US276138A - aassett - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model) 0. GASSETTX: 1. FISHER.

ELECTRIC INTERLOGKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

Patented Apr. 17,1883.

Oscar Gassett, .Tsrne] Frls'irer (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v 0. GASSETT sir. FISHER. ELECTRIC INTERLOGKING S WITGH AND SIGNAL. No. 276,138. Patented Apr.17,188-3.

I72 vent/072s,

Oscar Gmssew,

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NITED STATES PATENT OSCAR GASSETT AND ISRAEL FISHER, OF BOSTON, MASS, ASSIGNORS TO THEUNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PA.

ELECTRIC INTERLOCKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

SPEOIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,138, dated April 17, 1883. Application filed June 6,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, OSCAR GASSETT and ISRAEL FIsI-IER, citizens of the United States, both residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Interlocking Switches and Signals, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electric signaling apparatus for railroads, and is especially designed to be employed in connection with switches, draw-bridges, and other like devices, whereby the continuity of the track is sometimes temporarily interrupted. The invention constitutes an improvement upon the apparatus shown-and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 228,187, dated June 1, 1880, to which reference is had.

The invention consists generally in the employment, in connection with a signal actuated by the opening of a switch, draw-bridge, or the like, or by the presence of a locomotive or train within a certain distance of said switch,

of a device which automatically acts to lock 2 the mechanism by means of which the switch is moved whenever the switch is closed and in line with the main track and the distant signal in a position to indicate danger. The saidlocking device is placed under control of 0 the distant signal in such manner that so long as said signal indicates danger, (which indication will begin after the train has passed a certain predetermined point going toward the switch,) the switch will be automatically locked, and cannot be unlocked or moved by the switchman until the train has passed be youd it.

It also consists in the'combination, with the mechanism for moving the rails, of a circuit- 0' breaker so arranged that the circuit by which a special distant signal is actuated will be interrupted whenever the switch is moved out of line with the main track, and the said signal placed in a position indicating danger.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch and the mechanism whereby the same is actuated,together with the locking mechanism controlling the same. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are detached sectional views, showing certain portions of thelocking apparatus; and Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the arrangement of electric circuits in connection with the signals.

Referring to the figures, A A are the movable railsof a track, which are arranged in the 5 5 usual manner, so that one end of them may be shifted and placed in alignment either with the rails of the main track, as shown in the figures, orv with the rails of the branch track AA. The mechanism for actuating the mov- 6 able switch-rails may be of the well-known character shown in the drawings, consisting of an upright shaft, spindle, or crank-axis, C, which turns in suitable bearings secured to an upright stationary frame, E. This frame may be placed at the side of the track and secured in any convenient manner. A hand crank or lever, D, is secured to the upper end of the shaft 0, and should be provided with a slot and staple, d, or equivalent device which permits the mechanism to be secured by padlock or otherwise to prevent unauthorized persons from tampering with the same. At the lower end of the shaft C is fixed another crank-arm,

c, which is connected by means of a pitman or 75. connecting-rod, B,with the movable rails A A.

The parts which have been described are well known and in common use, and these form no part of our invention. The apparatus whereby the switch is locked and unlocked by So the action of an electro-magnet will now be described.

A horizontal circular plate or disk, J, is secured t0 the upright crank-axis C of the switch, and turns between two fixed horizontal plates, 8 5 P P, which are firmly secured to the frame E.

K is a square slot cutin the periphery of the disk J, and is placed in such a position that when the movable rails A A are in line with the main track, the said slot will be in line 0 with corresponding slots, 0 o, in the plates P P. The plates P P form part of a frame, F,which also supports an electro-magnet, M, whose armature m is mounted upon a lever, N, suspended i'rom an axis, a, pivoted at its ends in the same frame F. The lower or free end of the armature-lever N projects into the slots 0 0 out in the plates P and P, and a spring, T, normally bears against the armature on, (see Fig. 4,) and presses the lever N into the IQO slot K on the disk J.

Sisacontact-spring mounted upon theframe Fand attached thereto by a screw, 8, but is insulated from the said frame in any suitable manner.

w and are wires extending to and includin g a suitable electric generator, X, Fig. 5, and circuit-breaker, y, attached to the distantsignal Z, usually a signal automatically actuated by the movement or presence of a train, and technically termed a block-sign al. This circuit-breaker is connected with or attached to the block-signal in the manner fully set forth and described in Letters Patent No. 228,187, hereinbefore referred to, so that the circuit is interrupted when the signal is in a position to indicate danger, but is completed or closed when the signal indicates safety, the normal position of the distant block-signal being that of safety. A constant currentot' electricity traverses the wire 10, passing through the electro-magnet M, and thence through the wire to to the contact-spring S, and thence through the contact-spring and contact'point 8 upon the frame F of the apparatus to the wire 20 connected therewith, and thence back to the circuit-breaker y of the distant signal Z. The

- free end of the contact-spring S is normally heldin contact with a contact-point on the-frame F by means of a pin,j, on the under side of the disk J, which bears against the said contact-spring, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

If a train is assumed to be approaching the switch (shown in the figure) in the direction indicated by the arrow, after said train has passed the distant block-signal Z, the latter will be set to indicate danger by the automatic action of the train itself in a well-known manner, and by this means the rearof the train will be protected. As soon as the block-signal Z thus assumes a position of danger, the circuit hereinbefore described which traverses the electro-maguet M of the switch will be interrupted, and the armature m and lever N will be released and thrown back by the spring T, so that the lever N, moving in the slots 0 0, will enter the notch or recess K in the edge of thedisk orplate J, as specifically shown in Figs. 2 and 4, thus lockingtthe disk in position. It will now be impossible to move the rails of the switch, for the reason that the shaft G cannot be turned by the switchman, and the switch will remain thus locked until the train has passed beyond the switch, or, if required, over the entire section of track protected by the block-signal Z. YVhen the block-signal is restored to its normal position of safety, the switch will be automatically unlocked by the withdrawal of the leverN from the slot K under the influence of the electro-magnet M. In such case the switch may be thrown open without difiicnlty; but at the same time, in order to warn approaching trains of the position of the switch, it is desirable to place a special switch-signal, Z, at a suificiently distant point, which is controlled by an electromagnet placed in the circuit" of the wire w or W. The turning of the disk J in the act of opening the switch withdraws the pinj, so that it no longer presses upon the contactspring S, and the latter, by its resiliency, separates from the contactpoint 8 upon the frame, and thus interrupts the circuit w WM, and causes the distant special or switch sig nal to indicate danger. The electro-magnet M is at the same time demagnetized; but its armature cannot .fall back for the reason that the slot K is no longer in line with the armature -1ever N, and thus no interference with the free movement of the switch occurs in this case. Thus it will be understood that the electric circuit which is employed for locking the switch by means of the distant blocksignal, when the latter is in a position to indicate danger, is also rendered available for exhibiting a special danger-signal, irrespective of the position of the block-signal, whenever the switch is opened.

In case a special switch-signal is not necessary, it may be dispensed with, and the apparatus included in the main circuit of the blocksignal Z, so as to actuate the same by breaking its circuit in a well-known manner. This modification is illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, but a detailed description is deemed unnecessary.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbet'ore set forth, of the movable rails of a switch, a rotating crank axis or spindle for actuating the same, a disk rigidly attached to said axis and provided with a slot in its periphery, an electro-magnetand its movable armature, a'detent or stop forming a part of or moving with said armature, and a spring which acts to force said stop into said slot when the armature is released by the electro-magnet, thus locking the switch rails in line with the main track.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the movable rails .of a switch, a rotating crank axis or spindlefor actuating the same, a disk rigidly attached to said axis and provided with a slot in its periphery, an electro-magnet and movable armalid ture, which latter, or a stop attached thereto,

falls into said slot, and thus locks said disk, crank-axis, and switch-rails when the electromagnet is demagnetized and the switch-rails are in line with the main track, and a circuit breaker which is actuated by the crank shaft whenever the slot in said disk is moved out of line with the locking device controlled by the electro-magnet.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a disk mounted upon an axis, fixed plates between which said'disk revolves, a vertical slot formed in one or both of said plates, an electro-magnet,.and a stop moving within said slot or slots and actuated by the armature of said electro-magnet, which, when released by the electro magnet, locks the said disk to the fixed plates.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinamass before set forth, of a slotted disk mounted scribed our names this 18th day of J nne, A. D. upon an axis and turning between fixed slot- 1881.

ted plates, an electromagnet, a retracting- 1 spring, and a stop or key which is actuated by said spring to look said disk to said plates and by said electro-magnet to unlock or release Witnesses the same. MILLET G. EARL,

In testimony whereof we have hereunto sub- CHARLES A. TERRY

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