Improvements in Apparatus for Electrical Sight and Sound Signalling on Railways and in Mines and Coal Pits.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL NIFCIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrical Sight and Sound
Signalling on Railways and in Mines and Coal Pits.
HENRY JAMES PEDDIE Engineer &c. Tynecastle Iron Works Gorgie Road E limburgh
I do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
From one pole of a battery, (or other source of electrical supply) in the signal
cabin, a conductor is led by the telegraph poles, or otherwise, to an electric lamp, on
the ordinary semaphore, from thence to earth, & also to a second conductor led any
desired distance along the line, between the rails. From one of the rails, which
serves as the return circuit, for the apparatus used on the locomotive, a conductor is
led to a powerful electric bell & lamp (with glass coloured for danger) in the signal
cabin, & thence to the other pole of the battery. On the semaphore there is a
switch operated by the ordinary lover & wire from the cabin. When the semaphore
& the electric lamp thereon show the "line clear" the contact with the conductor
on the line is broken. When the semaphore shows that the line is "blocked," the
"dangercoloured glass in the spectacle frame of the semaphore, is thrown opposite
the electric lamp, on the semaphore, & simultaneously, contact is formed with the
conductor on the line.
From the underside of the floor of the locomotive two pendant wheels rizt. one on
each side are placed so that one will always travel over the conductor on the line,
although the engine should be turned. From these wheels conductors run to an
electric lamp, with glass coloured "danger," and a powerful electric bell, on the
locomotive & thence to the axle (or it may be led to similar lamps & bells in the
guard's van or any of the other carriages of the train.) An alternative plan to
The latter, is to provide the guard's van or other carriages, with pendant wheels
conductors lamp & bell similar to that on the locomotive.
When the signal is at danger, one of the pendant wheels will travel over the
conductor on the line, & thus complete the circuit. The current will pass up the
wheels &c., to the danger lamp & bell on the locomotive, (& to those on the van &
carriages if the latter have them) lighting the lamp & ringing the bell, passing
thence by the axle & rail to the danger lamp & bell in the signal cabin, lighting
the lamp & ringing the bell, & so back to the battery. Thus both engine driver &
signalman, are effectually warned of the danger, by the signal having been run by
the approaching train.
"
.
Instead of one lamp, there may be two electric lamps, on the semaphore, one
with the glass showing line clear & one with the glass indicating "line blocked."
In this case the spectacle frame is not required. When the signal indicates that
the line 15"clear" the ordinary lamp is in use, & the contact with the
ductor on the line is broken. When the signal indicates that the line is blocked,"
the current is switched from the ordinary lamp to the "danger" lamp, and at the
same time the contact made with the conductor on the line.
::
con-

page_text: ramways.
In this case the battery, or other source of electrical supply, is in the engine
house.
From one of its poles, a conductor is led along the line, between the rails
of the incline. This conductor is about 1 inch higher for few yards, at the top & at
the foot of the mine or pit, than the intermediate portion. One of the rails. which
serves as the return circuit, is connected by a conductor with an electric bell & danger
lamp, in the engine house, to the other pole of the battery. On the front of one of
the pit hutches, there is a pendant wheel connected with an electric lamp & bell
also on the hutch.
OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS.
When the pendant wheel on the Hutch, passes over one of the higher portions of
the conductor, the circuit is completed. Consequently the electric hell will ring, and
the electric danger lamp will be lit in the engine house, thus warning the engine
keeper to shut off the steam. At the same time the bell & lamp on the train of
hutches, will warn those in the mine, or on the train, that the latter is reaching the
foot or the head of the mine. When the wheel is travelling over that part of the
line where the conductor is low, it will not touch the latter, & consequently the
circuit will be broken.
In the case of a mine or pit worked by a vertical shaft in place of an inclined
plane, the only difference is that the conductor is placed vertically on one side of the
shaft, & the wheel is attached to the cage, so as to travel over the conductor. One of
the vertical guides for the cage is connected with the battery & is used as the return
circuit.
Dated this 1st dow of August 1990
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrical Sight and Sound
Signalling on Railways, and in Mines and Coal Pits.
1 HENRY JAMES PEDDIE Engineer &c. Tynecastle Iron Works Gorgie Road Edin-
burgh do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to he particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
1
From one pole of an electric battery A, Fig. 1 (or other source of electrical supply)
in the signal cabin, a pair of leads a & b. run to an electric lamp, placed on the
semaphore S. The lead 6 is also continued from near the semaphore to a conductor B,
placed between the rails. From the rail C which serves as a return circuit a con-
ductor f. is led to the other pole of the battery. This conductor f. has an electric
danger coloured lamp & electric bell h, in circuit. When the line is clear, the
contact between the conductor B and the long portion of the lead b, is broken by the
switch d. which is operated by the ordinary semaphore wire e, from the lever

page_text: stand L. When the line is to be blocked the signal will be set at danger in the
ordinary manner. This will throw the danger coloured glass in the spectacle frame
of the semaphore opposite the electric lamp, in the ordinary manner as in the case
of the oil lamps, and at the same time by means of the switch d will make contact
between the lead b and the conductor B.
From the floor of the locomotive Fig. II (& if desired from the floor of the guard's
van, and any carriage of the train) a wheel i, is hung so as to travel over the
conductor B. From the bracket j of this wheel, which bracket is carefully insulated
a conductor jj, runs to an electric danger coloured lamp k and an electric bell k k
on the locomotive (and if desired on any vehicle of the train which is fitted with the
wheel & bracket) and thence to the axle.
Operation. Should the train "run the signal" at danger, the conductor B. Fig. I,
being in contact with the battery A, whenever the wheel . Fig. II, passes on to B.
Figs. I. II, the circuit will be complete. The current will pass up i.j, j, Fig. II.
to the lamp and light it, thence to the bell kk & ring it, & thence by jj to the
axle wheel, & rail C, Fig. I, & by the conductor f. to the battery A simultaneously
lighting the lamp & ringing the bell in the signal cabin.
Instead of the conductor f. Fig. I having the electric bell & lamp h. in circuit, it
may have instead, the electro magnet h h Fig. III. In this case the lamp & hell h
are in circuit with the lead 6, the the contact with the lead being however broken
(by means of a switch below h) when the line is clear. When the line is blocked
the magnet hh. will be magnetised & will draw the handle of the switch & switch
the lamp into contact with b. & thus light the lamp. At the same time it
will draw the lever of the electric bell & thus complete its circuit, & ring the bell.
"
,,
Instead of only one electric lamp with the ordinary spectacle frame on the
semaphore, the frame may be dispensed with, and two electric lamps used, one of
them having danger coloured glass. In this case, when the line is clear, the
safety lamp is lit, but when the signal is set at line blocked" the vertical rod
which operates the arm of the semaphore, is made to operate a switch (placed as
near as convenient to the two lamps) which will switch out the "safety" lamp, &
switch in the "danger" lamp.
The electric lamp or lamps on the semaphore may be dispensed with if preferred,
& the ordinary oil lamp used instead. In this case the lead a Fig. IV runs from
the one pole of the battery A. to the conductor B, and the conductor f. from the

page_text: When the mine or pit is worked by a vertical shaft, the conductor B Fig. VII is
placed on the face of one of the guides B B. The other guide C serves as the return
circuit. The cage Z has wheels which travel over B & C. When they pass on to
the portions S& S. which project an inch or so beyond the intermediate stretch, the
airot is comulato
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In cases VII & VIII the lamp & bell Figs. VI & VII, may be dispensed with
and an electro magnet Fig. VIII. placed in circuit instead. The electric lamp &
bell, will then be placed close to the lead a. with a switch as described under
heading III. When the current magnetises the magnet r. it will operate the lamp
& bell . in the manner described under heading III. In either caso if preferred h
may be placed on a lead from a separate electrical supply.
No claim is made under this specification for any particular kind or form of
battery, electric bell, or lamp, conductor, or switch.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The utilization & application of electric currents, & the electric light for
signalling on semaphores, on trains, & in the signal cabins, on railways, & for
signalling in mines & coal pits.
2nd. The particular system or methods employed by me, & the apparatus and
arrangement thereof, to effect this, employed by me, on the railway line, on sema-
phores, locomotives, trains, in signal cabins, engine houses, & at mines & coal pits, all
as fully described under headings I to IX, both inclusive, whereby the electric light
& electric currents are utilized for visual & sound signalling on railways in con-
nection with the ordinary system of sight signalling on railways, & for visual & sound
signalling in mines & coal pits.
Dated this 11th day of November 1889
HENRY JAMES PEDDIE.