IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN FOG SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stanhope Albany Say, of 23, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN FOG SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stanhope Albany Say at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1880.
STANHOPE ALBANY SAY, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN FOG
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus to be
employed in fog signalling on railways.
For this purpose I arrange the fog signals in an annular horizontal chamber
divided into spaces, to be occupied each by a separate signal, by arms projecting
from a wheel mounted on a vertical axis, on which is fixed a ratchet wheel
which by the aid of a suitable driver is operated by connections from the signal
box.
The floor of the horizontal chamber has an opening therein in which, according
to one arrangement, an anvil is fixed on the same level as the floor, and another
opening through which the spent or unspent signal is removed.
The anvil may however be placed a short distance below the floor of the chamber
and the signal be caused to fall thereon, in which case the second opening in the
floor of the chamber may be dispensed with, and arms from a wheel on the vertical
axis may be employed to remove the spent or unspent signal.
A hammer working over the anvil is employed to explode the signal, and such
hammer is worked by a lever fixed alongside the rail to an axis on which the
hammer is fixed, or on which is fixed a lever which works the hammer, the latter
in such last mentioned case being operated somewhat like a tilt hammer.
The signal man by the same motion that places a signal on the anvil also places
the lever alongside the rail in position to be depressed by the wheels of a passing
train, and thereby to explode the signal, and when a signal is not required to be
given the lever alongside the rail is placed in such a position that it will not be
operated by the wheels of a passing train.
I in some cases incline or bevel the lever in such a manner that the first wheel
of the train shall in depressing it to explode the signal also move it laterally out
of position to be acted upon by the succeeding wheels of the train.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Stanhope Albany Say in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
September 1880.
STANHOPE ALBANY SAY, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN FOG
SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus to be
employed in fog signalling on railways.
For this purpose I arrange the fog signals in an annular horizontal chamber
divided into spaces, to be occupied each by a separate signal, by arms projecting
from a wheel mounted on a vertical axis, on which is fixed a ratchet wheel which
by the aid of a suitable driver is operated by connections from the signal box.
The floor of the horizontal chamber has an opening therein in which, according to
one arrangement, an anvil is fixed on the same level as the floor, and another
opening through which the spent or unspent signal is removed.
The anvil may however be placed a short distance below the floor of the chamber
and the signal be caused to fall thereon, in which case the second opening in the
floor of the chamber may be dispensed with, and arms from a wheel on the vertical
axis may be employed to remove the spent or unspent signal.
A hammer working over the anvil is employed to explode the signal, and such
'hammer is worked by a lever fixed alongside the rail to an axis on which the
hammer is fixed, or on which is fixed a lever which works the hammer, the latter
in such last mentioned case being operated somewhat like a tilt hammer. The
signal-man by the same motion that places a signal on the anvil also places the
lever alongside the rail in position to be depressed by the wheels of a passing train
and thereby to explode the signal, and when a signal is not required to be given
the lever alongside the rail is placed in such a position that it will not be operated
by the wheels of a passing train.
•
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same
Figure 1 is a longitudinal side elevation, Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 is an
end elevation of apparatus constructed according to my Invention to be employed
in fog signalling on railways; Figure 4 is a cross section of the chamber for
receiving the fog signals, and of some of the parts for moving said signals into
position for firing; Figure 5 is a plan of the cover; and Figure 6 is a plan of the
bottom of said chamber; Figure 7 is a plan of the ratchet gear for moving the
signals into position for firing; Figure 8 is a transverse section drawn on
the line 1, 1, of Figure 2, looking towards the signal chamber, showing means for
preventing any forward motion being given to the moving arms by the force of the
explosion of a signal; and Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of parts showing the
operating lever depressed by the first wheel of a passing train and retained in such
depressed position by a detent to prevent the succeeding wheels from giving
unnecessary motion to such lever.
a is an annular chamber which is formed with a bottom a' and cover a², con-
structed as shown or in other suitable manner; this chamber is divided into spaces
to be occupied each by a separate signal by arms 6¹ projecting from a wheel b,

page_text: which latter is fixed to the boss of a ratchet wheel be mounted on a vertical axis c
fixed to the framing or bed plate d of the apparatus. The ratchet wheel b' is driven
by a lever e, and the latter is operated by a lever f which receives motion, when
required, from the signal box, through suitable connections attached to the end f¹.
The floor a' of the chamber a has an opening a³ therein, in which an anvil g is
fixed on the same level as the floor a³, and another opening a' (which is really a
continuation of the same opening) through which the spent or unspent signal is
removed.
The anvil may however be placed a short distance below the floor a' of the
chamber a, and the signal be caused to fall thereon, in which case the second
opening or part of opening marked at in the floor a¹ of the chamber a may be
dispensed with, and arms from a wheel similar to those marked b¹, but placed in
suitable position on the vertical axis c below the floor a¹, would be employed to
remove the spent or unspent signal.
I have not thought it necessary to give a Drawing of the above modification, as
such will be readily understood from the above description.
A hammer h working over the anvil g is employed to explode the signal; this
hammer h is fixed to a shaft or axis which is mounted in bearings k, with
capability of freely turning and sliding therein, and such hammer is worked by a
lever fixed alongside the rail on the shaft or axis i.
The signalman, by the same motion that places a signal on the anvil g, also gives
motion end wise to the shaft or axis i by the lever f, which is suitably formed, as
shown, to act in combination with the grooved collar formed or fixed on the shaft
or axis i, and the motion of the shaft or axis i in the direction of the arrow x places
the lever alongside the rail m in position to be depressed by the wheels of a passing
train, and thereby to explode the signal; and in order to prevent the lever land
hammer h from being operated by other than the first wheel of a passing train I
employ a detent n, which when the lever has been depressed by such first wheel
catches against the tooth or ratchet on the boss 2, as shown at Figure 9, and
thereby retains the lever in its depressed position until the shaft or axis i is moved
in the direction of the arrow z, when the tooth i2, by sliding away from the detent n,
is released therefrom, and thereby permits the lever and hammer h to rise again
into the position shown in Figures 1 and 3.
When a signal is not required to be given the lever is placed by the signalman
moving the shaft or axis i in the direction of the arrow z in such a position, as
shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2, that it will not be operated by the wheels of
a passing train.
I also, in order to prevent any motion being given to the moving arms b' by the
force of explosion on the firing of a signal, employ a lever stop or detent o to act
against one of such arms, as shown at Figure 1, and I operate such stop or detent o
by the driving lever e which works in the inclined groove or cam o² formed in the
tail piece o' of the stop or detento (see Figure 8), so as to raise and lower the said.
stop or detent o at the times required.
A weight ' acts to raise the lever land hammer h into position to be operated
by a passing train, and a weighted lever i acts to give motion to the shaft or axis i
in the direction of the arrow x, whilst the connections from the signal box to the
lever f¹ give motion to such shaft or axis i in the direction of the arrow ..
I would here remark that the alternative mode described in my Provisional
Specification of placing the lever out of position, to be acted upon by other than
the first wheel of a passing train, does not possess such an amount of utility or
certainty in action as to render it advisible to give any further description thereof,
and for such reason I do hereby disclaim such arrangement.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the node in which I
carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the peculiar construction of the various parts thereof, as such may be modified
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, but what I do claim

page_text: is, the general arrangement and combination of means or apparatus to be employed
in fog signalling on railways, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stanhope Albany Say, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
STANHOPE ALBANY SAY. (L.S.)