US380647A - de mier - Google Patents

Description

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` A ELECTRIC SIGNAL VPOR RAILWAY GARS. No. 380,647.

Patented Apr. 3, 1888A.

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JOHN RICHARD DE MIER, OF LAS CRUCES, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DE MIER ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNAL COMPANY.

SP'ECEE'ECATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 380,647, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed June 9, 1887. Serial No. 240,780.

To JZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Jenn Riel-IARD Dn MIER, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Las Cruces, in the county of Doa Aa, T erritory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railroad-Cars; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othro ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

15 My invention relates to an electric opcncircuit apparatus for giving signals to the engineer and other persons in charge of a train,

said apparatus being made in sections suitably coupled.

My invention has for its object the produc tion of an automatic and manipulative opencircuit electric signaling apparatus which can be quickly and easily applied to a'train of cars while the train is being made up, or put 25 in position previous to its departure from the railroadestation, and which can with equal facility be removed therefrom accordingly as circumstances may require.

My invention consists in certain novel con- 3o structions, arrangements, and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive, tender, and passenger-car provided with my invention, portions of the car-body being broken away to show circuit-closer and circuit-coupler. Fig. 2 is a view showing a battery and alarm-bell used therewith. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the circuit-coupling of my apparatus, which is fastened to the outside of the end of a car; and Fig. 4 is a perspective View ofthe sliding portion of said coupling. Fig. 5 is a top view of the coupling portions as 45 united for service. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section of one of the sliding portions of said coupling and a portion of the part shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a transverse section in the line so x of Fig. 5 of the coupling 5o united. Fig. 8 is a transverse section in the (No model.)

same line when the sliding portion of the coupling is partly moved out of the fixed portion shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a transverse section in the line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal central section ot' a circuit-closer 55 shown in Fig. 1, operated by the bell-rope of a car. Fig. 11 is a view of the same mounted in a car and of the operatinghandles, and Fig. 12 is a front view and Fig. 13 a side view of one of the said handles. Fig. 11iE isa modiiied 6o construction of the circuit-closer shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 15 is a horizontal central section and a partial elevation of another modiiied construction of theV said circuitcloser. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 65 17 is a view showing said eircuitfcloser mounted in a car. Fig. 18 is a vertical central section of a modified construction of the circuit-closer shown in Fig. 10, the same being adapted for use on freight-cars; and Fig. 19 is an enlarged 7o central section of the lower portion thereof. Fig. 20 represents a combined coupling and circuit-closer, the former partly in section and the latter wholly in section, and the same attached to the end of a car. Fig. 21 is a cen- 75 tra'l longitudinal section of my water-tight coupling, and showing a portion of a clasp wherewith it is fastened to an air-brake hose. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 23 is an end view of the same. Fig. 24. is a 8o view of two couplings made water-tight, showing connecting-wires and the mode of mounting upon a coupled air-brake hose. Fig. 25 represents an end portion of a car-sill and truck, an alarm, and means for electrically 85 operating the same. Fig. 26 is a side elevation of the alarm mechanism, its housing being shown open. Fig. 27 is an end view of the alarm mechanism, the housing and a releasing-plug of the same being shown in sec- 9o tion. Fig. 2S is a detail View of the. releasing-plug and a sectional view of its bearings in the housing. Fig. 29 is a side elevation of a European car provided with my circuitcloser. Fig. 30 is a central horizontal section 95 of the circuit-closer and its water-tight housing as especially adapted for use outside of a car or where exposed to weather.' Fig. 31

is a front view of the circuit-closer and a section of its housing. Fig. 32 is a view of the roo two connected sliding portions of the coupling as they appear when detached from the cars. Fig. 33 is a view of the same as arranged and attached between two cars.

The letter A in the drawings represents a battery, B an electric gong, X conductingwire, C a locomotive, D tender, and E car. The battery A is secured in a b'oX, a, as shown in Fig. 2, and this box is suitably fastened to the outer side of the engineers cab c of alocomotive, C, as shown in Fig. 1. rIhe box a is represented with parallel iianges a', which are made to tit parallel ordinary dovetailed bars, ci, on the side of the cab c, and thus the battery-box is held in place. Other modes of fastening (and other locations) may of course be adopted to hold the battery in place.

The gong B is of ordinary construction, and is connected to one of the poles of the battery and to one of the continuous wires X of the signal apparatus, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. From there the conducting-wires are turned down to the under side of thelocomotive-platform and inclosed together in an ordinary nonconducting rope-covering, X'. The rope Xis attached to the lower portion of the tender-` flooring, as seen, and is turned up along the back of the tender D to a spring-clasp, d, at the head of a staff, d', on the tender. From there the rope X' extends to the car E, to which it is attached by means of a coupling, F. This coupling consists of two separable parts, F' F2, the one, F', being attached to the car above the car-door, and the other, F2, to the end of the rope X'. The part F2 consists of a non-conducting solid cylinder, f, into which the end of the rope X' is secured, and to the end portion of which two cylindricallycurved conducting or metal plates, f' andfl, are secured at a suitable non-conducting distance from each other. y

Between the platesf and f and the cylinder f the wires X are located, which for a suitable distance are deprived of their coverings and are bent outwardly in order to touch the said plates and transmit their currents to them. The plateSf'fz are each provided with a slot, f3, aring at its outer termination, by which they are secured to the part F', as will be seen. Each platef' and f2 is also provided with a lateral lip, ft, serving as a circuitcloser, as will be presently described.

The part F' consists of a non-conducting flanged plug, f5, to the ilangef6 of which the radial flanges f7 of two semi-cylindrical conducting-plates, f 8 f", are suitably fastened. The plates fifi inclose the plates f'f2 when the coupling F is connected, and they are separated at suitable non-conducting distances, like plates f'f', and the four plates are arranged in pairs, as f'f and fzf), separate from each other, so as not to close the circuit. The plates fS f 9 are provided with notches f1 opposite the li ps j" of the part F2 of such size as to prevent the uniting of the positive and negative currents, and thus render the momentary closing of the circuit impossible,

while the coupling is in perfect connection.

The perfect connection is effected by means of the above-mentioned slots f3 of part F2 and two spring-clamps, G, of part F'. The springclamp G' consists of a semi-spherical clamphead g inside the part F', a straight shank, g', passing through the conducting-plates f8 and f", a spring, g2, outside of the conducting plate, surrounding the shank and bearing against the conducting-plate and a head, g, of the clamp G. In connecting the coupling the part F2 is inserted into the part F', the slots f3 being held in line with the clamps G. The clamp-heads g are easily moved upon the advancing platesf'f2, and the shanks g', coming in contact with the termination ofthe slotsf, check any further advance of the part F2, which is thus properly connected with part F', as seen in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. Vhen the connection of the coupling is imperfect, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, the lipsf* are in contact with the previously-insulated plates f8 fg, and thus close the circuit of the train and set the gong B in operation. Each end of a car is thus provided with a coupling F, and the two coupling parts F' F2 are connected by means of their conducting-wires X X, which are attached to the ceiling of the car, as seen in Fig. l, or to any safe and convenient part of the car. With this construction the bellrope circuit-closer H is connected by means of branch Wires X2 X2. The bell-rope I, of ordinary construction, is stretched through the car and secured thereto by means of handles z'. These handles i are slotted, as at i', and provided with clamp-screws i", so as to securely clamp and adjust the bell-rope I, which may be held at the desired angle by means of an inclined groove, is, in each ofthe clampingsurfaces of the handle. This groove, being nearly midway between the upper and lower ends of the handle, causes the handle to stand across the opening in the car through which the bellrope passes, and prevents the upper end being drawn into said opening by a hearty pull on the bell-rope. The bell-rope is severed at or about the middle and connected by means of hooks h to eyes or hooks h' h' of its circuit-closer H, as shown Vin Fig. 10. This circuit-closer consists of an oblong frame formed by non-conducting bars h2, conducting end braces, h3, and aconducting bridge plate, h", having a central insulator, h5. A conducting-rod, h6, having the hook h on its outer end and a transverse head, hi, on its inner end, passes through one of the braces h and the insulator h5 of the bridge-plate h, and is provided with a fixed collar, las, at the other side of the insulator. Between the brace h3 and the collar h8 a spring, h, is so inserted as to hold by its tension the collar Ita against the insulator h5. Between the head lf and the bridge-plate h* the head h7 is provided with a short conductingspring, h1, which, when the rod h6 is pulled by the bell-rope, approaches IOO l springs h2.

and touches the bridge-plate h4, and thus closes the circuit by means of the branch wires X2 X2, which are connected one between the fastening and surface of the brace h2, and the other to the conducting-fastening of the bridge-plate h4.

In Fig. 14 I show a simplified construction of thc bell-rope circuit-closer, which consists of a non-conducting head, h, provided with two insulated conduct-ing fiat springs, h22, having direct connection with the branch wires X2 X2 and pull-hooks 7L, conducting-rod h, insulator h5, head h2, with short conductingspring h2", similar to the one previously described, the one end of the rod being fastened to the spring h2 opposite the insulator h5, thus dispensing with spring h2, above described.

In the modification shown by Figs. 15, 16. and 17 I dispense with the ceiling-wires X X and branch wires X2 X2, and conduct my wires X X through an inclosing non-conducting pull-rope, X', to an eXpansible frame consisting of conducting parallel plates h1, fastened to non-conducting plugs h15 and coupled by A rod, h, is fastened to a lug, h, of one of the plates It, and passes through the plugs h15 and through a lug, It, of a plate, h, on the other side of the circuit-closer, so that lug h and rod h are connected with the positivepoleoftheopencircuit. Thelughlhaving a wide insulation-opening, h1", through which Y the rod h6 passes, permits this rod to pass without havingtheslightestelectric communication with the lug. The rod h6 is provided with a head, h2, and a spring, h1", of such diameter as to come in contact with the lug h2? when the rod is moved toward it by pulling the bell-rope I, thereby closing the circuit. The plates k12 are provided with angular notches h2", having a contracted or tapering horizont-al termination, as seen in Fig. 16. Into these notches transverse pins i2 of the rope-couplings Z5 are inserted, whereby the conducting bell-rope becomes attached to the circuit-closer. The pins t4 are fastened or formed on parallel conducting-plates Z6, which are fastened to non-conducting plugs t2 and are made to fitsnugly between the plates hu. The plugs il are provided with central holes for the reception of the circuit bell-rope X, the wires X X of which are turned outwardly and suitably connected with their respective conducting-plates is, as shown in section in Fig. 16. The bell-rope X is in this case connected with the outer permanent portions of couplings F, in the manner seen in Fig. 17, and the handles i are fastened to it, so as to give it the requisite tension inside the car.

Figs. 18 and 19 show a circuit-closer, K, of similar principle to Fig. ]0-viz., the sliding insulated conducting-rod hG-as applied to a freight-car and worked from the roof of the same. The rod is hung in two conductingbrackets, k k', suitably connected with the branch wires X2 X2. The bracket la is provided with an insulator, h5, through which the rod passes. The rod 7L is provided with a collar, ha, a head, hl, and a conducting-spring, hm, which latter touches the bracket k and closes the circuit when the rod h6 is pulled up. The rod h6 is kept down in its normal position, as shown, by a spring, h2, which causes a suitable tension between the bracket 7c and collar h2. rI he end portion of the rod h6 is suitably connected to a chain or rod, k3, which moves in a guide-bracket, k2, and is fastened to a water-proof cap, h5, fitted snugly to the upright cylinder k6 on the roof e of the car.

The cap L5 is provided with a suitable handle or button, by which it is pulled up in order to close the circuit below, as described. A spring, k2, of -powerful tension, is hung to the rod k3 between the guide-bracket k2 and upper end portion of the rod h6 in such inanner that its tension begins to operate as soon as the rod h6 has closed the circuit by very perceptibly increasing the resistance offered to the continuation of the upward motion, which serves as a warning to the operator ou the car-roof that the circuit is closed and the desired signal given to the engineer of the train.

I have found that a coupling and circuitcloser combined and suitably secured 'to the old bell-rope eyes at the ends of the ear, as shown in Fig. 20 by letter L, is the most economical and convenient for special cars. The coupling portions F F2 are ot' the same construction as described in respect to Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; but the hanged portion f6 is further provided with two conducting springs, h1", suitably connected with the plates fsf". A tube, Z, containing the conducting pull-rope X', is by means of a flange, Z2, fastened to the flanged portion f6 of the non conducting plug f5. The wires X X are at the ends of the rope X turned toward the platesfsf", respectively, thus making the connection with the coupling. The tube Z is placed in a tube, Z3, provided with an outer iiange, Z2, and an inner iiange, Z5, through which lutter the tube Z slides, which at that point is provided with an outer fiange, Z6. A spiral spring, h2, is placed around the tube Z and between it and the tube Z3, which spring bears against the flange Z2 of the tube Z and the flange Z5 ofthe tube Z2, and thus keeps the springs h2 at the proper distance from the flange Z", while the flange Z6 prevents the tube Z from being moved too far forward. rlhe tube Z3 is provided with flat longitudinal curved springs ZS, which allow the said tube to be inserted into the bell-rope eyes e of the car end e2 and hold it there firmly in a central position. When the rope X is pulled, the tube Zl and coupling F are moved toward the car until the springs L10 come in contact with the metallic conducting-flange Z*, thus closing the circuit and giving the signal.

In Fig. 2l the coupling F is shown provided with a water-proof casing, M, and a cap, m, connected with it by means of spiral springs m', which hold thc cap upon the cas- IOO ing when open, as shown in full lines, or hold the cap securelyin place while closing the casing, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 22. The casing M is fastened to the plug]5 of the coupling portion F', and the plug j' of the coupling portion FZ is madelarge enough to fit the casing M, and is also provided with a rubber packing, m2, secured in an annular groove of the plug, as shown. The water-proof coupling is used outside of the car and may be attached to the hose Y of an air-brake, in which case it will be provided with a hinged clasp, ma, of ordinary construction, which is made to hug the hose, or when said coupling is to be fastened to a straight or plain surface one or two ordinary iianges and screw-bolts will serve the purpose. Y

When a special signal is desired, whereby the engineer is notied ofany damage to a carsuch as derailing of a truck or the breaking cfa wheel or aXle-I combine my invention, as dev scribed, with an alarm-wheel, a, of a clock mechanism, N, set in motion by means of the removal of a stopping-plug, a, connected by a chain, n2, with the truck n3 yof a car, as shown in Figs. 25, 26, 27, 28. A circuit-closing spring, n, comes in contact with the teeth of the wheel n, and so produces the special alarm. This special mode of giving an alarmforms the subject-matter of another application filed on an even date with this and numbered 240,779. I merely illustrate it as being adaptable to trains provided with my present invention.

The circuit-closer shown in Figs. 1S and 19 may be inclosed in a water-proof housing and used outside of the car, as shown in Figs. 30 and 31. The housing shown there consists in a metallic shell, O, having an open back and a tlange, 0, around the same,.which latter is fastened to a wooden back, o. Between the flange 0 and back o a soft-rubber packing, o2, is interposed-making a water-tightjoint.

The circuitcloser proper is of the same construction as the abovedescribed,onlythe spring k7 and water-proof cap c being omitted. This circuit-closer is operated by means of cords I, running on the outside of the car E, as seen in Fig. 29, where it is seen fastened at e e', and passing around guide-rollers o o3 in the housing O and upward to the rod h6. The operation of this circuit-closer is principally the same as that above described, the wires X X and their couplings F in this case being fastened to the ear-sill, as seen.

I would prefer to use but one style of circuit-closer were it not for the mixed conditions of the trains.

the circuit-closer, as illustrated in Fig. 15, it.

is unnecessary to mar or injure the car by I would prefer Fig. 10 for use in all cases, as I have shown it for ordinary making holes suitable to run wires X X, as would be necessary if a circuit-closer like Fig. 10 were used. Fig. 20 is especially designed for useon special cars which are not pro` vided with my permanent electrical appliance. The special or visiting car from some foreign road may be placed at any point in the train, and a section of rope and connector and'circuit-closer, as shown in Fig. 15, can be run through the car same as any ordinary bellrope, and being connected to the proper connector or coupling on the car ahead, and in the rear the circuit is conveyed through the train. If I did not make these provisions, as above noted, my invention could not be used in such a manner as would develop all of its utilities in mixed trains, and therefore these variations of construction and form I-nd necessary for a perfect working of my appliance on cars of all classes brought together in a train.

I do not claim under this patent the special construction and combination shown by Figs. 20 and 29 of the drawings, as I have on March 10, 1888, Serial No. 266,786, filed a separate application for a patent therefor.

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

1. rlhe combination, with the pull-rope extending from end to end of the respective cars of a train and having an electrical signalapparatus combined therewith, of the pendent non-conducting handles i, provided with the slots t, grooves i3, and clampscrews i2, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. The coupling F, comprising sections F F2, and having the platesff, having springclamps G, and the platesffz, having slotsf, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The coupling F, comprising sections F F2, and having the plates f8 f, with notches flo, and the plates ff2, with lipsfi substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In the circuit-closer H, the conductingrod h6, having contact-spring hw and tensionspring ho, conducting-braces h3 h4, insulator h5, branch conducting-Wires XZXZ, and pull cord or rope, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a manual electric-circuit closer` for signals for railroad-trains, the combination of the pull-rope, electric conductors or circuit-wires, circuitclosing reciprocating rod, circuit-opening tension spring, and cylindrical spiralspring contact device applied on the said reciprocating rod and against a head, la7, thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In an electric train-signaling apparatus, the combination of the coupling portion F', having housing M, springs m', and cap m,with the coupling portion F2, having rubber packing m2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In an electric alarm signaling apparatus provided with a coupling and circuit-closing mechanism, the spiral-spring contact device IOC) IIO

hm, and making a direct Contact itself with the In testimony whereof I afx my signature in contactplate, and arranged upon a reeipropresence of two Witnesses.

catino` eonduotinfr-rod h which is insulated by abbushing ofbthe contact-plate, against JOHN RICHARD DE MIER' 5 which (the plate) said spring-contact bears Witnesses:

when the circuit is closed, substantially as and ROBT. L. FENWIOK, for the purpose described. J. P. THEO. LANG.

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