AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF CAMBER AS A MEANS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Ager, of 105, Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF CAMBER AS A MEANS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY
ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Ager at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1882.
NATHAN AGER of 105 Grosvenor Road, Pimlico in the County of Middlesex
Engineer. AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF CAMBER AS A MEANS
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY ENGINES."
FOR
The object of this Invention is the construction of a camber in a special manner
of spring steel or equivalent material to be affixed in the path of an engine of a
railway train to open the steam whistle mechanically while the train passing and
the semaphore or signal set at danger whether the said signal be observed by the
driver or not, and thereby ensure a degree of safety to passengers not heretofore
accomplished.
For the purposes of my Invention I fit one end of an irregularly curved steel
strip near to one end of a pivotted bar and I connect the other end to a link
or to straps which is or are fastened loosely to the other end of the pivotted
bar to enable the strip to be depressed and to move lengthwise under excessive
pressure such as when struck by a truck or from any other cause.
The pivotted
bar has also two or more other steel strips attached and the free ends of these
bear against the first mentioned steel strip to return it to its normal position
and to serve as yielding supports at all times. The pivotted bar is substantially
the same as that used for the rigid camber described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to me and another on the 9th day of December in the year 1870
No. 3232.
The steel spring camber of my present Invention is set in position at least
50 yards in advance of the semaphore signal and is only in the path of an engine
when the semaphore is at danger; this being effected or set up on edge by a
continuation of the pull chain or wire by which the semaphore arm is worked, a
counter-balance taking it out of the path when the arm is off or the line clear.
The camber when up is intended to be arranged at the side of the line or
between the metals for a roller or other device on the engine to be litted or
operated by it; said roller or device being in connection by levers with the whistle
on the engine which whistle lever is so fitted that the whistle will remain open to
be closed only by the driver or his assistant.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Nathan Ager in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th July
1882.
"
NATHAN AGER of 105 Grosvenor Road Pimlico in the County of Middlesex
Engineer. AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF CAMBER AS A MEANS FOR
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAY ENGINES."
The object of this Inventien is the construction of a camber in a special manner
of spring steel or equivalent material to be affixed in the path of an engine of a
railway train to open the steam whistle mechanically while the train is passing
and the semaphore or signal set at danger whether the said signal be observed by
the driver or not, and thereby ensure a degree of safety to passengers not heretofore
accomplished.
For the purposes of my Invention which I show at Figures 1, 2 and 3 on the
annexed Drawings, I fit one end of an irregularly curved steel strip A near to one
end of a pivotted bar B and I connect the other end to a link or to straps C which
is or are fastened loosely to the other end D of the pivotted bar B to enable the
strip to be depressed and to move lengthwise under excessive pressure such as
when struck by a truck or from any other cause. The pivotted bar B has also
two or more other steel strips E, F, attached and the free ends of these bear against
the first mentioned steel strip A to return it to its normal position and to serve as
yielding supports at all times.
The pivoted bar B is substantially the same as that used for the rigid camber
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me and another on the
Ninth day of December in the year 1870 No. 3232.
The steel spring camber A of my present Invention, is set in position at least
fifty yards in advance of the semaphore signal and is only in the path of an engine
when the semaphore is at danger; this action being effected or set up on edge by a
continuation of the pull chain or wire H by which the semaphore arm is worked, a
counterbalance I taking it out of the path of the train when the arm is off or the
line clear.
The camber A when up is intended to be arranged at the side of the line or
between the metals for a roller J (or other device) on the engine as in Figure 4 to
be lifted or operated by it, said roller device being in connection by levers K with
the whistle on the engine which whistle lever K is so fitted that the whistle will
remain open to be closed only by the driver or his assistant.
Figure 5 illustrates one method of keeping the whistle lever K fixed when acted
on as above explained. The device consists of a spring bolt L fitted in a box or
shield M on the side guard plate N of the engine. The face of the bolt is tapered
so that the short lever P which rocks on its pivot pin Q may press it back as it is
forced down by the upward action of the lever R which is connected to the stern or
rod S of the roller T shown at Figures 6 and 7, the roller being in the path of the
camber A when the signal arm is at danger whereby the bolt L is pushed into its
box M sufficiently for the lever l' to pass, the bolt L then shooting out under the
action of its spring over the lever P to hold it in that position, the whistle U
having also been opened by its rod V which is connected to it and to the lever K.
The bolt L is sufficiently strong to support the roller T and rods S and K
consequently the whistle continues to sound until the driver or other person pulls
the bolt head W to allow the roller to fall into its normal position again and the
whistle to be thereby shut off. The roller and its axle are free to rise and fall in a
slotted plate X see Figures 6 and 7, whose upper part Y is bolted to the frume of

page_text: the engine as shown at Figure 4. The camber is shown at the side of the metals Z
but it may be between them, the roller in such a case being then under or in front
of the engine.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
The spring plate camber A connected to a link C at one end only to give a
yielding forward movement under impact and pressure of a passing train, and
the raising of a roller by said camber for opening the whistle of an engine
automatically, as described and shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly I claim The spring bolt device shown at Figure 5 as an attachment
to an engine when in connection with a sound signal operated in the manner set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said Nathan Ager have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Sixth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
Witness
H. GARDNER
Patent Agent
166 Fleet Street
London.
NATHAN AGER. (L.S.)