Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Railways
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Railways,"
I, WILLIAM ANDREWS, of Camden Square, Camden Town, in the County of London,
England, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be ag
follows:-
This invention relates to electrical signalling apparatus for indicating upon the
engine of a train while in motion, the position of the next "Junction" and also
"Main Line" semaphore signals along the line, and, at the same time indicating
such position in the next signal box, so that the engine driver can ascertain the
position of the signals, and the signalman in his box can tell whether the apparatus
on the engine has recorded correctly, the position of the semaphore signals.
In carrying out my invention I arrange upon the engine of a train a specially
constructed electrical apparatus hereinafter described having two or more miniature
semaphore signals in the front portion of same, and also a suitable bell.
A similar apparatus is arranged in each of the signal boxes and is connected with
the levers which are used for operating the usual semaphore signals, so that when a
lever is moved to place the main signal in the desired position a movement is
imparted at the same time to a switch which causes the electric current to place
the miniature signals in the apparatus in a position to correspond with the main
signals.
An insulated galvanised pipe or the like is extended along the line for the
required distance near each signal box and is in communication with the apparatus
in said signal box.
Upon the engine aforesaid and arranged preferably beneath the foot-plate is an
insulated brush composed of about twenty (20) hard drawn brass plates. This brush
is in cominunication with the apparatus on the engine and is for the purpose of
establishing an electrical circuit between said apparatus and the apparatus in the
Said
signal box when it is in contact with the insulated pipe beforementioned.
brush is connected with a lever handle in order that it can be lifted back by
the engine driver, to prevent contact with the insulated pipe, when the signals on
the engine are not required.
" and
The apparatus which I employ for the signals say the "Main Line
"Junction" consists of two separate sets of electric magnetic contrivances arranged
within a suitable casing. Each set is provided with a miniature semaphore signal,
oue of which is used for the "Main Line" and the other for the "Junction." Both
contrivances have two complete electro magnets and armatures; to one armature is
fitted the miniature signal while from the other is extended two pins which are for
the purpose of preventing any movement of the miniature semaphore when the
electric current is off. As soon, however, as the current is on, these pins are drawn
in, by reason of the magnetic attraction, of the armature, and thus liberates said
semaphore, which at the same time is moved by the armature to which it is
connected to indicate the position of the main signals.
The insulated wire coils on the electro magnets in the contrivance used for the
"Junction" signals are wound with a different gauge wire to that used for the

page_text: "Main Line" and are also worked with a different battery so that only one
installation is used for both the "Main Line" and also "Junction" signals, instead of
separate installations for each signal.
By means of a suitable switch the electric current from either battery can be used
to work its respective signal as the battery for one signal will not affect the working
of the other.
Circular magnets are used in conjunction with the electro magnets beforementioned
for actuating the miniature semaphores in order that less battery power may be
required.
Testing wires from the signal box to the installation are suitably arranged so that
by simply pressing a button- the signalman can ascertain whether the installation is
in perfect order.
"Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Railways."
I, WILLIAM ANDREWS, of Camden Square, Camden Town, in the County of London,
England, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to electrical signalling apparatus for indicating upon the
engine of a train while in motion, the position of the next "Junction" and also
"Main Line" semaphore signals along the line, and, at the same time indicating
such position in the next signal box, so that the engine driver can ascertain the
position of the signals, and the signalman in his box can tell whether the apparatus
on the engine has recorded correctly, the position of the semaphore signals.
In carrying out my invention I arrange upon the engine of a train a specially
constructed electrical apparatus hereinafter described having two or more miniature
semaphore signals in the front portion of same, and also a suitable bell.
A similar apparatus is arranged in each of the signal boxes and is connected with
the levers which are used for operating the usual semaphore signals, so that when a
lever is moved to place the main signal in the desired position a movement is
imparted at the same time to a switch which causes the electric current to place the
miniature signals in the apparatus in a position to correspond with the main signals.
An insulated galvanized pipe or the like is extended along the line for the required
distance near each signal box and is in communication with the apparatus in said
signal box.
Upon the engine aforesaid and arranged preferably beneath the foot-plate is an
insulated brush composed of about twenty (20) hard drawn brass plates. This brush
is in communication with the apparatus on the engine and is for the purpose of
establishing an electrical circuit between said apparatus and the apparatus in the
signal box when it is in contact with the insulated pipe before mentioned. Said
brush is connected with a lever handle in order that it can be lifted back by the
engine driver, to prevent contact with the insulated pipe, when the signals on the
engine are not required.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention. Similar instruments are employed on the engine and in the signal
station

page_text: теат
WICIE
Figure
Casting remove
sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 Figure 2.
a is the main line signal and b a signal for a branch line or siding. The signal a
is pivotted at al and is worked by a pair of electro-magnets A A of elliptical form (as
shown in Figure 3) whose armature a' is fixed to the signal and works in the central
slot in the magnets. The armature a is magnetised by reason of its axis a³ being
between the poles of two permanent magnets A A. The signal b consists of a red
disc which when in the position shewn covers a green disc inside the case when
however it is moved to the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1 it is hidden by
the case and the green disc exposed. The signal b is carried on an arm pivotted at
6 to which is fixed a permanent magnet 6 (Figure 4) forming the armature of the
electro-magnet B. C is a magnet whose armature c is pivotted at c¹ and has fixed
to it pins which project through the case unless the armature is being attracted
and prevent the signal a from moving until they are withdrawn by a current being
sent. The armature c is not polarised so that it is attracted by any current. C' is
a bell.
Figure 5 is a diagram view of the railway and Figure 6 a diagram view of the
circuits in the signal cabin. d d are the rails, e an engine upon them, a conductor
at the side of the rails, which may either be continuous or in sections connected
together as shown and is a brush carried by the engine and in contact with the
conductor f. d and f are wires connecting the rail d anl conductor f with the
signal cabin. g are the switch rails leading to the branch line or siding. When
these points are closed they close a circuit through the wires g' g. In the diagrams
the switch rail itself is for the sake of clearness shown as the circuit closer but in
practice it would only actuate the circuit closer. I is a switch board fixed on the
back of the instrument in the signal cabin and h h (Figure 6) are two circuit closers
pivotted at and connected together by the insulating bar h. J is the main
line signal and J the branch line signal operated by the levers jj' which are both
inechanically connected in any convenient way with the circuit closers h h¹ so that
the latter are moved from the position shown in full lines in Figure 6 to the dotted
position whenever either the main line or the branch line signal is lowered.
K is the lever operating the points g and k is a contact maker mechanically
connected to it in such manner that when the points are open k is against the
terminal and when closed against 2. L L are two batteries the latter being the
more powerful.
The magnets A and C are so adjusted that they attract their armatures when either
battery is in circuit whereas the magnets Bonly respond to the battery IA.
m1 m² m³ m' are four terminals n¹ n2 n³ n four contacts on the board E, the
contacts n n are connected together and to the terminal m, and batteries whilst
the contacts n2 n³ are connected together and to the terminal m¹ and the other pole
of the batteries. The terminal m is connected to the contact maker h and the
wire d¹ and the terminal m³ to the contact maker h¹ and wire f¹.
When the parts are in the positions shown the circuit is from the battery L'
contact contact maker k terminal m contact n circuit closer h¹ terminal m³
conductor f brush el on engine, bell C magnets C A and B on engine, rail d, wire d'
to the signal cabin bell C, and magnets C A B in it to terminal m³ contact maker h
contact n³ terminal m³, wire g², contact maker at points wire g¹ back to the battery L'.
The effect of the current in this direction is to make the magnets C attract their
armatures and ring the bells C¹ but the magnets A and B repel their armatures and
hold the signals a and b in the danger positions.
If however the signal J1 be lowered by the lever which simultaneously moves the
contact makers h h into their dotted positions Figure 6 then the circuit is from the
battery L contact 2 contact maker k terminal m contacts n' n¹ contact maker h
terminal m² magnets B A and C and bell C in cabin wire d¹ rail & magnets B A
and C and hell C¹ on engine brush e' conductor f wire f terminal m³ contact maker h¹
contacts n³ ne terminal m¹ wire g² contact maker at points back to the battery L¹.
It will be observed that in this case the current passes in the other direction through

page_text: the magnets and not only are the bells C rung and the pins c withdrawn but the
magnets A and B attract their armatures and lower the signals a and b.
If the points g are open instead of closed the contact maker k is against the contact
k and the battery L is put into circuit instead of L'. Whatever signal therefore is
now given the signals 6 remain at danger whilst the signals a magnets C and bells C¹
behave as before the circuits being exactly the same except that the battery is
connected directly to the terminal m instead of through the wires g¹ g².
When two branch lines are required an additional conductor may be employed
the magnets A and C and those of the bells C¹ each having two coils one for the
circuit of each of the branch lines the arrangement being in all other respects as
above described.
Or a single conductor may be employed the signals for one branch line being
lowered by a strong current of one polarity and the signals for the other by a current
of the other polarity. In this case however the armature a² should not be polarised
as the signal a ought to respond to currents of either polarity the advantage
therefore of giving a danger signal by a reverse current is lost.
Or a single conductor may be employed with currents of three different strengths
but this is usually inconvenient although it has the advantage of allowing danger
signals being given by a reversal of the current. In this case the arrangement is
similar to that first described the levers operating the points each putting the weakest
battery out of circuit and one putting in the medium battery and the other the
strongest.
It is not essential that there should be a complete apparatus in the signal cabin in
some cases a mere indicator to show that a signal has been given is sufficient..
In place of having a single circuit embracing all the magnets and the bell (if there
be one) there may also be a circuit embracing only the magnets A and C and the
bell. In this case the circuits are made to pass through an electro-magnet so
adjusted that it attracts its armature only when a strong current is passing and this
movement of the armature breaks the latter circuit and closes the former.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination of two indicators on the engine one sensitive only to a strong
current with means whereby the lowering of the signal or the shifting of the points
from the signal station determines the strength of current put into circuit sub-
stantially as described.
2. Electrical signalling apparatus for railways substantially as described in connection
with the drawings.