US270867A - Electric circuit for railway-signaling - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. WESTINGHQUSE, Jr. ELECTRIC CIRCUIT PCR RAILWAYv SICNALINC. No. 270,867. Patented Jan. 16,1883.

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'sired length-say a mile,

UNITED STATES PATENT Finca.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR., OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT FORRAlLWAY-SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,867, dated January 16, 1883. Y

Application tiled November 16, 1882. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTLNG- HOUSE, Jr., ofPittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and usefulImprovement in Electric Circuits for Railway-Signaling; and I do hereby declarcthe following to be a full, clear, concise, andi-'exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ot' this specification, in whichlike letters indicating like parts- Figure l is a diagrammatic view ofa portion of a railway-track and electric signaling apparatus illustrative ot' my present in vention,and Fig. 2 is a detached view of a signal-post and banner-signal of one form or style suitable for use in connection with the present invention.

In the construction of electrically-actuated block-signalin g a pparatns for sin gle-track rail- -ways, where the circuit closers or breakers are worked by or from the train, it has been found .exceedingly difcult (except, perhaps, at very great expense) to organize the apparatus so that any two trains approaching` each other from opposite directions shall under all possible conditions have each its own danger-signal displayed in its own front before it can reach the position occupied by the other,` train, and

at such distance from the other train that (it` having also its danger signal displayed'in its front) both trains can be stopped before collision can occur. My present improvements, while applicable in some ot' their features lo other like organizations of apparatus, are especially designed to this end.

In the drawings I have shown three blocks or sections of track, R R2 R3, and a part of a fourth, R4, each .of which may be of any demore or less. The ends of the sections orv blocks are to be insulated, as at r', and the successive railsin each line r, between insulated points, are to be electrically connected in any suitable way-as, for

example, is done in the well-known Robinson closed-track-circuit system g also, the opposite lines of rails of each section are connected by wires d a at or near one end with a suitable battery, a', and by wires c c at or near the other end with a magnet, and I have shown ione of such magnets'to each track-circuit, and

have lettered them c', c2, c3, and c4. This, also,

is common in the Robinson system referred to 5 but instead of using these magnets to actuate signalsI employ them as relays. The method of shortcircuitiug such track-circuits by the connection through wheels and axle from rail to rail is so well known that further description is unnecessary.

My present invention in its preferred form is so organized that each train will as it enters on each block or'section shift asignalto danger at the entrance or end of the block and in full view of the engineer; also, will shift a signal to danger atany desired distancein its rear, and, still further,will shift to danger7 two other signals atany desired distances in frontsay one at the other terminus of thesame block and the other at the farther terminus of the next block-and so that such danger-signals shall remain at danger 7 so long as thesupposed train or any part thereof shall remain `on that block.

Assuming, now, that the right-.hand end of the drawing indicates the end of the road or the terminal station, I proceed in the erection and application of my improved apparatus to erect preferably on each side of the track two sets 'ot' signals. These may be of any known or desired construction, and either ofthe ban- -ner form or type, which ordinarily turn on a vertical axis, or of the semaphore type, which move or swing in vertical pla-nes, or ot' other desired construction. Ther signal-post and banner-signal thereon, in illustration ot'one of the many constructions, are represented in Fig. 2. The signals of this or other desired or convenient construction are arranged at Z1 b b2 b3 b4 b5 116 1F, and so on in series along one side of the track, and preferably in pairs at or near the ends of the blocks. Alike series may be arranged on the opposite sides of the track at the points d d d2 d3 d4, and so on along the series of blocks or sections, and preferably in twos, as indicated. Each signal is provided with a magnet, e, and each signalcircuit has a suitable battery, e', by means of which the signal-magnet is caused to actuate, through suitable mechanism, the `correspondingsignal. Suchmechanismlhavenotthought it necessary to show inthe drawings, since the manner of making it in multitudinous forms is well known in the art, both for banner and IOO semaphore signals. The signal mechanisms and batteries thus represented are connected electrically by suitable wires, as follows: The line g may be termed the ground-wire, which may represent simply'ground-connections for 'several wires leading to the ground. The circuit which I will now term Na l is formed by the wiresl, commencing on the right, passing through the battery and magnet ot' the signal b, thence to a point in such position relative to the armature s and magnet c that the circuit may be broken and closed by the movement otl said armature, thence to the magnet of signal d, thence to the magnet of signal d2, and thence to the ground. The circuit No. 2 commences on the right by wires l, but leads by wires 2 to the battery and magnet of signal b', thence to magnet of signal b2, thence to a convenient point for the making and breaking of the circuit by the movement of the armature s2 of the relay-magnet c2, thence from said armature to the lnagnctof signal d', and thence to the magnet ot signal d4, and thence to the ground. The circuit No. 3, starting from the ground by wire 3, passes through battery and magnet ot' signal b3, thence to the magnet of signal b4, thence to the contactpoint for making and breaking the circuit by the movement of armature s3 of magnet c3, thence from said armature to the magnet of signal d3, and thence to the magnet of the signal at the farther terminus of block-section R4, thence to the ground. The' circuit No. 4, commencing with wire 4, passes through the battery and magnet ot' signal b5, thence to magnet of D6, thence to the contact-point in connection with armature s4 of relay-magnet c4, and thence to the other signal-magnets-one at the farther terminus of block-section R4 and the other to the farther terminus of the next block beyond. The circuit No. 5 commences by wire 5, passes through the battery and magnet of signal bf, leads to a like series of signal-magnets through the circuit-closing armature of a like relay to those already described.

It will be understood that the several armatures s s2, &c., operate as circuit closers and breakers. When the track-circuits are closed or are not short circuited, the several relay magnets c' c2, &c., are excited, so as to attract their respective armatures, and thereby bring them into engagement with the several wires or contacts in circuits l 2 3, Snc., so as to complete said circuits; but when the trackcircuits are short-circuited or broken the relay-magnets c c2, &c., being cut out from the inuence of their respective batteries, release their respective armatures,which ,actin g under the effect of gravity, retractile springs, or other devices, drop from their contact points, and the corresponding circuits are broken. In the preferable construction of this apparatus the circuits, when closed, hold the signal thereon to safety, and when the circuits are broken the signal comes to dan ger, either un- -derniagnetic inuence or as a result of gravit-y,

a spring, weight, or other means suitable for the purpose.

Assuming, now, that the train starts from the right and enters on the first block-section, R', its first effect is to short-circuit the trackcircuit, so as to actuate the relay-magnet c' from the influence of its battery, and as a result of this the armature s clears the magnetic pole or poles, and circuit No. l is broken at that point. As a result of this, the signal at b will come to danger, so as to protect the rear ofthe train, and the signals d d2, the magnets of which are included in the same circuit, will also come to dan ger, and thereby protect the train as against trains coming from opposite direction. This condition of the signals will remain so aslong as the train orany partthereof remains on the section 1t. As soon as the forward end of the train passes onto the blocksection R2, and even while the rear ot' the train remains on the section R', it will short-circuit the track-circuit of block R2, and by cutting out the relay-magnet c2 from the inuence of its battery will cause or permit the armature s2 to clear the magnet pole or poles, and by breaking contact with the wires or contact of circuit No. 2 will break said circuit and shift .the signals thereon to danger7-to wit, b" at the rear of the previous section, R', b2 at the entrance ot' section R2 will come to danger to protect the rear of the train, and the signals d at the farther end of the block-section R2 and dtat the farther end of the next-section, R3, willalso cometo danger in such amanner as to protect the train as against a train approaching from the opposite direction. The train thus supposed, so long as it or any partof it remains on block-section R2, is thus protected by two signals in the rear and two in the front, and the rear signal, b', is at least'the length ot' a block to the rear, and another of said signals, d", is at least the length ofa block in advance. Aspsoon asthe tail of the train clears the first block-section, R', the circuit is restored through the track-circuit, so that its magnet c' again comes within the influence ,of its battery a', whereby its armature s is attracted, so as to make contact with the corresponding wire, l, ot' circuit No. l, and as a result of this the magnets of signals b, d, and d2 are excited and the sgnalsgo to safety77 Hence a train following, on tnding signal b at safety, will know that track-section R is clear or unoccupied; but finding signal b at danger the engineer .will know that the next section, R2, is occupied. As the train leaves block-section R2 and its forward end enters on section R3, cutting out the relay-magnet c3 from the influence of its battery will release its armature s3, so as to break the circuit No. 3, as a result of which the signals b3 at the rear end of block-section R2 and b4 at the entrance of block-section R3 will come to danger, so as to protect the rear of the train, and the signal 'd3 at the forward end of said section R3 and a like vsignal at the farther end of the next sec- IIO tion,R4, will come to danger, so as to protect the front of the train in the manner already described. As soon as the rear of the train leaves the block-section R2 the track-circuit will be restored through its Vrelay-magnet c2, as a result of which the armature s2 will be attracted, and circuit No. 2 will again he closed, so as to clear signals'b, b2, d', and d4. Gonsequently the engineer ot' a following train, on coming to section R2 and finding the signal b2 at sat'etyf will know that block-section R2 is unoccupied, but finding signal b3 at danger he will also learn that block-section R3 is occupied. In the three cases supposed the engineer of a train coming in the opposite direction will be notified by the signal at the left hand in section R4, or by the signal d4, or hy the signal di that the second .block-section beyond himself is occupied by a train, even though he may not know the direction in which it is moving. Assuming, now, a train coming from the opposite direction or from the lefthand end ot the drawing, on entering section R4 it will short-circuit the track-circuit thereofand release the armature s4, and thereby will set at` danger a signal in-its rear. at

least a blocks length, and another signal at the left-hand end of the block-section R4, and

also 'will set at danger two other signals, D6,

at the right-hand end of block-section R4, and also the signal b5 at the righ t-liand end of blocksection R3, all said signals being on circuit No. et. Hence such supposed train will move over block-section B4, be protected by two signals in its rear as against a following train, and by two signals in front as against trains comi-ng in an opposite direction. As theforward end otthe supposed train enters on section Rit will shortcircuitNo.3 i n the manneralready described, so

as to display a danger-signal at the left-han d end ofthe block lt, and also set a danger-signal, d3, at the entrance of block-section R3, whereby to protect its rear, and will also set a danger-signal, b4, at the right-hand end of said section, and also signal b3 at the right-hand end of said section 1t2,all'said signals being on circuit No. 3. As soon as the rear ofthe train leaves blocksection R* circuit No. t will be restored and the signals thereon come to safety. As the train enters on block-section R2 it short-circuits the track-circuit thereof, so as to release armature s2, and thereby breaks the No. 2 cir` cuit, and thereby sets at danger signals d4, d', b2, and b', all of which are on circuit No. 2, whereby it is protected in front and rear, as before, and the engineer ofafollowing trainsay on track-circuit Bti-on findingsignal dat safety 7 and that danger, will know that the block-section R3 is unoccupied and that R2 is occupied. This orderly movement of the signals will go on regularly as the trains passv from block to block, and at all times every train, whatever way it maybe going, will be protected both in front and rear by at least two signals in either direction, one of which in front, and one in the rear at a considerable To illustrate, now,the impossibility of an ac- Vcident by meeting trains, l will assume a train on block-section lt', and moving from the right, which I will call train No. 1,and another train on block-section R3, coming in opposite direction, and thislatter train I will call train No.

f2. Train No.2 will tind signal d atdanger,

from which it will know that section R' is occupied, and as train No. 2 cannot in its moving have any effect on the-position of thissignal, even in ease it should run onto section R2 accidentallyor otherwise, there cannot possibly be any conliictof signals, nor anydoubt as to what these dangersignals may mean. Hence the train No. 2 is bound to stop or to proceed with caution. At the same time train No. l, on approaching the left-hand end ot' track-section R', will find signal b3 4at danger, and for the reason before stated there-can be no contlict between the trains in the setting ot` this signal, nor any doubt as toits meaning. Hence the engineer ot' train No. l will know that seetion R3 is occupied, and that he must either stop or proceed cautiously, as train orders may require. Hence even it' both trains come to and run onto the opposite ends ot'block-section R2 at the same instant of time, there can be no contlict ot' signals, foreach train having set its own danger-signal in its o'wn i'ront at least a blocks length in advance, at a point where it cannot be affected by the movement of the other train, both trains are cautioned or warned each ot' the others presence or approach while they are at least a blocks length from each other.

The preferable arrangement ot' the signals is that illustrated inthe' drawingswhereby the following' ends are attained: The signals bb2 D411, which are set to danger by the train coming from the iight, are arranged at such distance inside the terminals of their respective blocks that as the engineer enters on the blockhe will see the corresponding signal shift from safety to (langer, and thereby will know that the circuit is in working order, and that the distant rear and front signals will also act as described; also, the engineer of the following train will know that the other set of signals, b D305 [17, are t-he rear distant signals of the preceding train; also, the engineer ot a train when coming in an opposite direction will observe the movement from safety to danger of signals 613,61', and d as he enters on the corresponding blocks. Consequently he will accordingly know that his distant front and rear signals are in corresponding position, and the engineer of the train following from the left, knowing that the signals d4 d2, &c., are the rear distant signals ot' the preceding train, will accordingly be guarded in his movel'IO IIS

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v'the other, as also the signals d d2, Sac.; but I ldo not consider it essential that more than two signals be employed-on each signaling-circuit; but these two which are employed shouldA be the ones above referredto as front7 and rear distant signals. Thus, for example, on circuitNo. 2 the signals b2 and d may be omitted, and on circuit No. 3 the signalsb4 and d3 may he omitted, and so on through the circuits. The only important difference in operation will be that the engineer will not be advised by the movement of a signal in his face that the circuits are in working order; but if such two middle signals on each circuit be omitted the end or outer signals may, especiallyr if the blocks arc long, be brought nearer together, provided only that the rear signal be far enough to the rear to he seen by the engineer of a following train before he enters on the next block to the rear of-the block` occupied, and rthat the front signal be far enough in advance to be seen by the engineer of an approaching train before he enters on the next block in front of the block occupied.

The number of blocks or sections is not material, and a dangerous place in a road may be protected by a series of three or more block-V sections, each as long as may be desired; also, if desired for purposes of additional protection, additional signals may be added-two or more in each signaling-circuit. It' two be added, I arrange them one at any desired pointsay between the signals b and b2, and preferably about one thousand feet distant from b2- and the other between d and d4, and about a like distance from d', and in like manner as to the othercircuits; or the circuits may belengtheued and the two' added signals may be ar ranged farther out on the circuits-say a thou- `sanl feet to the right and left of the distant signals shown and described; but it should also be stated that with the apparatus organized with four signals to a circuit the distant signals, instead of being at or near or beyond the extreme ends of the outer ot three block-sections, may be .inside such ends, but should be far enough-say one thousand feet, more or lessfrom the outer ends ot the block-section from which the relay-magnet ofsuch signalingline is worked so that an approaching train may with reasonable certainty be stopped before such block-section is reached. Thus, for illustration, b may be arranged a thousand feet or so from theright-hand end of section R2, and d4 a like distance from4 the left-hand end ot' said block, it being understood in such case that. b2 and d are used as'above described.

In organizing or erecting my improved apparatus on a double-track road one set of the signals describedsay those shown on the upper side of the drawing, b b' b2 b3, Sta-may be arranged in connection with the track-circuits of the track on which trains move from thevright, and the other set of signals, d d d2, &c., in connection with the'other track, and the circuits are correspondingly shortened. Then it will be seen th at each train will be protected as against following trains by two signais, one of which will be shifted in the face of the engineer as he enters a block, and the other a thousand feet (more or less) to his rear will insure the stopping of avfollowing train in time to avoid a collision, even if the forward train should be disabledimmediately after en tering the block; and this construction and arrangement ofthe signals when the electromagnets of both are on the same circuit, so as to be operated bythe saine track-relay, I believe to be new.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a block-signaling system embracing three or more blocks, the combination of a track-circuit extending from end to end of each block, a relay-magnet in each track-circuit, a signaling-circuit operated by each such relay, and at least two signals on each such signaling-circuit, one of which is arranged at, near, or beyond the farther terminus ot' each next adjacent block, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a series of track-circuits electrically connected in blocks, a series of signals, b b3 b5, 85e., arranged at or near the entrance terminals of blocks, and each signal of one block being in the same circuit with a make-and-break mechanism operated by a train while passing over the next block, and also having in the same circuit one of a like series of signals, d2 di, &c., at or near the opposite terminal of the third block, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a track-circuit and a relay magnet therein, a signaling circuit opened and closed by such relay, a signal, as at b2 d', at or near each end of the track-circuit, and distant signals, as at b d4, arranged at the required distance in front and rear for safety, all such signals being on the same sigmaling-circuit, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a track-circuit and a relay-magnet therein, a signaling-circuit opened and closed by such relay, and at least two signals in such signaling-circuit, one of which is arranged at or near the entrance end of such track-circuit and the other at the required distance to the rear for safety, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

I GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

XVitnesses R. H. WHrr'rLEsEY, GEORGE H. CHRISTY.

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