A SELF-ACTING INDICATOR SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Eunnell at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th November
1861.
I, EDWARD FUNNELL, of 54, East Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,.
Watch and Clock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "A SELF-ACTING INDICATOR SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:
My Invention consists, firstly, of a self-acting indicator signal, which is
fixed on the line of railway, by which the driver of a train is apprised of the
number of minutes. which has elapsed since the previous train passed the
signal, whereby the driver is cognizant of the locality of the previous train,
and can regulate his speed accordingly; secondly, in the manner by which the
signal is made to move at right angles, and to retain the same position for a
quarter of an hour, or any given time after the train has passed; thirdly, in
communicating motion to a hand, by which it indicates the number of minutes
on a dial plate; and, fourthly, in the construction of mechanism, by which the
combined movements are repeated, being wound by a passing train, whereby
the pendulum is set in motion for a given time..
The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect is more particularly
shown on the Drawing hereunto annexed and as explained by the description
thereof herein contained, reference being had to the figures and letters marked

page_text: on the Drawings, corresponding with the figures and letters inserted in the
description.
A the lever (parallel with the inside of the left-hand rail) is fixed to axle B,
which is passed through the rail and prolonged through the square frames C;
D, D, is a toothed crank lever, fixed to axle B; E, E, is also a crank lever
(dotted) fixed to the extreme end of axle B, at the back of the frame C; F
is a pinion working into D; on its abour is fixed a ratchet wheel G; H is a
toothed wheel, which turns on the abour of pinion F; L the catch, which
moves on a stud fixed to H, and is pressed into the teeth of G by the spring j;
R is a pinion working into H, on which abour is fixed the scape wheel L; M,
is the pallets working into L, on the abour of which is fixed N the pendulum;
O is the locking lever, which turns on its axis at P, and rests on the stop at 1.
S, S,.the signal and rod, T is the signal locking disc fixed to the signal rod;
2, 2, are the bearings, through which the rod turns freely; U is a crank
(fixed to the signal rod) to which is joined the conducting arm. V, the other
end of which is a mortice which the upper end of lever E is passed through;
W is a rack, which moves-up and down through the bearings 3, 3, the lower
end of which rests on lever E; X is a pinion working in the rack teeth, on
which is fixed the hand h; Y is a grooved pulley fixed to the signal rod; P is
a small weight attached to a chain, and passed over Z, and attached. at Y;
d, the back of dial plate, and f, the front, which is divided for showing fifteen
minutes; P is a large weight, attached to lever D; 4, 5, 6, and 7, are pillars,
by which the frames are screwed together; 10 the signal post; 9 is a pin fixed
to ratchet wheel G. By reference to these figures and letters on Drawings it
will be seen that when lever A is pressed down by the wheels of the engine
passing over the top will wind the large weight P, whose power is transmitted
through lever E to F; H, K, L, and M, the pallets, which sets the pendulum
vibrating; it will also be seen that when lever A is pressed down will pull the
signal at right angles by the conducting arm R, and allow lever to rest on
the stop 1, thereby retaining the signal at right angles at T; it will likewise
be seen that when lever A is pressed down that lever-E-will-press-the-rack-W-
upwards, which will rotate the hand h backwards to O on the dial plate; and
further it will be seen as the pendulum keeps vibrating, levers E, E, D, D,
and A will gradually return, allowing the rack W to descend by its own
gravity, rotating with it the hand h forward, indicating the minutes till it
arrives at 15, by which time the (dotted) lever-E will arrive at V,-the-other
end of the mortice, as also pin q will raise lever O, and disengage the signal,
which will return parallel with the line of rails by the gravity of the small
weight P, lever & will also be at rest on the stop pillar 4.

page_text: Lastly, it will be seen that the indicator can be used without the signal, or
that the signal can be used without the indicator.
Fig. 2 represents an up-and-down motion signal; lever a, on being pressed
down as before described, raises lever E, and presses upwards the rack rod W
and signal rod S simultaneously; rack rod descends as before described, signal
rod being detained at L by O, the horizontal lever, and is released as before
described, whereby the signal rod falls by its own gravity and rests on lever E,
by which the signal is obscured by the dial plate d; 1 and 2 are bearings,
through which the rods w and s works freely; and are pins fixed to the
rods, and passed through the bearing 2, for preventing the rods turning round;
T is a bearing to take the weight of lever O. I do not confine myself to the
escapement shown in the Drawing, as various escapements can be employed to
give motion to a balance or pendulum, neither do I confine myself to the
precise shape or configuration of signal as shown on Drawings..