Improvements in Fog Signals for Railways and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fog Signals for Railways and the like.
We, BENJAMIN EDWARD DICKINSON, and KYNOCH LIMITED, all of Lion Works,
Witton, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of a simple and effective
fog signal of the duplex or multiple type for railways and for like services.
In the application of our invention we form the signal casing from one piece
of tinned plate or other suitable metal, making the powder or explosive chambers by
stamping portions of the plate to a semi-spherical or other suitable configuration, and
thus providing cavities of the required dimensions to receive the explosive charges.
The ends of the plate extending beyond the explosive chambers we bend back to form
the cover plates for the under sides of the chambers, and upon the inner sides of such
cover plates we affix the anvils or nipples for the reception of the caps or detonators.
The end pieces which form the cover plates are effectually secured or clamped in posi-
tion over the chambers by beading over the side edges of the plate.
The signals are loaded, sealed, and varnished in the ordinary manner, and present
when completed a practically level surface on the under or cover plate side; they are
placed in position for service with such flat side adjacent to the rail. The lead or
other strip or strips for securing the signal to the rail are preferably attached to the
upper side of the casing between the dome shaped or elevated portions of the plate
formning the powder chambers.
The upper or exposed side of the casing being formed from the solid plate is abso-
lutely impervious to moisture. On the under side we form water tight joints by
beading over the edges of the plates as described, and by sealing with solder or shellac
varnish, or other suitable substance. As a further security and to make each signal
absolutely independent and without connection with the other or others although all
are formed in a casing consisting of one piece of metal, we raise a projection between
the chambers on the under side to prevent any moisture, which may possibly find its
way under one of the joints, from flowing to the joints of the adjacent chamber or
chambers.
Instead of forming the cover plates for the under-side of the chambers from the
ends of the casing as herein before described, we sometimes employ an independent
cover plate for each chamber or one plate for both or all the chambers secured by the
underturned edges of the casing and sometimes we use independent nipple plates
also; and we make other modifications in the construction of our improved signals to
meet the requirements of various services.

page_text: We, BENJAMIN EDWARD DICKINSON, and KYNOCH LIMITED, all of Lion Works, Witton,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the construction of a simple and effective fog
signal of the duplex or multiple type for railways and for like services.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the method of carrying our invention into
effect as applied to a doubled chambered fog signal, and
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the signal;
Figure 2 a ground plan;
Figure 3 a vertical section on the line x, y, Figure 2;
Figure 4 a plan of the bottom plate with the cap removed.
In carrying our invention into effect in the manner illustrated on the accompanying
drawings we form the signal casing E from one piece of metal, making the powder or
explosive chambers D D by stamping portions of the plate to a semi-spherical or other
suitable configuration, and thus providing cavities or chambers D D of the required
dimensions to receive the explosive charges. The ends E¹ of the plates E extending
beyond the explosive chambers D D we bend back to form embracing edges gripping
the bottom or cover plate A, which forms the under side of the chambers D D, and
upon the inner side of the said cover plate A in a circular depression K we affix the
anvils or nipples B B for the reception of the caps or detonators C C. By the use of
the depression K we ensure that the detonators occupy a truly central position and
are thereby removed as far as possible from the crown of the fog signal and not as at
present constructed attached at a point near the curve of the crown and so liable to
be prematurely exploded by a slight movement of the dome. The edges of the cover
or bottom plate A are effectively secured or clamped in position over the chambers by
beading over the side edges of the plate E as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the
drawings.
The signals are loaded, sealed, and varnished in the ordinary manner, and present
when completed a practically level surface on the under or cover plate side. They
are placed in position for service with such flat side adjacent to the rail. The soft
metal strip or strips G for securing the signal to the rail are preferably attached to
the upper side E of the casing between the dome shaped or elevated portions of the
plate forming the powder chambers D D. These strips G are attached to the signal
by a hard metal clip F with turned over edges as shown.
The upper or exposed side E of the casing being formed from the solid plate is
absolutely impervious to moisture, and as on the under side we form water tight joints
by beading over the edges of the plates at E', as described, and by sealing with solder
or shellac varnish, or other suitable substance, an absolutely water proof signal is
secured.
As a further security, and to make each signal absolutely independent and without
connection with the other or others, although all are formed in a casing consisting of
one place of metal, we raise a projection A' between the chambers D D which fits into
a corresponding depression A2 in the plate A and prevents any moisture, which may
possibly find its way under one of the joints, from flowing past the joints of and into
the adjacent chamber or chambers.
It is evident that the same methods of forming the chamber or dome and the
bottom plate with depression for receiving the caps; attaching the top to the bottom
plate by beading over; and attaching the holding strip to the said bottom plate by

page_text: means of the channels F F all may be suitably varied to suit a signal with one or any
suitable number of explosion chambers without departing from the subject matter of
the present invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1, The improved fog signal for railways consisting of a single plate upper casing
in which one or more powder chambers are formed and attached by means of beaded
over edges to a lower or cover plate carrying the anvils and percussion caps.
2, In the improved fog signal claimed in the preceding claim, a projection in the
upper casing fitting into a corresponding recess in the lower plate, and isolating one
chamber from the other substantially as described.
3, The improved fog signal for railways and like purposes substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dat this 17th day of December 1897.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.