IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Schofield at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1877.
GEORGE SCHOFIELD, of Railway Foundry, Elland, in the County of York,
Engineer and Ironfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in appliances for operating
audible signals on railways, or causing them to be operated by the agency of wires
or other connections, with a lever or levers in the signal "cabin," actuated by the
attendant; and for this purpose I construct at any suitable or required distance
from the "cabin" or station a vertical box or case made of suitable height and
form to contain the ordinary fog signals now in use; and just underneath the
bottom of this case I have a travelling slide or table, with a recess, or a number of
recesses formed therein, into which the fog signals from the vertical case drop when-
ever one or other recess is presented at the aperture or mouth of same; this said
table or slide has in the botton thereof a groove of corresponding size to the leads
or flanges on the fog signals which clip around the rail; grooves formed similarly
are made in the case also, and in such manner that the fog or detonating signal is
always presented to the travelling table in the right position for fastening on to
the rail; the table travels to and fro, supported on suitable bearings or guide
rollers, and upon it or other suitable part of the apparatus are formed stop pins and
studs for controlling the distance to travel in either direction of its movement, and
for operating catch or other suitable form of lever or levers which I employ for
bending the before-mentioned leads and clasping them around or into the hollow
of the rail, which operation is simultaneously effected with the movement of the
travelling table or slide, the forward movement conveying the signal on to the rail,
bending and clasping same firmly thereto, the backward movement bringing the
levers back into position for operating upon the next at the same time that the slide
or table is in position to receive into its recess another signal from the vertical case,
the backward movement being effected by counterbalance weight chain or equivalent
contrivance.
The forward movement of the slide or table is effected by means of connecting
wires to a lever or levers in the signal cabin. It will thus be seen that certainty
of action is obtained, and that the attendant has only to operate his lever in the
Pris 1

page_text: cabin to effect the placing of the signals on the line as often as necessary. I may
place, one, two, or more of these apparatus near to each, and operate them by means
of one wire and lever in the signal cabin by employing cam, tappet, or similar
appliances for communication with the series so arranged.
Another feature of my Invention is that I employ either on the vertical case 5
before mentioned, or in the signal cabin, an index finger or pointer, which will
indicate the number of signals contained in the case, so that the attendant bas
always before him the condition of supply in the case or cases, which can be
replenished as required.