IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAIN SIGNALLING, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wilman Wood and William Henry
Shakespear, both of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAIN SIGNALLING, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR THE SAME.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wilman Wood
and William Henry Shakespear at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th October 1875.
WC, JOSEPH WILMAN WOOD and WILLIAM HENRY SHAKESPEAR, both
3 of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAIN SIGNALLING, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in electric arrangements for communication
on trains between passengers, guard, and engine driver, giving instant

page_text: Waruing it Curiage gets on
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same times does not require adjustment when making up a train.
In carrying out our Invention we use,—
van at the rear.
1st. A galvanic battery on the engine or tender, and another in the
Almost any ordinary kind of battery or source of
electricity will do, no claim being made for novelty in the construction
of the said batteries. An electric bell is placed in connection with the
battery in the guard's van, and also with that on the engine. Two
similar poles of the batteries are connected through the draw bars and
couplings of the train. Electrically connected with each coupling hook
is a long straight or curved spring surmounted by a disc. These disks
in every carriage, van, and tender are made at exactly the same height
above the rails, and on the centre line of the train. The springs are so
arranged that when the train is coupled up the various discs press
strongly against each other. Round each spring we place a metallic
guard rail fixed to the carriage, and so arranged that when the train is
coupled the said rails shall not touch each other or the metallic springs,
but that when the springs are not in compression (that is when the
pressure of the opposing discs is removed) the springs shall press against
the rails. The rails at each end of cach carriage are,electrically con
nected by wires or copper bands over the roofs of the carriages, but are
isolated from the draw bars, except when touched by aforesaid springs.
The last disc in the train at each end is connected with the remaining
poles of the batteries.
2nd. A rope extending through the carriage at the roof is tied at each
end of the carriage to the aforesaid spring, and in each compartment is
connected with a bell-pull. This bell-pull is so arranged that on being
pulled it raises a semaphore or flag above into a vertical locked position,
or changes a hand on a dial, or performs some other operation by which
the action of the occupants in thus pulling the rope will be recorded
beyond their power to obliterate, and by which the compartment from
which the alarm has come shall be at once apparent.
3rd. The manner of action is as follows:-So long as the train remains
intact, and the signal ropes are untouched, the two positive poles are
connected through the discs and connecting wires on the roofs, and the

page_text: two negative poles through the draw bars and couplings, or vica versa;
hence there is no circuit; the instant however a coupling breaks the
two discs no longer operate against each other, but fly back on to their
guard rails, thus establishing connection with the coupling rods, and
forming an entire circuit in each portion of the severed train. The bells
begin to ring, and both guard and driver are instantly awaro that some-
thing is wrong. If a carriage gets off the line, the two discs being no
longer opposite, they fly back as before with the same result. If a
passenger pulls the rope both discs on that carriage are pulled back, tho
springs on the adjoining carriages press forward, and touching their
respective guard rails form two independent circuits with the same
result. If the guard wishes to communicate with the driver, or vica
versa, he connects the wires with the same result. By applying the
Morse code or any other code of signals they can telegraph with each
other.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Josephi
Wilman Wood and William Henry Shakespear in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 10th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JOSEPH
WILMAN WOOD and WILLIAM HENRY SHAKESPEAR, both of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Joseph Wilman Wood and William
Henry Shakespear, Her special licence that we, the said Joseph Wilman
Wood and William Henry Shakespear, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Wilman Wood and William
Henry Shakespear, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a skeleton diagram of train; Fig. 2, a sketch of a carriage
and part of another with the apparatus applied. In these A, A, are the
discs attached to springs B; these discs are usually about 4 inches wide
and six inches deep, and oval, but can be varied to suit circumstances.
The springs B are connected with each other by wire c; E, E, are the
guard rails connected together by wire D and the draw bars F, or any
other metallic conductor, such as the sole plate, wheels, and rails, or a
simplewire. Z, C, are the two poles of the batteries; G, G, the bells;
H, rope I, bell-pulls in the various compartments; K, tell-tale sema-
phore that has been set by a passenger giving an alarm; L, L, similar
semaphores in their normal position; J, contact maker in guard's van
to throw off connection with his battery, and transform his van into an
ordinary carriage, as far as signals go, when the van happens to be
placed in the middle of the train.
We usually have a short rope with a loop at the loose end attached to
each disc on the engine and guard's van, so that when there is no
carriage adjoining, or the train is being coupled, the spring B can be
kept insulated from guard rail E by pulling the rope back, and placing
the loop over a peg or hook to keep the spring B in compression.
Having now described our Invention, and the best manner known to
us of carrying it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we
believe to be new and desire to claim as new under the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination of the disc A with the guard's rails E and
the springs B, or their mechanical equivalents, for the purposes
described.
2nd. Arranging an electric train signalling apparatus, as described,
so that by the fracture of the train, or a carriage getting off the line,
the circuit shall be automatically completed, so as to ring a bell (or
by electro-magnetism sound a whistle on the engine) at both ends of the
train.

page_text: alarm, if requisite, or keep the disc spring in compression, so that the
disc and spring belonging to the vehicle in question shall be kept apart
from the guard rail.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wilman Wood, on behalf
of myself and the said William Henry Shakespear, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 27th day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOSEPH WILMAN WOOD. (L.S.)
Witness,
R. M. EVANS,
Apprentice to W. P. Thompson,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.