Improvements in Apparatus for or connected with Conveying and Repeating Signals from or to Railway Stations or other Places, and to or from Railway Trains in Motion.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
TUATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for or connected with Conveying and
Repeating Signals from or to Railway Stations or other Places,
and to or from Railway Trains in Motion.
I, FRANK JOSEPH AGABEG, of Charanpore via Assensole in Bengal in the
Empire of India, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The said invention has for its object the safer working of railway trains between
stations, and to provide means whereby the driver has always before him in the cab
of his engine a repeater signal at the station next immediately ahead of him, that
is, indicating either that the arm of the signal is up signifying "Danger" that is,
that the line ahead is blocked, or that the said arm has been dropped signifying
"Safety" that is, that the line ahead is clear. The invention further providing
means of signalling to or from trains to stations, or vice versa.
The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1, shewing a general plan of the permanent way and electrical connections
and apparatus:
Fig. 2, an exterior view of a repeating signal indicator on the engine: Fig. 3,
shewing the interior mechanism of same, and
Fig. 4, is an electrical signalling apparatus for use by the guard of the train.
Referring to Fig. 1, of the drawings, P, represents a permanent way between
two stations, and D', D2, D3, and D4, represent double contacts placed between the
rails, say one mile apart. The said contacts may be placed between the rails at any
other distance convenient and there may be any number of contacts, but to illustrate
the said invention four contacts are only shewn in the said figure.
S, represents the signal at the station next ahead of the coming train; R, repre-
sents an electric current reverser connected with the electric battery B, by two
circuit wires W, and W¹. The said current reverser R, is worked automatically
with the said station signal S, by lever and rod V, and V.
L', and L 2, represent connecting wires between the said current reverser R, and
the said double contacts D', D2, D3, and D 4, and the said wires L', and L2, are
carried along the said permanent way P, by means of ordinary telegraph poles E.
When the arm of the said station signal S is up intimating danger, the wire L',
will be or positive as will be seen on reference to the said Fig. 1, and the said
wire L 2, will be or negative: but when the station signal S, is dropped or
lowered to signify safety, that is that the line ahead is clear, the current reverser R,
attached to the said station signal S, as aforedescribed reverses the electric current
in the wires L', and L2, with the result that the wire L', then becomes the
negative, and the wire L 2, the positive.
T, on the said Fig. 1, represents a train on the said permanent way P, and
attached to the locomotive is a spring lever having fixed to it two brushes insulated
rom each other made of copper or any other metal capable of conducting an
electric current. These brushes are so placed that when the locomotive passes
ver the double contacts D', D2, D3, and D 4, each brush comes in contact with.
ue piece of the double contacts D1, D2, D3, and D 4.

page_text: From each of the said two brushes on the locomotive is carried a wire to the
repeating signal placed in the driver's cab of the locomotive as next described. This
repeating signal is represented at Figure 2 and 3, Fig. 2, representing the said
repeating signal ready for use as seen by the driver of the locomotive and Fig. 3,
the inside mechanism of said repeating signal. The letter M, Fig. 3, represents
permanent magnet pivotted on to a shaft and able to oscillate, of which magnet,
N, is its north pole and S its south pole: E¹ and E 2, represent two electro
magnets arranged as shewn in Fig. 3; and H represents an iron armature which is
fixed to a standard J, as shewn at Fig. 3, having a pin attached to it which pin lies
under the magnet plate K, and is bent up through a hole in the said magnet
plate K, as shewn at I.
When the poles G', G 2, G 3, and G 4, are energised the said armature H, is
drawn down and the bent pin at I, is also drawn down and allows the permanent
magnet M. to swing to the right or to the left but when there is no current the
armature H, is kept up by a spring (not shewn) and thus keeps the bent pin at 1,
above the level of the said magnet plate K, and prevents the magnet M from
moving.
To explain now the working of the invention, it will be seen on reference to
Fig. 1, that when an electric current is picked up by the aforesaid brushes of the
locomotive from the double contacts D', D2, D3, and D 4, which are connected
with the battery "B" by the wire L', and wire L2, it circulates around the electro
magnets E and E 2, and excites them. The magnets E', E 2, are so wound that
when the station signal S, is up the poles G', and G 3, of the magnets become south
poles, and the poles G2, and G 4, of thereof become north poles, with the
consequent result that the poles G 2, and G 3, repel the north and south poles of
the permanent magnet M, and the said poles G, and G 4, attract and draw the
N poles of the said permanent magnet M, which latter magnet then swings
over or inclines with its N pole to the left and its S pole to the right, and so
remains until the arm of the station signal S, is dropped or lowered, signifying
as aforesaid "Safety," that is that the line ahead is clear, when the electric current
(being reversed in the wires L', and L 2, by means of the current reverser R,) is
picked up by the brushes attached to the locomotives from one of the double
contacts D, D, D3, and D 4, and is circulated around the electro maguets E',
and E 2, and the poles G', and G 3, then become north, and the poles G 2, and G4,
south, with the corresponding result that the position of the permanent magnet M,
which had its north pole swung over or inclined to the left and its south pole to the
right as above described, is reversed by reason that the said pole G', then repels
the north of the said permanent magnet M, and the north of the said permanent
magnet M, becomes attracted or drawn over by the said pole G 2, and the south of
the said permanent magnet M, is attracted or drawn over by the said pole G 3.
To the permanent maguet M, is fixed a light needle K', which plays in front of
a dial having printed on its right side in a coloured background (say red) the word
"Danger" or some other word or words intimating that the line ahead is blocked,
and on its left side a background of a colour other than that for the said intimation
"Danger" (say white) the words "Line clear" or some other word or words
intimating that the line ahead is clear. The top end of the needle K¹, has also
affixed to it a shutter which covers according to its position for the time being, one
of the two discs placed right and left of the said dial and respectively coloured red
and white or other colours corresponding with the colouring of the lower portion of
the dial as aforesaid, and so respectively indicating in conjunction with the
colouring and wording at the foot of the dial as aforesaid that as to the red diso,
that the line ahead is blocked or as to the white disc, that the line ahead is clear.
To insure a current of equal strength circulating round the electro magnets at
all points where the current is picked up, resistance coils are inserted varying in
strength according to the distance the contact pieces are placed between the rails
running from the battery or source of electricity.

page_text: To illustrate this, suppose that the resistance of the circuit to the furthest
contact from the battery of source of electricity is 20 ohms, and that the distance is
four miles having four pairs of contacts placed one mile apart; then the length of
the circuit to the nearest pair of contacts from the battery or source of
electricity will have a resistance of 5 ohms, to the second pair of contacts
10 ohms, to the third pair of contacts 15 ohms, and to the fourth pair of contacts
20 ohms. It would then be necessary to put in resistance as follows:
At contact No. 1.
At contact No. 2.
At contact No. 3.
At contact No. 4.
-
15 ohms.
10 ohms.
5 ohms.
Nil.
By this arrangement a current of equal strength will circulate round the electro
magnets of the repeater as required.
To enable the station staff next ahead of the approaching train to locate the
position of the train, a single stroke electric bell is inserted in series with the circuit
which rings each time the train passes a contact. On the bell armature or on the
armature of a separate electro magnet is a ratchet arrangement which moves
forward a circular dial on to which is printed numbers corresponding to the number
of contacts between the said station and the station from which the train is
proceeding.
To locate the exact position of the train it would then be only necessary to look
at the dial which would shew the number of contacts passed by the train on its
way to the said station next ahead.
. Having a single stroke bell in series with the circuit in case of a breakdown of
a train on any part of that circuit the guard of the said train can ring up the station
by prearranged signals and thereby procure help without having to walk back
either to the station from which the train has last come or to the station next
ahead, thereby saving time and allowing the station staff with which he is in
communication to telegraph and stop all coming trains.
As it would be necessary for the guard to know if his signal has been understood,
he has a bar in the centre of which is fixed a galvanometer. This galvanometer
is fixed in series with the bar, as shewn at Fig. 4. In this Fig. 4, G, is the
galvanometer, S, S, are contact screws. B, is a push button for making and breaking
contact: C, C, are copper strips for completing the circuit. D, D, are the contact
pieces located between the rails, shewn at Fig. 1, and A, A, are platinum points
for making contact between the pieces D, D. Every time the guard makes a
contact the needle of the galvanometer is deflected thereby informing him that
the signal at the station ahead has been given. It would also be necessary for the
station staff to let the guard of the train know that his signal has been understood.
The method is as follows:-
After the guard has given his signal which the station staff has read, the person
reading the signal breaks the circuit with the consequences that when the guard
makes contact again his needle will not be deflected but remain at zero until the
circuit is made again at the station. By this menus a code of signals can be
arranged by breaking and making contact by which the guard and the station
ahead can communicate with each other. Instead of a galvanometer a single
stroke bell can be substituted.
Dated thin 1st dow of Man 1906
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for or connected with Conveying and.
Repeating Signals from or to Railway Stations or other Places,
and to or from Railway Trains in Motion.
I, FRANK JOSEPH AGABEG, of Charaupore via Assensole in Bengal in the
Empire of India, Mining Engineer, 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:-
The said invention has for its object the safer working of railway trains between
statious, and to provide means whereby the driver has always before him in the
cab of his engine a repeater signal correctly indicating to him the position of the
signal at the station next immediately ahead of him, that is, indicating either that
the arm of the signal is up signifying "Danger" that is, that the line ahead is
blocked, or that the said arm has been dropped signifying "Safety" that is that
the line ahead is clear. The invention further providing means of signalling to or
from trains to stations or vice versa.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the drawings filed
with the Provisional Specification, in which,
Fig. 1 showing a general plan of the permanent way and electrical connections
and apparatus.
Fig. 2, an exterior view of a repeating signal indicator on the engine. Fig. 3
showing the interior mechanism of same, and
Fig. 4 is an electrical signalling apparatus for use by the guard of the train.
Referring to Fig. 1, of the diawings, P represents a permanent way between two
stations, and D, D2, D 3, and D 4, represent double contacts placed between the
ruils say one mile apart. The said contacts may be placed between the rails at
any other distance convenient and there may be any number of contacts, but to
illustrate the said invention, four contacts only are shewn in the said figure.
S, represents the signal at the station next ahead of the coming train.
R, represents an electric current reverser connected with the electric battery B, by
two circuit wires W and W. The said current reverser R, is worked automatically
with the said station signal S, by a lever and rod V, and V.
L', and L 2, represent connecting wires between the said current reverser R,
and the said double contacts D', D2, D3, and D 4, and the said wires L', and L2,
are carried along the said permauent way P, by means of ordinary telegraph
poles E.
When the arm of the said station signal S, is up intimating danger, the wire L'
will be or positive as will be seen on reference to the said Figure 1, and the said
wire L2, will be or negative, but when the station signal S, is dropped or lowered
to signify safety, that is that the line ahead is clear, the current reverser R,
attached to the said station signal S, as before described reverses the electric
current in the wires L', and L 2, with the result that the wire L', then becomes
the negative, and the wire L 2, the positive.
T, on the said Fig. 1, represents a train on the said permanent way P, and
attached to the locomotive is a spring lever having fixed to it two brushes insulated
from each other, made of copper er any other metal capable of conducting an
electric current. These brushes are so placed that when the locomotive passes
over the double contacts D1, D2, D 3, and D 4, each brush comes in contact with
one piece of the double contacts D1, D2, D3, & D 4.
From each of the said two brushes on the locomotive is carried a wire to the
repeating signal placed in the driver's cab of the locomotive as next described.

page_text: This repeating signal is represented at Figures 2 and 3. Fig. 2 representing
the said repeating signal ready for use as seen by the driver of the locomotive,
and Fig. 3, the inside mechanism of the said repeating signal. The letter M,
Fig. 3, represents a permanent magnet pivotted on to a shaft and able to oscillate
of which magnet N, 'is its north pole and S, its south pole; E' and E 2 represent
two electro magnets arranged as shown in Fig. 3, H, represents an iron armature
which is fixed to a standard J, as shewn at Fig. 3, having a pin attached to it
which pin lies under the magnet plate K, and is bent up through a hole in the
said magnet plate K, as shewn at 1.
When the poles G1, G2, G3, and G4, are energised the said armature H, is
drawn down and the bent pin at 1, is also drawn down and allows the permanent
magnet M, to swing to the right or the left but when there is no current the
armature H, is kept up by a spring (not shewn) and thus keeps the bent pin at I,
above the level of the said magnet plate K, and prevents the magnet M, from
moving.
To explain now the working of the invention it will be seen on reference to
Fig. 1, that when an electric current is picked up by the aforesaid brushes of the
locomotive from the double contacts D, D2, D3, and D 4, which are connected
with the battery "B" by the wire L, and wire L 2, it circulates around the electro
magnets E', and E 2, and excites them. The magnets E', E 2, are so wound that
when the station signal S, is up, the poles G¹, and G3, of the magnets become
south poles and the poles G2, and G4, thereof become north poles, with the
consequent result that the poles G 2, and G 3, repel the north and south poles of
the permanent magnet M, and the said poles G¹, and G 4, attract and draw the
N, poles of the said permanent magnet M, which latter magnet then swings over
or inclines with its N, pole to the left, and its S, pole to the right, and so remains
until the arm of the station signal S, is dropped or lowered, signifying as aforesaid
"Safety" that is that the line ahead is clear whon the electric current being
reversed in the wires L', and L 2, by means of the current reverser R, is picked up
by the brushes attached to the locomotives from one of the double contacts Di,
D2, D3, and D 4, and is circulated around the electro magnets E, and E 2, and
the poles G', and G3, then become north, and the poles G2, and G 4, south, with
the corresponding result that the position of the permanent magnet M, which had
its N, pole swung over or inclined to the left and its S, pole to the right, as above
described, is reversed by reason that the said pole G, then repels the north of the
permanent magnet M, and the north of the said permanent magnet M, becomes
attached or drawn over by the said pole G 2, and the south of the said permanent
magnet M, is attracted or drawn over by the said pole G 3.
said
To the permanent mugnet M, is fixed a light needle K', which plays in front of
a dial having printed on its right side in a coloured background (say red) the word
"Danger" or some other word or words intimating that the line ahead is biocked
and on its left side a background of a colour other than that for the said intimation
"Danger" (say white) the words "Line clear" or some other word or words
intimating that the hDe ahead is clear. The top end of the needle K¹, has also
affixed to it a shutter which covers according to its position for the time being one
of the two discs placed right and left of the said dial and respectively coloured
red and white or other colours corresponding with the colouring of the lower
portion of the dial as aforesaid and so respectively indicating in conjunction with
the colouring and wording at the foot of the dial as aforesaid that as to the red
disc the line ahead is blocked, or as to the white disc that the line ahead is
clear.
To ensure a current of equal strength circulating round the electro magnets at
all points where the current is picked up resistance coils are inserted varying in
strength according to the distance the contact pieces are placed between the rails
running from the battery or source of electricity.
To illustrate this, suppose that the resistance of the circuit to the furthest
contact from the battery or source of electricity is 20 ohms, and that the distance

page_text: 10 ohms, to the third pair of contacts 15 ohms, and to the fourth pair of contacts
20 ohms. It then would be necessary to put in resistance as follows:-
At contact No. 1.
At contact No. 2.
At contact No. 3.
At contact No. 4.
15 ohms.
10 ohms.
5 ohms.
Nil.
By this arrangement a current of equal strength will circulate round the electro
magnets of the repeater as required.
To enable the station staff next ahead of the approaching train to locate the
position of the train, a single stroke electric bell is inserted in series with the
circuit which rings each time the train passes a contact. On the bell armature, or
on the armature of a separate electro magnet, is a ratchet arrangement which
moves forward a circular dial on to which is printed numbers corresponding to the
number of contacts between the said station, and the station from which the train
is proceeding.
To locate the exact position of the train it would then be only necessary to look
at the dial which would shew the number of contacts passed by the train on its
way to the said station next ahead.
Having a single stroke bell in series with the circuit in case of a break down of
a train on any part of that circuit the guard of the said train can ring up the
station by pre-arranged signals and thereby procure help without having to walk
back either to the station from which the train has last come, or to the station
next ahead, thereby saving time and allowing the station staff with which he
is in communication to telegraph and stop all coming trains.
As it would be necessary for the guard to know if his signal has been under-
stood be has a bar in the centre of which is fixed a galvanometer. This
galvanometer is fixed in series with the bar as shown at Fig. 4. In this Fig. 4, G',
is the galvanometer, S, S, are contact screws, B, is a push button for making and
breaking contact, C, C, are copper strips for completing the circuit D, D, are the
contact pieces located between the rails, shown at Fig. 1, and A, A, are platinum
points for making contact between the pieces D, D. Every time the guard makes
a contact the needle of the galvanometer is deflected thereby informing him that
the signal at the station ahead has been given.
It would also be necessary for the station staff to let the guard of the train
know that his signal has been understood. The method is as follows:-
After the guard has given his signal which the station staff has read, the person
reading the signal breaks the circuit with the consequences that when the guard
makes contact again his needle will not be deflected but remain at zero until the
circuit is made again at the station. By this means a code of signals can be
arranged by breaking and making contact by which the guard and the station ahead
can communicate with each other. Instead of a galvanometer a single stroke bell
can be substituted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. The signalling by means of electricity, along the permanent way of a railway
between stations from the station next ahead of the locomotive direct to a repeating
signal fixed in the cab of the locomotive itself, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In the arrangement for electrical signalling according to Claim 1, a repeating
signal in the cab of a locomotive which at any distance between two stations

page_text: constantly and accurately repeats or shows the then position of the signal arm at
the station next ahead substantially as herein before described.
3. In the arrangement of electrical signalling according to Claim 1, a repeating
signal in the cab of a locomotive actuated by an electric current obtained from a
suitable battery and picked up by means of suitable brushes attached to the
locomotive coming into contact with double contact pieces placed between the
permanent way on or in any convenient position on the railway line at different
parts thereof between stations, substantially as herein before described.
4. In an arrangement for electrical signalling according to Claim 1, a repeating
signal actuated by two electro magnets and one permanent magnet by having the
electric current circulating around the said electro magnets reversed at will,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. In the arrangement for electrical signalling according to Claim 1, a repeating
signal actuated by an electric current obtained from a suitable battery and which
electric current is controlled by means of a current reverser automatically worked
by the lever signal of the type at present ordinarily used on railways.
Dated this 30th day of January 1897.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37 Cursitor Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.