US1477889A

US1477889A - Coil cut-out for wigwag signals

Info

Publication number: US1477889A
Application number: US615422A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mark S Morse
Original assignee: MAGNETIC SIGNAL CO
Current assignee: MAGNETIC SIGNAL CO
Priority date: 1923-01-25
Filing date: 1923-01-25
Publication date: 1923-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1940-12-18

Description

' Dec. 18, 1923. 1,477,889

M. S. MORSE vCOIL CUT-OUT FOR WIGWAG SIGNALS Filed Jan. 25. 1923 M/YTOE:

Mam 5. M0255;

BY gwmwf a Patented o. 18, 1923.

UNI-TED s'rA'ras PATENT OFFICE-.

mm: s roan, or Los arenas, emu-earn, amazon to name stern. so,

a coarounox or earn-cam con. cor-om; roe wrowao IIGILLI.

Application fled It!!! I, llrhl Io. HA8.

of railroads for the purpose of warning.

traflic on the highway as to the movement of trains on the railroad, such signals being commonly constructed to include a flag or target which is oscillated from one extreme position to another bymeans of magnets.

The principal object of the invention is to rovide means in such a signal for providving a large start-torque so that the signal may be started under adverse conditions as to friction or weather, and also to provide means whereby the operating torque is reduced, after the signal is once started, for the purpose of improving the operation and reducing the power consum tion.

Referring to the drawing w ich is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic section through one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of one set of magnets and the armature, and,

Fig. 3 1s a diagram of connectlons.

In the form of signal to which I show my invention applied, 11 is a shaft which is journaled in a case 12 and from which a target 13 is suspended by means of a rod 14 which asses through the bottom of the case 12. upported: on arms 15 from the shaft 11 is an armature 20. Secured on one side of the case 12 is magnet 21 and secured to the other side of the case is a magnet 22. The magnet 21 is provided with

coils

23 and 24 and the magnet 22 is provided wit-

h coils

25 and 26. Also carried in the shaft 11 is a switch blade which makes electrical contact with

contacts

31 and 32, for the purpose of alternately energizing the

magnets

21 and 22 and thereby alternately attracting the armature 20 to one side and then the other for the purpose of oscillating the signal.

The parts so far described are at the present time .well known and in general use, the

structure described being merel selected for the purpose of illustration. in signals of this type which require to be started, sometimes under adverse conditions, it is highly desirable to have a large starting torque so that the signal will be very re-. liab e. The amount of energy required to operate this signal once it is started being considerably less, it is desirable to provide for an excess starting torque to take care of unfavorable starting conditions and to later reduce the power so that economy of current consumption will result, the latter being especially important where the signal is operated' from primary parts as is often the case in the application of such signals to practical railway work.

For the purpose of su lying this large starting torque and reacii y reducing it, I provide a holding magnet 40 having an armature 41, carrying a switch blade 42. The armature 41 is pivoted at 43 and naturally lies in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the blade 42 in its upper position in which position it makes contact with a contact 45. Whenever the armature is closed the blade makes contact with a contact 46. For the urpose of closing the armature I provi e a flexible fin er 47 carried by the moving structure 0 the signal, this finger striking against a projection 48 on the armature 41 when the signal makes a full oscillation and forcing the armature into its closed sition, in which position the blade 42 m as contact with the contact 46. The method of connecting the above" ap ratus is as follows:

- he coils 23 and 24 are connected at one end through a wire 50 to the contact 31. The

coils

25 and 26 are similarly connected by the wire 51 to the contact 32. The other end of the

coils

24 and 25 are connected in a pair directly to .a wire L The other end of the

coils

26 and 23 are similarly connected in a air and are connected through a wire 54 with the contact 45. The wires L and"- L lead from the signal to the external circuit which is so arrangedthat these wires are energized whenever it is desired to operate the signal. Such external circuit, and the means for energizing it being old and Well known in the art need not be illustrated.

The method of operation is as follows:

The parts being in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3,

and the wires L1 and L' bein energized, current flows through the switc blade 30 and the wire 50 to the coils 23 and '24 and from these coils through the wire 53 to the wire L thus ener izing the

coils

23 and 24 and magnetical y energizing the magnet 21. This pulls the armature 2 to the left from, the osition shown in Fig. 1 which movement disconnects the blade from the contact 31 allowing the signal to swin freely andto oscillate. The

contacts

30, 3 and 32 are so arranged that the wires and 51 are then alternately energlzed as the signal swings. This arrangement being old in the art forms no part 0 the present invention and need not be herein described.

During the initial movement of the signal, the

coils

23 and 24 are fully energized and the

coils

25 and 26 are then energized due to the operation of the.

parts

30, 31 and 32.

During this lnitial movement and during the first few swings of the target 13, the amplitude of the oscillation is not sufficlent to cause the finger 47 to strike the projection 48 and the switch blade 42 remains in con- I tact with the contact 45, thus allowing the

coils

23 and 26 to be energized. As soon as the target 13 starts to swing actively so that it approaches its extreme position at either end of its stroke, the finger 47 strikes upon the projection 48, forcing the projection 48 upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, and forcing the armature 41 against the magnetic circuit .40. Simultaneously, contact is broken between 42 and 45 and established between 42 and 48. Breaking of the contact between 42 and 45 disconnects the coils- 26 and 23 from the wire L 'and connects the coil between the wires L and the wires L The con necting of the coil 60 enables the magnet 40 to hold the switch member 42 in its disconnecting position, that is to say,in the position inwhich the

coils

23 and 26 are disconnected. The signal continues to operate due to the

coils

24 and 25 bein energized until the main circuit through t e wires L and L is broken, at which time the signal stops .swingin The breaking of the circuit through t e wires L and L, which is accomplished outside the signal, also deenergizes the coil 60 and allows the armature 41 to fall back into its original position as shown in Fig. 1 and the signal is ready to again repeat its operation.

It will be seen that during the starting period all of the

coils

23, 24, 25 and 26 are in service and that after the signal gets into operation, the

coils

23 and 26 are cut out and held out by the coil 60. This gives twice the pull on the armature 20 during the starting period than is exerted on it after it gets started. This allows an adequate starting torque with a low energy consumption for the total operation,

1,4'maae claiin-asmy invention:

1. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils forof: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality, of coils for magnetically exciting said magnets; a switch for disconnecting a portion of said coilsfrom the electric circuit; and a member carried by said armature and-so placed as to actuate said switch whenever said armature approaches an extreme position.

3. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuatev said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils for magnetically exciting said magnets; a switch for disconnecting a portion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding magnet so placed as to hold said switch in a osition to disconnect said .ortion of said coils when said switch has een moved to said disconnecting position; means for moving said switch from said disconnecting posi; tion whenever the remaining coils are deenergized; and means by which said switch is actuated after said armature starts to oscillate.

4. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils for magnetically exciting said magnets; a switch for disconnecting a portion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding magnet so placed as to hold said switch in a v 7 position to disconnect said portion of said coils when said switch has been moved to said disconnecting position; means for movin g said switch from said disconnecting position whenever the remaining coils-are deenergized; and a member carried by said armature and so placed as to actuate said switch whenever said armature approaches an extreme position.

5. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate be tween two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils for ma etically exciting said magnets; a switch or disconnecting aportion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding after said armature starts to oscillate.

' 6. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate Said armature when magneticall excited a plurality of coils for magnetically exciting said magnets; a switch for disconnecting a portion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding magnet so placed as to hold said switch in a position to disconnect said portion of said coils when said switch has been moved to said disconnectin osition; means for deenergizing saidfio ding magnet whenever the main circuit to said signal is interrupted, said switch being so constructed that it moves from said disconnecting position whenever said holding magnet is de-energized; and a member carried by said armature and so placed as to actuate said switch whenever said armature approaches an extreme position.

7. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils for magnetically exciting said magnetspa switch for disconnecting a portion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding magnet so placed as to hold said switch in a position to disconnect said rtion of said 0011s when said switch has een moved to said disconnecting position; a contact carried by said switch adapted to close a cir cuit to said holding coil whenever said switch is moved to said disconnecting position; and means for de-energizing said holding magnet whenever the main circuit to said signal is interrupted, said switch being so constructed that it moves from said disconnecting position whenever said holding magnet is de-energized; and means by which said switch is actuated after said armature starts to oscillate.

8. In a wigwag signal, the combination of: an armature mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions; magnets so placed as to actuate said armature when magnetically excited; a plurality of coils for magnetically exciting said magnets; a switch for disconnecting a portion of said coils from the electric circuit; a holding magnet so placed as to hold said switch in a osition to disconnect said ortion of said coils when said switch has en moved to said disconnecting position; a contact carried by said switch adapted to close a circuit to said holding coil whenever said switch is moved to said disconnecting position and means for de-energizing said holding magnet Whenever the main circuit to said signal is interrupted, said switch being so constructed that it moves from said disconnecting position whenever said holding magnet is de-energized; and a member carried by said armature and so placed as to actuate said switch whenever said armature approaches an extreme position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los les California.

- i l S. MORSE.