US245108A - Fluid-pressure switch and signal apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(.NoLModel.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

PLUID PRESSURE SWITCH AND SIGNAL APPARATUS. N0. 245,108. PatentedA Aug. 2,1881.

N. PETERS, Plwwljlhugmplwr. wumngxon. D. c.

.(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

Patented Aug. 2, 1881.

l dUNITED f STATES `PATENTv OFFICE.

'GEORGE WES'IINGHOUSE, JR., ,OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

,FLUID-PRESSURE SWITCH AND SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATIONVforming part of Letters Patent No. 245,108, dated August2, 1881.

Application filed January 6, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, GEORGE WEsrINGHoUsE, Jr., of Pittsburg, county ot' Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Press ure Switch and Signal Apparatus; and -I do -hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, `making apart of this specification, in whichlike letters indicatinglike parts- Figure l, Sheet 1 is Va longitudinal sectional View of a switch moving and locking mechanism illustrative of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view, looking tothvelwet't ot' thcfluid-pressure chamber Bl of Figli, but sectioned in the upper part in the plane ot' the line :r of Fig. 1, the better to show the arrangement of the ports. Fig. 3 is anend view of the apparatus as seen when looking into the open end of chamber B2, the piston ofthat chamber being removed. Fig. Ltis a face view of a portion of the lomcking-stem; and Fig. 5,-Sheet 2, is a diagram or plan view of the apparatus as organ- Vized for use in'operating a switch, the operative mechanism being turned on its side for convenience of illustration.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for actuating railwayswitches, si gnalgates, and other movable parts 4or appliances of a railway superstructure 5 and -it is chiefly valuable as a part of a switch and signal system in which a number or series of switches and signals are actuated from a central point commonly known as a station or cabin, but at the same time it may be. advantageously used to shift one or more independent or isolated switcheswith or without signal or signals, whereby at comparatively small stations or at special points-as meetin gpointsg-a telegraph-operator or ticketseller may operate a compara-tively small 'number of switches or signals, or both, without interferl ence with the performance of his other duties; and my present invention dii'ers from anything now known to me in the art, among other respects in this, that Imake use of an electromagnet andarmature to shift or move a valve or other device of like function, so as by such motion to call or putintoaction some accumulated or storedup fluid-pressure under (No model.)

such conditions that the latter shall do therequired work in the movement of the switch; and, as an addition to such amethod of operation, I cause such action to put into operation a subsequently-acting force, such that immediately on the completion of a switch motion which makes the desired track-connection the appropriate signal shall be shifted to a corresponding position; also, the reversal of the switch motion will be preceded by the reverse movement of the signal, and, if so desired, may be followed by the setting of' some other signal in like manner; also, in a system of apparatus so operating I embody a locking and unlocking attachment operated by the same pressure which shifts the switch.

In diagram Fig. 5 I have shown a main track, A, and a siding, A', which may be connected therewith by any known construction or arrangement of movable switch-rails.

The switch-bridle b is connected with the stem of a piston inclosed within a case, B, which is laid in convenient proximity to the switch.

By means of an air-main, D, which may be of considerable capacity, and may extend along the track so as to connect two or more switch-actuating mechanisms, or by means of an equivalent reservoir, I provide the required operative pressure to be kept np by any suitable `compressor for supplying'iiuidpressure through a pipe, d, to `the mechanism B.

At S, I have represented a signal point or post, on which any suitable signal may bc arranged, as a siding or switch signal.

Amain-line signal may be added and worked in any known way.

A2 represents the switchmans cabin, or the station-house or point from which the switch is to be worked.

The mechanism B consists of a case or shell made in any suitable Way, so as to form an airchest, B, and two differential-piston chambers, B2 B3, the latter having an axial line at right angles to that ofthe former. The air-chest B' is separated from the piston-chamber B2 by a close partition 'or diaphragm, B4. In the chamber B2 is a diiierential piston, or,"in other words, two pistons, P P', of different areas onthe same stem P2, which stem, preferably in the form of a iiat bar, projects outside the case, and is sc IOO cured to the switch-bridle b. It has two notches, n n', one in its upper and one in its lower edge, arranged and spaced as presently to be dcscribed. In the chamber B3,which may be considerably smaller than the chamber B2, I arrange another differential piston, R R', of like construction,on a common stem, R2,which stem projects into the path of the stem P2, but is slotted so as to form an eye, e, about as long as the stem P2 is wide and about as wide as the stem P2 is thick; and these stems are so made that when both pistons P P' and R R' are at the ends ot' their stroke or motion in one direction the shoulder c', forming one end of the eye e, shall be seated in the notch n, and at the other ends of the stroke or motion of both, the shoulder e2, forming the other end of the eye e, shall be seated in the other notch, n'.

The pipe d enters the case B and branches into three ports, (represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) one of said ports leading into the airchest B', as at d', another leading into the chamber B2 at a point between the two pistons I? P', as at d2, and the third port leading into the chamber B3ata point between the pistons R R', as at d3. These three ports are intended to'be always open, so that the chest B' and so much of the chambers B2 and B3 as may be included between the double pistons therein sh all at all times be filled or charged with fluidpressure. rlhe air-chest B' has also an exhaustport, c, leading to the open air; also, a port, c', opens from the air-chest B' into a passage, G, and from the latter a comparatively small port, c2, opens into the larger end of the chamber B2, and a comparatively large port, c3, opens into the larger end of the chamber B3.

An ordinary or other suitable form of slidevalve, o, is arranged with cavity c' and port yv2 relatively to the ports c c', so that in one ad-.

justment or position, as shown, communication from c' to c will be cut off and the exhaust will be closed, and so that duid-pressure may pass freely from air-chest B' into the larger ends of B2 and B2. While the pressure thus introduced is the same in degree as that introduced through ports d2 d3 into the spaces between the double pistons, as above explained, it is at the same time greater in effect on account of the greater area ot' piston-surface on which it is ei'ectivel y operative; hence the norma-l position of the apparatus will be that represented, in which both pistons are out, the piston P2 is locked by the piston R2, and the main-track line is unbroken; also, as will presently appear, the siding signal will be at "dangen" As a means of actuating the valve c, I prefer to use an electro-magnet, and as the valve must be moved in two directions, I provide two electro-magnets, H H', and for their better protection, as well as to facilitate their operation with the least possible resistance from friction, I prefer to arrange them in the air-chest B'. Each has its own armature h h', and these armatures are mounted on a valve-moving lever, on, which is pivoted by a cross-bar, m',

on posts m2 in such manner that as one armature is drawn to its magnet the other will be clear, and the connection of the end of the lever with the valve is such that it will at the end of one stroke cut otf the exhaust and open the port c, the same being the normal position, and at the end ot' the other stroke cut oit' the supply and open the port c' to the exhaust c.

Passing through the end ot' the air-chest are three double-ended binding-posts, :v x' a02, the metal stems of which are packed and insulated by suitable means, as by india-rubber gaskets z, which are tightly compressed by screwing up tightly the heads or ends ot' the bindingpost.

From the cabin or station A2 three wires, w fw' 102, lead to the outer ends ot' the three binding-posts, one to each, and the wire w, which I term a 1eturn-wire,7 or a wire from a return-circuit, leads to one binding-post, a', from the inner end of which two wires, 102 and w, lead one to one electro-magnet, H, and the other to the other, H'. The opposite wires ot the coils lead one, w, to the post with which the line-wire w' is connected, and the other, w, to the other post, 962, with which the other line-wire, 102, is connected.

At the station or cabin a battery, s6, is arranged on the return-circuit wire w, and the continuation of this wire is always in electrical communication with a key, s, which key, being shifted one way, makes connection with wire w', so as to make a circuit through electromagnet H', and thereby depress armature IL' and bring the valve e to the normal "position shown, and when the key is shifted to make contact with the wire 2v2, a circuit is made through electro-magnet H, with' the result of depressing armature h and shifting the valve to its other position, whereby the ports c and c are brought into communication, and thisis the means by which air-pressure is applied, whereby the movable rails of the switch are shifted-andasidingconnection is made. Bringing the port c' into communication with the exhaust c results iu the escape of duid-pressure from B2 to B2; but as the port c" leading from B3 is somewhat larger than the port c2 leading from B2, the air-pressure in B3 will escape so much the quicker, and the constantlyactiu g air-pressure between R and R' will give to the latter pistons a back-stroke, such as to take the shoulder c' out of the notch a in the stem P2, and thereby unlock the differential pistons P P'. As soon as this is done fluidpressure, acting between the pistons P P', will give them a back-stroke, with the result ot' moving the switch-rails connected therewith. As soon as this motion is complete the notch a' on the under side of the stem P2 comes into the path ofthe stem R2, and the pressure, s'till continuing to act between R and R', causes the shoulder c2 to enter the notch a' in the stem P2, so as to lock the switch-moving devices. Reversing the key by making a circuit through H' and breaking the other one depresses ar- IOO IOS

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mature 21,' and; reStOrestheNalve rUpto. the iposition shown.- .Ain-pressure from B. then 'en ters the chambers B2 and B3 by ports c2 and c3; but on` account of the greaterxurea of the lati terportsnch .pressure-first becomes effective tion of the stroke R2, the devices then having theposition shown.V Like or other desired m eans may beemployed to actuate a signal either for themain track or siding, or for both, and apparatus such as described may be combined with each switchor` signal ot' a series or succession. `I also-\1.)r`opose,` bygvingthe nkey s the form or arrangement of a-lever, to combine with the apparatusdescri-bed an interlocking apparatus; but this Awill form thesubject-mat-Y ter of a separate application. v

For actuating the siding-signal I prefer to use a wire, u, (with groundconnection,) and battery u', which ordinarily will bein position to make 'or keep aclosed-circuit. This wire u leads to a binding-post, q, at the switch apparatus, and electrically connected therewith Sis a. springcontact-piece,l q', thev end of which (having insulated bearings)is engaged by one of two stops or lugs, r r', on the prolongation r2 ofthe stem R2, and `these stops are so arranged that as the stem R2 completes its upstroke-one stop, r, will cause the contact-piece q' toV make electrical Contact `with 'a wire, a3, which leads to the signal, so as, by an armature at that point, operating directly or indirectly, to shift the signal to safety g also, as the stem R2 commences a downstroke the lower stop, fr, moving down, allows the spring contact-pi'eceg, by its resiliency, to clear the wire ug, and so-break the circuit and let thesidingsignal go to dangerfunder the action of `a lweight,`spring, or other suitable means; but

if, for' any reason,the signal-circuit should not be thus broken, the stop r', engaging the contact-piece q just at the end ofthe downstroke of the piston-stem R2, will break the circuit by a positive force and let the siding-signalV go to dangerf as before; hence when the sidingconnection is made, an d not till then, the sidingsignal shows safety, and beforethe sidingconnection is broken the siding-signal-goes to dangerJ The key lufis simply designed to enable the operator to break thepreviouslyclosed signal-circuit if, for any reason he should desire to set the siding-signal at danger without breaking the siding track connection but if this capacity be not desired, the wire u may be grounded at or near the switchmoving mechanism without being carried back to the cabin.

It will be understood that the apparatus may be so fitted up that the outwardmotion of P2 shall make the main or any. other track connection'insteadof a siding-connection, as described, and the reverse moti-on will break the track-connection so made and restore the former track-connection, whatever that may be.

`Instead of a slide-valve, c, other suitable form of valve or cock may be employed, as also any known substitute for a valve, orany device capable of being actuated by one motor, so as to change the direction of the action of a previously stored-up fluid-pressure, and such changes or modifications are hereby included as within the scope ot' the present invention; and, in so far as relates to the general features of construction and operation, `I'also include herein the use of a single piston (or equivalent diaphragm) in either or both the chambers'B2 B3 for im parting motion by fluid-l pressure on one side, in which case a spring or weight may be employed to effect areverse throwonthe release of the duid-pressure; and if the apparatus be thus constructed or organized,a single electro-magnet will suffice for giving thelvalve e a stroke or motion in one direction, and a spring or weight maybe added for giving it a reverse motion; and while such an apparatus, in its general features of construction and combination, is hereby included as within the scope of the present invention, separate claimswill be made in another application for. its elements ofspecial novelty, and the apparatus in either style ot' construction may be applied generally to the moving or shifting ot'railway-switches, draw-bridges, and attachments, movable signals, gates, or other movable parts of a railway superstructure, and other desired duid-pressure may be employed IOO instead of compressed air; or, still further, an

@the armature of an electro-magnet, so as to receive therefrom its motion in at least one direction5 and if the locking device be used,

(which may be omitted in any case, it' so preferred,) the ports and valvemotions should be 4so arranged that the unlocking action shall precede the switch, signal, 0r othermain shifting action; andealso thev forms of the engaging or interlocking partsof the stems R2 and l?2 may he varied at pleasure, provided .their conjoint operation remains substantially as set forth.

The make-and-break mechanism for operatin g the signal, instead of being combined with the locking and unlockiu g stem R2, may be arranged in connection with the stem P2, if so preferred, or with any moving part of the switch-moving apparatus, whereby the shifting of the movable rails shall make and break a signal-operating circuit. y The return-wire w is not absolutely essential, .and may be omitted, provided battery and IOS IIO

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ground connections are provided for the other wiresin accordance with principles well known in the art. But as I propose to use wires made up into cables, it will cost butlittlc more for the lengths required to get a three-wire cable than a two-wire cable, and all trouble from groundconnections will 'then be avoided.

I am aware that it is not new to combine a weight and an armature by a somewhat complicated arrangement ot' catches, stops, and connections with the rotating cock ot' a compressed-air reservoir, a cylinder, piston, and winding-gear in such manner that the stops or catches actuated by armature motion shall permit the weigbtto shift therotary cock oneway and the Huid-pressure to shiftittbc other way; but I am not aware of any prior system of apparatus ot' this class in which the valve which opens and closes the Iluid-pressare-snpply port was actuated in either direction by orfrom the armature, so that the motion of the armature was transmitted at once or directly to the valve by a positive motion or stroke; and for this purpose it is immaterial what the interposed connections are through which such motion is transmitted, provided the motions of both be positive and simultaneous.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a mechanism for operating a movable part or appliance of a railway superstructure, the combination ofaiinid-pressure-supply port, a valve to open and close such port, and an electro-magnetic armature arranged to open and close such valve by a direct positivel motion simultaneous with its own, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a tiuid-pressure-supply port, a valve to open and close such port, an electro-magnetic armature arranged to open and close such valve by a direct positive motion simultaneous with its own, and a piston device for transmitting the effective force of such duid-pressure to the part or appliance to be moved, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for operating a movable part or appliance of a railway superstructure, the combination of a shifting piston and stem for effecting the movement desired, a locking piston and stem arranged at right angles thereto, and interlocking` devices on the two stems, wherebythe latter stem, at the en d ofits stroke in either direction, shall lock the former in place, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mechanism for operating a movable part or appliance of a railway superstructure, the combination of a valve, a motor under control of the operator for moving the valve, an independent or second motor brought into ef fective operation by such valve motion, a piston device for transmitting the effective force of such second motor to the part or appliance to be moved, and an auxiliary-piston device, also operated by such second motor for locking or unlockingthemainpiston,substantially as set forth.

5. 1n combination with the stem of thelocking and unlocking piston and an electric-circuit wire leading thence to a signal, a makeand-break mechanism arranged in such circuit and operated by the locking and unlocking piston, substantially as set forth.

6. A differential piston, I" I, subject to a continuously-acting fluid-pressure in one direction andan intermittently-acting duid-pressure in the other direction, in combination by suitable ports With a valve for regulating the intermittent pressure and one or more electromagnets for giving motion to the valve, substantially as set forth.

7. An apparatus having in combination the dili'erential-piston chambers B2 B3, a differential piston in each of suoli chambers, suitable ports forsupplyingacontinuously-actingpressure to said pistons in one directiomand ports` c2 c3, of different areas, for supplying and exhausting an intermittently-acting pressure in the other direction, whereby the piston of the larger port shall be caused to move in advance ofthe other, substantially as set forth.

S. An apparatus having in combination a duid-pressure chamber, B', -diiercntial-piston chambers B2 B3, a dilereutial piston in each, a continuous Huid-pressure supply to the [luidpressurc chamber and to each of the pistonchambers to actuate the pistons one way, and a valve-governed port for alternately admitting fluid-pressure from chamber B to the piston-chambers for actuating the pistons the other way and exhausting such fluid-pressure, substantially as set forth.

t). In combination with a switch-signal or gate-moving piston and cylinder, a Huid-pressure chamber, B', a valve for governing the supply and exhaust, and apair of electro-magnets the armatures of which are connected with the valve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Witnesses:

It. H. WHr'r'rLEsEY, GEORGE H. CHRISTY.

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