descent of
the detonating balls or signals through the same. The cranks and levers
are connected with and actuate two blades or plates, which are arranged
to work in slots or grooves provided for that purpose in the box or
receptacle, in such a manner that when the cord is pulled or depressed
from the interior of the carriage or compartment the lower blade or
plate is withdrawn from the box or receptacle, and a detonating ball or
signal allowed to fall into the before-mentioned tube or conducting
channel, whilst at the same time the other blade or plate which has
previously been outside the box or receptacle passes into the same and
prevents the fall of another detonating ball or signal, the blades or plates
being respectively restored to their normal positions by means of a

page_text: spring suitably arranged as will be well understood upon the power
being removed from the cord. In order to give the requisite alarm, and
thus to attract the attention of the guard or driver or both, it is only
necessary to depress the cord in the interior of the compartment, when
by the means herein-before described a detonating ball or signal will
pass from the box or receptacle through the tube or conducting channel,
and will be discharged or exploded by the wheel or wheels of the carriage
passing over the same.
In connection with the before-mentioned cord an additional signal is
arranged, which is used in conjunction with and in addition to the
detonating ball or signal. This consists of a plate or arm composed of
galvanized iron or other suitable substance, which in its normal position is
retained or held within a socket provided for that purpose in the side or
end of the compartment or carriage by means of a compressed spring as
will be well understood, and which spring is released by the depression of
the cord and the consequent actuation of the cranks and levers, thereby
causing the before-mentioned plate or arm which is connected there-
with to project from the exterior of the carriage or compartment
simultaneously with the discharge of the detonating ball or signal, and
thus affording an additional intimation to the driver or guard.
It will be observed that a very important advantage resulting from
my said Invention is that all the difficulties attendant upon the con-
necting and disconnecting of the signal apparatus, which have usually
been attached to the methods hitherto adopted are entirely avoided,
inasmuch as the means of signalling are or may be placed in connection
with each compartment of the respective carriages distinct and separato
from each other.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which
the nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a compartment of a railway carriage;
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation shewing the cranks and levers, box or
receptacle, with its conducting tube or channel, the detonating balls or
signals and the before-mentioned blades or plates; Fig. 3 is a plan view
shewing a horizontal section of the box; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of
the same.
The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in the

page_text: A is the cord by which the mechanism is put in action. The cranks
and levers are shewn at B; C, is the box or receptacle; d, the detonating
balls or signals; d', the upper blade or plate, and d" the lower blade or
plate; E is the spring by which the blades or plates are restored to their
normal position%; F is the conducting tube or channel, and G the
carriage wheel.
It is obvious that danger signals commonly known as fog signals, may
by means of this Invention or an adaptation thereof be placed upon the
rails by the guard in the rear compartment of the rear break van in any
train, and also that the same description of signals can be placed upon
the rails in front of an advancing engine by the driver. It must.
however be distinctly understood that I do not claim the last-mentioned
applications of the said Invention, but only refer to them as being
purposes for which the same may be advantageously used.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and orignal, and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent are,―
First. The combination and arrangement of parts and mechanism for
employing detonating balls or signals, substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before set forth and described.
And Secondly. The general combination and arrangement of parts
and mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Reid, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, One thousand