US1819374A - Train stop - Google Patents

Description

M. MAILE Aug. 18, 1931.

4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug; 18, 1931.

M. MAILE TRAIN STOP Original Filed June 8. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. MAILE TRAIN STOP Aug. 18, W31.

Original Filed June 8, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 18, 1931. MNLE 1, 19,374

TRAIN STOP Original Filed June 8, 1928 '4 Sheeiis-Shet 4 Patent ed Aug. 18, 1931 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL MAILE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SIXTH '10 EVANGELINO MAILE, ONE-SIXTH 'IO NIGALA BARATTU'OGI, AND ONE-SIXTH TO ANGELO CHIOLI, ALL OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA TRAIN STOP Application filed June 8, 1928, Serial No. 283,795. Renewed January 9, 1981.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a train stop or an auto-.

vide a structure of the character mentioned which may be installed on a locomotive or other railway vehicle and which will be simple in construction although effective, strong and durable. p

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique method of controlling the motive power and brakes of a railway vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for placing the stop mechanism in condition for emergency operation during the travel of a train through each block of a system while preventing its operation providing the track ahead is clear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a number of track circuits for operation independently of or in connection with the usual track-side signals in operation at the present time.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for operating the mechanism from a wheel, other than the vehicle wheel, traveling upon thetrack.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the. details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 1s a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for controlling the power and y the air brakes of a' railway train or vehicle. The valve 31 may be operated against the 100 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits of a block signal system and the manner in which the current controlling .said signals also controls a mechanism to 'main parts of the mechanism which is used to operate the brakes.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit for providing visible signals within the train or vehicle and which may be used in conjunction with the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5is a fragmentary view of a certain device for producing an audible signal which may be used in conjunction with the mechanism of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but of a modification.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the track arrangement for operating a mechanism such as shown in Fig. 6.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, 15 represents the air brake valve for controlling the passage of the operating fluid from the supply plpe 16 to t e train line and the exhaust pipe 17. Connected with the supply pipe 16 is a pipe 18 leading to a slide valve 19 which may be manually or otherwise operated and from this slide valve 19 leads a pipe 20 to a waste valve 21 manually operated in one direction but preferably self-closing and this valve is connected by a pipe 22 with one end of the cylinder 23. p a

The opposite end of the cylinder 23 has a vent 24 for relieving the piston of this cylinder of pressure and 29 is a valve casing provided with a valve seat 30 with which power control device and air the valve 31 coacts to. close the passage through the valve casing and said valve 31 is preferably actuated in one direction by a action of its spring and through the medium of its valve stem by a cam arranged to coact with said valve stem and associated with this cam is a ratchet gear 36 which will be engaged by a ratchet pawl 37 pivoted at 38 to the lever 39 which: is pivoted at 40 intermediate its ends and said pawl 37 is actuated in one direction by a spring 41. The cam and its associated parts may be reset manually and for this purpose a handle 42 is provided. When the valve 31 is moved away from its seat or to an open position the train line is exhausted through the hole 29a for setting the brakes.

To the end of the lever 39 opposite the pawl 37 is pivoted a presser foot 43 which coacts with a yoke 44, the latter bein mounted on the outer end of the piston ro 45 carried by the piston 46 slidably mounted in the cylinder 23 between the point of connection. of the pipe 22 with said cylinder and the vent 24.

The yoke 44 surrounds the throttle lever 47 and an end of the lever 48 pivoted at 49 to the throttle lever and having its nose coacting with a lug 50 on the rod 51 which controls the pawl 52 co-operating with the ratchet 53 arranged in the arc of a circle about the pivot point of the throttle lever and said rod 51 is connected with the usual hand operated lever 54. The throttle lever is connected with the usual rod 55 leading to the steam control valve so that the 0 era companion hook 59, the arrangement and operation of which will be later described. It is believed, sufficient at this time to state that when the hook 59 is in engagement with the hook 58and the former moved longitudinally in the proper direction, the valve plug 56 will be withdrawn from its seat and permit air from the supply pipe 16 to enter one end of the cylinder 23, thus moving the piston 46 outward, or upward according to the showing in the drawings, and this will operate the lever 48 to withdraw the pawl 52 from the ratchet 53 and the continued movement of the piston 46 will then move the throttle lever 47 in the direction to shut off the steam supply. The movement of the yoke 44 will cause it to lift the presser foot 43 and thus actuate the lever 39 so that the pawl 37 will engage the ratchet 36 and rotate the cam 35 until it unseats the valve 31. As the piston 46 is moved outward b admission of air into the cylinder 23 throng the opening of the valve 19, the throttle lever 47 will be actuated to close the throttle valve and the valve 31 will be opened to exhaust the train line to apply the brakes. In order. to again start .the train the cam on to its seat 'by the manually operated lever 60 after which the valve 21 is temporarily opened to permit the escape of air from the cylinder so that the throttle is free for operation.

The major number of the parts so far de-' scribed preferably being in the cab of a locomotive, I also mount in said cab a suitable casing 61 which may have a transparent front face (not shown for the observance of the operating parts and through this casing passes the shank 62 of the oscillating book 59.

The end of the shank 62 opposite the hook 59 is pivotally connected with one end of a lever 63 or other equivalent reciprocable member, said lever being pivoted at 64 inter mediate its ends to a portion 65 of the vehicle for its support and the other end is pivotally connected as at 66 to a moving part 67 of the locomotive such as a wheel or piston rodor some other associated part that will move the lever 63 for actuating the hook 59.

The upward movement of the hook 59 is limited by a stop 68 which may be the upper end of a guide 69 and said book 59 is normally forced downward by a spring 70.

At certain times the free end of the hook 59 is supported by a removable rest pin 71 carried by the upper end of a lever 72 pivoted intermediate its ends as at 73 while the lower end of said lever coacts with a temporary holding and retarding member 74 pivoted at one end as at 75 to a portion of the .casing while the free end of said member 74 is provided with a In 76 so that the lever 72 may be held in eit er of two os1t1ons defined by 0 posite sides of the ug 76 and the membe moved upward by a spring 77. The lever 72 1s llmlted in its movement in one direction by the sto 78 andalso limited in its movement in t e opposite direction by a sto 79.

he lever 72 carries an armature 80 at a sultable point below its pivot point 73 so that said lever may be moved in one directlon or in that direction which will project the rest pin 71 under the hook 59 by means of electro-magnets 81 which are connected by a conductor 82 with a brush 83 to make .ingthe-lever 72 above its pivot point 73 r 74 is normally while the arm 89 co-operates with a cam 90 rotatably mounted on a shaft 91 fixed within the casing, and if found desirable, the arm 89 may be provided with an anti-friction roller 92 which is held in contact with the cam 90 by a spring 93 shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that during certain periods, the rest pin 71 will underlie the hook 59 which pin will have been projected therebeneath due to the magnets 81 being energized while during other periods the rest pin 71 will be disengaged from the hook 59 due to the operation of the bell crank lever 86 by the cam 90.

During other periods and generally when the rest in 71 has been drawn from beneath the hoo 59, the latter is supported by a rest arm 94 formed as a part of the bell crank lever 95, the other arm 96 of which coacts with a cam 97 also revolvably mounted on the shaft 91 and designed to normally revolve inv unison with the cam 90, and if found desirable, the arm 96 may be provided with an anti-friction roller 98 normally held in contact with the cam by a spring 99.

As long as either the rest pin 71 or the rest arm 94 is in position to engage the hook 59 in its rest position, then said hook 59 will not engage with the hook 58, but should both of thesevrest members be withdrawn, then the hook 59 will descend and engage the hook 58 to operate the slide valve 19 with which said hook 58 is connected.

Associated with the shank 62 of the hook 59 and therefore connected with the lever 63 is a cam operating hook 100 preferably carried by the outer shank element 101 pivoted at 102 to the intermediate shank element 103 which in turn is pivoted at 104 to the outer shank element 105 pivotally connected with the upper end of the lever 63 and these separate elements are held in alignment by springs 106'and 107. The hook 100 is designed to co-operate with the ratchet wheel 108 and revolve thelatter and since the ratchet wheel is connected with the cams, they will,all be revolved 1n llIllSOIl and held against retrograde movement by a pawl 109 held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 110. g

The hook 100 is normally maintained out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 108 by a rest 111 carried by or formed as a part of the arm 112 of the lever 113 while the other arm 114 of said lever coacts with a cam 115' normally holding the rest in engagement with a part of the hook 100 to maintain it out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. The elevating movement of the lever 113 is limited by a sto 116 while the arm 114 of said lever is hel in engagement with the cam by a'sprin 117.

On some suitableportion o the combined ratchet wheel-cam structure is a lug 118 or its equivalent here shown as mounted on a face of the ratchet wheel and adapted to be engaged-by the starting pawl 119 pivotally connected with a vertical movement rod 120 normally forced upward by a spring 121 and said starting pawl is normally held in alignment with the rod 120 by a spring 122 which will permit the lug 118 to pass the nose of the starting pawl as the ratchet wheel returns to its normal position. The lower end of the rod 120 extends through or down the sides of the vehicle so that its lower end may be connected with an end of a lever 123 pivoted at 124 intermediate its ends to a suitable portion of the vehicle while. the other end is free to be acted upon by a ramp 125 adjacent the rails of the track on which the vehicle travels and said free end of the lever 123 may have a roller 126 thereon. The free end of the lever 123 is normally forced downward by a spring 127 and the movements of said lever are limited by stops 128 and 129.

From the foregoing description, it will be move the cam 115 away from the arm 114 of the lever 113, thus permitting the spring 117 to move the arm 112 of said lever 113 downward so as to withdraw the rest 111 away from the hook 100 or a component part thereof so that said hook will engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel and since the hook 100 is oscillated with the hook 59, the combined cam-ratchet wheel structure will be intermittently revolved which will cause the cam 97 to become disengaged from the lever so that the rest arm 94 will descend leaving the lever 59 free to descend unless the rest pin 71 is therebeneath which will be so if the block ahead of the one occupied by the vehicle is clear as will presently be described. Should the block ahead be occupied, the electromagnets 81 will not have been energized and therefore the rest pin 71 will have been withdrawn since the operation of the cams takes place after the operation of the electromagnets and therefore the cam 90 will have previously operated the bell crank lever 86 which in turn will have actuated the lever 72 to withdraw the pin 71.

A combined cam-ratchet wheel structure may be retarded in its movements by a brake band 130 havin one end anchored and pass ing around a cam structure while the other end is connected with a spring 132 to hold the brake band under tension.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a slight modification wherein the oscillating hook 59 and the ratchet wheel operating hook are conrum 131 connected with the nected with an oscillating cross head 133 which is actuated from a wheel 134 running upon a track rail 135 and this wheel may be fixed to a shaft 136 journalled in a bearing 137 carried by a suitable portion of the pitman 143 which is also pivoted to the cross head 133.

Associated with the combined cam-ratchet wheel structure is a stationary plate 144 having numerals 145 thereon, one of which is associated with each tooth of the ratchet wheel and revolving with the combined camratchet wheel structure is a hand .or pointer 146 to show the relative position of the moving parts at all times and this pointer isprovided with a knob 147 by which the cams and ratchet wheel may be rotated for manually setting same when' desired. I

In this particular form of the device, the automatic means for holding the ratchet wheel operating hook 100 in an inoperative position, the initial starting device and the retarding brake are eliminated, but in place of. the brake, I have shown a plate spring 148 bearing upon the face of the cam 97 'as an equivalent. The ratchet wheel operating hook 100 may be held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel by any suitable manually operated holding member 149 here shown as a rotatable device journalled in a wall of the casing; and by-swinging this member 149 to a vertical position, the hook will be supported thereon and held out of engagement with the ratchet.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a diagram of a track arrangement and circuit for use in connection with the modification shown in Fig. 6, in which the track is represented by the numeral 150 which track is divided into a number of insulated blocks WhlCll blocks are divided into sections 151 each of a length equal to three hundred times the circumference of the wheel 134, and midway between each of these blocks is a contact 152 electrically connected with a conductor 153 leading from one side of a source of electrical energy 154 as a battery, and with this conductor 153 is electrically connected one of the rails of the track, while from the source of electrical energy leads another conductor 155 to the remotest point in the preceding block from the electric source.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that as the Wheel 134 passes along the track rail, it will be revolved and during each revolution will actuate the hooks 59 and. 100 and since the latter is co-operating with the ratchet wheel 108, the latter will be intermittently rotated and likewise the cams 90' and 97. The ratchet wheel is to be so set that when the parts have rotated so that ing the electro-magnets 81 to be energizedfor projecting the rest pin 71 beneath the hook 59. This of course is assuming that the block ahead is clear.

Should the block,head be occupied by another vehicle train, the electric current will be short-circuited from the contact 152 in the block behind and the rest pin 71 would not be projected beneath the hook 59 after having been previously withdrawn due to the action of the cam 90 on the bell crank lever 86, then when the low part of the cam 97 reaches the roller 98, the bell crank lever 95 would be actuated to withdraw the rest arm 94 out of contact with the hook 59, thus permitting the latter to drop and engage the hook 58 and the continued oscillation of the hook 59 would open the slide valve 19 causing the steam to be shut off and the brakes applied.

Should the train travel a sufiicient distance after the brakes have been applied to cause the cam mechanism to make a complete revolution, then the parts ofthe operating mechanism hich includes the cams will be reset automatically, but should the train be brought to a stand-still within a distance less than that required to revolve the cams one complete revolution, it will be necessary to revolve said cam mechanism manually which may be done in any suitable manner by any one having access thereto. For instance, the conductor of the train might have a key which would give him access to the mechanism, and if desired, some means could be used to indicate to the 0thcials that the devicehad functioned. After resetting the cam or operating mechanism the slide valve 19 is closed manually and the waste valve 21 opened to relieve the excessive pressure behindthe piston 46 so that the throttle lever 47 may again be manually actuated. Then the cam 35 is reset by rotating it manually through the medium of the handle 42 which will permit the valve 31 to be reseated by its spring 32 and thereafter all of the parts are in their proper position to permit the train to proceed.

Beside thetrack 150 are shown a number of stations 157, 158, and-159 for a definite location relative to the blocks and contacts 152, it being understood that each time the brush 83 engages a contact 152,-the hand or pointer 146' is adjacent the numeral 25 on the indicator plate. Thisbeing so, each station may havea number according to its location relative to an adjacent contact 152 so that, when a train is 'passing any station,

the pointer 146 should be adjacent the number on the indicator plate corresponding with the number on or of the station and if this is not so, the combined cam-ratchet wheel structure should be rotated until they do correspond. This makes it possible to adjust for slippage of the wheel 134.

If no adjustment was to take place, it will be possible for the parts to become so positioned that the rest pin 71 might be projected acrossithe path of travel of the hook 59 when the latter was in a lower position or both of the rest devices might be removed from the path of travel of the hook 59 when the block ahead was clear.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the track'system is as follows The track is divided into blocks 102, 103,-

104, 105, 105a and 1056, each block including the rails 160 and 161, and the semaphorelights 175 and 180, the former being red and the latter green, are provided for each block.

A battery 167 is connected to the rails 160 and 161 in each block, and from the rail 160 in the block 1056 the wire 172 leads to the lights 175 through the resistance coil 173, and from thence through the branch wire 220 to the rail 160 in the block 105a, while the branch wire 221 leads through the second resistance coil 178 to the green light 180 and from thence to the rail 160 of the block 105, making one series including three blocks.

The wire 171 leads from the'rail 160 in block. 1056 to the contact strip 165 in block Each series of three blocks is likewise connected up; that is: to say the block 105a is included in a series with blocks 105 and 104, block 105 in a series with blocks 104: and 103, and the block 104 in a series with blocks 103 and 102, and so on throughout the length of the railway.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a train in block 1056 will short circuit the rails 160 and 161, and thereby prevent current from fiowingthrough the wire 172 and 221 holding the signals against trains in blocks 105a and 105, and also cutting the currentwout of the contact strip 165, thus stopping the oncoming train in block 105a.

The same takes place in each series of blocks under like conditions.

The rail 161 of the block 1056 representing ground is connected by the wire 221 to the rail 161 in the block 105a and also to the same rail in the block 105 also making one series including three blocks the ramps 125 actuating the lever 123 on the locomotive during the passage of the train.

- The signal 175 at the junction of the blocksl05a and 1056 is normally red, the same as all other similar signals when no train is on the track or in any block. As a train enters block 105a, the current from the battery 167 in block 1056 will pass through rail 160 in said block 1056 to the wire 172 connected therewith, to resistance '17 3, to lamp 175 at the junction of blocks 105a and 1056, to the other part of'wire 172, to wire 220, to rail 160. in block 105w through train in said block, to rail 161 back to the battery, thereby actuating the signal so that it will show white and lndicate that block 1056 is clear just before the train in 105w passes into block 1056. At the same time the signal 180 at the junction of blocks 105 and 105a is normally green and is a caution signal but the resistance 178 associated therewith will prevent the current going through said signal and therefore it will remain green.

At the same time the train will have shortcircuited the battery 167 in block 105a and therefore the signal 175 at the junction of blocks 105 and 105a will return to the danger position and show a red light thereby indicating that block 105a is occupied by a train and even though a train enters block 105, the latter cannot change the circuit from the battery in block 105a and therefore the signal 175 at the junction of blocks 105 and 105a cannot be changed to show a clear succeedin block.

Whent e train in block 105a passes on into block 1056, a train in block 105 will close a circuit from battery 167 in block 105a through rail 160 in said block to wire 172 connected with the rail 160 in block 105a, to the resistance 173, to signal 17 5 at the junction of the blocks 105 and 10501'to the other part of the wire 172 directly back to the track160 in block 105, through the train to track 161 and back to the battery 167 in the block 105a causing the signal 17 5 at the junction of the blocks 105 and-105a to produce a clear or white indication. At the same time the train in block 1056 short-circuits the battery 167 in said block 1056 so that current fails to flow through the danger or red signal 175 at the junction of blocks 105a and 1056 and through the green or caution signal 180 at g the junction of blocks 105 and 1051 even though a train passes into block 105 or block 105a, thus indicating that a train is occupying block 1056. Upon the entrance of the train into block 105, the battery 167 in said block 105 will be short-circuited and therefore the signals at the junction of blocks 104 and 105 will not be affected by the entrance of said train into block 105 or if said signals have previously been moved to the clear position, they will now return to their normal danger indicating positions while the circuit through the signal 17 5 at the junction of blocks 105 and 105a havin been completed by the entrance of the tram into block 105, the said signal 175 will be moved to the clear osition as above stated.

In ig. 5, I have shown a gear 191 which may be mounted on the shaft 91 in either of the forms of the device shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and this gear 191'meshes with a gear 192 so as to revolve an escapement wheel 193 and actuate a hammer 194 of a 5 bell 195 or other time limited audible signal,

thereby indicating to the operator of the vehicle that the device is in operation.

In Fi 4, Ihave shown an arrangement by which the condition of the railway line may be visibly indicated to the operator of the vehicle, in which figure the lever 72 is provided with a suitable contact 196 for engagement with either of theterminal contacts 197 and 198 according to the position of said lever 72 which is controlled the same as hereinbefore described.

The contact member 196 has a conductor 199 connected therewith and leading from a source of electrical energy 200 such as a motor or generator and from said source of energy leads a conductor 201 to one side of the two lights 202 and 203, the former being the white or clear, and the latter the red or danger signal.

From the other side of the clear signal 202 leads a conductor 204 to a spring contact 205 which is adapted to co-operate with another spring or movable contact 206 from which leads a conductor 207 to the common return conductor 199; also a normally closed circuit is provided through W as follows Through 200, 201, 202, 204, 205, 206, 207, back to 200.

With the clear signal 202 is also connected a conductor 208 here shown as a branch of conductor 204 leading to a stationary contact member 209 and associated with this is another stationary contact terminal 210. The contacts 209 and 210 are to be bridged by an arcuate bridging contact 212 mounted upon a suitable cam member 213 designed to be mounted on the shaft 91 and said cam' member also carries a cam surface 214 to cause the spring contact 206 to engage spring contact 205, from thecontact member 210 leads a conductor 218 to the terminal con;

, tact 198.

The other side of the danger signal 203 is connected by a conductor 215 with a stationary contact 216 and associated with this is another stationary contact 217 from which leads a conductor 211 to the other terminal contact 197. The contacts 216 and 217 are adapted to be bridged by the second bridging strip or contact 219 also carried by the cam member 213.

From the foregoing description when a train is running between signal points, the

cam mechanism is at rest and the hook 59 is 60 supported in an inoperative position as 86 through theaction of its respective cam thereon.- During the time the cam mechanism is at rest, the spring contacts 205 and 206 will be in engagement so as to complete a circuit through the clear signal 202 regardless of the position of the contact member 196. As the train reaches the signal point and there is no train in the block ahead the contact strip 84 will have the current running thereto so that the magnets 81 will be energized and the contact strip 196 moved into engagement'with the contact terminal 198 as shown in Fig. 4 at which time a circuit will be completed through the clear signal, the same as above set forth but shortly thereafter the cam mechanism will begin to revolve due to the roller 126 coming into engagement with the ramp 125 so that at the same time the rest arm 94 will be disengaged from the hook 59, and the cam 213 1 revolving therewith will open the circuit whichincludes the spring contacts 205 and 206 but due to operation of the cam mechanism the contact points 209 and 210 will be bridged by the contact strip 212 so that a circuit through the clear signal is provlded through 200, 201, 202, 204, 208, 209, 216, 210, 218, 198, 196 and 199.

Should no,current supply be passing to the contact strip 84 due to said contact strip being short-circuited by a train in the block ahead, then the contact member 196 would not havebeen moved by the magnets and therefore'the pin 71 would not have been under the hook 559 and so the contact member 196 would be in engagement with the contact terminal 197. Under such conditions, when the cam mechanism is operated due to contact of roller 126 with the ramp 125, the contact members 216 and 2 l7 will be bridged by the contact strip 219 and a circuit is completed through 200, 201, 203, 216, 219, 217, 211, 197, 196 and 199, but both circuits through the' clear signal 202 Will have been opened by disengagement of the spring contacts 205 and 206 and by disiigsgagement of the contact strip 196 from It will now be obvious that by the use of any combination of the arts herein described, should a danger signal be given at any time, the operator of the railway vehicle may be given a visible or audible indication or both thereof within the cab of to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as these may be varied within the limitsof the appended claims without departin from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and useful is 1. In a train stop, the combination with the throttle lever of a locomotive and the air brake system, of a cylinder, a conduit connecting the supply pipe of the air brake system with one end of the cylinder, an-

other conduit connected with the cylinden from a movable part of the locomotive when the latter is running and which hook when in engagement with the hook on the valve stem will openthe valve in the conduit be tween the air supply pipe and the cylinder, a number of cams revolubly mounted on a shaft, a ratchet wheel associated with said cams, means dependent upon a ramp ad acent track rails over which the locomotive travels to give an initial movement to the cams and ratchet wheel, a cam'operating hook associated with the oscillating hook and oscillating therewith, means to normally hold said cam operating hook out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, and engageable by one of the cams but released upon the initial movement of sa1d cams whereby .said cam operating hook Wlll engage the ratchet wheel to intermittently rotate said wheel and cams, a bell crank lever in the path of travel of another of the cams and coacting with the companion hook to hold it out of engagement with the hook on the valve stem until released by the rotation of the cams, a rest pin also co-operating with the companion hook, electrically operated means to project the rest pin under the companion hook and prevent its engagement with the hook on the valve stem, means co-operating with another of the cams and with the rest pin to withdraw the latter from the companion hook while the bell crank lever is in a position to prevent operation of the companion hook so that the nonactuation of the rest pin by the electrical operating means and the subsequent release of the bell crank lever by its cam will permit the companion hook to engage the hook on the valve stem to operate the valve and admit air to the cylinder, and means 65 adjacent the track rails at signal points to supply electric current to the rest trically operating means.

2. ;The structure set forth in claim 1, in combination with visible signaling devices controlled by the operations of the rest pin and the cams, an audible signaling device controlled by the operation of the cams.

3. In a train stop for trains traveling on a trackway divided into'blocks, the combination with the throttle lever of a locomotive and the air brake system, of a cylinder, a conduit between the supply pipeof the air brake system and-one end of said cylinder, another conduit connected with the cylinder adjacent the opposite end and also with the brake line, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and operated in one direction by air passing from thesupply pipe, means connecting the piston with the throttle for releasing and operating the latter in a direction to shut off the steam supply, a valve in the first mentioned conduit and including a valve stem, means to permit the manual closing of said valve, a hook on the outer end of said valve stem, a companion hook for cooperation with the first mentioned hook, a. ratchet wheel, cams connected with the ratchet wheel and revolvable therewith, a cam operating hook connected to the companion hook and co-operating with the ratchet wheel to intermittently rotate said ratchet wheel and the cams associated therewith, means to longitudinally oscillate the companion and cam operating books when the companion hook engages the hook on the mo valve stem to open the valve, a rest pin, means to project said rest pin beneath the companion hook to hold the latter out'of engagement with its co-operating hook, means controlled by one of the cams to Withdraw the rest in from the path of travel of the companion hook, a bell crank lever cooperating with the companion hook pin elec and -w1th thepther of the cams to hold the companion book out of engagement with its cono operating hook during a predetermined rotation of the cam, said bell crank lever being removed from the path of travel of the companion hook during another predetermined part of the rotation of the cam to permit said companion hook to engage its co-operating hook providing the restjpin is withdrawn from the path "of travel of the com panion hook, means to permit the manual operation of the cams and associated ratchet m wheel, indicating means on the ratchet wheel to permit setting of the cams relative to the positions of stations on a railway, and means. adjacent the track rails to cause actuation of g the means for projecting the rest pin in the i path of travel of the. companion hook.

4. In a device of the kind described, a track dividedinto blocks insulated from each other, a contactstrip within each block,

a ramp also within each block, air operated no means for shutting off the steam of a locomotive and applying the air brakes, means to control the admission of air to the air operated means, oscillating means actuated by a moving part of the locomotive and positioned to permit engagement thereof with the air controlling means, means to tempo rarily hold the oscillating means out of engagement with the air controlling means and electrically operated to place it in the holding position when the contact strip over which the locomotive is traveling is energized, a second means to normally hold the oscillating means out of engagement with the air controlling means, and mechanism to normally maintain said second holding means ,in operative condition and capable of releasing said second holding means and actuating the first holding means to remove it from the temporary holding position, said mechanism including a starter operated by engaging the ramp subsequent to the electrical actuation of the first mentioned holding means.

5. The structure set forth in claim 3 in combination with audible and visible signaling means for indicating the conditions of -the mechanism and preceding track blocks.

6. In a device of the kind described, cooperating members, one of which is normally in a stationary position and connected with means which controls the shutting off of the power and causes an application of the air brakes of a railway vehicle, the other one of said members being continuously oscillated so that when permitted to engage the first mentioned member, said first mentioned member will be actuated, two separate holding means, either of which maintains the oscillating member in an elevated position out of engagement with its companion member, one of said holding means normally being in a non-holding position and movable into the holding position prior to the other holding means being moved into the non-holding position, said other holding means normally being in a holding position, electrical means to move the first mentioned holding means into the holding position provided the way is clear for the vehicle to proceed, and means to cause the other holding means to assume a non-holding position and then return it to the holding position and finally move the first mentioned' holding means to the non-holding position, the second holding means upon movement to the non-holding position permitting .the oscillating member to engage its companion member provided the first mentioned holding means has not been moved into the holding position due to the way being blocked. I

7. In a device of the kind described, a track divided into blocks insulated from each other and connected with electrical circuits, a mechanico-electrically operated hold ing means normally in a non-holding position to be moved into the holding position at a predetermined location in the block in which the vehicle is traveling when there is a live electrical circuit within said block, a mechanically-operated holding means normally in a holding position to be actuated for movement to a non-holding position after the vehicle passes the above mentioned predetermined location, oscillating means to be held in an. elevated position by either of the holding means and allowed to descend when the meehanico-electrically operated holding means is not moved into a holding position due to an open or dead electrical circuit and the subsequent movement of the mechanically operated holding means into the non-holding position, means for shutting off the power of the vehicle and causing an application of its air brakes, and operating means connected with the last mentioned means for placing said last mentioned means in operative condition when the operating means is engaged and moved by the oscillating means upon descent of the latter.

8. In a device of the kind described, a track divided into blocks insulated from each other and connected with electrical circuits, means for shutting off the power of a railway vehicle and causing an application of the air brakes, a second means connected with the first mentioned one whereby said first mentioned means may be placed in operative condition, oscillating means carried by the vehicle and positioned to permit engagement thereof with said second mentioned means, means to temporarily hold the oscillating means out of engagement with the second mentioned means and electrically operated to place it in the holding position when there is a live electrical circuit at a given location in the block in which the vehicle is traveling, a mechanically-operated holding means to normally hold the oscillating means out of engagement with said second mentioned means and means to cause an actuation of the mechanically op-' erated holding means subsequent to the vehicle passing the stated location whereby the oscillating means will be permitted to engage its co-operating means provided the first mentioned holding means is not moved to the holding position due to an open or dead electrical circuit at the stated given location.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

l MICHAEL MAILE.

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