IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Morley, of 6, William Street, Stockton-
on-Tees, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 13th April 1875, and dated the 5th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Morley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1874.
I, SAMUEL MORLEY, of 6, William Street, Stockton-on-Tees, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
signalling on railways. For this purpose I arrange by the side of the
line of railway at convenient distances apart a number of signalling
cabins. In this way the line of railway from end to end is divided into
sections.
In each section the following arrangements are made:-A pair of

page_text: the cabins with hand levers on opposite sides of their fulcrums, so that
when the lever in either cabin is moved by the signalman the lever in
the other cabin moves with it. Also connected with one of these wires
there are a series of levers mounted at convenient distances apart. The
axes of these levers are close to the line of rails, and an arm upon each
axis is. connected with a tappet, which is moved up or down when
the axis is turned by means of the hand lever in the cabin acting
through the connecting wire.
The engines running upon the line are provided with levers, which as
the engine passes strike against the tappets whenever they are raised.
The lever on the engine when thus moved withdraws a stop, and allows
a spring to close a valve on the steam pipe, and so to cut off the supply
of steam to the cylinders. The same motion of the lever causes a whistle
on the engine to be sounded, a rod connected with the axis of the lever
turning the plug of the cock, which admits steam to the whistle.
Similarly, if desired, the breaks may be applied, and the fire-bars of the
engine caused to fall out.
The valve which cuts off the steam is a meter valve, and it is contained
in the steam dome of the engine, and is altogether independent of the
steam regulator worked by the engineman.
By these means the signalman in the cabins will be able at any time
to stop a train on their section of the line, and by communication from
section to section the traffic on any desired length of the line of railway
can at any time be stopt almost immediately.
In case of any accident to a train on any section of the line information
may at once be communicated to the cabins by the engineman, stoker,
or guard, who, by means of a portable appliance, will be able to act upon
the wires and the levers on the line, and in the cabins connected with
them.
In case of fog also the engineman will be able to find out by the
marks upon the tappets the position of his train. Thus all risk of
collision in fogs or from the inattention of the enginemen will be

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Morley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
MORLEY, of 6, William Street, Stocton-on-Tees, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Lettors Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Morley, Her special license,
that I, the said Samuel Morley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Morley, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Samuel Morley, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 performed,
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 Samuel Morley, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 has for its object improvements in apparatus for
signalling on railways. For this purpose I arrange by the side of the
linc of railway at convenient distances apart a number of signalling
cabins. In this way the line of railway from end to end is divided into.
-sections.
In each section the following arrangements are made:-A pair of
wires are passed from cabin to cabin, and the wires are connected within

page_text: the cabins with hand levers on opposite sides of their fulcrums, so that
when the lever in either cabin is moved by the signalman the lever in
the other cabin moves with it. Also connected with one of these wires
there are a series of levers mounted at convenient distances apart. The
axes of these levers are close to the line of rails, and an arm upon each
axis is connected with a tappet, which is moved up or down when
the axis is turned by means of the hand lever in the cabin acting
through the connecting wire.
The engines running upon the line are provided with levers, which as
the engine passes strike against the tappets whenever they are raised.
The lever on the engine when thus moved withdraws a stop, and allows
a spring to close a valve on the steam pipe, and so to cut off the supply
of steam to the cylinders. The same motion of the lever causes a whistle
on the engine to be sounded, a rod connected with the axis of the lever
turning the plug of the cock, which admits steam to the whistle.
Similarly, if desired, the brakes may be applied, and the fire-bars of the
engine caused to fall out.
The valve which cuts off the steam is a metre valve, and it is contained
in the steam dome of the engine, and is altogether independent of the
steam regulator worked by the engineman.
By these means the signalmen in the cabins will be able at any time
to stop a train on their section of the line, and by communication from
section to section the traffic on any desired length of the line of railway
can at any time be stopped almost immediately.
In case of any accident to a train on any section of the line information
may at once be communicated to the cabins by the engineman, stoker,
or guard, who, by means of a portable appliance, will be able to act upon
the wires and the levers on the line, and in the cabins connected with
them.
In case of fog also the engineman will be able to find out by the
marks upon the tappets the position of his train. Thus all risk of
collision in fogs or from the inattention of the enginemen will be
avoided.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings here.
unto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus.
Figures 3 and 4 show some of the parts separately.
A indicates the shaft in connection with the lever O; C, the lever
attached to the valve V; V, the valve; B, the tappet or arm, which on
being struck by the shaft A removes the catch G, G, shewn on the section
of dome and valve; G, G, the catch above referred to; R, the regulator
valve; L, the alarm; S, the connection from down to up line.
Principle of Working.-By levers in the signal cabins attached by
wire to the tappets or arms B and D, which are double-acting, as shewn
on the sketch, on an alarm of danger, the signalman, to whom such
alarm is communicated, moves the lever the contrary way from which
the alarm is given, whether on the up or down line; by so doing he
raises the tappets or arms on that portion of the line, and thus com-
municates to the next signalman that something is wrong, who can take
the same precautions. The tappets or arms are placed on the side of
the line and at given distances. It will thus be seen that on the lever
being pulled it raises the tappets or arms to the full extent of the
distance between that cabin and the next, and on an engine arriving at
the first tappet or arm the shaft A is struck, which at the same time
removes the catch G, G, thus relieving the lever C, cutting steam from
off the engine, independent of the regulator valve, and sounds the

page_text: of the driver to find the nearest tappet, and remain there until it is
lowered, which will be a signal to him that all is clear and he can
move on.
Again in order to test any difference between the time of giving and
receiving the signal the signalman will be required to note the time
when he first gave the signal, and by an indicator on the engine the
driver will know the time at which he received it, and thus, in the
event of an accident occurring, it will be easy to find out who was in
the wrong.
Fourth. In the event of an engine breaking down on any part of the
line, by the driver applying to the wire a key to be provided him, he can
raise the tappets in the direction from which he expects an approaching
engine, and at the same time inform the signalman in the nearest cabin
that something is wrong, who can at once inform the signalmen in the
next cabins, either up or down, that there is a stoppage, and they at
once can completely stop any train from approaching the section of the
line on which the engine is broken down. By the same means either
inspector, platelayer, or any other official can give the signal that
something is wrong on the line.
It must be borne in mind that under the present system of signalling
by lamps it is almost impossible for a driver in the case of a fog to avoid
an accident, but by this system if properly attended it is utterly
impossible for one to occur.
Another matter may be mentioned, namely, that in the event of the
driver being drowsy the alarm by being sounded will inform him that
something is wrong, and call his attention thereto, but it must at the
same time be understood that the steam by being entirely cut off places
the engine as much under the control of the signalman as the driver,
until the cause of the stoppage, i.c., the tappets being raised is removed
by their being lowered.
It is also claimed for this system of signalling that in thick and foggy
weather it will increase the confidence of the engine drivers by giving
them additional security, they knowing that their dependence against
accidents is not entirely on the signal lamps, which they cannot see.
In some cases I work the cut-off valve by a small steam cylinder, the
valve of which is actuated by the tannet. -

page_text: The tappets may if desired be made in a similar manner to actuate the
reversing lever of the engine, and to put on the brakes.
A valve closing the blast pipe or steam outlet may be applied with the
same effect as closing the steam inlet.
What I claim is, the arrangement of apparatus for signalling on
railways, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Morley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
SAMTOT
MART TV