US259385A

US259385A - Emanuel guende

Info

Publication number: US259385A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1882-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1899-06-13

Description

(No Model.)

B. GUENDE.

SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-S.

N0. 2|59,385. Patented June 13, 1882.,

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L nlli" lIIElIIlll C II- WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

EMANUEL GUENDE, OF OAVAILLON, FRANCE.

SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,385, dated June 13, 1882,

Application filed November 15, 1880. (No model.) Patented in France April 9.0, 1880, No, 136,262; in Germany September 26, 1880; in Russia October 9, 1880; in England October 12, 1880, No. 4,134 in Italy October 10, 1880; in Austria-Hungary December 1, 1880; in Norway April 1,1881; in Spain April 2, 1881; in Denmark April 12, 1881; in Sweden June 18, 1881, and in Belgium October To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMANUEL GUENDE, merchant at Oavaillon, (Vaucluse,) in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improved signaling apparatus for railways, which are arranged at proper distances along the track and worked by the locomotive in such a manner that they are successively set and automatically returned into normal position after the passage of the train by their action upon each other.

The invention consists of a series of connected signaling apparatus which are successively set by the action of thelocomotive on a movable side rail supported on strong cushioning-springs close to and somewhat above the level of the track-rail. The side rail is depressed by the locomotive-wheels, and adapted to set by suitable motion-transmitting mechanism the signaling devices into upright position. The first signaling apparatus is connected with the second apparatus by a wire which is properly regulated and compensated by a spring and weight. The second apparatus is connected with the third one in similar manner, and so on, the different apparatuses being so connected and operated that the setting of the third apparatus retains the signaling devices of the second but releases the signaling devices of the first apparatus, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanyin gdrawingaFigurel represents a side elevation of a signaling apparatus for railways, drawn on a larger scale. Figs. 2 and 3 show respectively a-plan view of the apparatus and a side viewfpartly in section on line a" 02, Fig. 2, of the movable side rail by which the signaling apparatus is set. Fig. 4 is an end view, partly in section on line y 3 Fig. 2, of the signaling apparatus; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of. the signaling apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a movable rail, which is supported parallel to and close to one of the track-rails on strong cushioning-springs B, which are firmly bolted to the ends of the movable rail A. The length of the rail A has to be at least equal to the greatest distance between two wheels or set of trucks of the locomotive or cars, so that during the passage of a train there will be always two wheels on the movable rail for properly and evenly depressing the same. The supportin g-springs B retain the movable rail A at a certain distance above the top of the trackrail, the movable rail being. guided along fixed an gle-irons a, which are rigidly secured to the cross-ties of the track, so that a side motion of the movable rail is prevented and only a vertical up-anddown motion imparted to the same. The supporting-springs B are mounted on strong wooden blocks at their outer ends, while their inner ends are bolted to the movable rail and hold the same at a proper distance above the track-rail.

In the center of the movable side rail, A, is arranged a downwardly extending arm, D,

which may be denominated the pressure-- arm. Below the pressure-arm D is arranged a lever, E, which runs parallel to the trackrail, and is connected at one end by a hinge to a rod, E, that is guided in bearings of the cross-ties, for the purpose of admitting the shifting of the turning-point of the lever E nearer to or farther away from the pressurearm D. The opposite end of the lever E bears upon a lever-arm, F, of a shaft, F, which latter turns in suitable bearings, being arranged at right angles to and outside of the track-rails. W hen the locomotive-wheels pass over the movable rail A the pressure exerted thereon is transmitted by the pressure-arm D, lever E,

and lever-arm F to the shaft F.

On the shaft F are arranged three different signaling devicesnamely, a weighted lever, I, a contact-rod, K, and a disk, L. These three devices I, K, and L are all independently and securely attached to the shaft F, so that they are moved jointly and simultaneously therewith. The weighted lever I carries a pawl, M,

which is attached or pivoted at one end to said lever, and provided at the opposite end with a laterally-projecting pin which engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel, H. It also carries a radial arm, I, the upper tooth-shaped end of which engages a recess of a second spring-pawl, N, which is pivoted sidewise of the ratchet-wheel H. The ratchet-wheel H turns loosely on the shaft F and carries back f the front ratchet-teeth a sprocket-wheel, H, over which a chain, 0, is passed, that is connected at one end with the wire R, leading to the next signaling apparatus, while at the other lower end it is provided with a counterweight, U, by which the wireis keptin stretched condition.

The connection of the wire R with the pawl M of the next preceding signaling apparatus is made by a spiral spring, I, which spring, together with the weight, serves as stretching and compensating devices. The pawls M and N of the first apparatus are withdrawn by the setting of the second apparatus; but as the wire connecting the first with the second apparatus is thereby stretched taut, and, furthermore, as the wire is connected to the pawl M of the weighted lever I of first apparatus, it will hold all the signal-arms of the latter in the indicated position. As soon as the third apparatus is set the pawls M and N of the second apparatus are raised, and thereby the ratchet-wheel H thereof, which hitherto sus-' tained the signal-arms of the first apparatus, will be liberated and made free to follow the motion imparted to it by the weight on lever I of the first apparatus, and the signal-arms of the latter are placed at rest in the lowered positions by the counter-weights U. This is repeated in the other apparatus successively, though, if desired, other approved mechanisms for the same purpose may be used in place thereof.

Operation: Supposing that three signaling apparatus such as described are placed at proper distances from each other along the -line of the railroad and connected by wires in the manner described, when not called into use the signaling devices of each apparatus assume the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; but as soon as the wheels of a locomotive pass on the movable side rail of the first signaling apparatus the movable rail is depressed to the level of the track-rail and retained in that position during the passage of the train over the movable rail. The pressure-arm D transmits the motion of the movable railA to the lever E, lever-arm F, and shaft F, so that the latter receives an axiallyturning motion. The weighted lever I, the contact-rod K, and the disk L are thereby thrown into upright position, as shown in Fig. l. The pawl M carries the ratchet-wheel H along and throws the arm I into the second pawl, N, relieving at the same time the tension of the wire 1t, leading to the next following apparatus. The tension of the wire is,

however, quickly restored by the counterweight U at the end of the chain 0 of the second apparatus. The extent of axial motion of the shaft F is limited by means of a stop which is provided with a suitable rubber cushion, with which the lever I forms contact in its upward motion, which stop is not shown in the drawings. After the train has passed beyond the first signaling apparatus the signaling devices of the same are retained in upright position, so as to warn any train coming up in the rear of the same and keep it at proper distance from the first train.

In passing over the movable side rail of the second signaling apparatus the same is depressed and the signals I K L are set in the same manner as in the first apparatus, while the wire connecting the two is stretched taut by the turning of the ratchet-wheel H of the second apparatus. The spiral spring]? of the connecting-wire It is thereby elongated to a certain extent by the action of the sprocketwheel H, as the spiral springP, though being made strong enough to balance the counterweight of the conneeting-wire, is not strong enough to resist the strain exerted by the ratchet-wheel H. The ratchet-wheel H of the second apparatus is loekedbyits pawl N. The signaling devices of the same are held in upright position, while the tension of the con-- neeting-wire R holds the signaling devices of the first apparatus in upright position. The train new passes on to the third signaling a1 paratns and aetuates the same in the same manner as the first and second apparatus. By the tension which it produces in the wire connectin g the second and third apparatus it causes the lifting of the pawls M andNof the second apparatus, and releases thereby the radial arm 1 of the same, so that the ratchetwheel H of the latter, which turns loosely on its shaft F, can follow the influence of the weighted lever I of the first apparatus, so that thereby the signaling devices of the first apparatns are returned into their normal positions. If a train has to work more than three signaling apparatus, the fourth apparatus returns the signaling devices of the second apparatus, the fifth those of the third, and so on, into normal position,so that each train leaves always two signaling apparatus in upright position in its rear, which, by means of its three component parts-the weighted lever, the disk, and the contact-rod-indicate danger and give warning to any following train. The lever I and the disk L serve merely as optical signals, while the contact-rod K is intendedto strike alever-arm of the locomotive and operate a steam-whistle or a bell. The contact-arm K is more especially useful at night or in foggy weather, also whenever, by the inattendance of the engineer, the optical signals are overlooked. The two last signaling apparatus of a certain track-section are finally returned into normal position, after the passage of the train or shortly before the arrival of the next following train, by a connecting-wire and mechwheel of the next succeeding station, the said anism Worked by an attendant.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a series of signal-stations, the combination of the setting mechanism, the signaling devices, the locking mechanism for each apparatus, and the tension-wire, which is connected by a spring to a pawl of one station and is attached to a weighted chain of the sprocketdevices being arranged substantially as described, whereby the setting of the third apparatus releases the signaling devices of the first, the setting of the signals of the fourth those of the second apparatus, and so on.

2. The combination of the setting mechanism A B D E F and the axial turning shaft F, carrying the signaling devices I K L, with a loosely-sliding ratchet-wheel, H, pawls M N, 20 and radial arm I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the shaft F, having the signaling devices I KL, ratchet-wheel H, having a side sprocket-wheel, H, and pawls M N, with a connecting-wire, B, said wire bein g provided with a compensatory weight, U, at one endand with a tension-spring, P, at the distant end, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in'presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of October, 1880.

EMANUEL GUENDE.

Witnesses:

G. GUENDE, J. CORTES.