IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS.
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Martin A'Beckett, of Surbiton, in the County
of Surrey, F.R.C.S., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
SIGNAL APPARATUS.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th March 1862.
I, ARTHUR MARTIN A'BECKETT, of Surbiton, in the County of Surrey; F.R.C.S.,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
The object proposed to be attained by this signal. apparatus is to afford
information to the engine. driver of a railway train as to the period of time
that may have elapsed since the passage of the train immediately preceding at
any given point, it may be at the approach to a tunnel; at a station, or it may
be at régular intervals throughout the line... I employ an object of some two
or three feet in diameter as a signal; of the form of a double cone; that is to
say, two cones placed base to base. An axis runs through this double cone in
the line of the apices, and this axis I dispose on suitable pivots mounted on a
post at the side of the line of railway. This double cone is free to rotate on
its axis, which is disposed horizontally and transversely to the line; it (the
axis) is furnished with a friction pulley, whereby rotary motion' is imparted to

page_text: it, which motion it retains a greater or lesser length of time, according to the
weight of the double cone and. the velocity with which it is started. It is set
in motion by contact friction surfaces mounted on the engines or tenders and
some of the carriages of the line or of the train. These friction surfaces aro
mounted on brackets from the sides of the carriages near the roof, or other-
wise. I dispose and support these friction surfaces so as to apply a resilient
force to effect the contact with the pulley on the cone axis. In order to effect
this I make the frictional contact surface of a straight board faced with buff
leather or otherwise, and connect it by a hinge at one end to a horizontal
longitudinal board or part fixed to the carriage, from this point it is supported
on and raised to an inclined position by springs. The hinged end is disposed
somewhat below the level of friction pulley of the double cone, so that notwith-
standing any oscillation or difference of load and level in the carriage, it never
comes into violent collision therewith other than that which the inclined
surface in passing under bears against it with more or less force, and so com-
municates rotary motion to the double cone. The friction surface, inclined in
the direction of its length, is held up against the pulley by the spring support,
and so insures the desired frictional contact for the purpose, at same time it
gives way to any rise or deviation of the carriage. A double incline may be
adopted in case of the carriage being backed. I adopt the double cone as a
form that will revolve readily without being affected by the wind or other
disturbing cause; it is suitably weighted near the periphery to maintain its
velocity for a longer or shorter time, as may be required. I paint the exterior
of the double cone black and white, by preference dividing each cone by two
diameters at right angles, and coloring two opposite quarters black, and the
other two opposite quarters or divisions white, and with the black at the. base
of one cone adjoining, the white at the base of, the other. This double cone,
if stationary, will exhibit its black and white patches plainly at a considerable
distance, whereas, if rotating, it will have a more or less misty. or clouded
appearance, according to its velocity, and as a train approaches it an engine
driver will see plainly at what velocity, it is rotating, and can. judge by that.if
it is prudent to follow immediately, or to slow or stop the train, as may be
necessary. If the double cone is made so that it will rotate, say, ten minutes,
by the passage of a train, and it is at rest before the next train arrives, it will
of course be quite safe to follow; or if rotating slowly, it will be safe to judge
whether to go on or stop; if revolving rapidly, it will of course indicate that
the preceding train has just passed, and that it would be dangerous to follow.
Thus a near approximation may be formed by the driver of a train as to what
length of time has elapsed since the preceding train passed, unless indeed it

page_text: be stationary, but in that case a sufficient time has in all cases elapsed to
render it safe to follow. In order to render this apparatus available at night
as well as by day I fix a lamp on the post and reflect a strong light on the
double cone so that it may be seen clearly. I also mount other and ordinary
signal arm or light apparatus on the same post, to be worked independently or
in combination with the foregoing apparatus..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
MARTIN A'BECKETT of Surbiton, in the County of Surrey, F.R.C.S., send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Hor
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett, Her special licence that I, the said Arthur
Martin A'Beckett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett, my exccutors, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Arthur Martin A'Beckett, 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
following statement, reference being liad to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object proposed to be attained .by this signal apparatus is to afford

page_text: information to the engine driver, of a railway train as to the period of time
that may have elapsed since, the passing of a train immediately preceding at
any given point, it may be at the approach of a tunnel, a station, or it may be
at regular intervals throughout, the line. For this purpose I employ an object
of some two or three feet in diameter as a signal; of the form of a double cone,
that is to say, two cones placed, base to base. An axis runs through this
double cone in the line of the apices, and this axis I dispose in suitable
pivots mounted on a post or posts at the side of the line of railway. This
double cone is free to rotate on its axis, which is disposed horizontally, and
transversely to the line; it (the axis.) is furnished with a friction pulley, whereby
rotary motion is imparted to it, which motion it retains a greater or lesser
length of time, according to the weight of the double cone and the velocity at
the time imparted to it. It is set in motion by contact friction surfaces
mounted on the engine or tender, and it: may be some of the carriages of a
train. These friction surfaces are mounted on suitable framework. on the
engine and tender and on the roofs, or it may be on brackets from the sides of
the carriages near the roof, or otherwise. I dispose and support these friction
surfaces so as to apply a resilient force to effect the contact, with the pulley on
the cone axis. In order to effect this I make the frictional contact surface or
surfaces of a straight board or boards faced with buff leather or otherwise, and
connect it by a hinge at one end to a horizontal longitudinal board or part
fixed to the carriage; from this point it is supported on and raised to an
inclined position by springs. The hinged end is disposed somewhat below the
level of friction pulley of the double cone, so that notwithstanding any oscil-
lation or difference of load and level in the carriage it never comes into violent
contact therewith other than that which is effected by the inclined surface
passing under and bearing against it with more or less force, and so communi-
cating rotary motion to the double cone. The friction surface, inclined in the
direction of its length, is held up against the the pulley by the spring supports,
and ensures the desired frictional contact for the purpose, at same time it gives
way to any rise or deviation of the carriages. A double incline may be adopted
to provide for the backing of the train. Instead of using double inclined
frictional surfaces, the uprights of the framework supporting them may be
jointed and fitted so as to lower the whole framework for backing. I adopt
the double cone as a form that will revolve readily without being affected by
the wind or other disturbing cause, and it is suitably weighted near the peri-
phery to maintain the velocity for a longer or shorter time, as may be
required. I paint the exterior of the double cone black and white, by pre-
ference, dividing each cone by two diameters. at right angles and coloring two
.

page_text: opposite quarters black and the other two opposite quarters or divisions white,
and with the black at the base of one cone adjoining the white at the base of:
the other. This double cone, if stationary, will exhibit its black and white.
patches plainly at a considerable distance, whereas, if rotating, it will have a
more or less misty or clouded appearance, according to its velocity, and as a
train approaches it an engine driver will see plainly at what velocity it is
rotating, and can judge by that if it is prudent to follow immediately or to
slow or stop, the train, as may be necessary. If the double cone is made so
that it will rotate, say, ten minutes by the passage of the train, and it is at rest
before the next train arrives, it will of course be quite safe to follow; or if
rotating slowly, it will be easy to judge whether to go on or to stop; if:
revolving rapidly, it will of course indicate that the preceding train has just.
passed, and that it would be dangerous to follow. Thus a near approximation
may be formed by the driver of a train as to what length of time has elapsed
since the preceding train passed, unless indeed it be stationary; but in that
case a sufficient time has in all cases elapsed to render it safe to follow. In
order to render this approximation available by night as well as by day I fix a
lamp on the post and reflect a strong light on the double cone so that it may.
be seen clearly. I also mount other ordinary signal arm or light apparatus on
the same post, to be worked independently or in combination with the foregoing.

page_text: hand to act as a fly wheel and maintain its motion for a given time, and on
the other hand not too heavy to create excessive friction in putting it in
motion, as will be herein-after described. The signal cone with its axis are
free to rotate in bearings d, d, and has affixed to it a friction pulley e, say, of
about six inches in diameter and twelve inches long. This pulley I make, by
preference, of iron, and roughen the surface to effect good frictional contact.
In order to act on this cone signal and give it motion; I mount light platforms
ff, of suitable strength on the engine and tender, which carry frictional
surfaces g, g', acted on and maintaining their frictional contact by springs;
these surfaces are disposed in inclined positions, which they maintain only by
the force of the springs h, the parts g, g', being jointed together at k, as also
jointed at 1, 1, to i & ; the part i may be a fixture to the platform f, but
part must slide in suitable guides, to allow for the extension consequent on
the depression of 9, 9', as seen immediately under the pulley e in Fig. 1, as
also in Fig. 3, which is a part of platform f, shown detached on an enlarged
scale, which is represented in plan, Fig. 4. These platforms fare raised to a
level a little above the roofs of the carriages, so that the carriages may pass
freely under the roller, and are further supplied with frictional surfaces g, g',
as indicated in Fig. 1. If necessary, these frictional surfaces may be strongly
faced with hard strong leather, suitable to effect the contact with the friction
pulley; platforms are fitted on either side of the locomotive and tender, as seen
in the cross section, Fig. 2, in order that the engine may travel in either
direction, which is also the object of the double inclines 9, 9', and for the
better action of which in the retrograde direction, that is to say, with the
tender first, it may be convenient to fit both the parts i and to slide longitu-
dinally, and be returned to their central position by the action of strong springs.
It will be observed that each side of the double cone signal, which I make of
about three feet in diameter, is divided into quarters, and the alternate parts
colored black and white, so as to show in all positions a strong contrast, the
black against the white, and which is easily and distinctly seen at a distance
when at rest or only in slow motion, but when revolving rapidly will present a
distinct surface, but of misty or clouded appearance.
The action of the apparatus is this:-Supposing the cone signal to be at
rest, an engine and tender with or without a train fitted as above described
will put the double cone signal in rapid rotary motion by reason of the contact
and passage of the friction surfaces g. g, which act in succession on the pulley c,
and although the first contact surface may scarcely start the double cone, the
successive contacts of the whole series ultimately induce a surface motion to
the pulley e, corresponding to that of the motion and speed of the train, or

page_text: nearly so; thus the passage of a train and its action on the cone signal will
induce a motion in it that will be maintained for a considerable period of time,
say, for five or ten minutes, according to its weight and the momentum
imparted to it; therefore, if another engine and train follows on the same line
within a period of ten minutes, it will be still in motion, and the driver will see
& be able to estimate by its rate of speed the probable amount of time that
has elapsed since the preceding train passed, and will therefore know in what
proximity and danger he may be of collision with such preceding train, and
therefore so slack his speed or stop altogether if advisable; if the cone is at
rest, he will know that the preceding train has passed a sufficient time to make
it safe for him to follow at his ordinary speed.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application of signal appa-
ratus in which a double cone or other suitable surface having patches in black
and white, or otherwise, in strong contrast, is put in motion by the passage of
a locomotive engine and train, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Martin A'Beckett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ARTHUR M. A'BECKETT. (L.B.)