AN IM- PROVED MODE OR MODES OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS BY IMPROVED SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO BLAST FURNACES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Archer, of Hampton Court, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IM-
PROVED MODE OR MODES OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS BY IMPROVED SIGNALS
ON RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO BLAST
FURNACES."
Sealed the 15th July 1853, and dated the 29th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Archer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th January 1853.
I, WILLIAM ARCHER, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OR MODES OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS
BY IMPROVED SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO BLAST FURNACES," to be as follows. And, I would
observe that I have already and lately patented certain arrange-
ments for preventing accidents on railways, and that such Patent
forms the groundwork of the present application.
My improvements are, firstly, appending additional signals on to
the engine itself, so as to flash upon the eyes of the engine driver in
such manner as to remedy carelessness in looking out for stationary

page_text: signals, or the uncontrollable circumstance of heavy fogs, from en
dangering the safety of the train. The part of the Invention which
is stationary consists chiefly of one of my patent friction wheels in
combination with an excentric, which elevates a rectilineal bar of
wood or other suitable material into the position of an incline plane.
When this plane is elevated (which may be done by the rotation of
a portion or the whole of the circumference of one of my friction
wheels) the apparatus is "set;" but, to prevent its falling as rapidly
as it rises, I employ my patènt bellows, or other means, to be herein-
after described, by means of which its return motion to its original
position is retarded by the means described in my former Patent.
It sinks slowly, according to the provisions therein made for the
purpose in connexion with the arrangement made for the re-
admission of the air to the bellows, and intimates to any succeeding
train, within a fixed time by turning the signal on the engine, the
danger of proceeding at all or too quickly.
Secondly. In lieu of my patent bellows for the purpose of re-
tarding the return motion of my incline plane, I propose to adapt
the pendulum and escapement, beating in fractional portions of a
minute, seconds, or fractional portions of a second, or otherwise,
or of a fly-wheel or vane, or fan wheel acting by resistance against
the body of air opposed to the vanes for the purpose of "retarding"
the return motion of my stationary signal, where stationary signals
are used, or of my rectilineal inclined plane, when the signal is
appended to the engine.
. Thirdly. The adoption in certain cases of the pressure of the flange
or other projection appended to the engine for the purpose of forcing
the cubic contents of air contained in a tube or other longitudinal
air holder, whether in the form of a groove or otherwise, into a re-
ceiver so connected with the rectilineal inclined plane herein-before
mentioned as to cause its elevation. The return to the original
position be retarded as already described.
Fourthly. The substitution of a rack and pinion were advisable
in lieu of counterweight for working my patent bellows, which I
now also construct of metal in the form of a cylinder, with air_
tight piston, or with galvanized india-rubber sides.

page_text: Fifthly. The introduction of a new stationary signal, consisting of
vertical and horizontal zones of a same circle, describing quadrants
in the same plane, and working in the same centre.
Sixthly. The adoption of my curvilineal inclined plane, or of the
rectilineal inclined plane herein-before mentioned, or of any combina-
tion of the two for any of the purposes herein-before mentioned, as
also in connexion with any one or all of the other portions of my In-
vention for the purpose of making "points" of all bands self-acting.
Seventhly. A modification of my means of forcing air through my
patent bellows, by making use of the pressure of a volume of water
on the transverse sectional area of the air receiver, by which hydro-
pneumatic principle a very considerable amount of force may be
obtained for its application to blast furnaces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent filed by the said William Archer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM ARCHER, of Hampton Court, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Archer, Her
special licence that I, the said William Archer, my executors, ad-
ministrators; and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Archer,
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 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 In-
vention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OR MODES OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS BY

page_text: IMPROVED SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLI-
CABLE TO BLAST FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Archer, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Archer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement: →
The nature of the said Invention consists, firstly, in appending
additional signals on to the locomotive engine itself, so as to flash
upon the eyes of the engine driver in such manner so as to prevent
the ill effects of a careless look out for stationary signals, or the un-
controllable circumstance of heavy fogs from endangering the safety
of the train. To effect these desiderata, and place a lamp imme-
diately proximate to the engine driver, and to such rod I append a
rod, which passes downwards, and terminates in a bevilled toothed
wheel, working on another similar wheel placed on the shaft of a
lever or trigger. The engine driver is enabled, by means of a
handle appended to the above mentioned arrangement, to turn the
signal back, or lift the lever or trigger out of the way, when not
required.
The part of the Invention which is stationary will be best under-
stood in reference to the Figures 1, 2, 3, on the Drawing appended
hereto; in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of the permanent way
of said railway, and of my stationary friction wheel; Figure 2, a
plan of the same in combination with my patent bellows and
signal; and Figure 3, a front elevation of the wheel. It consists
chiefly of one of my patent friction wheels a, in combination with an
excentric b, which elevates a rectilineal bar of wood or other suitable
material c, d, into the position of an inclined plane. When this
plane is lifted up (which effect is produced by the rotation of the

page_text: entire circumference of one of my friction wheels), the apparatus is
"set;" but, to prevent its falling as rapidly as it rises, I employ my
patent bellows, as shown at e, f, or other means to be hercin-after
described, by means of which its return motion to its original
position is retarded by the means already described in my former
Patent, dated Twenty-fourth March, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-two. It sinks slowly, according to the provisions therein
made for that purpose, in connexion with the arrangement de-
scribed and shewn for the readmission of the air to the bellows e, f,
and intimates to the driver of any succeeding train within a fixed
time, by turning the signal on the engine, the danger of proceeding
too quickly, or at all. The arrangement above described can be
adapted to blowing the whistle or turning off the steam; and it
may also be adapted to a break or series of breaks on one or
more wheels. I propose to employ a cylinder and piston con-
nected with the boiler, in order to obtain the necessary pressure of
the break or breaks on the tire or tires of the wheel or wheels, or
any other sufficient means for the purpose. My lever or trigger
above described I use to turn on the steam into the cylinder. By
this means an unusually powerful break is obtained with little power
from the trigger; but other arrangements can be used, if necessary,
without the addition of such a cylinder, by merely mechanical
means, as in the case of the common breaks now in general use.
Secondly. In lieu of my present bellows, fully described in my
former Specification, and which I use for the purpose of retarding
the return motion of my inclined plane, I also propose to adopt the
pendulum and escapement beating fractional portions of aminute,
or fractional portions of a second, or otherwise. These beats
I would regulate in the way at present in use, by means of a
vertical screw movement, allowing of the lengthening or shortening
of the centre of gravity of the weight from the point of suspension;
and I propose to obtain the rotary movement of the axle of the
chain of my patent bellows by such a combination of toothed wheels
and pinions with the escapement motion as might be deemed
desirable mechanically under varied circumstances of altered al-

page_text: titudes, or other changes of the perspective position of parts. I also
propose, in lieu of the pendulum, to employ a fly whee Imade with
vanes or fans acting by resistance against the body of air opposite
to its surface while in a state of motion, for the purpose of "re-
tarding" the return motion of my stationary signal, where stationary
signals are used, or of my rectilineal inclined plane, when the
signal is appended to the engine. The size, angle of inclination, and
number of vanes, would each or all be employed as so many means
of increasing or decreasing the rate of speed according to the
requirements of any particular case.
Thirdly. The adoption in certain cases of the pressure of the
flange or other portion of the wheel or other projection appended to
the engine, for the purpose of forcing the cubic contents of air
contained in a tube or other longitudinal air holder, whether in the
form of a groove or other longitudinal channel, into a reservoir so
connected with my rectilineal inclined plane herein-before mentioned
as to cause its elevation, and the consequent setting and unsetting
of the signal appended thereto; the return to the original position
of the arrangement being retarded by the means already described.
Fourthly. The substitution of a rack and pinion where advisable,
in lieu of the counterweight described in my former Specification,
and figured in the Drawings appended thereto, for working my
patent bellows, which I now also construct in metal in the form of
a cylinder with an air-tight piston, or with expanding galvanized
india rubber sides, or with gutta percha, or a combination of these
materials.
.
Fifthly. The introduction of a new stationary signal, one form of
which is represented at Figure 4, on the accompanying Drawing,
consisting of vertical and horizontal zones a, b, and c, d, of a semi-
circle e, f, g, h, describing quadrants e, f, and g, h, in the same.
plane, and working on the same centre i. I also construct thesc
zones to work in polygonal portions of a less segment than that of:
the quadrant, so as to enable me to use several colours when
necessary for both day and night signals.
Sixthly: The adoption of my curvilineal inclined plane, or of my

page_text: rectilineal inclined plane, herein-before mentioned, and fully de-
scribed in my former Specification, or of any combination of the two
for any of the purposes herein-before mentioned, as also in connexion
with any one or all of the other portions of my Invention, for the
purpose of making "monitor" at sidings self-acting.
Seventhly. A modification of my means of forcing air through my
patent bellows, by making use of the pressure of a volume of
water on the transverse sectional area of the air receiver, by which
hydro-pneumatic principle a very considerable amount of force may
be obtained for its application to blast furnaces. This improvement
consists of a vessel of a conical or spherical figure internally, which
shall either be a whole cone, or portion of a cone or sphere, or other
curvilineal solid; and, if a cone from the end nearest the арех, I
affix another cone or sphere of a somewhat smaller diameter, whose
apex shall be in reverse direction to the larger cone. These
cones shall be cither fixed firmly together or made in one solid.
Between these I affix two or a greater number of thin partitions of
metal or other convenient material opposite cach other in a line
with the centre, leaving a curvilineal space on each side the
partitions. These partitions will not rise so high as the outer
planes of the two cones, in order to allow sufficient space for the
insertion of a circular disc. This disc is perforated at its centre to
fit the smaller cone, and is bevilled at its edge to fit into the larger
cone; on being put in the internal face of the disc fits into the conces
up to the edges of the partitions before mentioned. This disc has
also two or more partitions affixed to the internal face, which fits in
between the aforesaid cones. To this disc I impart a segmental
movement backwards and forwards, or both, by which movement
the air is compressed or rarified between the partitions of the
disc and those of the cones. I apply this arrangement to regulate
the time of the return motion of my signal on railways, by drawing
in a certain quantity of air within the above described divisions or
partitions, and make use of a weight or other mechanical arrange-
ment to prevent the escape of the air in any other way than through
a diminished channel properly regulated as to size for the purpose.

page_text: When used for the purposes of blasting, I regulate the amount of
suction and compression given by the motion of the partitions or
leaves of the disc by any description of valves, as in the ordinary
blast machine. I also use a spiral screw or curvilineal tube, or a
series of bent tubes, vessels, or chambers of any figure revolving
upon an axle in such a manner that a portion of water remains in
the bends or "dips" of the said curvilineal tubes, which, as the
apparatus revolves, compresses the air contained in the cavities of
the same, thus producing a blast, which may be made constant by the
union of two or more screws at the escape axle tube of the machine.
In witness whereof, I, William Archer, have hereunto sct
my hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
JOHN GEDGE,
Patent Agent,
4, Wellington Street, Strand,
London.
WILLIAM ARCHER. (I..s.)