IMPROVEMENT IN TORPEDO RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1885

page_text: 1, TIMOTHY GIDEON PALMER, of Schultzville, in the County of Dutchess and
State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENT IN TORPEDO RAILWAY
SIGNALS, to be as follows:-
This danger signal is intended to be used on railways to indicate at the main
track when a switch is open to a siding or branch and it is designed to work
automatically by receiving motion from the mechanism that moves the switch in
order that simultaneously with the opening of the siding, switch, or other source of
danger, the torpedo may be brought into position to be exploded or removed from
that position when there is no longer any danger. It is to be understood that
the torpedo signal is to be placed at a sufficient distance from the switch to allow
the train to be stopped before reaching the open switch or other danger.
The torpedo signal apparatus is made with a base portion covered by a moveable
cap, the two parts being secured together by bolts passing through lugs upon the
base and cap.
The base is secured outside one rail of the railroad track by means of hook-ended
bolts that pass through a plate that projects from the base and passes beneath the
rail; the hook ends of the bolts press upon the top of the flange of the rail and
the rail rests upon bolts that also pass up through the clip plate and by these
bolts the parts are adjusted and held in their proper positions.
In the base there is a tubular torpedo holder extending down any desired
distance so as to hold the required number of torpedoes and be entirely out of
the way of snow-ploughs or cow-catchers.
Within this holder there is a spring and follower for raising the torpedoes, and
this spring and follower are limited in their upward movement by a ring at the top
of the torpedo holder to prevent the follower rising too high and interfering with
the movement of the torpedo slide, hereinafter described, when the torpedoes are
exhausted from the holder.
There is an opening in the cap immediately over the torpedo holder for the
insertion of torpedoes, and this opening is closed by a removeable flanged plug: the
flange of the plug prevents water passing in around the plug.
The torpedo slide is between the base and the cover in a space provided for it,
wherein it is free to be moved endwise by a rod that is at the back end and is
connected to the switch mechanism or other device for moving the torpedo
automatically.
Usually, there is a post adjacent to the place where the torpedo exploder is
located and pivoted to this post is an arm that is to be swung up into a horizontal
position to indicate danger. This arm is connected with the rod for moving the
torpedo slide by means of a rod and bent lever. A weighted lever is connected
with the rod last named and is sufficient to raise the pivoted signal and also to
move the torpedo slide through the rod and bent lever aforesaid.

page_text: Generally there is a rod connected with the bent lever and running along side of
the railway to a guard or attendant's house and connected to a lever by means
of which the guard or attendant is able to operate the visible signal and also the
torpedo signal at the distance necessary to allow the train to be stopped.
At the forward end of the torpedo slide there is an opening adapted to receive
the torpedo and the said forward end is forked and undercut.
When the slide is drawn back so that its opening is immediately over the
magazine, the spring forces a torpedo into the opening in the slide and said
torpedo is moved back and forth every time the slide is moved.
The anvil upon which the torpedo is exploded is a part of the base and the
exploder is a plug passing through a hole in the cap and provided with a head and
rim to prevent water running down the sides of the exploder.
This exploder has to be raised so that the torpedo can be passed in beneath it,
and when so raised and a torpedo beneath it, its top is sufficiently high above the
rails for the passing locomotive or car wheels to force said exploder down and
explode the torpedo.
I make use of a forked lever for raising and lowering the exploder. This lever
occupies grooves or recesses in the cap and the ends of the lever act against a cross
pin in the exploder.
The forked lever has downward bends or cam projections, and when the torpedo
slide is moved fully towards the rail these cam projections are at the sides of the
torpedo slide and the ends of the forked lever rest upon projecting portions of the
torpedo slide and the exploder is free to be forced down, but when the slide is
drawn back the projections on the slide under run the cams on the forked lever and
raise such lever and the exploder.
In the normal position the torpedo slide is drawn back and the opening in the
slide is immediately over the magazine, hence a torpedo is always in the torpedo
slide. The exploder rests upon the anvil when the torpedo slide is drawn back to
its normal position.
When the torpedo slide is moved towards the rail it carries the torpedo with it
and the exploder is first lifted by the forked lever sufficiently for the torpedo to
be passed in beneath it; then the projections on the slide pass beyond the cam
portions of the lever and allow said lever to descend so as to be out of the way
when the exploder is driven down.
The shell containing the detonating material is made of two parts of sheet metal
having rims, one of which slips inside the other, but instead of the two shells
being alike and slightly convex in the upper and lower surfaces, I make use of
one shell with a convex surface and a rim and the other with a conoidal body and
a rim that enters inside the rim of the other shell. The rims fit closely together.
The fulminate is to be introduced in the usual manner and the shell is rendered
water tight by varnish, paint or other suitable material applied around the edges.
When the torpedo is placed upon the anvil the conoidal shell is to be downwardly
and the flat portion of said shell rests upon the anvil.
When the torpedo is compressed and exploded the conical part of the shell
receives the force of the explosion because it is unsupported. The consequence
is that such conical portion is torn and flattened out and spreads over the edges
of the anvil wherever the same is of less diameter than the shell and under all
circumstances the conical part, when spread or flattened out, can not draw back
with the torpedo slide but is left behind as the slide is drawn back and it is
easily pushed away when another torpedo is moved forward to position by the
torpedo slide.

page_text: COBILLIE DI BUIFICATION,
I, TIMOTHY GIDEON PALMER, of Schultzville, in the County of Dutchess and
State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENT IN TORPEDO RAILWAY
SIGNALS, 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 letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
This danger signal is intended to be used on railways to indicate at the main
track when a switch is open to a siding or branch, and it is designed to work
automatically, by receiving motion from the mechanism that moves the switch in
order that simultaneously with the opening of the siding, switch or other source of
danger, the torpedo may be brought into position to be exploded, and removed
from that position when there is no longer any danger. It is to be understood
that the torpedo signal is to be placed at a sufficient distance from the switch to
allow the train to be stopped before reaching the open switch or other danger.
I make use of an anvil, an exploder above the same to be acted upon, when
elevated, by the passing wheels of the locomotive or cars, a torpedo holder and a
slide that receives the torpedo and moves it back and forth each time the slide is
moved by its connection to the switch and a cam lever between the slide and the
exploder to raise the latter and prevent it interfering with the torpedo when being
moved back and forth. The torpedo holder is below the level of the track so as
not to be injured by any passing device, such as a cow catcher or snow plough.
I also make use of a peculiar torpedo case in which the case opens and is ruptured
by the explosion in such a manner that the ruptured case can not be drawn back
by the slide and is easily pushed away by the torpedo that is next pushed forward
into position to be exploded.
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section longitudinally of the slide.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus with the cover and exploder removed.
Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the cover and exploder.
Fig. 4 is a cross section, through the anvil at the line y, y, the exploder being in
elevation.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section at the line cc, x, shewing the cam lever, slide and
exploder.
Fig. 6 is a section of the torpedo case ready to be exploded, and
Fig. 7 is a view of the same after explosion, illustrating the form which the
shell assumes.
In figs. 6 and 7 the parts are shown about full size.
Fig. 8 is a diagram representing the mechanism for connecting the visual signal
with the torpedo slide.
The base a, is provided with an anvil' b, at one end, and above this base is a
moveable cap c: the base is to be suitably supported and attached to the rail f.
I prefer to use the clip plate d, that passes under the rail f, and the hooking bolts d¹,
་

page_text: that pass through holes in d, and hook over the flange of the rail, and the
screws d, passing through d, serve to adjust and hold the parts firmly in their
proper position.
The cap c, and base a are held together by bolts h, that pass through lugs upon
the cap and base respectively. In the base a, there is a tubular torpedo holder k,
extending down any desired distance so as to hold the required number of torpedoes
and to be entirely out of the way of snow ploughs, or cow catchers, hence said
holder can be comparatively close to the rail and the torpedo has to be moved but
a little distance from the holder to the anvil b.
Within this holder there is a spring g, that tends to lift the torpedoes and there
is an opening through the cap c, provided with a removeable flanged plug that is
held down by bolts 1, so as to be removeable for the insertion of torpedoes. The
flange of the plug prevents water passing in around the plug and the spring g,
should be limited in its upward movement so as not to interfere with the slide
hereinafter described when the torpedoes are exhausted from the holder. This
may be accomplished by the ring h¹ which is contracted sufficiently to arrest the
hollow follower h², upon the spring. The slide m, is introduced between the base a,
and the cap c, into a space provided for it wherein. it is free to be moved end wise
by the rod n, that is at the back end and is connected to the switch mechanism or
other device for moving the torpedo automatically.
In the diagram fig. 8, have represented a post n¹, as placed at one side of the
railway and upon it is pivoted the arm n², that is to be swung up into nearly a
horizontal position to indicate danger. The weighted lever n³, is sufficient to raise
this arm n², and also to move the torpedo slide m, through the rod n³, bent lever n³,
and rod n. Usually there is a metal rod no, connected with the bent lever and
running alongside of the railway to a guard or attendant's house and connected to
a lever by means of which the guard or attendant is able to operate the visible
signal and the torpedo signal at the distance necessary to allow the train to be
stopped.
At the forward end of the slide there is an opening at p, adapted to receive the
torpedo i, and the end is forked and under cut at the edges as shewn, and the
anvil b is comparatively narrow. The slide receives into the opening at p, a
torpedo i, and moves it back and forth every time the slide is moved, but if the
torpedo is fired by the exploder r, being forced down upon it, the parts of the
torpedo case are separated and escape downwardly and sidewise at the sides of the
anvil and below the bevelled forked end of the slide, so that the slide is drawn
back empty and ready to receive another torpedo when the opening in the slide
arrives at the magazine.
The exploder, is in the form of a plug passing through a hole in the cap c, and
provided with a head and rim to prevent water running down the sides of the
exploder, and this exploder has to be raised so that the torpedo can pass back and
forth under it, but the top of the exploder is sufficiently high above the rails when
the torpedo is beneath it, to be forced down by the passing locomotive or car
wheels and explode the torpedo. When the torpedo is not beneath the exploder
the latter is lowered down so as to be out of the way of the wheels.
A convenient device for raising and lowering the exploder is the forked lever o,
let into grooves or recesses at o¹, in the underside of the cap c, and acting against
a cross pin t, in the exploder.
The downward bends or cain projections s, upon the lever o, are at the side of
the slide when the latter is fully moved towards the rail so that the lever o, rests
upon the projecting portions 81, of the slide m, and the exploder r, is free to be
forced down, but as the slide draws back, the projections s¹, under run the cams s,
upon the lever o, and raise such lever and the exploder.
In the normal position the slide m, is drawn back and the opening at p, is
immediately over the magazine; a torpedo, hence, is always in place within said
opening p. The exploder rests upon the anvil when the slide is drawn back to its
normal position. When the slide m, is moved forwards towards the rail, it carries

page_text: the torpedo with it, and the exploder is first lifted by the lever o, sufficiently for
the torpedo to be passed in beneath it; then the projections 81, pass beyond the
cam portions of the lever o, and allow said lever to descend so as to be out of
the way when the exploder is driven down. The shell containing the detonating
material is made of two parts of sheet metal having rims one of which slips inside
the other, but instead of two shells being alike and slightly convex in the upper
and lower surfaces, I make use of one shell e¹, with a convex surface and a rim 2,
and the other shell f, with a conoidal body and a rim 3, that enters inside the
rim 2. The rims 2 and 3 fit together closely. The fulminate is to be introduced
in the usual manner and the shell is rendered water-tight by varnish, paint, or
other suitable material applied around the edges.
When the torpedo is placed upon the anvil b, the conoidal shell is to be down-
wardly, and the flat portion of the said shell rests upon such anvil.
When the torpedo is compressed and exploded the conical part of the shell f
receives the force of the explosion because it is unsupported; the consequence is
that such conical portion is torn and flattened out and spreads over the edges of
the anvil wherever the same is of less diameter than the shell and under all
circumstances the conical part when spread or flattened cannot draw back with
the slide m, but is left behind as the slide is drawn back and it is easily pushed
away when another torpedo is moved forward to position by the slide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination in a danger signal, of an anvil upon which the torpedo
can be exploded, a slide to move the torpedo, an exploder, a cap for holding the
same, and a cam lever acted upon by the slide for raising the exploder before
passing the torpedo under it, substantially as specified.
Second. The combination in a danger signal, of a slide connected with a switch
or other moving device, a torpedo holder placed below the slide and below the
level of the track, an anvil, an exploder, a cap to hold the exploder and to cover
the slide, and a lever or cam between the slide and the exploder to raise the
exploder before passing the torpedo beneath it, substantially as specified.
Third. The slide receiving an endwise movement and having a jaw for receiving
the torpedo, in combination with an anvil upon which the torpedo rests, an
exploder, a lever receiving its motion from the slide and by which the exploder
is raised or lowered and a cap covering the slide, substantially as specified.
Fourth. The combination with an anvil, of a torpedo magazine below the anvil,
a spring to raise the torpedoes, a slide for receiving such torpedoes, an exploder,
a cap covering the slide and provided with an opening for the insertion of the
torpedoes and a cover of such opening, substantially as specified.
Fifth. In a danger signal, a moving torpedo holder and an exploder, in com-
bination with mechanism, substantially as set forth for raising and lowering the
exploder.
Sixth. The torpedo having a two part shell, one of which parts is slightly convex
and the other is in the form of a truncated cone, the rim at the edge of one
shell setting within the rim at the edge of the other shell, substantially as set
forth.