IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Grant and Job Herbert at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
19th January 1867.
We, JOSEPH GRANT, Carpenter, and JOB HERBERT, Engine Driver, both
of the Town and County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
Our improvements relate principally to the combination of signal apparatus
producing an audible signal on the engine with the signal known as the distance
signal on railways. As well understood the distance signal is placed at a
distance from the station to stop approaching trains, and so protect a train in
the station. The train so stopped draws within the distance signal and station
and it often happens that this train is subject to accident from a succeeding
train, by reason of the driver of such train, although observing the distance
signal to exhibit danger, not having sufficient distance to stop his train before
running into the train waiting within the distance signal; this is more especially
the case in foggy or snowy weather when a driver is unable to see the distance
signal till close upon it; furthermore, these signals are liable to be indistinctly
set by reason of the expansion and contraction of the wire, and therefore even

page_text: in clear weather not discernable at any great distance. As an auxiliary to the
distance signal we place on the line, say, at two, three, four, or more hundreds
of yards beyond the distance signal a projecting inclined surface, which is
capable of being slid or otherwise moved into or out of the position in which
it operates a rod depending from the engine or tender in communication
with a steam whistle, or bell, or other means of calling the driver's attention;
or it may even operate the regulator, and shut off the steam.
We prefer
that the rod touching the inclined stationary part should slide up and down
and be depressed by a spring, but other contrivances may be adopted,
and partial rotation may be given to the depending rod to operate the signal.
Instead of signalling the driver only the apparatus may be applied to the
guard's van also, so that both shall be operated by the same stationary
contact parts.
The stationary inclined striking or contact part on the line may be single,
and in the centre of the line, but we prefer to employ two such parts, one near
each rail, so that although the engine be provided with only one contact part
it will take effect whichever end of the engine is first; these stationary contact
parts we prefer to fit in transverse slides, so that they may be slid into position
to operate the engine signal or not, and we place them in communication by
wires, cranks, and pullies with the wire operating the distance signal, this
being, in fact, a continuation of said wire to our signal apparatus; thus when
a distance signal is set at danger the engine signal apparatus will by the same
action be set to operate the engine signal, and so warn the driver of the
position of the distance signal some time before he arrives at it; the stationary
contact parts require very little motion to move them in and out of gear, so
that the motion of the wire communicating between the hand levers, although
insufficient (from any cause) to properly adjust the distance signal, will in all
cases be sufficient to place the stationary contact parts in position to signal
the driver on the engine. The stationary contact parts may be mounted in
spring rests, so that they will give way on receiving a blow from anything
other than the contact part of the engine.
This means of signalling the engine driver we also render available for
temporary purposes, as in protecting men repairing the roads or otherwise for
which purpose the engines being provided with all the necessary apparatus, it
is simply necessary to lay down the stationary contact part in the, position
required, and place the same under the control of a signalınan or the
foreman of the gang; it may also be used at stations to signal the driver
of a train that does not stop, and indicate to him how far the preceding

page_text: train is in advance or otherwise. Instead of the stationary contact points
being in slides they may be disposed on levers or otherwise to be moved in
and out of position so as to be operative or non-operative of the engine signal
apparatus.