US294030A - Railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

Z'Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

O. GASSETT.

y RAILWAY SIGNAL. No. 294.030.

Patented Fab. A2.6,- 1884.

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(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2.Y Y 0. GASSETT. l

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Fb. 26, 1884( CAO. om

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UNITI-3D,` STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OSCAR GASSETT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH' AND SIGNAL OOMPANY,.OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,030, dated February 2e, ,1884.

(No model.) a

operation by a train at a distance from the crossing, it sometimes happens that the train stops before reaching the crossing or turns aside upon a branch track, and this might leave -the signal in continuous operation, as

the said train would not arrive at the crossing or point Where the signal is usually automaticallystopped by the passage of the train.

The present invention consists, mainly, in the combination of a signal and meansto automatically set it in operation by an approaching train with a mechanically-operated signalstopping device, by which the signal is automatically stopped after a definite interval of time, without regard to the further 'movements of the train by which the signal was set in operation. The signal is also stopped automatically by the train upon arriving at .the crossing, and the mechanical stopping device f is arranged to run a longer time than is usually occupied by the train in passing from the als point where it sets the signal in operation to the crossing, so that the signal will generally not be stopped until the train arrives. The signal is shown in this instance as a vibrating gong, the circuit of which is closed by an electro-magnet or relay, which will be called the starting-magma7 and which is itself controlled by instruments operated by the train approaching the crossing when at a considerable distance therefrom, so as to afford a sufcient warning. 'The signal circuit, when closed by the movement of the armature of the relay when the circuit of the latter is momentarily changed from its normal condition, is retained closed by the armature of a second ping magnetN-engaging thearmature of the starting-magnet and retaining it in the position in which it was placed by the momentary change of condition of its magnet. in shown, the circuits of both magnets are normally open, and when the armature of the starting-magnet is attracted the armature-lever of the stopping-magnet is moved by its retracting-spring to engage and hold the armature-lever of the starting-magnet in its attracted position. The starting-magnet, besides closing the signal-circuit and setting it in operation, also releases a mechanical motor or clock-work adapted to run with regulated speed, which, after a definite interval of time, closes the circuit of the stopping-magnet, caus- As heremagnet-which will be called the signal-stop- 5o ing it to release the armature-lever of the starting-magnet, which is then moved by its retractor to break the circuit of the signal and cause it to cease operating, or, if a visual signal is employed, to be concealed or assume the safety position. The circuit of the stopping-magnet also contains a circuit-closer opera-ted by the train arriving at the crossing, causing it to stop the signal, as before described, and this operation usually takes place before the motor operates to stop the signal.

The apparatus is shown as applied to a singletrack road, and devices are placed in the circuit of the starting-magnet between the point at which the train closes the said circuit and the crossing, the said devices being adapted to keep the circuit open for a definite interval of time, and being controlled by the trains, so that a train moving away from the crossing first operates the said device, which will then keep the circuit open until the train passes the closing-point, so that the train moving away from the crossing will not affect the starting-magnet to set the signal in operation.

Figure l is a plan view of the signal-controlling apparatus 5 Fig. 2, a detail showing a portion thereof in end elevation and partial at S (it being located near the highway-cross ing or other point at which it is desired to indicate that a train is approaching) is controlled by the armature-lever a and co-operating contact-point b of the signal-starting electric magnet M, shown in this instance as in a normally-open circuit, provided with a circuit-closer, shown in Fig. 3 as consisting of a bar or plate, P, placed at the side of the rail, and adapted to-be connected with the rail by the wheels of the train. ture-lever c is provided with a projection, a, (see Fig. 1,) adapted to be engaged by the armature-lever c of the stopping-magnet M2, which thus mechanically retains the said armature-lever a in its attracted position, keeping the circuit of .the signal closed between it and the contact-point Z). The said armature-lever c also constitutes or is provided with a stop, a2, which, when the said lever is retracted, engages a' projection, d, of a disk, df, connected with the arbor e of one of the wheels of a motor or train of wheel-work, f f', actuated by a spring, g, and controlled by a iiy or pendulum, 7L, the said motor being released and beginning to operate when the 'armature-lever c is attracted by the magnet M. The said disk d is also provided with a lateral projection, di',

I which, in the rotation of the said disk in the direction of the arrow caused by the motor, operates a circuit-closer, 7.1, in the circuit of the magnet M2, the said circuiteloser consisting of two springs insulated from one another, except when electrical connection is made between thein by the'projection d2.

The circuits are as follows: One pole of the battery B is connected by wire 2 with one of the rails It ofthe track, and is also connected by wire 3 with one of the springs of the cir cuit-closer la, the other of which is connected by wire et with the bindingscrew 5, connected with one terminal of the magnet Mt, the said wire 4t being also connected with the contact` plate P at the side of one of the rails R ofthe track, near the crossing. (Indicated in dotted lines, F ig. 3.) rlhe other terminal ofthe magnet, M2, is connected by wire 6 with the binding-screw .7, connected by wire S with the other pole of the battery, and also by wire 9 with one terminal of the magnet M, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 10 with the binding-screw 12, itself connected by wire 13 and branches 14 therefrom with the plates P at the side of the track and at a distance from the crossing sufiicient to give ample warning of an approaching train. One pole of the battery B is also connected by wire 20 with one terminal ofthe magnet of the signal S, the other terminal of which is connected by wires 21 and 22 with the armature-lever ci, vthe co-operating contact-point b of which is connected by wire k23 with the other pole of the battery B.

In operation, the wheels of a train approaching the crossing, upon arriving at one of the plates P, completes the circuit R 2 B S 7 9 M 10 12 13 14 P, causing the current of the battery B to pass through the magnet yMfmaking The said arma- ,releases the motor and permits the disk d to revolve, as before described. If the train continues onward to the crossing in the usual manner, it will, on arriving at the plate P, close the circuit R 2 B 8 7 6 M2 5 4 P of the stopping-magnet M2, causing the latter to attract its armature, 'and by the movement of the armature-lever c to release the armaturelever a of the startingqnagnet M, which will be moved by its retractor, shown as a spring, 1, to the position shown in Fig. 1. thus breaking the circuit of the signal S at a I), and also bringing the stop projection at into position to arrest the movement of the disk el after it has made one revolution.

In case the train should stop or leave the trackl R to enter upon a branch before arriving at the crossing, the disk d will, in its rotation caused by the motor, close at k the circuit B 3 4L 5 M2 6 7 S of thc stopping-magnet M2, causing it to attract its armature-lever c, to thus release the armature-lever a an d stop the signal, as before described; and it 4will be seen that either the circuit-closer k or the circuit closer P It, with the wheels of the train, will cause the signal to stop, so that it can never operate longer than the time occupied by the projection di in reaching the circuit-closerk, or

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after the train has arrived at and passed the crossing.

Vhen the signalis to be used with a doubletrack road, one of the plates, P, will be used with each track, and a plate, P, with both tracks. Vhen the apparatus is employed with a singletrack road, a branch, 15, from the wires 14, forming a portion of the circuit of the starting-magnet, will include a magnet, M, of a circuit-controlling device, D, controlled by the wheels of the passing train, and adapted to keep the circuit open after the train has passedfor a definite interval of time more than sufficient to enable the train to pass the plate P, so that, although the plate P and rail R will be connected, the circuit of the magnet M will not be completed.

The device D consists, essentially, of a circuit-breaker, u, in the circuit-wire 14 of the magnet M, the said circuit-breaker being controlled by a disk, dt, operated byamechanical motor or clock-work, (not shown,) the said disk being stopped by thearmature-leverc of magnet M3 in the branch 15 from the wire 14, that is connectedwith a plate, P2, at the side of the track, between the plates P P and within a short distance of the former. Thus, when a train moves from theplate P toward the plate P, in moving away from the crossing it rst closes at P2 the circuit from the battery B through the wires 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, and 2,

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through both magnets M and M3, and the resistance of the said magnets to the current strength of the battery B is so proportioned that the current passing throughboth the said magnets will attract only the armature of the magnet M3, releasing the disk @which begins `to be rotated by the motor, and immediately raises the spring u, breaking the circuit in the Wire 14, so that the train, on proceeding over the plate P, does not affect the closure of the circuit ofthe magnet M.

The motor that operates the diskd'L will cause the said disk to occupy a greatertime in making one rotation, so as to permit the spring u to again drop, than is occupied by any train in passing from the plate P2 over and beyond the plate l?.

As only a -momentary impulse is'requred to operate the armature-lever a, the circuitcontrolling device D will have no effect on the signal when trains are moving toward the crossing.

Itis obvious that, if desired, both the magnets M M2 might be in a normally-closed circuit, they being operated in any case by momentary changes in the condition of the circuit.

The frame-ivorl; of the signal-stopping motor is shown as provided with a circuit-closer, t, operated by the coils of the main spring g to close a local circuit, and thus indicate when the spring of the said motor needs rewinding.

l claiml. The starting-magnet and its armature, combined With the stopping-magnet and its armature control-ling the said starting-magnet armature, and the mechanical motor controlled by the starting-magnet, and adapted to operate a circuit-controlling instrument in the circuit of the stopping-magnet, substantially as described.

2. The starting electro-magnet and armature and the stopping electro-magnet and its armature controlling the armature of the starting-magnet, combined with a mechanical motor controlled by the starting-magnet, and circuit-controlling instruments for the startingmagnet operated by passing trains, and circuit-controlling instruments for the stoppingmagnet operated by the trains and by the said motor, substantially as described.

3. The signal and its co-operating starting and stopping electro-magnets operated by a momentary change in the condition of the circuit, combined with circuit-controlling instruments for the said magnets and an independent intermediate circuit-controlling device for the starting-magnet7 all controlled by passing trains, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The starting electro-magnet and armature and signal controlled thereby, combined with the mechanical motor having a regulated time-movement when in operation, controlled by the said magnet, and adapted to cause the signal to cease operating at the end of a definite interval of time after it is started by the said magnet, substantially as described.

5. rIhe signal and its starting electro-magnet and circuit thereof, containing a circuitcontrolling track-instrument, and a circuitcontrolling instrument and mechanical motor for actuatingV it, combined with an electromagnet and its armature controlling the said motor, and provided with a circuit-controlling track -instrument near that of the startingmagnet, whereby trains inovingin one direction will cause the release of the said motor, which will remove the starting-magnet and signal from the control of its track-instrument While the motor remains in operation, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

oscAR GAssnrr.

Witnesses:

Jos. P. LIvERMoRE, W. H. SIGsroN.

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