Improvements in Apparatus for Railway Fog Signalling and for similar purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14.h Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1891-Accepted, 18th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Railway Fog Signalling and for
similar purposes.
We, WALTER VARNEY, of 10 Clarendon Street, Clarendon Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Inventor, and EDWIN GEORGE JUKES, of 2 Leverton Street,
Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention relates to apparatus for railway fog and other signalling, the
invention being designed for the purpose of automatically detonating a cartridge
when a train passes over a section of the permanent way, the apparatus being reset
by a lever or levers worked from the signal box. The invention is also applicable
for other signalling purposes wherein a loud sound or report or flashes of light are
used to denote that a vehicle or body has arrived at or passed over a certain
spot.
The invention consists of a cartridge magazine made in the form of a circular
disc or drum rotating on a vertical axis and having a number of cylindrical holes
passing through from the upper to the lower face of the disc or drum near the
periphery, into which said holes the cartridges are placed. The bottoms of the
cartridges are by the rotation of the disc or drum brought successively over a
detonating or firing pin which is struck by a hammer, released when a lever or rod
or the like is depressed by the wheels of a passing train or other vehicle or moving.
body.
The resetting mechanism operated from the signal box, or other convenient spot,
consists of a lever pivotted at one end to a fixed plate or bracket, on which the
cartridge magazine and the other parts of the mechanism are carried, the other end
of the said lever being affixed to the actuating rod from the signal box and provided
with a counterbalance. This lever is slotted and works over a pin on a disc or
wheel whose spindle is attached to the fixed plate or bracket aforesaid, the said
wheel or disc being furnished with a pawl and ratchet wheel whereby it is caused to
rotate with the disc or wheel in one direction only, i.e. when the lever is pulled
over to reset the mechanism. The ratchet carries lugs or projections which take
against the car of the hammer, and sets the same back into the full cock position.
A suitable locking bolt takes on projections on the tail of the hammer, and is
released therefrom by the depression of a lever passing through the centre of the
rail, or arranged in any cther manner so as to be depressed or actuated by a passing
train, vehicle or body.
The magazine is caused to rotate by a wheel having teeth inclined at an angle
engaging with teeth oppositely placed on the periphery of the circular disc or drum.
The wheel is rotated by a pin on a disc to which ratchet mechanism is attached, so
that the wheel rotates with the disc in one direction only. The pin works in a slot
in a lever actuated by a connecting rod from the pulling over lever used when
resetting, so that the resetting of the mechanism rotates the magazine one tooth and
brings the next cartridge over the firing pin.
When a cartridge is discharged, the counterbalance pulls the mechanism over a
distance equal to the distance between the lugs which act on the hammer ear, so
that when reset, the three following operations are effected simultaneously (1) the
hammer is put at full cock, (2) the magazine is rotated a distance equal to the
distance of the cartridges from each other, and (3) the contact lever on or adjacent
to the rail is set again ready for the next vehicle or body.
גד
1000
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Apparatus for Railway Fog Signalling and for
similar purposes
We, WALTER VARNEY, of 17 Quadrant Grove, Maldon Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Inventor, and EDWIN GEORGE JUKES, of 2 Leverton Street, Kentish
Town, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for railway fog and other signalling, the
invention being designed for the purpose of automatically detonating a cartridge
when a train passes over a section of the permanent way, the apparatus being
reset by a lever or levers worked from the signal box. The invention is also
applicable for other signalling purposes wherein a loud sound or report, or flash of
light is used to denote that a vehicle or body has arrived at, or passed over, a certain
spot.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of our apparatus set at the first or full cock
position ready for discharging a detonator, and
Figure 2 is a similar view after the detonator has been discharged shewing all
the parts in their second position ready to be again set to the first or full cock
position.
In these views some of the mechanism is removed to shew their internal parts.
The remaining figures are detail views of the various parts.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same or corresponding parts
in all the figures.
In carrying this invention into practice we provide a cartridge magazine L made
in the form of a circular disc or drum rotating on a vertical axis L³ forming part of,
or affixed to, the frame or box A in which all the mechanism is placed or secured.
A top and bottom plan of the cartridge magazine is shewn in Figures 3 and 4.
It
is mounted on its vertical axis in such manner that it may be quickly detached
therefrom when it requires refilling with cartridges: It is formed with a number of
cylindrical holes 12 passing through from the upper to the lower face of the disc or
drum. These holes are arranged in the circumference of a circle whose centre is at
the vertical axis L³, and into these holes the cartridges are placed, so that as the
magazine rotates, as will be explained hereafter, the bottoms of the cartridges are
successively brought over a detonating or firing pin Lª (shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 1) carried by the base plate or ring L on, or over, which the cartridge
magazine L rotates. The firing pin L' after discharging a cartridge is returned
to the initial position shewn in Figure 1 by means of a spiral or other suitable
spring.
The discharge of a detonator is effected by the following arrangement of
mechanism :― -The depressing rod A works in suitable guides As secured to the box
or frame A² and passes through or beside the rail A of the permanent way, or is
placed in any other convenient position where it will be depressed by the wheel or
other part of a passing train or other vehicle or moving body. The lower end of
the depressing rod A. is provided with a foot. A which rests upon, or is secured to,
a strong spiral or other spring M working in a suitable socket M² secured to the
box or frame A². The foot A of the rod A is loosely jointed at 132 to the lever B
fulcrumed at B to the box or frame A². The other end of the lever B is provided
with a pin B which works in a slot C in the hammer lever Cfulcrumed at to the
box or frame A². The hammer lever C is shewn detached in Figure 14. The nose C
of the hammer lever C takes behind a shoulder D2 on the hammer D which is
pivoted at D³ to the box or frame A² Pis the hammer spring secured at P2 to the
box or case A2 and bearing against a fixed stop P³. One end of the hammer

page_text: spring Pis bent or curved over and engages with a slot D in the hammer D thereby
causing the hammer to turn over on its pivot D³ and strike the detonating or firing
pin Las soon as the nose C of the hammer lever C leaves the shoulder D² of the
hammer. The hammer is shewn separately in Figure 6 and the hammer spring in
Figure 12.
The re-setting of the mechanism ready for the next discharge is effected by the
following arrangement:-The main lever K is pivoted at one end K to the box or
frame A and the other end K³ is secured to a chain O leading from the signal box
or other convenient place. The chain passes on over a friction wheel or pulley N
secured to the box or frame A2 and a weight Q is secured to the other end. This
weight is sufficiently heavy to pull over the main lever K and its attachments when
the chain is released from the signal box. After the discharge of a cartridge and
the release of the chain O from the signal box the mechanism assumes the second
position shewn in Figure 2. As the chain runs back towards the pulley Na tappet U
thercon strikes against the jointed end of a lever W which is pivotted at W² to
the box or frame A2 This lever W carries a curved rod Y to the end of which is
attached a gong hammer Z. X is a spring secured at one end to a fixed stop and
at the other to the lever W. The circular dotted lines Z2 in Figures 1 and 2
represent the position of the gong which is secured at Z³ to the box or frame A.2.
As the lever W is pushed back by the tappet U the gong hammer Z is drawn back.
As soon as the tappet has passed over the jointed end of the lever W the
spring X draws the same back to its initial position causing the gong hamner Z to
strike the gong a smart blow. This sounding device is provided for the purpose of
indicating to the driver of the train or other vehicle that the train or vehicle may
now proceed.
We wish it to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to the gong and
means for actuating the same herein shewn and described, as obviously any other
suitable means of giving an audible signal from the signal box may if desired be
adopted for the purpose of signalling the driver to proceed.
is
The main lever is shewn detached in Figure 9, it is provided with a slot K
which works over a pin H2 on a disc H³ working loose over a spindle H secured to
the box or frame A². This disc H carries a pawl H³ which engages with ratchet
teeth H on a four-toothed wheel H only when the disc H³ is being rotated in the
direction of the arrow H shewn in Figure 2, that is to say, when the chain
pulled over towards the signal box so as to reset the mechanism. A. spring HS is
secured to the box or frame A in such a position as to bear against one of the teeth
of the four-toothed wheel H to prevent the same from accidentally slipping back in
the opposite direction. The four-toothed wheel H. and its connections, is shewn
separately in Figure 7 and the spring H³ in Figure 13. When the chain O is pulled
towards the signal box the lever K is pulled into the first or full cock position shewn
in Figure and the four-toothed wheel H is rotated through a quarter of a revolu-
tion. As it rotates one of its teeth catches against the car E of the hammer D
thereby turning the hammer on its pivot into the full cock position pressing back
the hammer lever C until its nose C engages with the shoulder D of the hammer.
The mechanism being now in its first or full cock position the lever B has turned
over on its fulcrum B³ thereby allowing the spring M to raise the depressing rod A.
which is again set so as to project above the rail.
Meanwhile the magazine has been rotated sufficiently to bring the next cartridge
over the firing pin by the following means :-
To the main lever K is loosely jointed at K a connecting rod whose other end
is jointed at F2 to a lever F pivoted at F³ to the box or frame A2. The lever F is
shewn detached in front and side elevation in Figure 8 and the connecting rod Gin
Figure 10. The upper end of the lever F is slotted at F and works over a pin J
on the disc J forming part of a ratchet wheel rotating in bearings J³ fixed to the
box or frame A This ratchet arrangement is shewn separately in Figure 5 and
acts in exactly the same manner as the ratchet wheel H already described, but the
periphery of the ratchet wheel is provided with teeth J inclined at an angle

page_text: on, the
engaging with the oppositely inclined teeth L secured to, or formed
periphery of the circular disc or drum forming the cartridge magazine L. The
periphery of the cartridge magazine L is also provided with a number of small
holes Tequidistant from each other and arranged in a horizontal straight line.
When the apparatus is in the full cock position shewn in Figure 1 a pin R on the
lever Fenters one of these holes and holds the magazine steady while the cartridge
is discharged.
When the chain is released from the signal box, the main lever K passes
through an angle of 90° its travel being limited by the stops S S shown in Figures 1
and 2, so that when resetting the main lever can be pulled over a distance equal to
the distance between the teeth on the four-toothed wheel H. Simultaneously the
ratchet disc is by the connecting rod G and lever F rotated, and the magazine L
rotated so as to bring the next cartridge over the firing pin.
As the lever is drawn backwards into the second position by the weight Q
acting on the chain O, main lever K and connecting rod G, a pin F on the under-
side of said lever F takes under a flange P on the hammer spring P and holds the
said spring up.
When in this position therefore the rod A. may be depressed without
causing the hammer D to strike the detonating or firing pin L. This is sometimes
important as the signalman may require to allow a train to pass over the section
without firing the detonator, and it can be effected by this means. The following
three operations are therefore effected simultaneously by the successive release and
pulling over of the chain from the signal box:(1) The hammer is put at full
cock. (2) The magazine is rotated a distance equal to the distance of the cartridges
from each other, and (3) The contact lever A on or adjacent to the rail is set again
ready for the next vehicle or body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is -
(1) The signalling apparatus herein described arranged and operating substan-
tially in the manner and for the purpose set forth and illustrated.
(2) In a signalling apparatus where a circular cartridge magazine is used the
means herein described for rotating the said magazine consisting of inclined teeth
on a ratchet wheel gearing with oppositely inclined teeth on the periphery of the
magazine, the said ratchet being actuated by a lever connected to the main lever
for re-setting worked from the signal box arranged and operating substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated.
(3) In a signalling apparatus where a circular cartridge magazine is rotated the
means herein described for holding the said magazine steady while the cartridge
or other detonator is discharged consisting of a pin R on the ratchet actuating
lever engaging successively with the equidistant holes or apertures T arranged in
a line on the periphery of the magazine disc or drum L substantially as described
and shewn.
Dated 1 121 low of Lune 1801
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant