US317911A - Electric signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Modei.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. D. WINTON. ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

Pateted Maly 12, 1885.

INVENTOR 11am@ `B Wmvx BY WITNESSBS ATTORNEYS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N0. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

INVENTOR 11mm 11.1Tmm

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 'I sheets-sheet 3.'

H. D. WINTON.

ELEGTEIG SIGNAL. No. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

WITNESSES: y INVENTOE Huw@ 'Yfxmw BY 5MM/1 2 ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Pnuwmnugnpher. wmmgm... unc

A t e e h S e e h S 7 N O T N I D. H a. d 0 M O m ELECTRIC SIGNAL. No. 317,91L

Patented May l2, 1885.

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Phnlolihugraphen Wnshingon. D.C.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

H. D. WINTON.

, ELECTRIC SIGNAL. No. 331911. Patented May l2, 1885.

N. PEYERS. PhnknfL'homphur, Washington. D.C.

(No Moel.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

- H. D. WINTON.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL. l No. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

HIHIII WITNBSSES INVBNTOR faQ-0, ww BY/mm g ATTORNEYS llivrrien Bra'rns Far-enit trios..

HENRY D. VINTON' OF VELLESLEY HILLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEC-raso SIGNA-L1 Q'PEGFJCATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,911, dated IVIay 12, l.

Application tiled July 17, 1884. (No model.)

.To @ZZ 107mm it may concern,.-

Be Vit known that I, HENRY D. VVINTON, a citizen ofthe United States, residingat Tellesley Hills, in the county ol Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Apparatus for Interlocking Signals, of which the following` is a specication.

This invention relates particularly to a system of interlocking signals, such as are generally used on railroad crossings, switches, or draw-bridges, and the object ot' my invention is to prevent the signal-man from giving a wrong signal.

The peculiar devices and combinations which compose my interlocking apparatus are pointed out in the following specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a transverse vertical section of the frame which contains the signal-levers andthe mechanism for interlocking the same. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same in the plane :c fr, Fig. l. Fig. 2* is a similar View on a larger scale showing the connections. Fig. 3 is a similar section in the plane y y, Fig. l. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detached views of the electro-magnets and of parts of the interlocking mechanism on a larger scale than the previous iigures. Fig. 8 is aside elevation of a semaphoric signal, such as may be used in connection with the signal-levers. Fig. 9 is a dia- Agram illustrating the application of my system to a railroad-crossing. Fig. 10 is a side viewof a double-circuit instrument such as used in my system. Fig. 1l is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. l2 is a plan or top View of an interlocking block signal instrument such as used in my system. Fig. 13 is a side View ofthe same. Fig. 14 is aside view of a track-circuit-breaking instrument-such as may be used in my system. Fig. l5 is a similar view of a track-circuit-closing instrument such as may be used iu my system. Fig.

16 is an electric signal such as may be used in my system.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the box or frame in which is firmly mounted h the shaft B. This shaft forms the fulcrum of the signal-levers()` C2 C C, which turn loosely thereon, the number of which depends upon the number of signals which are to be operated by the signal-man in charge. To the lower end oteach ot' the levers is secured an iron piece, D.-provided with two arms, d d', upon one ot' which is secured a weight, c, while the other connects by a cable or chain with the signal S, Fig. 8. The normal position of this signal is danger,77 such position being shown in full linesin Fig. 8. Itis kept in that position by the weight c. 'Vhen the lever C is moved in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. l the signal S is drawn down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, (indicating danger.) and by returning the lever the signal will return lo its normal condition, (indicating dange1.) The lever C maybe connected by a system of levers to a switch, so that the switch can be moved by the action of t-he lever;

With the lever C is combineda catch-rod, E, the lower end of which catches in l'ront of the stop F, formed onv an iron casting, which is secured at one end to the timber G, while its other end rests upon the shaft B. This piece is made to flange on either side of the lever, asl shown at F F, Fig. 3, and it forms -a hold and guide for the lever, to prevent it from moving` upon the shaft in a lateral d1- rection. The catch-rod is retained in its normal condition by a spring, H, and it is provided with a handle, l, which is pivoted to the lever C. By pulling this handle in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. l, the lower end of the catch-rod is raised clear of the stop F, and the lever C can be moved for the purpose of actuating the signal, as already described.

Seouredto the lower end of the catch-rod E is an insulating-block, d, on the lower edge of which is a metallic strip, dit. When the catchrod is in its normal condition, this strip bears upon two springs, e e', Figs. l and 2, which are secured to the timber G, and thereby a circuit-closer is formed. When the catch-rod is raised, this circuit is broken. The timbers G G rest upon a casting, fil", (see Figs. l and 2,) 'and on the timbers G Gr are secured plates ff', which form the guides for a sliding bar, K, from the edge of which extends. a pin, g, into a slot, g', in the lever C', so that by mov- IOO ing the lever a sliding motion is imparted to the bar K. .On the bar are secured two adjustable lugs, o o, Figs. 1 and 5, which govern the distance of its movement. L and M are electro-magnets for locking the bar K.

Fig. 4 is a front View of the locking-magnet L, and Fig. 5 is a side vievsT of the same. L is the electromagnet, and L is its armature, which swings in bearings h It. From the back side of the armature extends an arm carrying an adjustable balance-weight, h which is so adjusted as to require a slight power to raise the armature. A pin, Z, projecting from the side of the plate f, forms the back stop of the armature. On the end of the armatureis a finger, t', and when the magnet is devitalized so that the armature falls to the position shown' in full lines in Fig. 5 the finger i drops in front of the bar K and the bar cannot be moved. Yhenever the electro-magnet L is devitalized, the bar K is locked and the lever C cannot be pulled from its normal position, and of course the signal connected with the lever cannot be actuated; but when a circuit is passing through the magnet L the bar K is unlocked and the lever O is free to be moved. The magnets M on the opposite or back side ofthe frame A. perform the same operation. If the lever has been pulled, the locking device connected with the electro-magnet M may operate to lock the lever, so that it cannot be returned until such time as thc magnet is vitalized. The magnets L vtherefore may be called the front locks and the magnets M the back locks.

Vith the sliding bar K are combined circuit-closers Z Zij, the operation of which will be understood by referring to Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

Secured to the timbers G G are brackets Z, on which are mounted insulating-blocks Z, which carry the springs Z Zi On the sliding bar K is secured an insulated cam, K, having a metallic strip, K, on one side, Fig. 7. When the bar K is moved in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Fig. 7, the cam K comes in contact with the springs Z. Zt, and a metallic connection is made by the strip K, thus closing a circuit. On returning the sliding bar the cam K comes in contact `with the springs Z Z* on its insu lated side, and no circuit is made. From this description it will be seen that it is impossible to move the lever C unless the catch-rod E is first pulled. This act may break a circuit, as described, and if no current is passing through the front locking-magnets, the lever C cannot be moved, because the bar K is locked. If the lever can be and is pulled, two circuits can be made by the cams K secured to the bar K, while no circuits are made in returning the lever.

I will now explain how the levers C C2 G3 C1 are interlocked by reference to the circuits indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2*. By iracing these circuits it will be seen that a circuit is complete from battery X, wire 11, wire 12, circuit-elosers e e on lever C', Wire 13, locking-magnet L2, wire 14, circuit-closers e e on levers O3, wire 15, lockingmagnet L11 to the I locking-magnets.

ground. Thelocking-magnets L2-and L4 of levers C2 C4 being vitalized, these levers are free to be moved. A circuit is also made from battery X, wires 11 and 17, circuit-closers e e on lever G1, Wire 1S, locking-magnet L, wire 19, locking-magnet L:1,wire 20, circuit-closers e c on lever C1, wire 21 to the ground, and consequently levers C C are unlocked. Now, then, if lever C is pulled, the circuit through locking-magnets L2 L4 are broken,which locks the corresponding levers, and they cannot be moved until lever G is returned to its normal condition. In the same way, it lever C2 is pulled it breaks the circuits through locking-magnets LL3 and the correspondinglevers, C C3, cannot -be moved. By pulling lever C3 the levers C2 C1 are locked, and by pulling lever G1 the levers C C3 are locked. In this combination both the levers C G1 can be pulled, and then the levers C'Z'G4 cannot be moved until both levers C C3 have been restored, and vice versa. Other combinations may, however, be made, and when a large number of combinations vare required I can introduce relay-instruments into the circuits.

I will now describe the application of my interlocking system to a railroad-crossing,such as illustrated in Fig. 9. In the drawings, the letters R It B B* represent the tracks of a railroad-crossing, the trains ruiming in the direction of the arrow marked on these tracks. N N N N :t are electric signals placed at suitable distances from the crossing. S S S SiK are semaphores or home-signals, such, forinstance, as shown in Fig. 3. T T T Ti" are trackcircuit-breaking instruments, and tt t t* are .track circuit closing instruments. C C2 C3 O1 are levers, such as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and they connect with the signals S S S S 1 by cables, rods, or chains s s s s* and bell-crank levers or pulleys. e5 e c7 e1 are the circuit-closers, such as shown at c e', Figs. 1 and 2. L11 L1O L11 L12 are the front locking-magnets, and. M111 M11 M15 M1G are the IOO IIO

correspondingbacklocking-magnets. Z"Z10Z11Z12 are the circuit-closers appertaining to the front locking-magnets, (such as marked Z Z* in Figs. 1, 5, and 6,) and m13 m11 m15 m1 are the corresponding circuit-closers belonging to the back O O2 03.01 are interlocking block signal instruments, such as illustrated in Figs. l2 and 13. P P1 l?3 I"1 are doublecircuit instruments, such as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The normal condition ofthe electric signals and the semaphores is at danger.77 The operator can clear both the distant signal N and the home-signal S by pulling the lever C. By this operation the semaphore S is brought in a position indicating 1 safety, and at the same time a circuit is made by circuit` closer Z9 from battery Y, Wire 31, magnet o on instrument O, wire 32, magnet 0, wire 33, circuit-'closer Z1, wires 31 and 49 to the ground. This circuit closes spring o2 on instrument O, thereby completing a secondary circuit from battery Y, wire 31, wire 35, spring o", wire 36, magnet o3, wire 37, a closed spring in trackinstrument T, the electr0magnet of signal N, wire 38 to the ground, thereby raising the signal N to safety7 and locking the spring o2, as hereinafter explained. The act of pulling the lever C breaks the circuit at circuit-closer e5, which runs through locking-magnets Il10 and L, and the corresponding levers, C2 and 0*, become locked, so that it is impossible to operate the signals N N and S Stir. There is no objection to pulling lever C3, as a train may be allowed to cross on track It. If lever C3 is pulled it becomes impossible to operate levers C2 C4 until both levers C C3 are restored again, as already explained. The train which has been given the right of way proceeds, and on reaching the track-instrument T it breaks the circuit of signal N and this signal falls to danger at the same time the circuit through locking magnet o3 is broken and spring o2 is opened. After pulling lever C it is desirable to lock it back so thatthe operator cannot restore it before the train has passed the crossing. This is accomplished by the back-locks in the following manner: A circuit is complete from battery Z, wires 41 and 42, springp on instrument P', `wire 43, back locking-magnet M11, wires 44 and 45 to the ground, and thus the lever C is normally unlocked on the back side; but when the le ver is pulled a circuit is made by circuitclosers m13 from battery Z, wire 4l, wire 46, magnet p on instrument P', wire 47, circuitcloser m1, wires 48 and 49 to the ground, spring p on instrument P is opened, the circuit th rough the back locking-magnet M13 is broken and its armature falls, so as to lock the bar K, Figs. 1 and 5, of lever C on the back side. The lever C' therefore cannot be restored to its normal condition until a circuit is closed through magnet M13, which is accomplished by the action of the train on the track-instrument t. By this action a circuit is closed from battery Z, wire 41, wire 50, magnet p2 on instrument P', wire 51, circuit-closer on the track-instrument t, wire 52 to the ground. By this circuit the spring p on instrument P is closed again and locked, the circuit through locking-magnet lV 13 is completed and lever 0 is unlocked on its back side, so that it can be restored to its normal condition. In place of the semaphores S S S S*, derailing-switches may be used, which are connected to the levers C C2 C3 C* by connections similar to those shown for connecting the semaphores with the levers. The normal condition of these derailing-switches is such as to carry a train off the main line. When it is desired to give the right of way to a train on the track A', for instance, the switch which takes the place of the semaphore S will be thrown on the main line-that is to say, in such a position that the main line is complete. This act will make it impossible to move the switches on the conflicting tracks, so that, if an engineer disobeys his signal, his engine will le thrown from the track instead ot' crossing in the face of a train which has the right of way.

What are here termed dcraili 11g-switches 7 are not to be understood as switches or obstructions which throw the train entirely ott` the track, but only such as derail it so far as the mainy track is concerned, and switch or shunt such train onto a siding, switch, or shunt, which may be of any desired length, such length, for instance, as guarantees safety to the train derailed, sofar as concerns the main track, and leaves the main track free for such train as has the right of way.

The double-circuit instruments P P2 P3 P* are constructed as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In these figures the letter p2 designates the main magnet, the armature p3 of which is secured to a lever, p4, which connects by a rod, p5, with a lever, p6. This lever has its fulcrum in center points, p7, and its lower end connects with a rod, p3, which carries a rollerlstud, p9. If the main magnet isvitalized and its armature is attracted, the roller-stud p closes the spring p. In this position the armature p3 of the main magnet is locked by the armaturelever plo of the releasing-magnet p. It' this releasing-magnet is vitalized, its armaturelever releases the armature-lever of the main magnet, the armature p3 falls back, and the springp is opened.

The interlocking block signal instruments O Oz C)3 04 are constructed as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The letter o designates the main magnet. 03 is the locking-magnet, and o the additional magnet. The armature oAL is secured to a lever, o, which connects by a rod, 0G, with a lever, o7, the lower end of which is pivoted to a rod, 0S, that carries a roller-stud, o9. Vhen the main magnet is vitalized, the roller-stud acts upon the spring o2 and closes the same. If at the same time a circuit is closed through the locking-magnet o3, the armature-lever o10 of this magnet locks the armaturelever o5 of the main magnet, and the spring o2 remains closed until the circuit through the lockingmagnet is broken.

The track-instruments T, which I use, may be constructed as shown in Fig. 14. The springs r r are closed in their normal condition, and if the lever 'r2 is depressed by the wheels of a passing train, the springs r r are opened and the circuit previously closed through them is broken. In the track-instru ments t, Fig. 15, the springs r3 r* are normally open, and they are closed by the action of the wheels of a passing train upon the lever.

The electric signals N may be of any wellknown construction, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 16. Vhen the signal-magnet a is vitalized, the signal-disk'is raised out of sight, or to a position of safety If the signal-magnet is devitaliz-ed, the signal-disk drops in sight, indicating dangen I make no claim for the broad idea or method or" controlling railway-signals from a distance by making or breaking by means of electricity the connection between a semaphoric signal and a hand-lever employed to move it, so that ICO the said lever can be rendered operative or inoperative on the signal, and that when it is so rendered inoperative the signal is moved to or kept at its danger attitude.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electrically-operated railway-signal, the combination of the hand-lever C', the sliding catch-rod E, having an insulating-strip, d, and contact-piece, dii, the circuit-closing spring e, and an armature and magnet, electrical connectors, and a sliding bar, K, for locking the hand-lever, with a semaphoricor other signal connected with the lever O,and a frame having a catch device for the rod E, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with two levers, C C2, and with the connections of these levers with semaphores or s\vitches,of catch-rods, one for each lever, the contact-pieces attached to these catch-rods, the circuit-closing` springs foreach contact-piece, the sliding bars, one for each lever, the locking-magnets, and the connections o'thelocking-magnets and creuit-closers with a battery, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, v: ith the lever C and with the connections of this lever with a semaphore or switch, of the sliding bar K, the connec` tions substantially such as herein described between this bar and the lever, the frontlocking-magnet L and the back locking-magnet M.

4. The combination, with two levers, C C2, and with the connections of these levers with semaphores or switches, of catch-rods, one for each lever, the contact-pieces attached to these catch-rods, the circuit-closing springs for each contact-piece, the sliding bars, one

for each lever. the circuit-closing springs acted.

upon by these sliding bars, the front lockingmagnets, the back locking-magnets. and the connections of these magnets, and of the circuit-closing springs with a battery or batteries, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, with two railroad tracks, R Rit, which cross each other, of two levers, C C?, connected to semaphores or derailingswitches, means substantially such as herein described for interlocking the levers, trackinstruments tt, double-circuit instruments, P' P2, and the connections of these parts with a battery or batteries.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, with two railroad-tracks, R R*, which cross each other, of two interlocking levers, C CZ, connected to two sernaphores or derailing-switches, means substantially such as herein described for interlocking the levers, track-instruments t t', doublecircuit instruments P P2, electric signals N N', track-instruments T T', interlocking block signal instruments O O2, and the connection of these parts with a battery or batteries.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY D. WINToN. [n s] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. S. KASTENHUBER.

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