IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM PASSENGERS TO GUARDS AND DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hustwit Richardson, of Leeds, and
Alfred Moffatt, of Mirfield, both in the County of York, for the
Invention of "" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM
PASSENGERS TO GUARDS AND DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR.
"
Sealed the 20th December 1875, and dated the 2nd September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hustwit
Richardson and Alfred Moffatt at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd September 1875.
We, THOMAS HUSTWIT RICHARDSON, of Leeds, and ALFRED Moffatt,
of Mirfield, both in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION
FROM PASSENGERS TO GUARDS AND DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR," to be as follows:
The object of our Invention is to provide a ready means for passengers
to communicate with the guard and driver of a train in which then

page_text: Each carriage is provided with cable wires in connection with bells on
the engine or tender and guard's van. In cach compartment of the
carriage is provided one or more "press buttons" in connection with
the cable.
The cable is constructed as follows:-It contains three copper wires |
which are embedded by preference in india-rubber of good quality.
The centre of No. 1 wire when working will contain the electric current,
one of the outer or No. 2 wire transmits the electric current to the bells,
the other or No. 3 wire returns the current from the bells to the battery.
On pressing the "button" in any compartment the centre or No. 1
wire charges the No. 2 wire which transmits the current to the bells,
causing the guard's and engine driver's bells to ring simultaneously.
During the ringing the No. 3 wire is continuously carrying the current
back to the battery.
The cable may be carried on the tops of the carriages or where the
present cord pulleys are fixed, and is protected by a zinc covering.
Sufficient length of cable is allowed at the end of each carriage for
connecting it with the cables on the other carriages.
We by preference connect the cables together by three strong brass
binding screws fixed on wooden blocks attached across the cable to the
end of cach carriage. The binding screws are provided with holes of
different sizes for the reception of the cable coupling, which ensures a
continuity of each respective wire through the whole length of the
train, the connecting cable being provided with three forked ends
containing the wires for connecting them to the binding screws.
Each guard's van is fitted with the cable and parts connected there-
with in a similar manner to those in the carriages; also with a "press
button" within so that he may communicate with the driver by ringing
the bell on the engine. A battery is placed in the guard's van for
imparting the required electricity to the cable. A bell is also provided
in connection with the cable.
The engine or tender is provided with a strong electric vibrating bell
which is connected to the cable in a similar manner to that in the
guard's van.
The battery by preference consists of six large cells (Leclanche's

page_text: sawdust inside to protect the porous cells. This battery may be placed
in any convenient position in the guard's van so that it can be readily
connected with the cable.
By compressing the "presser button" in any carriage or compartment
thereof the passengers can readily give an alarm to the engine driver
and guard simultaneously, the operation of compressing the "presser
buttons" causing their respective bells to ring. The guard also by a
similar compression of the "presser button" in his van may cause the
engine driver's bell to ring, and thus give to him any required
signal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hustwit Richardson and Alfred Moffatt
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
HUSTWIT RICHARDSON, of Leeds, and ALFRED MOFFATT, of Mirfield,
both in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Hustwit Richardson
and Alfred Moffatt, Her special licence that we, the said Thomas
Hustwit Richardson and Alfred Moffatt, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Hustwit Richardson
and Alfred Moffatt, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION FROM
PASSENGERS TO GUARDS AND DRIVERS OF TRAINS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR, upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Thomas Hustwit Richardson and Alfred Moffatt, our executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
"

page_text: of each respective wire through the whole length of the train, the con-
necting cable being provided with three forked ends containing the
wires for connecting them to the binding screws.
Each guard's van is fitted with the cable and parts connected there-
with in a similar manner to those in the carriages; also with
"
a press
button "within so that he may communicate with the driver by ringing
the bell on the engine. A battery is placed in the guard's van for
imparting the required electricity to the cable. A bell is also provided
in connection with the cable.
The engine or tender is provided with a strong clectric vibrating bell,
which is connected to the cable in a similar manner to that in the
guard's van.
"
The battery by preference consists of six large cells (Leclanche's
Patent), the outer cells being extra strong glass, and provided with saw-
dust inside to protect the porous cells. This battery may be placed in
any convenient position in the guard's van, so that it can be readily
connected with the cable.
By compressing "the presser button" in any carriage or compart-
partment thereof the passengers can readily give an alarm to the engine
driver and guard simultaneously, the operation of compressing the
presser buttons" causing their respective bells to ring. The guard
also, by a similar compression of "the " presser button in his van, may
cause the engine driver's bell to ring, and thus give to him any required
signal.
"
And in order that our Invention may be completely understood
reference is given to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings and to

page_text: The object of our Invention is to provide a ready means for passengers
to communicate with the guards and drivers of train in which thicy are
travelling.
Each carriage is provided with cable wires, as shown at a on Sheet 2,
in connection with bells on the engine or tender, and on the guard's
van, as shewn at b and c, Sheet 2. The construction of the bell arrange-
ment will be hereafter described. Each compartment may be provided
with one or more press " buttons," but we find instead of the press
"button" an arrangement of indicator is preferred, and constructed as
hercafter described, and working in connection with the cable a.
The cable a is constructed as follows:-It contains either two or three
copper wires, which are imbedded in india-rubber or gutta percha of
good quality. When three wires are employed the centre or No. 1
wire when working will contain the electric current; one of the outer or
No. 2 wire transmits the electric current to the bells; the other or No. 3
wire returns the current from the bells to the battery. When three
wires arc employed only one electric battery is required. On pressing
the button or pulling the handle of the indicator the bells in the guard's
van and on the engine or tender ring simultaneously. During the
ringing the No. 3 wire is continuously carrying the current back to the
battery.
We find that in some cases it is preferred to employ two batteries,
one in the guard's van and the other on the engine or tender, and wo
have shewn that arrangement on Sheet 2.
We carry the cable wires a under the eaves of the carriages, as shewn
on Sheet 2, and by preference we protect the cable wires a by a zinc
covering, and secure it to the carriage. When we employ threo cable
wires we connect the cable wires together by means of three strong
brass binding screws fixed on wooden blocks attached to each other
across the cable wires at each end of the carriage. Sufficient length of
cable wire is allowed for connecting it between the carriages. The
binding screws are provided with holes of different sizes for the reception
of the cable wires for coupling; this insures that no mistakes can be
made in connecting the various wires, so that there may be a continuity
of cach respective wire throughout the whole train, the connecting
cable being provided with three forked onds containing the wires for
connecting them to the binding screws.
In our Drawings we have simplified this arrangement considerably,

page_text: and connect the wires by means of two short lengths of cables con-
structed as shown at Figure 4, Sheet 1, which is arranged for two cables.
The exterior of these cables consists of vulcanized india-rubber tubing,
and the interior is formed as the ordinary india-rubber tubing, but
having coiled copper wire instead of the ordinary coiled iron wire in its
interior. At the end of each short cable is provided an eye d and e,
which are made of different sizes, as shewn, so that no mistake can
occur in the .connection; these are hung on to hooks f, shewn at
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, which are screwed into the ends of the
carriages, as shewn at f, Sheet 2; this is carried out throughout the
whole train, and the connection made from end to end. The cable
wires a are connected to the hooks f, being passed underneath and
securely fastened by the hook f, being screwed down upon them, as
shown as Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1; by this means a connection is
formed, and the current conveyed through the hooks f.
The electric battery is shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, and
consists of Leclanche's Patent cells, which are sealed on the top to
prevent the solution from escaping. In our arrangement we have shown
six cells at g, these are placed in a wooden box / and are connected to
brass fixings i and j, through which the current is connected to the
cables by means of brackets k, shewn at Figures 5 and 6, which arc
screwed (in any convenient position) to the interior of the guard's van,
and attached to the brass fixings i and j by means of the stud 7 which
is dropped into the holes m; by this means the boxes containing the
batteries can be readily removed. On the top of the box is mounted a
strong vibrating bell, which is caused to sound by means of a hammer
working in its interior or on the exterior thereof; the necessary move-
ment required for the hammer is imparted thereto by means of
electricity as in the ordinary electric bells. When only one battery is
employed a strong vibrating bell only is attached to the engine or
tender, and working in connection with the cable wires for communi-
cating purposes, the current being caused to operate by the movement
of the hercin-before mentioned handle of the indicator.
The arrangement of indicator is as follows:-n is a box or covering, by
proference circular, which is fixed on the side of the carriage, as shewn
at o on Sheet 2. On the same shaft that carries the handle x we fix in
the box, or under the covering n a ratchet segment 7; a pawl works
into and is kept within the teeth of the ratchet segment 2 by means of