IMPROVED SIGNAL APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO RAILWAYS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Williams Baker, of Park Farm, Woburn,
in the County of Bedford, Farm Steward, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
Sealed the 8th June 1858, and dated the 7th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Williams Baker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th April 1858.
I, GEORGE WILLIAMS BAKER, of Park Farm, Woburn, in the County of
Bedford, Farm Steward, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED SIGNAL APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to indicate to the engine driver or guard
passing train at given points along a line of railway whether the line is
clear for a given distance ahead of the train, or whether there is a train
in advance within a prescribed distance. This I effect by erecting at suitable
points along the line, say at three miles apart, more or less signal apparatus,
provided with semaphore or other signals, the same being worked by the
combined use of a descending weight, and an electro-magnet. A vertical
shaft carries the semaphore (when it is desired to be raised to a great
elevation), and a weighted cord passed round a barrel is the motive power
employed for giving an axial motion through suitable gearing to the shaft or
axle of the semaphore.
Connected to this shaft by suitable gearing is a horizontal axle which carries
retaining arms or stops that rest against a spring lever or weighted lever
mounted in a position to permit of its being struck by a passing train. This
spring lever, when in its normal position, keeps the apparatus at rest, at which
time the line is supposed to be clear and the signal of "caution" is off.

page_text: Each signal post is provided with an electro-magnet, which is connected
with a battery and with the signal apparatus in advance on the line, its object
being to hold the apparatus at the post where it is situated at rest, and
continue the signal of "danger" after the apparatus is released from the spring
or weighted lever. This it does by attracting an armature connected to a stop
lever, and thereby preventing the pendent weight before mentioned from
acting so long as an electric current is circulating through the coils of the
magnet. Supposing now that an engine has passed one signal post, and by
striking the projecting lever before mentioned has allowed the apparatus to
present the danger signal, the magnet will, by reason of the electric circuit
being complete, stop the further movement of the signal apparatus; but when
the engine has arrived at the next signal post, it will, by striking in like manner
on a corresponding projecting lever, set that apparatus in action, and thereby
momentarily break the electric circuit. The magnet therefore, at the first-
mentioned post ceasing to act for a moment, the apparatus will receive a fresh
impetus from the descending weight, and the danger signal will be thrown out
of line, thus indicating that the rail is once more clear.
It will now be understood, that the driver of every advancing train will
know at a glance whether or not the rail is clear for the next two or more
miles ahead, without the assistance of signalmen on the line.
It may be convenient to apply a lamp to the signal apparatus to warn engine
drivers at night of the state of the line with respect to passing trains.
I also propose to avail myself of the stop lever on the horizontal axle before
mentioned, to strike a bell carried by the passing engine or train, for the
purpose of warning the driver of danger during foggy weather.
An important feature in the above described apparatus is, that the lever
which is struck by the passing train being merely a releasing lever does not
by its rapid action impart that sudden motion to the mechanism which has
been found detrimental to the action of self-acting signals heretofore proposed.
It will be obvious, that the signal may be turned off by making instead of
breaking the circuit.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Williams Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE 3
WILLIAMS BAKER, of Park Farm, Woburn, in the County of Bedford, Farm
Steward, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Williams Baker, Her special license that I, the said George
Williams Baker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Williams Baker, 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 "IM-
PROVED SIGNAL APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO RAILWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Williams Baker, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Williams Baker, 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 had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of my Invention of "Improved Signal Apparatus to be applied
to Railways" is to indicate to the engine driver or guard of a passing train at
given points along a line of railway whether the line is clear for a given
distance ahead of the train, or whether there is a train in advance within a
prescribed distance. This I effect by erecting at suitable points along the
line, say at three miles apart, more or less, signal apparatus provided with
semaphore or other signals, which are to be worked by the combined use of
a descending weight and an electro-magnet.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn various views, of one arrange
ment of apparatus whereby the object of my Invention may be effected.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a semaphore signal post with my improvements
adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan
view. A vertical shaft a carries the semaphore or visible signal b (when..it is
desired to raise the latter to a great elevation). A weighted cord c passed
round a barrel d is the motive power employed for giving an axial. motion
through suitable gearing, shown at e, e, in the Drawing, to the. vertical shaft

page_text: or axle a of the semaphore. Connected to this shaft a by suitable gearing
ff, is a horizontal axle g, which carries retaining arms or stops h that rest
against a spring lever or weighted lever i mounted in a position to permit of
its being struck by a passing train. This spring lever i when in its normal
position supports the stop or retaining arm h, and keeps the apparatus at rest,
at which time the line is supposed to be clear, and the signal of "caution" is
off. At each signal post is provided an electro-magnet j, which is connected
with the battery k of the signal apparatus in advance on the line, its object
being to hold the apparatus at the part where it is situated at rest, and
continue the signal of "danger" at its post after the apparatus has been set
in action by the passing train striking the spring or weighted lever i. This
continuation of the danger signal is effected by the electro-magnet attracting
an armature connected to a stop lever l, and thereby preventing the
pendent weight c before mentioned from acting on the barrel d, and
drawing it round, so long as an electric current is circulating through the coils
of the magnet. Supposing now that a train is in the act of passing one of the
signal posts, it will strike the projecting spring lever i before mentioned, and
will release the retaining arm or stop h, which will allow the weight c to act
on the shaft a of the semaphore, and by causing it to rotate a quarter of a
revolution it will present the danger signal. The magnet j will then, by
reason of the electric circuit being complete, prevent any further movement of
the signal apparatus, but when the train arrives at the next signal post it will,
by striking in like manner on a corresponding projecting lever i, release the
retaining arm of that post and set that apparatus in action, and when so
doing it momentarily breaks the electric circuit, which may be effected in any
of the known ways. The magnet, therefore, at the first-mentioned post, by
ceasing for a moment to act, will allow the apparatus to receive a fresh
impetus from the descending weight c, and the danger signal on the vertical
shaft a will be again thrown out of view, thereby indicating that the rail is
once more clear. It will now be understood that the driver of every advancing
train will know at a glance whether or not the rail is clear for the next two or
more miles ahead, without the assistance of signal men on the line. If
desired, a lamp may be adapted to the signal apparatus for the purpose of
warning engine drivers at night of the state of the line with respect to passing
trains. I also propose to make use of the stop lever or retaining arm h on the
horizontal axle g, to strike a bell, or audible signal adapted to the passing
engine or train for the purpose of warning the driver of danger during foggy
weather.
I would observe that an important feature in the above-described apparatus

page_text: is, that the spring lever i which is struck by the passing train, being merely
a releasing lever, does not by its rapid action impart that sudden motion or
shock to the mechanism which has been found detrimental to the action of
the self-acting signals heretofore proposed, and therefore there is little liability
of deranging the mechanism of the signal apparatus.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Signal Apparatus to be
applied to Railways," and having explained the manner I prefer of carrying
the same into effect, I would observe that, although I have said in the above
description that the electric circuit is to be broken temporarily when the signal
or semaphore is to be turned by the motive power of the weight or weighted
cord, yet it will be obvious that the object may be effected by making instead
of breaking the circuit. A somewhat different arrangement of parts to that
above shewn and described must, however, be employed for working the
signals, and having constructed apparatus upon both plans, I would remark,
that I consider the arrangement shewn in the Drawings is the most convenient,
and therefore I have not thought it necessary to give a description and drawings
of an arrangement of apparatus, in which the signal apparatus may be brought
into action by making instead of breaking the circuit, as above described. In
conclusion, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as afore-
said, the combination of an electro-magnet, with a descending weight or other
equivalent motive agent, for working signals on railways, as above described.
I also claim the use and application, for the purpose herein set forth, of the
spring or weighted lever i, which being separate and detached from the signal
apparatus will diminish the liability of the latter being deranged by concussions
from the passing trains.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Williams Baker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
0 Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
G. W. BAKER. (L.S.)