Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Fog Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
CUMI LETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Fog Signalling
on Railways.
I, JAMES ROYLE of 4 Devonshire Street Higher Broughton Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Agent, 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 the method of and apparatus for producing audible
signals on railways during fogs, and its object is to enable the signals to be
controlled by the signal-man in the signal-box, and thus to dispense with the
services of "foggers" and to avoid the danger and delay which occurs in the case
of sudden fogs.
In apparatus constructed according to these improvements a lever is arranged
alongside one of the rails of the permanent way in such a position that when the
apparatus is in use, one end of the lever will be depressed by the wheels of the
locomotive or vehicles passing along the rails. This lever is mounted upon a shaft
carried in suitable bearings through which shaft the lever is connected with the
hammer of a gong or with some other means for producing an audible signal by
suitable arms rods and links. The shaft or its connections are counterweighted so
as to be normally in the working position with the lever elevated into the path of
some part of the wheels. They are also connected with the signal wire or chain
rod or cord by means of which the ordinary semaphore or other signal is worked,
so that when that signal is placed at danger, the apparatus will be put into action,
and when the signal wire is pulled, to put the semaphore at safety, the apparatus is
thereby pulled out of action. This part of the apparatus may be placed at or near
the distant signal, and it may be duplicated or triplicated if desired in such positions
as may be expedient. Another part of the apparatus is placed at or near the home
signal, and it also may if desired be duplicated or triplicated. This part consists
of a drum mounted on a shaft and geared with or to the signal wire so as to be
rotated by the motion of the wire. On the same shaft there is mounted a chain
wheel geared with a disc to which are attached fly hammers which when the drum
is rotated, fly out and successively strike a gong placed above. Hence when the
signal wire is moved the gong will be sounded, but as this sound is intended as a
safety signal it is necessary that it should sound only when the signal wire is pulled
to lower the semaphore. For this purpose one of the wheels may be driven by a
click or pawl so that it can be rotated in one direction only. Any suitable audible
signals may if desired be substituted for the gong.
I will more particularly describe my said invention with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 represents an elevation of that part of the apparatus which is employed
at or near the distant signal;
Figure 2, an elevation of the apparatus used at or near the home signal; and,
Figure 3, a sectional plan of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 2; and,
Figures 5 and 6, partial front and side views respectively of the upper part of
the apparatus used at the home signal, drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the arrangement of the whole
apparatus.
In each of the figures, in which they are represented, similar parts and details
are denoted by similar letters of reference.
A is the rail or metal in proximity with which the actuating lever B is mounted
near the end of the shaft C which is carried in suitable bearings such as D E. one

page_text: of which, D, may be formed on one side of the shallow open topped metal box Fin
which the lever works. On the shaft C, at a sufficient distance from the rail to be
quite clear of the locomotives and vehicles, there is fixed an arm G to which is
pinned the articulated link H, the upper end of which is pinned to the second arm I
pivoted at J, the other end of which is in contact with an extension K of the
hammer L. This hammer is arranged in such a manner that when the point of the
lever B is depressed and the link and arms are consequently lifted, the hammer will
be caused to strike the gong M. The signal wire, or a wire connected therewith,
aś N, is secured to the link H, to which the counterweight O is also connected by
the rod P. Thus, when the signal wire is released, placing the signal at danger,
the counterweight falls, and the lever arms and link take the positions indicated
by the dotted outlines. The upper part of the lever B is then about level with the
top face of the rail and the flange of every wheel which passes along the rail will
depress the lever. For every such depression of the lever the gong will be struck,
thus calling the attention of the driver and guards to the fact that the signal is at
danger when this signal is invisible owing to fog or from any other cause.
It will be obvious that any other suitable audible signal may be substituted for
the gong if desired, and that the existing signal counterweight may in some cases
be substituted for the counterweight (.
The post to which the apparatus is connected may be the ordinary distant
signal post or an independent post.
To provide for the adjustment of the link H, the arms may be perforated as
indicated, or they may have equivalent longitudinal slots.
The means for communicating the motion of the lever B to the audible signal,
and the position of this signal may be modified to suit local requirements.
The apparatus which may be employed at or near the home signal may be
mounted on that signal post or on an equivalent post q. In a fixing R fixed on the
lower part of the post there is mounted in suitable bearings the shaft S upon which
are fixed the drum T and the wheel U. This wheel is geared, preferably by means
of a chain, with the smaller wheel V which may be cast in one with the toothed
wheel W, both of them being mounted to rotate on the stud X fixed in the
bracket Y. The toothed wheel W gears with the pinion Z which, with the disc Z¹
rotates on a stud parallel with the stud X. On the disc Z' fly hammers L' are
pivoted below the gong M, so that when the apparatus is put in motion, the
hammers will fly outwards and successively strike the gong.
The signal wire cord or chain N, or a branch from such wire, is passed once or
twice around the drum T, so that when the signal wire is pulled or released the
drum will be rotated through part of a turn. This rotation will be multiplied and
communicated to the fly hammers, producing an audible signal when the signal wire
is moved. But as this apparatus is intended to give an audible signal only at the
moment when the signal is pulled down to safety, means are employed to prevent
the motion of the drum being communicated to the fly hammers except by or upon
this operation. For this purpose, instead of casting the wheels V W in one, they
may be cast separately and mounted to rotate on the stud X. The wheel V carries
an armi v on the end of which is a stud carrying a click v¹ engaging with the teeth
of the wheel W, with which there also engages the click to mounted on a fixed
stud. Hence the wheel W can be rotated only in the direction indicated by the
arrow, and when the wheel V is rotated in the same direction. This is the
direction of rotation produced by the motion of the signal wire when the signal is
pulled down to the safety position.
In the diagrammatic view, the apparatus at or near the distant signal is denoted
at d and that at the home signal at h.
Let it be assumed that it is desired to stop an approaching train. The signals
are released in the usual manner so that the semaphore arm comes to "danger."
By the same action the apparatus assumes the positions indicated by the dotted
outlines, and the wheels of the approaching train will cause the audible signal at d
to he sounded, as already explained. The driver then pulls up in the usual way, but

page_text: before he has come to rest he has approached the signal h. When the line is clear,
the signal-man pulls the signal wire in the usual manner and thus causes the audible
signal to be sounded. On hearing this, the driver knows that he is signalled to
proceed, and continues his journey.
In fair weather, or when not required, the apparatus may be disconnected from
the signal wire, and to facilitate this, the connections may be made by means of
hooks or other equivalent means.
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. Fog signalling apparatus for railways, constructed arranged and operated
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. In fog signalling apparatus for use on railways, the combination and
arrangement with a lever capable of being brought into the path of the wheels of
the vehicle and locomotives, of suitable connecting rods and links for communi-
cating the motion of the lever to a gong hammer or other suitable means for giving
an audible signal, a counterweight, and a connection with the signal wire or a
branch therefrom; substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In fog signalling apparatus for use on railways, the combination and
arrangement with a drum around which the signal wire or branch therefrom passes,
of gearing arranged to communicate the motion of the drum to an audible signal in
one direction only; substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. The hereinbefore described system or method of fog signalling on railways;
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of March AD 1892
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.