US418850A - Nelius tiers - Google Patents

Description

(No Modql.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. H. PENDLETON, A. BRYSON, Jr., 8v 0. TIERS.

' CABLE RAILWAY SIGNAL.

N0.*41 8,8501 Patented Ja;n.. 7, 1890.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. PENDLETON, or BEooKLYN,AND ANDREW BRYSON, JR., AND COR- NELIUS TIERS, oE NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS To THE RAPID TRANSIT CABLE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CABLE-RAILWAY SlGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,850, dated January '7, 1890.

Application filed November 13, 1888- Serial No. 290,683. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we,JoHN H. PENDLETON, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, and ANDREW BRYSON,J1., and CORNELIUS TIERS,

5 both of the city and'State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Cable-Railway Signals, of whichithe following is a specification.

X In cable railways it sometimes happens that a strand of the endless cable pa ts, and when this occurs there is a possibility that a grip upon one of the cars may come in contact with a projecting end of the parted strand and cause said end of the strand to form a bunch upon the cable and this bunch may get so wedged in or entangled with the grip that the latter cannot be disconnected from the cable. If this should happen, the car would be carried along by the cable until the grip or the car struck some obstruction, and a serious accident might result.

The object of our invention is to provide means for stopping the cable in case said cable should get wedged or entangled in the car-grip.

We find that it is important to be able to send a signal to the engine-house, so as to indicate to the engineer whether to stop or start the engine, or to go slow, or even to back the cable, and we make use of either one parallel, ornearly so, to the cable by which the conductor or the attendant on the car can signal the engineer at the stationary engine, and, if desired, the engine can be stopped by the attendant on the car. through a single conductor or by an electric circuit having two metallic conductors. By these improvements the trains, upon the cable railway are in communication with the engineer at the T stationary engine, and in cases of accidentsuch, for instance, as the cable becoming wedged or caught in the grip-the train can be stopped by stopping the cable, thus preventing injury from inability to disconnect the grip from the car. 7

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section of the roadway and of the tube for the traveling conductor or a pair of conductors running 2 and 3 are diagrams representing the elec- 5o 'tro-magnet in a closed and open circuit, re-

spectively. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation representing a portion of a car and its grip, the tunnel or tube for the cable, and the means for operating the bridge-plate or shortcircuiting device. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating our invention as used with a single conductor. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the cir cuit-closer in a modified form, and Fig. 7 is an edge view of the circuit closing plate.

Fig. 8 represents the steam-cock operated by the armature of the electro-magnet, and Fig. 9 shows the electric conductors as upon the guard-rail of an elevated railroad structure.

We have shown our improvement in connection with a surface railway, in which the cable a travels within a tube or tunnel b.

0 represents part of the body of an ordinary street-car, d the wheels for the same, and e the track upon which the wheels run.

it represents .the stationary portion of the grip that is suspended from the framef, carried by the car-axles, and 2' the moving part of the grip.

2 and 3 are electric conductors that follow the line of the cable a, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and said conductors are to be supported upon insulating material secured to one of theside walls of the tunnel b.

There is atbattery B and an electro-lnagnet m in the circuit formed by the conduct- - ors 2 and 3, and when a closed circuit is employed, as in Fig. :2, the battery is at one end ,of the circuit and the electro-magnet at the other end of the circuit. When an open circuit is used, as in Figs. 3 and 5, then saidbattery and electro-magnet will be at the same end of the circuit. In either case the electro-magnet is at the house where the engine is located that gives motion to the endless cable a, in order that the bell that is rung by the action of said electro-magnet will be heard by the. engineer in charge of theengine. To operate said electro-magnet m and ring the bell, we employ a metallic circuit-closing plate 01 upon each car, which plate, when brought into contact with said cable and an end view of part of a car. Figs.

conductors 2 and 3 at any place in the line of the road, forms a bridgeplate or circuit-closer for the current to pass from one electric conductor to the other. hen said plate at is brought into contact with the electric conductors of the closed circuit, Fig. 2, the current takes the route of least resistance and passes from the battery by wire 2, bridge-plate n, and wire 3, back to the battery, and the electro-magnet is demagnetized, and its armature-lever is drawn back by the spring on, and the bell m is rung.

If our invention is employed with an open circuit, as illustrated in Fig. 3, then when the plate 12, is brought into contact with the electric conductors 2 and 3 it closes the circuit to the battery B, and the current passes from said battery, by wire 2, plate n, and wire 3, to the electro-magnet m, and back to the battery, and said electro-magnet is energized, and its armature-lever is attracted and the bell m rung.

If a single electric conductor is used, as illustrated in Fig. 5, then one pole of the battery B is connected with the ground, and there is a wire or metallic connection between the plate a and a box of the car-axle, as indicated at 8, Fig. 1,so that when the plate 02 is brought into contact with the electric conductor 4 the circuit is closed to the electromagnet m, and the current from the battery passes, by wire 4, plate on, and wire 8, to the car-axle, and by the metallic railway structure and ground back to the battery.

In Figs. 3 and 5 we have shown the circuitconneotions to the electro-magnet m arranged so that the bell m will ring continuously as long as the plate a is in contact with the electric conductor or conductors 2 3, the current being pulsated at the back-stop of the armature, as usual, and in Fig. 2 we have shown by dotted lines a separate battery a, electromagnet a and bell a, with circuit-con ections arranged as shown, so that when the electromagnet m is demagnetized and its armaturelever rests againstthe back-stop a the circuit will be closed to the battery (Hand the bell a will be rung continuously. In this latter instance the bell m may be dispensed with.

It is now to be understood that if the conductor or attendant upon the car desires to signal the engineer to stop the cable, or to run the cable faster or slower, said attendant brings the plate n into contact with the elee-' tric conductor or conductors and the electromagnet is operated as aforesaid, and the bell at the engine-house is rung a succession of peals, according to the number of times the attendant brings said plate into contact with said conductoror conductors. Thus one peal may indicate stop the cable two peals, run the cable slower, three peals, run the cable faster, and so on,according to the preconcerted system adopted.

The plate 01 should be made with a roughened face or file surface, so that when it is brought into contact with the electric conductor or conductors it will scrape off any dirt or oxide that maybe upon said conductor or conductors, so as to insure a good electrical contact of said plate and the conductor or conductors.

Upon each car we provide a rod 11, having a plate n at its lower end, and this rod 01 passes through the slot in the tube 1), and is guided at its upper end in a tube 71 connected to the stationary part of the grip. At said upper end of the rod a there is a pin entering a slot in the lever 11 which lever is pivoted at 12 and it has a toothed scgmentn, engaging teeth upon a rack-barn. Therackbar n is supported in the guides 17 p,and one end of said rack-bar is connected with the rod 1) by the rod p ,chainp ,and bent lever 19 The other end of said rack-bar is connected to the rod 12 by the rods 19 and p and bent lever p A portion of the rod 19 is made tubular to receive one end of the rod 19 and it will be apparent upon reference to Fig. 5 that when either rod 1) or p is lifted the rack-bar n will be moved to the right and its teeth will swing the lever 01 which lever will lift the rod 7t and bring the plate 01' into contact with the conductors 2 and 3, and when said rod 1) or p is lowered the weightof the rod n and lever 71 will cause the parts to resume their normal position. The chain 19 prevents the lever 13 being moved when the rod 11 is lifted, and the tubular portion of 19 allows the rod 1) to move in said tubular portion when the rod 1) is lifted, thereby preventing thelever p being moved when said rod 1) is lifted.

The rods 1) and p are each provided with handles, and each rod is supported in a tube upon the dash-board of the car, so as to be easily reached by the conductor or attendant upon the car, and when either of said rods 1) or p is lifted the platen is brought into con- .tact with the conductor or conductors.

The plate 11 is connected by a bolt or rivet to the rod 02., and said plate can move slightly upon its pivot, so that said plate, when brought in contact with the conductors 2 and 3, can accommodate itself to any elevations or depressions in said conductors, the movement of said plate being limited by the stops LL 4.

The plate n is preferably insulated from the arm n by a tube of insulating material around the pivot-pin of said plate.

If desired, a spring at may be connected to the plate n, which spring is sufficiently wide at its ends to rest upon both conductors when the plate or is brought into contact with said conductors, and the current will pass from one conductor to the other by the springs as well as by the plate n, therebyinsuring a perfect electrical contact of the short-cireuiting device with the conductors.

Instead of using aforesaid arrangement of parts, the plate n might be at the end of a rod having a handle of insulating material, as shown in Fig. 6, which rod the attendant passes down through the slot in the tube 1),

and then gives the rod a quarter-turn to bring the plate n under and into contact with the electric conductor or conductors. When this separate rod 71 is used, it is preferable to employ a metallic guide v (shown by dot-ted lines in Fig. 4,) which guide is supported by the car, and said guide is slotted, so that the plate 12 can be passed down through said slot and then through the slot in the tube 1), and there is a wire 8, connected to one of the ournal-boxes of the car-axles and to this guide '0 as shown also by dotted linesin Fig. 4, so that when the separate rod )1 is used with the single conductor, Fig. 5, there is a route for the current to pass from the electric conductor 4 by the plate '11 rod a, guide 1: wire 8,car-axle wheels, and railway structure to the ground whenever said plate 11' is brought into contact with the electric conductor 4.

\Vhen our invention is used upon an elevated cable road, the electric conductor or conductors are to be placed upon, one of the wooden guard-rails, as shown in Fig. 9, and

the metal plate may be upon a rod, the same as shown in Fig. 6, so that the attendant upon the car can bring said plate into contact with said conductor or conductors whenever he desires to signal the engineer at the engine house.

We remark that instead of the electro-magnet on ringing a bell it may operate a signaling device of any desired kind.

In addition to employing the electro-rnag net on for signaling, it may be used for operating the steam-cock m", that controls the supply of steam to the engine that drives the endless cable, as shown in Fig. 5.

represents the engine for giving motion to the endless cable; 70, the pipe for supplying steam to the cylinder of said engine, and m is a cock in the supply-pipe Zc',which cock when turned in one direction allows steam to pass to the engine, and when turned in the other direction shuts off the supply of steam to said engine. The armature of the electromagnet 'mI may be connected directly to the plug of said cock on, so that when said electro-magnet is demagnetized a springmay draw down said arm, and turn the plug of said cock, so as to shut off the supply of steam to the engine and stop the same. We prefer,

, however, the arrangement of devices shown in Fig. 5 for operating said cock. In this figure b is a small cock in a pipe 11 passing from the steam-supply pipe 70 to the small cylinder b, which cylinder contains a piston and spring I)". The piston-rod of saidpiston is connected by'a link 19 to the arm m which latteris connected to the plug of the cock m.

When the electro-magnet m is energized to stop the engine and cable, it draws down the armature and opens the. small cook 79 and allows steam to pass to the cylinder b, which steam moves the piston of said cylinder, and by the rod 11 link b and arm on turns the of steam to the engine.

plug of the cock m and shuts ott the supply As soon asthe electro-magnet m ceases to act the spring m moves the armature the other way and turns the-cock b and shuts off the supply of steam to the small cylinderl; and opens an exhaustpassage for the steam to escape from said cylinder D The spring b now moves back the piston in said cylinder, and by the rod 19 link 19*, and arm m the cock m is turned and steam again admit-ted to the engine k to put the same running.

By the arrangement shown the signal will be given each time said electro-magnet is energized; hence it the devices operated by said electro-magnet should fail to turn said cock and shut oit'the supply of steam then the signal operated by said electro-magnet willnotify the engineer that he must stop the engine.

By combining the signaling device with the devices for operating the steam-supply cock of the engine there is a double provision made for stopping the engine and cable, for if the devices operated by the electromagnet failvto turn the cock m and shut off the supply of steam there is a certainty that said electro-magn et will operate the signal to notify the engineer that he must stop the engine. V

'WYe are aware that electric devices have been employed upon railway-cars for giving signals to or from distant stations, and in this case the magnet has been upon the car, and in many instances the battery has also been placed upon the car, andin some instances conductors have been employed ad- 'jacent to the railway track for signaling purposes, and electric conductors. have been placed in the conduit or trench containing the cable, and such conductors have conveyed the electric current to lighting and heating appliances within the car.

By our present improvements the circuitclosing devices upon the car perform no office except to bring into action the electric current to operate the electro-magnet at the engine-house Where the power is located that energizes the cable, in order that the distant motive power that drives the car through the cable-connection may be stopped or started from either one of a number of cars that are driven by the cable, whereby the instrumentalities brought into combination are effective closing mechanism upon the cars for enabling signals to be given by the conductor to the engineer in charge of the engine,that the cable may be stopped, started, or slowed, substantially as set forth.

2. lhe combination, with the endless cable, a car and grip, and the engine for giving 1110- tion to said cable, of the conductor or conductors following the line of the cable, a battery in the circuit formed by said conductors, a metallic plate upon the car adapted to be brought into contact with said conductors, and an eleetro-magnet also in said circuit for controlling the supplying of steam to said engine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the endless cable, a car and grip, and the engine for giving motion to said cable, a steam-supply pipe and cook for said engine, the conductor or conductors, the eleetro-magnet and battery in the circuit formed by said conductors, ametallic plate upon the car adapted to be brought into contact with said conductors, and means, substantially as specified, operated by said electro-magnet for working the steam-supply cock, as specified.

4. The combination, with the endless cable and the car and grip, of the rod n, plate n, the lever a, rack-bar n, rods 1) and p and connections between said rack-bar and the rods 1) and 22", substantially as specified, so that the rod a may be operated from either end of the car, as set forth.

Signed this 10th day of November, 1888.

J. II. PENDLETON. ANDRElV BRYSON, JR. CORNELIUS TIERS.

lVitnesses:

GEO. 'l. PINOKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mom.

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