Improvements in Route Indicating Signals.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1893—Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Route Indicating Signals.
I CHARLES EDWARD HISCOCK 45 College Street The Park Salisbury Fireman
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the class of signals which may be known as disc
and plate signals which are extensively used on locomotive engines and railway
vehicles, one of the main objects of my invention is to make the signals more
compact and to have one disc or plate to answer the purpose of one or more signals
which can be varied without having resource to such a large number of separate
discs for each signal as has been heretofore the case when this class of signals are
used.
I carry out my invention into practice in manner as hereinafter described.
I form a round, square, or other shaped casing which has at one end a projecting
lip, and at the other is a door or other suitable fastening to keep the contents
of the case in proper position.
In the description that follows, I will describe the method adapted with discs, but
the same method can also be carried out with other shaped plates.
The discs are marked with any suitable marking that may be required for the
exejencies signalling the distinctive character of the locomotive or vehicle that
carries it thus, some discs may be marked with a cross, others a diamond, and any
other design which may be adapted for the special purpose in view.
A modification of these discs can be arranged when distinctive colours are
required but the same design or form by perforating, or cutting out in the front
disc the shape or design required and placing at the back of this perforated or cut
out disc another disc painted the colour required, for example, the front disc might
be cut out the shape of a diamond, and the back disc may be coloured white so
that to the eye of the observer a white diamond would be shown, of course if the
disc at the back was red then to the eye of the observer it would be a red diamond.
It is evident that these modifications of shapes and colours may be varied to any
extent by altering the shape of the perforated disc and the colour of the disc at
the back of it. The casing is made of sufficient thickness to provide for a suitable
supply of discs for signalling during the trip the locomotive or vehicle have to run
through, at night when such signals as herein before described could not be seen
there would be employed transparent discs made of glass, talc, or porcelain upon
which the special design required would be marked, or painted, and at the back,
or in the front of this disc would be placed a lamp, the light from which in shining
through the transparent medium would show up the special design, or the shape of
the special design could be cut out in a disc of metal or opague substance and at
the back, or in front of this glass of the requisite colour can be placed, and the
lamp shining through would illuminate the signals.
Dated this 16th day of August 1892.
W. M. LLEWELLIN, C.E.,
15, King Square, Bristol, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Route Indicating Signals.
I CHARLES EDWARD HISCOCK 45 College Street The Park, Salisbury Fireman
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 relates to certain improvements in the methods of signalling and
may be used for locomotives, engines railways and for any other purpose where
such signals hereinafter described are required.
In order to better explain my invention I annex hereto one sheet of explanatory
drawings which are to be read herewith and taken as part of these presents and I
have marked the same with letters of reference like letters of reference are for
corresponding parts in each of the figures.
Figure 1. shows an elevation of the signal device closed.
Figure 2. shows an elevation of the device with cover open.
Figure 3. shows a side view of the device.
Figure 4. shows a plan of the device.
Figure 5. shows an elevation of a certain part of the device hereinafter referred
to as the signal carrier.
Figure 6. shows an elevation of the signal carrier with signal discs mounted and
adjusted ready to be put in position for displaying.
On referring to Figure 1 Sheet 1 A is an outside casing made of metal or any
suitable material which will be hereinafter referred to as the casing which is hinged
at B and fastened by a clasp or any other suitable fastening at C. D is the handle
for the convenience of carrying the device which may be fastened to the casing by
screws rivets or any other well known means. E is a disc or other suitably shaped
plate, but will be hereinafter referred to as the disc. This disc may have an
incised or cut out pattern in it in the drawing a star shaped pattern is shown, the
borders or uncut out part of the incised disc may be variously coloured. The disc
can be used either by itself or in combination with other discs or designs as a
signal. Each of the discs may have a different colour or the disc may be painted
one colour on one side and another colour on the other side or there may be different
designs painted on each side. In order to prevent the discs when in the casing
from falling out a guard rim L is provided which overlaps the edges of the discs
when placed in the casing the inside edge of rim is a little smaller than the diameter
of the discs. From the foregoing description it will thus be seen that if the disc
with the star incised in it is nearest to the eye of the observer and a different
coloured disc is placed behind it say red the pattern of signal shown will be a red
star, and if the rest of the incised plate be coloured black, the red star will be
shown on a black ground.
On the other hand if a black disc is put behind the incised disc and the margin
of the incised disc is coloured white the design the observer will see will be a black
star on a white ground in the place of metallic plates when it is desirable to show
an illuminated signal different coloured glass or any other suitable transparent
medium may be used alone or in combination with the incised metallic discs and if
a light is then placed so as to shine through the coloured glass or other transparent
medium and the pattern of the incised plate is a star the design that will meet the
eye of the observer will be a red or coloured star according to the tint of glass
disc used. The metal disc may be painted different colours each side so that two
discs when one of them is an incised disc may make more than one combination or
pattern for signalling purposes, or one disc may be used to show two patterns one
on the obverse and one on the reverse side using a numismatic expression.
Referring to Figure 2. Sheet 1. A is the casing shown open it is hinged at B

page_text: and fastened at C. E is the star or other shaped disc F is the disc carrier herein-
after referred to as the carrier which is composed of metal or any other suitable
material and is for more readily handling the discs in manner as hereinafter
described in the carrier are placed the discs it is desired to show and it also holds
a reserve of other discs that may from time to time be required.
Figure 3. is a side view of the casing A showing the lamp R in a position for
illuminating the transparent signals. G is a signal bracket which is fixed in the
signal socket attached to the vehicle or to anything it is desired to show the signal
from.
Figure 4 is a plan of the casing A. in which G is the signal bracket and K the
lamp, the parts denoted by other letters being previously described.
Figure 5. is an elevation of the carrier shown empty in which the discs are
arranged before being put in the casing A to which is attached a handle H for
lifting the carrier. The carrier is a plate made any required shape and is used for
placing the discs upon and holding them in position by means of pegs or projec-
tions IJ these keep the discs from falling off the carrier. It having been decided
what design to show for a signal the requisite coloured discs are placed in their
proper position.
Figure 6. shows the discs arranged in the carrier ready for placing in the disc
casing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. Placing one or more discs in a casing in manner as herein before described.
2. I claim combining incised and non incised opague discs to show one or more
different designs for signalling purposes.
3. I claim employing transparent discs which can be illuminated in manner as
hereinbefore described so as to show various designs.
4. I claim the combination of opague discs of various designs incised and non
incised and transparent discs of various tints in combination with incised discs.
5. I claim the use of a casing which is used in the combination of such discs.
6. I claim the use of the casing showing discs of various colours with any
combination of disccs as required.
7. I claim the combination of two or more discs to form distinctive patterns.
Dated this 16th day of June 1893.
W. M. LLEWELLIN, C.E.,
15, King Square, Bristol, Agent for Applicant.