AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC RAILWAY Fog SIGNAL APPARATUS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Whitehead, of Bucknall, in the County of
Stafford, Coal Merchant, and Ralph Hodgson, of Winsford, in the County of
Chester, and Thomas Dodd, also of Winsford, for an Invention of "AN
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC RAILWAY Fog SIGNAL APPARATUS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Whitehead, Ralph
Hodgson, and Thomas Dodd, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 7th August 1880.
HENRY WHITEHEad, of Bucknall, in the County of Stafford, Coal Merchant,
and RALPH HODGSON, of Winsford, in the County of Chester, and THOMAS
DODD, also of Winsford. "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC RAILWAY FOG SIGNAL
APPARATUS."
The object of this Invention is to provide the mechanical apparatus, hereinafter
described, which is to effect automatically that which is now done by hand. It is
the custom in foggy weather to station an additional man at each signal box and
distant semaphore signal, or otherwise as required, whose duty it is to place
detonators or fog signals as they may be needed on the rails so as to warn an
approaching train, the explosion of two detonating signals being generally employed
to signify "danger."
It is obvious that this system not only entails considerable expense on the
railway company, but is attended with considerable danger to the man engaged,
and the men so employed can not always be depended upon. All these evils are
obviated by our improved apparatus as we will now proceed to shew. In doing
this we must claim for our Invention that it can be attached to the ordinary
semaphore signals without difficulty, or without any increase in the connecting
wires now employed for working the said semaphore signals. Our Invention is
substantially carried into effect by providing at the foot or thereabouts of the
semaphore signals a bell crank or double lever as the semaphore signal may require.
From one end of this bell crank (or lever) a connecting rod is attached, which is
secured to the most convenient existing lever on the said semaphore signal. From
the other end of this bell crank or lever a connecting rod is also attached, which is
carried outside to a distance of thirty yards or thereabouts, at which point it is

page_text: connected to a bell crank (or lever) at the first one of our apparatus. From this
point these connecting rods are continued to a further distance of six yards or
thereabouts, where they are attached to a bell crank (or lever) at the other
apparatus. To the other end of the bell crank (or lever) at the first apparatus
before mentioned a rod is provided, which is connected with the back of the slide
bar at the first apparatus. Connections are also made in a similar manner from the
bell crank (or lever) to the back of the slide bar at the second apparatus herein
described.
The said slide bars are provided for the purpose of carrying the detonators or
fog signals one at a time in each slide bar from under the tubes, hereinafter
mentioned, to an anvil provided, where the said detonators or fog signals are
afterwards exploded if an explosion be needed.
This is done by means of hammers caused to be depressed upon them, the said
hammers being actuated by the flange of the wheel of the first engine (or carriage)
of which the train may be composed depressing a lever in connection with these
hammers.
The said hammers are provided with two journals, or bearings, one on either
side, at the heel of the hammer. On these journals, or bearings, are placed slide
blocks, which work in grooves provided for the purpose, so that in case of any
over depression caused by any extra depth of the flange of the before named wheel
or wheels, the hammer will lift the slide blocks in the grooves before mentioned,
and thus prevent any damage to the hammers or to any part of our apparatus.
A balance weight (or other mechanical equivalent) is provided at the rear of each
apparatus, by means of which the hammer is raised after being depressed by the
flange of the wheel or wheels before mentioned, and the slide bars are then free to
be withdrawn into their normal positions. Upon each of the slide bars are fixed
two slides, which, being withdrawn with the slide bars, are caused to come into
contact with the heel of the hammers, and thus draw them down to a point where
they are clear of any passing train.
It should be mentioned that the same man who may be employed to work the
semaphore signals can at the same time and with the same levers (and automatically)
work our Invention. Our Invention is so contrived that upon the semaphore being
raised to its full height the slide bars in the first and second apparatus, herein
described, will be put into action, and as both will carry a detonator or fog signal
to the anvils there will be two distinct and separate explosions at a distance of six
yards apart or thereabouts, and "danger" will be immediately known. Upon the
dropping of the semaphore arm to its normal position both the slide bars are
withdrawn to their normal positions, the said slide bars withdrawing the exploded
detonators or fog signals to a receptacle or box provided for them underneath our
improved apparatus.
In some cases it may happen that after the detonators or fog signals have been
(by the means herein before explained) placed in position the expected danger may
not longer be feared. When this is so the falling of the semaphore arm will
withdraw the slide bars, and these will carry the detonators or fog signals into the
box before they are exploded by the hammers, the levers connected with the
hammers being subsequently by the same automatic action withdrawn from contact
with the approaching train.
The tubes, herein before mentioned, are provided for the purpose of holding a
supply of detonators or fog signals, and they are fixed in a vertical position in
close proximity to the anvils, and immediately above the slide bars, and are provided
with a cover to which a lock is attached, so that the cover may be secured against
any person or persons disposed to tamper with the contents, it being understood that
the attendant at the semaphore box shall have charge of the key, and that he be
employed to replenish them when required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Henry Whitehead,
Ralph Hodgson, and Thomas Dodd, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1881.
HENRY WHITEHEAD, of Bucknall, in the County of Stafford, Coal Merchant,
and RALPH HODGSON, of Winsford, in the County of Chester, and THOMAS
DODD, also of Winsford. "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC RAILWAY FOG SIGNAL
APPARATUS."
The object of this Invention is to provide the mechanical apparatus hereinafter
described, which is to effect automatically that which is now done by hand. It is
the custom in foggy weather to station an additional man at each signal box &
distant semaphore signal, or otherwise as required, whose duty it is to place
detonators or fog signals as they may be needed on the rails so as to warn an
approaching train; the explosion of two detonating signals being generally
employed to signify "danger." It is obvious that this system not only entails
considerable expense on the railway company, but is attended with considerable
danger to the man engaged, and the men so employed can not always be
depended upon.
All these evils are obviated by our improved apparatus, as we will
now proceed to shew. In doing this we must claim for our Invention, that it can
be attached to the ordinary semaphore signals without difficulty, or without any
increase in the connecting wires now employed for working the said semaphore
signals. Our Invention is substantially carried into effect by providing at the foot,
or thereabouts, of the semaphore signals a bell crank or double lever as the
semaphore signal may require. From one end of this bell crank (or lever) a
connecting rod is attached, which is secured to the most convenient existing lever
on the said semaphore signal. From the other end of this bell crank or lever a
connecting rod is also attached which is carried outside to a distance of 30 yards,
or thereabouts, at which point it is connected to a bell crank (or lever) at the first
one of our apparatus. From this point these connecting rods are continued to a
further distance of 6 yards, or thereabouts, where they are attached to a bell
crank (or lever) at the other apparatus. To the other end of the bell crank
(or lever) at the first apparatus before mentioned, a rod is provided which is
connected with the back of the slide bar at the first apparatus. Connections are
also made in a similar manner from the bell crank (or lever) to the back of the
slide bar at the second apparatus herein described. The said slide bars are
provided for the purpose of carrying the detonators or fog signals one at a time in
each slide bar from under the tubes, hereinafter mentioned, to an anvil provided,
where the said detonators or fog signals are afterwards exploded if an explosion be
needed. This is done by means of hammers caused to be depressed upon them, the said
hammers being actuated by the flange of the wheel of the first engine (or carriage) of
which the train may be composed depressing a lever in connection with these hammers
The said hammers are provided with two journals or bearings, one on either side,
at the heel of the hammer. On these journals or bearings are placed slide blocks
which work in grooves provided for the purpose, so that in case of any over
depression caused by any extra depth of the flange of the before named wheel or
wheels, the hammer will lift the slide blocks in the grooves before mentioned and
thus prevent any damage to the hammers or to any part of our apparatus.
balance weight (or other mechanical equivalent) is provided at the rear of each
apparatus, by means of which the hammer is raised after being depressed by the
flange of the wheel or wheels before mentioned, and the slide bars are then free to
be withdrawn into their normal positions. Upon each of the slide bars are fixed
two slides, which being withdrawn with the slide bars are caused to come into
A

page_text: contact with the heel of the hammers, and thus draw them down to a point where
they are clear of any passing train. It should be mentioned that the same man
who may be employed to work the semaphore signals can at the same time and
with the same levers (and automatically) work our Invention. Our Invention is
so contrived that upon the semaphore being raised to its full height the slide bars
in the first and second apparatus herein described will be put into action, and as
both will carry a detonator or fog signal to the anvils there will be two distinct
and separate explosions at a distance of six yards apart or thereabouts, and danger
will be immediately known. Upon the dropping of the semaphore arm to its
norinal position both the slide bars are withdrawn to their normal positions, the
said slide bars withdrawing the exploded detonators or fog signals to a receptacle
or box provided for them underneath our improved apparatus. In some cases it
may happen that after the detonators or fog signals have been (by the means
herein before explained) placed in position the expected danger may not longer be
feared. When this is so, the falling of the semaphore arın will withdraw the slide
bars, and these will carry the detonators or fog signals into the box before they are
exploded by the hammers, the levers connected with the hammers being
subsequently by the same automatic action withdrawn from contact with the
approaching train.
The tubes herein before mentioned are provided for the purpose of holding a
supply of detonators or fog signals, and they are fixed in a vertical position in close
proximity to the anvils and immediately above the slide bars, and are provided
with a cover to which a lock is attached, so that the cover may be secured against
any person or persons disposed to tamper with the contents, it being intended that
the attendant at the semaphore box shall have charge of the key, and that he be
employed to replenish them when required.
That our Invention may be better understood, we have annexed Drawings
thereof, which having been carefully prepared, will sufficiently explain themselves
without further description, reference being had to the foregoing description of the
details of our Invention.
And having now described fully the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, we desire it to be understood that
without limiting ourselves to the precise details hereinbefore given, as in some
cases mechanical equivalents may be employed without departing from the nature
of our said Invention, we desire to claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent, the improved automatic fog signal
apparatus as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry, Whitehead, Ralph Hodgson, and
Thomas Dodd, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of
February, One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)
RALPH HODGSON.
(L.S.)
THOMAS DODD.
(L.S.)