IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SIGNALLING to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, WALTER BENTLEY WOODBURY, of 1 Queen Victoria Street, in the city of
London, photographer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
SIGNALLING to be as follows:-
"
-
My Invention relates to a method of and appliances for railway and other
signalling and is designed to enable intercommunication between the stationary
signalman and the driver or guard of a passing train, or at a distance or between
passing steamers or in other like circumstances.
My invention consists essentially in the employment of a series of whistles or
reeds sounded by the escape of compressed gaseous fluid from a closed vessel, each
whistle or reed producing a distinct note, and thus permitting an arrangement of
signals by various sequences and combinations as in bugle calls. In order that
these may be produced, the whistles or reeds are fitted with levers or stops under
the control of the man giving the signal.
The compressed fluid for the sounding of the signals is conveniently derived
from the steam boiler in the case of the engine driver or where steam is available.
In the case of the stationary signalman or where the use of steam would be incon-
venient, I provide a box or case containing compressed air or other gas, or fitted
with a suitable device such as that employed in the well known fire extinguishing
appliances termed the "Extincteur" by which chemical reagents are mechanically
brought together and produce a sudden generation of gas in the chamber.
My invention will be applicable in the case of fogs, and should supercede the
present imperfect appliances.

page_text: I, WALTER BENTLEY WOODBURY, of 1 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of
London, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
SIGNALLING," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a method of and appliances for railway and other
signalling, and is designed to enable intercommunication between the stationary
signalman and the driver or guard of a train passing, or at a distance, and between
passing steamers or in other like circumstances.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I now proceed to describe
the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts throughout
the figures.
Figure 1 shows my device complete.
Figure 2 shows modified form of the same.
Figure 3 shows a third modification.
Figures 4 and 5 show details of valves.
My invention consists essentially in the employment of a series of whistles or
reeds A, sounded by the escape of a compressed gaseous fluid form a closed vessel B,
each whistle or reed producing a distinct note, and thus permitting the arrange-
ment of signals by various sequences and combinations, as in bugle calls. In order
that this may be produced, the whistles or reeds are fitted with levers or stops C
under the control of the man giving the signal. These levers or stops may be of
various forms, as shown in the various figures. In figure 1, stops are employed
(see detail, figure 4) which, by means of a spring G, normally hold closed a balanced
valve in the pipe leading from the compressed Huid vessel, but which, upon pressure
being applied, allows the compressed fluid to pass to the whistle or reed. Figure 2
shows the ordinary form of hand cock, and figure 3 (and detail, figure 5) show an
alternative form of balanced valve operated by a push or pull.
The compressed fluid for the sounding of the signals is conveniently derived
from the steam boiler, as shown in figure 3, the pipe D being in direct communica-
tion with the boiler pressure, and in this case one of the whistles may serve as the
ordinary whistle of the locomotive or steamer. In the case however of a stationary
signalman, I may employ the arrangement shown in figure 1, in which B is a boiler
heated by a gas jet E, to expand therein any suitable liquid. Again, for the sake
of portability, I may provide a box or vessel containing compressed air or other
gas, or, as shown in figure 2, fitted with a suitable device such as that employed in
the well known fire extinguishing appliance termned the "Extincteur," by which
chemical reagents, such as sulphuric acid and chalk, are mechanically brought
together by the depression of a valve F dropping the acid on to the chalk in order
to produce a sudden generation of gas in the chamber B.

page_text: My invention will be very applicable in the case of fogs and should supersede
the present imperfect appliances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The method of railway and other signalling by the production of various
sequences or combinations of whistle or reed notes operated by the pressure of an
expansive gas or gaseous fluid, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd In appliances for the production of such sequences or combinations of notes
the combination of a vessel containing compressed gaseous fluid with operating
valves and stops and whistles or reeds in the various alternative forms, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore specified.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.