Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Fog Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Fog Signalling
on Railways.
I, FRANCIS ALSOP ROGERS of 29 York Street, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for audible signalling on railways upon the
occurrence of fogs, of the type described in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 5763 dated the 24th day of March A.D. 1892, granted to James Royle.
In the apparatus as already constructed, there is no repeater or device for
acquainting the signal-man with the fact that a train has arrived at the distant
signal and that the fog signalling apparatus has come into action at that point, and
the object of the present invention is to supply this deficiency.
For this purpose I arrange that the motion of some part of the fog signalling
apparatus when put into action by the arrival or passage of a train, shall operate to
close an electric circuit which includes an electric bell, or an electrically actuated
semaphore or the like, at the signal box and, or, elsewhere as may be desired. It
is easy to effect this result by obvious means, but if the closure of the circuit were
effected by any portion of the apparatus taken at random, it would follow that the
repeater would come into action when the apparatus was put into the safety position
This arrange-
and would so continue until the circuit was opened by some means.
ment would be undesirable, since it would give the signal-man an additional point
to watch and additional work to do. I therefore select some portion of the
apparatus which is moved in one direction by the action of the train and is either
not moved or is moved in another direction when the apparatus is altered from the
safety to the danger position and the reverse, and I cause the repeater circuit to be
closed by the motion of this part of the apparatus. Alternatively, since the arrival
of a train will cause the apparatus to move with more or less of a jerk, whilst its
motion by the signal-man will be comparatively gentle, I may make use of this
difference of rapidity in the motions to effect the closing of the repeater circuit in
one case but not in the other.
In the first case, the motion of the horizontal arm which connects the counter-
weight with the articulated link may be used. When this arm is moved by the
wheels of a train, it moves vertically, but when moved by the signal-man, it moves
in a nearly horizontal direction. The repeater circuit may be therefore arranged
to be closed by the upward motion of the arm.
In the alternative case, a pendulum may be arranged to close the repeater circuit.
The pendulum should have a short period or quick return, and close the circuit
only when it reaches a point beyond that occupied by it when the apparatus is at
safety. When the apparatus is moved by the signal-man, the pendulum will be
simply moved and will not swing so far as the point where it closes the circuit, but
upon the sudden motion caused by the wheels of the train, it will be swung further
and reach the circuit closing device. To prevent oscillation of the pendulum if
desired, its excursions may be restrained by a spring.
Dated this 17th dow of November AD 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Fog Signalling
on Railways.
I, FRANCIS ALSOP ROGERS, of 29 York Street, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for audible signalling on railways upon the
occurrence of fogs, of the type described in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 5763, dated the 24th day of March 1892, granted to James Royle.
In the apparatus as already constructed, there is no repeater or device for
acquainting the signal-man with the fact that a train has arrived at the distant
signal, and that the fog signalling apparatus has come into action at that point,
and the object of the present invention is to supply this deficiency.
For this purpose I arrange that the motion of some part of the fog signalling
apparatus when put into action by the arrival or passage of a train, shall operate to
close an electric circuit which includes an electric bell, or an electrically actuated
semaphore or the like, at the signal box and, or, elsewhere as may be desired. It
is easy to effect this result by obvious means, but if the closure of the circuit were
effected by any portion of the apparatus taken at random, it would follow that the
repeater would come into action when the apparatus was put into the safety position
and would so continue until the circuit was opened by some means.
This arrange
ment would be undesirable, since it would give the signal-man an additional point
to watch and additional work to do. I therefore select some portion of the
apparatus which is moved in one direction for instance, vertically, by the action of
the train and is either not moved or is moved in the horizontal direction when the
apparatus is either altered from the safety to the danger position or the reverse,
and I cause the repeater circuit to be closed by the motion of this part of the
apparatus. Alternatively, since the arrival of a train will cause the apparatus to
move with more or less of a jerk, whilst its motion by the signal-man will be
comparatively gentle, I may make use of this difference of rapidity in the motions
to effect the closing of the repeater circuit in one case but not in the other.
In the first case, the motion of the horizontal arin which connects the counter-
weight with the articulated link may be used. When this arm is moved by the
wheels of a train, it moves vertically, but when moved by the signal-man, it moves
in a nearly horizontal direction. The repeater circuit may be therefore arranged
to be closed by the upward motion of the arm.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I have hereto
appended a diagram reference to which is hereinafter made.
Placed upon a convenient part of the fog signalling apparatus constructed as
described in the before mentioned Specification of Letters Patent No. 5763
of 1892 is an electric contact A which is capable of vertical movement and
contact with the piece B on the post of the apparatus, when the treadle C is
depressed by the passage of vehicle wheels. Contained within the signal box
or other suitable place is a battery D the wires from which E F extend to the
contacts A. B, the electric bell G being included within the circuit. In addition,
then, to the engine driver being warned by the ringing of the gong of the fog
signalling apparatus that the semaphore signal is at danger, the signalman is also
warned that a train has arrived at the fog signalling apparatus, as the depression
of the treadle C raises the contact A and completes the circuit thus ringing the
bell G. The dotted lines indicate the apparatus in the safety position when the
lever H has been pulled over and the semaphore arm I lowered. In this position
of course the treadle C is not affected by the passage of wheels. It is preferred
that the semaphore wire J shall have the fog signal wire J' removably attached to

page_text: it, for example by the hook K, so that they may both be operated together, but
also that the latter may be disconnected and the fog signalling apparatus retained
in the safety position during the summer and when desired by disconnecting the
hook from the wire J and securing it to the pin K' placed upon a suitable post or
support.
In addition to the repeating apparatus hereinbefore described it may be desirable
to give the engine driver audible warning whether the semaphore arm is at safety
or at danger upon his arrival at the signal. This is accomplished by placing an
electric bell Lupon the signal post and causing it to ring upon the movement of
the semaphore arm to safety. From the positive pole of the battery D a wire M
is led to one of the two contacts N placed upon the signal post, the second contact
being connected by a wire to one terminal of the bell L. The other terminal is
connected to the return wire of the repeater circuit of the fog signalling apparatus.
When the wire J is pulled to operate the semaphore, the counterweight arm O is
also moved as is usual, and its descending end closes the contacts N and completes
the circuit. A switch P is included in the circuit so that the signalman may cut
out the bell L when its use is not necessary. If desired the contacts N may be
placed in a different position so as to be closed when the semaphore is at danger
but the former disposition is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
In combination with a fog signalling apparatus of the type set forth, an electric
repeater constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of August A.D. 1893
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.