US1001742A - Electric train-signal. - Google Patents

Description

E. F. VON DREDE-N. ELEGTRIG TRAIN SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED AUGQ16, 1910.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

ERNST F. vonDBEDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-SIGNAL.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

Application filed August 16, 1910. Serial No. 577,459.

To all w/iom it may concern: Be it known that I, ERNST F. VON DRE- DnN, a citizen of Germany, and resident of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Train-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel signal system for railway trains by means of which the motorman is informed that the'doors of all cars have been properly closedand that the train is thus in condition tostart.

The invention is more particularly adapt ed to that system of trains, in which a guard is stationed on each platform-- for the pur-- pose of controlling the ingress and egress of passengers and forgiving a starting signal after the closing of the doors. With this system, it was the practice for one guard to signal to the succeeding guard by means of a bell rope, the signal thus eventuallyreaching'the motorman. By my invention, the delay thus necessarily incurred is abrogated, a signal being directly given from each guard in such a manner that upon the reception of the last signal, the motorman is automatically informed that the train is to proceed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a diagram of a train signal embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a sectional face View of the annunciator.

Briefly stated, my improved signaling device comprises an annunciator located preferably in the motormans cageand containing a series of electro-magnets. Each.

electro-magnet is in circuit with one or-more push buttons or switches which are arranged within easy reach of the guard, and which are actuated after the guard has closed thecar doors. When all the electro-magnet armatures are attracted, they close an electric circuit which may actuate a visible or audible signal or it may automatically close the motor-circuit to start the train.

The numeral 10 indicates the casing of the annunciator which is located within the engineers cage. Within casing 10 are inclosed a series of radially arranged electromagnets 11 having pivoted armatures 12, which are normally drawn away from the magnets by springs 13. The face plate 14 of the annunci-ator is preferably provided with windows 15, through which numbers 16, carried by armatures-12, are'exposed when the latter are attracted, such numbers -suitable couplings after the armature when attracted, rests against a contact 17, which is by wire 18 conductively connected with the fulcrum 19 of the adjoining armat ure. One of the contacts 17 is, by wire 20, connected to a battery or other source of electricity 21. which is, in turn, by wire 22 connected to a gong 23, the latter being by wire-24, connected to the adjoining fulcrum 19;

- With the arrangement shown. each car A is provided near each end with a pair of switches 25, the pivots of the switches of all ears being connected by a common wire 26 to one pole of abattery 27. The contacts 28 of each set of four adjoining switches 25, are by a wire 29 connected to one of the elect-ro-magnets 11, the switches of each pair of adjoining cars being connected by suitable wire couplings (not shown). The electromagnets 11 are by branches 30 and wires 31, 32 connected to the other pole of battery 27. lVires 26 and""29 pass preferably through each car in the form .of insulated cables, the ends of which are connected by cars have been coupled. The several conductors have only been diagrammatically shown in the draw ings, said couplings being well known the doors of two adjoining cars, turns one of the swltches 25, thereby closing an electric I circuit, the current flowing from the switch through wire 29, electro-magnet 11, branch 30, wires 31, 32, battery 27, and wire 26 back to the switch, and thereby attracting the corresponding armature 12. After all switches have been closed by the guards, armatures 12 will close a circuit, the current flowing from battery 21' through wire 20, armatures 12 and I wires 18, wire 24, gong 23 and wire 22 back to battery 21. In this way, the motorman will be notified that the train is ready for the start.

. In addition to giving the signal, the train may be automatically started, assoon as the last guard has operated his switcl1,-for which purpose, an electro-magnet 33 is arranged in shunt with gong 23, wires 34, 35, connecting said electro-magnet with wires 22, 24 respectively. Electro-magnet 33 when ener gized, will attract itsarmature 36, which will close the circuit of the electro-motor (not shown) through wires 37, 38, armature 36,

Wire 39, controller-coils 40 and Wire 41'. The controller handle 42 is subsequently advanced by the motorman over contacts 4L3, in the usual manner. After the train has started, the guards release the switches, which are then by suitable springs returned into their inoperative positions.

I claim:

1. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets, armatures' controlled thereby, .a' circuit adapted to be closed by said armatures, means provided in each car for closing one of the electro-magnet circuits and means for indicating which circuits have been closed.

2. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets, armatures controlled thereby, an electric circuit adapted to be' closed by said armatures, signaling means in said circuit, means provided in the cars for closing theelectro-magnet circuits. and means for indicating which circuits have been closed;

3. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets, armatures controlled thereby, contacts adapted to be engaged by the armatures, a conductor connecting the contact of one electro-magnet with the armature of the adjoining electro-Inagnet, said armatures, contacts and conductors constituting jointly an electric circuit, a signaling device controlled by said circuit, means provided in each car for closing one of the electro-magnet circuits and means for indicating Which circuits have been closed.

t. In an electric train signal, a plurality ERNST F. VON DREDEN.

Witnesses FRANK v. BRIESEN, ARTHUR E. ZUMPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- a Washington, DIG.

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