IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER POR SIGNALLING AND INDICATING OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur McNutt Wier and
Marshall Arthur Wier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 1st April 1868.
We, ARTHUR M°NUTT WIER and MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, both of.
Elm Lodge, Newton Road, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER POR
SIGNALLING AND INDICATING OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to apparatus constructed with collapsible sided.
close metallic air vessels or chambers, similar to those described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to us on the 29th day of August,
A.D. 1867, No. 2468.
In certain signalling instruments of the above-named class one large
or compressing air vessel is employed in the communicating instrument
connected with several distinct tubes leading to smaller air vessels
which actuate different indices, pointers, or shutters in one or more
indicator instruments. It has been found when sending various signals.
in quick succession that if the communication between the tube last.
employed and the compressing air vessel is closed too suddenly after.
i

page_text: removing the pressure from the latter in order to make a signal by a
different tube, the excess of air contained in the first tube and its small
air vessel has not time to return into the compressing air vessel, and
consequently the index or shutter does not return to its normal place.
And further, as the compressing air vessel cannot receive the excess of
air from the tube so shut off from it, it does not contain sufficient to
act with proper effect upon that contained in any other it may be desired
to use, and consequently the signal is imperfectly given.
Part of our improvements have for object the remedying of these
defects; they consist,-
First. In employing between the compressing air chamber and the
several tubes leading from the communicator to the indicator a valve
box of peculiar construction containing a series of valves corresponding
to the number of signal tubes. The several tubes are connected with
said valve box, and the valves are so arranged that each is capable of
opening or closing communication between the tube in connexion with it
and an air chamber in the valve box which is at all times in communication
with the compressing air vessel. When the communication is open
by means of the valve the external atmosphere is cut off from the com-
pressing air vessel and tube, but when that communication is closed the
tube is open through the valve to the atmosphere, and the equilibrium
is restored so as to allow the index or shutter to return to its place..
Second. In employing in the compressing air vessel a relief valve in
such manner that after a tube has been used to give a signal and its
communication with the compressing air vessel has been cut off, the
consequent deficiency of air in the latter will be restored from the
atmosphere through the said valve, which may be adapted either to open
inwards by the pressure of the external atmosphere itself, or it may be
kept open outwards by a spring at all times, except when a signal is to.
be sent, the act of compressing the air vessel at the same time closing.
the valve. Thus the atmospheric air will be in equilibrium both inside
and outside of all parts of the instruments when a signal is not actually.
being sent.
Third. Instead of a distinct movement having to be made by the
operator for the purpose of actuating the compressing air vessel, and for
opening or closing the communication between it and any of the tubes.
as heretofore, we effect both operations by one movement in the following
manner: Each valve in the valve box above referred to is actuated by

page_text: the movement of a separate lever or key, which also acts either directly
or by the intervention of a second lever upon the air vessel; or instead
of a separate lever or key for each valve, we employ a single lever or
key, the fulcrum of which has a radial motion round a centre which
admits of the lever being brought to act on any one of the valves, and at
same time on the air vessel.
Fourth. In the arrangement and adaptation of mechanism in con-
nexion with collapsible sided close metallic air vessels to apparatus
employed in the transmission of motive power for various purposes besides
that of visible signalling, such as sounding one or more signal or alarm
bells, as, for example, between the passengers or guard and driver of a
train, or in other positions firing one or more guns from a distance, indi-
cating automatically or manually the approach or passage of a train to or
from a given point to one or more stations, and other similar purposes.
This we effect by causing one or more air vessels connected by tubes
with the compressing air vessel, either by means of the valve box or
without to act directly or by the intervention of levers, connecting rods,
or racks and pinions, et cetera, upon the hammers for striking one or
more bells, or upon hammers or other instruments to discharge one or
more guns by percussion or other fuzes, or as in the case of signalling
on railways to move a signal lamp, semaphore arm, et cetera, by the
passage of a train over a given point; the compressing air chamber
being actuated in cach case cither by hand or automatically as may be
most convenient for the particular purpose.