IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAIN INTERCOMMUNICATION, PARTS OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Manley Martin, of Harrow-on-the-Hill, and
Samuel Alfred Varley, of 66, Roman Road, Holloway, both in the County
of Middlesex, Telegraph Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Manley Martin
and Samuel Alfred Varley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 5th April 1866.
We, SAMUEL MANLEY MARTIN, of Harrow-on-the-Hill, and SAMUEL ALFRED
VARLEY, of 66, Roman Road, Holloway, both in the County of Middlesex,
Telegraph Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAIN INTERCOMMUNICATION, PARTS OF THE INVENTION BEING
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an improved method of communication
between the passengers, guards, and engine driver. We employ electricity
for making the signals. When a passenger wishes to call attention he closes
an electric circuit, causing an electric current to flow through a galvanometer
and an electric bell situated in the guard vans and on the engine. The com-
partment which has closed the circuit is also indicated by the construction of
the apparatus.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention either one or two insulated wires may be
employed, when one only is employed we make use of the railway metals to.
form one-half of the circuit, electric continuity being maintained between the
metals and the apparatus through the wheels and the ironwork of the vehicles.
We prefer in most cases to employ two insulated wires, which for distinction
we call No. 1 and 2, as it simplifies the apparatus, and we make use of the
metals as a third wire. When two insulated wires are employed they are
connected together on the engine through a galvanometer and an electric bell,
which may be what is technically known as a single-stroke bell, the two other
extremities of Nos. 1 and 2 wires terminate in the guard's van at the end of
the train. In each compartment wires connected with Nos. 1.and 2 are led
up and also a wire in connection with the ironwork of the carriages, batteries
are placed in the guard's van, and when there are two or more vans in a train
batteries are placed in each van. One pole of these batteries is connected
through an electric alarum and galvanometer to No. 1 wire, the other pole is
connected to the ironwork of the guard's van and through it to the metals.
The guards' vans are provided with switches which disconnect the batteries
from No. wire and the ironwork of the vans, and connect them with the
commutators, which enable the guards to send either positive or negative
currents through, No. 1 and 2 wires deflecting the galvanometer needle on the
engine either to the right or to the left, and at the same time calling the atten-
tion of the driver by ringing the bell. The insulated wires are usually carried
underneath the carriages, and the connection between carriage and carriage
is made by strong stranded wires covered with ebonite or other suitable insu-
lator terminating in metallic eyes, and the connection is made by simply
hooking them on to corresponding hooks attached to the neighbouring carriage.
To ensure good contact between the eyes and the hooks the lower portion of
each eye is made in the shape of a blunt knife edge, and we usually attach a
weight to the eyes whose centre of gravity is below the books. Lateral
connections are made with the insulated wires to enable the carriages to be
coupled at either ends. The apparatus which connects the batteries with the
insulated wires is constructed as follows:-A wooden box is placed in each
compartment in a convenient position, and is provided with a door which is
kept locked (the guard keeping the key.) On one side of the box there is a
slot, and in this slot the handle of a lever working on an axis is placed and is
retained there by a piece of copper or other suitable wire placed across the
slot. To call the guard's attention the passenger pulls the lever, this cuts the
wire, and immediately the lever has moved a certain arranged distance a bolt
actuated by a spring is shot across the slot behind the lever and prevents it

page_text: return. The movement of the lever connects the wire which is in contact
with the railway metals successively with Nos. 1 and 2 wires, one after the
other, momentarily closing the circuit and ringing the bells on the engine and
vans. To reset the apparatus the guard unlocks the door of the box,
readjusts the bolt, replaces the lever, and places another piece of wire across
the slot (a supply of which is contained in the box) and then relocks the door,
The lever axis is in some cases made to pass through the carriage, and
either liberates a mechanical signal or discharges a lock igniting a charge or
series of charges of gunpowder, giving an audible signal similar to a fog
signal. The bells placed in the guards' vans are constructed as follows:-An
electro-magnet is mounted (generally in a vertical position) with its two poles
projecting through the flanges of the coils a suitable distance. A vertical axle
is mounted between the coils of the electro-magnet, and carries a piece of soft
iron projecting an equal distance on each side of the axle, this piece of iron
moves in a horizontal plane between the poles of the magnet, and when the
magnet is active is powerfully attracted by both. We call this piece of iron
the armature. A light metallic arm, which we call the contact lever, is attrached
to this armature and moves in the same plane. The extremity, of the contact
lever is made by preference of a platina alloy wire, and is coated on its upper
side with an insulating substance, and rests when the magnet is not active on
the lower end of an inclined plane made of platina alloy; this inclined plane
is mounted on a wire and the contact lever when moving in a horizontal
position depresses the inclined plane in its passage. When the contact lever
has passed over the whole extent of the inclined plane the inclined plane
assumes its former position, and when the contact lever returns it passes
underneath. The contact lever is maintained in its position by a balance
spring attached to the armature axle, and when the magnet is rendered active
an electric circuit is closed, the current passing from one pole of the battery
to the armature axle through the contact lever to the inclined plane through
the coils of the magnet, and thence to the other battery pole. The armature
is now powerfully attracted and moves the contact lever over the inclined
plane, which is of such a length that the contact lever passes off it just before
the armature has reached the poles of the magnet; the circuit is now broken
and the contact lever returns passing under the inclined plane, and is carried
by the momentum acquired beyond its position of rest. On its return it
comes in contact again with the upper side of the inclined plane, the circuit
is again closed, and the armature attracted as before described. Another lever
mounted on the axle which carries a hammer, and which we call the striking
lever, comes in contact with a bell every time the circuit is closed. In this

page_text: way the bell continues ringing until the apparatus is reset by the guard. To
render the electro-magnet active there is attached to the apparatus a piece of
soft iron, which we call the induced magnet as it is rendered magnetic by
induction from a permanent magnet in the neighbourhood; a coil of insulated
wire is placed over the induced magnet. A cylinder of soft iron having an
axis passing at right angles through it near its upper end depends from
the induced magnet, being retained there by magnetic attraction, the axis
passes through a slot in a forked lever which can move freely in a vertical
planc. The coil surrounding the induced magnet is placed in circuit with
the wires running underneath the carriages, and when the circuit is closed
with the object of calling attention the electric current passes through the
coil and demagnetizes the induced magnet, the soft iron cylinder is immediately
released and falls on to a light spring which it depresses in contact with
another spring which is so connected that it closes the circuit through the
bell magnet rendering it active. To stop the ringing the guard depresses a
button, the act of doing this places the contact lever in its original position
and raises the forked lever, lifting the iron cylinder and bringing it into con-
tact with the induced magnet where it is retained by magnetic attraction, the
contact lever is also prevented from moving horizontally by oscillation of the
To keep dust out of the apparatus
train by a pin fixed in the forked lever.
the whole of it is enclosed in a case, made by preference of cast iron, the
armature axle passes through the case, and an air-tight joint is made by passing
it through a disc of vulcanized india-rubber, which fits closely round the axle;
this vulcanized disc is also clamped closely on to the top of the case, the
striking lever is attached to the axle outside the case, and the bell which is
struck is also outside. To destroy any permanent magnetism which may
exist in the electro-magnets we sometimes wrap the electro-magnets with two
insulated wires distinct from one another, and distinguish them by the names
of primary and secondary wires; the secondary wire is usually made of fine
German silver wire, and opposes very much greater resistance to the passage
of an electric current than the primary wire; the extremities of the primary
and secondary wires are joined together in such a way that any current passing
through the secondary wire tends to undo the magnetism developed by the
primary wire, but as it opposes much greater resistance than the primary wire
does to the passage of an electric current very little electricity passes through it.
The secondary wire is usually concentrated in the neighbourhood of the poles,
and the momentary current developed in the primary wire on the circuit
being broken passes through the secondary wire and destroys the permanent
magnetism. The necessary resistance may be obtained by connecting the

page_text: primary and secondary wires together through a set of resistance coils in the
neighbourhood of the electro-magnet, and this possesses some advantages.
In most cases, however, we adopt the following plan:-The secondary wire
is kept quite distinct from the primary wire and permanently connected to the
battery through a set of resistance coils opposing a resistance very much
greater than the primary wire. When the primary circuit is closed the
amount of electricity passing through the secondary wire is inappreciable.
directly the primary circuit is broken a larger amount passes through the
secondary wire and magnetizes the electro-magnet sufficiently in the opposite
direction to destroy the permanent magnetism. This part of our Invention
applies to all electro-magnetic telegraph apparatus.
We construct our galvanic batteries as follows:-We take stoneware jars
of a suitable size, make them hot and dip them into melting cement consisting
of fine sand, rosin, and a small quantity of paraffine or wax. The object of
this is to give them a coat of cement which adheres firmly to the jars. We
then make cylinders of brown paper, and place them on a mould with a zinc
tube in the centre; the lower portion of the zinc tube is usually perforated.
We now pour cement between the outer diameter of the zinc tube and the
inner diameter of the paper cylinder, connecting the upper portion of the zinc
tube and paper cylinder by a block of cement about an inch thick. The
outer side of the upper portion of the paper cylinder is also dipped in cement.
We now prepare two parcels of sawdust, one parcel is soaked in a saturated
solution of sulphate of copper, the other in a solution of sulphate of zinc.
We take the sawdust which has been soaked in the zinc solution in a damp
state and ram it into the paper cylinder between the paper and the outer
diameter of the zinc tube, when the cylinder is nearly full of sawdust the end
is closed either with a piece of soft clay or by dipping it in cement. The
paper cylinder is now placed in the centre of the stoneware jar and a cylinder
of copper with a connecting wire attached to it placed into the jar; the top of
the copper cylinder reaches to about three inches from the mouth of the jar.
Sawdust which has been soaked in the copper solution is now rammed in the
stoneware jar until it cover the copper cylinder; melting cement is then poured
in the jar on the top of the sawdust, and the jar and paper cylinder having a
coat of cement attached to them the melting cement unites both together, the
layer of cement is made about half an inch thick and holes are pierced through
it with a hot iron. A tray is thus formed to retain the sulphate of copper
chrystals. This battery exposes but little surface for evaporation, is very
portable, and the copper solution does not pass through to the zinc in
anything like the same degree as in the ordinary sulphate batteries, conse-

page_text: quently the force is very constant; the cells are connected together with
connecting wires in the usual way and the battery is put into action by pouring
either water or a solution of sulphate of zinc into the zinc tube. A supply
of copper chrystals is placed in the stoneware jar, and fresh chrystals are
added from time to time as may be necessary. When the attention of the
rear guard (or guard in charge) has been called he stops the ringing of his
bell, and by means of a switch connects the battery with a commutator and
gives directions to the engine driver (which directions are indicated to the
assistant guard or guards) by previously arranged signals, the bells being used
to call attention only to the galvanometer on which the instructions are sent
by deflecting the needle to the right or to the left, or the bells may be used
for indicating signals. When we employ only one wire running underneath
the carriages the insulated wire is connected through the apparatus and a
battery to the metals both in the rear van and on the engine. Wires are led
up in each compartment in connection with the insulated wire and the
metals, the batteries on the engine and the rear van are connected up so as
oppose one another. A passenger raising an alarm connects the two wires
led up in each compartment together and a current flows from both batteries,
ringing the bells in the guards' vans and on the engine. The rear guard now
signals his instructions to the engine driver. When there are two or more
vans in a train each of the vans is furnished with batteries and the necessary
switches to connect them up either as leading vans or rear vans.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Manley Martin and Samuel Alfred Varley in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, SAMUEL
MANLEY MARTIN, of Harrow-on-the-Hill, and SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY, of
66, Roman Road, Holloway, both in the County of Middlesex, Telegraph
Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto us, the said
Samuel Manley Martin and Samuel Alfred Varley, Her special licence that
we, the said Samuel Manley Martin and Samuel Alfred Varley, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Manley

page_text: Martin and Samuel Alfred Varley, our 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 TRAIN INTERCOMMUNICATION, PARTS OF THE INVENTION BRING
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Samuel Manley Martin and Samuel Alfred Varley, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 Alfred Varley, on behalf of
myself and the said Samuel Manley Martin, do hereby declare the nature of
our 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 has for its object an improved method of communication
between the passengers, guards, and engine driver. We employ electricity
for making the signals. When a passenger wishes to call attention he closes
an electric circuit, causing an electric current to flow through a galvanometer
and an electric bell situated in the guards' vans and on the engine. The
compartment which has closed the circuit is also indicated by the construction
of the apparatus.
In carrying out this Invention either one or two insulated wires may be
employed. When one only is employed we make use of the railway metals
to form one half of the circuit, electric continuity being maintained between
the metals and the apparatus through the wheels and the ironwork of the
vehicles. We prefer in most cases to employ two insulated wires, which for
distinction we call Nos. 1 and 2, as it simplifies the apparatus, and we make
use of the metals as a third wire. When two insulated wires are employed
they are connected together on the engine through a galvanometer and an
electric bell, which may be what is technically known as a single-stroke bell;
the two other extremities of Nos. 1 and 2 wires terminate in the guard's van
at the end of the train. In each compartment wires connected with Nos. 1
and 2 are led up and also a wire in connection with the ironwork of the
carriages. Batteries are placed in the guard's van, and when there are two
or more vans in a train batteries are placed in each van. One pole of these
batteries is connected through an electric alarum and galvanometer to No. 1

page_text: wire, the other pole is connected to the ironwork of the guard's van, and
through it to the metals. The guards' vans are provided with switches which
disconnect the batteries from No. I wire and the ironwork of the vans, and
connect them with the commutators, which enable the guards to send either
positive or negative currents through Nos. 1 and 2 wires, deflecting the
galvanometer needle on the engine either to the right or the left, and at
the same time calling the attention of the driver by ringing the bell. The
insulated wires are usually carried underneath the carriages, and the con-
nection between carriage and carriage is made by strong stranded wires
covered with ebonite or other suitable insulator terminating in metallic eyes,
and the connection is made by simply hooking them on to corresponding
hooks attached to the neighbouring carriages, Figs. 1 and 2. To ensure
good contact between the eyes and the hooks the lower portion of each eye is
made in the shape of a blunt knife edge, and we usually attach a weight to
the eyes whose centre of gravity is below the hooks. The apparatus which con-
nects the batteries with the insulated wires is constructed as follows:-A wooden
box, Fig. 3, is placed in each compartment in a convenient position, and is
provided with a door which is kept locked (the guard keeping the key).
On one side of the box there is a slot, from which projects the handle of
a lever working on an axis, and is retained
other suitable wire placed across the slot.
the passenger pulls the lever, this cuts the
lever has moved the required distance a spring throws a bolt across behind
the lever and prevents its return. The movement of the lever connects
the wire which is in contact with the railway metals with Nos. 1 and 2
wires (Fig. 16), momentarily closing the circuit and ringing the bells
in the vans. To reset the apparatus the guard unlocks the door of the
box, readjusts the bolt, replaces the lever, and places another piece of wire
across the slot (a supply of which is contained in the box,) and then relocks
the door. The lever axis is is some cases made to pass through the
carriage, and either liberates a mechanical signal or discharges a lock.
igniting a charge or series of charges of gunpowder, giving an audible signal
similar to a fog signal. The way we prefer to do this is shown in Fig. 4.
A piece of gas barrel or other suitable tube is attached to the side of the
carriage; the bottom of this tube is closed with the exception of an orifice
of about ths of an inch more or less. The cartridges (Fig. 6) containing
the powder are made by preference of copper with a tube at the lower end,
on the mouth of which a percussion cap is placed. This tube is of such a
size that it passes just freely through the orifice in the bottom of the
there by a piece of copper or
To call the guard's attention
wire, and immediately the

page_text: gas barrel, and a screw thread is cut upon it. After the cartridge has
been charged it is made air-tight either by solder or any suitable cement.
The construction of the lock which ignites the powder is shown in Fig. 5.
On the end of the lever box axle where it projects outside the carriage
a cam is fixed; when the lever handle is pulled this cam raises the striking
lever, as shown by the dotted lines, and immediately the cam has passed
the end of the striking lever a spring throws it against the percussion cap,
discharging the powder; a similar cam and lock may be placed on the
lever box axle at the other side of the carriage, which may discharge another
cartridge.. The bells (Figs. 7, 8, 9,) placed in the guard's van are con-
structed as follows: An electro-magnet is mounted generally in a vertical
position with its two poles projecting through the flanges of the coils a
suitable distance. A vertical axle is mounted between the coils of the
electro-magnet and carries a piece of soft iron projecting an equal distance
on each side of the axle; this piece of iron moves in a horizontal plane
between the poles of the magnet, and when the magnet is active is powerfully
attracted by both. We call this piece of iron the armature. A light metallic
arm, which we call the contact lever, is attached to the armature and moves in
the same plane. The extremity of the contact lever is made by preference
of a platina alloy wire, and is coated on its upper side with an insulating
substance, and rests when the magnet is not active on the lower end of
an inclined plane made of platina alloy; this inclined plane is mounted
on a wire, and the contact lever moving in a horizontal position depresses
the inclined plane in its passage. When the contact lever has passed over
the whole extent of the inclined plane the inclined plane assumes its former
position, and when the contact lever returns it passes underneath. The
contact lever is maintained in its position by a balance spring attached to the
armature axle, and when the magnet is rendered active an electric circuit is
closed, the current passing from one pole of the battery to the armature axle,
through the contact lever to the inclined plane, through the coils of the
magnet, and thence to the other battery pole. The armature is now
powerfully attracted and moves the contact lever over the inclined plane,
which is of such a length that the contact lever passes off it just before the
armature has reached the poles of the magnet; the circuit is now broken
and the contact lever returns, passing under the inclined plane, and is carried
by the momentum acquired beyond its position of rest. On returning it
comes in contact again with the upper side of the inclined plane, 'the circuit
is again closed and the armature attracted as before described. Another
lever which carries a hammer, and which we call the striking lever, comes

page_text: ContaCE WICH Den every time the Count is Crusel. TH this way the ben
continues ringing until the apparatus is reset by the guard.
In some cases
we substitute for the inclined plane a spring fork (Fig. 7), mounted perpen-
dicularly and pressing against contact pieces; the metallic arm in this case
works between the spring fork, and when the armature has nearly reached
the poles of the magnet it forces the fork over to the right, as shown by the
dotted lines, and breaks the circuit: the balance spring now brings the
metallic arm back, forcing the fork into its original position, when the
circuit is again closed and the armature attracted as before. To render the
electro-magnet active there is an apparatus attached to it which we call
the local circuit closed. Fig. 10. This apparatus consists of a cylinder of
soft iron, which we call the induced magnet. The induced magnet depends
from one pole of a permanent magnet (which we prefer to be a horse-shoe
magnet, as shown in Figure 10), being retained there by magnetic attraction.
An axis passes through the upper end of the induced magnet and works in a
slot or a hole made in a forked lever moving in a vertical plane: the lower
end of the induced magnet is surrounded by a coil of insulated wire wrapped
on a bobbin with a hollow core large enough to allow the induced magnet
to move freely in it. The coil is placed in circuit with the wires running
underneath the carriages. Whenever the circuit is closed an electric
current passes through the coil and demagnetizes the induced magnet,
which immediately drops, depressing, as shown in the Figure.
spring in contact with another which is so connected that it closes the
circuit through the bell magnet, rendering it active. To stop the ringing
the guard depresses a button or raises a lever not shown in the Drawing:
the act of doing so raises the induced magnet, bringing it, in contact with
the permanent magnet, where it is retained ready for another signal. In
some cases instead of trusting to magnetic attraction for suspending the
inducted magnet we use a torsion wire which retains the induced magnet
between two magnetic poles of similar polarity; when so constructed it may
also be used for the purposes of an ordinary relay. We also use the modi-
fications shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, which work on the same
principle as that previously described.
a light
In Fig. 11, 12, a coil of insulated wire with a soft iron core in the centre
projecting beyond the surface of the coil is substituted for the coil of insulated
wire, the induced magnet is mounted on an axle midway between its extremities,
and moves in a vertical plane in a groove, cut in the upper end of the soft iron
core, and when moved in one direction it comes in contact with a permanent
magnet which attracts it and renders it magnetic by induction, and when

page_text: moved in the other it comes in contact with a piece of soft iron which is in
contact with and may be regarded as an extension of the lower end of the
soft iron core. When the circuit is closed the induced magnet is demagnetized
and attracted on to the extension of the lower end of the soft iron core,
depressing a light spring in contact with another so connected that it closes
the bell circuit.
In Figs. 13, 14, the induced magnet is extended on one side, as shown in
the Drawing, & moves in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane, and is
under the influence of two permanent magnets which are of opposite polarity,
the second permanent magnet is at the extremity of the induced magnet,
and is forked as shown in the Drawing, the induced magnet working
between the fork. The action of the instrument is precisely similar to that
just previously described. the induced magnet becoming demagnetized when
the circuit is closed attracted over as shown by the dotted lines and closing
the bell circuit.
To keep dust out of the apparatus the whole of it is enclosed in a case,
made by preference of cast-iron, the armature axle passes through the case,
and an air-tight joint is made by passing it through a disc of vulcanized india-
rubber which fits closely round the axle. This vulcanized disc is also clamped
closely on to the top of the case. The striking lever is attached to the axle
outside the case, and the bell which is struck is also outside.
To destroy any permanent magnetism which may exist in the electro-
magnets we sometimes wrap the electro-magnets with two insulated wires
distinct from one another, and distinguish them by the names of primary and
secondary wires, the secondary wire is usually made of fine German silver
wire, and opposes a much greater resistance to the passage of an electric
current than the primary wire, the extremities of the primary and secondary
wires are joined together in such a way that any current passing through the
secondary wire tends to undo the magnetism developed by the primary wire,
but as it opposes much greater resistance than the primary wire does to the
passage of an electric current very little electricity passes through it. The
secondary wire is usually concentrated in the neighbourhood of the poles,
and the momentary current developed in the primary wire on the current being
broken passes through the secondary wire and destroy's the permanent
magnetism. The necessary resistance may be obtained by connecting the
primary and secondary wires together through a set of resistance coils in the
neighbourhood of the electro-magnet, and this possesses some advantages. In
most cases however we adopt the following plan:-The secondary wire is kept
quite distinct from the primary wire and permanently connected to the battery

page_text: through a set of resistance coils opposing a resistance very much greater
than the primary wire. When the primary circuit is closed the amount of
electricity passing through the secondary wire is inappreciable, directly the
primary circuit is broken a larger amount passes through the secondary wire
and magnetizes the electro-magnet sufficiently in the opposite direction to
destroy the permanent magnetism. This part of our Invention applies to all
electro-magnetic telegraph apparatus.
We construct our galvanic batteries as follows:-We take stoneware jars
of a suitable size, make them hot, and dip them into melting cement consisting
of fine sand. rosin, and a small quantity of paraffine or wax. The object of
this is to give them a coat of cement which adheres firmly to the jars. We
then make cylinders of brown paper and place them on a mould with a zinc
tube in the centre, the lower portion of the zinc tube is usually perforated.
We now pour cement between the outer diameter of the zinc tube and the
inner diameter of the paper cylinder connecting the upper portion of the zinc
tube and paper cylinder by a block of cement about an inch thick. The outer
side of the upper portion of the paper cylinder is also dipped in cement.
We now prepare two parcels of sawdust, one parcel is soaked in a saturated
solution of sulphate of copper, the other in a solution of sulphate of zinc.
We take the sawdust which has been soaked in the zinc solution in a damp
state and ram it into the paper cylinder between the paper and the outside of
the zinc tube; when the cylinder is nearly full of sawdust the end is closed
either with a piece of soft clay or by dipping it in cement. The paper
cylinder is now placed in the centre of the stoneware jar and a cylinder of
copper with a connecting wire attached to it placed into the jar; the top of the
copper cylinder reaches to about 3 inches from the mouth of the jar. Sawdust
which has been soaked in copper solution is now rammed in the stoneware jar
until it covers the copper cylinder. Melting cement is now poured in the jar
on the top of the sawdust, and the jar and paper cylinder having a coat of
cement attached to them the melting cement unites both together, the layer
of cement is made about half an inch thick and holes are pierced through it
with a hot iron, a tray is thus formed to retain the sulphate of copper crystals.
This battery exposes but little surface for evaporation, is very portable, and the
copper solution does not pass through to the zinc in anything like the same
degree as the ordinary sulphate batteries, consequently the force is very constant;
the cells are connected together with connecting wires in the usual way, and
the battery is put into action by pouring either water or a solution of sulphate
of zinc into the zinc tube.
A supply of copper crystals is placed in the stoneware jar and fresh crystals

page_text: are added from time to time as may be necessary. When the attention
of the rear guard (or guard in charge) has been called, he stops his bell
ringing, and by means of a switch connects the battery with a commutator
and gives directions to the engine driver (which directions are indicated
to the assistant guard or guards) by previously arranged signals. the bells
being used to call attention only to the galvanometer on which the
instructions are sent by deflecting the needle to the right or to the left.
When we employ only one wire running underneath the carriages the
insulated wire is connected through the apparatus and a battery to the
metals both in the rear van and on the engine. Wires are led up in each
compartment in connection with the insulated wire and the metals; the batteries
on the engine and the rear van are connected up so as to oppose one another.
A passenger raising an alarm connects the two wires led up in each com-
partment together, and a current flows from both batteries, ringing the bells
in the guards' vans, and on the engine. The rear guard now signals his
instructions to the engine driver. When there are two vans in a train both
of the vans are furnished with batteries, and the necessary switches to connect
them up either as leading vans or rear vans.
In some cases we dispense with the battery on the engine by means of the
apparatus shewn in Fig. 17. This apparatus consists of two electro-magnets
and a permanent magnet mounted on an axle, the poles of which work between
the poles of the electro-magnet. The electro-magnets are wrapped with two
separate insulated wires, one of these wires is much finer than the other and
opposes a much greater resistance to the passage of an electric current than
the rest of the apparatus; the other insulated wire opposes comparatively
but little resistance..
The electric current is kept completed through the finer wire, and the per-
manent magnet is attracted over by the poles of the electro-magnets on one
side, the current now passing is not sufficient to render the bells active; when a
passenger pulls a lever. and so connects the railway metals to the wire running
underneath the carriages, the resistance of the circuit is very much lessened
and the bells in the vans become active; the guard now by his switch reverses
the battery poles, sending a current in the opposite direction. the permanent
magnet is now deflected to the opposite side and comes in contact with a
contact piece, this contact piece and permanent magnet are so connected that
when the magnet is in this position the circuit is also completed through the
thicker wire on the electro-magnets, and sufficient electricity passes to render
the engine bell active.

page_text: "
When the passenger wishes to call the guard's attention he pulls the lever
(Fig. 3) this brings Nos. 1. 2. and 3 wires in contact. as shewn in Fig. 16,
and sets the bells ringing in the guards' vans; the guard in charge uses his
discretion whether to stop the train instantly or at the next signal station. If
he decides to stop instantly he depresses the key on which is engraved "stop
instantly, the act of doing so switches off the battery from No. 3 wire. and
closes the circuit through Nos. 1 and 2 wires, deflecting the galvanometer
needles in the guards' vans and on the engine to the signal "stop instantly "
painted on the galvanometer dials, and calling the attention of the engine
driver by ringing the bell on the engine. Should the guard decide to stop at
the next signal station he depresses the key on which is engraved "stop at
next signal station," the effect of which is to deflect the galvanometer needles
in the opposite direction towards the signal "stop at next signal station
painted on the galvanometer dials. and also ringing the engine bell. The
engine driver acknowledges the signal by his whistle; the guard then keeps
the key depressed by putting in a peg shewn in Fig. 15, keeping on a
permanent signal until the train is stopped. Should either of the guards
desire to call the attention of the others, he can do so by depressing the key
engraved van bells;" this closes the bell circuits on the vans and sets them
ringing in the same way as when a passenger pulls a lever.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
"
Eigs. 1 and 2 shew the hooks and eyes by which the connection between
carriage and carriage is maintained: Fig. is a top view of the hook and
eye coupled together; Fig. 2 is a side view: A is the hook B is the eye;
C is a metal flange, which is attached to the carriage by screws; D is the
stranded wire protected by hempen cord.
Fig. 3 represents the lever box. E is the lever: F is the bolt G is the
spring which throws the bolt behind the lever when it is pulled; I is the
wire, which is cut in the act of pulling the lever; 1 is the door, which is
closed when the apparatus is set; J is the axle attached to the lever.
Fig. 4 represents the cartridge holder with the cartridge in it.
Fig. 5 represents the lock by which the cartridge is fired. K represents
the cartridge, shewn separate in Fig. 6. L is a screw nut, which screws on
the tube and holds the cartridge securely in its place, as shewn in Fig. 4;
M is the percussion cap; N is a cam attached to the axle J; O is the
striking lever; P is the spring which actuates the striking lever.

page_text: Fig. 7 represents the continuous ringing bell in elevation; Fig. 8 is a top
view of the same. Q, Q, are the coils of the electro-magnet; R is the axle,
carrying the armature S; T is a spring box containing a spring which pulls
the lever back when the circuit is broken; U is the lever working between
the arms of the spring fork V; W, W, are the contact pieces against which
the spring fork presses when the circuit is closed; X. X, are the two poles of
the electro-magnet which attract the armature; Y is the hammer attached to
the striking lever.
Fig. 9 represents the engine bell enclosed in its case with galvanometer
attached.
Fig. 10 represents the local circuit closer in elevation.
Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14 represent modifications of this apparatus; the same
letters refer to each. Z is the permanent magnet; a is the induced magnet;
b is the coil of insulated wire; c is a forked lever working on a pivot d, and
coupled to the induced magnet; e, e, are the two contact springs: f, Figs. 13
and 14, is the second permanent magnet, the pole of which is forked.
Fig. 11 represents a top view of one of the modifications of the apparatus;
Fig. 12 shews the same in elevation; Fig. 13 represents a top view of another
modification of the apparatus; Fig. 14 shews the same in elevation; Fig. 15
shews the apparatus in the guard's van. g is the galvanometer; h is the
switch for altering the connections to suit the position the van occupies in
respect to the train; i, i, are the sending keys for communicating with the
engine driver is the peg which fits into the block on either side, as shewn
by the dotted lines; when this peg is placed in the block over either of the
keys it keeps permanent signal on the galvanometers until the peg is
removed; is the van bell switch, and when depressed connects Nos. 1 and 3
wires together, ringing the bells in the vans; m is a spring in connection with
the zinc pole of the battery through the local circuit closer; this spring rests
on the top of a metallic pillar 2 in connection with No. 3 wire, from which it.
is separated when either of the keys i, i, are depressed; this spring is raised.
by means of ebonite pins attached to the keys, as shewn by the dotted
lines o, o.
Fig. 16 represents a plan of the connections. p, p, is No. 1 insulated wire
running underneath the carriages; q, q, is No. 2 insulated wire; r, r, is
No. 3 wire; s represents the bell and galvanometer on the engine; E, the
lever in one of the compartments of a carriage; t is the local circuit closer;
U is the bell magnet in the guard's van; G is the galvanometer in the guard's
van; i, i, are the two sending levers; m is the spring in connection with
the zinc pole of the battery through the local circuit closer; n the pillar in

page_text: connection with No. 3 wire; u, u, are contact pieces in connection with the
copper pole of the battery; v, n, are contact pieces in connection with the
zinc pole of the battery; c and z is the galvanic battery; w is the van bell
switch; is the switch for connecting the apparatus for a rear or inter-
mediate van.
Fig. 17 represents a top view of the apparatus for dispensing with the
battery on the engine when only one insulated wire is employed; y. y. are the
two electro-magnets; z is a permanent magnet working on an axis z¹ between
the poles of the electro-magnets.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention for communicating
between passenger, guard, and engine driver, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, we wish it to be understood what we claim is,-
1st, the general construction of the apparatus by means of which an audible
signal is given which calls the attention of the guard to a permanent signal
obtained by the deflection of a galvanometer needle, and also indicates the
compartment raising the alarm, as herein-before described.
2nd, the calling the attention of the guards and engine driver by exploding
one or more cartridges containing gunpowder, as herein-before described.
3rd, the local circuit closer which acts on the principle of demagnetizing
and reversing the polarity of a piece of soft iron rendered magnetic by
induction from a permanent magnet, as herein-before described.
4th, the general construction of the continuous ringing bell and the
neutralizing the permanent magnetism of electro-magnets, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Alfred Varley, on behalf of
myself and the said Samuel Manley Martin. have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY. (L.S.)