An Improved Automatic Night Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Night Signalling Apparatus.
We JAMES WOODS of 54 Winchester Street, Caledonian Road, Gasfitter, and HENRY
WILLIAM HATFIELD of 52 St. Aibans Crescent, Cranbrook Park, Woodgreen Tinplate
worker, both in the County of Middlesex 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 apparatus for automatically producing so-called "flashing
lights" and is chiefly destined for Railway night signalling (to shew a distinction
between the "home" and "distant" signal)-but may also be employed for general
night signalling on Land or Sea.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1.-shews a front view of certain additions to an ordinary eight day clock,
which additions, hereinafter described, constitute part of our invention. The only
details of the eight day clock shewn, are besides the case-A,-the back-plate of the
works-B-the supports F.-to which the part-B-is fixed by means of screws-b
the escapement wheel--the standards-S-and the pendulum-P.
Fig. 2. shews a top view of the same parts, but without the case-A-the
pendulum-P-and the Condenser-C-and wires.
Fig. 3. shews a side view of the lever L.
Fig. 4. shews. an enlarged view of a portion of the extra wheel f.
Fig. 5. shews a plan of an ordinary Railway Signal lamp, with additions (hereinafter
described) constituting part of our invention.
Fig. 6. shews a front view of a part of our invention, (hereinafter described) shewn
in plan in Fig. 5.
Like letters refer to like parts in all the drawings.
In carrying out our invention we preferably employ an ordinary eight day clock
(such as are to be met with in every Railway Signal box)-in which we mount on
the same pinion as the escapement wheel-e-and behind the latter an extra wheel-f
of the shape and form shewn in figs. 1 & 4.
By way of illustrating the action of this wheel-f-in combination with the escape-
ment wheel-e-we will. assume that a descent of the disc-D-in the signal lamp
(fig. 5) is required every 2 seconds. To obtain this we employ an escapement
wheel with 26 teeth (the usual number of teeth is 32 in 8 day clock escapement
wheels) and an extra wheel f.-provided with 13 teeth and of the shape and form as
shewn in figs. 1 and 4.
The time elapsing between each descent of the disc is regulated by the number of
teeth of the escapement wheel and the extra wheel-for the number of teeth of
the latter alone, it will therefore be readily understood, that the number of "flashes"
per minute, will be regulated by the number of teeth in the escapement-and extra
wheel-or by the number of teeth in the latter alone or by its size in proportion to the
escapement wheel, as the case might be.
In employing the ordinary eight day clock, the size of the extra wheel-when it
is desired to obtain a "flash" every 2 seconds, will be about th of the size of the
escapement wheel. Exactly in the proportion shewn in fig. 1.
To the left of the pinion carrying the escapement and extra wheel, is an extra
pinion on which is fulcrumed the lever L.-made of any suitable metal, which
carries at its one end the weight L, by which latter, it is regulated, whilst at the
other end, it is formed into a fork the prongs L" of which are made of platinum
and engage in cups M-made of any suitable metal and filled with mercury. These
cups are mounted on a piece of wood--which can be drawn out of its supporting
piece-N-by means of a ring.

page_text: The supporting piece n,-which is suitably grooved to receive and retain in position
piece, is fixed to the wooden supports F of the clock by a screw-(or in any
other suitable manner). In the plates M³ of the cups engage two screws each-
destined to hold the wires-W-of which one pair runs to the Condensor-C-and
the other pair to the nuts of the terminal screws T', which on their outside carry
the wires W', which latter run through a suitable battery and the signal lamp in such
a manner as to form a circuit.
Geared together and on the same pinion with lever L and behind the latter is
another short lever L1, which engages with its pin L¹¹, in the wheel--and by its
action raises and drops the lever L.
In fitting our invention to a clock, it is necessary to have an extra strong spring,
as the additional wheel and levers require extra leverage. In clocks, where an extra
strong spring to do this work cannot be inserted it will become necessary to have a
second barrel with spring and fuzee, with an extra train of wheels to drive the pinion
on which the escapement and extra wheel are mounted.
<<
The action of the levers shewn in the accompanying drawings, where the
combination and shape of parts are shewn, calculated to give a
seconds, is as follows.
"
flash
every two
With each four beats of the pendulum of the clock, the lever L¹¹ passes through
four different positions on wheel--and the lever L-being geared together with
lever L follows the latters movements-and the prongs L" of the lever L remain.
during two beats of the pendulum (one second) in the mercury thus giving ample
time for making contact and completing the circuit, whilst during the next two beats
the prongs remain suspended above the mercury cups M-thus breaking the
contact.
Where from the nature of the metal employed in the works of the clock, there is
any likelyhood of the mercury oxidising any parts of the works two springs of
suitable metal fixed to the metal plates M' and having platinum plates on their
surface may be employed instead of the mercury cups-to make contact. The
prongs L being so arranged, as to rub against the platinum plates in their
descent.
In fig. 5. the plan of a circular shaped Railway signal lamp is shewn, it is however
immaterial of what shape size and form the signal lamp is constructed, the action of
the apparatus will be the same.
It will of course be understood, that if a very big and powerful lamp is used the
disc-D will have to be larger in proportion and consequently the weight-V-
heavier and the strength of the battery thickness of wire etc.-must be in proportion
to the work to be done.
In fig. 5.-U-is a lamp case of usual construction-K-a lamp of usual or any
convenient construction, provided with one or more guides K₁ to hold is securely in
the case. The lamp may have a reflector at the back if desired. The aperture in
front of the Lamp is filled by the lens J-encassed in a suitable frame-y-u are
hollow tubes in which prongs on the signal post engage.-d-is a lever fulcrumed
to the weight-V.-D is a disc made of sheet metal, or any other suitable material
either round or of any other suitable shape and form and of sufficient size to close
the aperture before the light, when drawn down in position.
0 is a support for the lever-d-preventing it from descending too low. G, G, are
Electromagnets with cores t¹ t'.
Fulcrumed at and attached to lever 9-by means of a screw ¹ is a soft iron
armature t.
T-are terminal screws-W-the outside and W-the inside wires, completing
the circuit through the Electromagnet. Instead of the terminal screws shewn here
we may employ pieces of any suitable metal for making a circuit, when the lamp is
stationary, which is the case with most Railway signal Lamps, or we may use any
other suitable means for making a circuit-now in use, best suited to the circum-
stances of any special case.
Instead of having the Electromagnets, armature, weight etc. on the outside of

page_text: the lamp case as shewn in fig. 5. we may have them inside, where there is sufficient
space.
The weight V-is fixed to the projections 11 of the piece -(which piece is fixed
to the case in any suitable way) by means of screws passing through the lever-d-
and piece d¹ (fig. 6.) in such a manner that the weight balances freely.
The Electromagnet is fixed to the case of the lamp, by means of the piece l' and
its bolt.
When the circuit is made the magnets attract the armature t-thereby lifting the
lever 9-and the weight-V-consequently causing the lever-d-with the
disc-D to descend between the lamp and the lens, thus obscuring the light.
Immediately the circuit is broken the weight V-with lever-g-and armature, t-
falls down, thereby raising the lever d-with its disc and the space between the
lamp and lens is cleared.
Where signal lamps have to be hoisted up, they will have to be provided with
suitable means for guiding their ascent.
In describing here our apparatus attached to and worked automatically by an eight
day clock we wish to have it distinctly understood, that this was merely by way of an
example our invention can be worked with any ordinary clock suitable for the
purpose,(ie. strong enough and fitted with a sufficiently strong spring or other
arrangement to supply the extra leverage required)-whether 24 hours or 8 day
clock, as long as the number and size of the teeth in the extra wheel are made in
proportion to the escapement wheel and according to the number of "flashes" required
per minute.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1.) The additions to the works of an ordinary clock-suited for our purpose-
(and in connection with a suitable battery)-whereby we are enabled to make and
break a circuit automatically at strictly regulated intervals. Such additions consisting
of levers L, L1 wheel f.-mercury cups M-(or platinum plated springs in their
stead)-Condensor C-with all their necessary attachments and in their combina-
tion-substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the annexed illustrative
drawings.
2.) The arrangement and combination of parts in a signal lamp substantially as
described herein before with reference to figures 5 & 6. of the annexed illustrative
drawings.
3.) The arrangement and combination of parts, whereby an automatic "flashing
light" signal is obtained substantially as described herein before with reference to the
annexed illustrative drawings.
Dated this 11th Jo of Tune 1000