Improvements in Railway Detonating Fog Signals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct.. 1897
Application, 20th NOV., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Detonating Fog Signals.
I, THOMAS JENKINS, trading as T. Jenkins and Company, of Moland Street, in the
City of Birmingham, Fog Signal Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to railway or detonating fog signals, and is an amplification
of former Letters Patent granted conjointly to myself and Samuel Illidge dated the
24th day of January 1894 No. 1513.
In the Specification of the said Patent, the independent charged cases are coupled
together or enclosed within an outer casing to form a single signal.
The object of my present invention is to combine two or more loose and
independent or separate cases to form one signal.
According to the said present invention, I construct the independent cases in such
a manner that they can be used in common together or one with another as a single
signal.
In carrying out one form of my improvements, two semi-circular and independent
cases, charged with powder, and provided with detonating adjuncts, are taken and
placed together side by side, with their straight edges coming adjacent, forming a
circular signal, the separate cases of which are secured to a rail by separate clips, or
by a common clip carried by one or other of the cases, which are placed upon the
rail in their longer direction, so that the tread of a wheel shall come upon both cases
simultaneously.
These cases are made with a flanged edge, coming either all round or upon the
curved side only, and if necessary the segments may be locked together by making
the overlapping flanges of the cases corrugated or the like, or by making the adjacent
upright edges undulatory or V-ed so that they key or lock together.
Or the bodies of these cases may be made of such a figure that they become locked
together when brought co-adjacent.
Where the parts coming together require to overlap, the one part may be set down
slightly below the plane of the other.
Or the independent signals may be locked together when in use by dowel pins
fetched out of the metal of the one taking into like sockets formed in the other.
In another form of my invention, I take two shallow circular or other shaped
signals and provide the top or crown of the one with a shallow sinking adapted to
receive a like-shaped foot or collar on the underside of the base of the other, so that
when the one signal is placed on top of the other, or socketted one within the other
they become coupled together.
These signals may be made interchangeable, that is, the crown or top of each
signal is provided with a sinking, whilst the underside has a dowel shaped foot for
taking into the sinking, so that when two or three of these said signals are placed
pile-wise upon one another, they are locked together and are collectively discharged
as one signal.
Each signal may be provided with the usual clip, or one clip may be used in
common for a number of signals,

page_text: I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular forms of
lock described, as sinkings may be formed in the bottom and collars upon the crowns
of the casing.
As a further arrangement, the cases may be gapped or sunken upon the opposite
sides, wherein which gaps, the clip for coupling the signals together lies. Thus,
supposing two cases are to be employed to form a signal, place the same upon the
metals with the opposite gaps coincident, then pass the clip of the top case into the
side gaps of the under one, when the cases become coupled together by the clip, and
if necessary, the clips may be made longer than usual, so as to bind two or more cases
together, as well as to hold the said cases collectively to a rail.
According to a further modification, two independent and shallow cases are placed
back to back and secured together by an annular or ring-shaped connecting clip
closed around the flanges. Thus to form the clip I take a shallow tray whose bottom
is pierced with a hole corresponding to the size of the body of one of the casings.
Two signals are then placed back to back, and dropped into the tray, with the body
of the one protruding through the hole therein, when by closing over the edges of
the ring clip, the independent cases are bound together. Or the adjacent flanges of
the two casings may be secured together by opposite or separate clips, closed cleats
or equivalents, or the same may be rivetted or pinned together, or one of the flanges
may be socketted to receive the flange of the other and turned over the other.
In order to prevent the cases skidding they may be made of a pyramidal or wedge
figure, and are also made as flat as possible for the same purpose. And in order to
create frictional adhesion between the rail and the signal, the same may be faced or
coated with lead or soft metal, or a paper, rubber or cardboard apron or a shoe of
glue or other gelatinous matter which would become sticky or tacky when damped
Dated this 25th day of November 1896.
THOMAS JENKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Railway Detonating Fog Signals.
I, THOMAS JENKINS, trading as T. Jenkins and Company, of Moland Street, in the
City of Birmingham, Fog Signal Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to railway or detonating fog signals, and is an amplification
of former Letters Patent granted conjointly to myself and Samuel Illidge dated the
24th day of January 1894 No. 1513.
In the Specification of the said Patent, the independent charged cases, are coupled
together or enclosed within an outer casing to form a single signal.
The object of my present invention is to combine two or more independent or
separate cases to form one signal.
According to the said present invention, I construct the independent cases in
such a manner that they can be used in common together or one with another
as a single signal.
In carrying out one form of my improvements, two semi-circular and independent cases,
charged with powder, and provided with detonating adjuncts, are taken and placed
together side by side, with their straight edges coming adjacent, forming a circular
signal, the separate cases of which are secured to a rail by separate clips or by a
common clip carried by one or other of the cases, which are placed upon the rail in

page_text: their longer direction, so that the tread of a wheel stan come upon word cases
simultaneously.
These cases are made with a flanged edge, coming either all round or upon the
curved side only, and if necessary the segments may be locked together by making
the overlapping flanges of the cases corrugated or the like, or by making the adjacent
upright edges undulatory or V-ed, so that they key or lock together.
Or the bodies of these cases may be made of such a figure that they become
locked together when brought co-adjacent.
Where the parts coming together require to overlap, the one part may be set down
slightly below the plane of the other.
Figure 1 represents a transverse section of such a pair of coupled signals.
Figure 2 is a top side plan of Figure 1 and
Figure 3 shows the independent cases separated.
a is the one case, b the other case, each containing gun powder or other explosive,
and in case of gun-powder a detonating adjunct c. Each case has an independent
clip a¹, b¹.
Or the independent signals may be locked together when in use by dowel
pins fetched out of the metal of the one taking into like sockets formed in the
other.
Figure 4 represents transverse section of a pair of coupled signals, locked
together by a dowel formation upon the one, taking into a socket or equivalent in
the other.
a is one case, with a dowel a, taking into a socket 62, of a second case b,
and with the cases independently provided with clips a², alike unto the
preceding arrangement, although a single clip carried by one of them may be used
in common for both of them.
In another form of my invention, I take two shallow circular or other shaped
signals and provide the top or crown of the one with a shallow sinking, adapted
to receive a like-shaped foot or collar on the underside of the base of the other, so
that when the one signal is placed on top of the other, or socketted one within the
other they become coupled together.
As a further form of my invention these signals may be made interchangeable,
that is, the crown or top of each signal is provided with a sinking, whilst the under
side has a dowel shaped foot for taking into the sinking, so that when two or three
of these said signals are placed pile-wise upon one another, they are locked together
and are collectively discharged as one signal.
Each signal may be provided with the usual clip, or one clip may be used in
common for a number of signals.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section of such an interchangeable case a, and
Figure 6 a plan of same provided with powder or other explosive material d,
and detonating adjunct consisting of cap and nipple c.
The crown of the case
has a sinking al, corresponding to the dowel foot a², upon the underside a³.
Figure 7 represents a modified form of this last named part of my invention,
showing a pair of identical cases coupled together to form a single signal.
Each case a, is filled with explosive material, and when gun or like powder is
employed then the same is inside fitted with detonating adjuncts c, whilst the
crown has
a dowel shaped extension a2, and the underside a socket a¹, for
receiving the dowel of an adjacent case when two are placed together. The cases
inay have the usual clips for attaching them to the rails.
Figure 8 represents a further modified form in which one case is made to socket
into the other and form a single signal..
Figure 9 represents a vertical section of Figure 8.
Figure 10 represents vertical sections of the cases separated.
A clip is preferably attached to the outer case, although clips may be attached
to both cases.
As
a further arrangement, the cases may be gapped or sunken across
middles, wherein which gaps, the clip for coupling the signals together lies,
their

page_text: Figure 11 represents a section of such a signal and Figure 12 is a plan of same,
without the strap or clip.
a is the casing made up of two shells a, a, with the boundary edges closed at a",
and with the middle part gapped or cleft at a7, separating the said casing into two
chambers a, a, each having separate detonacing adjuncts a. Taking into the
gap a', is a clip d. These signals may be used independently as duplex signals or
two may be placed together as in Figure 13.
According to a further modification, two independent and shallow cases are placed
back to back and secured together by an annular or ring-shaped connecting clip
closed around the flanges. Thus to form the clip I take a shallow tray whose botto.n
is pierced with a hole corresponding to the size of the body of one of the casings.
Two signals are then placed back to back, and dropped into the tray, with the
body of the one protruding through the hole therein, when by closing over the edges
of the ring clip, the independent cases are bound together.
Figure 14 represents a pair of cases coupled together by a circular union
clip. consisting of a shallow and pierced tray, into which the flanges of the cases
lie and are secured by a turning over or closing process.
Figure 15 represents a plan of the union clip separately.
Figure 16 represents a section of the same on the dotted line a, Figure 15,
before the flanges of the separate cases are secured.
a is the one ease and 6 is the other case with their flanges a, b, secured by a
circular clip d, which may be inade of soft metal, such as lead, so that a signal-man
may put two signals together to form a duplex signal, and turn over the edges for
connecting the cases together, by the pressure of the hand. The clip has ar
annular flange d', and a middle piercing d².
Figure 17 represents a modified form of my invention in which the clip has
ears d', instead of a continuous rim for turning over the flanges a, b, of
the cases a and b, in connecting the cases together. This clip or tray is preferably
made from soft metal.
Figure 18 represents a plan of a pair of signals coupled together by the clip
Figure 17.
These last-named forms of compound signals may be provided with the usual
sheet lead clips.
In order to prevent the cases skidding they may be made of a pyramidal or wedge
figure, and are also made as flat as possible for the same purpose.
Figure 19 represents an elevation of such a signal inde according to this last
named form of my invention.
Figure 20 is a longitudinal vertical section of Figure 19 and
Figure 21 is a topside plan of the same.
In order to create frictional adhesion between the rail and the signal, the same
may be faced or coated with lead or soft metal, or a paper, rabber or cardboard apron
or a shoe of glue or other gelatinous matter which would become sticky or tacky
when damped.
In order to make a perfect close of the turned-over part and to prevent the
ingress of damp, the joints may have closed or insertioned within them thin lead
washers.
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 :-
First In railway fog signals, the improvements in the construction and coupling
together of independent cases to form one signal, substantially as described and set
forth in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Secondly In railway fog signals, locking together coupled cases to form single
signals by the means and in the ways described and set forth.
Thirdly:-In railway fog signals, providing one side of the case with a dowel
or like foot, and the other side with a sinking alike in shape to that of the dowel,

page_text: so that when two cases are brought together they socket one within the other or one
over the other, and form a single signal as described and set forth in Figures 5, 6
and 7.
Fourthly In railway fog signals, chambering the underside of the middle of one
case to receive the head or body of another case, so when two cases are brought
together they socket one within the other or one over the other substantially as and
for the purpose described and set forth in Figures 8, 9 and 10.
Fifthly In railway fog signals, forming across the body of the case, a gap,
cleft or channel whereby the said case is divided off into two separate compartments,
substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth in Figures 11, 12 and 13.
Sixthly Forming a duplex signal from two independent cases, united together
by an annular soft metal or other clip, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18.
Seventhly In railway fog signal, forming the same of the figure of a wedge
or inclined plane, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 19, 20 and 21.
Eighthly:-The improvements in the construction, arrangement and combination
of the component parts of railway fog signals, substantially as and for the purpose
herein described and set forth.
THOMAS JENKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.