US1257702A - Railway signaling system. - Google Patents

Description

.5. B. HABLUW' RAILWAY'SIGNALING SYSTEM.

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JOHN B. HARLOW, OF UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGN'OR T0 VTESTERN ELEG- TRIG COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. "FL, A CGBPORATION OF. NEW

YORK.

RAIL'WAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1918.

Application filed April 20, 1917. Serial No. 163,396.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. HnnLoW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upper Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to railway signaling systems.

The object of this invention is to provide such a system by means of which a despatcher or attendant at a central station may determine when the train or car enters and leaves any particular section of track.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a signaling circuit extending from a central station along a railroad track which is divided into sections. With at'least' some of the sections of track are associated signaling devices which may be set for operation from the central station and may thereafter, by the entrance ofa train or car into the section with which the said signal sending device is associated, be operated to send to the central station a characteristic signal, indicating that a train or car has entered a particular section, and may later, when the train or car passes out of that section, send another characteristic signal indieating that fact.

The accompanying drawing is a diagram 12 and 13 and a normally closed contact 14:.-

The closure of contacts 12 and 13 connects a source of current 15 with the line Wires 5 and 6. The contact 14:, in the operation of the impulse relay, opens and closes a bridge of the line wires including a non-inductive resistance 16, said bridge being openwhen contacts 12 and 13 are closed, and closed when contacts 12 and 13 are open, the purpose being to provide a low resistance discharge path for retardation coils 17, 17 and 18, 18, in series with the line wires, and a condenser 19 in bridge of the line wires. The retardation coils and the condenser are for the purpose of graduating the current impulses from the impulse relay in order that they will not cause the disagreeable thump in telephonic apparatus which may be connected with the line wires during the transmission of an impulse.

Located at track section B is a step-bystep selective circuit-closing device comprising a quick-acting magnet 25 and a slowactin ma net 26 for o aeratin the ste Din 27 & b b

and holding pawls 27 and 28, which control the movement of a ratchet wheel 29. Carried by the ratchet wheel 29 isa contact arm 30 adapted in the movement of said ratchet wheel to engage a contact spring 31. The selector is preferably arranged to be held in its circuit-closing position only when current is traversing the windings of these magnets. The selector may be connected in a local circuit controlled by a relay 35 in bridge of the line wires. Impulse transmitting key 7 at station A is employed for operating the selector at track section B.

A relay 39 and an electromagnet ll are under control of the selector and are actuated when contacts 30 and 31 are in engage ment. The operation of relay 39 closes contacts 414E, a5 and 46. The electromagnet 41, upon being energized, attracts an armature as which carries a pawl 49. The pawl 49 engages a ratchet wheel 50, mounted on one end of the shaft 51, upon the other end of which is mounted a contact controlling Wheel 52 having a notched periphery. Engaging the notched periphery of wheel 52 is a spring contact member 53, and as the shaft is rotated when the armature 42 is attracted, a contact 5% controlled by the wheel 52 and the member 53 is alternately closed and opened. A track relay is bridged across the two rails of track section B and when there is no train or car in the section it is normally energized by current from the battery 61 located at one end of the section. Armature 62, of track relay 60 is therefore normally in attracted position.

A motor 65 is under the control of relay 39 and the circuit thereof is closed when contact 4a is closed. The motor 65 is adapted to drive a shaft 66, which carries code con .to' a different combination of current impulses, Likewise, the selector provided with other track sections should have-the contact arm positioned difierently from those of track sections B and C. The transmitting ,key 'Zflocate'd at central station A, is for carenters and leavestrack section B.

:25 and 26 to ground. 7 ,sent' through the selector magnets cause the step by-smp advancement of the ratchet the purpose of calling station B, while key 9 is used for vcalling station C. It is to be understood thatthere should be one key for eachtrack section equipped, or there may be one master transmitting key such as vshown in PatentNo. 1,155,640 to G. Brown,

which may be set to control the sending out of a plurality of different combinations of impulses.

Referring to the operation of the system, it will he assumed that the operator at station A wishes to be advised when a train or Accordingly, he will first operate the transmitting key 7, which will intermittently oper-' ate, impulse relay 11 to send current impulses from source 15 over the line wires 5 and6. These impulses of current over the line wires will energize relay 35, causing it toopen andclose its contact 70, included in acircuit which may be traced from the live pole of battery 71 through contact of relay 35 and stepping and holding magnets wheel 29 to close the contacts 30 and 31, whereupon relay '39 is operated, and elecvtromagnet 4:1 is energized over a circuit which maybe traced from battery through contacts 30 and3lof the selector, to a point 47 whereit divides, one portion extending through the winding ofmagnet 41 to ground, g-and the other through normal contact of reilay 4L8 andthe winding or" relay39 to ground.

'Thefenergization of electromagnetdl causes the closure of contact 54, whereupon relay (ii -is operated over acircuit from battery through member 53, ,contact5et, armature 6:2 o'l tra'ck relay 60, contact '76 thereof and the winding of relayGfito ground. The operation of relay '64 attracts its armatur 63. Upon the operation of .relay 39, motor 65 starts torotate, due to the closure of the following circuit ffrom battery 78 through contact 44, field winding 79 and'the arma- The impulses thus ture of motor 65 to ground. The rotation of motor 65 causes-code wheel 67 to send a distinctive signal to the central station A, due to the alternate closing and opening of contact 80 in a circuit, which may be traced from the lower brush of motor 65 through armature 63 and contact of relay 64, contact of code wheel 67, contact of relay 39, condenser 82, line wire 5, receiver 83 at station A, line wire 6, condenser Sal, contact 46 of relay 3 9, and the upperbrush and armature of motor 65. The source of energy for this circuit is the counter electromotire force in the armature of motor 65. The opening and closing of this circuit causes a distinctive tone to be produced in the rcceiver 83, indicating to the operator at station A that the signal sending device associated with track section B has been set. This answer back continues so long as the selector contacts 30 and 31 are closed, and these two contacts are closed as long as current isheld on the line, due to the operated condition of impulse relay 11, which, in turn, remains operated while the contact spring of the transmittingkey 7 is invcngagemeut with the extended raised periphery of the cam segment of this impulse transmitting key. When the key '7 has returned to its normal position, impulse relay ll, relay 35, and the selector magnets 25 and 26 are deenergized, whereupon. contacts 30 and 31 are disengaged, permitting the deenergizati on of electromagnct 41 and release of relay 39. The release of relay 39 disconnects the answer back circuit from the line wires and stops the motor.

Subsequent to the definergization of magizet ll'and release of relay 39, a train or car enters upon the track rails 89 of tract section B, whereupon the wheels and axles of the train or car short circuit track rela 60, causing it to release. In releasing its armature 62, track relay 60 causes the operation oi": relay l8 over a circuit from battery through member 53, contact 54-, armature 62 and contact 59 of track relay 60 and the winding of relay i8 to ground. In operating, relay 48 completes a locking circuit for itself which includes the left-hand alternate contact thereof, and causes the operation oi relay-39 over a circuit from battery through the member 53, contact 54-, right hand alter nate contact of relay 48 and the winding of relay 39 to ground. Relay 39, in operating, connects the answer back circuit to the line wires and stats themotor, and since, when track relay 60 is released, relay-6i also is released, an answer back signal is now sent to the central station over a circuit which maybe traced from the'lower brush of motor 65 through armature 63 and contact 9]. of relay (n, contact 8]. of code wheel 68, con-- tact 45 of relay 39, condenser 82, line wire 5, receiver 83, line wire 6, condenser 84,-,

contact 46 of relay 39, and the upper brush and armature of motor 65. As long as the train is in the section, track relay 60 will be dee'nergized and the characteristic answer back signal, controlled by code wheel 68, will be transmitted over the line wires to the station A. However, as soon as the train leaves the section, track relay 60 is energized, thereby causing the operation of relay 64, which, in attracting its armature 63, removes the contact 81, controlled by code wheel 68, from the answer back circuit and includes therein contact 80, controlled by code wheel 7. It will be seen, therefore, that as soon as the train leaves the section, the answer back signal received by the ties patcher which indicates that there is a train in the section, will be stopped and another answer back signal dilii'ering in character, indicating that the train has left the section, will be received by the dcspatcher. This signal will continue as long as contact 5%, controlled by magnet a1, remains closed. To stop this answer back, the despatcher again actuates transmitting key 7 to cause the closure of contacts 30 and 31 of the selector at the station 13, whereupon the electromagnet 4:1 is energized to open contact 54;. As soon as the transmitting key 7 has returned to its normal position, all apparatus associated with the system will be restored to normal position.

While a plurality of batteries have been shown at the trac section, it is to be understood that this is for convenience only, and that in practice one battery may he substituted therefor. However, track battery 61 is separate and distinct from the battery which is associated with the other apparatus.

l Vhat is claimed is:

1. A railway signaling system compris ing a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along the track, a signal sending device associated with one track section, means controlled over the line circuit for setting the signal sending device, means controlled by the entrance of a train into the section for causing the operation of the signal sending device to send a characteristic signal to the central receiving station, and means responsive to the passage of the train out of the section for altering the signal transmitted to the central receiving station.

2. A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along the track, a signal sending device associated with a track section apparatus at this track section con station.

A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along the track, an answer back circuit at the one section, a source of tone signaling current in the an swer back circuit, apparatus at this track section controlled from the central receiving station, means controlled by the entrance oi a train into the section and cooperating with the apparatus for connecting the answer back circuit with the line circuit, a circuit interrupting device included in the answerback circuit upon the entrance of a train into the section, a second circuit interrupting device, and means responsive to the passing of a train out of the section to remove the first from and to include the second circuit interrupting device in the an swer back circuit.

4;. A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along the track, a signal sending device at each of a plurality of sections, control apparatus at each of a plurality of sections selectively set from the central receiving station, a track relay actuated by the entrance of a train in a particular section and cooperating with the previously set control apparatus to cause the operation of the signal sending device, a coditying device brought into cooperative relation with the signal sending device an answer back circuit at one section, control switching apparatus thereat actuated under control of the central station, a source of tone signaling current for the answer back circuit, a track relay actuated upon the entrance of a train in the section, a second relay energized upon the actuation of the track relay and locked up under controlof the switching apparatus, and another relay operating upon the energization of the second relay to connect the answer back circuit with the line circuit.

6. A railway signaling system comprising a rallroad track divlded into sectlons, a central receiving station, a line circuit extendoperating upon-the .energization of the second relay to connect the answer :back circuit with the line circuit, a codifying device, and a relay, responsive to the passage of the train rout of the section for including the ,codifying device in the answer back circuit.

7 7. A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along said track, a signal sending device at each of a plurality of the sections, a relay adapted when oper ated to connect the signal sending device to the line circuit, a control relay adapted when operated to actuate the first mentioned relay, an operating circuit for the control relay open attvvo ,points, a selectively operated device controlled over the line circuit from the receiving station for closing the operating circuit at one point, and a track relay actuated upon the entrance of a train into the section toclose the operating circuit at 1ts other point.

8. A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a centralreeeiving stat on, a line c1rcu1t extending from said station along said track, a

signal sending device at veach of a plurality of the sections, a relay adapted when oper ated to connect the signal sending device to the line circuit, a control relay adapted when dication is transmitted over the line circuit.

.9. A railway signaling system comprising a railroad track divided into sections, a central receiving station, a line circuit extending from said station along the track, an answer back circuit at each of a plurality of sections, a source of tone signaling current for the answer back circuit, a relay adapted when energized to connect the answer back circuit with the line circuit, a control relay adapted when operated to cause the energization of the first mentioned relay, an operating circuit for the control relay open at two points, a selectively operated device controlled over the line circuit from the central station for closing the operating circuit at one point, a track controlled device actuated upon the entrance of a train into the section to close the operating circuit at its other point, a plurality of codifying devices, and a switching device controlled by the track controlled device for including one of the codifying devices in the answer back circuit when a train is in the section and for including the other of the codifying devices .in the answer back circuit upon the passage of a train out of the section.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of April, A. D. 1917.

JOHN B. HARLOW.

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

: Washington, D. G.

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