Improved Means of Communication in Railway Trains.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Communication in Railway Trains.
We, GEORGE HAWKINS GOOLD, of licton House, in the City of Gloucester, Tanner,
and JOHN HENRY WALKER, of Penleigh House, Cotham Grove, in the City of
Bristol, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object the provision of more safe and reliable means of
communication between the passengers and the officials of a railway train than are
afforded by the system at present in use.
Our invention comprises the application of a pneumatic system of communication
or signalling arranged in conjunction with existing air pressure or vacuum brake
systems, or quite independently of the brakes.
In one arrangement of our pneumatic communication apparatus in conjunction
with air pressure or vacuum brakes fitted in the ordinary manner beneath the rail-
way carriages, we employ a small tube running the entire length of the train
adjacent to the brake tube, such small tube being coupled up between the carriages
or coaches similarly to the coupling up of the brake tubes. The forward end of the
complete length of the pneumatic signalling or communication tube is connected
to a small cylinder or the like fitted above or below the engine footplate containing
a piston arranged to operate the steam whistle cock or other indicator as hereinafter
described.
We provide one or more connecting or junction branches beneath or at the end
of each coach between the small communicating tube and the brake tube, each
junction being fitted with a suitable tap or cock arranged to be operated from the
carriages by a small handle lever, a cord or other ordinary device.
We sometimes provide a separate junction and cock for each compartment or
one cock may be operated from two or more compartments of the coach, but in all
cases we arrange that the particular compartment from which the cock was operated
shall be clearly indicated by any ordinary device. Every tap or cock in the entire
length of the communicating tube is normally kept closed, but when any one of the
taps or cocks is opened then in the case of a vacuum brake apparatus the tube is
exhausted of its air, and thus the atmospheric air on the upper side of the piston in
the small cylinder hereinbefore described, being unbalanced, will move the piston,
causing the whistle to be sounded or the indicator operated.
In the case of a Westinghouse or airpressure brake apparatus, the communi-
cating tube, on the opening of any one of the cocks will be charged with compressed
air and the excess of pressure above the atmosphere will effect the required move-
ment of the whistle or indicator piston.
The attention of the driver or officials of the train on the opening of one of the
cocks or taps of the pneumatic signalling apparatus will be attracted not only
by the sounding of the whistle or the action of the indicator, but also by the move-
ment which would be suddenly shown on the brake gauge and by a partial appli-
cation of the brake. The extent of such application of the brake on the opening

page_text: of the communication tube into the brake tube or apparatus by the opening of one
or more of the cocks or taps, will be regulated by the capacity of the communi-
cating tube, a comparatively large tube producing a greater check upon the train
than a smaller tube.
We provide in the whistle operating cylinder or in a portion of the pipe adjacent
thereto, a small cock or tap by which the driver can admit air into the communi-
cation tube or shut off same at will, but in normal circumstances this particular
cock is kept open.
On closing the cock and setting the pump or ejector in operation
the driver can readily prevent any continued checking of the train on the opening
of one of the communication cocks at a part of the line where in would be dis-
advantageous to stop the train.
Our system of communication affords a ready means whereby a guard can signal
to the driver of his train and for this purpose we sometimes employ an arrange-
ment of taps in each guards van so arranged that the guard can apply the air or
vacuum brake as at present, or he can open the communication into the brake tube
for the purpose of operating the engine whistle or other indicator and also can set
the communication tube at "run through" if his brake van is in any part of the
train but the rear.
'
Instead of arranging our pneumatic or vacuum or similar communication or
signalling tube in combination with vacuum or air pressure brakes as herein before
described, we sometimes arrange the tube independently with necessary fittings
whereby the air can be exhausted, or air or steam be forced into the tube under
pressure, and we make such other modifications in the complete apparatus as may
be necessary for the best adaption of our invention to any required service.
Dated th: 00th
1007
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
Improved means of Communication in Railway Trains.
We, GEORGE HAWKINS GOOLD, of Picton House, in the City of Gloucester, Tanner,
and JOHN HENRY WALKER, of Penleigh House, Cotham Grove, in the City of
Bristol, Engineer, 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:—
Our invention has for its object the provision of more safe and reliable means of
communication between the passengers and the officials of a railway train than are
afforded by the systems at present in use.
Our invention comprises an improved application of a pneumatic system of com-
munication or signalling arranged in conjunction with existing air pressure or
vacuum brake systems, or quite independently of the brakes.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan representing a railway train
fitted with our improved means of communication.
Figure 3 illustrates to a larger scale the arrangement of the signal or communi-
cation whistle on the engine with the cylinder and fittings for the operation of
such whistle.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the whistle operating cylinder and piston,
whilst Figures 5 and 6 in conjunction with the said Figure 4, illustrate the three

page_text: positions of the controlling cock. Figures 4, 5, and 6 are drawn to a larger scale
than Figure 3.,
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
In the arrangement of our improved pneumatic communication apparatus in con-
junction with air pressure or vacuum brakes fitted in the ordinary manner beneath
the railway carriages, we employ a small tube represented by the line A running
the entire length of the train adjacent to the brake tube B, such small tube A being
coupled up between the carriages, or coaches similarly to the coupling up, of the
brake tubes, and closed at its extreme forward and rear ends. At the engine end
of the complete.length of the pneumatic signalling or communication tube a con-
nection is made with a small cylinder as C, fitted above the engine footplate, con-
taining a piston arranged to operate the steam whistle cock or other indicator as
hereinafter described.
We provide one or more connecting or junction branches beneath or at the end
of each coach between the small communicating tube A and the brake tube B,
each junction being fitted with a suitable tap or cock arranged to be operated from
the carriages by a small handle, lever, a cord, or other ordinary device.
We sometimes provide a separate junction and cock for each compartment or
one cock may be operated from two or more compartments of the coach, but in all
cases we arrange that the particular compartment from which the cock was operated
shall be clearly indicated by any ordinary device. Every tap or cock in the entire
length of the communicating tube is normally kept closed, but when any one of
the taps or cocks is opened then in the case of a vacuum brake apparatus the tube
is exhausted of its air, and thus the atmospheric air on the upper side of the piston
in the small cylinder herein before described, being unbalanced, will move the
piston, causing the whistle to be sounded or the indicator operated. As illustrated
at Figures 1 and 2 one branch and cock as D is provided for the guard's van E
whilst for the coach F one such branch and cock D is provided for each
compartment.
In the case of a Westinghouse or air pressure brake apparatus, the communicat-
ing tube, on the opening of any one of the cocks will be charged with compressed
air and the excess of pressure above the atmosphere will effect the required move-
ment of the whistle or indicator piston, by acting upon the upper side of the same.
A small aperture is provided at the lower end of the cylinder to permit of the
escape of air beneath the piston.
The attention of the driver or officials of the train on the opening of one of the
cocks or taps of the pneumatic signalling apparatus will be attracted not only by
the sounding of the whistle or the action of the indicator but also by the movement
which would be suddenly shown on the brake gauge. As the communicating
tube A is closed at each end the only air admitted to the brake tube B, on the
opening of any one of the cocks, is that contained in the said tube A, the short
junction branches D, and the small cylinder C.
We provide in the whistle operating cylinder C or in a portion of the pipe
adjacent thereto, a small cock or tap as at G (Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6) by which the
driver can admit air into the communication tube or shut off same at will, but in
normal circumstances this particular cock is kept at the run through" position
as shown at Figure 4.
66
Referring to Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, the whistle operating piston H is normally
held in position at the upper end of the cylinder C, by the spring J (see Figure.3).
The cylinder C and piston H are illustrated as arranged for use in connection with
a vacuum brake system. The position of the cock G as shown at Figure 4 is the
normal or "running" position, the cylinder being then open to the communication
tube A. In the event of the opening of one of the cocks or valves D in one of the
branches between the communication tube A and the brake tube B, the air beneath
the piston H is exhausted with the result that the air admitted through the aper-
tures K to the upper side of the cylinder forces the piston down the cylinder,
against the action of the spring J and thus through the linkage L (Figure 3) opens

page_text: the cock of the whistle M. But should the driver consider it imprudent to arrest
the train at the part of the line on which he is travelling when the whistle M is first
sounded, he is enabled, by turning the cock G to the position at Figure 6, to admit
air to the cylinder C for the purpose of balancing the air pressure on the top of the
piston H; the spring J will then return the piston to the upper part of the cylin-
der C, and such movement by operating the linkage L will stop the sounding of
the whistle M. The position of the cock G shown at Figure 5 is for the re-admis-
sion of the air to the communication tube A, after the cock opened to give the
signal has been closed.
We sometimes arrange a supplementary cover or cap above the cylinder cover
apertures K to arrest any coal dust or other substances likely to cause obstruction to
the working of the piston, the cap being so formed as to permit of free passage of
air to the apertures.
Our communicating appliances afford a ready means whereby a guard can signal
to the driver of his train and for this purpose we sometimes employ an arrange-
ment of taps in each guard's van so arranged that the guard can apply the air or
vacuum brake as at present, or he can open the communication into the brake tube
for the purpose of operating the engine whistle or other indicator and also can set
the communication tube at "run through" if his brake van is at any part of the
train but the rear. We also sometimes provide signal operating cylinders in the
guard vans to actuate gauges or other indicators.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is: -
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the pneumatic
signalling or communicating apparatus for railway trains, substantially as
described and as illustrated.
2. The combination with a pneumatic brake tube as B of a railway train, of a
signal or communicating tube as A the said pipes being connected by junction
pipes or branches as D each fitted with a valve or cock substantially as and for the
purposes described and as illustrated.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.