IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Hancock at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th October
1865.
I, JOHN HANCOCK, of the Town and County of Nottingham, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SIGNALS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in fitting to every carriage in a train an apparatus
constructed as hereafter described.
-Inside a tube or other like case I place a square or polygonal rod, extend
ing a certain distance beyond the centre towards each end. I fit a hollow
nut at or about the centre of the tube, upon which one end of a spiral spring
bears. At each end the square rod fits into a square aperture on; the
inner end of a tube with spirals cut therein; these spirals work over a
stud fitted in. a. socket, through. which the spiral tube is free to move in and
out; the outer end of the spiral tube is fixed on a rod carrying a button with
portions of the face planed off or otherwise removed, so as to leave parts pro-
jecting and parts sunk. The buttons at both ends of each apparatus cor-
respond in such manner that on one apparatus on or under one carriage
coming in contact with any button on any other apparatus on or under any
other carriage in the train they shall interlock. In the guard's van at the
front and rear of the train, or in any other part of the train, I form the rod
carrying the button square, and pass it through a tappet nut, the, tappets of
which when revolved come in contact with the tail of the hammer of a bell

page_text: and cause it to sound. When a train is made up with every carriage.fitted with
one of my apparatus in such position that on the carriages coming together the
buttons of one apparatus come in contact with those before and behind it, the
buttons recede-on meeting without causing rotation of the rods and buttons,
and the spiral springs keep the buttons in contact. Should, however, the
guard at one end desire to signal to the guard at the other end of the train he
has to turn the end of the signalling rod, which being rotated brings the
tappets on the tappet nut in contact with the tail of the hammer in the other
guard's van, and so rings the bell. Again, to enable passengers to communicate
with the guards I pass a cord over a pulley with a nut, through which the
square rod in the apparatus passes, carry one end of the cord outside
the carriage, and the other end inside the carriage; the passenger pulling
the cord causes rotation of the rods throughout the train and of the
tappets, and thus rings the bells. The position of the end of the cord outside
the carriage, which should have a ball or knob attached, shews from what
compartment the signal has been made. Again, the rods carrying the buttons
recede without rotating, but cannot be forced out by the spiral spring without
rotating and consequently ringing the bells, so that should any carriage in the
train get off the line or be in any way removed from the train the buttons on
the carriages before and behind it would be forced out and sound the bells.
To allow the carriages to turn either way I proceed as follows:-When the
carriages are pushed up and in place the shaft is at liberty to be turned right
or left, and to allow for this it is necessary to calculate the length of shaft, so
that when it is up to the top of the worm it may enter further, to allow
for this turning, and also for the extra strain when the train contracts or
expands just as the engine is stopping, or more steam is put on, or by the
break being applied.