IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG OR ALARM SIGNALS FOR THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Morris, of Balsall Heath, in the County of
Worcester, Tinner and Galvanizer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOG OR ALARM SIGNALS FOR THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Morris at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1880.
HENRY MORRIS, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester, Tinner and
Galvanizer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG OR ALARM SIGNALS FOR THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said fog or
alarm signals in the manner herein after described. By my Invention a less
quantity of gunpowder is required for charging the signal than is required for
ordinary signals, and the discharging parts are simpler in construction than those
of ordinary signals.
In fog or alarm signals as ordinarily constructed the inner cupped shell is com-
pletely filled with gunpowder, the said shell having fixed on its bottom the nipples
for supporting the percussion caps by which the detonation of the gunpowder is
effected. The said inner shell is enclosed in a dome shell and outer case.
In making fog or alarm signals according to my Invention I construct the inner
cupped shell with a circular division or rib concentric with the sides of the cupped
shell. I make the said division or rib by a stamping or raising process effected in
dies in the ordinary way of raising or shaping metals. The inner or middle chamber
of the shell thus formed has a shallow cup like figure, and the outer chamber an
annular figure. In the said middle shallow cup or chamber the gunpowder is placed,
the annular chamber being filled with a packing, as herein after described. The
powder chamber of the shell is closed at top by a metal cover.
Instead of discharging the fog or alarm signal by means of percussion caps placed
on anvils fixed on the bottom of the shell I discharge the signal by making the
cover of the powder chamber serve as a percussion cap, and the walls of the said
chamber act as an anvil. For this purpose I place inside the cover at the junction
of its top with the rim a layer of detonating powder, the said detonating powder,
when the cover is placed over the powder chamber, coming nearly in contact with
the top edge of the walls or sides of the said powder chamber, so that when a blow
is given to the signal, or it is crushed by the passage over it of the locomotive

page_text: engine, the said signal is discharged in the same manner as if ordinary percussion
caps were used.
In order to support and strengthen the walls or sides of the powder chamber of
the shell the outer or annular chamber of the shell is packed or filled with a ring
or rings of wood, papier mâche, or other light and rigid material.
Instead of using the cover of the powder chamber for discharging the fog or alarm
signal, as described, a compound nipple carrying percussion caps may be used in the
powder chamber. In this modification I do not fix the compound nipple to the
bottom of the central powder chamber, but I use a loose compound anvil, the base
plate of which has such a size that it fits closely against the sides or walls of the
powder chamber, and is kept in its place by the said sides or walls. The soldering
or rivetting of the anvil in the powder chamber is thereby rendered unnecessary.
The inner shell containing the gunpowder and the detonating appliance is
enclosed in a dome shaped shell, and the latter in a cover, the edges of the said
dome shell and cover being closed upon one another in the manner practised in the.
manufacture of ordinary fog or aların signals.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th June
1880.
HENRY MORRIS, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester, Tinner and
Galvanizer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG OR ALARM SIGNALS FOR THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said fog or
alarm signals in the manner herein after described.
By my Invention a less quantity of gunpowder is required for charging the
signal than is required for ordinary signals, and the discharging parts are simpler
in construction than those of ordinary signals.
In fog or alarm signals as ordinarily constructed the inner cupped shell is com-
pletely filled with gunpowder, the said shell having fixed on its bottom the nipples
for supporting the percussion caps by which the detonation of the gunpowder is
effected. The said inner shell is enclosed in a dome shell and outer case.
In making fog or alarm signals according to my Invention I construct the inner
cupped shell with a circular division or rib concentric with the sides of the cupped
shell. I make the said division or rib by a stamping or raising process effected in
dies in the ordinary way of raising or shaping metals. The inner or middle
chamber of the shell thus formed has a shallow cup like figure, and the outer
chamber an annular figure. In the said shallow cup or chamber the gunpowder is
placed, the annular chamber being filled with a packing, as herein after described.
The powder chamber of the shell is closed at top by a metal cover.
Instead of discharging the fog or alarm signal by means of percussion caps placed
on anvils fixed on the bottom of the shell, I discharge the signal by making the
cover of the powder chamber serve as a percussion cup, and the walls of the said
chamber as an anvil. For this purpose I place inside the cover at the junction of
its top with the rim a layer of detonating powder, the said detonating powder,
when the cover is placed over the powder chamber, being situated a short distance
from the top edge of the walls or sides of the said powder chamber, so that when a
blow is given to the signal, or it is crushed by the passage over it of the locomotive
engine, the said signal is discharged in the same manner as if ordinary percussion
caps were used.
In order to support and strengthen the walls or sides of the powder chamber of
the shell, the outer or annular chamber of the shell is packed or filled with a ring
or rings of wood, papier mâché, or other light and rigid material.
Instead of using the cover of the powder chamber for discharging the fog or alarm
signal, as described, a compound nipple carrying percussion caps may be used in
the powder chamber. In this modification the compound nipple may either be fixed
to the bottom of the central powder chamber or be loose. In the latter case I use
a loose anvil, the base plate of which has such a size that it fits closely against the
sides or walls of the powder chamber, and is kept in its place by the said sides or
walls. The soldering or rivetting of the anvil in the powder chamber is thereby
rendered unnecessary.
The inner shell containing the gunpowder and the detonating appliances is
enclosed in a dome or other shaped shell, and the latter in a cover, the edges of the
said dome shell and cover being closed upon one another in the manner practised
in the manufacture of ordinary fog or alarm signals.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in cross section a fog or alarm signal constructed according
to my Invention, the said signal being discharged without the use of the ordinary
percussion caps and nipples; Figure 2 represents in section and plan one of the
•

page_text: •
shells of the signal separately; and Figure 3 represents in section and plan the other
shell of the signal.
a is the bottom cupped shell baving in it a circular division or rib b concentric
with the sides of the cupped shell (see the plan of Figure 3). This division or rib
is nearly semi-circular in cross section, and is made by dies worked in a press in 5
the ordinary way of raising or shaping metals. c is the top or covering shell having
the shape best seen in the separate view, Figure 2. The said shell bas à convex or
dome shaped top. It is also furnished with a narrow annular shoulder d for the
purpose herein after explained. c is the flange by which the top shell or cover c
is connected to the lower shell a, the said flange c² being closed upon the flange a³ 1
of the bottom shell a in the manner represented in the finished fog or alarm signal,
Figure 1. Before the two shells a, c, are closed upon one another they are charged
with gunpowder, and a packing ring e, made by preference of papier mâché, is
placed in the narrow ring like space between the circular division or rib b and the
flange a² of the under shell a, as seen in Figure 1. By means of this packing the 1
rim of the fog signal is much strengthened and supported.
By constructing the fog signal in the manner described and represented the
powder space of the signal is reduced, and a less quantity of gunpowder is required
for charging it than in ordinary fog signals; the annular division or rib in the lower
shell increases its rigidity. The construction described and illustrated of the fog 2
or alarm signal also permits it to be discharged without the use of percussion caps
and nipples.
For this purpose I make the cover or upper shell c serve as a percussion cap, and
the annular division or rib b of the lower shell as an anvil. To convert the cover c
into a percussion cap I place on the inner side of the vertical shoulder d of 2
the upper shell c detonating powder. Three or more equi-distant parts of the
shoulder d may be coated with the detonating powder made into a paste in the
ordinary way, but I do not limit myself thereto, as the whole of the said shoulder
may be coated with the detonating powder. By an examination of Figure 1 it.
will be seen the vertical shoulder d carrying the detonating powder is situated 3
over the summit of the anvil part b of the signal, so that when the signal is crushed
by the passage over it of the wheel of the locomotive engine the inner side of the
said shoulder carrying the detonating powder is struck against the anvil or annular
rib b, and the signal is thereby discharged.
When additional strength is required in the signal, Figure 1, it may be covered a
by an outer shell f, as illustrated in section in Figure 4, and the outer shell separately
in Figure 5, the said outer shell ✓ being closed upon the top shell c by the ordinary
closing process.
The fog signal is connected to the rail of the railway by the ordinary soft metal.
strip g, rivetted by preference to the bottom shell a.
Figure 6 represents in section a fog signal constructed according to my Invention
to be discharged by the ordinary percussion caps and nipples; Figure 7 represents
the cover for the powder chamber separately; and Figure 8 represents the nipples
separately.
4
In this fog signal a is the bottom cupped shell having the circular division or rib b˚ 4
made in it for dividing the shell into two divisions, and h is the cover for the powder
chamber, having the shape best seen in Figure 7; i is the packing ring of papier
mâché or other strong material placed in the annular space between the flange of
the cover h and the outer flange a³ of the shell a. After the powder chamber of
the shell a has been charged with gunpowder, and the packing ring i introduced
into its place, the two shells a and h are connected together by the outer shell k, the
flange of which is closed upon the flange of the shell a in the manner represented
in Figure 6. The outer covering shell / is not closed upon the upper side of the
cover h so as to be in contact with it, but an air space is left between the said.
closing shell and the said cover, as seen in Figure 6. I fix the nipples to the
bottom of the case by the rivet m, the said rivet at the same time serving to rivet
the fixing soft metal strip g to the base of the signal, as seen in Figure 6; or the

page_text: nipples may be connected to a large circular base plate, as represented in Figure 9,
and marked n. This base plate has such a size that it fits closely within the
annular rib b of the powder chamber, and is kept in its place by the said rib.
Rivetting or soldering is thereby rendered unnecessary. When however the fixing
strip is rivetted to the signal the base plate may be rivetted in its place by the
same rivet, as represented in plan and section in Figure 10. In the said Figure 10
n is the base plate carrying the nipples, fitting closely against the annular rib b of
the powder chamber, and m is the rivet by which the said base plate and the soft
metal strip g are rivetted to the bottom shell of the signal.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Inven-
tion of "Improvements in Fog or Alarm Signals for the Rails of Railways,"
First. Constructing the bottom shell of the fog or alarm signal with an annular
rib or division, concentric with the flange of the said shell, for the purpose of
reducing the powder space of the signal or alarm, the annular space between the
said rib and the edge of the signal being packed or strengthened by a packing ring
of papier mâché, wood, or other light and rigid material, substantially as herein
before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly. Discharging fog or alarm signals without the use of the ordinary
nipples and percussion caps by constructing and arranging the parts in the manner
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, making the annular rib or division in the bottom shell
serve as an anvil for the inner side of the shoulder of the top or covering shell,
provided with detonating powder to strike against when the signal is crushed
by the wheel of the locomotive engine, whether the said signal be made of two
shells, as represented in Figure 1, or of two shells and a covering shell, as represented
in Figure 4.
Thirdly. Providing the nipples of the fog or alarm signal with a large circular
base plate supported concentrically in its place by the annular rib of the signal, or
rivetted or soldered to the bottom of the signal, as herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Morris, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
night handed and sights
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
HENRY MORRIS. (L.B.)