US700129A - Electric railway. - Google Patents

Description

Patented May l3, I902. C. J. K'INTNER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY. (Application filed Sept. 20. 1901.

No. 700129. I

(No Model.)

4 shuts-sh: I.

Tm: nonnnmeks w. Puma-Lima. wqsmnnvou, 04 a No. 700,l29. Patented May l3, I902. C. J. KINTNER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Sept. 25 1901.) (No man.) 4 Shuts-Sheet 2.

m: Nonms Pnzns ca. Pmmurna, V/ASHKNGTON, o. c.

No. 700,129. Patented May l3, I902.

C. J. KINTNEB.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Sept. 25. 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 (No Model.)

THE cams PETERS co, PHGTD-LIYHQ. wAsmNaTcN. u. c.

No. 700,|29. Patented May 13, I902.

6. J. KINTNEB. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application fllgd. Sept. 25. 1901.)

(sham-sheet 4.

(No Model.)

1H: Nonms Pmns 0ov PNO'\'O l.lTnU.. WASHINGTON, o c.

- Beit known that'I, CHARLES J. KINTNER,

1 UNITED STATES 7 CHARLES J. KINTNER,

ELECTRIC OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent No; 700,129, dated May 13, 196a,;- f

ori inal application filed May a, 1901, Serial No. 58.923. P Divided and this application filed lseptemher 25, 1901. Serial To all whom, itvnay'canccrn: i

a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New- York, in the boroughof Manhattan, county and State of NewYork, have made a new and useful Invention in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention is directed particularly to improvements in sectional-third-rail systems of electric railways, and this applicationis in part a divisionof a prior applicationvfiled by me in the United States'Patent Office onthe 6th day of May, 1901, and bearing Serial No. 58,923, and has for its'objects, firstytoprovide a system of this type in which the sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected from the current feeder or main. are automatically connected to and disconnected from the same as a car or vehicle passes over the route andto combine therewith automatic signals, the entire arrangement being such that front or rear end colli'- sions are avoided; second, to provide an electrio-railway system of the sectional third-rail type with automatic signals so interconnected with the sectional third rails or conductors of the system that when any given sectional third rail or conductor is made alive signals will be displayed at the distant ends of the two adjacent sectional third rails or conductors and will remaindisplaycd until the sectional third rail or conductor which is made alive has been disconnected from the current feeder or main as the car passes out of the section in either direction; third, to provide an electric-railway system with means for avoiding collisions at switches or side tracks where trains pass each other and to combine therewith automatic signals; fourth, to provide an electric-railway system with means for preventing a car from approaching within a definite distance from either end of a draw or turn bridge when the latter is moved from its normal'or closed position and to combine therewith automatic signals; fifth, to provide an electric-railway system with means for preventing a draw or turn bridge from being moved from its normal or closed position aftera car. has approachedwithin a definite distance from either end thereof and to combine therewith automatic signals; sixth, to provide (No model.)

an' electric railway systeini of the sectionalthird-railtype with signal apparatus operatively controlled by 'electro'motive' t devices and to combine itherewith brancli circuits and switches adapted to enable a lineman" to test the signals at any and all times or to leave any signal set temporarily at dangery seventh; to provide a sectional-third-rail systern which shall automatically afiord absolute safety in the movement of cars ':or trains through the agency of devices, hereinafter de scribed, embodying allof the details of construction shown in the accompanyingdrawings, the essential points of novelty of'gmy invention being particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification;

For a full and clear understanding of the invention, such'as will enable'otherss'killed in the art to construct and'u'sethe same, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- H I r Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating three complete successive sections of a thirdrail systemembodying .myimprovements, a car being shown in side elevatioual View passing over=the central section, two of the signals shown at danger, two at safety, and the bases of the semaphore-posts which support the signals at the bottom of the drawings with their tops broken away. Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic view illustrating further features of myimprovements embodying a side track, a turn-bridge, and a road-crossing gate with automatic signals for use in connection with said parts. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the features illustrated in Fig. 1, a crossing road beingshown in dotted lines, roadcrossing gates in closed position, and glowing signal-lamps being added to the structural feature of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged trans verse sectional view taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 3, and as seen looking thereat from left to right in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5

is an enlarged sectional view taken through the upper part of one of .the semaphore-posts and the hood orhousing at the top thereof on the line 00 to, Fig. 6, and as Seenlookiiig'thera at from left to right in the direction of the arrows, the two diametrically opposite positions of the semaphore-arm and signal-lamps being shown in dotted lines on the right and left. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the broken line 3 y, Fig. 5, and as seen looking thereat from right to left in the direction of the arrows, this sectional view illustrating also the manner of supporting the main journal of the semaphore-arm, the propelling-motor for the semaphore and its interconnected gearing and the manner of sustaining said parts all being shown in side elevational view within the hood or housing.

It is to be noted that I have illustrated the tram-rails and all of the conductors of the system which convey the working current to the motors on board the cars in heavyblack lines and all of the switch-operating and signaling circuits which convey the current to the switch-controlling magnets and to the signals in light black lines.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in all of which like letters and numerals of reference represent like or equivalent parts wherever used, and first to Fig. 1, 1 represents the current feeder or main connected to the positive pole of the power-house generator, (not shown,) and 4 one of the tram-rails, bonded in the usual manner and connected to the negative pole thereof. 3 3 3, &c., represent the sectional third rails or conductors of the systennnormally disconnected from the current feeder or main and connected at each end by conductors 7 7 to yielding conducting-terminals i 15 &c., of the switches m m m on being switch-operating magnets for causing the yielding terminals M to be locked or connected directly or positively with the current feeder or main through locking-armatures t t t t, &c., by short branch feeders or conductors 2 2 2 2, connected directly to the feeder. The electromagnets m m m m &c., are included in short branch circuits 10 11, connected each at one end to a short circuit-closing rail or contact 0 or 0, located near the ends of the adjoining third rails3 3, &c., and on opposite sides thereof, the other ends of said circuits being connected directly to the tram-rail or return-conductor 4. 5 6 5 6 are signaling and releasing conductors connected to the opposite ends of each sectional third rail or conductor and extending in opposite directions to the switchboxes at the ends of the adjacent sectional third rails or conductors, where they are connected through branch conductors to the releasing-magnets and signals and to earth or return, so as to constitute safety-circuits, as will be described later on.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have illustrated successively five complete third-rail sections, said sectionsbeing indicated by the letters A, B, O, D, and E. The car 0 is represented as passing from left to right in the direction of the arrow over the section 13. Zr represents a flanged trolley-wheel resting upon the third rail 3, and13 a conductor running therefrom to the motor M0 on board of the car, said motor being connected in the usual manner through a controller K, as illustrated in Fig.

4, to the car-wheel w and to the tram-rails or return-conductor 4. P P P P P P represent semaphore-posts, and S S S S do, semaphore-arms journaled in the top thereof and operatively connected each with a driving gear-wheel r which meshes with a pinion 1), carried bythearmature-shaftof an electric motor M or M or M &c., said motors being each preferably provided with two pairs of field-magnets ff and ff and two pairs of commutator-brushes for the armatu res thereof, the windings of the pairs of field-magnets and their connections with the commutatorbrnshes being such as to give to the armatures rotary motion in opposite directions when used independently, as willbe described in connection with the description of the mode of operation. 8 S 9 9 represent pairs of branch conductors running from the ends of the conductors 5 6 5 6 and to the field-magnets ff andf'f and also to signaling-lamps Z Z, supported by the short arm of the semaphoresignals. 12 12 are return-circuits running from the lamps and the motors directly to the tram-rail or return-conductor 4. 24 24 24 and 25 25 25 are branch circuits, and z z z are switches for testing the signals or for setting the same to display danger temporarily, said circuits and switches being shown in dotted lines. I

The operation of the system as thus far described is as follows: Suppose the car to be traveling from left to right in the direction of the arrow and passing over section B. Under this condition current is flowing from the current feederor main 1 through the branch feeder 2 to the locking-armature t, yielding conducting-terminal i branch conductor '7, third rail 3, to the flanged trolley or collector 14, by the conductor 13 to the controller K, (see Fig. 4,) motor MO, car-wheels w, to the tram-rails or return-conductor 4, thus furnishing current to move the car in the direction shown. At the same time current flows by the signaling and releasing conductor 5 to the rear by conductor 8 to one coil of the releasing-electromagnet m at the distant end of section A, adjoiningthe third-rail section B, thence to the tram-rail 4 to the negative pole of the generator, thus magnetizing both legs of the magnet m in such manner as to hold the armatures t t in their upper positions. An additional branch current flows by the multiple or branch conductor 9 through the field-magnets f f, their corresponding pair of commutator-brushes and the armature of the motor m, by the return-conductor 12 to the tram-rails 4 and negative pole of the generator, thus causing the armature to rotate in this instance from leftto right in the direction of the hands of a watch, thereby imparting motion to the gear-wheel g in a reverse direction, as shown by the arrow, and causing the semaphore-arm S to assume an exposed position at right angles to the post P, as illustrated in plan view at the extreme left-hand end of Fig. 3 and in elevational view in Fig. 4. A multiple orbranch circuit is also closed from the conductor 9 throngh the lamp Z and the return conductor 12, thereby causing the lamp to glow and to indicate danger through an opening 0 in the top of the semaphore-post. (See also Figs. 3, 4, and 5.) An additional branch circuit is also closed from the right-hand end of the third rail 3, over which the trolley tr is moving by the signaling and releasing conductor 6 to the distant end of the next section in ad- Vance, where the circuit connections through the branch conductors 8 and 9 are effected, in the first instance, to the left-hand coil of the releasing-magnet m and in the second instance to the field-magnets f f and armature of the motor M and also through the lamp Z andby return-conductor 12 to earth, thus causing the locking-armaturest t at this point to be held in their upper positions and at the same time causing the armature of the motor M to berotated in a direction the reverse of the hands of a watch, thereby imparting motion to the gear-wheel g in'the direction of the hands-of a watch, as shown by the arrow,

and elevating the semaphore-arm S to the po-' sition' shown, pointing tothe left, at the same time bringing the lamp Z, which is caused to glow,in this instance opposite the opening 0 in the signal-post. (See also Figs. 3, 4,'and- 5.) It will be apparent, therefore, that during the time the car is passing'over the sectional third rail 3, upon which the'trolley i1" is now seen upon section B, no car can receive current from a section in the rear nor can any car coming inthe opposite direction receive cur rent from a section in advance, owing to the fact that both of the pairs of locking-armatures m at the distant ends of the sections A and C are held in their upper or inoperative positions, as shown, and out ofthe path of the free ends of the yielding conducting-ten minals t 25 t 6 so that should any train enter section A from thej'left no working cur rent will be available, and in like manner should any train enter section 0 from the right no working current will be available. It will also be noticed upon examination of Figs. 3 and 4 that to any motorman entering the section A from the rear the semaphore arm S'appears on the right, thus giving indication'always of the fact that danger is in front; also, that to any motor'man entering section'A in the opposite direction thesemaphore-arm S appears on the right, thus givshown in the drawings.

leasing conductors 5 and 6, with the third rail 3 between the sections 0 and D in'each direction, releasing the terminal 25, held bynals will be displayed at the opposite ends of 8c the adjacent sections, the'semaphore-arms giving indication for day signals'and the lamps for night signals. At the same time as each car enters a section the semaphores at the distant ends of the adjacent sections 8 are released and allowed to return by gravity to safety or normal position and the lamps cease to glow.

The conductors ofthe entire system, except the current feeder or main and the short 0 branch feeders 2 2 and armatures t i, all of which are located in the switch-boxes, are normally without electrical current potential,and only those conductors have electrical current potential which are connected to the current feeder or main through some one of the conducting-terminals t or and also should any sectional third rail or conductor 3 be left connected to the current feeder or main through one of the yielding conducting- 10o terminals ort the locking-armatures 25-25 of the switches at the distant en'ds ofthe adja'-- cent sectional third rails or conductors will both be held in their upper positions and the corresponding semaphore signals or lamps, -or both, be displayed, so that a motorman whose car is approaching in either direction will be given warning of the fact andhis car will stop for lack of current if he fails to ob-' serve the signal as soon as it passes the same. 1 1o -In order to run cars in a reverse'dlrectlon over the same track, it is only required to reverse the reversible trolley ir', as will be apparent on inspection of Fig. 4 of the drawings, by lifting it through the agency ofran operating hand-wheel luv and rotating it through an arc of one hundred andeighty de grees, then lowering it into*pos ition,'so that the flange is in a reverse position from that in this position, each time that it passes one of the switch-boxesSB, sustained by the in sulator I, it will close circuit to the properone of the circuit-closing circuits 0' and conductors 11 to the corresponding magnet m and effect the proper connections for'connecting the sectional third rails or conductors 1n advance ofthe car as it operates 'the same.

'It will also be apparent that under no condition can'a car leave a sectional third railin 13c either directionwithout disconnectingit from I the current feeder or main after ithas advanced a definite distance or passed the next switch-box, this owing to thefact' thatthe As the car advances,-therefore, each 75 When the trolley is 1 2 o locking-armatures t t are always operated when either one ofthe coils connected to the signalingand releasing circuits 5'and 6 is connected in circuit, each of said coils having sufficient magnetizing capacity to fully saturate the core of the magnet.

In Fig. 2 of the drawingsI have illustrated a continuation of the system embracing additional sectional third rails or conductors, switches, signals, &c., which are similar in all respects to those already described in connection with Fig. 1. I have also illustrated in this figure, in section D, the application of my invention in connection with a draw or turn bridge, showing how collisions and accidents are avoided at these places. I have also illustrated in this figure of the drawings, at the extreme right-hand end thereof, how my invention makes it possible to use in connection therewith automatically-controlled road-crossing gates, which shall prevent footpassengers and vehicles from crossing when a car has entered the section and which shall also give preliminary warning of that fact. Referring to this figure of the drawings in detail, 14 represents a single side-track trainrail corresponding to the tram-rail 4E and provided with the usual switching arrangements (not shown) and 15 the corresponding sidetrack third rail or conductor, only one tramrail being shown in this figure of the drawlugs and also in Fig. 1 for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary complications thereof. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, which, as before indicated, illustrates, in effect, acontin nation of the system shown in Fig. 1, only two sets of switching and signaling apparatus for the systems are shown, the side track, as already described, and the turn-bridge ib being located in this section. The circuit connections to the switching-magnets, the yielding conducting-terminals, the releasing-magnets, the signal-operating motors, and the lamps are the same as illustrated in Fig. 1, except that I provide additional circuit connections for the third-rail section D, embracing the side track and draw or turn bridge and also the road-crossing gate, as will now be described. 14 represents, as before indicated, the tramrail for the siding, and 15 the corresponding third rail for the trolley. c c are the circuitclosing rails or contacts near the center of the third-rail siding, similar to the corresponding circuit-closing rails c c referred to in connection with Fig. 1, except that both of said circuit closing rails or contacts 0 are connected directly to a single safety and signal conductor 16, which branches and runs in opposite directions to independent coils around one leg of the core of each of the releasingmagnets on m and thence to the tram-rail or return-conductor at. These coils might, if preferred, be placed around the central yoke, which joins the other two coils included in the releasing- circuits 5 and 6. in dotted linesa draw or turn bridge, and 3 that section of the third rail for the section tb represents D which is carried or sustained by the bridge, the opposite ends of said rail being adapted to makegood electrical contact with contactplates 6 e at the opposite ends thereof when the bridge is closed, so as to constitute-one continuous third rail for the section D. It will be understood, of course, that corresponding tram-rails are carried by the bridge and at the ends of the tram-rails 4 on opposite sides of the river or space to be bridged, together with a current feeder or main 1. The signaling and releasing conductors 5, G, and 1 6 are connected together by corresponding conductors and all incl'osed in a cable located in the bed of the river. 3 w is a two-arm switch having its pivot-point connected by a conductor 17 directly with the current feeder or main 1 and its free end adapted to make contact with either of two contacting plates connected directly to a conductor 18, which in turn is connected to the safety and signaling conductor 16, the arrangement being such that when the bridge is closed the contacting part of the switch 3 w rests in a central position with relation to the two contacts and out of contact with both. 11 represents a switch-operating pin carried at one end of the bridge, and R is a locking-notch in the other end thereof adapted to receive the hooked end of the locking armature-lever when the bridge is closed, said armature-lever being under the control of an electromagnet lm included in a branch circuit 20 between the third rail 3 and the tram-rail or return-conductor 4. sb is an alarm bell or signal located in multiple circuit with the magnet Zm and is adapted to ring or give an advance indication of danger when the thirdrail section D is connected to the current feeder or main at either end. m o is an electric motor for moving the bridge, its armature being connected to a pinion geared with a large gear-wheel on the under side of the former, said motor being included in a circuit 21, one end of which is connected directly to the tram-rail or return-conductor 4 and the other to the current feeder or main 1. 320 is the operating-switch, and PS is a pole-changing switch for reversing the direction of motionof the motor in a manner well understood by those skilled in theart. Cb is an armatnredever located in the circuit 21 and adapted to be operated by an electromagnet 8271, located in a branch circuit 19, connected at its opposite ends to the sectional third rail 3, which includes the bridge and the tram-rail or return-conductor 4.

Referring now to the road-crossing gate illustrated on the extreme right of Fig. 2 and also in duplicate in Fig. 3, G represents the gate, which is a swinging arm of the usual type pivotally supported to a post 3 and provided with the usual weight on its shorter arm for restoring it to its upper or vertical position. This gate is operated by an electric motor located within the post 3 and included in a branch. circuit 22 between the illustrated inFig. '3, where two such gates are shown in closed position. The operation of these features of the invention,as' illns trated in Figs. 2 and 3, is asfollows: Refer ring first to the draw or turn bridge,.suppose the attendant to be turning the bridgejfrom left to'right in the direction of the hands of a watch, as shown bythe arrow, the switch sw being closed and'the motor m of effecting the movement as indicated. At the instant that the ends of that part of the sectional third rail 3 carried by the bridge left the contact-plates e e thepin 'i,' carried at the lefthand end of the bridge, acted upon the upper or left-hand armof the two-armed switch s w, causing-it to besnapped into theposition shown, with its free end contacting upon the lower one of the two contact-plates. Con.-

sequently a circuit was closed from'the current feeder or main 1 bythe branch conductor 17, through theswitch s w, conductor 18, conductor 16 in opposite directions to the independent coils about the cores of the'magnets m m. At the same time multiple branch circuits were closed through the signals Z Z thusgiving an especial indication of danger at the distant end of the section D. Should a car advance now in either direction toward the section D, danger-signals will be seen at Z 5 Should the'motorman fail to note the proper signal, no current will be'received from either end of the sectional third rail 3 when his car passes the switch for effecting connection with that rail, for the reason that the locking-armatures t 25 at both ends of this section are held out of operative relation with the yielding eon-. ducting-terminals 25 15 Therefore the car will stop for lack of current and no working current can be received until the armatures it are released. On returning the bridge to its norboth ends of the section D will be restored to their normal or operative positions and the danger-signals will cease to give indication of danger. In the event of a car passing the switch next adjacent to the bridge on either side thereof when the latter is open it willof course be understood that after the bridge is closed it will be necessary to operate in the proper direction manually that one of the terminals t or t in the proper switch-box to "permit themotorman to advance in the desired direction. Should the bridge be rotated in a reverse direction, theswitch's' w will obviously close the circuit in amanner already described, its free end contacting with the upper one of the con tact-plates. The bridge being closed, suppose now tha ta car enters section .D in either direction. ,Theflange ofthe will close the cireuit'through the closing rail .75 trolley acting in the manneralready'described or contact a or o and conductor 10'or ll tothe proper switch,'operating the magnet in and connecting the sectional third rail 3 to the f current feeder or main. When this iseffected, current will flow from the, third rail 3 of the section D through the branch'conductoris V 20 and 19-between the third. rail and the'tramv rail or return conductor 4, thus causing the electromagnet Zm to lock the turn-bridge tb,

through the agency of its armatu1'e-lever,'a lso causing the alarm-bell sbto be rungcontinuously or any other alarm to be given, so as to warn the bridge attendant thata car is 0111116 section. At the same time the electromagnet smycauses the armature-lever a to be drawn intoits forward position, thereby interrupting the circuit of the motor m. 0', so that should the bridge attendant attempt to operate the bridge by closing the switch sw he will be prevented from doing so for three reasons: first,

because the bridge is locked; second, because the source of power is disconnected, and,third, because a continuous alarm is given of the fact thataearis on the section. Supposenow it is desired to have two cars pass each other at the siding 14. The first train to'arrive upon the section I) will of course maintain control of that sect-ionand of the sections in "therear and in advance, as already indicated in connection with Fig. 1. VVhen the car reaches the siding 14,'it will be switched in the usual way upon said siding, and as it passes the center thereof the flange of the trolley tr in passing in either directionwill close the circuit between the siding trolley-rail 15 by the conductor 16 to the electromagnets m m at the distant ends of the section, thereby releasing the yielding terminals t or F, which had been connected to the current-feeder when the car entered the section. This will be efiect'ed as the car pass'esby the circuitclosing rails or contacts 0 by its momentum.

It will be understood, of course, that the danger-signals, which are controlled by the sectional conductor of section D, will be returned to safety when the proper terminals t? t are released as the trolley passes the conthe operation of the road-crossing gates. In this instance the car has just entered section B. The road-crossing gates G, as before indicated, are both in the middle of'the section. When the car entered the section, the third rail 3 was made alive, as has already been described in connection with Fig. l. Consequently branch circuits were closed from the sectional third rail 3 through both of the motors in the posts s s", and multiple branch circuits were closed through the lamps Z Z as will be apparent on inspection of Fig. 2. Therefore themotors caused both of the gates to be rotated to their lower positions and the lamps Z to glow continuously. As the gates descend alarm-bells I) (see Fig. 2) of wellknown pattern are actuated continuously mechanically in the usual way, thus giving warning to foot passengers and persons on horseback or with vehicles that a car is entering the section. The gates G both remain closed and the lamps Z continue to glow until the car passes wholly out of the section in either direction, when they are released by the act of releasing the sectional third rail 3 from its connection with the current-feeder. Both gates therefore return'to their normal or upper positions through the agency of weights in the usual manner. During the day-time the switches s 10 may be opened by a trackwalker, and it may here be added that in like manner similar switches might be provided in switch-boxes at the bases of the semaphore posts for enabling a track-man to disconnect the lamps during the day-time, such matters being well within the skill of those versed in the art.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I will describe in detail the construction of my novel semaphore -signal, which is illustrated in these figures in enlarged views. The semaphore-post is made properly of two broad flat timbers located side by side and at proper distances from each other to admit of the free swinging of the semaphore-arm S, said arm being supported by a shaft 5, journaled at J in one side of the semaphore-post and an additional journal-bearing J in the hood or housing H. The shaft 5 is provided, preferably, with ball-bearings for both journals. II is a hood or housing made, preferably, of cast metal and having two compartments, one for the signal-lamp and the other for the motor M, said hood or housing being secured, as shown, directly to the upper end of the semaphore-post by bolts or screws. Upon the shafts is secured a large gear-wheel g, meshing with the pinion p of the motor M, the motor being secured, as shown, in the upper part of the hood or housing. D is a door for the hood or housing hinged atits lower side near the bottom thereof and provided with a ledge L, adapted when the door is open to rest against a similar ledge L, so that said door constitutes, in effect, a shelf for holding tools or materials for use in connection with repairs, &c. Alatch or lock for the door is provided, as shown, for the purpose of holding it-in closed position. dis a wooden cross-arm secured at right angles to the upper end of the semaphore-arm and adapted when the latter hangs in its normal position to close the lower end of the hood or housing in such manner as to prevent birds or other animals from building nestsor otherwise interfering with the free operation of the signal. The signal-lamps Z Z are preferably incandescent lamps of red glass and are carried directly by the short arm of the semaphore, the wiring thereto being effectedin such manner as to allow the latter to move with absolute freedom and to assume when released its normal or vertical position, so that it is absolutely concealed between the two a sides of the post and so that the lamps are fully protected from all sources of destructionsuch as mischievous boys or meddlesome 0 and 0' are holes in the oppositepersons. faces of the two parts of the semaphore-posts and located below the cross-arm d, when the semaphore assumes its normal position, one forthe lamp Z and the other for thelamp l, the arrangement being such, as will be apparent on inspection of Fig. of the drawings, that when the semaphore-arm S is rotated in onedirection one of the lam pswill be visible on one side only of the post and the other lamp when the semaphore is swung in the other direction on the other side only thereof. Such a semaphore is absolutely free from danger of being clogged with snow, sleet, or ice, is kept normally concealed within the post, so that' it maintains its original color and cannot be marred, defaced, or rendered inefficient. will alsobe apparent that by reason of its being normally always concealed and protected it will maintain the bright red color which redpainted signals should maintain, and there fore be capable of always giving the best results. It will be understood, of con rse,that the motor M or other electromotive device causes the semaphore-arm to be raised to its extreme limit until the lateral edge thereof strikes the hood or housing H and will hold it 'in this position until demagneti'zed, at which time it will return by the action of gravity to its concealed position. No claim is made in the present application to this especial form of signaling apparatus, and it is only shown herein to illustrate the preferred form of signal to be used in' connection with my novel safety system of electric railways, nor is any claim made herein to the road-crossing gates and tion thereto.

. ative condition of the signals.

ger, this of course maybe effectcdin the.

same 1113111161'.-

I do not limit my invention to the especial .details of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinbefore de scribed, as many of the features thereof are of a generic nature, and myclaims are to be construed as-of the most'gen'eric scope in rela-. To illustrate, in place of the semaphore-arms S S S S 650., an alarmbell may be locatedin-the hood or housing and actuated continuously by'the motor M or M, &c.,'so long as the sectional third rail connected with said motor-is energized ormade alive,thus giving continuous audible signals, my claims being designed to be of such scope as to include all such obvious modified forms ofv signaling apparatus.

Although I have illustrated my invention I as applicable especially with electric railways of the third-rail type where the third rails or conductors 3 are supported by insulators. I, carried by the ties; T, (see Fig. 4,) the invention may obviously be applied in connection.-

tric railways. In place of themotorsM M, I

I may-use any type of equivalent electrometive devices for controlling the movements of the semaphore-armsas, for instance, elec tromagnets, solenoids, 850. -such means being preferable when the semaphore-arms are light or substantially balanced by counterweights.

I make no claimin the present application to a safety system of electric railways embodying a current feeder or main, a series of sectional conductors normally disconnected therefrom, switching devices for connecting said conductors to anddisco'nnecting them from the current feederor main, and releasing-electromagnets included in circuits normally'without current potential, the arrangement being such that the sectional conductors immediately in the rear or front of any given sectional conductor may be rendered dead or inert, nor to the application of this principle in connection with crossing-tracks, turnbridges, and sidings or switches, as these features constitutethe subject-matter of the original application ofwhich the present ap plication is in part a division, the present application being directed, in so far as this divisional feature is concerned, to the beforementioned features combined with the additional features of signaling mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

'1. A safety system of electric railways embracinga current feederor main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally interlocking disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for positively connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a caror vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safetycircu'its, two for each sectional third rail or. conductor, said safety-circuits including devices for-releasing the interlockedcondnct" ing-terminals of the switchesand signaling devices, and so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally withoutelectrical current potential,substantiallyas described.-

tively connecting said sectional third .rails or conductors to the current feeder or main and disconnecting them therefrom; together with a series of danger-signals, one for each sectional third rail or conductor, said danger-- signals being connected permanently in circuit with said sectional thirdrails or conductors, and all of the conductors of the. system, except the current feeder or main, being normally without current potential, substantially as described. I

3. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism having conducting-terminals for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes byor over the same; in combination with releasing-electromagnets for the conducting-terminals of the switches,'the individual coils of said releasing-magnets being included in circuit with safety-circuits normally without current potential and running in opposite directions and connected to earth and to the adjacent ends of adjoining sectional third rails or conductors; together with signaling mechanism included also in the safety-circuits, substantially as described.

4:. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally IIO rails or conductors immediately in'the front and rear thereof; together with signaling devices included in said safety-circuits, substantially as described.

5. A system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and a series of electromagnetic switching devices for positively connecting and locking said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car passes by or over the same; in combination with additional conductors normally without current potential and including electromagnetic devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches; together with signaling devices included in circuit with said releasing devices for indicating the electricalcondition of the sectional third rails or conductors, there being one such signaling device for each sectional third rail orconductor,snbstantially as described.

6. A system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom, and a series of electromagnetic switching devices for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car passes by or over the same; in combination with additional conductors, two connected to each sectional third rail or conductor, said additional conductors including electromagnetic devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switchesand signal ing devices; said additional conductors being normally without current potential, substantially as described.

7. A system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main and a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom; in combination with electromagnetic switching devices for connecting said sectional third rails or conductors to the current feeder or main; together with electromagnetic releasing devices for disconnecting them therefrom and a series of danger signals connected permanently in circuit with the sectional third rails or conductors, the circuits including the danger-signals being normally without current potential, substantially as described.

8. An electric-railway system embracing a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors for a main track normally disconnected from the current feeder or main, and a siding having a third rail or conductor electrically connected with one of said third rails or conductors; in combination with switchingdevices for connecting the sectional conductors to and disconnecting them from the current feeder or main; together with signaling devices, and circuit connections between the siding third rail and the aforesaid switching devices, substantially as described.

9. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main and disconnecting them therefrom as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with a drawbridge carrying a sectional third rail or conductor and circuits and circuit connections between the same and one of the sectional third rails or conductors; together with signaling mecha'nism operatively included in circuit with the sectional conductor adjacent to the bridge and with the current feeder or main, substantially as described.

10. An electric railway including a draw or turn bridge therefor; in combination with circuits and circuit connections so arranged that when a car approaches either end of Said bridge within a definite distance the latter is locked or held so that it cannot be disturbed until after the car has crossed the bridge; together with one or more signals for giving continuous indication of the fact that a car is near or upon the bridge, substantially as described.

11. An electric railway of the sectionalthird-rail type embracing a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors; switching devices for connecting the sectional conductors to the current feeder or main and signaling devices for indicating the electrical condition of the sectional third rails or conductors; together with branch circuits and switches adapted to connect the signaling device directly with the current feeder or main, or to maintain the same in temporary connection therewith, substantially as do scribed.

12. An electric railway embracing it current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom; a series of semaphore-signals 0peratively connected with electromotive devices for controlling their movements; in combination with branch circuits and switches adapted to connect the electromotive devices directly with the current feeder or main, substantially as described.

13. A system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom, and a series of switching devices for connecting said sectional condoctors to thecurrent feeder or main as a car passes by or over the same; in combination with additional conductors, two for each sectional third rail or conductor, said additional conductors including electromagnetic devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches and electromotive devices operatively connected with semaphore-signals,substantially as described.

14. An electric railway embracing a current feeder or main; a series of third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom; a series of switching devices for connecting said sectional conductors to and disconnecting them from the current feeder or main; a series of releasing-circuits operatively connected with the switching devices and per- In testimony whereof I have signed my manently in circnit with' the sectional 0011- name to'this specification in the presence of IO ducto -s 5 in combination witha series of sematwo subscribing Witnesses. v phore signals operatively connected with electrolnctive devicesincluded in the before- CHARLES TN mentionedreleasing-circuits,saidsemaphore- Witnesses: signals being adapted to move in opposite di- JAMES P. J. MORRIS, rectic'ns, substantially as described. F. 'KEATING.

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