AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ................... SIGNALLING AND GIVING ÅLARM ON RAILWAYS. ARM TUCTOR
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey, both of Congleton,
in the County of Chester, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
………………. SIGNALLING AND GIVING ÅLARM ON RAILWAYS.
ARM T
MAUCTOR SIGNALLING AND GIVING ALARM ON RAILWAYS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Pickin and Richard
Bailey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 26th February 1866.
We, JOSEPH PICKIN and RICHARD BAILEY, both of Congleton, in the County
of Chester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IM-
PROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AND GIVING ALARM ON
RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed for the purpose of enabling passengers to
communicate with or call the attention of the guard or engine driver of rail-
way trains, or for establishing communication between guard and driver.
In carrying out our Invention, we employ two longitudinal cords, chains, or
wires, extending from end to end of the train, one on each side, and passing
over pulleys immediately under the roofs of the carriages. These longitudinal
cords are connected together by means of transverse cords passing across the
roof of each compartment, and to the centre of each transverse cord (between
two pulleys over which the cord passes) is attached a tassel or handle.
It will be evident that upon drawing the centre of either of the transverse
cords downwards by means of the tassel or handle, the longitudinal cords or..

page_text: chains will be drawn inward towards each other, and the extreme ends of these
longitudinal cords or chains being connected to two weighted levers and signal
bells or other alarm apparatus, one in the guard's van and the other on the
engine or tender, the deflection of the cord or chain by the passenger will
cause the alarm to be sounded at each end of the train. In order to keep an
equal tension upon the longitudinal cords or chains between the carriages, and
to compensate for the varying distances of the latter between each carriage,
we bring the cord or chain down, and pass it beneath a weighted swing lever,
which may be attached to the ordinary carriage buffer, or it may be attached
to and supported by independent buffers or brackets secured to the carriage
near the coupling links.
As a means of indicating to the guard and engine driver the particular
compartment of the carriage whence the alarm bas been sounded, we place
over the door of each carriage a semaphore lever, and we connect these levers
to the longitudinal cords or chains opposite to the points where the transverse
'cords are attached thereto, so that upon pulling the latter the semaphores of
that particular compartment are thrown out at the same time that the alarm is
sounded. These semaphore levers are mounted on a central stud or bolt sup-
ported in a socket or bracket, and as the semaphores are thrown out the levers
drop into V-grooves formed in the top of the socket, and thus lock or retain
the semaphores in their extended position until the guard or other person has
'ascertained the cause of the 'alarm. The falling of the central-stud or bolt at
the same time locks the carriage doors of 'the compartment 'whence the 'alarm
was given.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey in 'the Great 'Seal 'Patent
Office on the 22nd August '1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
PICKIN and RICHARD BAILEY, both of Congleton, in the County of Chester,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and,grant
unto us, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey, Her special license,
that we, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey, our executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard
Bailey, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OP AND APPARATUS POR SIGNALLING AND GIVING ALARM ON RAILWAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard
Bailey, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe.
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same-
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner-
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to.
say):
This Invention is designed for the purpose of enabling passengers to.
communicate with or call the attention of the guard or engine driver of
railway trains, or for establishing communication between guard and driver.
In carrying out our Invention we employ two longitudinal cords, chains,.
or wires, extending from end to end of the train (one on each sides), and
passing over pulleys immediately under the roof of the carriages. These longi-
tudinal cords are connected together by transverse cords passing across the
roof of each compartment and to the centre of each transverse cord (between.
two pulleys, over which the cord passes) is attached a tassel or handle,
It will be evident that upon drawing the centre of either of the transverse-
cords downwards by means of the tassel or handle the longitudinal cords or
chains will be drawn inward towards each other, and the extreme ends of
these longitudinal cords or chains being connected to two weighted levers and
signal bells or other alarm apparatus, one in the guard's van and the other on
the engine or tender, the deflection of the cord or chain by the passenger will
cause the alarum to be sounded at each end of the train. In order to keep
an equal tension upon the longitudinal cords or chains between the carriages,
and to compensate for the varying distances of the latter between each
carriage, we bring the cord or chain down and pass it beneath a weighted
swing lever, which may be attached to the ordinary carriage buffer, or it may

page_text: be attached to and supported by independent buffers or brackets secured to
the carriage near the coupling links.
As a means of indicating to the guard and engine driver the particular
compartment of the carriage whence the alarm has been sounded we place
over the door of each carriage a semaphore lever, and we connect these levers
to the longitudinal cords or chains opposite to the points where the transverse
cords are attached thereto, so that upon pulling the latter the semaphores of
that particular compartment are thrown out at the same time that the alarm
is sounded. These semaphore levers are mounted on a central stud or bolt
supported in a socket or bracket, and as the semaphores are thrown out the
levers drop into V-grooves formed in the top of the socket, and thus lock or
retain the semaphores in their extended position until the guard or other
person has ascertained the cause of the alarm. The falling of the central stud
or bolt at the same time locks the carriage doors of the compartment whence
the alarm was given.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about one-eighth of an inch to the foot, similar letters of reference being
marked upon corresponding parts on all the Figures.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal side view of a portion of a train sufficient
to illustrate the action of the apparatus, one coach having its exterior view
shewn complete, and the remaining portion of a coach being shewn in section;
this view also represents the coupling or connection between the coaches ;
Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same. The portion of the carriage No. 2
shews the position of the cords and semaphores when an alarm has been given
by a passenger.
Fig. 3 represents one arrangement of alarm, which may be secured in the
guard's van, and also near or on the engine.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached exterior view of the bracket and semaphore.
And, Fig. 5 represents a transverse sectional interior view, shewing the
connection and arrangement of the cords by which the passengers can
communicate with guard and driver.
And, Fig. 6 represents a front elevational view of the coupling for the
cords.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, a, a, is the connecting cord, chain, or wire,
running the whole length of the train between guard and driver; this cord is
attached at its extremities or ends to the weighted lever b, which when raised
by a pull at the cord a forces back the hammer or stricker c, which is then
caused by the spring d to strike the belle and effect an alarm; communication

page_text: can also be made between guard and driver by either of them; the cord and
such communication is made without interfering or communicating with the
compartments of the carriages composing the train, but when a passenger
desires to communicate with the guard or driver, the tassel or handle f must
be pulled, which causes the transverse cord 9 to draw the longitudinal cord a
in towards the centre of the carriage, as seen in the plan Fig. 2, carriage No. 2,
which causes the hammer to strike the bells and effect an alarm at both ends
of the train, and simultaneously the semaphores h, h, are caused to project on
both sides of the compartment of the carriage from which the communication
has been made. The semaphores when thrown out drop into the V recesses
formed in the supporting bracket i, becoming thereby locked or retained, and
may also be made to bolt the carriage door as it drops, in which position it
remains until the guard or other person has ascertained the reason of alarm.
The regular tension of the cord a is maintained by means of the weighted
radial swing lever k, beneath which the cord between each carriage passes; this
swing lever may be attached to the ordinary carriage "buffer," or it may be
supported and attached to independent buffers or brackets secured to the
carriage near to the coupling links or centre.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim the arrangement and combination of apparatus for
effecting communication between guard and driver, or between them and the
passengers in railway trains; and also the use of levers or quadrants to com-
pensate for and equalize or regulate the tension of the cord, chain, or wire, as
herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Pickin and Richard Bailey,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.