US1028853A - Signal mechanism for electric railways. - Google Patents

Description

R. D. BEATTY.

SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION rI'Lnn MAB.15, 1911.

Patented June 11, 1912.

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SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR ELEGTBIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION IILBD MAR. 15, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Ell WASHINGTON, D. c.

al -0 a M ROBERT 1). BEATTY, or CLEVELAND, 01-110.

SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ROBERT D. BEATTY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use fulImprovement in Signal Mechanism for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

As indicated, it is for use in connection with electric railways that the present improvements in signaling apparatus are designed; moreover said improvements, at least in the specific form in which they are herein presented, are designed for use on overhead trolley systems.

The object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the kind in hand which can be utilized either for crossing or block signal purpose, and one in which the switch is entirely separate from the trolley line so as to leave the latter clear of obstacles such as characterize most prevailing forms of signal apparatus designed for use on electric railways.

A further object is to simplify the apparatus by eliminating all relays, electro-magnets and the like from the system proper.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :'Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an improved switch disposed in proper relation to the trolley line wherewith it-is designed tov cooperate; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said switch; Fig. 3 is 'a similar front elevational view of .a portion of said switch showing the parts different operative.

' position; Fig. 4 is .a section thereof on the line 4 -4: Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 isa section of a detail of the switch on the line 5-5 Fig. 4; Fig. 6 represents a section ofan electric trolley railway-with my improvedsig-r nal apparatus installed; and Fig. 7 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

- drawings.

Patented June 11, 1912.

Application filedMarch 15, 1911. Serial No. 614,576.

designed to be suspended from a yard-arm or cross-wlre of any usual construction, such.

as is employed in supporting the trolley wires themselves. In the present instance an arm 1 has been selected as the supporting means, such arm being carried by a pole 2 (see Fig. 6) which may be located intermediately between, preferably half way, two of the poles 3 that are employed to support the trolley wires 4. The latter are shown as two in number in Fig. 1, inasmuch as this is the approved arrangement, one wire being utilized for cars going in one direction, and the other for cars going oppositely. It will be understood, however, that the apparatus is equally adapted for use with systems using a single trolley wire, as with systems thus employing two.

The wires may or may not be supported from the arm or cross-wire that supports the switch, as desired, said wires being attached to clips 5 of the form that are regularly used in supporting them, and such clips being in turn fastened to pins or bolts 6 vertically reciprocable in asuitable depending frame 7.. In case the wire became expanded, said bolts may be relied on to afford support therefor even where they are not normally thus utilized, since the bolt heads 8 are adapted to rest on the cross member 9 of the frame. In a more taut or contracted condition of the wires, the bolts are adapted to project above said crossmember and the wire thus left entirely unsupported at this point.

The switch mechanism proper is carried by a board or. plate 10 disposed directly above such cross member 9, and will in practice, of course, be suitably incased or housed, although no, such housing is shown in the Said mechanism, as illustrated, comprises a vertically reciprocable plunger 11, the lower end of which is provided with a foot 12- that lies transversely of the bolts 0 orinother words, parallel with the frame member 9 in which said bolts are reciprocally "held. The latter are. respectively adapted, when raised to approximately the ley wire is employed, the bolt carrying it- 'lnay be centrally disposed with respect to the plunger 11, and the size and form of the foot 12 be correspondingly modified. A stop block 13 is disposed so as to engage the upper end of the plunger and thus prevent 'its being raised beyond a predetermined oint. v Laterally adjacent to the aforesaid. plunger, is a rotatable switch member 14 p 7 having a body of general circular form from with successive posts 17.

which projects an arm 15 carrying a resilient segmental con -act member 16 that is adapted, upon successive movements of the switch member through arcs of 90 degrees, to contact These posts and the pin 18, whereon member 14 is rotatable and with which it has electrical contact, are insulated from each other by reason of the insulating character of the board on which they are mounted, or in such other fashion as may be found most convenient. Rotation of said switch member is secured from the plunger 11 by means of a plnion 19 that engages with rack-teeth 20 on said plunger,

. and that has a pawl-and-ratchet connection 24 with said member (see Fig. 5) while a second pawl-and-ratchet connection 27 between said member and the fixed base (see same figure) serves to prevent backward rotation of the member upon the retraction of the plunger. The body-member of the switch, furthermore, carries a series of four equidistantly spaced pins or lugs 21, where-- with a projection 22 on the side of the ,plunger is adapted to engage, as shown in Fig. 3 in the raised position of said plunger. The effect of such engagement is to lock the member against further movement, such as might carry the contact arm thereof beyond ..its desired position; in other words, the contact arm is definitely positioned at each stopping point in the course of its movement by means of the stop pin and the ratchet. The contact pins 17', as also the central pin 18,

.have their rear ends formed into suitable binding posts 28 wherewith wires, or other conductors, may be connected as in the fashion now to be explained.

In Fig. 7 whlch as has been explained,

illustrates diagrammatically the lay-out of system embodying the present improved apparatus, four switches of the kind just described are represented,such switches demarcating the limits of as many blocks, or sections, of the trolley line. As will be seen upon reference tothe figure just named, two oppositely disposed contact pins 17 of each switch are grounded; the two remaining pins are connected with the trolley wire, or wires 41:, where, as in the present case, two of the latter are employed; and the remaining or central, pins 18 are. connected in series with a plurality of translating devices 25 located between the successive switches. These translating devices may be incandescent lamps, as represented in said figure, or any other suitable apparatus such as semaphores, signal bells, or the like, and the successive lines including them may be appropriatelyreferred to as signal lines. Assuming, then, a car 26 to be entering the first block at the right, the position of the contact arms 15 in the several switches may be as-shown. As a result there will be a shunt circuit from the trolley wires 4: through the signal lamps 25,01 other translating devices located in block A, the resistance of said circuit being so arranged that just the proper amount of current will flow to actuate said translating devices. Upon the passage of the car from block A to block B, the effect will be to advance the contact arm 15, in the second switch to the position shown in dotted lines, whereby the flow of current through the signal shunt circuit just referred to is cut off and such fiow established through the signal circuit in the next block, that is block B. A similar result follows the entry of the car in the next succeeding block, and so on. Moreover, the position of the switch arms as left is such that a car following later on will similarly set the signals in the successive blocks through which it passes, thus closing the same against the entry therein of a car from either direction, as also setting in operation any alarm bells, semaphores or the like, such as may be used for various purposes along the section of the line in question. Not only will; the apparatus thus respond when cars are moving in the direction assumed in the foregoing descriptiom but should the car shown, for example in block A, instead of advancing, return into the preceding block, the contact arm 15- of the first switch will restore the circuit connections that then existed, although it actually contacts with a different contact pin 17.

'From the foregoing description not only will the operation of the switch mechanism be fully apparent, but also that of the combined apparatus constituting the system. It Will be seen that the several switches .will' stay set, even though the current in the trol-. ley line fail, so that immediatelyupon the restoration of the current, the'same conditi'on of signals. will prevail as before. This 1 is' a most importantconsideration in the operation of trolley lines where a momentary or even more extensive interruption of the current, is not of infrequent occurrence. Not only is the apparatus thus independent of the current in the setting and releasing of the switches, but no relays, or electromagnets, are required in connection with such switches as in the prevailing more complicated constructions.

While the mechanism chosen for illustrative purposes is designed more particularly for use in connection with overhead trolley lines, the adaptability of such mechanism to other kinds of electric railways should be readily apparent.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a base; a plurality of fixed contacts on said base; a movable switch member adapted to successively close with said contacts; means for moving said switch member, including a rack operatively connected with said member, said rack being adapted to be reciprocated by external means; and a stop carried by said rack adapted to engage said member and retain the same against forward movement.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a base; a plurality of fixed contacts circularly disposed on said base; a rotatable switch member adapted to successively close therewith; means for rotating said switch member from one contact to another, said means including a pinion co-axial with said member and having pawl-and-ratchet connection therewith;

a rack engaging said pinion, a stop limiting the advance movement of said rack; and a second stop carried by said rack and adapt- 3. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a trolley wire; of a base supported thereover; a fixed contact on said base; a rotatable switch member on said base adapted to close with said contact; and means for rotating said member, said means including a reciprocable rack operatively connected with said member and adapted to be reciprocated by the raising of said wire incidentally to the pas sage of a trolley therealong.

4. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a trolley wire; of a base supported thereover; a fixed contact on said base; a rotatable switch member on said base adapted to close with said contact; and means for rotating said member, said means including a pinion co-axial with said member and having pawl-and-ratchet connection therewith, and a rack engaging said pinion, said rack being arranged to be reciprocated by the raising of said wire incidentally to the passage of a trolley therealong.

Signed by me this 2nd day of March, 1911.

ROBERT D. BEATTY. Attested by ANNA L. GILL, J N0. F. OBERLIN.

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

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