IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bond Paul, of Langport, in the County of
Somerset, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING
UPON RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 27th October 1857, and dated the 5th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bond Paul at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1857.
I, WILLIAM BOND PAUL, of Langport, in the County of Somerset, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention. for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in placing along a line of railway, and at such
distances from each other as may be found desirable, a series of electro-magnets
fixed between the rails, and which when in action attract on the passing of: à
train a lever attached to the engine, so placed as to be brought near the poles of
the magnets. This lever being drawn towards the magnets, on coming within.
their influence, opens a communication between a whistle, and the steam
reservoir of the engine.
At the station which the trains run from a galvanic battery is placed, and
from it proceed two wires to the next station, one from the positive and the:
other from the negative pole. One of these wires communicates in its course

page_text: with all the electro-magnets in succession, and consequently, if the circuit be
completed,, which may be readily done at any part of the line by placing an
electro-conductor in contact with the two wires, those electro-magnets, which
are between such point of contact, and the battery, are at once rendered
operative. The wires should be supported, within a few feet of the ground so
as. to be easily accessible. A similar contrivance to that for blowing the
whistle may be attached to the guard's carriage, in connection with an alarum
which would be disengaged by the action of the electro-magnets.
A signal may also be given to the station within the circuit, simultaneously
with that to the train, by means of an alarum or needle placed within the
influence of the electric current in the usual way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Bond Paul in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 1
BOND PAUL, of Langport, in the County of Somerset, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Iler
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Bond Paul, Her special licence that I, the said William
Bond Paul, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Bond Paul, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the torm 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN. SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Bond Paul, my exc-
cutors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patcut.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Bond Paul, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in placing along a line of railway, and at such
distances from each other as may be found desirable, a series of electro-
magnets fixed near to the rails, and which, when in action on the passing of a
train, attract a lever attached to the engine, and so placed as to be brought
near to the poles of the magnets. This lever being drawn towards the
magnets, on coming within their influence, opens a communication between
the steam reservoir of the engine and a whistle.. At the station which the
trains run from a galvanic battery is placed, and from this battery proceed
two wires to the next station, one from the positive and the other from the
negative pole. One of these wires passes around or communicates with all
the electro-magnets in succession, and consequently, if the circuit be com-
pleted, which may be readily done at any part of the line by placing an
electric conductor in contact with the two wires, those electro-magnets,
which are between the points of contact and the battery, are at once rendered
operative. The wires should be supported within a few feet of the ground so
as to be readily accessible. One of the wires may in some cases be dispensed
with, and the circuit completed by the earth or by the rails. Or, to transmit
signals in opposite directions on the same line three wires may be used, one
the wire which communicates with the electro-magnets proceeding from either
pole of a battery at one station, and uniting it with the similar pole of a battery
at the next station, the other wires proceeding from the opposite poles one from
cach battery.
A contrivance, similar to that used for admitting steam to the whistle, may
be attached to the guard's carriage in connection with an alarum, which
would also be disengaged by the action of the electro-magnets. I sometimes
modify my arrangements of apparatus by causing the electro-magnets, when
the circuit is completed, to raise a rod or pin, which on the passing of a
train shall come in contact with, and move a lever attached to the engine or
to a carriage, whereby the whistle or alarum shall be sounded. Or, I some-
times cause the electro-magnets, when the circuit is completed, to raise a
plate, rud, pin, or roller, which on the passing of the train shall come
in contact with an electric conductor connected with the engine, or with a
carriage, thereby transmitting a current of electricity round an electro-magnet,
which shall attract an armature in connection with the whistle or alarum.
Or, I sometimes cause the electro-magnets on the passage of the train to

page_text: produce an induced current which magnetizes an electro-magnet, which again
attracts an armature in connection with the whistle or alarum..
A signal may also be given. to the station within the circuit, simultaneously
with that to the train, by means of an alarum or a needle placed within the
influence of the electric current in the usual way.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention; and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―.
First, the method of communicating signals to railway engines or carriages,
whilst in motion between any two stations, by means of electro-magnets
placed near the rails, and put into action by an electric current transmitted
from any part of the line, as hercin-before described.
Secondly, I claim each and all of the several methods, herein-beforo
described, of communicating between such electro-magnets, and a whistle or
alarum upon the engine or a carriage of a passing train.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bond Paul, liave hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.