Improvements in Electrical Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
I, ALFRED HORATIO SISSON DANIELL of 37 Queen Victoria Street in the
City of London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for conveying audible and
visible indications of the position of any semaphore signal to the driver of a
locomotive as he passes such signal even when the said signal post and arm is
obscured by fog, and has for its object the better construction of the electric
apparatus and instruments for that purpose.
The usual means for electric communication between the signal box and the
passing locomotive is made use of, in the form of a length of insulated conductor
in electrical communication with the signal box and which for cheapness, may be a
light iron tube bound with wire to pot insulators, placed near, or a suitable distance
in front of any signal post; in fact continued in broken lengths from about 200 yards
in advance of the distant signal to the home signal.
To avoid the buckling and consequent derangement of position of such
conducting tube, the said tube is divided into lengths, electrically connected by a
spiral wire metallically connected inside to the said lengths, the expansion
joint, thus formed, being protected by a short outside length of telescopic
tube.
Electric contact is made by the locomotive, in passing such insulated section of
pipe, by a metallic insulated brush carried by the locomotive, which may be raised
or lowered at will by the driver by a hand wheel, or otherwise. The circuit, so
closed, passes from a battery in the signal-box through an indicating instrument in
the signal box, corresponding to each particular signal post, thence through an
indicating instrument upon the cab situated on the foot plates of the locomotive,
and thence by the rails, or otherwise, by earth, to the battery at the
signal box.
"
Each instrument at the signal box contains three miniature semaphore arms,
corresponding to the "distant," "home" and "starting signals
on one line.
The said semaphore arms are mounted on a magnetic needle, weighted so that
the arm, in normal position when no current is passing, takes an intermediate
position between "on" and "off" that is "danger ог "clear."
"
The needle normally lies transversely and perpendicularly between two portions
of a coil when no current is passing, and when a current passes in the coils in one
direction, the needle is moved through an angle of 45° in one direction from the
perpendicular, and when the current is reversed, it moves through 45° in the other
direction from the perpendicular, raising or lowering the miniature semaphore arm
to either "danger" or "clear."
It has been found to be very advantageous to wind the operative coils in a
peculiar way, namely with three distinct sections of wire, in order to obtain best
effeciency on the instrument with least expenditure of battery power. This is
done by first winding the coil in thin wire, afterwards repeating the winding by a
wire of larger guage in series with the first wire, and finally by repeating a third
winding in series of a still larger guage.
A switch commutator is attached to each signal lever, which closes, in a reverse
direction at the respective "on" and "off" positions of the signal lever the circuit.

page_text: to the coil of each miniature semaphore, as may correspond to the main signal
operated by the lever; so that when the circuit is completed by the locomotive,
the signal-box indicator semaphore shows the proper position of the main signal
arm, and indicates that the circuit is efficiently closed through the locomotive and
instrument thereon.
The instrument upon the locomotive has only one semaphore miniature arın,
operated by a split coil for either "danger" or "clear," in accordance with any
signal post which the locomotive may be nearing, and a trembling bell is
inserted into the instrument circuit, so that it rings continuously whilst the circuit
is closed through the locomotive indicator. It is found that this may be done by
the specific method of winding adopted as above described, and by the special
weighting of the miniature arm, without the said arm being vibrated by the
vibrations of the trembling bell, which would be inconvenient.
A testing apparatus is placed in the signal box so that the signalman can test the
whole of the apparatus when required.
A switch is also placed in the signal box so that when the apparatus is not
required the signalman can switch the batteries off.
Dated this 30th day of September 1895.
FELL & WILDING,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.
Improvements in Electrical Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
I, ALFRED HORATIO SISSON DANIELL, of 37 Queen Victoria Street in the
City of London, Gentleman, 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 relates to improvements in apparatus for conveying audible and
visible indications of the position of any semaphore signal to the driver of a
locomotive as he passes such signal, even when the said signal post and arm is
obscured by fog, and has for its object the better construction of the electric
apparatus and instruments for that purpose.
The usual means for electric communication between the signal box and the
passing locomotive is made use of, in the form of a length of insulated conductor in
electrical communication with the signal box, and which for cheapness, may be a
light iron tube, bound with wire to pot insulat irs, placed near, or at a suitable
distance in front of any signal post; in fact continued in broken lengths from about
200 yards in advance of the distant signal to the home signal.
To avoid the buckling and consequent derangement of position of such
conducting tube, the said tube is divided into lengths, electrically connected by a
spiral wire, metallically connected inside to the said lengths, the expansion joint
thus formed being protected by a short outside length of telescopic tube.
Electric contact is made by the locomotive in passing such insulated section of
pipe by a metallic insulated brush carried by the locomotive and which may be
raised or lowered at will by the driver by a hand wheel or otherwise.
The circuit, so closed, passes from a battery in the signal box through an
indicating instrument in the signal box, corresponding to each particular signal
post, thence through an indicating instrument upon the cab situated on the foot
plates of the locomotive, and thence by the rails, or otherwise by earth, to the
battery at the signal box.
2
Each instrument at the signal box contain three miniature semaphore arms,
corresponding to the "distant," "home," and "starting," signals, on one line.

page_text: The said semaphore arms are mounted on a magnetic needle, weighted so that
the arm, in normal position, when no current is passing, takes an intermediate
position between " on and "off" that is "danger" or "clear."
The needle normally lies perpendicularly between two portions of a coil when no
current is passing, and when a current passes in the coils in one direction, the
needle is moved through an angle of 45° in one direction from the perpendicular,
and when the current is reversed it moves through 45° in the other direction from
the perpendicular, raising or lowering the miniature semaphore ar.n to either
"danger" or "clear."
It has been found to be very advantageous to wind the operative coils in a
peculiar way, namely, with three distinct sections of wire in order to obtain best
efficiency on the instrument with least expenditure of battery power.
This is done by first winding the coil in thin wire, afterwards repeating the
winding by a wire of larger gauge in series with the first wire, and finally by
repeating a third winding in series of a still larger gauge.
A switch commutator is attached to each signal lever, which closes in a reverse
direction, at the respective "on" and "off" positions of the signal lever, the
circuit to the coil of each miniature semaphore, as may correspond to the main
signal operated by the lever; so that when the circuit is completed by the
locomotive the signal box indicator semaphore shows the proper position of the
main signal arm, and indicates that the circuit is efficiently closed through
the locomotive instrument thereon.
The instrument upon the locomotive has only one semaphore miniature arm
operated by a split coil for either "danger" or "clear" in accordance with any
signal post which the locomotive may be nearing, and a trembling bell is inserted
into the instrument circuit, so that it rings continuously whilst the circuit is closed
through the locomotive indicator. It is found that this may be done by the
specific method of winding adopted as above described, and by the special
weighting of the miniature arm, without the said arm being vibrated by the
vibrations of the trembling bell, which would be inconvenient.
A testing apparatus is placed in the signal box so that the signalman can test
the whole of the apparatus when required.
A switch is also placed in the signal box so that when the apparatus is not
required the signalman can switch the batteries off.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a single line of rails, "distant," "home" and
"starting" semaphore signals thereon, and the arrangement of electrical circuits
between indicating instruments in the signal box, and the indicating instrument
upon the locomotive.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the expanding joints in the insulated
conductors alongside the track.
Figure 3 is a partly diagrammatic view of the signal box indicators with one
indicator connected to a switch operated by the signal lever.
Figure 4 is an inside view and transverse section through any one of the indicating
instruments.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the winding of the coils in such instruments
in wire of different gauges in series.
Figure 5 is a view of the foot-plates of a locomotive with contact brush and
indicating instrument thereon.
Figure 6 is a detail side view of the contact brush.
To enable a passing locomotive A to make electrical communication with the
signal box B, a series of insulated conductors C C C, are provided at each main
semaphore arm D D D, such as the "distant" "home" and "starting" signals.
These insulated conductors C are conveniently of light iron tubing, bound with
wire to pot insulators E, and placed near to, or at a suitable distance (say 200 yards)

page_text: in front, of the main semaphore arm. Each section of such conductor is insulated
and distinct from those adjoining, which belong to their respective semaphore
arms. Each section of conductor is divided into lengths, electrically connected
by a spiral wire F, Figure 2, metallically connected inside the said tubes, thus
forming an expansion joint to prevent buckling under variations of temperature.
The spiral wire joint is protected by an external length of telescopically sliding
tube G.
Electric contact is made by the locomotive in passing such insulated pipe
sections C by means of a brush H (Figure 5), conveniently attached to the foot
step H of the locomotive. The brush H is a bundle of brass or metallic strips
held in an insulating socket K, and thus insulated from the connecting bracket K³,
and from the footstep H¹ of the locomotive, but connected by an insulated wire L
with one terminal of the locomotive indicating instrument M on the locomotive.
The other terminal of this instrument is connected anywhere to the frame of the
locomotive and thus through the wheels to the rails or earth. The bracket K' is
capable of pivoting on one bolt attachment after the second bolt is withdrawn, so
that it can be lifted up out of the way when not required for use, and it is
adjustable as to height by slots in the said bracket to suit the height of the sectional
conductors C C.
The circuit so closed by the locomotive brush H, on any sectional conductor C,
passes from each particular sectional conductor to a double switch N operated by
the signal lever O, corresponding to that particular main signal, as shown in
detail in Figure 3, the switch arms N' N' moving in unison, but being insulated
from one another and from the lever O.
The line wire from each of the sectional conductors C is connected to one
terminal of its respective indicating instrument in the signal box, the line from the
other terminal dividing & being connected one part to each of the outside switch
contacts. The hinges of each of the switches are connected respectively to
the and battery P. The moving ends of the switch arms N' traverse over
three contacts QQQ, the outer two of which are connected to one terminal of the
indicating instrument R in the signal box corresponding to the respective main
signal, and the centre contact Q to the rails or earth.
-
or
The direction of the current is therefore reversed, both through the indicating
instrument R in the signal box, and through the instrument M on the locomotive,
according as the lever is upright at "danger" or pulled over to "caution
"clear" giving a corresponding indication on the instruments, both to the signalman
in the box and to the driver of the locomotive, both the signal-box instrument R
and the loco instrument M being in series in the line wire.
The instrument in the signal box consists therefore, for each line, of three
indicating dials, corresponding respectively to the "distant" "home" and
"starting" signals.
Each of the dial indicating instruments in the signal box and on the cab of the
locomotive are of similar construction to one another as follows, reference being
had to Figures 4 and 4ª.
Upon the visible face of the dial is a miniature semaphore arm S which is
balanced with an adjustable counter balance weight upon the pivot of a magnetized
steel needle T.
The semaphore arm S' and the needle are at an angle of 45° to one another so
that when the needle stands by reason of its weighting normally vertical, the
semaphore arm is at an angle of 45° to the vertical, and in that position is out of
action, representing neither "danger" nor "clear.' The needle T in that position
lies between two adjoining coils V V, coupled in series from terminal to terminal
of the instrument. When a current passes in one direction through the coils V the
needle takes up an oblique position in one direction, raising the semaphore arm to
a horizontal position to indicate "danger," and when the current through the coils
is reversed, the needle takes an oblique position in the opposite direction lowering
the semaphore arm to a vertical position to indicate "clear."

page_text: In winding the said operative coils V it has been found very advantageous to
wind them with three distinct sections of wire in series as shown in Figure 44, to
obtain the best efficiency on the instrument with the least expenditure of battery
power. This is done by first winding the coil with a thin wire, afterwards
repeating the winding by further layers of wire of thicker gauge in each of three
successive windings in series. A vibrating bell X is also included in the circuit in
the indicator instrument upon the locomotive, to give audible notice when the
current is closed and the indicator is in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In a system for indicating the position of railway signals to the signal-man
and driver, the arrangement and combination of apparatus, sectional rubbing
conductors, circuits, indicating instruments in signal box and on locomotive
and a trembling bell on the locomotive, substantially as described and illustrated
herewith.
2nd. The combination of an insulated brush upon a locomotive with sectional
insulated conductors, composed of tubes fitted with intermediate expansion and
contraction joints, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with signal levers in a signal box of a double armed
electric switch and contacts thereon adapted to reverse the direction of an electric
current through the various indicating instruments, according to the position of the
signal lever at "danger" or at "clear" substantially as described.
4th. The combination in an indicating instrument of a counterbalanced miniature
semaphore arm, a magnetic needle pivotted therewith, split coils at either side of
magnetic needle, wound in series with three gradations of sections of wire, and a
trembling bell in series in circuit between terminals, substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of March 1896.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.