An Electric Alarm or Check for Use in Connection with Railway Signals.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 13th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Feb., 1887.
An Electric Alarm or Check for Use in Connection with Railway
Signals.
I, JOSEPH RICE, of Upton Pyne, near Exeter, in the county of Devon, signalıman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the use in connection with outside and electric railway
signals of an electric bell or alarm for the purpose of affording an audible means of
reminding a signalman that the section of line in advance of him is "blocked," should
he, through negligence or inadvertence, operate the catch rod of his starting signal
lever with a view to despatching a train on to the "blocked" section. The circuit in
which the electric alarm is situated has, for a double line of rails, two breaks, one of
the breaks being at the indicator controlled, as usual, from the signal station in
advance, and the other at the catch rod of the starting signal lever.
The arrangement is such that when the signalman at the station in advance
operates the indicator of the home station to indicate that the section of line is blocked,
the indicator is thereby moved to make contact between the ends of the break at that
point in the circuit of the alarm.
If, now, the signalman at the home station raises the catch rod of his starting
signal lever, with the intention of allowing a train to enter the section so blocked, he,
by raising the said rod, moves a contact piece into the break which, as aforesaid,
exists at that point in the circuit of the alarm, and by this, or by equivalent means,
the circuit of the alarm is completed, the alarm is sounded and the signalman is
thereby reminded that the line is blocked; or should the man have previously had his
starting signal lowered to allow a train to enter the blocked section, the alarm at
once rings and continues to ring until the starting signal lever is moved to raise the
starting signal, and the catch rod put home in its place to maintain the signal in the
raised position.
The arrangement above described refers to the application of the invention to either
line of a double line of railway.

page_text: In adapting the invention to a single line, the circuit of the alarm, in addition to
having a break at the indicator and the catch rod of the starting lever, has a break or
relay at the key or switch by which the respective indicators are operated and an
alternative short path for the current is provided, upon which path is the additional
break or relay.
The arrangement is such that when the key or switch by which the indicator at the
distant station is operated is manipulated to shew at the distant station that the line
is blocked, the circuit of the alarm at the home station is broken at the key or
switch.
If, through negligence or inadvertence, the signalman at the home station should
not put the distant indicator to shew that the line is blocked, the break at his key or
switch is closed, and, by lifting the catch rod of his starting signal lever, the entire
circuit of the alarm is completed and the alarm sounded.
W. LLOYD WISE.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C..
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: JOSEPH RICE Dewdneys Cottages Upton Pyne near Exeter Signalman 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:—
This invention consists in the use in connection with outside and electric railway
signals of an electric bell or alarm for the purpose of affording an audible means of
reminding a signalman that the section of line in advance of him is "blocked,"
should he through negligence or inadvertance operate the catch rod of the starting
signal lever with a view to despatching a train on to the "blocked section.
The circuit in which the electric alarm is situated has, for a double line of rails,
two breaks, one of the breaks being at the indicator controlled, as usual, from the
signal station in advance, and the other at the catch rod of the starting signal
lever.
The arrangement is such that when the signalman at the station in advance operates
the indicator of the home station to indicate that the section of line is blocked, the
indicator is thereby moved to make contact between the ends of the break at that
point in the circuit of the alarm.
If, now,
the signalinan at the home station raises the catch rod of his starting signal
lever, with the intention of allowing a train to enter the section so blocked he, by
raising the said rod, moves a contact into the break which, as aforesaid, exists at
that point in the circuit of the alarm, and by this or by equivalent means, the circuit
of the alarm is completed, the alarm is sounded and the signalman is thereby
reminded that the line is blocked; or should the man have previously had his starting
signal lowered to allow a train to enter the blocked section, the alarm at once rings
and continues to ring until the starting signal lever is moved to raise the starting
signal, and the catch rod put home in its place to maintain the signal in the raised
position.
The arrangement above described refers to the application of the invention to either
line of a double line of railway.
In adapting the invention to a single line, the circuit of the alarm, in addition to
having a break at the indicator and the catch rod of the starting lever, has a break or
relay at the key or switch by which the respective indicators are operated, and an
alternative short path for the current is provided upon which path is the additional
break or relay.
The arrangement is such that when the key or switch by which the indicator at
the distant station is operated is manipulated to shew at the distant station that the
line is blocked the circuit of the alarm at the home station is broken at the key or
switch.
If through negligence or inadvertance the signalman at the home station should
not put the distant indicator to shew that the line is blocked, the break at his key or

page_text: switch is closed, and, by lifting the catch rod of his starting signal lever, the entire
circuit of the alarm is completed and the alarm sounded.
The drawing annexed shews the indicator and switch as of Preeces system but my
invention can be adapted to any well known system.
Figure 1 is the starting sigual or other lever in the locking apparatus.
Figure 2 is an electric alarm bell or gong.
Figure 3 is an electric battery. Figure 4 the electric indicator at the home
station.
Figure 5 the key or switch operating the indicator at the distant station.
The wires a, b, c, c, d, form the circuit when used for either line of a double line of
railway having a break at the lever in the locking apparatus and also a break at the
indicator.
The wires e, form an additional short circuit when used for a single line of
railway, having a break at the switch operating the indicator at the distant station.
In figure the break as shewn is caused by a projection on the drop box of lever
above the segment of locking apparatus, in some cases I carry the slide below the
drop box and make that cause the break below the segments of the locking apparatus,
or by the lever itself.
I do not claim any particular form of making and breaking contact, either at the
lever apparatus or at the block instruments which can be done in any well known
manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1st. The circuit a, b, c, c, d embracing a break at the lever, a bell or gong, a break
at the indicator or relay, and a battery substantially as shewn by figures 1. 2. 3. 4 and
for the purposes described.
2nd. The circuit a, b, c. c, d, with the additional circuit e. f. embracing a break
at the lever, a bell or gong, a break at the indicator or relay, a battery and a break at
the switch or key, substantially as shewn by Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and for the purposes
described.