Improved Fog-signalling Apparatus for Use on Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL: SPECIFICATION
Improved Fog-signalling Apparatus for Use on Railways.
I, HENRY WATSON of Castle House, Steeton near Keighley in the County of
York, Wood Turner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
That is to say In accordance with this invention the ordinary detonator signal
is employed, however instead of the signal-man being required to place such on
the rails for the wheels of the train to pass over, I produce apparatus that may be
coupled to, so as to be operated by the ordinary lever, rod and other connections
for transmitting motion to the usual painted board or lamp signal.
This apparatus consists of a chain taking around chain or sprocket wheels
arranged to revolve in the horizontal plane in order that the detonator signal may
be carried by projecting arms secured to the said chain over and into position
upon the rails for the wheels of the train to act thereon as desired.
The sprocket wheels are arranged so that by other ratchet wheel or like
mechanism, they may be intermittently rotated to bring such projecting arm on
the chain into position for its detonator to be placed on the rails as will be under-
stood, while such ratchet or like mechanism is coupled to so as to be operated by.
the ordinary signalling mechanism at present in use.
All the apparatus or mechanism is well covered in and the covering at the parts
where the arms on the chain have to protrude to reach on to the rail is hinged so
that as such action is being performed the said covering will be automatically
removed to allow freedom therefor.
As further assistance to the engine driver, I mount supplementary painted
boards or lamp signals on the posts or parts upon which the ordinary ones are
secured but at a lower level or one more nearly approaching that of the driver
on the engine, by which means on the detonator having attracted the attention
of such driver he may then direct his observations to this additional device and
so satisfy himself as to how he has to act.
Dated the 10th day of February 1897.
H. WATSON,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.
Improved Fog-signalling Apparatus for Use on Railways.
I, HENRY WATSON of Castle House, Steeton near Keighley in the County of
York, Wood Turner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
That is to say: It relates to improved fog-signalling apparatus for use on rail-
ways and in accordance with this invention the ordinary detonator signal is
employed, however instead of the signal-man being required at the signal post to
I produce
place such signal on the rails for the wheels of the train to pass over,
apparatus that may be coupled to, so as to be operated by the ordinary lever, rod
and other connections for transmitting motion to the usual painted board or lamp
signal from the signal box.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings which are ilustrative of my improved
apparatus;-
-
Fig. 1 is a view of same as seen from above.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of parts shown by fig. 1.
Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are drawings in detail (to an enlarged scale) hereinafter
explained.
My improved apparatus consists of a chain a taking round chain or sprocket
wheels be arranged to revolve in the horizontal plane in order that the detonators d
may be carried by arms projecting from them to be detachably, secured to the
chain a (as hereinafter described) over and into position upon the rail e for the
wheels of the trains' vehicles to act thereon as desired and as is well known.
The sprocket wheel c is arranged so that by the gearing wheels or tumblers f g
(or in place of these any well known mechanical equivalents) they may be inter-
mittently rotated to bring each projecting arm with its detonator d into
position on the rail e in succession as the sprocket c is intermittently rotated by
means of its wheels f g (the latter being secured to the shaft h to which is fixed
the ratchet wheel kk) through the medium of the ratchet levers m m¹ which are
operated by the rope, wire or other connections n n¹ coupled to the ordinary
signalling mechanism at present in use for operating the painted board signals.
The lever and its ratchet m are for operating the sprocket wheel c (and conse-
quently its chain a) in one direction while the lever and its ratchet m¹ are for
moving same in the opposite direction as occasion may require.
All the parts above described (except the levers m m¹ and their ratchets) are
well covered in by the coverings p and the part p¹, where the arms d¹ and
detonators d emerge or protude from this covering p to reach on to the rail e, is
hinged so that as the sprocket b rotates one or other of its projecting parts bl
presses upon the protuberance q formed on said hinged part pt causing it to rise
and so afford ample space for the said arm and its detonator d to
moving out of the covered part on to the rail e, on which said part p¹ descends
to again cover the opening through which same have passed until the signal-man
again operates the mechanism as above. described.
pass
when
To more certainly and firmly place the detonators d upon the rail e the sprocket b
has projections s which take into indentations on the fixed part t by which means
a rising movement is transmitted to said sprocket bat each of its intermittent
movements, thus the detonator d is raised slightly above and then finally pressed
down on to the rail e. The spring u assisting gravity in this pressing down of
the sprocket bas shown by fig. 6.
The links a¹ of the chain a are formed as shown by fig. 3 so that the arms
may be easily placed in the openings in said links which are thus enabled to hold
them, or instead of the shape shown by fig. 3 that at fig. 4 may be used in which
case the arm d¹ is somewhat strengthened by its shape."
To detach the exploded or spent detonators from the chain an incline (see
fig. 5) is arranged so that on the chain carrying said detonators over it, it
will raise their projecting arms out of their sockets in the chain.
Provided it is thought desirable an indicator may be mounted in the signal-box
to show how many of the detonators have been used and how many remain in the
apparatus unused without requiring further attention.
1
As further assistance to the engine driver, I mount supplementary painted

page_text: boards or lamp signals on the posts or parts upon which the ordinary ones are
secured but at a lower level or one more nearly approaching that of the driver on
the engine, by which means on the detonator having attracted the attention of
such driver he may then direct his observations to this additional device and so
satisfy himself as to how he has to act.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In fog-signalling apparatus the several parts for carrying and operating
detonator signals the same being constructed and arranged in combination sub-
stantially as herein specified.
2. In fog-signalling apparatus, a chain, arms supporting detonators from said
chain, sprocket wheel mechanism for operating said chain and means for operating
said sprocket wheels substantially as herein specified.
3. In fog-signalling apparatus of the class described, means whereby same is
entirely covered and the devices herein shown for affording a passage for the
detonators as same have to be applied substantially as set forth.
4. The improved fog-signalling apparatus herein described the same being
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as specified.
Dated this 10th day of November 1897.
HENRY WATSON,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.