IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNALLING APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JASPER WETTER, Engineer, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
SIGNALLING APPARATUS," a communication to me from abroad by Alphonse Potel,
of La Varenne St. Hilaire, France, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to automatic electric signalling apparatus for railways,
and has for its object to transmit a danger signal from one locomotive to another,
where two lines cross each other, to advise railway stations, switchmen and guards
of the passage of a locomotive, to prevent the collision of two locomotives running
on the same track.
For this purpose the improved system comprises a disengaging apparatus placed
on the track of rails and serving to transmit the signal given by a locomotive to
another apparatus situated on the line of rails to be intercepted, the second apparatus
being adapted to transmit the signal to another locomotive which is to be stopped,
as soon as it comes in contact with the said second locomotive, thereby setting in
action an alarm bell carried by the latter.
A third apparatus placed on the track of the first locomotive, but at a place,
where the locomotive has already passed out of danger, comes in contact with an
auxiliary buffer on the side of the locomotive, and thereby closes an electric circuit
passing through the first apparatus, so as to set the latter in its original position
ready to receive another signal.
The first automatic disengaging apparatus may be placed at the side of the track
and comprise a horizontal bolt or spindle adapted to be set in motion by the contact
of a lever with a lateral buffer on the locomotive. The lateral buffer may be a
roller adapted to be raised or lowered by a lever under the control of the engine
driver. The spindle of the disengaging apparatus is guided in a box, being insulated
at one end and adapted at the other end to close a circuit leading to the second
signal apparatus. The circuit may be made to pass through a bolt secured to the
armature of an electro magnet and to be pressed by a spring into a longitudinal
alot of the spindle, so that when the current is closed, the armature of the electro
magnet is attracted, the bolt withdrawn from the slot and thereby the spindle
allowed to resume its normal position ready to receive a new signal.

page_text: The second signal apparatus may consist of two parallel bent plates of metal
attached to a post on the side of the track to be intercepted, the upper plate serving
to conduct the current into the alarm apparatus placed on the locomotive, while the
lower plate is connected with the earth and serves for the return current.
The third stationary signalling apparatus is similar to the first, except that the
duration of the current passing through the same does not exceed the instant of
the passage of the locomotive.
The locomotive carries on its side a pair of projecting brushes adapted to come
in contact with the parallel bent plates of the second stationary apparatus, and
communicating with the alarm apparatus of the locomotive.
The latter apparatus comprises a box containing a spindle adapted to close the
circuit of an alarm bell when not locked by means of a bolt projecting into a longi-
tudinal slot of the spindle. The bolt is secured to the armature of an electro
magnet excited by the signalling circuit, so that the bolt is withdrawn from the
alot and thereby the spindle is allowed to set in action the alarm bell, when
the signalling circuit enters the locomotive. In order to stop the alarm
and put the apparatus in its normal position, the engine driver turns a lever,
thereby placing the slot of the spindle again opposite the bolt.
By electrically connecting a stationary signal apparatus of the first type with an
alarm apparatus in the station, the latter advised of the approach of a train, and
if an apparatus of the first type and one of the second type are placed at a certain
distance on the same line, a locomotive which follows another on the said line will
be automatically advised of the danger. The presence of a signalling apparatus on
the line may be indicated by a coloured disc or lantern.

page_text: The brushes are mounted on a hinged frame and communicate with the alarm
apparatus of the locomotive by means of wires.
The latter apparatus, Fig. 12, comprises a box a containing a spindler adapted
to close the circuit of an alarm bell when not locked by means of a bolt / projecting
into a longitudinal slot of the spindlo.
The bolt is secured to the armature of an electro-magnet m excited by the current
coming from the apparatus B, so that the bolt is withdrawn from the slot and
thereby the spindle allowed to set in action the alarm bell, when the signalling
current enters the locomotive.
In order to stop the alarm and put the apparatus into its normal position, the
engine driver turns a lever p, thereby placing the slot of the spindle again opposite
the bolt.
The method of using these signalling appliances may be described as follows:
Supposing that in the example of a direct line represented by Fig. 16, a train
leaves the terminal station, it will pass an apparatus A at a certain distance from
the latter, for instance a mile, whereupon this apparatus will transmit current to
an apparatus B placed on the same line.
If now another train runs in the same direction with a greater speed, so as to
approach the first train, the second train will be apprised of the fact, that a train is
in front, and will slacken speed.
The first train meets shortly before the second mile the apparatus.C, which
intercepts the current passing to the apparatus B, as described above, and so on,
until the arrival of the first train at a railway station, where the engine meets an
apparatus giving the signal to an apparatus B and at the same time indicates
arrival to the railway station by means of the apparatus placed in the railway
station or at the post P.
Near the entrance to the station are situated two appliances B, put in communi-
cation with a wire the circuit of which is controlled by a push or contact breaker
in the railway station.
The engine driver receiving the signal of the first apparatus should diminish the
speed of the train and set the apparatus Fig. 12 at rest. If he receives no signal
on his arrival at the second apparatus, he will keep the train running; if on the
contrary, he receives a signal, he will stop the train and maintain the contact with
the apparatus B, Fig. 7, until the signal ceases to act. This arrangement may thus
serve to prevent collisions.
Red lanterns fixed at the entrance of the stations, one of which is situated near
the second apparatus B, indicate to the engine driver the presence of the apparatus
and the nature of the danger.
Fig. 17 illustrates the application of the system to level crossings. For the
watchmen or barriers-waiter I use the signal C, which on the arrival of the train
sets in action the alarm apparatus, Fig. 12, placed at the barrier. A push at the
guards-house N transmits the stop-signal to the appliances B placed on each line,
and causing the stoppage of the train in case of an obstruction. A blue or green
lantern indicates to the engine driver the level crossing and the place for the
complete stoppage of the train.
Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate the application of the invention to switches.
In Fig. 15 the letters Y and Z indicate the direct line, which must always be
kept open by the switches, while they are closed in the direction of the branch
lines. Appliances C, placed at a suitable distance on each line, and in front of the
point of danger, indicate to the switchman at P the arrival of every train by
means of an alarm bell and an annunciator or black board showing from which
direction the train is coming. The train meets two appliances B, one serving for
the retardation and the other for the complete stoppage of the train. These
appliances receive the current from the apparatus already described, which, in case
the line is open, gives the signal to the line Y and reciprocally.
If by some oversight the line Y¹ crossing the line Z has been left open, a third
contact, represented in the present instance by a second apparatus, but which may

page_text: be formed by placing a third contact apparatus in the room ✗ shown by the
drawing, Figs 14 and 15, transmits the current to the line Z.
The line Z, Fig. 15, requires the signal of the post P only, which indicates that
the line is open in the direction which the train is to follow. For this purpose a
push or contact maker establishes the communication with the apparatus B.
In this manner, no train is allowed to enter the line, as long as the switches are
not in the required position.
Red and blue lanterns situated near the appliances C and near the second
apparatus B indicate to the engine driver the proximity of a crossing and the place
for the stoppage of the train.
Although with the system, Fig. 16, a collision with an express train is very
difficult, a further measure of security may be adopted which has also the object of
preventing delays by obstruction of the line.
For this purpose the sliding buffers on the sides of the locomotive are raised by
means of the levers, and a special apparatus A is placed on the line at a higher
level than the others. The raised buffer coming in contact with the lever or pedal
of this apparatus puts it in communication either with a railway station or with
the apparatus of a bifurcation. The distance at which the apparatus is placed
from the station may be calculated so as to prevent any train which may not have
-sufficient time for reaching a shunt line on the next station, from entering the
main line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination of transmitting-apparatus-A-and-buffer_E, with receiving
apparatus B brushes K and alarm apparatus D, and releasing apparatus C, con-
nected with each other and arranged to operate substantially as described.
2. The special construction of transmitting apparatus A, movable buffer E,
receiving apparatus B, movable brushes K, and alarm apparatus D, as described
and shown by the drawings.