AN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN THE GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS ON RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1857

page_text: (This Invention received Provisional Protection, but notice to proceed with the
application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Lot Wilks at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th February
1857.
I, LOT WILKS, 18, Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex, Messenger,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN APPARATUS FOR
SIGNALLING BETWEEN THE GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS ON RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH
IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consist in a new mode of communicating by sound, or signs,
or silent signals almost instantaneously from the guard to engine driver.
To effect this object I erect a frame, pillar, or stand in the centre or to any
part or interior of the guard's box, or in any other carriage, to or in which
I fix a pair of bellows with ribs, also rod and stuffing box and valve, and. the
aforesaid bellows are to contain a spring or springs inside or outside, to be
supported if necessary by two small wheels to work on a rod or barrier on
each side; also two stop-cock whistles, one above and one below the piston
rod, as shewn at Figs. 3 and 2 (Plate 1), then to join on to the main tube or
pipeing. I also fix inside or outside of each carriage, more particular in all
fast trains, a pair of bellows with a valve in the centre, as shewn in Figs. S
and 6; also a handle attached, to be worked in an upward direction or other-
wise, and on each side of the aforesaid valve and handle, with or without two
stop-taps, so that in case any part of the carriage was to break, or if a carriage
behind I you was to get off the rails or break away, any passenger would be

page_text: able to give an alarm to the engine driver by turning one of the atoresand
stop-taps, as shewn in Fig. 2, and the aforesaid bellows and stop-taps and
stop-cock whistles to be made of metal, wood, air, glass, leather, india-rubber,
or any other tight substances, or partly of either.
My Invention also consist in a neat and contrived coupling link to be made
as follows: First thing, two pieces of metal are cast, then braized together,
if not cast or made in one piece, with a groove or grooves, to or in which ring
or rings for washers are intended to be used, which I call a nose piece; also
a tongue piece with holes, or groove, or otherwise to fix into the mouth part
of the nose piece, to be held and kept in by a screw or pin; also a handle
attached, then a piece of flexible wire tubing or any other air-tight substance
about two or three feet in length, longer or shorter, joined to the aforesaid tongue
piece; also strips of hide plated over, if necessary. One piece with the other
makes the coupling link complete, as shewn in Fig. 9, and to each carriage
is fixed inside or outside the tube or pipeing; at the end of the tube at the
end of each carriage a mouth piece is joined thereto, to which a spring is
fastened with rivets, or screws, bolts, or otherwise; also a box cast to the
aforesaid tube or mouth piece, or made separately to hold and contain a spring
to have a hand attached as a lever, as shewn in Fig. 9 and 8. Fig. 8 are
springs which, one or either of them, can be applied to hold and keep the
coupling link in a fixed position. Fig. 2 shew where stop-taps or stop-cock
.whistles are intended to be used, with or without. a lip or cup, as a weather
protector, with screw joints or otherwise. Fig. 7 are air.cylinders with holes,
slits, grooves, or such like contrivances near to the top, as may be required,
so as to allow the air, steam, or other fluids to escape, so as to allow the
valve or hammer to rise and fall; also a pin or socket to fix in or pass
through the centre of the air cylinder for the valve or bell hammer rest on.
Fig. 6 show how the self-acting valve or bell 'hammers are used or applied.
Letter A are intended for bells with or without a hole, so as to allow tho air
cylinder to passs through, so as the hammer may strike the inner side of the
bell; A, A, is a whistle with or without air vessels, also a cup or lip as a
.weather protector, with screw joints or otherwise, so as one or either of the
'aforesaid bells or whistle can be fixed to the inner side of the tender, or
'near as possible to the engine driver, or to any other carriage. Lettor D is
a hook; E is a protector for the nose piece of the coupling link when not
attached to another carriage. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 is a cylinder with piston
, and rod, and stuffing box and valve at either end, or to any part thereto, also
two stop-cock whistles or stop-taps, then to join on to the main tube with gas
joints or union joints, or such like contrivances.

page_text: Plate 2, Fig. 8, 9, is a mouth piece with a spring attached, also a block
behind or otherwise made fast to the end or any part of a railway carriage
with screws, or bolts, with nut, &c. 5 A is a screw ring or rings, with holes
for rivets or screws, to keep in place elastic washers. Figure 6, Plate 2,
are valves to fix to any part of the aforesaid apparatus, to be made of metal,
wood, glass, or any other substance, and all parts of the aforesaid apparatus,
as shown in Plate 1 and 2, to be worked or used jointly one with another or
separately..
The guard, wishing to signal to the engine driver or to a guard in tho
centre of a train, he suddenly pulls the piston rod or handle, or presses, and
by turning one or either of the taps or stop-cock whistles by the aforesaid
pressure and power applied, will force or exhaust the air, or allow the steani
or any other fluids to rise the valve or hammer, so as to strike and sound the
bell or whistle close to the engine driver.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I don't confine my Invention by
using one link or one tube for signalling on railway trains, or for any other
purposes.
I make use of my Invention on railways, private and public 'buildings,
board of steamers, sailing ships, mines, exploding purposes, diving bells,
omnibuses, and all kinds of vehicles, toys, and for engineering purposes.