US1189316A - Circuit-controlling instrument. - Google Patents

Description

E. W. VOGEL.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION men JUNE 25.1914.

1 ,1 89,3 1 6. Patented July 4, 1916.

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1,189,316. 1 Patented July 4,1916.

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B? My A TTORNE E. W. VOGEL.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1914.

1 ,1s9,31 e. Patented July 4, 1916.

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E. W. VOGEL,

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1914.

1,189,316. Patented July 4,1916.

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CIRCUIT CONTROLLING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. IBM;

1,1 89,3 1 6. Patented July 4, 1916.

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"onrrnn srn'rns PATENT onn EUGENE W. VOGEL, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAILWAY SIGNAL AND SUPPLY COYMPANY, OF CAHPENTEBSVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4;, 1916.

Application filed I 11115 25, 1914.. Serial No. 847,291.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE W. VOGEL,

. specification.

My inventlon relates to an instrument for closing or opening electric circuitsthrough the deflection of a railroad rail whlch takes place when a train passes over the rail, in-.

strunients of this sort being used particularly in railway signaling apparatus of various sorts, for example, for the purpose of actuating a highway signal designed to give notice of the approach of a train.

The invention contemplates, among other features, providing a device of this character which will respond instantaneously to the deflection of the rail, so as to immediately closeor open the circuit of the signaling device, but which is so constructed and has its operative parts so related that when the pressure is taken off the rail the moving parts of the mechanism will be slow to resume their former or normal positions whereby, if the train is moving slowly so that an appreciable interval of time occurs between the deflection due to one truck and that of the next succeeding truck of the train, the said moving parts of the mechanism will not vibrate back and forth in response to the vibratory movements of the rail but will remain continuously in the position to which they are moved by the impulse of the first wheel passing over the rail.

The invention further contemplates the provision, in a device of this sort, of a cushioning or elastic relationship between the parts of the mechanism operated by the deflection of the rail whereby such mechanism is not destroyed or injured if such defiection is excessive.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit closing'instrument of this sort with an interlocking or interference mecha-' nism which, if first actuated, operates to prevent said instrument from functioning when the part of the rail to which it ordinarily responds is deflected. The provision of the circuit controlling instrument with a'mechanism of this sort adapts it for use on a track upon which the trafiic moves in both directions.

ne invention has for further objects such other new and improved constructions, ar rangements and devices relating to circuit closing instruments as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in connection with a highway signaling bell for a single track road. ihe same instrument may be used on a double track road by simply omitting certain parts and mechanisms as will be apparent from the following description. v

In the drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a circuitclosing instru-- ment embodying the principles of my invention and provided with an interlocking or interference mechanism adapting the instrument'for use on a single track road, the mechanisms being shown as applied to one of the rails of said track; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig.4, a sectional plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6, sectional views taken on lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively, of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 an enlarged sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a diagram showing the application of the circuit controlling instrument for actuating a highway signal bell; Fig. 9, a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 1; Fig. 10, a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 11, a plan View, with parts in section, of the interference mechanism shown in Fig. 10.

Like characters of reference designate like aarts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first to the diagram designated Fig. 8, A designates a railroad track over which the traffic passes in both directions, 13 a highway, C a signaling bell located near the highway, and adapted to be actuated so as to automatically give indication of the approach of a train fro-m either direction, D a normally open circuit closing instrument adapted to be actuated by the deflection of the rail 25 of track A to set the signal bell ringing on the approach of a train to the highway from the left side of the same, D a similarly constructed instrument but normally closed, the function of which is to break the circuit and silence the highway bell when the train passes the highway, D a normally open circuit'closing device on the other side of the highway from instrument D and operating to set the highway bell ringing on the approach of a train toward the highway from the right side thereof, and E, E interferencemechanisms adapted to prevent the circuit closing instruments D, D from functioning on the passage of trains moving toward said instruments respectively, in the directions from the highway. The highway bell C, for the purposeof illustrating an application of the circuit controlling instrument, which forms the subject matter of this application, to a concrete situation, I have shown as the highway bell disclosed in my co-pending application Serial N'o. 843,226 filed June 5, 1914. It willbe obvious that the circuit controlling instrument might be used in very difierent situations. The invention is not limited to its employment in connection with the particular signaling apparatus herein shown and designated C. In this apparatus 26 designates a bell ringing magnet, the circuit through whichis closed at 27, 28 by the re lay 29. Assuming the train to be moving on track A. from left to right, when the train passes the circuit closing instrument D the contacts 30, 31 are brought together, by deflection of rail 25, as will be hereinafter described, closing the circuit through relay 29 as follows: from battery 32 through a wire 33 to relay 29, from the relay through wires 34, 35, 36, contact springs 31,30 and wires 37, 38, back to the battery. The circuit of the ringing magnet 26 is a shunt from the above specified circuit and is as follows: from wire through the making and breaking contact springs 39, and wire 41 to the bell magnet, from the magnet through wire 42, armature 28 of the relay 29, contact 27, wire 43, contact springs 30 and 44 of the circuit breaking instrument D, and wires 45 and 46 to wire 38. Relay 29 is kept energized until the train reaches the highway regardless of whether the contacts 30, 31 remain together or not by a connection 47 between wire 34 and the armature 28 of the relay which short circuits the track instrument D when the armature of the relay is broughtagainst contact 27 by the initial energizationof the relay as above described. When the train reaches the highway the track instrument D is operated, as will be hereinafter described, to separate the contact springs 30, 44. This reaks the circuits above described through the relay 29 and the ringing magnet 26. The actuation of the highway bell C and the subsequent silencing of the bell is accomplished in precisely the same manner as above described by the track instrument D when a train approaches the highway from the right side thereof, the contact spring 30 being connected'with the signal bell by a wire 48 which is acontinuation of wire 36, and by the wire 46, which is a continuation of wire 37, running to the contact spring 31. The interference mechanism E prevents the track instrument D from functioningin the case of trains passing over the track from right to left. Similarly the interference instrument E prevents the functioning of the track instrument D in the case of trains moving from left to right. The track in struments D, D, D are substantially alike. The interference mechanisms E, E are also alike in construction and function except that the positions which they occupy relativeto thecircuit closing instruments D, D involve-a reversal of certain parts. I willtherefore describe the construction and operation ofthe circuit closing instrument D and the interference mechanism E and will then point out the differences in construction and operation which characterizethe other devices D D and E respectively.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive,

49 designates a casing having a cover 50 which is supported on any suitable foundation, for example, upon a cement block 51 between two of the ties 52 onwhich the rails oftrack A are supported, the casing being preferably anchoredto the cement block 51 by a straight bolt 53 and U-bolts 54. The edges of plates 55 bolted to the ties 52 intervene between the casing 49 and the base block 51. Mounted in bearings 56 in one end of the casing 49 isa shaft 57 on which is pivoted a circuit closing arm or lever 58,

the outer end-of which carries a fiber block 59 adapted to bear against contact springs 30 which are suitably securedto insulating blocks 60. Thecontact springs 30 normally standspaced from-the contact springs 31, as above described, but are brought against the springs 31 when the lever 58 is rocked. The shaft 57 has rigid therewith an arm 61 which is connected with the lever 58 by means of a stiff coiled spring 62. The other end of the shaft 57 projects out of the casing and has rigidly secured thereto an arm 63, the shaft 57 and arms 61, 63, constituting, in effect a bell crank. The arm 63 is provided with a screw 64, the head of which is engaged by an arm 65 on a member 66 which is clamped to the rail 25 by bolts 67. The screw 64 may be held at any desired adjustment by a jam-nut 68. The cover 50 of casing 49 is preferably formed with a stop lug 69 to limit the upward movement of the lever 58. The bottom of the casing 49 is formed with pocket 70 over whichis arranged a flexible diaphragm 71 provided with a button 72 to which is pivoted a stem73, the upper end of which is threaded into the lever 58 (Fig. 6). Extending over the pocket 70 is a flange 74 throughwhich projects a U-shaped pipe 75 provided with a cap 76 (Fig. 7) having a portj77 which is closed by a valve 78. The pipe 7 5' is provided also with a pet cook 79 which may be set to vary the size of the port therethrough. The outer'curved end of the lever 58 is adapted to lie between a pair of perforated lugs 80 formed on the end of the casing, the end of the lever being pro.- vided with a perforation 81 which registers with the perforations in the lugs. 82 designates a bolt which is normally retracted but is adapted to be thrust through the perforations in the lugs 80 and in the nd of lever 58 when the mechanism E'is actuated before the actuation of track instrument D takes place, that is, when a train is moving from the highway toward the instruments E, D.

The interference instrument E is shown in detail in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The operative parts are inclosed in the casing 83 of the same general character as the casing 49 and mounted in the road-bed in the same manner. Within this casing is a lever 84 which is similar to the lever 58 except that its outer extremity has an upward bend instead of a downward bend and is formed with a boss 85. The lever is rocked through the deflection of the rail by. instrumentalities exactly like those by which the rocking movement of the lever 58is effected. Mounted in the boss 85 at the end of lever 84 is a rod 86 which extends under and bears upon one end of a bell crank 87 mounted on a pin 88 between bosses 89, 90 formed at the end of the casing 83. The other end of the bell crank is attached to a rod 91 carrying at its other end the bolt 82 above referred to. The rod 91 is housed between casings 83 and 49 by a pipe 92 threaded into nipples 93, 94 formed on the casings 83, 49, respectively A spiral spring 95 interposed between follower disk 96, 97, serves to retract the rod 91 when the spring back of the rail permits lever 84 to return to its normal position, this movement withdrawing the bolt 82 from the perforation 81 in lever 58.

The operation of the circuit controlling instrument D and the interference instrument E, when constructed as above described, is as follows: When a train moves over the track A from left to right the defiection of rail 25 rocks the lever 58 and the lever flexes contact springs 30 so as to bring the same against the contact springs 31. This sets the highway bell ringing, as above described. If the deflection of the rail is excessive, that is, more than enough to bring the lever into contact with its stop 69, the

mechanism is not injured because of the flexible connection (spring 62) between the lever 58 and the parts of the device which engage the rail. The movement of the lever upward to close the circuit at 30, 31, is quick since air can readily flow into the pocket through port 77. The downward movement of the lever is slow since the valve 7 8 checks the outflow of air from the pocket 7 O, the air being forced to escape through the restricted port of the pet cock 79. By a proper adjustment of the pet cock 79 the time required for the lever 58 to resume its original position may be varied as may be found expedient. As a result of this arrangement the lever 58 instead of vibrating back and forth as successive trucks pass over the point on the track at which the instrument D is located, as would be likely to happen if the train were moving slowly and the lever could drop unhindered as soon as the rail resumed its normal position after each deflection, the lever is held up in its circuit closing position until the last truck on the last car has passed the instrument. As the wheels of the train pass the point on rail 25 at which the interference instrument is located this instrument is actuated so as to thrust out the bolt 82. This, of course, does not aflect the functioning of the circuit closing instrument D since the lever 58 of the latter instrument is raised and is held up by the dash-pot arrangements just described. The interference instrument E might also be supplied with similar dash-pot arrangements but this is hardly necessary as the friction developed by the mechanism of this instrument is great enough, under ordinary circumstances, to prevent the mechanism from pulsating with the successive vibratory movements of the rail.

' The instrument D is thesame in its construction as the instrument D except that there is a different arrangement of contacts whereby the circuit through the instrument is normally closed and is opened momentarily when a train deflects the rail to which it is attached. In the drawings illustrating the instrument D it is shown as provided with contact springs 44 against which the contacts 30 normally hear. The contact springs 44 have no function when the instrument is used in the position indicated by-D, and might be omitted. When the instrument is used in the position shown at D they maintain the circuit closed through said instrument except when on the passage of a train the lever 58 is raised so as to lift the springs 30 (Fig. 8) out of contact therewith. In the crossing instrument D the contact spring 31 may be omitted. It is more convenient to provide the instruments with all three sets of contacts so that they may be used interchangeably,

The instruments D E are in construction exactly like the instruments D and E except that the reversed arrangement involves a reversal of the rod 91 carrying the bolt 82 and a shifting of the bell crank 87 from one side of the casing 83 to the other. To make this change possible, adapting the instruments to either relative position, the casing 49 is provided opposite nipple 94 with a nipple 98 which, when the instrument is used in the position indicated at D is closed by a plug 99. Similarly, the casing 83 has a nipple 100 &

which is closed by a plug 101. The casing 83 is formed with a pair of bosses corresponding to bosses 89, 90 (Figs. 10 and 11) between which the bell crank 87 is pivoted,

. which are on opposite sides of the bosses 89,

90, one of which is shown in Fi 9 and designated 89 In reversing the circuit closing and interference instruments so that they will occupy the positions indicated at D E the bell crank is shifted from its position between the bosses 89, 90 and pivoted between the boss 89 and the other boss opposite thereto, the plugs 99, 101 are removed and the pipe 92 threaded into the nipples 98, 100, the rod 91 in this case projecting through the nipple 100.

IVhen the train going from left to right reaches the point on the track at which the instrument E is connected to the rail, this instrument is actuated to thrust the bolt 82 into the perforation 81 in the end of the lever 58 of the circuit closing instrument so that when the first wheel of the train reaches the point on the track at which the instrument D is connected to the rail, the lever of the instrument is not raised. Hence the reactuation of the signaling mechanism C which would otherwise take place is prevented. The bell crank 57, 61, 63 or" instrument D is, of course, rocked with the deflection of the rail but this movement can take place without affecting lever 58 be cause of the flexible connection, spring 62, between these members. lVhen the train moves over the track from right to left the operation is just the reverse of that above described. When it passes the circuit closing instrument D the highway bell begins ringing and continues to ring until the train reaches the circuit breaking instrument D. As soon as the train reaches the interference instrument E this instrument is actuated to lock the making and breaking lever 58 of instrument D so as to prevent the re-actuation of the bell.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, modiflcations might be made without departure from the principles of the invention. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the precise constructions, arrangements and devices shown and described except so far as the same are made specific limitations in certain of the claims herein. On a double track road the circuit closing instruments D, D

will be used one in connection with each track but without the accompanying interference instrument. Each track would be supplied with a circuit breaking instrument such as that designated D in the drawings.

\Vhile in the claims I have specified the circuit making and breaking devices and the interference devices as actuated by deflection of the rail, I wish it to be understood that this term is meant to include thedeflection or depression of any member associated wlth the rail as well as of the rail itself, both expedients being common and bly used in this art.

interchangea I claim:

1. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a movable circuit making and breaking element, of actuating means therefor adapted to be operated by deflection of a railroad rail, and an elastic instrumentality forming the only connection -for communication of power between said element and said means.

2. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a pivoted circuit making and breaking element, of a pivoted member adapted to be rocked by deflection of a railroad rail, and an elastic instrumentality forming the only connection for communication of power between said member and element.

8. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a circuit making and breaking element pivoted in said casing, a stop to limit the movement of said element, actuating means for said element adapted to be operated by deflection of a railroad rail, and an elastic instrumentality forming the only connection for communication between said element and said means of power. I

1. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a circuitmakand breaking element pivoted in said casin. I stop to limit the movement of said element, a member pivoted to the casing which is adapted to be rocked by the deflection of a railroad rail, and a spring forming the only connection for communication of power between said member and element.

In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a bell crank mounted in said casing with one arm outside of the same, a device adapted to be carried by a railroad rail so as to bear upon said arm when the rail is deflected, a circuit making and breaking element pivoted on the shaft of said bell crank within the casing,

and a spring forming the only connectioir for communication of power between the other arm of said bell crank and said element.

6. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a circuit making and breaking element, of means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail with respect to said instrument for moving said element in one direction, an elastic connection between said element and said means, and means which operates to slow the return movement of said element, for the purpose described.

'7. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a circuit making and breaking element, of means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail with respect to said instrument for moving said element in one direction, an elastic connection between said element and said means, and means constituting adash-pot which operates to slow the return movement of said element, for the means constituting with said diaphragm a single pressure chamber, and a check valve which admits air to said chamber when said making and breaking element is moved by the deflection of the rail-and which checks the outflow of the same on the return movement of said element.

9. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a circuit making and breaking element, of means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail with respect to said instrument, an elastic connection between said element and said means, 21 diaphragm against which said element bears, means constituting with said diaphragm a single pressure chamber, a check valve which admits air to said chamber when said making and breaking element is moved by the deflection of the. rail and which checks the outflow of the same on the return move ment of said element, and a valveto allow the escape of air from said chamber which may be set to vary the outflow therefrom.

10. In acircuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a making and breaking lever pivoted in said casing, means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail for raising said making and breaking lever, an elastic element connecting the means with the lever, said casing being formed under one end of said lever with a pocket, a diaphragm arranged to close said pocket, and a connection between said lever and diaphragm.

11. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a making and breaking lever pivoted in said casing, means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail for raising said making and breaking lever,

an elastic element connecting the means with the lever, said casing being formed under one end of said lever with a pocket, a diaphragm arranged to close said pocket, a connection between said lever and diaphragm, and a check valve which admits air to said chamber but prevents the outflow of air therefrom.

12. In a circuit controlling instrument, the combination with a casing, of a making and breaking lever pivoted in said casing, means actuated by the deflection of a railroad rail 55 for raising said making and breaking lever,

an elastic element connecting the means with the lever, said casing being formed under one end of said lever with a pocket, a diaphragm arranged to close said pocket, a connection between said: lever and diaphragm, a check valve which admits air to said chamber but prevents the outflow of air therefrom, and an outlet valve for said chamber which may be set so as to vary the outflow of air therefrom.

18. The combination with a circuit controlling instrument operated by deflection of a rail, of mechanism also operated by the deflection of the same rail which when first actuated prevents the circuit controlling in strument from functioning; said mechanism 7 including means whereby said mechanism is positively returned toits normal position.

1%. The combination with mechanism operated by deflection of arail for making and breaking an electric circuit, of mechanism also operated by the deflection of saidrail which when first actuated interlocks with said first named mechanism so as to prevent the same from functioning.

15. The combination with mechanism operated by deflection of a rail for making and breaking an electric circuit, said mechanism having an elastic connection with said rail, of mechanism also operated by deflection of said rail which'whcnflrst actuated inter' looks with said first named mechanism so as to prevent the same from functioning.

16. The combination with a circuit controlling instrument comprising a pivoted element adapted to be rocked by deflection of a rail, of an interference instrument also. operated by the deflection of said rail comprising a bolt adapted, if said interference instrument is first actuated, to be interlocked with the pivoted element of said circuit controlling instrument.

17. The combination with a circuit controlling instrument comprising a pivoted element adapted to be rocked by deflection of a rail, of an interference instrument also operated by the deflection of said rail comprising a spring retracted bolt adapted, if said interference instrument is first actuated, to be interlocked with the pivoted element of said circuit controllinginstrument.

'18. The combination with a circuit controlling instrument comprising a pivoted pivoted element, means actuated by the deflection of said rail for rocking the same, and a locking member moved by said pivoted element so as to interlock with said first named mechanism.

20; The combination with mechanism for making and breaking an electric circuit, of an interference instrument comprising a pivoted element, an elastic connection between said pivoted element and a rail through which said element is rocked by deflection of the rail, a bell crank adapted to be rocked by the movement of said element, and a spring pressed locking member adapted to interlock with said first named mechanism.

21. The combination with a railroad track and an electrically energized instrument, of two circuit making and breaking devices for opening and closing a circuit adapted to efiect the energization of said instrument, one normally open and the other normally closed, which devices are adapted to be actuated by the passage of a train over spaced points on said track, and a third device actuated by the passage of the train over an intermediate point on the track which operates when actuated before one of said two first mentioned devices is actuated to prevent that device from operating to affect the circuit through said instrument.

22. The combination with a railroad track and an electrically energized instrument, of

two circuit making and breaking devices for opening and closing a circuit adapted to effect the energization of said instrument, one normally open and the other normally closed which devices are adapted to be actuated by the passage of a train over spaced points on said track, and a third device actuated by the passage of the train over an intermediate point on the track which operates, when actuated before the normally open device is actuated, to prevent that device from closing the circuit in which it is located.

23. The combination with a railroad track and an electrically energized instrument, of a making and breaking device normally open and adapted to be closed by passage of a train over a given point on the track, a relay in circuit with said device, a second make and break device normally closed and adapted to be opened by the passage of a train over another given point on the track, said electrically energized instrument having a circuit including said second make and break device which circuit is closed by said relay, and a device actuated by the passage of the train over a point on the track intermediate the first two points, which, when actuated, before the first named make and break device is actuated, prevents that device from closing the circuit in which it is located. 7

EUGENE W. VOGEL.

Witnesses:

L. A. FALKENBERG, G. Y. SKINNER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratenu. Washington, -D. 0.

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,189,316.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,189,316, granted July 4, 1916,

upon the application of Eugene W. Vogel, of Oak Park, Illinois, for an improvement in Circuit-Controlling Instruments, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 95, claim 3, before the Word between" insert the words of power; and same line after the Word means insert a period; same page and claim, strike out line 96; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 22d day of August, A. D., 1916 [SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 0].. 24635.

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