IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING MAGNETO-ELECTRIC POWER, AND FOR APPLYING SAID POWER TO TRAIN SIGNALLING AND TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Alexander Ridpath, of Saint George's,
Hanover Square, and William Alexander Sherring, of 9, North
Street, Sydney Street, Mile End, both in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MEANS FOR
PRODUCING MAGNETO-ELECTRIC POWER, AND FOR APPLYING SAID POWER TO
TRAIN SIGNALLING AND TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th April 1873, and dated the 25th October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Alexander
Ridpath and William Alexander Sherring at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th October
1872.
C
We, THOMAS ALEXANDER RIDPATH, of Saint George's, Hanover Square,
and WILLIAM ALEXANDER SHERRING, of 9, North Street, Sydney
Street, Mile End, both in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING MAGNETO-ELECTRIC POWER, AND FOR APPLYING SAID
POWER TO TRAIN SIGNALLING AND TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The primary object of this Invention is to produce magneto-electric
power in railway trains in a novel and efficient manner as hereafter

page_text: described, in order to supersede the use of wet batteries which have
heretofore been used on trains. For this purpose we attach (or connect
by means of band or chain and pullies) to the axle or axles or any
revolving travelling part of the train, or any of the working parts of
the locomotive engine, permanent magnets or armatures of soft iron
wound with wire or wires, thereby giving rotary or other motion to the
said magnets or armatures, so that the moment the train or engine
begins to move a current of electricity is at command which can be
utilized as desired, or as hereafter explained.
•
When applied to train signalling purposes we run one or more wires
along the whole length of the train. Intercommunication between
passengers, guard, and driver may be effected by pulling any kind of
bell pull, or pressing on a button, thereby producing the sounding of a
bell or other alarum in the guard's van and on the engine; simul-
taneously an indicator may be moved, so as to show at once to both
guard and driver the carriage whence the signal proceeded. We prefer
for additional certainty of observation to place a lamp in the indicator
so as to throw the light in the direction that the guard and driver
usually occupy. A mechanical action might also be produced when the
bell pull or button is acted upon by means of any well known semaphore
arm or folding fan, to appear outside the carriage from which the signal
proceeded. By these means four distinct siguals could be given to the
driver and guard at the same moment; three of the four signals would
be self-acting and would be given when any portion of the train became
detached.
One or more sets
This Invention is also applicable to electric brakes.
of wheels on the locomotive carriage may have their lower part magne-
tized by having that lower part surrounded by a box of zinc or other
suitable material wound with wire or wires; this would cause a better
adhesion to the rails in slippery weather when ascending inclines or
under other great resistance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Alexander Ridpath and William Alexander
Sherring in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, THOMAS
ALEXANDER RIDPATH, of Saint George's, Hanover Square, and WILLIAM
ALEXANDER SHERRING, of 9, North Street, Sydney Street, Mile End,
both in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Alexander Ridpath and
William Alexander Sherring, Her special licence that we, the said
Thomas Alexander Ridpath and William Alexander Sherring, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Thomas Alexander Ridpath and William Alexander Sherring, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING MAGNETO-ELECTRIC
POWER, AND FOR APPLYING SAID POWER TO TRAIN SIGNALLING AND TO OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others), that we, the said
Thomas Alexander Ridpath and William Alexander Sherring, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Alexander Ridpath and
William Alexander Sherring, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,

page_text: reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters.
of reference marked thereon, that is to say :—
The primary object of this Invention is to produce magneto-electric
power in railway trains in a novel and efficient manner as hereafter
described, in order to supersede the use of wet batteries which have
heretofore been used on trains. For this purpose we attach or connect
by means of band or chain and pullies, or other suitable mechanical
contrivances to the axle or axles, or any revolving travelling part of the
train, or any of the working parts of the locomotive engine, permanent
magnets or armatures of soft iron wound with wire or wires, thereby
giving rotary or other motion to the said magnets or armatures, so that
the moment the train or engine begins to move a current of electricity is
at command which can be utilized as desired or as hereafter explained,
or the said magnets or armatures would be independent of the motion
of the train itself if worked by separate machinery on the locomotive.
When applied to train signalling purposes we run one or more wires
along the whole length of the train. Intercommunication between
passengers, guard, and driver may be effected by pulling any kind of
electric bell pull or pressing on a button, thereby breaking the current
and producing the sounding of a bell or other alarum in the guard's van
and on the engine; simultaneously an indicator may be moved so as to
shew at once to both guard and driver that a signal has been given from
one of the carriages; we prefer for the sake of additional certainty of
observation to place a lamp in or on the indicator box so as to throw the
light in the direction that the guard and driver usually occupy. A
mechanical action might also be produced when the bell-pull or button is
acted upon by means of any well known semaphore arm or folding fan
connected therewith, to appear outside the carriage whence the signal
proceeded. By these means four distinct signals could be given to the
driver and guard at the same moment; three of the four signals would
be self-acting and would be given when any portion of the train became

page_text: better adhesion to the rails in slippery weather when ascending inclines
or under other great resistances.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a cross section through a
guard's van fitted with our indicating apparatus; A is the indicator
box; and B the magnetic machine. The latter consists of a series of
horse-shoe magnets a placed over revolving armature known as
Siemens's (other suitable revolving armature or magnet may however
be used). The armature (or the magnet, as the case might be) is
caused to revolve by strap or chain from a pulley c on one of the axles;
n is the bell-pull in the guards van; Figure 2 shews the indicator with
alarum and lamp; M, M, are the two ends of a soft iron electro-magnet;
one end of the wire is continued from one end of the train to the other
and connected to the magneto-electric machine, the other end of the wire
is conveyed along the carriages by preference inside the same, and is by
means of bell-pulls made acessible to the passengers, and to the guard
and driver in their respective places; the signal been given by pulling
a bell-pull, thus breaking the current which is traversing only while the
train is in motion, or while driven by some auxiliary power; d is the
soft iron armature which will be attracted by the electro-magnet as long
as the the current is unbroken. The end opposite to the frulcrum end has
a knob or hammer which when the current is broken falls on to the bell
or gong e giving a sound signal. The armature has also a shade or
cover which covers the light aperture of a small lamp h, but
uncovers the light when the current is broken. The armature has also
a pawl which falls into the indicator wheel k which is divided into
equal numbered parts as required; the fixed pointer f indicates that a
signal has been given; is another pawl with a spring to prevent motion
in the wrong direction; m is a screw for regulating the distance between
magnet and armature. In order to indicate the carriage whence the
signal proceeded the bell-pull may be mechanically connected to fan or -
semaphore-like arms outside the carriage.
The wires between carriage and carriage are connected by any suitable
and well known contrivance for that purpose, such as hooks and wire
rope with spring jointings.
The application of the herein-before described arrangement for pro-
ducing magneto-electric power to train breaks will require larger

page_text: apparatus than those for signalling. The power thus produced may also
be applied to the simultaneous bolting or unbolting of all the carriage
doors on one side or other of the train.
And having now described the nature of this Invention, and in what
manner the same may be carried into effect, we declare that we claim
as our improvements in the modes of and means for obtaining magneto-
electric power and for applying said power to train signalling and other
purposes; the obtaining of magneto-electric power by means of
apparatus worked from separate machinery on the locomotive, or from
some revolving travelling part of the train itself, or from any of the
working parts of the locomotive engine proper; also the application of
the power so obtained for train signalling, train breaks, and other
purposes useful in trains.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Alexander Ridpath and
William Alexander Sherring, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.