IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Whyte, of Northview, Elgin, North
Britain, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Whyte at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
.28th October 1874.
I, GEORGE WHYTE, of Northview, Elgin, North Britain, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED
THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to modifications and improvements on the
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date
the 21st of April 1874, No. 1371, and consists,—
Firstly. Of an apparatus whereby the engine driver or other person in
charge of the train is warned in the event of any of the carriages

page_text: separating from the engine by the breaking of a coupling or otherwise.
This is effected by having insulated wires attached to proper contacts on
the engine, the other ends of these (wires being attached to a contact
maker, contact being made or broken by the separated carriages acting
upon a cord or other means attached to the last carriage.
Secondly. Of an arrangement of apparatus consisting of a semaphore
with a lock put on either by mechanism or electro-magnetism and
released by mechanism or electro-magnetism, whereby I am enabled to
dispense with the battery at the station, the electro-magnet and its
arrangement by the side of the insulated metallic contact plates of the
road apparatus, and an clectric bell. The metallic union of the insulated
metallic contact plates is effected by the lever of the road apparatus
raising the said semaphore, which is locked when raised and unlocked
when the train arrives at the next succeeding apparatus by the action
of the battery on the engine or train through two contact brushes
coming in contact with two insulated metallic contact plates which are
connected by insulated wires to an electro-magnet at the semaphore, the
semaphore falling when the magnet is acted on, and in so doing.
disuniting the plates, or the semaphore may be released by a man.
Thirdly. Of an arrangement of apparatus whereby I am enabled to
dispense with the battery at the station, and effect the signalling from
and to a station or signal box to and from a train by means of the
battery on the engine having the metallic circuits completed at the
station or signal box by the contacts on the train.

page_text: the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Whyte, Her
special licence that I, the said George Whyte, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Whyte, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALS AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Whyte,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Whyte, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To an apparatus whereby the engine driver or other person in
charge of the train is warned in the event of any of the carriages
separating from the engine by the breaking of a coupling or otherwise.
Secondly. In modifications and improvements on the Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date the Twenty-
first day of April One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, No. 1371,
and consisting of an arrangement of apparatus with a locking semaphore,
whereby I am enabled to dispense with the battery at the station, the
electric-magnet, and its arrangements, by the side of the insulated metallic
contact plates of the road apparatus, and an electric bell, and so effect an
absolute block.
Thirdly. Of an arrangement of apparatus whereby I am enabled to
dispense with the battery at the station and effect the signalling
from and to a station or signal box to and from a train on a line of
railway.

page_text: The train apparatus as shewn in Figure 1 consists of three or more
insulated metallic contacts attached to some portion of the engine or
tender, guard's van, or some vehicle of the train. These contacts are
constructed and arranged in such a manner as that they shall come down
so near to the roadway as to come in contact with corresponding metallic
contact plates of apparatus fixed on said roadway. Each of the ends
of these contacts is furnished with either a metallic brush or a piece of
metal hinged, and with springs so as to allow a backward and forward
movement, so that when the train passes they shall make contact with
the plates of the road apparatus without offering so much resistance as
to injure cither themselves or the said plates.
Figure 1, Nos. 1 and 2, are metallically connected; Nos. 2 and 4 are also
metallically connected, having a battery y in circuit; and Nos. 3 and 4
are also metallically connected, having an electric bell 1 and battery y in'
circuit. There is also placed on the engine a stud w terminated by a'
wheel for the purpose of depressing a lever on the permanent way.
The stud w should be so arranged that when the train goes backward'
the lever (L), Figures 2 and 3, may not be depressed; this may be done
cither by having the stud hinged or clsc by means of an arrangement to
have it removed out of the way.
For convenience of description I shall describe first, the apparatus to be
used for the block system of signalling, and afterwards the manner and
apparatus in and by which the train signals at a station its approach to
or departure from that station, and also the manner and apparatus in
and by which any person in charge of a station or signal box may signal
to a train approaching or leaving that station, and afterwards the
arrangement by which the engine driver or guard becomes warned in the
event of any of the carriages becoming separated from the engine from
the breaking of a coupling.
In the block system, along the line at intervals which may be
found convenient, according to the character of the line and amount of
traffic thereon, for example at intervals of one mile are placed the
blocks. In Figure 2 these are marked "block No. 1," "block No. 2,”
"block No. 3," each block consisting of the following parts:-First, two
insulation metallic contact plates 3ª, 4*, placed on the line so as to
correspond to contacts 3 and 4 of the train apparatus. Attached to the
end of each contact plate is an insulated metallic wire c, c, d, d, these
proceed to a semaphore S, to which they are connected, and in such a
•

page_text: way that when the semaphore is raised they shall become metallically
united, and connect metallically the line contact plates 3*, 4*, through the
insulated wires c, c, d, d, Figure 6; second, a semaphore 8, which is placed
by the side of the permanent way at a sufficient distance in advance of
the line contact plates 3", 4ª, to allow a train to pull up before it arrives
at the semaphore, this distance would depend on the brakes used, but
with good continuous brakes probably two hundred yards, or less, would
be sufficient; thirdly, a lever L is placed so as to be conveniently acted
on by the wheelt at the end of the stud w of the train apparatus. This
lever is attached in such a way to the semaphore S that when depressed
by the passing train the semaphore is raised; fourth, at some distance
in front of the semaphore S and lever L are placed other two insulated
metallic contact plates 2", 4", so as to correspond with the contacts 2
and 4 of the train apparatus. Attached to the ends of these insulated
contact plates are insulated wires a, a, b, b, which proceed backward to
the block in rear where they are attached to an electro-magnet M in the
semaphore, Figures 2 and 6.
The semaphore is self-locking. Figures 5 and 6 shew the mechanism
by which this is accomplished. Figure 5 shows the arrangement when the
semaphore is down, the wires c, c, d, d, not being united. If now a
passing train depresses the lever L the semaphore is raised by means of
the crank G, to which the lever L is attached. As the semaphore is
being raised the bolt F is pressed in against the spring R at the back by
the catch F. As soon as F¹ has passed the bolt F the bolt is pressed out
again by the spring R, and the semaphore is locked at danger, Figure 6,
and the insulated wires c, c, d, d, from the insulated metallic contact
plates 3, 4*, are metallically united by the metal spur d coming into con-
tact with the metallic spring, to which c, c, is attached. The bar B turns
upon a pivot at one end, the other end resting upon a catch descending
from the keeper K of the electro-magnet M. There is a stop pin to limit
the motion of the bar B, and also a spring s to keep it in position.
Whenever the magnet M becomes excited its keeper K is drawn towards
its poles, and so frees the end of the bar B, which becomes tilted up by
the weight of the falling semaphore. After the semaphore has fallen
the spring s presses the bar B into its normal position.
By an inspection of Figures 5 and 6 the mechanism will be readily
understood. The lock is contained in a water-tight case H, H, to
protect it.

page_text: The operation of the block system is as follows:-When a train
passes along the line in the direction of the arrows (Figure 2),
the wheel t, at the end of the stud W (Figure 1), depresses the lever L,
(Figure 2,) and thus raises the semaphore S, which is at once locked,
and as the insulated wires c, c, d, d, are metallically connected when the
semaphore is raised (as these wires are attached to the contact plates
3, 4), it necessarily follows that the contact plates 3ª, 4, are metallically
connected through the insulated wires c, c, d, d, and remain so connected
as long as the semaphore is raised to danger. If now a second train
comes up to the first block, the contacts 3 and 4 on the second train
apparatus will press upon tho contact plates 3, 4, and as these contact
plates are metallically united through the insulated wires c, c, d, d, and
the contacts 3 and 4 of the train apparatus being also metallically
united, and having an electric bell and battery in circuit, the electric bell
necessarily rings directly the contacts 3 and 4 come in contact with the
metallic contact plates 3, 4. Whenever the electric bell rings the
engine driver or guard looks out for the semaphore slowing the train in
the meantime, and if the semaphore is still raised to danger when he
arrives at it, the train is to be stopped till it falls. As soon as it falls,
the engine driver knows that the first train has passed the second block
and he may with safety go on. As the second train passes the semaphore
is again raised by the wheel t, acting upon the lever L, and only after
the semaphore is thus raised does the train by means of the contacts 2
and 4 acting upon the metallic contact 21, 41, release the semaphore
which it had set up at the preceding block. If, however, the first train
has passed the second block, the semaphore of the first block is unlocked
by the battery upon the first train acting upon the electric magnet of the
semaphore of the first block, by means of the contacts 2 and 4 coming in
contact with the insulated plates 2ª¹, 4ª¹, through the insulated wires a, a,
b, b. In this case the electric bell on any following train when it comes
to the first block will not ring inasmuch as the contacts 3 and 4 of the
train apparatus will not now complete an electric circuit when they
come in contact with the insulated plates 3*, 4*, the circuit being broken
by the fall of the semaphore (Figure 5). The first train immediately
before it has unlocked the semaphore of the first block has raised that
of the second, so that the danger signals of the second block are set
before those of the first block are unset, and so on at each block all along
the line. The entire line being thus divided into sections the train as
it enters each section thus as it were doubly blocks that section, so that

page_text: no following train can enter that section until the first train has left it
without having an audible signal given on the engine and a visible
signal, namely, the semaphore raised to danger being exhibited on the
line.
In the block system proper the last semaphore of any section of a line
should be placed under the command of the station master by means of
a battery or otherwise (Figure 2), so that it may serve as a permanent
block at the entrance to any station, the station master only relcasing
the semaphore to allow the train to pass after he has assured himself
that the way about the station is clear, the train as it passes always 1
raising the semaphore again and so leaving it at danger. Each train
should signal its approach to the station (in the way hereafter
described), so that the station master may be prepared to release
the semaphore or not, according to circumstances, so that no
train can enter a station unless specially permitted by the station
master.
If two insulated metallic plates like 3, 4, be placed upon the
line opposite tho semaphore and attached to it by insulated wires as arc
the plates 3, 4, they would act for night or fog signals because so long
as the train remained over them the electric bell upon the engine would
continue ringing if the semaphore was at danger.
As a distinct audible signal is given upon the engine to call the attention
of the engine driver to the semaphores when they are at danger, or in
other words as each semaphore when set is guarded, it follows that the
semaphores need not be of large size, small semaphores placed close to
the line being all that is necessary, and this being so, semaphores may be
very easily raised by the battery on the engine acting upon an electro-
magnet, either directly to raise a small guarded semaphore or by using
the electro-magnet to set in motion a simple piece of clockwork
consisting of a great wheel (Figure 8), a with wheel and pinion c, and fly d.
On great wheel is a niched plate b, into which a detent f falls, causing
the catch F to stop fly d, or it may be made to catch in wheel c, and to
stop the great wheel a. The source of power being either a steel
spring or weight wound up on cylinder attached to axle of great wheel.
The electro-magnet M, when acted on by the battery, draws down the
keeper le, and so frees the detent fallowing the great wheel to revolve. The
arm of the semaphore being elevated by having a "snail lifter" S on the.
axle of great wheel. The semaphore arm when raised is locked, and the

page_text: second half turn of the "snail lifter" unlocks it, the first half turn having
raised it. As the train passes it acts upon the electro-magnet M, through
contact plates corresponding to contacts 1 and 4 or 2 and 4 of train
apparatus by its battery, thus allowing the wheel a to turn and so raise tho
arm of the semaphore by the "snail lifter" 8, and when the train enters
the second block after blocking it, it again acts upon the electro-magnet
M by proper contact plates, and so again allows the wheel a to revolve,
which in the act of so doing relieves the catch which locks the semaphore
arm, and lets the semaphore arm fall.
The line plates 3", 4", may bo metallically united at the semaphore by
making the semaphore arm to unite two insulated pieces of metal to
which the wires c, c, d, d, are attached. The snail lifter may act
directly on the arm of the semaphore or upon a rod which is attached to
.the arm of the semaphore. By this arrangement semaphores may be
thrown up at a distance from the train in any direction either by the
battery on the train or the battery at a station or signal box.
Special semaphores may be placed under the care of signalmon, but
in all such cases they should be guarded as above described, and the
train should signal its approach to any such semaphore so that the man
may not neglect his duty.
The arrangement for guarding the semaphores, or in other words
warning the engine driver that the semaphores are at danger may with
a very slight modification be adapted to all existing semaphores or
signals by making the arm of the semaphore when raised unite two
3 pieces of insulated metal to which the wires c, c, d, d, are attached.
Although I have shown in the Drawings the line metallic contact
plates placed between the rails they may equally well be placed by the
side of the rails; in this case the contact brushes of the train apparatus
must be placed to correspond with them. Relays may be used when
› required.
For signalling to a station or signal box at any determined
distance from a station or signal box there are placed on the roadway
two insulated metallic contact plates (Fig. 3), 2ª, 4", to correspond.with
the contacts 2 and 4 of the train apparatus. These contact plates are
connected by an insulated wire passing through an electric bell at the
station or signal box. As the train passes the contacts 2 and 4 complete

page_text: having the bell in circuit or a separate bell if thought better. An
inspection of the plan will show that if any of the carriages become
separated from the engine the electric bell will ring, because as soon
as a, b, is pulled from between a¹, b¹, a¹ and b¹ come together at c, and;
the electric circuit is completed in connection with the bell and battery
on the engine. In the guard's van there is a switch (marked "switch")
by means of which the guard can ring the bell on the engine by
completing the circuit.
In addition to the above there are attached to each carriage (one at
each end) elastic insulated metal conductors d, e, connected to each
other by the insulated wire x. In the guard's van d is connected to b
through a battery an electric bell. On the engine the wire x which is
attached to e terminates in a switch. If switches be connected to the
wires x and y with cords from the switches going into various carriages
any passenger if he notices any accident may signal the engine driver by
merely pulling the cord. Both the bell on the engine and that in the
guard's van would ring if the switch united the wires x and y, but only
the bell in the guard's van would ring if the switch connected x and z.
An inspection of the plan will make this plain. As when the engine is
separated from the other carriages the electric bell on the engine would
ring, the point c upon the engine may be made not to close. The system
is entirely self acting, the mere putting the carriages together puts it in
order, and the elasticity of the metallic conductors a, b, a¹, b', d, e, keeps
up firm contact, and the metallic union between the carriages is main-
tained through the insulated wires x, y, z.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in and by which the same may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I declare that what I claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by the above in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. The mode herein-before described and the apparatus herein-
before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed, or
any mere modification thereof for signalling on railways.
And particularly, Secondly. The apparatus which I have called the
train apparatus, and which is represented in Fig. 1 of the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Thirdly. The apparatus which I have called the road apparatus herein-
before described, and which is represented in Drawings hereunto annexed,
and marked Nos. 2, 3, 5, and 6.

page_text: Fourthly. The arrangement for warning the engine driver in the event
of any of the carriages becoming: separated from the engine, as herein-
before described; and as represented in Fig. 7 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Fifthly. The mode or any mere modification thereof for raising the
semaphore shewn in Fig. 8 and herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Whyte, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
WILLIAM SMITH,
Druggist,
Elgin.
GEO. WHYTE. (L.S.)