IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY SIGNALLING
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Henry Morris, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Gentleman, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY SIGNALLING."
PROVISIONAL-SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Morris at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1881.
HENRY MORRIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY SIGNALLING."
The object of this Invention is to give a simple and efficient means of signalling
between the signal man and the engine driver by the use of a bell or gong, and
conjointly with the application of the brake when air or vacuum brakes are
applied, whereby the use of fog-signals in foggy weather may be rendered
unnecessary, the cost of them and also the serious cost of platelayers' wages for
laying them may consequently be saved, and further, the use of the distance
signal with its original cost and cost of inaintenance may also be dispensed with if
desired.
In performing my Invention I place between the two rails and parallel with
them two bearings for convenience placed on the sleepers, which support a shaft,
at each end of which I place an arm or segment, the arc of the first one being
about three times the size of the second. On the shaft is also fitted a counterpoise,
so adjusted that when free it falls into a perpendicular position, and in doing so
raises the two arms on the shaft into the same line of contract with a (tappet) or
cam fitted on a shaft under the tender.
The counterpoise is attached by a chain, wire, or rod, to the ordinary signal wire
on the side of the railway and is actuated in a similar way to the one now adopted
with signal posts by the signal man, the effect being that when the signal man
pulls his lever to indicate the road is clear he raises the counterpoise into a
horizontal position, thus throwing both arins or segments out of the point of
contact with the cam on the shaft under the tender; when the signal is wanted at
"slow" or "caution"" the counterpoise is raised to an angle of 45 degrees and one

page_text: arm or segment only comes in contact with the cam on the tender shaft. Under
the tender a shaft is placed holding two cams, the second one only in case of the
engine travelling with the tender first, and on the same shaft is a crank or arm
attached to a connecting rod which is fastened to a rod that passes through the
floor and alongside of the tender perpendicularly, upon which there is a catch that
works the hammer of a bell or gong, so that when the cam comes in contact with
the arm or tappet the rod is depressed and the hammer strikes once when one arın
is in position for "slow" and twice when both arms are in position for the signal
to stop.
In addition to the apparatus for sounding the bell or gong I propose in cases
where air or vacuum brakes are used to carry a tube along the side of the tender
in connection with the brake apparatus, so that when the rod is drawn down the
catch depresses the handle of the valve so that the valve is opened and the brake
applied. The valve remains open until closed by the driver or stoker. The amount
of brake power applied may be regulated by the size of the valve.
It is also evident that in the case of electric brakes the apparatus might also be
made to apply the brakes with very little alteration.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th October
1881.
HENRY MORRIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY SIGNALLING."
The object of this Invention is to give a simple and efficient means of signalling
between the signalman and the engine driver by the use of a bell or gong with or
without an air whistle conjointly with the application of the brake when air brakes
are used, whether pressure or vacuum, or when electric brakes are applied,
whereby the use of fog signals in foggy weather may be rendered unnecessary;
the cost of them and also the cost of platelayers' wages for laying them, with all
the attendant inconveniences, may be saved, and, further, the use of the distance
signal and cost of maintenance inay in many cases be dispensed with.
In performing my Invention I place between the two rails and parallel with
them two bearings, for convenience bolted to the sleepers, or otherwise firmly
secured, which support a shaft upon which either one or two arms are fixed. By
means of a counterpoise fixed on the shaft the arm or arins are made to swing to
a vertical position unless the counterpoise, which is connected with the signal wire
at the side of the line by means of a chain passing over guide pulleys, be raised by
the signalman. As the arms in a vertical position signify that the road is blocked
it therefore follows that the signal must be pulled to "clear," and that if the wire
breaks the arms go automatically to "stop."
Under the tender a shaft is placed, on which are fixed two tappets or cams, the
second one only in case of the engine travelling with the tender first, and on the
saine shaft is a lever or arm attached to a connecting rod which is fastened to a
rod that passes through the floor and alongside of the tender perpendicularly,
upon which there is a catch that works the hainmer of a bell or gong, so that when
the can or tappet comes in contact with the arm the rod is depressed, and the
haminer is caused to strike.
In addition to the apparatus for sounding the bell or gong I propose in cases
where air brakes whether pressure or vacuum are used to carry a tube which may
be furnished with a whistle along the side of the tender, in connection with the
brake apparatus, so that when the rod is drawn down the catch depresses the
handle of the valve so that the valve is opened, the whistle soundod, and the brake
applied. The valve remains open until closed by the driver or stoker.
amount of brake power applied may be regulated by the size of the valve.
The
It is evident that in the case of electric brakes the apparatus might also be made
to apply the brake with very little alteration.
For additional security I propose to use two arms which may be worked by the
same wire at, say, a distance of seven to ten yards apart, so that two blows are
struck on the gong.
If the distance required between the two arms to give two distinct blows on the
gong when the train is travelling at a high speed be not too great both arins may
be placed on one shaft with one counterpoise in the centre to which the chain can
be attached, and if it should be found desirable to have the option of striking the
gong once for "slow" or twice for "stop," the segment of one arin may be made
about three times as large as that of the other, so that the tappet will come in
contact with one arm while it clears the other one, when the lever puts the signal
to slow.
When the arins are independent it is simply a matter of detail to work one in
contact with the tappet while the other is clear if found desirable to do so.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
፡፡
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, and Fig. 2 an end view of a tender, to
which my Invention is applied; on Fig. 1 the swinging arm is shown in the
position it would occupy when at danger" or "stop," and on Fig. 2 it is shown
at clear; " Figs. 3 and 4 are views of a swinging arm mounted so as to swing
parallel to the rails. A is the swinging arm; this arm, which is placed out of the
centre to avoid contact with any loose couplings, is connected with the signal wire
by means of a chain fastened to its counterpoise, as shown on Fig. 2, passing over
the guide pulley Q, and under the rail to the side of the line, and is worked by a
lever in the signal box in the ordinary way.
On the shaft B under the tender the tappet C is fixed at such an angle as to
glide over the inclined surface at the top of the arm A when it is in a vertical
position, by which movement the crank E also fixed on the shaft B is depressed,
and by means of the connecting rod F the rod G is pulled down, so that the spring
catch H in clearing the handle of the hammer causes a sharp blow to be struck on
the gong I. Immediately the tappet C has cleared the arm A the rod G by the
action of the spring K. and the weight of the tappet resumes its position with the
spring catch above the handle of the gong haminer.
The arrangement for the application of the brake is as follows:-
The pipe is connected with the brake pipe M under the tender, and in this
pipe there is a valve opened or shut by the handle N; a second catch O on the
rod G depresses the handle of the valve N, when the gong is struck and opens
the valve and puts on the brake.
When the handle N is pulled down by the catch on the rod G, the valve remains
open until the driver or stoker lifts up the handle N, and until. this is done the
whistle at the top of the pipe L is blown. The size of the valve may be so arranged
as to cause a gradual application of the brake, and if the brake is not wanted at
the distance signal the valve may be instantly closed after imparting to the driver
the knowledge whether his brake is in order or the reverse. The air valve and
whistle and the gong or bell may be placed in any convenient position, and if
desired the apparatus might be adapted to sound the steam whistle."
In the case of electric brakes it is evident that the action of the rod G may be
used in the simplest manner in forming or breaking the circuit, a small lever being
made to act upon the conducting wires in place of the valve handle N, and the
bell or gong may be sounded by electricity.
As an automatic test of both the gong apparatus and the brake, I propose to
place on the departure side of every terminus, and even at the locomotive sheds,
an arm A, see Figs. 3 and +, which swings parallel with the rails, and to which
no wire is attached. This arm, which has a light counterpoise, always remains in
a vertical position, except in the case of shunting, when it allows the engine to
back up to the train, but in leaving the station the gong is struck and the brake
applied. It is therefore necessary that the stoker should have his hand on the
handle of the valve N, which he immediately closes as the gong is struck.
If preferred the arms for signal purposes may also be made to swing parallel
with the rails, as in Figs. 3 and 4, instead of at right angles, as shown in Figs. 1
and 2, and may even be placed outside the rails with a corresponding arrangeinent
on the tender.
The arms inay be boxed over, as shown by the dotted lines on Fig. 2, the box
having a slot in the top to allow of the free action of the arm.
A second tappet D is placed on the shaft B to provide for cases in which the
tender goes before the engine.
As an additional security an electric repeater may be used by having an indicator
placed over the lever in the signal cabin, which shows a red disc when the line is
blocked, and white when the line is clear. The dotted lines at P, see Fig. 2, show
the position of a box containing a stud, which serves to break or form the contact

page_text: in an electric circuit between the signal arms and the signal cabin. When the
road is "clear" the stud, by means of a spring, is made to project slightly into
the open space in which the counterpoise swings, and in so doing severs the contact.
When the arm is in a vertical position the weight of the counterpoise presses on
the stud and so again forms the contact, and at once shows the red disc in the
signal cabin.
By the use of my Invention a great saving of time and money are effected, and
the employment of the swinging arins at every terminus and at the locomotive
sheds almost entirely obviates the danger of the brake being out of order without
the knowledge of the driver.
Having stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to
the exact details given, as they may be varied or modfied.
And I declare that. I claim,-
1. The swinging arm A operated from the signal cabin by which the tappet C
is raised, the rod G drawn down, and the bell or gong I sounded, with or without
the application of an air or electric brake, as shown and described.
2. The automatic application of an air brake by opening a valve, substantially
as shown and described.
3. The automatic application of an electric brake by forming or breaking the
circuit, as herein described.
4. The swinging arm A¹ for testing the signal and the brake automatically
when the locomotive leaves an engine shed or station, substantially as shown and
described in reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
5. The combination and arrangement of the parts forming the improved
apparatus for signalling and applying a brake, herein described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Morris, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
HENRY MORRIS. (L.S.)