US1177842A

US1177842A - Electric signaling system.

Info

Publication number: US1177842A
Application number: US15427503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel Marsh Young
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1903-04-25
Filing date: 1903-04-25
Publication date: 1916-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1933-04-04

Description

S M YOUNG.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR-25I 1903- Pat-emem r. 4,1916

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ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specifieation oi iavasae.

Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed Apri125, 190 3. Serial No. 154,275.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at NewY-ork city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and Electric Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification. i y

My invention consists in a signaling system'especially adapted for use on electric "railways.

of a rallway may The object of my-invention is to provide means whereby the condition of any section be visibly, audibly or ,otherwise indicated, as for instance, through the operation "of Semaphore arms, bells, lights, etc. I I

It has heretofore been proposed to divide an electric railway into a series of blocks and to locate each ofsuch blocks a sign'alin device, normally held in the clear positibn by means of a magnet traversed by an electric current derived from a battery,

' the secondary of a transformer having its in circult with a source of current primary energy, or other source of electrical energy, such signaling device adapted to be moved to the danger position when a car mores into a-block, by the car shunting the current from the source of energy around the signaling device and the signaling deas y of energy vicesubjected to the lifting-action of a counter-weight. This method of operation of the signals is applicable to railways where the motive power is steam, or other source carried on the car motor, but is not applicable to railways where the motive power is electricity, transmitted wholly or in part through the rails of the railway; and, for the reason, that the currents employed for operating the car motors and signals must be kept distinct. For instance, in

' a railway operated by direct current energy,

it is necessary that the signals be operated by alternating or pulsating current energy;

, in the case where the car motors are operated by alternating current energy, that the signals also be operated by alternating current energy, but that the two currents be of different frequency. or have different.

' phase relation.

In the case where the car motors are operated by direct current, manifestly, it willbe necessary to interpose devices in the sys tem for preventing the direct current from influencing the devices adapted to be actu- In former applications, Serial Nos. 139,543

' filed January 19, 1903 and 144,548 filed February 21,1993, filed by me,I have illustrated the character and the use of such devices, and have also shown an arrangement of circuits whereby the direct and alternating currents employed make use of a common return. I

I will now describe my invention as applied to a system employing a direct current for operating the car motors, and an alternating current for actuating the signaling devices, which system is intended as a modification of-my application Serial No. 144,548.

The'accompanying diagrams will serve to illustratemy invention. These diagrams are identical, with the exception that the diagram, Figure 2,ill ustrates the employment of a reactance rail bond introduced between the ends of a divided track-rail, and across the rails, and which has foritsobject to make possible the use of both rails as a return for the direct current energy.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates a direct current generator; 6, outgoing conductor from which current may be taken to the car motor 7 through the lnstrumenmay of a trolley pole or other contact devent an alternating current from flowing between the block sections 9, 9", 9, or across the rails 9, 10, or from the section 9 to the dynamo 5. The advantage of using the inductance bonds is, that the resistance of the return circuit is thus materially reducied. And further, leakage of the alternating cur-' rent between the rails is reduced 'to a minimum. l

- To operate the signals I employ the alterloo nating generator 12, to which is connected the outgoing conductor 13, "and return con- 1' ductor 14. Connected across the

conductors

13, 14, is 'the' primary 15 of a transformer 16, the secondary 17 of which is connected across the tracks 9, 10. A transformer is located in each block; Connected across the tracks 9, 10, of each block is a primary 18 of a second transformer 19, the secondary 20 of which includes the coil of a relay magnet 21. Mounted under the magnet is a pivoted armature 22.

23 indicates a source of electrical energy, which may be a battery, secondary, of a transformer, or other source of energy.

24: is a magnet; 25, contact point.

26 indicates a semaphore-arm mounted on standard 27. On one end of the semaphorearm is a counter-Weight 28, and connected to the opposite sideof the arm is a rod 29, which forms the armature of the magnet 24.

The operation of my device is as follows: Upon referring to the drawings it will be seen that the car motor occupies the center block 9 The effect of the motor upon entering a block is to short circuit the primary 18 of the transformer 19, thereby allowing the magnet 21 to drop its armature 22, and thus open the local circuit from the source of energy 23, to the magnet 24. The effect of which is to permit the counterweight 28 to lift the semaphore-arm 26 to the danger position, indicating that a car is on 'the block. When the car moves out of the block, the current in the secondary 20 of the transformer 19 energizes the magnet 21, which attracts its armature 22, closes the circuit from the source of energy 23, to the magnet 24, which attracts its armature 29, thus drawing the semaphore-arm 26.130 the clear position. I

I do not limit myself in any wise to a system where the car motors are operated by a direct current and the signaling devices by an alternating current, as it will be evident to those skilled in the art that an alternating generator inay be substituted for the generator 5, provided the frequency of alternations of current delivered from this generator be different from that from the generator 12. Under ordinary conditions of practice, I would make the alternations in the current from the generator 5, say 20 per minutefwhile that in the current from the generator 12, 112 per minute.

It is well understood that-a transformer adapted to Work with alternations at 20 per minute will not be influenced by a current with alternations of 112 per minute.

It is to be understood that the particular embodiment herein shown and described is only one form in which applicants idea of .means may be embodied and it is, to be understood that applicant considers himself in no wise-limited by the specific embodiment shown.

In'theclaims of this application, and in referring to the separate currents employed for actuating the car motors and the signals, I have used the expression differing in character, and by this expression I wish to have it understood that there must be a difference in electrical character and entirely irrespectlve of the relative strength of the .two currents employed. As for instance,

ing the ends of adjacent sections of said divided rail, a source of difference of potential at one end of each block section, a relay at the other end of each block section adapted to be operated'by said difference of potential, a generator of power current of different character from said first source adapted to deliver current through the cars to the rails of said system, a reactance bond connecting said divided rail with said generator, and a connection between the other rall and said generator, whereby both of said rails may be adapted to convey sub-- stantially equal amounts of said power current and thereby substantially avoid the flow of stray power currents through the relays and whereby the independence of each of said rails as a return conductor may be preserved, substantially as described.

2. In a si nal system, the combination of two lines of rails one of which is divided into block sections, reactance bonds connecting the ends of adjacent sections of said divided rail, a source of alternating current difference of potential at one end of each block section, a' relay at the other end of each block section adapted to be operated by said alternating current difference of potential, a generator of direct current-power current adapted to deliver current through the cars to the rails of said system, a reactance bond connecting said divided rail with said generator, and a connection between the other rail and said generator, whereby both of said rails'may be adapted to convey sub-' stantially equal amounts of said power cur-' rent and thereby substantially avoid the flow of stray direct currents through the relays, and whereby the independence of eachof said rails as a return conductor may be preserved, substantially as described.

3. In an electric railway, a trackway com-- posed of two lines of rails each composed of rail lengths joined mechanically and electrically as usual, insulating material in'serted at intervals in at least one of said lines of rails thereby forming block sections, a. signal controlling each block section, a source of signal current connected across the rails of each block, a translating device connected across the rails of each block, each translating device governing the'signal for the block to which it is connected, a car, a source ofpower current of different character from the signaling current, means conminal of the motor of the car to both nected to'one terminal of said source of power current for conducting powe current to one terminal of the motor of the car, connections from the otherterprovided from the car motor to the source of power current, and whereby said paths may be adapted to return substantially equal amounts of,power current while maintaining theseparation of the blocks for signaling purposes, substantially as described.

4., In an electric railway, a trackway composed of two lines of rails each composed of rail lengths joined mechanically and electrically as usual, insulating material inserted at intervals in at least one of said linesof rails thereby forming block sections, a signal controllingeach block section, asource of signal current connected across the rails of each block, a translating device connected across the rails, of each block, each trans1ating device governing the signal for the block to which it is connected,'a car, 'a source of power current of different character from the signaling current, means connected to oneterminal of said source of power current for conducting power current to one terminal of the motor of the car, connections from the other terminal of the motor of the car to both lines of rails, a reactance bond bridged around each of -said.insulating joints and forming an electrical path for the power current around said joint, a com nection including a reactance bond from oneline of-rails to the other terminal of the source of power current, a connection from said other terminal of the sourceof power 'current'to the other line of rails, and a reactance bond connected across the rails in each of said'block sections, whereby two separate and independent return paths may be provided from the car motor to the source of power current, and whereby said paths .may return substantially equal amounts of power current while maintaining theseparation of the blocks for signaling purposes, substantially as described.

5. In an electric railway, a trackway composed of two lines of rails, each line of rails composed of rail lengths joined mechanically and electrically as usual, except at least one line of rails having insulating members inserted therein at intervals form ing bloeksections; signals, one governing the entrance to each block section, a source of signaling current,- connections from the source of signaling current across the rails of each block section, translating devices,

one controlled by each block section, each translating device controlling the signal governing entrance to the block section by which it is-controlled, a car for movement v upon the trackway including an electric propulsion motor having an incoming terminal and an outgoing'terminal; source of propulsion current for said propulsion motor having an out-going conductor and incoming conductor, the propulsion current being of a character dififerent from the signaling current; the out-going conductor from the source of propulsion eurrent connecting with the in-coming terminal of the propulsion motor, electric conductors connecting the out-going terminal of the propulsion motor-with both track rails; means bridging each of the insulating members which prevents the flow of signaling current from block section to block section and which allows the propulsion current to flow from block section to block section through the line of rails having insulating members inserted. thereinat intervals; means adapted to electrically connect both rails at any point of any block section to the incoming conductor of the source of propulsion current which prevents the flow of signaling current between the two rails but allow the flow of propulsion current, whereby both of the rails of the particularblock section selected may be used throughout their entire length as separate and independent returns for propulsion current to the incoming conductor of the source of propulsion current.

In testimony whereof, --I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG.