IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS BY DETONATING OR EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cecil Allen, of Basinghall Street, in the City of
London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS BY DETONATING OR EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS."
Sealed the 3rd July 1863, and dated the 8th January 1863.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th January 1863.
I, CECIL ALLEN, of Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS BY DETONATING OR EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS,"
to be as follows:―
I secure a detonating or explosive signal to a flat piece of tin or other thin piece
of flat metal or material projecting in front of the signal (in order to insure as far
as may be when for signalling a wheel acting upon the signal), this piece of tin,
metal, or material is also shaped to project on one side of the signal, and to it
is secured a piece of wood (or substance of equivalent character), with orifices
formed therein, into which are fitted tubes or rods of glass, or other readily

page_text: breakable material, in order that upon the passage of a wheel over the signal
they should break, severing the same from the parts of the apparatus now to be
described, and avoiding the injury or destruction thereof. The tubes or rods of
glass are at the other ends inserted into a piece of wood (or substance of equi-
valent character), which is shaped so as to be readily fitted on to and detached
from a horizontal rotating disc or small turntable, to the rim or other part of
which is applied a cord or chain, which is to be attached to a wire or other con-
nection secured to a lever or handle at the station, or other suitable point on
the line of railway, to enable the railway attendant to turn the disc aforesaid,
so as to place on or take off a signal as may be needed. The top of this disc
may, if required, have a light, or any other signal erected on it. Instead of
using glass tubes or rods, as above described, the tin or metal on which the
detonating signal is secured may be extended at the side, and attached to the
piece of wood (or equivalent material), which is to be fitted on to the disc
aforesaid. The wires for actuating these signals may be connected with the
wires, chains, or cords of other railway signals, so as to act with them in a
sympathetic manner. It will be evident from what has been stated that
explosive or detonating signals may, in order to afford the means of signalling,
be placed on the disc for that purpose; and when desirable lifted off or taken
therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Cecil Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CECIL
ALLEN, of Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors! give and grant unto
me, the said Cecil Allen, Her special licence; that I, the said Cecil
Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Cecil Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS BY DETONATING OR
EXPLOSIVE SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Cecil Allen, 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 Cecil Allen, do hereby declar
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
following statement:
My Invention has for its object the providing an improved, efficient, and
simple apparatus for signalling by detonating or explosive signals, so that the
same may be placed on or taken off the rail by acting on a suitable handle, or
otherwise placed at any convenient distance from the point at which it may be
considered desirable to apply the said signals, so as to provide an improved
system of signalling by means of detonating or explosive signals, suitable for
being used at all times without regard to the state of the weather, thus using
the warning sound of explosion, which would prove effective, although the
sight signals had not been attended to or brought into action. The apparatus
above referred to consists of a disc or wheel with a recess in, or with a frame
forming a recess on, the face thereof to receive a piece (of wood or other
equivalent or suitable material) shaped to correspond to and fit therein, to which
piece the detonating, explosive, or fog signal is to be secured in the following
manner, that is, by means of small fragile rods of wood, (or tubes of glass,
or any other equivalent, that is, readily breakable, material,) the other ends of
which are to be fixed into a piece of wood (or other equivalent or suitable
material), which last-mentioned piece of wood (or material) is to be secured:
to a flat piece of tin or other metal to which the detonating, explosive; or fog
signal is to be soldered, cemented, or otherwise secured, this piece of metal or
material being made so as to project beyond; one end (the front) of the
detonating, explosive, or fog signal, for the purpose of ensuring that the wheel:
of the locomotive carriage, or otherwise, shall not fail to act when placed on
the rail. The said apparatus of disc or wheel being provided with a chain.
and weight (or equivalent arrangement), and with a stop action, for the

page_text: purpose of securing that the signal on the face of the disc or wheel shall
always be brought to its proper position on the rail, and provided also with a
chain to be connected to the wires of the sight signals now used, so that the
explosion signal may act sympathetically with the ordinary post signals, or
otherwise. Or the wire or other connection may pass to a handle, to be acted
on by a station master or attendant, as desired, without any connection with
the post signals, and being therefore independent of the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING ILLUSTRATIVE OF MY SAID IMPROVEMENTS.
Figure 1 being a plan view, and Figure 2 a section.
A, denotes a box or case in which the apparatus may be contained, although,
if thought expedient, the apparatus may be affixed near the rail without such
box or case; B, the rail; C, the disc or wheel (pulley), having on its upper
face the pieces D, D, forming the frame for the reception of the portion E of
the detonating signal; F, F, the fragile rods, herein-before referred to;
G, the piece of wood attached to the piece of tin H, on which the detonating
signal is secured; I is a chain or cord passing the edge of the pulley wheel or
disc, the one end of which passes over the small pulley J, and has the
weight K attached thereto, a box L (to be fixed in the earth) being provided
for the same; M is the stop piece, forming part of the stop action aforesaid,
fixed on the upper face of the disc or wheel C, which on turning the wheel
will be brought (as shewn by the Drawing) against the upright stop piece N,
preventing the signal from being carried beyond the position it is intended to
have on the rail (as shewn by the Drawing); O is a pulley to be used when
the apparatus is to be acted upon by the station master or other person
independently of the ordinary signal post arrangement. The additional wire
or cord P being secured to the pulley O, by pulling which cord the cord I
(attached to said pulley O, as well as to the disc C,) will be slackened, and
hence the weight K will be allowed to pull the signal on the rail (as shewn
by the Drawing). Q is another stop piece attached to the disc; R is a guide
for keeping the cord I in position in the groove of the pulley or disc; S is a
small sight or light signall staff mounted in the centre of the disc, which acts
with the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that I claim, -
The use of the disc with chain or cord and weight or spring, and having
the groove or reception place therein or thereon (for the reception of the
piece in connection with the explosive or fog signal).

page_text: Also the arrangements of parts in connection with the explosive or fog
signal itself, and particularly the use of the fragile rods or tubes, herein-before
mentioned and referred to.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cecil Allen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
GEORGE MARSHALL,
71, Fleet Street, E.C.
CECIL ALLEN. (L.s.)