US1155476A

US1155476A - Safety apparatus for railways.

Info

Publication number: US1155476A
Application number: US72179312A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas M Freeble
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1912-09-23
Filing date: 1912-09-23
Publication date: 1915-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1932-10-05

Description

T; M. FREEBLE.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS. 4 APPLICATION F|LED.SEPT-23. I912- L155,4?6.

WHTNESSES INVENTOR wmwammi,

Patented Oct. 5; 1915 v v a M 5 mmwm hit THQD/KAS M. FREEBLE, 0F ROCHESTER,

SAFETY arranarcs non Application filed September 23, 1912.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, THoMAs M. FREEBLE a resident of Rochester, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented a new and useful Improvement in Safety Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, ir. which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one arrangement of track circuits used in carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the apparatus carried by the train or vehicle and also showing a portion of the circuits; Eig. 3 is a diagram showing a modification; and Fig. i is a detail view of aspecial form of contact wheel which may be employed.

My invention has relation to safety apparatus for railways, and is designed to provide apparatus of this character for use on roads employing block signaling systems as an adjunct to such systems. i

The invention provides safety apparatus of simple and effective character in Which the engineer or other person in control of the train is notified by the operation of a signal in the cab of the track conditions ahead of him.

It also provides means whereby the speed of the train is automatically checked or the trainis stopped under certain conditions.

The nature of my invention will be'best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which will now be described, and in which Ihave shown the preferred embodiment thereof, it being premised, however, that'various changes may be made in the details, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, the numerals 2 and 3 designate the track rails of a railway track, these rails being divided by suitable insulation into the usual block sections A, B, C, D, etc.

B, B B designate batteries or other sources of signaling current, which are connected across the respective blocks in any usual or suitable manner.

R, R, R designate track relays which may also be of any well known or suitable character, connected across. the respective blocks adjacent to the entrance ends thereof.

S,S, S designate the signals guarding Speciflcntionef Letters lPatent. Pa'gg e ttjqed @6113, 5,.

Serial 1E0. 7531,2893.

the entrance to the respective blocks D and C, and controlled by the armatures of the respective relays B, E", R in any well known or usual manner.

.The parts as thus far described. may all be as commonly employed by block-signah ing systems, and in themselves, constitute no part of'niy invention.

In accordance with my invention, 1 place in one of the track rails (in the present instance in the track rail 3) near the outgoing end of each block a short insulated rail section a. Each of these short insulated rail sections i is normally connected by a conductor 5, armature contact 6, armature 7, and connection 8, through a battery 9 with. the track rail 2 in the same block that particular contact section. 10 designates connections which extend around the insulated sections 2, for the purpose of convey ing the signaling current into the rail sections between said insulated sections and the ends of the respective blocks.

Each armature 'i is controlled by an electromagnet 11, whose winding is connected in series in circuit 12, which includes a source of current 13, and also an armature ll, of a relay magnet in an advance block. in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, each magnet 11 is controlled by the relay of the nest succeeding block but one, but I desire it understood that the magnets 11 may be controlled from points at any desired distance in advance- I also preferably place an insulated joint 15 in the track rail 2 of each block and extend conductors 16 from opposite sides of this insulated joint to the insulated rail sections 4:, in the next preceding block section, so that the conductors 16 and section 4 form a bridge around. the insulated joint 15.

The train or other vehicle indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 is provided with a special contact device 17, preferably consisting of a flanged wheel adapted to travel on the track rail including its insulated sections a 18 is a magnet carried by the vehicle, the winding of this magnet being grounded-at one side through the frame of the vehicle, as indicated at G, and connect ed at its opposite end to its armature 19.

The magnet 18 and its armature constitute a relay of the type known as stick relays. The armature lever 19 is adapted to contact with either one of two points 20 and 21, the point 20 being connected through a battery 22 with the contact wheel 17, while the point 21 is also connected to said contact wheel;

The stick relay 18 has two connected

armatur'es

23 and 24. The armature 23 1s adapted to make contact at the point 25, from which a conductor leads to an operating magnet 26 of cab semaphore or other signal 27, the winding of the magnet 26 being grounded at G. The armature 24 1s adapted to contact with the point 28 from which a connection 29 leads through a brake-controlling magnet 30 to ground at G The magnet 30 has an armature 31 whlch actuates a brake-controlling valve 32. 33 IS a circuit leading from the conductor 29 to a ground connection 34 from the armatures 23' and 24, this connection being made.

through a battery 35. The circuit 33 includes a switch 36, which is preferably controlled by a centrifuge 37, driven by the train or vehicle.

It will be seen from the diagram of Fig. 2 that so long as the stick relay 18 remains energized, it holds the three armatures'19,

23 and 24 in the positions shown in Fig. 2,

' thereby maintaining the signal 27 in safety position and also energizing the magnet 30, to hold the brake valve 32 closed. Thls fig,- ure shows the normal position of the parts when the track ahead is clear.

Assuming atrain in block A and proceed; ing in the direction of block B, if the track signals ahead are clear and the relay 7 of block A is energized, there will bea continu-' ous flow of current from the battery. 22, through the wheel 17, through the track rail, or contact section'4, and through the winding of the relay l8 to ground at G,

thereby maintaining the circuit conditions as shown in Fig. 2. These circuit conditions-are also maintained when the contact wheel passes on to a section 4, which is ener-1 gized from its battery 9, since the relay 18 is then supplied with current from such battery. If, however, the circuit of the magnet 11 is opened by the action of the relay R the contact rail section 4 of that block is out off from its supply of current from battery 9 by the'opening of thearmature 6, and when the wheel 17 contacts with said section, the magnet 18 is deenergized. This opens the circuit of themagnet 26 and sets the signal 27 at danger. If the speed of the train is below the prescribed maximum, the circuit of the brake magnet 30 will remain closed from battery 35, through the circuit 33 to ground at G If, however, the speed exceeds such prescribed maximum, the cen- The energized from its battery 9. Curren athen flow from said battery by way of said contact section through the contact wheel to the armature 19, and thence to and through the winding of the stick relay 18. This again energizes thesaid relay 18 and restores the circuits to their normal condition.

The contact wheel 17 is preferably flanged so as to make side, as well as tread contact with the rail 2, and thereby cut away ice, snow, etc; If desired the flange may be forced against the rail by a spring 39, as shown in Fig. 4. The tread of the wheel may also be spirally grooved, as shown at .40 in said figure, so as to give the wheel a tendency to climb the rail and cause its flange to hug the side thereof.

Instead-0f using a single contact section 4 I in each block, I may use a series of such sections insulated from each other, as shown at 4, 4, 4 and 4 in Fig. 3. These short sec-- I tions are alternately connected With the track rails 2 and 3 through an armature 11 of the magnet 11", which corresponds to the 'magnet 11 first described. 11 and 11f are proper cab signal, it cannot fail to receive it fromone of the succeeding sections.

In the form-first described, the breaking down of the insulation at either end of a contact section 4 will immediately short circuit the track relay. for that block and set the proper semaphore in a preceding block at danger. the arrangement shown in Fig. 3; audit is to insure this operation that adjacent short contact sections are alternately connected tothe two track rails. provides safety apparatus My invention of such character that if the engineer fails to observe the track signals, he will be given immediate indication in his cab of the condition of such signals, and if the speed of the train'exceeds the prescribed maximum, it Wlll be either automatically stopped or its The same action will occur in speed reduced, according to the character of the control effected by the valve 32. lVhen the danger indication is given by the cab signal, the signal remains in its danger position until the track ahead has been .cleared; and if the brakes have been applied, the brakes will also remain set until .the track is cleared or until the valve 32 has been restored Lo normal position. The operation of the device is free from manual control or interference.

The conductors 16 act as a precaution against breakage of the short rail sections 4, since, should any section break the points where the two conductors 16 are connected Licence thereto, the track relay of the corresponding block section will be opencircuited. This because the relay of that block would immediately drop its arnn'iture and set the signal guarding that block atdanger. These conductors 16 therefore form means for indicating the breakage of short rail sections.

It will also be apparent that my invention can be used independently of track signals, since the short-circuiting of relays, such as the relaysR, R, R will operate the apparatus, whether or not said relays also control track signals. It is also obvious that any other suitable track controlled means for controlling the magnets 11 may be employed.

V arious other changes may be made in the details of the several circuits and in the details of construction and arrangement of the various parts.

1. Safety apparatus for railways, comprising a railway track divided into block sections, one of the track rails in each section having a plurality of relatively short contact sections arranged end to end and in: sulated from each other and from the adjacent rails, means in each block section controlled by track conditions in another block 'section, each of said short contact sections 'being connected to the track rails of the same block by connectionsv controlled by said means, some of said contact sections being connected with one of the track rails of the same block and some of them with the other track rail of 'the same block; substantially as described.

2. Safety apparatus for railways, comprising a railway track divided into block sections, one of the track rails in each section having a plurality of relatively short contact sections arranged end to end and insulated from each other and from the adjacent rails, each of said short contact sections being connected through a source of current with one of the track rails of the same block, adjacent of said contact sections being connected to opposite track rails of the same block; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a railway track having its rails divided into block sections, and a rail in each block-section being provided with a relatively shoit insulated contact member, a source of current connected to said contact member, means governed by track conditions in another block for controlling said connection, and safety appliances carried by the vehicle, said appliances comprising a circuit containing a stick relay, a source of current, and a traveling contact adapted to engage the track rails and also said short contact section, said relay having an armature which is perinanently connected to the energizing winding of the relay and said armature having a front contact which is permanently connected to the last named source of current, and also a back contact with whichis permanently connected to said contact device; substantially as described.

4. A railway track having track rails divided into block sections and there being a relatively short insulated contact member in each block section, a source of current connected to said contact member, means governed by conditions in another block for controlling said connection, a relay on the vehicle, a normally closed circuit controlled by said relay and safety apparatus con trolled by said circuit, saidrelay having its winding grounded at one terminal, an armature of said relay to which the other terminal of said winding is permanently connected, a front contact for said armature permanently connected to a source of current on the vehicle, a back contact for said armature, and a contact device mounted on the vehicle for contact with one of the track rails and with the said short insulated contact sections, said contact device being connected with said source of current and also with said back contact, substantially as described.

5. In safety apparatus for railways, track rails divided-into block sections, one of said rails in each block having therein a plurality of relatively short sections placed end to end insulated from each other and from the adjacent railsections, a relay having a circuit leading to and controlled by track conditions of a different block, said relay having a plurality of armatures and armature contacts, each of said armatures and its contact forming part of a circuit from one of the short sections to one of the track rails, adjacent armatures being connected to opposite track rails. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 7

THOMAS M. l ltllEBLE. \Yitnesses (i150. B. Branrme, Gno. ll. l AIl.\[ELEE.

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

Washington. D. 0.