US1266871A - Automatic moving-vehicle control. - Google Patents

Description

P. J. SIIVIWIEN.

Auwwmnc MQYINGVEHICLE CONTROL. APPLICATION fILED MAY 5. 1915.

Patented May 21,1918.

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AUTOMATIC MOVING VEHICLE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1915 Patented May 21,1918.

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AUTOMATIC MOVING VfHICLE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. I915.

Patented May 21,1918.

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AUTOMATIC MOVING-VEHICLE CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original appIication filed April 14:, 1908, Serial No. 427,080. Jpivided and this application filed May 5, 1915.

Serial No. 26,087. V

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL JOHN SIMMEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Moving-Vehicle Control, of which the following is a specification.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to control the speed of a vehicle and particularly to provide means for effecting such control if the person in charge thereof fails to observe danger, or other signals, which he should observe, and its novelty consists in the construction and adaptation of the parts, as Will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

The present application is a division of Serial No. 427,080, filed April 14, 1908, and more specifically relates to means for actuating-the controller at a speed other than that normally necessary to eflect the operation of the controller when danger condi tions exist, or in other words, to provide means for operating said controller when a predetermined maximum rate of speed exists, irrespective of the existence of danger conditions.

In the accompanying drawings, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of a locomotive equipped with the control mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View through the box or casing containing the controlling devices and connected parts, the same being shown in elevation and the electrical connections being shown diagrammatically.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional detail views of the air controlling valve.

Fig. 5 is a detail viewin elevation of the means for restoring the brakes and steam supply mechanism to their normal positions.

lFig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the cabcircuits, and

Fig. 7 is'a diagrammatic view of the track circuits.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, a box or container for the cab-carried mechanism is shown at 9, being preferably secured at a convenient place within the cab of the locomotive by any suitable means. It is provided with a vertical bearing 10 through which passes and in which rotates a vertical spindle 11 driven by means of a beveled gear 12 secured thereto and meshing with a similar gear 13 fixed upon one of the axles 14 of the locomotive (see'Fig. 1). Above its bearing the spindle 11 carries a cenlrifugal governor 15 of usual form, the same being located within the box 9, and the lower slidable member 16 of which is extended to form a sleeve adapted to slide along the spindle and terminating in an outstanding flange 17.

The box is also provided with another vertical bearing 18 in which rotates a spindle 19 that is driven from the spindle 11 by intermeshing gears 20 respectively af fixed to said spindles. The portion of the spindle 19 within the box is provided with threads 21. A sprin 22 is coiled around a portion of the spind e.

Surrounding the threaded portion 21 of the spindle is a controller designated generally by the reference numeral 23, in the form of a sleeve having a bore large enough to clear the threads 21. llt carries at one side an electro-magnet 24: within which reciprocates a soft iron core 25 having at its inner end teeth 26 adapted to engage the threaded portion 21 of the spindle 19. The outer end of the said core has a flange 27 slidably mounted on guide pins 28 carried by the outer end of the electromagnet, and interposed between the flange 27 and the adjacent end of said magnet, is a coiled spring 29 that serves to normally hold the core in its re tracted position with the teeth 26 out of engagement with the threads 21. Guides 30, one of which is shown in Fig. 2, suitably secured to the side of the box prevent any rotation of the controller during its vertical travel. It is obvious that when the coil 24 is energized the core 25 will move forward, so that the teeth will engage the threads 21 of the spindle 19, and said engagement will cause the controller 23 to travel along the spinille. llf such travel is upward and the Patented May 21, 1919. I

coil is then deenergized, the teeth 26 of the 32, the horizontal arms 33 of which extend into the path of the controller 23 on opposite sides of the same and at points equidistant from its normal inactive position.

Thus, the movement of the controller 23 in either direction will cause its engagement with one of the bell crank arms 33 and said bell crank will be rocked on its pivot.

Links 34 connect these bell crank levers 32 with a rod 35, so that a movement of either lever will pull the rod longitudinally toward the controller. Its movement in the opposite direction is secured by means of a coiled spring 36 surrounding the rod, one end of the coiled spring having a bearing against the box 9, the otherend bearing against a collar 37 adjustably mounted on the rod 35.

. The movement of this collar away from the box 9 under the action of the spring is limited by a stop bracket 38 secured to the box and having a portion located in the path of the collar, as clearly shown inFig. 5.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is mounted at any convenient place on the locomotive the usual train pipe 39 communicating with the compressed air brake system, and provided with a branch 40 leading to a valve casing indicated at 41 and containing a three way valve 42. This valve is provided with an actuating lever 43 that is moved from the rod 35 by means of a bell crank lever 46 connected to said rod and a link 47 connecting the bell crank lever 46 With the lever 43. From the valve casing 41, a pipe 48 leads to a compressed air cylinder 49 containing a piston 50 provided with a rod 51 having suitable connections with the controlling lever 52 of the locomotive throttle valve, to operate the same upon the movement of thepiston 50. This throttle valve is designated 53 and controls the usual steam supply pipe 54 leading tothe cylinders of the engine. The valve 53, as is well known to those skilled in the art,

has connections, designated generally by the valve 53 and the brake system through the valve 42, whenever the movement of the controller 23 actuates the rod 35, the air cylinder 49 and piston 50 being employed to magnify the movement to properly operate the throttle control lever. hen the rod is moved toward the box 9, the valve 42 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 3 tothat shown in Fig. 4, which permits the air to escape from the pipe 39 and re sults in the application of the brakes. It also reduces the air pressure in the cylinder 49 and causes the piston 50 and rod 51 to move, thereby operating the lever 52 to close the throttle valve 53 and shut off the steam from the cylinders of the locomotives.

Secured in the box 9 is a tubular guide 113 containing a tappet 114 carrying an insulated spring terminal contact member 115 in the form of a wiper. One end of the tappet 114 is arranged in the vertical path of the flange 17 of the governor. Secured at a suitable place in the box 9 by insulated fastenings, is a contact plate 116 constituting an electrical terminal near to the tappet 114'and so arranged that the element 115 will make a wiping contact therewith. The

element 115 is electrically connected to the conductor 67 by a conductor 117 and the plate 116 is electrically connected to the terminal 110 by conductors 118 and 112.

Secured to the top of the box 9 is arelay 69 having terminals 70 and 71 and a pivoted armature 72 adapted to move between contact screws 73 and 74, constituting electric terminals. The terminal 73 is connected to an electric conductor 75 and the terminal 74 to the electric conductors 118 and 112.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the track rails on which the vehicle moves are designated, respectively, 77 and 78. The track is divided into blocks and at suitable intervals, one pair for each block, there are arranged signal rails about one-half a mile apart, each rail being about fifty feet long, one of the rails 79 being termed a distant rail and the other rail 80 being termed a home rail. They are connected by a conductor 81 and are insulated from the traction rails and from the ground.

Referring now more particularly to .Fig. 6, the vehicle is provided with a contact shoe and switch as follows: Suitably supported on the locomotive truck is a laterally extending lever 82 carrying a shoe 83 adapted to contact with the signal rails 79 and St). Pivoted at an truck is a mova le contact member 84 adapted to be moved from the lever 82 by a link connection 85 between the two. The member 84 constitutes an electric terminal and is connected at 86 with the conductor 75 leadin from the contact element 73. Also securec at a convenient place on the truck is a fixed member 87 constituting an electric terminal connected by a lead wire 88 to a conductor 89 that is electrically connected with the shoe 83 and with the binding post 70 of the relay 69, the two members 84 and 87 constituting an electric switch. It will be understood that all of the parts are properly insulated to preserve their conductive functions and prevent short circuiting.

convenient place on the- The equipment, comprising the shoe 83 and terminals 84 and 87, is used for the purpose ofopening and closing a local electric circuit on the cab of the locomotive. Mounted at any suitable place on the locomotive is a local battery 90, from one side of which a conductor 91, leads to a second conductor 92 connected to the armature 72 of the relay 69. the battery 90 conductors 96, 94 and 93 lead to the coil 24 of the controller 23, and thence to the conductor 67, which leads to the terminal 63. The conductor 7 5, leading from the terminal 73, is connected,'as shown at 86, with the switch member 84. A still further conductor 94, connected to the binding post 71 of the relay 69, is grounded,

v as shown at 95 with the axle of the vehicle and is connected to the battery 90 by a branch wire 96.

It will be understood that there is provided the usual continuous track circuit. This consists of the rails 77 and 78, divided into blocks, as usual, and insulated from each other, a track battery 97 (see Fig. 7) and a track ,relay 98 having the terminals of its windings connected to both rails 77 and 78, and said relay being provided with a core 99. This relay controls a second circuit, closing the same when energized and opening said circuit when deenergized. The said second circuit includes a battery 100, one side of which is connected by a conductor 101 with an armature 102 operated on by the relay 98, said armature moving into and out of engagement with a contact element 103 electrically connected, as shown at 104 with the signal rails 79 and 80. The other side of the battery 100 is electrically connected to the rail 78 by a conductor 105.

The armature 102 is normally in contact with the element 103, inasmuch as the relay 98 is normally energized by the battery 97. Whenever a vehicle passes on to the rails 77 and 7 8,- it forms a shunt circuit for the battery 97, as shown in Fig. 7, and as this deenergizes the relay 98, the armature 102 will move away from' the contact element 103 and open the circuit which includes the battery 100. llt will thus be evident that the purpose of this track equipment is to energize the home and caution signal rails 79 and 80 when the block ahead is clear and to deenergize said rails when the block ahead is occupied by a train or is otherwise in a danger condition.

When the shoe 83 of the vehicle is on a signal rail 79, for instance as shown in Fig. 6, the terminals 84 and 87 are separated and the switch is open. If the rail 79 is energized there will then be a flow of current from the battery 100 through the conductor 101. thearmature 102, the terminal 103, the conductor 104. the rail 80, the conductor 81 and the rail 7 9, and thence through the lever From the other side of 82 and conductor 89 to the relay coil 69 and conductor 94 to the vehicle axle, thence to the ground and to the opposite pole of the battery 100. The result is that the armature 72 is drawn into contact with the terminal 73 and the cab circuit from the battery 90 through the controller 23 remains open and the speed of the locomotive is not controlled. This condition of the cab circuit is maintained as the shoe 83 passes ed the signal rail 7 9, because the lever 82 drops by gravity and closes the switch by causing a contact of the terminals 84 and 87 This establishes a circuit from the battery 90 through the con- . ductors 911 and 92, the armature 72, the terbreaking the circuit from the battery 90 through the relay 69. This relay is no longer energized through the conductors89, and 94, by the battery 100, inasmuch as the rail 79 is no longer energized. Therefore the armature 72 drops into contact with the terminal 74, but no circuit is formed on the cab including the battery 90 unless the terminals 115 and 116 are in contact, and no contact of these terminals will exist unless the speed of the locomotive is suflicient to cause a rotation of the governor at such a speed that the flange 17 will contact with the tappet 114 and lift the terminal 115 into contact with the terminal 116. If such contact has taken place then a circuit is formed from the battery 90 through the conductors 91 and 92, the armature 72, terminal 74, conductor 118, terminals 116 and 115, conductors 117 and 67, controller coil 24 and conductors 93, 94 and 96. As a result the controller coil 24 will be energized, causing the core 25 to be drawn into the same, and thus efl ecting the engagement of the teeth 26 of said core with the screw 21. The controller 23 consequently begins to travel along the spindle, inasmuch as the spindle is in operation, and the movement will be continued until said controller contacts with one of the lever arms 33. When this occurs the mechanism already described is operated to shut ofi the steam supply to the cylinders and operate the brakes. The

circuit through the coil 24 is maintained after the shoe 83 has passed 08' the signal rail, because the armature 72 continues in contact with the terminal 74 until the shoe 83 again contacts with an energized rail which will cause a current to pass through the relay 69, as above described, and will lift the armature 72 from the terminal 71, or the reduction of the speed of the locom0tive will cause the flange 17 of the governor to fall sufliciently to permit the tappet 1H to break the contact between the terminals 115 and 116.

It should be noted, therefore, that the controller 23 is not set in motion unless a --danger condition exists in connection with lift it to that point.

Suppose that the engineer sees the controller 23 begin to move and before it contacts with the lever arms 33 reduces his speed, the result will be that as soon as the flange 17 of the governor falls far enough to break the contact of the terminals 115 and 116. the circuit through the coil 24 will be broken and the controller 23 will be returned to its normal position. If the engineer does not so act, then the controller will continue to move until it will contact with one of the bell crank lever arms 33, and thus apply the brakes and shut off the steam. In that case, the speed will be reduced and when lowered to a predetermined rate, the flange 17 will fall, the terminals 115 and 116 will separate, the controller 23 will return to its normal position, the bell crank lever arms will be returned to their normal position by the spring 36, and the parts will be in operative condition as before. Should the engineer again increase his speed, while danger conditions exist, as soon as the predetermined limit is reached the movement of the governor flange 17 will cause the terminals 115 and 116 again to contact, and the controller 23 will again be set into operation. It will be obvious that such actuation of the controller-will take place so long as danger conditions exist whenever a predetermined speed is exceeded.

With this construction, if danger conditions exist, to bring the armature 72 in contactwith the terminal 74, a circuit will be established through the controller coil 24 as soon as the upward movement of the flange 17 brings the tappet wiper element 115 into contact with the plate 116 and the controller will be actuated. In like manner if such contact of the parts 115 and 116 takes place, it will continue as long as the part 115 is being lifted, even to the upper end of the plate 116, so that if the contact has taken place, while clear conditions exist and is still maintained when danger conditions arise, the controller will be at once actuated. This construction insures the actuation of the controller over a wide range of rates of speed, depending on the initial low position of the contact element 115 and the distance of its travel to the upper end of the plate 116.

It will also be noted that the controller 23 does not act upon the lever arms 33 until it has traveled a certain distance along the spindle 21, which distance is obviously a function of the distance traveled by the locomotive from the place where the speed limit was exceeded and the terminals 115 and 116 caused to contact with each other. It is therefore obvious that a mere change in the size or direction or position of the lever arms 33, or a mere change in the size of the controller sleeve, or in its initial position on the spindle will sufiice to reduce this distance to a very small quantity, or to zero, if desired. Therefore by reducingthe distance which the flange 17 of the centrifilgal governor must travel before it contacts with the tappet 114, the controller will begin to move as soon as or almost. as soon as danger, con- (litions exist, and by altering the relation of.

the controller and the lever" arms 33, as indicated, the controller can be made to actuate the steam supply controller and the brake mechanism as soon as the speed limit is exceeded.

It will be understood that the controller 23 is thus operated under danger conditions, whether the locomotive is movin backward or forward. If moving forward, said controller is moved in one direction, and it moving backward, obviously it is moved in the opposite direction by reason of the reverse movement of the wheel axles and of the spindle 19. \Vhen, however, a locomotive is backing, danger is always presumed to be present, whether the intermittent wavside control mechanism gives a danger inipulse or not, and therefore it is desirable to have the controller 23 actuated when the speed'limit is exceeded. whether the armature 72 is in contact with the terminal 74 or not. To that end, another thread 106 is provided on the upper end of the spindle 19. and .engaging the same is the free end of a lever 107 pivoted on a suitable post 108 Within the box 9. Mounted on the lever 107 is a contact element 109 that is movable into and out of engagement with another Conlact element 110 secured to the box. The contact element 109 is electrically connected by a onductor 111.with the conductor 9192 that connects the battery 90 with the armature 72 and is thus connected to said battery 90. The contact element 110 is electrically connected by a conductor 112 with the contact element 74.

eeann So long as the locomotive is moving forward the free end of the arm 107 is pressed downward by the threads 106, and the terminals 109 and 110 are kept apart, but when the locomotive is backing, the free end of the arm 107 engages the threads 106 and the lever 107 with its terminal 109 is carried upward, until said terminal contacts with the terminal 110. This, therefore, establishes a shunt circuit around the armature 72 of the relay 69 and the contact element 74 with which said armature contacts," so that just as soon as the contact elements 115 and 116 are brought into engagement by the speed governor, a circuit will be established through the controller coil 24, and said coil will be energized. This circuit may be traced beginning with the battery 90 through conductors 91 and 111, contact elements 109 and 110, conductors 112 and 118, contact elements 116 and 115, conductors 117 and 67, controller coil 24, conductors 93, 94 and 96 to the battery 90.

In addition, there is disclosed means for actuating the controller through the closure of a cab circuit in which the controller coil is included, this actuation being secured by the movement of the governor and the means providing for such actuation at a speed higher than that which is necessary to .cause contact between the elements 115 and 116. Within the box 9 there isprovided a support 59 of-suitable insulating material, to which is secured a bracket 60, on which is adjustably lmounted a threaded rod 61, to the lower end of which is pivoted a lever 62 provided on its upper side with a spring contact element 63 constituting an electric terminal. Also mounted on the support 59 is a terminal 64 and a binding post 65 carried by an electrical conducting bracket 66, which bracket is insulated from the bracket 60. The outer end of the lever 62 is in the upward path of the flange .17 of the governor 15 as it slides on the spindle 11. An electric conductor 67 leads to the ter minal 63, and another electric conductor 119 leads to the binding post 65, and consequently the terminal 64. I

With this construction a circuit through the terminals 63 and 64 is closed when a predetermined maximum rate of speed exists, irrespective of the existence of danger conditions. To this end, the said terminals are so placed that the flange 17 must move the lower end a much greater distance than is necessary to cause contact between the elements 115 and 116, but when contact between the elements 63 and 64 takes place, the electromagnet 24 will immediately be energized. For this purpose, a conductor 119 is employed leading from the contact element 64 to the conductor 92. Therefore, when the predetermined maximum speed is attained and the terminals 63 and 64 are brought into engagement, a circuit is'established. beginning with the battery '90, through the conductors 9 1, 92 and 119, the contact elements 64 and 63, the conductor 67, the controller coil 24. the conductors 93, 94 and 96 and back to the battery so that the controller is actuated.

From the foregoing-it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with out further description,- and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. ltn apparatus for controlling the speed of amoving vehicle provided with propelling and retarding mechanism, compr1smg a control device adapted to be moved-in one direction, a connection with the propelling and retarding mechanism adapted to be actuated by the control device after the latter has moved a predetermined distance, whereby when so actuated the speed of the vehicle is reduced, and means adapted automatically to operate such control device, consisting of a source of electrical energy carried by the vehicle, a solenoid connected to the control device and in circuit with such energy and a device for closing such circuit to energize .the solenoid whenever thespeed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit.

2. A system of speed control for a vehicle moving along a trackway, comprising means on the vehicle for controlling the propulsion devices thereof, means on the vehicle for establishing safety and danger conditions and actuating the'controlling means when danger conditions exist. trackside mechanism cotiperating with the vehicle carried means for intermittently causing the latter to establish danger conditions, and means carried means, and means for automatically controlling the speed of the locomotive from the cab-carried means whenever danger conditions exist and the speed exceeds a predetermined limit, in combination with means for continuing such control over a wide range of rates of speed and of instituting it when a maximum speed has been attained.

whether the other danger conditions be present or not.

4. A system of speed control for vehicles, comprising trafiic controlling means, means for actuating the traflic controlling means, including an electric circuit, mechanism including wayside means for controlling the circuit, a governor operating in accordance with the speed of the 'vehicle, and a concally controlling the speed of the locomotive from the cab-carried means whenever the speed reaches a maximum independently of danger conditions.

6. In an apparatus .of the character described, the combination with a controller adapted to act upon the steam supply and brake system of a locomotive, of means for moving it a predetermined distance from an initial position before it is in a position to so act, and means for causing its initial movement whenever the speed of the locomotive is at a predetermined maximum 7. A system of speed control for vehicles, comprising traffic controlling means, means for actuating the tratlic controlling means including an electric circuit, mechanism including wayside means for controlling the circuit, a governor operating in accordance with the speed of the .vehicle, and a controller for said circuit, comprising contact elements, one of said elements having a portion located in the path of movement of the other element and said other element being reciprocatory and movable into and out of contact with the first element and having an extended wiping contact therewith, said reciprocatory element having a portion located in the path of movement of the governor and being adapted to be moved thereby into contact with the first element when a predetermined speed of the vehicle is reached and maintaining said wiping contact as long as the speed is above said predetermined speed.

8. In apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a vehicle, of traffic controlling means, mechanism for automatically efl'ecting the operation of the traffic controlling means when a predetermined speed exists and danger conditions do not exist.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, of traliic controlling means, mechanism for automatically effecting the operation of the traiiic controlling means when danger conditions exist and the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, and means for automatically effecting the operation of the trailie controlling means when a different predetermined speed exists and danger conditions do not exist.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, of traflic controlling means, mechanism on the vehicle for effecting the operation of the traflic controlling means, wayside mechanism intermittently controlling the vehiclecarried mechanism when danger conditions exist, and means on the vehicle for controlling the operation of the vehiclecarried means whenever a predetermined speed of the vehicle is reached.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, of trafiie controlling means, mechanism for automatically effecting the operation of the traffic controlling means, including wayside means actuated when danger conditions exist, and means that operate in accordance with the speed of the vehicle to effect the operation of the traffic controlling means when a predetermined speed is reached, and mechanism actuated by said means that operates in accordance with the speed of the vehicle for effecting the operation of the trafiic controlling means independently of the wa slde means whenever a predetermined higher rate of speed is reached.

12. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with avehicle, of traflic controlling means, an electrically operated controller for the traflie controlling means, an electric circuit including the controller, Wayside means for controlling the circuit, a device moving in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, also controlling the circuit, and a circuit including the controller, said circuit being independent of control by the wayside mechanism, but being controlled by the device which operates in accordance with the speed of the vehicle.

13. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a vehicle, of traffic controlling means, an electrically operated controller for the traflic controlling means, an electrical circuit including the controller, wayside mechanism for controlling the circuit, a speed governor driven by the vehicle, a switch in said circuit operated by the speed governor when the same reaches a predetermined speed, a circuit including the controller, said latter circuit being inraeaevi dependent of control by the wayside mechanism, and another switch controlled by the speed governor and located in the latter circuit.

14:. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a vehicle, of traffic controlling means, an electrically operated controller for the tratiic controlling means, a speed governor on the vehicle, two switches adapted tobe operated successively by the.

speed governor as the speed of the same increases, another switch, means including Wayside mechanism for effecting the operation of the last mentioned switch, a circuit including one of the governor control switches, the last mentioned switch and the controller, and another circuit including the controller and the other of the governor control switches, said latter circuit being mdependent of the switch that is controlled by the wayside mechanism.

15. In apparatus 'of the character described, the combination with avehicle and traflic controlling means, of means for causing an operation of the traflic controlling means Whenever the vehicle is moving in one direction and a predetermined, speed thereof is reached, and means for controlling the operation of the traflic controlling means when the vehicle is moving in a different direction and a different predetermined speed is reached.

16. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle and traflie controlling means, of means for controlling the operation of the traflic controlling means including wayside mechanism and a device operating in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, and means includingsaid device for controlling the operation of the traflic controlling means independent of the wayside mechanism when the vehicle is traveling in eitherdirection and a predetermined speed is reached.

17. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle and traffic controlling means, 'of means for controlling the operation of the traffic controlling means including wayside mechanism and a device operating in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, and means including said device for controlling the operation of the traiiic controlling means independent'of the wayside mechanism when the vehicle is traveling in one direction and a predetermined speed is reached and when said vehicle is traveling in the opposite direction and a difi'erent predetermined speed is reached.

scribed, the combination with a vehicle, of-

traflic controlling means, mechanism for automatically efl'ecting the operation of the traflic controlling means when danger conditions exist and the vehicle is traveling in one direction at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for automatically efl'ecting the operation of the traffic controlling means when a predetermined speed exists, danger conditions do not exist, and when the vehicle is moving in either of opposite directions.

19. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a vehicle, of trafiic controlling means, mechanism for automatically effecting the operation of the traffic controlling means when the vehicle is traveling in one direction, including wayside means actuated when danger conditions exist, and means that operate in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, to effect the operation of the tratfic controlling means when a predetermined speed is reached, and

the Wayside means Whenever a predetermined higher rate of speed is reached and the vehicle is traveling in one direction and whenever a predetermined rate of speed is reached and the vehicle is traveling in an opposite directio 20. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a vehicle, of traflic controlling means, an electrically operated controller for the traflic controlling means, an electric circuit including the controller, wayside means for controlling the circuit, a device moving in accordance with the speed of the vehicle also controlling the circuit, a circuit including the controller, said circuit being independent of control by the wayside means, but being controlled by the device which operates in accordance with the speed of the vehicle when said vehicle is moving in one direction, and a circuit including the controller, said last-mentioned circuit being also independent of control by the'wayside mechanism, but being controlled by the/device which operates in accordance with the speed of the vehicle when said vehicle ismoving in an opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PAUL JOHN SIEN.

Witnesses L. RINGER, GEORGE P. SIMMEN.

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