Improvements in Detonator Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Detonator Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BONSER, of Colebrooke House, 29 Highbury New Park, in
he County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to detonator signalling apparatus for railways and has for
ts object the provision of means for warning the driver of the train and the signal-
man when the former overruns the ordinary semaphore signal, and for facilitating
the placing of fog signals or detonators on the rail in foggy weather. The
apparatus is intended to be used in clear weather as well as in foggy weather, and
coinprises an arm placed by the side of the rail near the ordinary semaphore signal
The arm is
or some distance past said signal and detonators carried by said arm.
connected with the semaphore signal or the wire or rod for working said signal in
such a manner that when the semaphore signal is "pulled off" the arm is pulled
" the arm
away from the rail, and when the semaphore signal is allowed to go "on
is pulled under the rail or in a slot in the rail in such position that the detonator
thereon can be fired by the wheels of a passing train.
For striking or firing the detonators I provide a suitable pin or stud or two o
more pins or studs resting in holes in the rail. The heads of these pins or studs will
be below the level of the rail when the signal is "off" and will then not be affected
by the wheels of a passing train, but when the signal is " on "the said pins or studs
will be raised above the surface of the rail by reason of the arm carrying the
detonators having been pushed under their lower ends and in that position they
would be depressed by the wheels of a passing train should one overrun the signal
and thus be driven into the detonators, causing an explosion thereof. When
therefore a driver overruns a signal that is against him be will be warned of the
fact by the explosion of the detonator.
The signalman will also be warned at the same time and he can then supply a
fresh detonator ready for the next train.
To facilitate such change I arrange a large supply of detonators on an endless
band or chain or otherwise and provide the signalman with means for moving the
band or chain from his cabin in order to bring up a fresh detonator to the striking
position whenever one has been exploded by a train which has run past the signal
when the latter is at danger.
The arm carrying the detonators may be pivoted and moved to and fro about its
pivot when the signal is operated, or it may be arranged to slide, or to turn, and
be worked by a cam. or pin and slot, or by levers, or the like, controlled by the
semaphore signal apparatus.
I may so arrange that one detonator only is fired each time, or that two or more
detonators are fired. In some instances I provide caps resembling percussion caps
in lieu of the pins aforesaid for firing the detonators. In other instances in lieu of
the pin passing through the rail I provide a clip to embrace the rail. The said clip
falls into a recess in the rail when the arm is withdrawn from under it, and is raised
when the arm is pulled inward again. When in the raised position the wheels of
passing train will depress the clip and cause it to explode the detonator.

page_text: The apparatus may be so arranged! that an explosion of the detonator will be
utilized for replacing the spent detonator by a fresh detonator ready for the next
traiu.
Dated this 16th day of Anril 1905
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Detonator Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
·I, William JamES BONSER, of Colebrook House, 29 Highbury New Park,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 detonator signalling apparatus for railways and has for
its, object to devise improved means for mechanically placing fog signals or
detonators in a convenient position to be exploded by a train as it travels along the
permanent way.
My improved apparatus is intended to be used either in foggy or in clear
weather. In the former case it is intended to facilitate the operation of placing the
fog signals on the line, (which operation is sometimes termed "fogging") and to
avoid the great risk of injury to the men employed in such work; in the latter case
its use is intended to give audible warning to the driver of a locomotive and to the
signalman, in the event of the locomotive overrunning the ordinary semaphore
signal while the signal is "on," or at danger.
My improved apparatus comprises an arm placed by the side of the rail near the
ordinary semaphore signal, detonators carried by an endless chain or belt passing
around said arm, and. means for moving the chain as required to cause a fresh
detonator to take the place of an exploded one. The arm is connected with the
semaphore signal, or with the wire or rod for working the said signal in such &
manner that when the semaphore signal is "pulled off" or set to safety, the arm is
withdrawn from the position in which a detonator can be exploded by a passing
locomotive or train, and when the semaphore signal is allowed to go "on
" or set to
danger, the arm is placed in such a position that the detonator cau be exploded by
the locomotive or train.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention :
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved apparatus the full lines shewing the
aforesaid arm and detonators in an operative position and the dotted lines shewing
the arm and detonators in an inoperative position.
Figure 2 is a plan on a larger scale of the detonator-carrying arm with its chain
and appurtenances in an inoperative position beside the rail.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the said parts.
Figure 4 is an end elevatiou thereof, and shows the end of a rail and the striking
pin resting in the groove therein.
Figure 5 shows a portion of the detonator-carrying arm in sectional plan and
illustrates the means for moving the chain around the said arm.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of a modification hereinafter described, and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the said modification.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures.
A, A are the rails; B is an endless chain which carries a number of detonators D;
C is the arm for supporting the chain in such a manner that the chain can be moved
around the arm as hereinafter described for the purpose of bringing a fresh detonator
to the detonating position when required. This arm is pivoted on a fixed pivot C¹

page_text: taut.
and can be turned about said pivot by means of the rods that work the semaphore
signal. The ends of the said arm are furnished with rollers C, C³ around which
the chain B passes. The roller C is carried by a block C' which can slide end wise
in the arm C and which is controlled by a spring C³ that serves to push the block
outward so as to maintain the chain in a tightly stretched condition. In lieu of a
spring sometimes provide a weighted bell-crank lever for maintaining the chain
The detonators D are retained in position on the chain by spring clips d, d
or by other suitable means which allow of the ready detachment of the detonators
when desired. One method of supporting the detonator is by means of discs or
plates D carried by the chain. Other methods of support may however bé
adopted. For exploding the detonators, I provide a pin E arranged between the
contiguous ends of two rails, the said ends being recessed or grooved to receive the
pin as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The upper end of the pin is furnished with a
head E adapted to lie in a recess in the top of the rail so that the top of the head
is flush with the rail when the pin is in its lowest position and will not be affected
by the wheels of a passing train. In this position of the pin, the lower end thereof
projects below the bottom of the rail; the said lower end of the pin may be
furnished with a plate or head to ensure that it will properly strike the cap of the
detonator.
The pivot of the arm C carrying the chain B is so placed relatively to the rail
that when the said arm is turned about its pivot to the position shown in full lines
in Figure 1 one of the detonators is passed underneath the pin E. It is necessary
of course for the head E¹ of the pin to project above the upper surface of the rail'
when the detonator is underneath the pin so that the wheels of a passing train may
depress the pin and cause it to strike and explode the detonator. To effect the
lifting of the pin I provide the arm C with a bracket d' having a sloping or
downwardly inclined face d' which slides under the pin and raises the latter when
the arm C is turned to the working position and thereby enables the detonator to
pass properly under the pin. At the same time, the lower side of the chain slides
over and rests upon a fixed block F which affords a firm support for the chain at a
point immediately under the pin E to prevent displacement of the chain by the
downward thrust of the pin E when the latter is depressed by the wheels of a train
passing over it.
**
"
'
For actuating the arm C to move it to and from the working position I connect
it to the rod G that actuates the semaphore signal G¹. The connection shown in
the drawing comprises a link G2 coupled to the arm C and a bell-crank lever G³
pivoted at G to a fixed pivot, one arm of the said lever being coupled to the
signal rod G and the other arm to the link G. By these means whenever the
semaphore signal is "pulled off" to denote "line clear" the arm C is shifted from
its operative position, and whenever the signal is allowed to go on again, to
denote "line blocked "the arm C returns to the normal working position. The
position of the fog-signalling apparatus will be adjacent to the semaphore signal,
so that whenever the driver of the locomotive overruns the signal either in foggy
weather or in clear weather while the signal is "on a detonator will be exploded
by the depression of the pin E but whenever the signal is "off" a detonator will
not be exploded.
12
As soon as a detonator has been exploded it will be necessary to move the chain
so as to bring another detonator to the position where it can be exploded by the
pin E. This I do by means of a lever J pivoted at J' and coupled at one end by
a rod J to a lever in the signal cabin G, which lever is provided specially for
moving the chain.
The inner end of the lever J is connected to a block J, (Figure 5), which can
slide to and fro on a guide J' carried by the arm C. The said block is furnished
with a pawl or tooth J' which engages with the chain B in such a manner that when
the block is moved in one direction the chain is carried round the arm C through a
distance equal to that between adjacent detonators, and when the block moves back
**

page_text: again the tooth slides over the chain without moving it. The lever J is slotted at Js
as shown to allow the arm C freedom to swing about its pivot C. The lever J is
operated by the signalman in the cabin whenever he hears that a detonator has been
exploded, but not at other times, and thus another detonator is carried to the
striking position.
To throw out the spent detonators I provide a bracket K having an inclined
face K¹ arranged in the path of the spent detonators at such a level that the spent
detonators will slide up it as the chain moves along and in so doing will be
liberated from their retaining clips whereupon they will fall away. The supporting
plates D' are slotted as shown at D to allow the inclined face K¹ to pass properly
underneath the spent detonators. The chain is constructed to carry a number of
detonators, so as to serve a considerable period of time without requiring to be
re-charged. The whole apparatus is preferably enclosed in a box or case to protect
it from the weather.
In lieu of the oscillating pivoted arm C I sometimes employ a sliding arm, and
I vary the mode of actuating the arm as is considered most suitable for any
particular case.
I may so arrange that two or more detonators are fired at once, but usually one
will be ample for the purpose of effecting the desired warning Two or three of
my aforesaid apparatuses are arranged together when it is desired to give two or
three rapid consecutive signals.
In lieu of the pin E arranged in recesses in the ends of the rails I sometimes
employ a saddle to bridge over the rail and to operate in a similar manner as the
pin. In such a case I provide a depressiou in the top of the rail to receive the
crown of the saddle so that it will be flush with the surface of the rail when
the arm C is shifted from its operative position.
According to a further modification of my invention I provide for exploding the
detonators without necessitating any structural chauge in the rails. This! do by
means of a lever M Figures 6 and 7 hinged to a standard M¹ secured to the arm C.
Fixed to the lower face of the lever M is a pin M2 which rests on the detonator and
supports the lever in a nearly horizontal position just above the level of the top
surface of the rail. When the arm C is in an inoperative position, the lever M is
clear of the rail, but when the arm C is moved to the striking position by the action
of the signal rods as above described the lever M is carried over the rail where-
upon it will be forcibly depressed by the wheels of a passing train and the
pin M will thus be driven down on to the detonator causing the latter to explode.
It will be observed that the lever M will drop to its lowest position determined
by a lug M³ when the spent cartridge is drawn from under the pin M' by the
movement of the chain and it will be necessary therefore to raise said lever before
the next cartridge can pass under the pin. For lifting the lever I provide the
pin M with an inclined face N under which the detonators slide thereby raising
the lever M to such a height that the detonator can pass into a proper position
underneath the pin.
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. An endless chain adapted to carry a number of detonators and arranged to
travel around a movable arm controlled by the semaphore signal apparatus,
"substantially us, and for the purpose, specified.
2. The construction of the oscillating arm and chain substantially as described,
and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the oscillating arm of the means for raising the striking
pin substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
4. The means for removing the spent detonators from the endless chain,
substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 4th day of January 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.