US1436597A - Electric signal for electric railways - Google Patents

Description

T. C. MACALLISTER.

ELECTRIC SlGNAL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-31,1921- Patented. Nov. 211, 19?2, I

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

-T. C. II/IAcALLISTER.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-31, I92!- PMJOIIIBIII'NOV. 21, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

' earn STATES THOMAS CRAWFORD MACALLISTER, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC BAILWAYS.

Application filed August 31, 1921. Serial No. a97,&07.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CRAWFORD MAoAmsrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the town of Stratford, county of li airfield, State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Electric Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and complete disclosure.

The object of my invention is to provide a system of signal lights on electric cars, whereby the crews and other occupants of two or more cars travelling in opposite directions on the same track, will be warned of the impending danger.

A further object of my invention is to operate the signal lights fromthe car itself, by means of external rails and wires, with which parts carried by the car engages to complete the circuits.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange the apparatus and circuits, that any number of cars can travel in the same direction on the same track, without opcrating the signal lights.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange the apparatus and circuits, that when a number of cars are travelling in the same direction on the same track, and are opposed by cars coming in the opposite direction on the same track, that the signal lights will operate on all of the cars in volved.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a system of signal lights on electric cars, that will obtain their energy from the power equipment now generally used on electric railways, without disturbing said equipment.

Briefly, my invention comprises the connection of sliding shoes to the truck frames of electric cars and insulated therefrom, which by means of certain circuits located on the cars are electrically alive, and form the beginning of a circuit, the completion of which depends upon the position of certain rails adjacent to the track, and the position of other cars on the same track, said circuit is connected to a series of signal lights controlled by a switch connected to said series.

It also comprises the use of rollers connected to the roofs of electric cars'and insu-' lated therefrom, which by means of certain circuits located on the cars are electrically alive and forms the beginning of a, circuit,

the completion ofwhich depends upon the position of certain wires suspended externallyabove the car and the position of other cars on the same track, said circuit is connected to a series of signal lights controlled by a switch connected to said series.

F or a full, clear, and exact description of my improved signal light system, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which- Fig. 1- is a diagrammatic plan view of one form of my improved signal light system, showing sliding shoes in contact with the external rails adjacent to the track, and also showing signal light circuits connected to each shoe and switch controlling same, also how the circuits are completed when two cars run in opposite directions on the same track.

Fig. 2 is an elevated view of the same form of my invention, showing how the signal lights are arranged on each car, and the position of the sliding shoes on each car and how they come in contact with the adjacent rail and how one of the circuits is completed when two cars oppose each other on the same track.

Fig. -3 is a diagrammatic plan view of another form of my improved signal light system, showing two cars going in oppositedirections on the same track, and equipped with rollers on their respective roofs and also showing how the circuits are completed by means of external overhead wires, running parallel with the track coming in contact with all of the rollers involved, showing the location of the switch controlling signal lights.

Fig. 4 is an elevated View of this form of my invention, showing the position of the rollerson thereof of the car and how they come in contact with the external wires, also showing how said wires are suspended from arms or brackets extended from the usual overhead supporting poles, and showing the course of the current and the position of the switch.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1- A and B refers to two trolley cars travelling in opposite directions on the same tra k. it will be noticed that they are equipped with twocollecting poles each, 6 and 7 and 33 and 34:,

and with two hooks each 13 and 12 and 36 and 37 said hooks to hold said poles in place when not in use, this being the usual man= ("iii ner in which all modern trolley cars are equipped as any one familiar with such apparatus will readily understand.

\Vire 3 is the overhead trolley wire, receiving its: current from the power house -1- by means of feeder 2 the current being returned through the medium of the car mechanism to track rails 18 and 19 to the return conductor 17 to the power house -1-.

It will be seen from the drawings that both poles of a car are electrified when either pole of said car is on the overhead trolley wire 3, as shown on cars A and B in Fig. 1 pole 7 on car A is alive because it is in contact with pole 6 by means of the connecting wire 26, and pole 33 on car B is likewise alive because it is in contact with pole 34 by means of connecting wire 35, at the same time the hooks engaged in holding the disengaged poles fast down to the roofs of the cars, will be electrified as in the case 01 book 12 which is holding pole 7 on car A fast down and in the case of hook 36 which is holding pole 33 on car B fast down.

It will be seen that to each hook on each car is electrically connected a sliding shoe, shoes 16 and 10 are connected to hooks 13 and 12 on car A and shoes 48 and 40 are con nected to hooks 36 and 37 on car B wires 14 and 11 forming the connection on car A and wires 49 and 39 forming the connection on car B also that to each slidii' gshoe is connected a signal light circuit as in the case of light circuit 15 which is connected to sliding shoe 16, and circuit 9 which is connected to sliding shoe 10. Both light circuits are controlled by the switch 8 on car A, the same connections are seen on car B as in the case of light circuit 47 which is connected to sliding shoe 48 and with circuit 38 which is connected to sliding shoe 40 both light circuits being controlled by the s lt'Cll 41; it will also be noticed that each sllding shoe is in contact with a set of'auxiliary rails 4 and adjacent to the track which completes the circuits from one car to the other; as follows As the cars A and BFig. -1 are traveling in opposite directions on the same track, a series of signal lights are illuminated on each car said lights being colored red by preference, from the overhead trolley wire 3' the current is collected by pole 6 on car A and through the medium of connecting wire 26 electrifies pole 7 which being held down fast to the roof by hook 112 which through said contact also becomes electrified and carries the current through connecting wire 11 to shoe which being in contact with the adjacent rail 5 electrifies same which in turn carries the current to sliding shoe 40 on car B which being in electrical connection with signal light circuit 38 which on account of switch 41 being snapped to a position to connect said circuit with the ground wire 55 causes the signal lights 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 to illuminate, the track rails 18 and 19 being the manner in which the current is returned to the power house -1-- by means of conductor 17, at the same time the signal lights on circuit on car A are illuminated in the following manner, as pole 34 is collecting current from the overhead trolley wire 3 it transmits the current by means of connecting wire to pole and as the same is held down to the car roof by hook 36 said hook becomes electrified the current being carried by connecting wire 49 to the sliding shoe 48 which being in contact with the adjacent rail 4 electrifies same which in turn carries the current to sliding shoe 16 on car which being electrically connected to signal light circuit 15 and as the switch 8 is snapped to a position to connect said circuit 15 to the ground wire 27 the signal lights 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 illuminated, the ground wire 27 returni, the current to the track rails 13 and 19 to the power house 1 by means of the conductor 1'? it will thus be see.. that the signal. lights are illuminated on each car at 'JZQCiS'BlY the same time.

It will be noticed from the drawings that when a collecting pole is on the overhead trolley wire 3 as shown in 2- that the hook used to hold said pole fast down to the car roof will be electrically dead on account of being disengaged from pole, as in the case of trolley pole 24 and hook 34 on car D, as the pole24 is on the overhead trolley wire 3 and diseng d from hook 34 said hook having no else i cal connection with said pole is dead electrically and as a result the connecting wire 25 the light cir cuit 26 and the sliding shoe 39 becomes the receiving shoe and circuit ofrny signal systern, as the switch 27 is snapped to. a position to connect light circuit terminal with the ground or negative wire 28 the current is carried tothe truck frame 37 to the track rail 5 to conductor 13 to the power house -1 the circuit-26 being completed when the sliding shoe 39 is electrified by a current sent through the adjacent rail 4 from the opposing car. C causing the signal lights E29, 30, 31, 32 and to illuminate on car D. v

It will also be noticed that as the trolley pole 9' on car C is on the overhead trolley wire 3 it is electrically alive and carries the current through the connecting wire 10 to pole 11 which being held East down to car roof by hook 152 eloctrifies same and sends the current through connecting wire 13. to sliding shoe 15 which through said connection becomes alive and as light circuit 14 is connected to said sliding shoe 15 both said shoe and said. circuit becomes the sending shoe and circuit of my signal system, the

signal lights 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20' of said sending circuit will fail to illuminate on account of the switch 7 being snapped to a position opposite to light circuit terminal 41 disconnecting said terminal from the ground or negative wire 6 attached to the truck frame 35, at the same time the sliding shoe 15 being alive transmits the current to the adjacent rail 4 which being in contact with sliding shoe 39 on car D electrifies said shoe and transmits the current to light circuit 26 causing the signal lights on car D to illuminate as explained above.

As this form of my signal system can only be used on private right of way track, on account of the adjacent rails to the track being alive when in contact with the sliding shoes attached to the cars and would therefore be a menace to the walking public, Figures 3 and 4 show another form of my improved signal system, using overhead auxiliary wires suspended above the roofs of the cars for transmitting thecurrent from one car to the other, said wires coming in contact with rollers fastened securely to the roofs of the cars, this form of my signal system taking the place of the adjacent rails to the track and of the sliding shoes attached to the truck frames of the cars as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and leav ing the track free from danger.

Fig. -3 shows two cars E and F traveling in opposite directions on the same track equipped with the second form of my signal system, the signals being operated as follows- As the pole 5 on car E is on the overhead trolley wire 4 it carries the current through connecting wire 33 to the pole 6 which be ing held fast down to the car roof by the hook 20 causes same to become electrified which in turn sends the current. through connecting wire 21 to the roller 19 electrify ing same which in turn transmits the current to auxiliary wire 9 through said aux iliary wire to the roller 39 on car F which in turn transmits the current to light circuit and as the switch 47 is in connection with light circuit terminal 46 connecting same with the ground or negative wire 49 and sending the current through the track rails 7 and 8 to the conductor 3 to the power house 1. thereby completing the circuit and causing the signal lights 41, 42, 43, 44 and on car F to illuminate at the same time the signal lights on car E are operated in the following. manner, as pole 36 on car F is on the overhead trolley wire 4 which is receiving the current through the feeder 2 from power house -1 said pole collecting the current and sends it through connecting wire 35 to pole 34 electrifying same which being held fast down to the car roof by hook 58 electrifies said hook which in turn sends the current through connecting wire 57 to the roller 56 the current to light circuit 17 and as theswitch 15 is in connection with light circuit terminal 14 connecting same with the ground or negative wire 16 which in turn transmits the current to the track rails 7 and 8 the current returning through the said rails to the conductor 3 and to the power house -1 thereby completing the circuit and causing the signal lights 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 on car E to illuminate and it will be noticed that the switch 15 on car Elias been snapped to a position to engage light circuit terminal 14 thereby releasing light circuit terminal 27 from any connection with ground or negative wire 16 and as a result the signal lights 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 of the sending circuit 18 fail to illuminate showing that there will be no signal lights illuminated only as described above and as all cars are wired identically alike the same results will be noticed on car F where the switch 47 has been snapped to a position to engage light circuit terminal 46 thereby releasing light circuit terminal 48 from any connection with the ground or negative wire 49 and as a result the Sig-- nal lights 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 fail to illuminate, showing that there will be no signal lights illuminated only as described above.

Fig. 4 shows the method of holding the auxiliary wires 16 and 17 in a stationary position above the roof of the car, by means of the arms or brackets 18 and 19 which are securely fastened to the overhead supporting poles 34 and 35, said arms or brackets are placed at a certain height above the track rails 37 and 38 and in such a position that the auxiliary wires 16 and 17 will engage the rollers 11 and 12 when the car is propelled beneath said wires.

The span wire 36 is the usual. manner of suspending the overhead trolley wire 4, which collects the current from the power house 1 by means of feeder 3, pole 5 collecting the current from the overhead trolley wire 4, said current is returned through the car mechanism to the truck frame 39 to conductor 2 and back to the power house 1-.

Light circuits 13 and 14 show the manner in which the signal lights are in electri cal connection with the rollers 11 and 12, light circuit 14 is the receiving circuit as the roller 12 which is connected to hook 10 by means of connecting wire 9 is dead as the pole 5 is disengaged from the said hook 10, and as the switch 26 is snapped to a position to connect light circuit terminal 27 with ground or negative wire 33 the signal lights 28 29, 30, 31 and 32 will illuminate the instant auxiliary wire 17 is electrified by a nal 27 and it will be noticed that circuit 13 is electrified as it is connected to the roller 11 which is connected to hook 7 by means of the connecting wire 15, hook 7 being in contact with the pole 8 which is connected by wire 6 to pole 5 which is in contact with overhead trolley wire 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An electric signal light system for electrio railways in suburban service whose lines traverse aprivate right of way, two external rails extending the full length of the block and running parallel with the track, one laid on each side of same, two partial circuits carried by the car, each including a series of lights their source of energy being alternate according to the relative positions of the overhead power collectors and-their fastening hooks and of the position of a switch also carried by the car and controlling the negative or ground return of said circuits, two sliding shoes fastened to the truck frames of the car and insulated therefrom, which co-operate with the external rails extending along the track, whereby when two or more cars Similarly equipped enter the block from opposite directions the occupants of each car will be warned of the impending danger, by a series of lights illuminating in each of the respective cars, said lights operating as long as each respective car travels in directions mentioned.

2. An electric signal light system for electric railways in interurban service whose lines traverse the public highway, two eX ternal wires, suspended from arms or'brackets attached to the usual supporting equipment along the track and extending the entire length of the block, parallel with the track one on each side of same, two partial circuits carried by the car, each including a series of lights their source of energy being alternate, according to the relative positions of the overhead power collectors and their fastening hooks and of the position of a switch also carried by the car and controlling the negative or ground return of said circuits, two rollers fastened to the car root and insulated therefrom, which cooperate with the suspended wires which eX- tend along the track above the car roof, whereby when two or more cars similarly equipped enter the block from opposite directions the occupants of each car will be warned of the impending danger, by'a series of lights illuminating in each of the respective cars, said lights operating as long as each respective car travels in the directions mentioned.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this day of June. 1921.

THOMAS CRAWFORD MacALLlSTER. Witnesses:

JOHN GALLAGHER, JOHN H. FARRELL.

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