Improvements in Railway Signalling or Communicating Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Railway Signalling or Communicating Apparatus.
I, THOMAS PARKES, of Fifty-two, Wellington Road, Bilston, Staffordshire, Com-
mercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I make a suitable bent spring and place it securely in a suitable strong box,
or case, made of metal, or of any other suitable material, leaving room for the
spring to act freely, whenever the pressure intended for the spring to bear is
brought upon it. I arrange the spring in such a manner, that a portion of its bent
surface will project from about, one to two inches above the top of the said box. I
then fix in the said box; underneath the spring; a pin, or bar of metal, or of any
other suitable material, but capable of being depressed to the same extent as the
spring; and each to gain respectively that position they occupied, before the
pressure was brought upon the spring. The movements thus produced, I use, or
utilize to communicate intelligence, by ringing a bell, or gonge etc., at any suitable
place. It may therefore be used as a fog signal, or to communicate electrically; as
when a person presses an electric button; both modes of communication, may be
used together, or separatively as required. Inow fix the said communicating apparatus
between, or upon two sleepers, on a railway but parallel with the rails; the top of
the spring will then be level with the top of the rails. When thus fixed, and
securely screwed down in its place, the flange of every wheel which passes by upon
that side of the line, where the said apparatus is fixed, will press upon the spring,
and cause it and the said pin beneath it, to be depressed to the same extent. When
the pressure is taken off, the said spring and pin; both will regain the position they
occupied, before the pressure was put upon them. Connection, or disconnection to
suit requirement may be easily made.
רזי
P T
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling or Communicating Apparatus.
I, THOMAS PARKES, of Fifty-two Wellington Road, Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
I make three apparatuses: hereinafter discribed and of similar construction

page_text: The movements thus produced by my device, I use or utilize as a fog signal;
which I describe in the following manner. I name the lower portion of the said
metal pin S, Figs. 1, 2, 3 tipping lever, as shown at A, Figs, 1, 2, 3 because its
duty is to press the tippers B, Figs. 1, 2, 3; and force downwards the gong lever 2,
which when released strikes the gong.
In this manner I communicate to the engine driver, the information required.
E in Figs. 1, 2, 3 shows different parts of one continuous connecting rod, or
carriage, from Fig. 1 to the signalmans cabin handle.
In suitable places of this rod, or carriage, I screw tippers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 so that
when the cabin handle is pulled, all the tippers being screwed to the rod, are
carried by it. I have numbered the tippers to show, in a plain and simple manner;
what the duty is, which each tipper has to perform. The screws, which secure the
tippers to the rod, or carriage, E Figs. 1, 2, 3, I utilize as pivots, but arrange
them so as to allow each tipper to act freely, as shown at R Figs. 1, 2, 3. The
first portion of the rod, or carriage, E Fig. 1, I appoint to carry three tippers;
numbers 1, 2, 3. The second portion of the rod, or carriage, E Fig. 2, I appoint
to carry two tippers; numbers 4, 5. The third portion of the rod, or car-
riage E Fig. 3, I appoint to carry only one tipper, number 6.
When all the tippers are fixed in their appointed 'places, as above described,
then I call it a fog signal train; because the rod, carries all the tippers backwards
and forwards, at the will of the signalman.
I now suppose this fog signal train to be clear of every passing train. When
the signalman has occasion to inform the engine driver of an approaching train to
proceed with caution, he immediately pulls the fog signal handle, down to the first
notch, caution. In doing this, he causes No. 1 tipper, Fig. 1 to be placed exactly
over the gong lever C Fig. 1, and is therefore in the right position to be acted
upon, by the flange of the first engine wheel, that passes over, and presses down
the gong lever, when the hammer and the gong are struck once. The engine
driver is then informed, that he must proceed with caution. This having been
done, the signalman then, by lifting his cabin handle to an upright position; ho
places the fog signal train again, out of harms way till again required.
A train is approaching which the signalman requires to move along slowley.
He immediately pulls his cabin handle down to the second notch; but while he
does this; tipper No. 1 passes over the gong lever; while No. 2 tipper comes
forward, and occupies the right position to be acted upon; exactly over the gong
lever, Fig. 1; while tipper No. 4, Fig. 2, has taken up its rightfull position to be
acted upon, exactly over the gong lever Fig. 2. Tippers No. 2, and 4 are now
ready to be acted upon, by the flange of the next engine wheel, which passes over,
when gong in Fig. 1, and gong in Fig. 2, will be struck, and the engine driver
informed, that he must move slowly along. The fog signal train is now, again
pulled into its dormant state; until required. Now a train is approaching, which
the signalman wishes to stop; so he pulls his handle down to third, or stopping
notch, while doing this, tippers, No. 1, 2 Fig. 1 pass over the gong lever C, Fig. 1;
but at the same time; tipper 5, Fig. 2, moves forward, and occupies its right
position to be acted upon; exactly over the gong lever C, Fig, 2; while this is
taking place; tipper No. 6 has occupied, its exact position, to be acted upon over
gong lever C, Fig. 3. It will therefore now be obvious, that, tippers No. 3, 5, 6 are
ready to be acted upon, by the flange of the next railway engine wheel which passes
over; and which will cause each of the three gongs to be struck in succession, the
engine driver will then be informed that he inust stop. It will now be clear, that
the only active duty, which No. 1 tipper has to perform; is to strike the gong,
Fig. 1 but once. That the only active duty which tippers 2, 4 are to perform, is to
strike the gong Fig. 1, and the gong Fig. 2, in succession; and that the only active
duty of each, No. 3, 5, 6 tippers has to perform, is to strike gong Fig. 1, gong
Fig. 2; and gong Fig. 3 in succession.

page_text: Any gong may be fixed to be struck at any suitable distance, in advance of its
own apparatus. Any apparatus may be fixed, at any suitable distance from the
cabin box, or from each other.
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 :-
First. I claim to utilize the flange (or rim) of railway engine wheels, as a motive
power.
Second. I claim to use this motive power, to work my fog signal, in the manner
herein described.
Third. I claim the internal, and external construction of my fog signal, and the
manner I work it.
Datad this second day of December 1808
THOMAS PARKES.