FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING SIGNALS FROM PASSENGERS IN RAILWAY TRAINS TO THE GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Charles Stovin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st April
1865.
I, JOHN CHARLES STOVIN, of White Lodge, Whitehead's Grove, Chelsea,
in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING
SIGNALS FROM PASSENGERS IN RAILWAY TRAINS TO THE GUARDS AND ENGINE
DRIVERS," to be as follows:-
My present improvements relate more particularly to improved and
additional means for operating or bringing into position the signalling con-
trivances mentioned in my Provisional Specification of an Invention for
Improvements in the Means of Communicating Signals from Passengers
in Railway Trains to the Guards and Engine Drivers," which Provisional
Specification was left and recorded in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
Twenty-fourth day of March in the present year, and is numbered 839, and
relates to the uncovering or displaying a lamp at night, and the exhibiting or
displaying a flag or flat signal in lieu of the flag by day from, upon, over, or
above a railway carriage.
For the purposes of the present Invention I prefer to use for day signalling
the flat signal and not the flag, for although I may and do propose in some
cases to effect the proper movement, and placing in position of the flag by the
means herein-after described; yet I am of opinion that the flat signal will be
found more convenient in use, and also more durable.
My present improvements consist in casting or fitting a small rectangular

page_text: upon
oval, or other shaped socket plate or piece of brass, gun metal, or other metal
with a projection or projections on its upper surface, which projection or pro-
jections are drilled so as to receive a short spindle or bolt, and thereby to form
a hinged joint; this hinged joint I prefer to place at or near to one end or
centre of the plate or casting, and in the plate I cut transversely to the axis
of the hinge a longitudinal slot, or I cast the plate with the said slot. On the
bolt or spindle of the hinge is carried a lever, the upper end of which is
forked so as to represent a long letter D when placed with its flat side upper-
most, thus . The other end of the lever I provide with a plate or piece of
metal forming a disc or part disc of a semicircular form, or of the form of a
greater or lesser portion of a circle. The disc is of such a size as to fit closely
the slot in plate, and it will be obvious that from the form of the said disc it
will always (in any position in which the forked lever may be placed) exactly
fit the slot, thereby forming a perfect joint. On that end of the disc farthest
from the lever, and below the slotted plate, I cast or fit a projecting piece, and
drill therein a hole. The slotted plate with the lever and disc being screwed
the carriage the projecting piece of disc will be inside the carriage, and
to it may be attached directly a handle for the purpose of actuating the signal
lever; or cords or wires may be led from other compartments of the carriage,
and attached thereto for the same purpose. I construct a flat signal disc of a
circular, oval, square, or any suitable form, and at or about its centre at the
back or front 1 fix a piece of a form somewhat resembling a hook or portion
of a ring, so that the signal disc may be thereby suspended from the upper
part of the part of lever; or I may fit the suspending piece to the top or
upper part of signal disc. This flat disc is for the purpose of day signalling.
For signalling by night I employ a lamp having one, two, or more lenses or
faces, and so constructed that it may be suspended in the place of the day
signal, and in all positions if the lever hang vertically. I also fit to the
carriage a box or chamber of a circular, square, or other form. This box or
chamber is open at the top, and is placed at such a distance from the slotted
plate that when the lever is depressed to its utmost extent the upper or
straight portion of the will come immediately over the centre of the open
box or chamber, and allow the lamp or signal to swing within or rest at the
bottom of the box or chamber and be thereby concealed. Should it be found,
however, that the light of the lamp is not sufficiently obscured, I propose to
make the lamp carry above it a sheet of metal, so that when the lamp is
within the box or chamber the sheet of metal will form a top or cover for the
same. I propose, if necessary, to perforate two sides of the said box or
chamber so as to admit air to the lamp; I may also perforate the chamber

page_text: top or cover carried by the lamp for the same purpose. When it is desired
to signal, by pulling on the handles within the carriage the signal disc or
lamp will be lifted with the lever to a vertical position, and the signal thereby
conveyed, and may be returned when desired from above the carriage by the
guard, or from within the carriage by pressing on the handle attached to the
projecting portion of the semicircular disc herein-before mentioned.
I propose to fit one or more of the signalling arrangements herein described
to each carriage, and to use in some cases differently coloured discs, and
lamps fitted with glasses of different colours, so as thereby to convey signals
of different or distinct import or meaning. I may interpose (should they be
found necessary) at any convenient part of my signalling arrangements springs
of spiral or other form for the purpose of arresting or controlling the too
sudden motion of the lever; and I may employ a ratchet wheel within the
carriage fitted with a pall or catch for the same purpose; or I may fit the
ratchet wheel with a crank handle, and use it for the purpose of operating
the cords or wires leading to the signalling arrangement.