IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM ONE PART OF A RAILWAY TRAIN TO ANOTHER
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th November 1853.
I, HENRY WALKER, of Gresham Street West, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM ONE PART OF A RAILWAY
TRAIN TO ANOTHER" to be as follows:-
I propose connecting together, by convenient joints, tubing in lengths
(by preference gutta percha tubing), one length to each carriage, under
the floor or under framing of the vehicles composing a railway train,
and supporting or suspending the said tubing in several places under
each carriage in any convenient way that will admit of sufficient play
to enable it to lengthen or shorten when carriages are being coupled up,
or when the close up or lengthen out in travelling or stopping. Each
carriage is to be provided with one piece of tubing of suitable length,
and each end thereof is to project sufficiently to provide for half the

page_text: coupling; these ends are to be joined when in use by an union or other
joint which will connect or disconnect readily. Or the draw bar and
hook may be made hollow, so that the tubing under the carriage being
fixed to the back part of the draw hook, the front thereof should be
made (being hollow) with a female screw, into which the hollow
coupling is to be screwed, and the next and other carriages being
similarly fitted, the couplings take the place of the union joints before
mentioned. A rest may still be used for resting the coupling until it be
fixed, but the traction would be without the hook or through it by the
screwing into it of the coupling. Lateral play may be given in this part,
vertical play in the coupling itself at the joints. When I use the whistle
as the call or mode of communication I purpose to use the tubing about
half an inch of internal diameter. If the tubes are to be voice con-
ductors only they should be much larger, say from one to two inches
in internal diameter. It is very desirable that the tubing should be
flush internally throughout, and this I purpose to effect by my mode of
jointing the ends thereof. For the guard's van or other carriage, where
it is desired to fix for signalizing, a T joint should be made from the
tubing which runs under the van or carriage, and a branch taken from
it into or outside of the van any convenient height, fitting it with a
mouth-piece for blowing or speaking or hearing, with a moveable
whistle, which is always to remain in the tubing when not removed to
blow therein or for listening. This vehicle is to have a tap or stop on
each side of the T joint of the tubing, placed conveniently within reach
of the guard. The engine or tender, I prefer the latter, is to have near
the foot board a continuation of the tube which runs thereunder, as
directed for the guard vans. The result will be as follows:-The joints
being all united form one continuous tube, the guard furthest from the
engine closes the tap at his side, and all is ready for action; either
officer wishing to signal takes out his own whistle and blows into the
mouth-piece, thereby sounding a whistle at each branch; the number of
sounds will indicate the meaning, or the attention being once arrested,
any other signal may be given, or if the tube be large enough each
person is to remove his whistle and apply his ear to the mouth-piece
fór verbal communication, giving his answer in the same manner.
If

page_text: metal tubes are used, either in part or altogether, they will require a
piece of elastic tubing or lining in the inside thereof, but as all opera-
tions of this kind in metal are expensive in construction and doubtful in
result, and I prefer the elastic or semi-elastic vegetable tubing.