AN IMPROVED MEANS FOR SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, BEING A SYSTEM OF SIGNALS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOTION OR OTHERWISE, COMPRISING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS, STATION MASTERS, AND OTHERS, THE SAME APPARATUS BEING APPLI- CABLE AS FOG, DANGER, AND ACCIDENT SIGNALS, THE SAME APPARATUS BEING ALSO A COMMUNICATION FROM STATION MASTERS (OR THEIR SERVANTS) IN- CLUDING POINT AND SIGNAL MEN, TO GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS, FOR PASSENGERS BY MEANS OF GLASS OR METALLIC PENDANT SIGNALS
Year: 1857

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Henry Myers, of N° 202, Whitechapel
Road, in the Parish of Saint Mary, Whitechapel, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MEANS FOR SIGNALS ON
RAILWAYS, BEING A SYSTEM OF SIGNALS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOTION OR
OTHERWISE, COMPRISING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN GUARDS AND ENGINE
DRIVERS, STATION MASTERS, AND OTHERS, THE SAME APPARATUS BEING APPLI-
CABLE AS FOG, DANGER, AND ACCIDENT SIGNALS, THE SAME APPARATUS BEING
ALSO A COMMUNICATION FROM STATION MASTERS (OR THEIR SERVANTS) IN-
CLUDING POINT AND SIGNAL MEN, TO GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS, FOR
PASSENGERS BY MEANS OF GLASS OR METALLIC PENDANT SIGNALS."
Sealed the 6th April 1858, and dated the 10th October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Myers at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th October 1857.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MYERS, of No. 202, Whitechapel Road, in the Parish
5 of Saint Mary, Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MEANS FOR SIGNALS ON
RAILWAYS, BEING A SYSTEM OF SIGNALS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOTION Or
OTHERWISE, COMPRISING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVER?,
STATION MASTERS, AND OTHERS, THE SAME APPARATUS BEING APPLICABLE AS FOG,

page_text: DANGER, AND ACCIDENT SIGNALS,. THE SAME APPARATUS BEING ALSO A COMMUNI-
CATION FROM STATION MASTERS (OR THEIR SERVANTS) INCLUDING POINT AND
SIGNAL MEN, TO GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS, FOR PASSENGERS BY MEANS OF
GLASS OR METALLIC PENDANT SIGNALS," to be as follows:-
I propose as a fog and danger signal to guard and engine driver by ratchet
or toothed wheel and danger clip (to be hereafter described) to fix on the
inside of one of the wheels of the guard's carriage nearest to or under his
compartment a ratchet or toothed wheel (this may also be fixed on to any
part of the axle). I now place on the bottom of the carriage, fixed on a bracket,
an angular double slot or guide about twelve inches long, formed by means of
a cast-iron block planed and grooved out on its upper and under sides, and
attached to the planed end or face of the bracket by means of bolts and
nuts, the under side being covered with a planed plate of wrought or cast-
iron fastened by the before-mentioned bolts and nuts to the bottom, forming
two slots or guides of about one inch and a half or two inches wide, and about
half and inch deep. In each slot or guide I insert a steel spring of a taper
form about two feet long so as to work freely (they may be hardened or
otherwise); in one end of each of these springs. I cut a groove or slot for
purposes hereafter described. Across the back part and under the bottom
of aforesaid compartment of carriage I fix a small shaft by means of a
brachet bored to receive the shaft, and extending the whole width of the up
or down line from out to out edge of rails or permanent way, on some con-
venient part; or in the centre of the shaft I firmly key on a double armed
lever in a vertical position, which is so arranged and constructed at each arm,
that each arm works in the slots or grooves of the springs before-mentioned. I
also key on at each extreme end of the shaft, a single arm straight lever
also in a vertical position, but pointing downwards to within a few inches of
the top of the rail. I also firmly key on to the shaft or fix in some other
convenient manner a lever with handle, which I pass through the bottom of
the guard's compartment of carriage in the most convenient place, of such
length as may be deemed most convenient for the guard's use. Behind
the lever and fixed to the bottom of the carriage, I place a quadrant con-
structed in such a manner as to secure the lever in three different positions ;
this signal is 'self-acting and acted. upon by the means I now proceed to
describe. I make a clip or clamp of wrought or cast-iron, which I fix on
the under side of the rail (at the openings made for drainange between the
sleepers on the permanent way) by means of a set screw and packing piece,
which set screw may be made with a T end, oval eye, or otherwise, for the
greater convenience in carrying and speed in fixing. To this clip or clamp I

page_text: also attach in a vertical position and standing up outside of rail, and clear of
everything passing along the line (except the single arm levers before-men-
tioned) a spring or tapit, which as the train moves is struck by either of the
single arm levers before-mentioned, the result of which is that the double arm
lever is thrown out of its vertical position, moving at the same time one
spring into and the other out of action which coming in contact with the
ratchet or toothed wheel, which is revolving by means of the train in motion,
causes a loud rattling sound which cannot be mistaken for any other sound.
This signal can be applied in several different ways:-First, by the station
master or any of the servants under his instructions, by fixing to the rail the
fog or danger slip or clamp herein-before described; secondly, by the guard,
by the lever through the bottom of the carriage, which enables him to put the
springs in or out of action at will. This signal is more particularly recom-
mended for luggage trains, but is equally applicable to any other train, and
forms of itself a sufficient notice to engine driver, its sound being of greater
power than the steam whistle. I propose that each guard should have one or
more of the fog or danger clips or clamps with him when the train is in
motion, as also the engine driver, so that in case of an accident on the line by
break down or otherwise occurring at any distance from a station, either the
guard or engine driver might apply it to the rail at the necessary distance to
stop any train behind; at the same time the guard would withdraw the bolt of
and release the red folding signal, which would give notice to the train behind
that the preceding train had met with an accident and could not proceed, and
cause additional assistance to be given by the railway servants in charge of the
train behind. I propose to construct this red folding signal of zinc or other'
thin metal about three feet round, painted red on the inner folding side, and on
the other side the same colour as the carriage, fixed on the outside of the back
part of the guard's compartment or luggage van. I apply a small spring under
the signal which causes the folding part to fall down when the bolt is with-
drawn; to the bottom part of such folding signal I attach a small eye, which
when folding passes through a slot in the back of the carriage; at the side of
the slot inside the carriage I fix a small bolt which passes through the eye
and fastens the signal up when out of use. I also propose that station masters
and point or signal men, should have one or more of the aforesaid clips or
clamps, to be used in case of danger and fogs.
I also propose as a fog and danger signal to guard by alarum bell and danger
clip, to fix a small shaft by means of brackets bored to receive the same, and
extending the whole width of the up or down line from out to out edge of rails
or permanent way. On the centre of the shaft or some convenient part

page_text: thereof, I firmly key on a double-armed lever, kept in a vertical position by
means of a counterbalance weight on the downward arm of the before men-
tioned lever; to each arm I also attach small link chain sufficiently loose as
These two chains are attached to one
to require as slight a strain as possible.
chain which passes over a small friction pulley also placed under the carriage,
which alters the direction of the chain from an horizontal to a vertical position,
which chain passing through the bottom into the guard's compartment of the
carriage, is then attached to Bennett's alarum bell, fastened to a hollow box
of thin wood, tin, or zinc. To each extreme end of the shaft, I also attach a
double-arm lever as before described; these levers are placed vertically on the
shaft, and pointing (upwards for purposes to be hereafter described) and down-
wards, extending to within a few inches of the top of the rail, and are acted
on by the spring or tapit of the fog and danger clip as before described, which
when struck causes the bell to sound and continue for some time, and is
acted upon in the same manner and by the same means as the ratchet or
toothed wheel. I also propose as a fog and danger signal to engine driver, to
open the cock of the steam whistle of the locomotive engine by means of a
shaft, levers, and connecting rods or chains in the following manner (videlicet),
by fixing a small shaft by means of two brackets bored out and fixed to
under side of foot plate, or some other convenient place of locomotive engine.
I also attach to one end of the said shaft, a bell crank and other chains and
connecting rods according to the construction of the engine; to the other end I
attach a double-armed lever pointing downwards and upwards, of the same
size and description as required for the alarum bell. For the purpose of giving
notice by the station master from any station to engine driver by turning on his
steam whistle, and to guard either by alarum bell, or ratchet or toothed wheel,
I propose to fix at the proper distance from any station to stop an approaching
train (say from two hundred to five hundred yards) a lever with a slide and
spring, or tapit, made in the following manner :-I make of cast-iron a bevelled
groove about a foot in length, forming a female piece, with a slot of about
three inches in length on the part that fits underneath the rail; in this groove
I fit a sliding male piece of the same bevelled shape as the groove, being
broad at bottom and narrow at the top. To the top of this male piece I fix
an upright piece which is drilled to carry a short connecting rod to a lever
handle; to this lever handle I connect (by means of a spring hook and chain,)
a wire or chain which passes through pulleys fixed on uprights along the side
of the railway to the station; on this male piece I fix a spring or tapit throught
a slot, and fasten the spring or tapit to the bottom of the sliding male piece;
to the end underneath the male piece I fix a ring, to which I attach a chain

page_text: and pulley to a weight of sufficient weight to draw the sliding male piece to
the rail when let loose from the station, and which will cause the whole
of the above signals to act.
I propose as a fog or danger signal to engine driver, by means of
lamp and semaphore on engine, to fix on the under part of the engine
a small shaft by means of brackets bored to receive the same, and extending
the whole width of the up or down line, from out to out edge of rails
on permanent way. On the centre of the shaft or some convenient part
thereof, I firmly key on a single arm lever kept in a vertical position by
means of a counterbalance weight on the under part of the before-mentioned
lever; to each extreme end of the shaft I also attach a double-armed lever
pointing upwards and downwards, the upward part which would have a square
or round top for the purpose of supporting a coarse screw belonging to a lamp,
with red light for night, and semaphore for day on the top of the lamp; the
downward point would extend to within a few inches of the top of the rail,
and is acted upon by the spring or tapit of the fog or danger clip, which,
when struck causes the support to be taken away from the coarse screw, when
the lamp and semaphore by their own weight would round down the box fixed
to the engine in which the coarse screw works, and turn' half round shewing
the red light that was in front at night and the semaphore at day, to the view
of the engine driver. This can be used as a communication by the guard
to the engine driver by means of the rods, chains, and spring hooks along the
carriages to the guard's wheel hereafter described being connected to the
upward lever under the lamp and semaphore at engine by means of a chain
and spring hook.
I propose as a communication by guard to engine driver, to attach to
the upper arm of the double-arm lever before-mentioned, to give the fog
or danger signal to engine driver by turning on his steam whistle, a chain
(about three quarters of an inch in diameter and three feet long); I join this
chain to one of the eyes of an half inch iron rod, with an eye at each end; to
the other end I join into the other eye another chain, at the end of which I join
a spring hook for the purpose of connecting each carriage with the other in a
train. To carry the iron rod, and to enable it to work with as little friction as
possible, I screw through the centre of doublé pulleys about one inch and a
quarter in diameter on to the side of the carriage one above the other at cer-
tain distances along the carriage, and in certain quantities, as may be thought
necessary, the groove forming a sufficient hole for the chain and rod to work
through. Then to each carriage in the train, I apply to the side a sufficient
quantity of double pulleys with rod and chain (about three feet as before-

page_text: mentioned) at each end, with spring hook at end of each chain for connecting;
at the side of each carriage I screw a metal slot of about three feet long, and
in the centre of each rod I insert a pin which works in this slot and prevents the
rod from twisting the chain by the shaking of the carriages. These rods and
chains are connected to the guard's break carriage on to a wheel (about nine
inches in diameter) with lever handle for the purpose of winding up the slack
of chains and turning on the steam whistle; but I do not confine myself to
the sizes before-mentioned....
"
I propose as a communication by engine driver to guard, to fix on
the engine or tender a circular wheel for the purpose of winding up
the rods and chains joined to carriages, in the same manner as. before-
mentioned, to each carriage a rod and chains with screw hooks for joining
carriage to carriage; on the guard's I attach to the upward arm of the
lever of the fog and danger. signal a chain, which when wound by the
engine driver would cause the alarum bell to ring for some time, being a
sufficient notice to the guard of danger. I also propose, as a communication
by engine driver to guard, by means of the circular wheel, rods and chains,
and spring hooks as before-mentioned, attached to the upward lever of the fog
and danger signal, to enable the engine driver to cause the rattle before-
mentioned to sound by the same primary motive-power as the steam whistle
and alarum bell, as a communication to guard of danger, which the guard can
momentarily cease to sound by the lever handle before-mentioned in the break
compartment.
I propose as a passenger signal to guard, that the passenger shall have
access to the handle of a bolt extending the whole length of the carriage
(if necessary), each compartment having a handle, which handle respec-
tively shall be enclosed within a wooden or metal box about six inches
square with glass bottom, to be broken when extreme danger requires, upon
withdrawing by the passenger. In any compartment of each carriage of the
aforesaid bolt, I propose to release a pendant signal (to be hereafter described)
attached to one end of each carriage, so arranged as to be within sight of the
guard, who on seeing the pendant signal up, would be aware that something
was wrong, and would see immediately which carriage it applied to; where-
upon the guard (at his discretion) releasing another pendant signal over the
roof of his compartment of carriage (hereafter to be described) would give the
communication to the engine driver by turning on his steam whistle by means
of a wheel, chains, rods, &c. (before-mentioned), when the engine driver would
shut off steam and apply his break, by which means passengers may be
relieved from fire, murderous assaults, and other accidents. The aforesaid

page_text: pendant signal to be used by the passengers is constructed in the following
manner (videlicet) a rod of quarter inch iron, about two feet long, to one end
of which is attached a round or square plate about nine inches in diameter, of
zinc, iron, brass, or any other material painted red, with a hole or holes in the
centre; to the other end is attached a counterbalance weight, made of lead
iron, or other heavy material of sufficient weight to overcome the weight of
the plate at the other end, and thereby hold the plate in a vertical position
until replaced by the guard; the centre of the rod is constructed with a boss
and centre pin, forming an axis for the pendant to work upon, which axis is
constructed in the following manner :-By means of a small iron or brass pin
being rivetted into a square plate of iron or brass with screw holes to fasten to
the carriage; to the boss is also attached a small eye through which the bolt
passes from inside of carriage and holds the pendant in an horizontal position
when out of use. I construct the before-mentioned pendant signals to be
used by the guard in the following manner (videlicet), a rod of quarter-inch
iron about two feet long, with a centre boss and pin as before-described. To
one end of the rod, I attach a frame made of zinc, brass, or other material,
in which I place a piece of colored glass (videlicet, red, green, or any other
colour required), to the frame I attach a small eye as before-described, but at
right angles with the glass, into which a small bolt is inserted, as before
described, in the guard's compartment of carriage; to the end of the rod is
attached a counterbalance weight constructed of the same material, and in the
same manner as before-mentioned, placed at right angles with the glass; the
glass and pendant signal remain when out of use on the top of the guard's
compartment of the carriage in an horizontal position until the bolt before-
named is withdrawn, when it immediately assumes a vertical position; this
signal can be used by day, and also at night by placing the guard's usual lamp
(on a pillar made for the purpose) behind the glass through a small door in
the roof of the carriage. I do not confine myself to railways, as the ratchet
or toothed wheel is applicable to ships and steam vessels in fogs and dark
nights by being turned with a handle and shaft, on which I place a wheel and
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Myers in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY MYERS, of No. 202, Whitechapel Road, in the Parish of Saint Mary,
Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
.said William Henry Myers, Her special licence that I, the said William
Henry Myers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Henry Myers, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MEANS FOR SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS, BEING A SYSTEM OF SIGNALS FOR
RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOTION OR OTHERWISE, COMPRISING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
GUARDS AND ENGINE DRIVERS, STATION MASTERS, AND OTHERS, THE SAME APPARATUS
BEING APPLICABLE AS FOG, DANGER, & ACCIDENT SIGNALS; THE SAME APPARATUS
BEING ALSO A COMMUNICATION FROM STATION MASTERS (OR THEIR SERVANTS) IN-
CLUDING POINT AND SIGNAL MEN, TO GUARDS & ENGINE DRIVERS, FOR PASSENGERS
BY MEANS OF GLASS OR METALLIC PENDANT SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Myers, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my or their or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Myers, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
I propose as a fog and danger signal to guard and engine driver, by ratchet
or toothed wheel and danger clip (to be hereafter described), to fix on the
inside of one of the wheels of the guard's carriage, nearest to or under his
compartment, a ratchet or toothed wheel, as shown in Drawing, Fig. 3 (this
may also be fixed on to any part of the axle); I now place on the bottom of
the carriage fixed on a bracket, an angular double slot or guide about twelve
inches long, formed by means of a cast-iron block, planed and grooved out on
its upper and under sides, and attached to the planed end or face of the
bracket by means of bolts and nuts, the under side being covered with a
planed plate of wrought or cast-iron, fastened by the before-mentioned bolts
and nuts to the bottom, forming two slots or guides of about one inch and

page_text: a half or two inches wide, and about half an inch deep; in each slot or guide
I insert a steel spring of a taper form about two feet long, so as to work
freely (they may be hardened or otherwise); in one end of each of these
springs I cut a grove or slot, for purposes hereafter described; across the
back part, and under the bottom of aforesaid compartment of carriage I fix a
small shaft by means of a bracket bored to receive the shaft, and extending
the whole width of the up or down line from out to out edge of rails or
permanent way. On some convenient part or in the centre of the shaft I
firmly key on a double armed lever in a vertical position, which is so
arranged and constructed at each arm, that each arm works in the slots or
grooves of the springs before-mentioned. I also key on at each extreme end
of the shaft a single arm straight lever also in a vertical position but pointing
downwards to within a few inches of the top of the rail. I also firmly key on
to the shaft, or fix in some other convenient manner, a lever with handle,
which I pass through the bottom of the guard's compartment of carriage in
the most convenient place, of such length as may be deemed most convenient
for the guard's use; behind the lever and fixed to the bottom of the carriage
I place a quadrant constructed in such a manner as to secure the lever in
three different positions; this signal is self-acting, and acted upon by the
means I now proceed to describe. I make a clip or clamp of wrought or
cast iron, which I fix on the under side of the rail (at the openings made for
drainage between the sleepers on the permanent way) as shown in Drawing,
Figs. 10 and 11, by means of a set screw and packing piece, which said screw
may be made with a Tend, oval eye, or otherwise, for the greater convenience
in carrying and speed in fixing; to this clip or clamp I also attach in a
vertical position, and standing up outside of rail and clear of everything
passing along the line (except the single-arm lever before mentioned), a spring
or tappet which as the train moves is struck by either of the single-arm levers
before mentioned, the result of which is that the double arm lever is thrown
out of its vertical position, moving at the same tine one spring into and the
other out of action, which coming in contact with the ratchet or toothed wheel
which is revolving by means of the train. in motion, causes a loud rattling
sound, which cannot be mistaken for any other sound. This signal can be
applied in several different ways;-first, by the station master or any of the
servants under his instructions, by fixing to the rail the fog or danger clip or
clamp herein-before described; secondly, by the guard, by the lever through
the bottom of the carriage, which enables him to put the springs in or out of
action at will. This signal is more particularly recommended for luggage
trains, but is equally applicable to any other train, and forms of itself a

page_text: sufficient notice to engine driver, its sound being of greater power than the
steam whistle. I propose that each guard should have one or more of the
fog or danger clips or clamps with him when the train is in motion, as also the
engine driver, so that in case of an accident on the line, by break down or
otherwise, occurring at any distance from a station, either the guard ör engine
driver might apply it to the rail at the necessary distance to stop any
train
behind; at the same time the guard would release the red folding pendant
signal and draw the bolt, which would give notice to the train behind that the
preceding train had met with an accident and could not proceed, and cause
additional assistance to be given by the railway servants in charge of the train
behind. I propose to construct this red folding signal of zinc or other thin
metal, to be fixed on the outside of the back part of the guard's compartment
or luggage van, which passes through a slot in the back of the carriage; at the
side of the slot; inside the carriage I fix a small bolt which passes through the
eye and fastens the signal up when in use. The usual lamps placed behind at
night may be applied to this apparatus; as 'shown in Drawing. I also proposé
that station masters and point or signal-men should have one or more of the
aforesaid clips or clamps to be used in case of danger and fogs.
I also propose as a fog and danger signal to guard by alarum bell and
danger clip, to fix a small shaft by means of brackets bored to receive the
same, and extending the whole width of the up or down line from out to out
edge of rails or permanent way. On the centre of the shaft or some
convenient part thereof, I firmly key on a double-armed lever, kept in a
vertical position by means of a counterbalance weight on the downward arm
of the before-mentioned lever; to each arm I also attach a small link chain
sufficiently loose as to require as slight a strain as possible; these two chains
are attached to one chain which passes over a small friction pulley, also placed
under the carriage, which alters the direction of the chain from an horizontal
to a vertical position, which chain passing through the bottom into the guard's
compartment of the carriage, is then attached to Bennett's alarum bell,
fastened to a hollow box of thin wood, tin, or zinc. To each extreme end of
the shaft I also attach a double arm lever, as before described. These levers
are placed vertically on the shaft, and pointing (upwards for purposes to be
hereafter described) and downwards extending to within a few inches of the
top of the rail, and are acted on by the spring or tappet of the fog and danger
clip, as before described, which, when struck, causes the bell to sound and
continue for some time, and is acted upon in the same manner and by the
same means as the ratchet or toothed wheel. I also propose as a fog and
danger signal to engine driver, to open the cock of the steam whistle of the

page_text: locomotive engine by means of a shaft, levers, and connecting rods or chains
in the following manner (videlicit), by fixing a small shaft by means of two
brackets bored out and fixed to under side of foot plate or some other
convenient place of locomotive engine. I also attach to one end of the said
shaft a bell, crank, and other chains and connecting rods, according to the
construction of the engine; to the other end I attach a double armed lever,
pointing downwards and upwards as shown in Drawing, Fig. 1 and 2, of the
same size and description as required for the alarum bell. For the purpose of
giving notice by the station master from any station to engine driver by
turning on his steam whistle, and to guard, either by alarum bell or ratchet or
toothed wheel, I propose to fix at the proper distance from any station to stop
an approaching train (say from two hundred to five hundred yards) a lever
with slide and spring or tappet made in the following manner :-I make of cast-
iron a bevelled groove about a foot in length, forming a female piece with a
slot of about three inches in length on the part that fits underneath the rail;
in this groove I fit a sliding male piece of the same bevelled shape as the
groove, being broad at bottom and narrow at the top; to the top of this male
piece I fix an upright piece which is drilled, to carry a short connecting rod to
a lever handle; to this lever handle I connect (by means of a spring hook and
chain) a wire or chain which passes through pulleys fixed on uprights along
the side of the railway to the station; on this male piece I fix a spring or
tappet through a slot, and fasten the spring or tappet to the bottom of the
sliding male piece; to the end underneath the male piece I fix a ring to which
I attach a chain and pulley, to a weight of sufficient weight to draw the sliding
male piece to the rail when let loose from the station, and which will cause
the whole of the above signals to act.
I propose as a fog or danger signal to engine driver by means of lamp
and semaphore or engine, to fix on the under part of the engine a small shaft,
by means of brackets bored to receive the same, and extending the whole
width of the up or down line, from out to out edge of rails on permanent way.
On the centre of the shaft or some convenient part thereof, I firmly
key on a single arm lever, kept in a vertical position by means of a
counterbalance weight on the under part of the before-mentioned lever;
to each extreme end of the shaft I also attach a double armed lever,
pointing upwards and downwards; the upward part, which would have
a square or round top for the purpose of supporting a coarse screw
belonging to a lamp with red light for night and semaphore for day, with a
word or words painted thereon on the top of the lamp or separately; the
downward point would extend to within a few inches of the top of the rail,

page_text: and is acted upon by the spring or tappet of the fog or danger clip, which,
when struck, causes the support to be taken away from the coarse screw, when
the lamp and semaphore by their own weight would run down the box fixed
to the engine, in which the coarse screw works, and turn half round, showing
the red light that was in front at night and the semaphore at day, to the view
of the engine driver. This can be used as a communication by the guard to
the engine driver by means of the rods, chains, and spring hooks along the
carriages to the guard's wheel hereafter described, being connected to the
upward lever under the lamp and semaphore at engine, by means of a chain
and spring hook.
I propose as a communication by guard to engine driver to attach to
the upper arm of the double arm lever before mentioned, to give the
fog or danger signal to engine driver by turning on his steam whistle, a chain
(about three-quarters of an inch in diameter and three feet long); I join this
chain to one of the eyes of an half-inch iron rod, with an eye at each end; to
the other end I join into the other eye another chain, at the end of which I
join a spring hook for the purpose of connecting each carriage with the other
in a train; to carry the iron rod and to enable it to work with as little friction
as possible, I either fasten screw eyes into the carriage or I screw through the
centre of double pulleys about one inch and a quarter diameter on to the side
of the carriage, one above the other, at certain distances along the carriage,
and in certain quantities as may be thought necessary, the groove forming a
sufficient hole for the chain and rod to work through; then to each carriage in
the train I apply to the side a sufficient quantity of double pulleys or screw
eyes, with rod and chain (about three feet as before mentioned) at each end,
with spring hook at end of each chain for connecting; at the side of each
carriage I screw a metal slot of about three feet long (but this metal slot may
be omitted), and in the centre of each rod I insert a pin which works in this
slot, and prevents the rod from twisting the chain by the shaking of the
carriages; these rods and chains are connected to the guard's break carriage
on to a wheel (about nine inches in diameter), with lever handle for the purpose
of winding up the slack of chains and turning on the steam whistle; but I do
not confine myself to the sizes before-mentioned.
I propose as a communication by engine driver to guard, to fix on the
engine or tender a circular wheel for the purpose of winding up the rods and
chains joined to carriages, in the same manner as before mentioned to each
carriage a rod and chain with screw hooks for joining carriage to carriage.
On the guard's carriage I attach to the upward arm of the lever of the fog
and danger signal a chain, which, when wound by the engine driver would

page_text: cause the alarum bell to ring for some time, being a sufficient notice to the
guard of danger. I also propose as a communication by engine driver to
guard, by means of the circular wheel, rods, chains, and spring hooks, as
before mentioned, attached to the upward lever of the fog and danger signal,
to enable the engine driver to cause the rattle before mentioned to sound
by the same primary motive power as the steam whistle and alarum bell, as a
communication to guard of danger, which the guard can momentarily cease
to sound by the lever handle before mentioned in the break compartment.
I propose, as a passenger signal to guard, that the passenger shall have
access to the handle of a long enclosed bolt or wire extending the whole.
length of the carriage (if necessary), each compartment having a handle, which
handle respectively shall be enclosed within a wooden or metal box about six
inches square, with glass bottom, to be broken when extreme danger
requires. Upon withdrawing by the passenger in any compartment of each
carriage, of the aforesaid bolt or wire, I propose to release a pendant signal
(as shown in Drawing), Fig. 5 and 6, attached to one end of each carriage, so
arranged as to be within sight of the guard, who, on seeing the pendant signal
up, would be aware that something was wrong, and would see immediately
which carriage it applied to; whereupon the guard (at his discretion) releasing
another pendant signal, being a lamp or semaphore at the back of his com-
partment of carriage (as shewn in Drawing), Fig. 7 and 8, would give the
communication to the engine driver by turning on his steam whistle by means
of a wheel, chains, rods, &c: (before mentioned), when the engine driver would
shut off steam and apply his break, by which means passengers may be
relieved from fire, murderous assaults, and other accidents. The pendant
signal to be used by the passenger is also constructed in the following
manner, (videlicet), a rod of quarter-inch iron about two feet long, to one
end of which is attached a round or square plate about nine inches in diameter,
of zinc, iron, brass, or any other material, painted red with a hole or holes in
the centre; to the other end is attached a counterbalance weight made of
lead, iron, or other heavy material, of sufficient weight to overcome the weight
of the plate at the other end; and thereby hold the plate in a vertical position
until replaced by the guard. The centre of the rod is constructed with a boss
and centre pin, forming an axis for the pendant to work upon, which axis is
constructed in the following manner: -By means of a small iron or brass pin
being rivetted into a square plate of iron or brass, with screw holes to fasten.
to the carriage; to the boss is also attached a small eye through which the
bolt passes from inside of carriage, and holds the pendant in an horizontal.
position when out of use. I also construct pendant signals to be used by the:

page_text: guard in the following manner (videlicit), a rod of quarter-inch iron about
two feet long, with a centre boss and pin as before described. To one end of
the rod I attach a frame made of zinc, brass, or other material, in which I
place a piece of colored glass (videlicet, red, green, or any other colour
required) to the frame; I attach a small eye as before described, but at right
angles with the glass, into which a small bolt is inserted, as before described,
in the guard's compartment of carriage; to the end of the rod is attached a
counterbalance weight, constructed of the same material, and in the same
manner as before mentioned, placed at right angles with the glass; the glass and
pendant signal remain when out of use at the back of the guard's compart-
ment of the carriage in an horizontal position until the bolt before named is
withdrawn, when it immediately assumes a vertical position; this signal,can be
used by day, and also at night by placing the guard's usual lamp (on a pillar,
made for the purpose) behind the glass at the back of the carriage.
I do not confine myself to railways, as the ratchet or toothed wheel is
applicable to ships and steam vessels in fogs and dark nights, by being turned
with a handle and shaft fixed in, an upright frame on which I place a wheel
and pinion.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have now described and
referred to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features, of the Invention, but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as my Invention, is the general
arrangements and combination of the various parts shown in the Drawings
and therein described for the purposes of signalling on railways, and other
places where alarms and signals are required.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. represents the elevational view of my improvements attached to the
after part of a locomotive; Fig. 2, an end view of the same; Fig. 3 is the
elevation of a guard's van having the rattle arrangement attached to it, which
I call the "ratchet signal"; Fig. 4 is an end view of the same, showing the
position of the ratchet wheel and other parts; Fig 5 is the end view of a
railway carriage, showing my passenger signal and the arrangements connected
therewith; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 7 shows the end of
a passenger train, break and luggage van, in which I place an alarum and other
means for communicating between the guard and engine driver by a system of

page_text: colored lamps or signals previously, referred to; Fig. 8 is the end view of the
same; Fig. 9 is a sliding catch which may be operated on either by hand or
by means of a chain from a station at any reasonable distance, which I call a
station master's slide and spring; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the fog or
danger clip, fastened to the rail in a position ready for use; Fig. 11 is an end
view of the same when disconnected from the rail; Fig. 13 is a view of a train,
showing the way in which my various signals are connected together, and the
means for communicating between the guard and the driver, or vice versa:
Fig. 14 and 15 show another arrangement of the ratchet signals, which is
applicable not only to railways but also to every other situation in which an
alarm signal is required. In Figs. 1 and 2, F is the whistle; g, g, the tubes
which convey the chain operated on by the levers h¹, h', keyed on the shaft;
1, k, are hangers supporting the shaft; i, i, are the pendant levers which strike
against and operate upon the various signals; c is a double armed lever, one
end of which retains the driver's signal B, in its "all right" position, the other
end being kept in place, by the lever h, which is also keyed on the shaft 1,
and consequently moves in an opposite direction to the lever i, when it is
struck relieving the end of the double-ended lever c, and causing the danger
to be turned round by its own weight as before described; at night the disc B
can be removed, and a lantern having a green and red light, substituted in its
place. In Fig. 3 and 4, j is the ratchet wheel keyed securely on the shaft or
axle; o, o, are the springs; r, r, are short levers which advance the springs
backward or forwards; p, p, p, is the frame which carries the spring; Q is the
guard's handle for giving the signal, or the driver may communicate it through
the rods f, and the chains f"; R is a quadrant in which the handle Q works.
In Fig. 5 and 6, I is the signal lamp, having a red and white light, one on
either side; H is a window in the end of the carriage, for the purpose of
giving light from the signal lamp; P, P, are the tubes for holding the weights;
m, m, are the weights; s, s, are slots, which serve as guides for the lamp
carriage; x is the bolt which holds the lamp in its place; n, n, are the handles
of the same, the one inside being for the passenger, in a suitable case of metal
or wood protected by a glass, and the outside one for the purpose of fixing
the lamp carriage after the bolt has been withdrawn. In Figs. 7 and 8, T is
bell alarum, on Bennett's patent; E, E, are two semaphore or lamp signals,
the semaphores being painted red at the back, and the one red, the other
green on the face, the holes through them are for the purpose of showing a
colored light through them at night. X is a look out window at the back of
the carriage; U are the rods which carry the semaphore signal; W are the
handles which operate upon them; W₁is a catch for keeping them in place

page_text: when elevated; d is the windlass pulley, which enables the guard to call the
attention of the driver by sounding the engine whistle, or turning the semaphore
signal on the engine, through the chain f¹ and the rods f fixed on the sides of the
carriages, either between small wheels in solid bearing screw eyes, or in any other
convenient manner. The various parts in all the Drawings which correspond
are lettered with the same character. In Fig. 9, F represents the tappet or
spring; E the sliding rod or bar in which it is fixed; G, the socket which
receives it, and in which it works; A, the handle; B, the chain carried to the
station or other convenient place; C, a spring acting on the handle A, and
moving the spring F forward when not held back by the chain B. In order
to prevent uncertainty of action, and to provide against the spring breaking, I
attach a weight to the front part of E, which always draws it forward when
not held back by the chain B. In Figs. 10 and 11, Y represents the spring
clip secured to the rail in Fig. 10; y is the screw for tightening it up; F the
spring; a packing placed between the rail and the clip, to facilitate the
operation and to prevent loss of time. In Figs. 14 and 15, a represents a
bell, a shaft on which is a hammer for operating on the bell; c¹ is a
projection, which coming in contact with g, as the barrel A revolves,
moves the hammer d; k, k, are india-rubber or steel springs which always
keeps the shaft 6 in its proper position; e, are wooden teeth or ratchets
upon the barrel A, which are arranged to come in contact with the
staves or springs f, these are made of wood or other suitable material, and
when worked in the manner now described create a sound which may be
heard at a great distance. This alarum is so arranged that the rattle motion
may be used, or the bell alarum, by shifting the barrel in its bearings a few
inches or about the length of the width of the staves or springs.
In Fig. 13 the letters are the same as in the enlarged views, and the
arrangement is for the purpose of showing the way in which the various plans
are worked in combination..
In witness wherefore, I, the said William Henry Myers, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witnessed by
HENRY COLEY.
WILLIAM HENRY MYERS. (L.S.)