US1666362A - Safety device for railways and the like - Google Patents

Description

Ap 17, 192s.

P. T. WEBB SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24.' 1925 P. T. WEBB SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE April 17, 1928. 1,666,362

Filed April 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A \CQ Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES .'PURCELL THOMAS WEBB, OF CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

.SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE.

Application led April 24, 1925, Serial No.

This invention relates to devices used in connection with railway lines for the purpose of indicating to the .drivers o f approaching trains, the presence of shps or other obstructions on the line, and yhas for its object the provision of improved means for the aforesaid purpose.

The invention consists in providing at a place on a railway line where al slip is thought likely to occur', a fence barrier, or line at one or both sides of the railway line, at a suitable height from ther ground, and forming part of an electric circuit, containing safety lamps situated near the ends of the section of railway line so dealt with or protected, the lamps under normal conditions remaining alight.

Should a slip occur, the protecting fence barrier or line will be broken, and the lamps be extinguished, so that the driver of a train failing to observe a safety light, on approaching a section of railway line so dealt with or protected, will be warned that an inspection of the protected section of railway line should be made, before running the tra-in over same.

In a further form the invention consists in providing at a place on the railway line where a slip is likely to occur, an insulated section of railway line, the rails of said insulated section forming part of an electric circuit adapted to be closed b the presence on said insulated section, ofy a train, the wheels and axles of which bridge the rails and complete the circuit. Included in said circuit is or are one or more protecting fences barriers or lines at one or both sides of the line as aforesaid, and also distinctively coloured lights, and or sound or other signals, so that upon a train running on to said insulated section of railway line when same is clear, the circuit will be completed and signals either visual or by sound, or both, will be given, indicating to the driver that he may proceed over said protected section of line. Also in order to warn the driver of the approach of the train to a protected section of railway line a further electric circuit is provided the latter containing lights or other signals located near the ends of the said insulated'section of railway line.

In addition to or instead of the protected section indicating lights near the ends of said section, mechanically operated gongs or the like adapted to be operated by the train 25,629, and in New Zealand May 2, 1924.

may be provided to give warning of the trains approach to said section. f In the accompanying drawing in conjunction with which the invention will be further described.

y Figures l to 3 are diagrammatic views il.- lustrating different forms of the invention.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the section 2 of railway line, is insulated at 6 from the remainder of the railwa line, the rails of said insulated section 2, eing also included in the same circuit as the line fence or barrier 1, and the lamps 4, so that the circuit will be closed by the wheels and axles of a train running upon said section 2. In this form a gong 5 or the like is also used to give warning of the trains entrance or approach to said insulated section 2 and should .the lamp 4 at or near the entrance end of the latter, fail to light, upon the train bridging the rails of the insulated section 2 of railway line, it is an indication that the lino fence or barrier l is broken and the line should be inspected, before the train proceeds thereover.

The arrangement shown 'in Figure 2 is similar to that shown in Figure l, except that instead of current being drawn from overhead wires 3 it is drawn from a local source of supply such as battery 7.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 there is provided at each end of a section 2 of railway line a lamp 8, the latter being used instead of, or in addition to the gong 5 or other alarm sounding means employed, for the purpose of indicating that a protected section of line is being entered upon or approached.

The lamps 8 are supplied with current from the overhead wires 3, and are constantly alight, While the lamps 4 are adapted to be illumined only upon the line being clear, and through the closing of the circuit in which they are located, by the train wheels bridging the rails of the insulated section 2. i

Other modifications of the invention, may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States of America is l. Means for the purpose specified, comprising an electric line erected adjacent a section of railway line to be protected, and

forming part of an electric circuit containingflanips, located near the ends of said section ofrailway line, said lamps being adapt ed to be extinguished by a fall of earth or the like breaking said electric line; and signaling ineans t'or giving warning of the approach of a train, to said section of railway line, the section of railway line protected by the electric line being insulated from the rest ci the railway line and also forming part of the circuit through the .electric line and the lainps, and the the said circuit be ing closed when the electric line isunbroken by the wheels and axle of a train bridging the rails of said insulated section of railway line, `substantially as described.

2. Means for the purpose specified, according to claim 1, wherein the means :tor giving warning of the approach ot a train to the protected section of railway line coin- 20 prise gongs7 actuated by the train, substantially as described.

3. Means for the purpose specied according to claiin l wherein constantly illumined lamps are located near the ends of the protected section of railway line7 for indicating the location of the protected section of railway line, substantially as described.

4. Means :tor the purpose specified, according to claim l, wherein the electric line 30 erected adjacent the railuf'ayline, comprises a wire fence, substantially as described and illustrated.

In testimony whereol" I affix my signature.

PURCELL THOMAS WEBB.

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