US250042A - Electric railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) A

W. W. GARY.

ELEGTRIO RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Nov. 22,718 8 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESLEY \V. GARY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,042, dated November 22, 1881,

Application filed April 8, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l', WESLEY W. GARY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinveuted certain Improvements in Electric Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliable automatic signal for giving audible warning in advance of an approaching train, theinvention being particularly designed to overcome the uncertainties and dangers attending the use of battery-currents.

It is the aim of my invention to produce an apparatus of extreme simplicity embracing a signal-bell which shall be operated positively and directly by an electric current which current shall be incited or produced by the action of the moving train through the instrumentality of its wheels or other parts in a positive unfailing manner.

With these ends in view the invention consists in a magneto-generator one of the parts of which has a free .pendulous motion, in combination with the device for actuating the same from passing railway-trains, and in various details and combinations hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a railway-track having my improved signal system arranged in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, illustrating, in detail, the construction of the magneto-generator with the pendulous member therein. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a modified form of the generator. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an ordinary magneto-electric alarm-bell which may be substituted, if desired, in place of the bell represented in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the railway-track; B, the magneto-generator, located by the side of the track, and O the bell-alarm, located at a distant point in advance of the generator, and connected therewith by means of the electric conductors I), the arrangement being such that the train, in passing the generator B, causes the operation of the same, thereby inciting or producing an electric current, which is transmitted by the conductor 1) to the advance-signal 0, thereby causing the same to sound an alarm, and giving audible notice at the point where the signal is located that a yet distant train is approaching.

The generator B is constructed in the following manner: A horizontal rock-shaft, a, is extended laterally from the side of the track and 5 5 provided at one end with an arm or treadle, b, in such position that the car-wh eels, in passing, will successively depress the arm and thereby rotate the shaft. The arm I) is elevated and the shaft returned to its normal position after thepassage ofeach wheel by means of a spring, 0, one end of which is attached to an upright arm, (1, upon the shaft. Near the rock-shaft a a gallows-frame, e, is erected, and within this frame is erected a pendulous arm, f, the lower end of which carries a horizontal electromagnet, 9, two ends of which are extended beyond the central coil or helix. The arrangement is such that the arm f, with the magnet attached,

is free to swing forward and backward, after 7 the manner of a pendulum. From said coil or helix connections are made byconducting-wires with the main circuit D to the signal 0, thus introducing the helix, as shown, into the main circuit. To the arm fthere is attached a down- 7 5 wardly-extending finger, 2', arranged in such position that when the arm I; is depressed by the action of the car-wheel the arm cl, being thrown forward, thereby will act upon the said finger 'i and swing the pendulum forward and I upward, in the manner indicated in Fig. 2, the arm dimmediatelyretreating under the action of the spring and permitting the pendulum to swing to and fro until brought to rest by the action of gravity. In order the more efi'ectu- 9 Below and slightly to one side of the frame 6 there are arranged one, two, or more permanent magnets, h h, these magnets being fixed rigidly in an upright position, with their oppo-' site poles adjacent to each other, and at such 5 distance apart that they will have no practical influence upon each other. Care is taken to arrange the upperendsof the permanent mag nets in such position that the swinging magnetg, in its movement,will pass neartheir poles 10o without coming in contact therewith. The effect of this arrangement is that as the pendulous arm and magnet swing forward past the successive magnets h h a series of electric impulses are induced in the electro-magnet g, and transmitted thence through the main circuit to the distant signal, and that as the swin ging magnet returns or swings back under the action of gravity another series of impulses are induced in like manner. It will thus be seen that by the swinging or vibrating motion of the electro-magnet a series of rapid and longcontinued electric impulses are induced in the main circuit, causing positive, long-continued, and violent action of the bell-alarm. It will, of course, be understood that the peudulous magnet, after being once setin motion, will continue to vibrate for a considerable length of time, and that a new impulse is imparted to themagnetbythe passageof each of the wheels in succession over the arm or treadle b, the signal being in this manner operated continuously during the passage of the entire train and also for a greater or less length of time after the passage of the train. There may be any suitable number of the permanent magnets, and they may be varied in form and position,as desired, provided only that they co-operate with the electro-magnet g as it swings to and fro past them.

While it is preferred to mount the electromagnet upon the pendulum,itis manifest that substantially the same mode of action may be secured by arranging the electro-magnet in a fixed position and attaching the permanent magnet or magnets to the peudulous arm. For various reasons, which it is unnecessary to give in detail,itis preferred to suspend the electromagnet in such position that it will stand, when at rest, beyond or outsideot' the field-magnetitbut an effective operation of the parts may be secured when the magnet g is suspended at a point directly above the magnet 71-, as indicated in the diagram, Fig. 3.

While it is preferred to set the peudulous magnet in motion by means of the arm (I and the rock-shaft, it is manifest that any other suitable devices may be used to transmit motion from the cars to the pendulum. Various arrangements for this purpose will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic.

Referring,now,to the bell alarm or signal 0, it will be seen to consist of two permanent magnets, 7t and l, and an intermediate vibratory electro-magnet, m, armed with a striker, n, arranged to act upon one or more bells or gongs, 0, the coil of the electro-magnet being inserted in the main circuit D, and the permanent magnets kl having unlike poles arranged opposite to each other. The result of this arrangement is that the electric impulses transmitted through conductors D to the electromagnet cause the latter to change its polarity veryrapidly, and consequently vibrate strongly between the two permanent magnets,thereby sounding the bell, as already before stated.

While itis preferred to make use of the above striking mechanism for the reason that the currents are utilized to better advantage, an ordinary electro-magneticbell, such as represented in Fig. 4, or other form of electromagnetic bell, may be employed.

While it is designed in ordinary cases to rely entirely upon the bell signal, the electric current employed therewith may be used to actuate or release a visual signal in addition.

It will be observed that the signal system constructed as above described is of extreme simplicity and cheapness, that the parts are all positive in their act-ion, and that the construction is such that the parts are not in danger of breakage or derangement from the act on of rapidly-moving trains.

\Vhile it is preferred to have motion trans mitted positively from the cars to the magnetogenerator, the cars may be caused to raise a weight, com press a spring, or operate other devices which will in turn operate the generator.

The present invention is restricted to those matters and things which are specifically claimed herein, and as to all other matters and things which may be shown or described herein the right is reserved to make them the subjectmatter of a separate application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a railway signaling system, a magnetoelectric generator one of the members of which is suspended and arranged to swing freely in a peudulous manner past and beyond another and cooperating member, in combination with means, substantially as shown, for operating the swinging member from passing trains.

2. In an automatic railway-signal, the combination of one or more permanent magnets fixed in position, and a peudulous electro-magnet adapted to swing past the permanent magnet without being limited in its movement, and means, substantially as described, for operatin gsaid peudulous magnet from passing trains.

3. The combination, in an automatic railwaysignal, of the permanent magnets, the pendulous electro-magnet, and the rock-shaft provided with the arm to be operated upon by passing trains, and with the second arm to act upon the peudulous magnet.

4. In an automatic railway-signal, the combination of the fixed. magnet, the peudulous magnet capable of swinging freely past the fixed magnet, and adisconnected driving mechanism arranged to be operated by passing trains, substantially as described, whereby the peudulous magnet is permitted to swing independently of the mechanism by which it is set in motion.

5. The combination of the permanent magnet, the fixed magnet, the pendulous magnet, the rock-shaft provided with the two arms, one of which operates upon the peudulous magnet, and the retracting-spring, whereby the lastnamed arm is withdrawn after setting the pendulous magnet in motion.

6. In an automatic railway signal, a fixed magnet, a pendnlous magnet, and means, substantially as described, for communicating motion from passing trains to the pendulous magnet.

7. In an automatic railway-signal, the magneto-generator, one of the members of which has a free pendulous motion independent of the mechanism by which it is set in motion, substantially as described.

8. In an automatic railway-signal, the combination of one or more permanent magnets and a pendnlous electro-magnet suspended at such point as to hang normally out of the field of the permanent magnets, but adapted to swing past the latter, substantially as described.

9. The combination ofthe pendulous vibrating electro-magnet and two or more permanent magnets arranged with their reverse poles 20 adjacent to each other near the path of the movable magnet, in position to be passed by the latter.

10. The combination of two or more permanent magnets, separated from each other, with 2 5 their poles reversed in relation to one another, and an electro-magnet arranged to pass to and fro over the fixed magnets successively.

WESLEY W. GARY.

Witnesses:

RoBT. L. MILLER, P. T. DODGE.

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