US1004879A - Signaling system for mines. - Google Patents

Description

E. M.,JOHNSON. SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR MINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

1,004,879. Patented 0011.3,191'1.

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SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR MINES. APPLICATION FILED @219, 1907.

flu-bin? 14th;

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

2 QHEETS-SEEET 2.

UNITED STATES r irn'r anion.

EDGAR M. JQHEN'SOIJ, F HANCOCK, MICI-IIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROSS D.

'BLAGKBURN, 0F HANCOCK, MICHIGAN.

SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR MINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enean M. JOHNSON,

a citizen of the United States,and a resident i [that level holds the hand lever down and of Hancock, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain; new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems for Mines, of which the following is a specification.

The-invention relates to mine'signa l' systems and seeks to provide a simple and; effective electrically operated system by that of the old Cornish hell and which which the signals transmitted from any level to the engineer in charge of the hoisting machi'nery for the cage or skip, will be I indicated at all ofthe other levels.

" A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of signaling de vice and animproved station or signal box for the'inine system.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combinations and iarrangements of parts hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularlypointed out in the appended c'jlaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the improved mine signaling system. Fig. 2 1s a cross section of one of the signal boxes or stations, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the signai hon with-'tlie cover removed.

In Fig. l. the shaft 4 and the separate levels 5 of. the mine are indicated. A skip cbrcagefiis mounted to shirt on guide rails 7 and is raised and lowered by a suitable hoisting. engine at the 'mouth of the mine. The mine shafts are frequently of great depth and the levels at a considerable distance apart and the hoisting engines usually operate the skips or cages at high speed. In many mines it has been customary to employ the so-called Cornish hell a signaling means between the several levels of the mine and the engineer in 'charge of the hoisting engine.- This consists of a' hell at the engineers station anda rope therefor extending down the mi ne'shaft and having an operating lever or handle at each of the levels or stations in the mine. By shifting one of the lovers up and down, one or more strokes are sounded on the hell at the engincers station to inform him, in accordance with a suitable signal code,

fbr what purpose' th'e skin or cagejsltmbe.

Specification of Letters JPatent.

Application filed September 9, 1907.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Serial No. 391,924.

used, 2'. effor passengers, ore =..r"for po'or rock. As the skip or cage approaches the 'deslred level at liigh speedflthe operator at hangs the hell or gives what is called a half signal,-- and the engineer slows down, andthen stops when the signal" is completed and the hell struck.

1 ln accordance with the present invention, suitable electric signaling means are employed, the operation of which is similar to In accordance with the present invention,

a series of signaling devices, one at each of the di fle'rent levels'ior stations, are arranged on a common circu t that 18 preferably nor mally closed and in which circuit the engi neers signal is interposed. A signaling switch for opening and closing the c rcuit is provided at each station. Pi'votedopere ating'" handles for the several switches are preferably provided at each station and are shifted by the operators in the same manner as the hand levers of the old Cornish bell to open and close the circuit and transmit the desired signals to the-engineers station. The signaling devices at all levels are at the same time actuated so that the 0perators in different parts of the mine are kept informed as to the purposes for which the cage orskip 'is employed, and so that there will he no improper confusion of signals; For-example, if an operator in one ofthe upper levels of the mine, together with the engineer is notified that the skip or cage is to he used to raise passengersor poor rock from one of the lower levels of tlie mine, he would know that he could no t'jpufi good ore onto the skip or cage on. that trip. On the other hand, if ore was placed on a skip or cag'e in one of the lower levels, theloperator would stop it at his own level if 'l'le wished to have ore'carried 'to'the mouth of' the mine shaft.

- vided with projecting perforated lugs 11 by which it may be secured in any desired position at the. mine level. The signaling means is preferably in the form of a visual signal or target 12 which is shifted behind a viewopening 13 in the box by an operating magnet 14. The spools of this magnet, in the form shown, are mounted upon a brass plate 15 fixed to a wooden base plate 16 and the latter is secured by bolts 17 to an insulating support 18 of slate or the like. The armature 19 of the magnet is carried upon a lever 20 which is pivoted to an upright 21 on the brass plate 15 by pivot pins or screws '22. An upright 23 on the plate 15 carries an adjustable back stop 24 toward which the armature lever 20 is pressed by a spring 25 extending between the inner end of the armature lever and a screw 26 that is adjustably threaded-through a lug 27.. on the end of the upright 21. A screw 28 threaded through the armature 20 near its free end is arranged to strike a portion of the upright 23 and form an adjustable front stop. Lock nuts 29 are provided on the stop screws 24 and 28 and on the spring-adjusting screw 26. The magnet and the parts associated therewith are similar in construction to the ordinary telegraph sounder, but this construction may be widely varied without departure from the invention.

The signal target 12 is fixed upon an arm or lever 30 which is pivotally connected adjacent its inner end to the upright 23 by a pin. 31. A screw 32 extends through a slot in the inner end of the arm or lever 30 and connects the same to the free end of thearmature lever 20 so that the leverv 30 and target 12 thereon are vibrated back and forth by the armature lever 20 as the circuit through the magnet 14 is made and broken. The face of the target, that is viewed through the opening 13, has its upper and lower portions differently colored. Preferably, the upper portion of the target face is red while its lower portion is white, and the parts are so adjusted that when thecircuit through the magnet is broken, as indicated in Fig. 2, the red portion of the target will be exposed through the opening 13, but the white will be exposed when the circuit is closed through the magnet, which is the normal condition of the signaling device when arranged, as is preferable, upon a nor mally closed circuit, as indicated in Fig. 1. The view-opening 13 is arranged, in the form shown, in the rounded edge of the box cover 9 and is preferably made water tight ona-e79 by means of a plate 33 of glass or other transparent material secured therein. The coils of the magnet 14 are connected between a 'pair of binding posts 34 and 35 on the wooden base plate 16. An insulated conductor 86 extends from the-binding post 34 outwardly through, an elbow'37..inserted in the rear portion of the signal box and which forms a part of the piping in which all of the conductors of the signaling system of the mine are preferably arranged. A strip of brass, copper or other suitable conducting material is secured to the other bindingpost 35 and the end of this strip is bent down into engagement with the slate support 18 and is secured thereto. The strip is also provided with a contact button 39 which is on the box cover by a bolt 45. A rod 46 extends vertically through an opening in the cover 9 andis threaded into a head portion 47 which in turn is connected to the handle 43 by a bolt 48. The rod 46 is connected to the switch blade 40, preferably by means of a pair of clevises 49 of brass or like material, secured respectively to the rod and to the switch blade and connected together by an intermediate strip 50 of insulating fiber. A spring 51 coiled about the rod is compressed between the cover 9 and the upper brass clevis 49 so that the handle is normally held in the position shown, with the switch blade 40 pressed snugly into engagement with the contact 39. By shifting the handle 43, the switch blade 40 may be moved to opened position. The movement of the handle is limited by a stop lug 52 thereon which is arranged to strike the upper face of the cover 9.

As indicated in Fig. 1, one of the stations or signal boxes is arranged at each of the minelevels and preferably also, one is arranged at the engineers station'at the mouth of the mine shaft. The several stations are arranged in series in a common circuit, the switch of each one being connected to the magnet of the next adjacent station by the conductors 42 and 36. Current for the signaling circuit is derived from a small battery 53 and the ends of the circuit .are grounded to the rails or piping of the mine shaft or connected by a return wire 54, as

diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1.

At the engineers station a pair. of magnets 55 and 56 are interposed in the signaling circuit. The armature of magnet 55 is fixed to a tapper 57 which is arrangedto strike a signal bell'58. A spring 59 retracts the tapper 57 when the circuit through the magnet is broken. The arrangement thus forms a single-stroke electric bell, that is to say, one stroke is sounded each time the signaling circuit is opened and closed. The armature of the magnet 56 is secured to a pivoted switch lever 60 which controls the flow of current through a pair of lamps 61 and 6,2. These lamps are preferably arranged in series between the current supply wire 63 and the lamp 61 is a high candle power lamp emitting white light, while the lamp 62 is a low candle power lamp emitting the red light. Switch lever 60 is connected by a conductor 64 to one of the current supply wires 63 and the contact.

65, which is normally engaged by thelever 60, is connected by a conducter 66 to a conductor 67 which joins two of the terminals of the lamps '61 and 62. The switch 60 thus normally closes a shunt around the low power, red lamp 62 so that the high power white lamp 61 alone glows. hen the circuit through the magnet 56 is broken and the switch 60 shifted, to opened position by a spring 68 connected thereto, the current flows through the lamps 61 and 62 in series and is so'cut down in amount that the high resistance, low power red lamp 62 alone glows, while the white lamp 61 is dark. Other arrangements could be employed Whereb the shift of the switch 60 alternately ighted lamps of different colors, but the arrangement shown is preferred since the switch 60 merely serves to open and close a shunt around a red lamp and there is practically no sparking as it makes and breaks engagement with the contact 65.

As stated, the several stations and the signaling means at the engineers position are preferably arranged upon a normally closed circuit, as shown, which however, re-

quires but little current. The several targets 12 at the different stations are thus normally held in position to expose theirwhite portions through the view-openings 13, and the switch 60 is held closed so that the white lamp 61 atthe engineers station -.normally glows while 'the'red lamp 62 is dark. The operator at any level,'by. shifting the hand lever 43, opens and closes the circuits of the magnets 14, 55 and 56 to strike one or more strokes upon the signal bell 58 and alternately flash on and off the "red and white lamps 62 and 61 and thus notify the engineer that he desires to use the. skip or-cage and for- Whatpurpose he intends to use it. At the same time the targets 12 at the different levels of the. mine are vibrated and the operators throughout the mine informed for what purpose the skip or cage is to be employed so that confusing signals will not be trans- As the car approaches the desired level the operator will give a half signal by shifting the lever and holding it in shifted position. The red light at the engineers station will thus be caused to glow for a considerable length of time and the engineer notified that he should run slow. Moreover, the targets at the different portions of the mine all show red so that the operators are notified that the skip or cage is being used. At the same time the bell at the engineers station is hung by the half signal. lVhen the car reaches the level the operator releases the handle and the bell at the engineers station is sounded to notify him that the movement of the skip or cage should be arrested. If the normally closed circuit should be broken or the system get out of order in any way, the redv lamp will glow at the engineers station and the red portions of the targets be exposed at the station boxes of the several levels so that the operators in the different portions of the mine and the engineer are notified, when this of time, that the signaling system is out of order and immediate steps may be taken to remedy the defect.

It has been found thata normally closed system of this sort is particularly advantageous for mines, since as stated, warning is at once given if for any reason the system gets out of order and since the small amount ofheat generated'by the current flowing through the coils of the several magnets prevents the moisture from having a deteriorating effect upon the magnets.

If necessary, to exclude moisture, corroding gases and the like, the signal boxes may be filled with insulating oil to protect the apparatus contained therein.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention.

Having described my invention, What I "claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'In signaling systems for mines, a series of station boxes, one at each of a number of different levels, each having a magnet therein, a target operated by the magnet and visible through an opening in the box,

an energizing ;v circuit for the magnets of magnet and visible through a view-opening in said box, a normally closed operating circuit wherein said magnets are arranged in; series a normally closed, spring-held switch in each of said boxes for opening and closing a switch interposed in the signaling circuitand a signaling switch at each level for opening and closing the circuit.

4. In signaling systems for mines, a series of station boxes, one at each of a number of different levels, each having a magnet therein, a target operated by the armature of the magnet and having diii'erently colored portions visible through a view-openin the box, a pair of electric lamps of 111g di erent colors at the engineers station, a

switch for alternately lighting said lamps, a magnet for operating said switch, an energizing circuit for said station and lamp magnets and a signaling switch in each sta tion box for controlling the flow of current through said circuit.

5. In signaling systems for mines, a series of station boxes, one at each of a number of different levels, each having a magnet therein and a target operated by the magnet and'visible through a view-opening in the box, a single-stroke gong and a pair of lamps at the engineefis station, a switch for alternately lighting said lamps, magnets for operating said gong and said switch, a normally closed circuit in which said-gong and lamp'magnets and said station magnets are arranged in series, a spring-held, signaling switch in eachstation box for opening and closing said circuit and an operating handle for the switch mounted on the box.

' 6. A station box for mine signaling systems having a magnet therein, an armature therefor, a vibrating target operated by said armature, a signaling switch normally spring-held in closed position and arranged in said box and connected in series with said magnet and an operating handle for said switch mounted on the box.

7 A closed waterproof station, box for mine signaling systems, a magnet therein, a pivoted armature for said magnet, a vibra' tory targetconnected to and operated by said armature and sible through a viewopening in said box, a signaling switch normally spring-held in closed position and arranged in said box and connected in series with said magnet and an operating handle pivoted on the box and projecting exteriorly thereof and connected to but insulated fro said switch. i

8. In signaling systems for mines, a series acoasve of station boxes, one at each of a number of different levels, each having a magnet therein, a signal operated by each magnet, a normally closed operating circuit wherein said magnets are arranged in series, a normally closed, spring-held switch in each of said boxes for opening and closing said circuit, an operating handle for each switch mentioned magnet, a signaling switch at the engineer s station normally spring-held in closed position, and an energizing circuitin which all of said magnets and switches are arranged in series, substantially as described.

10. In signaling systems for mines, a number of station magnets at a number of different levels and at the engineers station, all of said station equipments having a magnet, a vibrating visible signal or target operated by said magnet, and a signaling switch normally spring-held in closed position, an additional magnet at the engineers station, an engineers signal operated thereby, and a normally closed energizing circuit in which all of said magnets and switches are arranged in series, substantially as described.

11. In signaling systems for mines, a series of station boxes, one at each of a number of different levels, an electric signal in each of said boxes, a normally closed operating circuit wherein said signals are arranged in series, a normally closed spring-held switch in each of said boxes for opening and closing said circuit, an operating handle for each switch mounted on the box and connected to but insulated from the switch, and an electric signal at the engineers station interposed in said circuit, substantially as described.

12. In signaling systems for mines, a series of station equipments at a number of diii'erent levels, each of said station equipments comprising an-electric signal and a signal operating switch normally springheld in closed position, a magnet at the en gineers station, a single-stroke electric bell operated by said magnet, a signaling switch at the engineers station normally springheld' in closed position, and an energizing circuit in which all of said signals and switches and said magnet are arranged in series, substantially as described.

13. In signaling systems for mines, a number of station equipments at ,a number of difierent levels and at the engineers station, normally closed energizing circuit in which each of said station equipments having an all of said signals and switches are arranged electrically operated signal arranged to indiin series, substantially as described.

cate danger when the circuit therethrough 4 ED' AR MQJOHNSON. 5 is broken. and a signaling switch normally Witnesses:

s ring-held in closed position, an addi- HARRY L. CLAPP,

tional signal at the engineers station, and a I LILLIAN PRENTIGE.

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