Pneumatic Railway Fog
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Pneumatic Railway Fog Signal.
FREDERICK ALFRED SLATER 3 Rosebank Road, St. Stephens Road Bow
London, E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
―
My invention applies to signalling on railways in foggy weather by pneu-
matic aid.
-An air receiver
A bell may be rung or a horn sounded by the following means:-
or reservoir, and a feeder, constructed similar to those in ordinary use for blowing
organ pipes or whistles, or a blacksmith's bellows, are placed on the sleepers
between the rails over which the train runs or other convenient position, a trundle
or roller being fixed by means of the usual journals and bearings so that it will
turn round freely with an arm reaching to the said feeder, and another arm on the
opposite side of the trundle attached to a plate which runs along and close to the
inside or flange side of the rails and just level with the top edge of the rails, so
centred or swung upon cams or other means that when the wheel of an engine
passes over this plate the flange of the wheels will press it downwards taking the
arm attached to it down with it turning the trundle slightly round and raising the
arm on the other side thus bringing the pressure upon the feeder, squeezing the air
out of it into the reservoir, the compressed air now contained in the reservoir may
be used to ring a bell by means of a tremolo bellows, a hammer being fixed to it,
within striking distance of the bell or a horn may be blown either of these sounds
may be a signal for the engine driver to stop his engine, I propose to give him a
signal to start his engine again by the sound of a whistle horn or bell, of a different
tone to the stopping signal, sounded by the same arrangement of reservoir and
feeder as before described, but placing it by the side of the rails and working the
trundle by means of a wire attached to the ordinary signal or it may go direct to
the signal box and be worked by a separate lever.
To pull the stopping signal off so that a train may pass on without sounding it, a
wire is attached to the trundle so that the plate is pulled down below the level of
the rails so that the flanges of the wheels will pass over it without touching it and
an escape valve is opened so that the compressed air from the feeder will pass into
the atmosphere instead of into the reservoir.
The air may be forced from the feeder by means of an incline placed on the top
or lid and an arm, rod or block fixed to the engine reaching down to the level of
the rails, with a wheel inserted to reduce friction, this incline would project two or
three inches above the rails, thus when the engine passed over the apparatus the
wheel would come in contact with the incline and press it downward and so force
the air into the reservoir; the feeder would be returned to its inflated or operative
condition by springs or counterbalance weights.
Dated this 8th day of November 1801
F. A. SLATER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Pneumatic Railway Fog Signal.
1, FREDERICK ALFRED SLATER of 3 Rosebank Road St. Stephens Road
Bow, London, Organ Builder, 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 an improved method of signalling in foggy weather, and

page_text: consists in applying a pneumatic apparatus which will sound a horn or whistle or
ring a bell on the train passing, if the signal is to be given.
In carrying out my invention, I provide between the rails or at the side of the
line, suitable bellows connected to a horn or whistle, or by means of a tremolo
bellows to a bell. The bellows are double, one being used as a receiver into which
air is forced by the other, a weight or spring being used to drive the air through
the signalling apparatus.
The bellows may be actuated by means of levers and a long plate at the inner
side of one or both of the rails, so arranged that the flanges on the wheels will
.depress it on passing and cause the bellows to charge the receiver. The plate is
mounted on pivotted arms so that it moves parallel to itself.
Instead of using a
plate and levers, the bellows may be formed with an inclined top, and an arm with
roller placed on the engine, projecting downwards, so that on the engine passing
over the inclined top is depressed and forces the air into the receiver. The wire
from the signal box is connected to an arın, which actuates the lever working the
bellows, so that when the signal is not to be given the wire is pulled and the
bellows closed; a valve being opened at the same time allowing the air to escape
to the atmosphere instead of into the receiver. In order that the wire shall not be
pulled, on the engine actuating the bellows, the arm above mentioned is not fixed
to the bellows lever, but actuates it by means of a projection on its shaft, so that
it is free to turn without moving the arm.
A starting signal is given by a somewhat similar arrangement, the same wire or
a separate one if desired, being connected to a lever actuating a bellows attached
to a receiver, so that a horn or whistle is sounded when the wire is pulled.
The horn or whistle must give a different tone to that belonging to the stopping
signal.
Referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan and Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations of one arrangement
according to my invention, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a slightly modified
apparatus.
1 is the bellows connected to the receiver 2 shown fixed between the rails, being
connected by a pipe 3 with suitable valve, a horn 4 being situated at the end of the
receiver. A weight 2 is placed on top of the receiver to force the air through
the horn or other signalling device. 5 is the lever used to work the bellows 1,
the shaft or rod 6 being mounted on one of the sleepers and having an arm 7
actuated by the plate 8 when the train passes over, the apparatus being moved into
the position shown in Fig. 3. The rod has at its end a projection 9 which rests
against the arın 10, to which the wire 11 is attached, when in its ordinary position,
so that when no signal is desired the arm is turned, and the lever 5 closes the
bellows, the arm 12 being operated at the same time, opening a valve in the
bellows. 13 is the receiver and bellows for giving the starting signal, being con-
nected to a whistle 14, a lever 15 with arm 16 attached to the wire 17 closing the
bellows when the signal is to be given. The starting signal apparatus is shown in
the drawing at the side of the stopping sigual, but it is preferably placed some
distance in advance so that it will be closer to the driver.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement with two bellows connected to one receiver, the
levers being situated on top instead of beneath, and the plate 8 inclined so that the
wheels will strike it with less force.
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) A railway signalling device consisting of bellows, a receiver and horn,
whistle or other sound producing device, arranged to be actuated by the engine or
train when passing, when the signal is to be given, and a device actuated from the
signal box for closing the bellows when no signal is required substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.

page_text: (2) In a railway signalling device the combination of bellows 1, receiver 2 with
connecting pipe 3 provided with a valve, horn or other sound producing device.
Lever 5 rod 6 with arm 7 actuated by the plate 8 depressed by the flanges ou the
wheels of the train, the projection 9, and arms 10 and 12 actuated from the signal
box, substantially as described and shown and for the purposes specified.
(3) The combination with the apparatus described in Claim 2 of a starting
signalling device comprising bellows & receiver 13 whistle 14 lever 15 and arm 16
actuated from the signal box substantially as described and shown and for the
purpose specified.
(4) The apparatus for railway signalling substantially as described & illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of April 1892.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.