IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BY SIGNALS BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND DRIVERS OF RAILWAY TRAINS,
Year: 1866

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Isaac Gregory at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 11th July 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
GREGORY, of Chorlton Hall, Victoria Park, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BY SIGNALS BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND DRIVERS
OF RAILWAY TRAINS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn declaration that I am the true and first Inventor
thereof, and that the same is not in use by any other person or persons to the
best of my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that I the said Isaac Gregory, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consists of a simple mechanical apparatus to enable travellers
to signal or give an alarm to guards, engine drivers, and others on railways
while the train is in motion, and also for signalling between guards and engine

page_text: drivers only. The apparatus can be easily attached to any railway carriages,
guard's van, or engine, without alteration in their present construction, and
without disfigurement or injury. The action of the apparatus is the same
when the carriages are reversed, and is therefore equally effective whether
the train is moving up or down the line. The communication is continuous
throughout the train.
The construction of the apparatus is as follows:-Under each carriage is
fixed a straight bar (N) having a two-pronged fork (0) at each end, and
supported in fixings at a certain height from the rails. A worm (A) is fastened
to one axle and is put on in halves, a worm wheel (B) sliding loose upon the
bar is brought into gear with the worm by means of a bent lever (C) which
is weighted at D, a chain E attached to the bent lever passes over small
pulleys to a signal arm or semaphore (F); this signal arın is placed at one
or both ends of each carriage to indicate from which carriage the alarm pro-
ceeds; this signal arm turns upon a centre, and is weighted at one end so as
to bring the arm into a horizontal position (F). A second chain is attached
to a spring bolt (G) and passes over small pulleys, and is connected by
diverging chains to each compartment of a carriage, where a bell handle (H)
or trigger is placed, either in the ceiling or elsewhere, in each compartment.
The trigger remains fixed after being pulled to indicate the compartment
whence the alarm proceeds. Under the guard's van a like apparatus is attached;
but in addition to this a lever (I) is used for signalling to the engine driver
only, without disturbing the apparatus of the passengers' carriages. A bell or
gong (J) is fixed in the guard's van, and a cam (K) upon the bar works the
lever (L) which rings the bell (J). On the engine the only apparatus required
is a bar with a fork at one end, and a cam (K) and lever (L) at the other
for ringing the gong (M) which is at present attached to most engines.
Action of the apparatus.-A pull of the bell handle or trigger (H) with-
draws a spring bolt (G) and liberates the signal arm (F) which takes a hori-
zontal position; the signal arm turning on its centre slackens the connecting
chain (E) and allows the weighted arm of the lever (C) to fall, thus forcing
the wheel (B) into gear with the worm (A) on the axle of the carriage,
which causes the bar (N) to rotate. The forks on the ends of the bars are
in one or nearly one straight line, and are in gear with one another. The
rotatory motion is by this means communicated along the whole length of the
train, causing the ringing of the bell in the guard's van & upon the engine
simultaneously, in the manner herein before described. The bells will con-
tinue to ring so long as the train is in motion, and they cannot be silenced,
nor can the signal arm be reversed by any traveller in the train. The whole

page_text: apparatus is reset by turning the arm down until it is again locked by the
bolt (G). A guard wishing to signal to the driver throws the "motion" into gear
by moving the lever (I) placed inside each guard's van. The carriages may
be rolled together and coupled in the ordinary way. The apparatus requires
no fixing between the carriages or arrangement of continuity. The forks
cross each other more or less according to the tightening of the shackles, and
spring of the buffers. The forks cannot escape one another by any oscillation
of the carriages, the space between the prongs being less than the width of a
prong itself. The prongs are slightly pointed to prevent contact endwise.
Instead of the worm and worm wheel a ratchet and ratchet wheel may be
used; but I prefer the worm and wheel because it is a positive motion, and
less liable to derangement.
Having described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it understood
that I do not claim the mechanical details herein described apart from their
application to my Invention; but what I do claim is,―
1stly, the mode of signalling on railway trains by means of motion com-
municated from the axle of the carriages through a rotating bar (N), as
herein-before described.
2ndly, the general arrangement and combination of mechanical parts
berein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Gregory, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
Jos". WILLCOCK,
Stockport.
ISAAC GREGORY. (L.S.)