US1191087A - Train-control system. - Google Patents

Description

E. A. LAUGHON. TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1914.

Patntd July 11, 1916.

Witnesses Attorneys.

EUGENE A. LAUGHON, O'F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed October 16, 1914. Serial No. 866,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE A. LAUGHON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Train-Control System, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in train control systems.

One object of the present invention, is the provision of a novel electrically actuated system, by means of which a train within a block, will set signals in front and in rear of the train to signal to following or approaching trains, and at the same time connect short ramp or contact rails near the signals, so that a train approaching too near the occupied block will be automatically halted should they neglect to stop after re ceiving the warning.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein the figure is a diagrammatical view of the system showing one block occupied and protected and an other train approaching the occupied block.

The track apparatus includes the rails 3 and 9 of the track, and said trafiic rails are divided into blocks A, B, C, D, etc., which are insulated from one another, as at 4:. It may be explained at this point that some of the duplicate devices of the system are not illustrated in the drawing, for sake of clearness, but will be readily understood in connection with the drawing and description. Each block is provided with a battery or source of energy 1 having its opposite poles connected by the conductors 2 and 12 with the rails 9 and 3, respectively. As illustrated, only the block C is provided with a battery, but it is evident that each block can be similarly equipped. The battery 1 is connected to the rails of the block adjacent one end of the block, and conductors 6 are connected to the rails of the block adjacent the other end of said block. The conductors 6 are connected to electromagnets 7 and 7 controlling signals atpoints beyond the opposite ends of the block'under discussion, and said elcctromagnets are connected by a conductor 6, thus completing a circuit including the battery 1, conductor 2, rail 9, one conductor 6, electromagnet 7 conductor 6, electromagnet 7 other conductor 6, rail 3 and conductor 12, whereby the electromagnetsare normally energized when the block is unoccupied. The electromagnets 7 and 7 of one block are disposed adjacent the respective electromagnets 7 and 7 of other blocks at opposite ends of the intermediate block. The electromagnets 7 and 7 normally attract and raise-the respective armature switches 14 and .13, to normally close the signal circuit when the track is clear. The adjacent electromagnets 7" and 7 of each pair of track circuits control a common signal circuit including a battery or other source of energy 15, a conductor 16 connected to the battery 15", a contact a connected to the conductor 16 and normally engaged by the switch 13 when raised, said switch 13, a contactb engaged by switch 13 when raised, a conductor 21 connected to contact 7), an. electroresponsive device 22 controlling the signal or semaphore 23 and connected to conductor 21", a. conductor 24 connected to the device 22, a contact 0 connected 'to conductor 21 and normally engaged by the switch 14: when raised, said switch 14, a contact (Z' engaged by the switch 14 when raised, and a conductor 29 connecting the contact (l and battery 15. Thus, when both of the electromagnets are energized to attract the switches, the signal circuit is closed to energize the electro responsive device 22 to hold the semaphore in clear position. The signal circuit just described is located between the blocks A and B, and a similar signal circuit is illustrated at the remote end of the block D having the electroresponsive device 33 controlling the signal or semaphore 34.

The track apparatus also includes short ramp or contact rails between the blocks,

the contact rails between the blocks A and B being designated20 and 25, while the contact rails at the remote end of the block D are designated 20 and 25. Connected to each contact rail 2525 are conductors 19 and 26 while connected to the contact rails 20-20 are the conductors 19 and 26". The conductors 19 and 26 have the contacts 18 and 27 below theswitches 13 to be engaged thereby when said switches fall, and the conductors 19 and 26" have the contacts 18 and 27", respectively, below the switches 14 to be engaged thereby when said switches 14 fall.

The train apparatus includes a motor 7 9 operable for retarding or stopping the train. The operation of the motor 79 is controlled by a relay composed of an electromagnet and armature switch 59 adapted to be attracted by the electromagnet into engagement with contacts 61. One contact 61 is connected by a conductor 7 8 with the motor 79, and the other contact 61 is connected by a conductor 7 8 with the battery or other source of electrical energy B. The battery B and motor 79 are connected by a conductor 80 thus completing the motor circuit. The electromagnet 55 is connected by a conductor 56 with the battery B, and is connected by a conductor 54 with one contact brush 42 engageable with the contact rails 20-20, while the battery B is connected by a conductor'56 with a second contact brush 42 engageable with the contact rails 2525. A pilot lamp P is connected to the battery B to indicate the condition thereof.

In operation, supposing a train T to be occupying the block C, the train will provide ashort circuit between the rails, whereby the electromagnets 7 and 7 at the front and rear of the block will be denergized, the train T moving in the direction of the arrow. Consequently, the respective switches 13 and 14 drop, thereby opening the signal circuits and denergizing the devices 22 and 33", whereby the semaphores 23 and 34 move to danger position. The block C is thus protected at both ends, and the contact rails 20 and 25 will be connected by means of the switch 14", while the contact rails 20 and 25 will be connected by means of the switch 13". Therefore, should the train T in block A moving in the direction of the arrow fail to stop when cautioned by the semaphore 23, the brushes 42 in engaging the contact rails 20-25 will serve to automatically retard or stop the train T The switch 59 is normally lowered so as to open the motor circuit, and when the brushes 42 engage the contact rails, this closes the relay circuit including the battery B, conductor 56, electromagnet 55, conductor 54, one brush 42, contact rail 20, conductor 26", switch 14', conductor 19", contact rail 25, the other brush 42, and conductor 56. The relay is thus energized to attract the armature switch 59, whereby to close the motor circuit, thus bringing the motor 79 into operation for retarding the train, to prevent a head on collision. It will be noted that the contact rails 20 and 25 are also connected whereby a train approaching the train T from the rear will be retarded in the same manner as the train T.

V hat is claimed is:

A train control system including traflic rails divided into insulated blocks, sources of electrical energy connected to the trailic rails of the respective blocks, a pair of electromagnets connected to the trafiic rails of two blocks and normally energized when said blocks are unoccupied, a pair of contact rails between said blocks, armature switches operated by said electromagnets, a source of electrical energy, a signal device, a normally closed circuit including said switches, source of energy and signal device, whereby when either switch is released by its magnet, said circuit will be opened, and means whereby either switch when released will electrically connect the contact rails.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE A. LAUGHON. lVitnesses IVY SIMPsoN, M. E. MCCARTHY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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