US499165A - Automatic railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

' (NoMode l.) ZSheets-Sheet 1.

J. G. HARTMAN 8; E. BAKER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 499,165. Patented June 6, 1893;

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. G. HARTMAN 8v E. BAKER. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL Patented'June 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB HARTMAN AND ELIJAH; BAKER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPEClTFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,165, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed June 30, 1892.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB G. HARTMAN and ELIJAH BAKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway- Signals; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The automatic signal forming the subject of the present application is designed for use in connection with railway tracks over which steam locomotives are adapted to travel; and the objects in view are, first, to provide novel means whereby one or a series of .visual sig: nal vanes may be automatically set to danger position as the locomotive or train approaches a crossing or section of the track and likewise restored to safety position after passing the crossing or section of the track; second, to obviate damage to the contact parts of the signal mechanism by a locomotive or train passing over the track; and finally to provide a novel form of signal for use on a single track road in which the trains travel back and forth over the same track, which signals operate as the train passes in either direction and which indicate or notify the public of the direction in which the train is traveling.

To the accomplishment of these ends, the invention consists, first, in the combination with vertical posts on either side of the crossing, of a central drum supported in a suitable inclosure below the surface of the ground, a signal vane or vanes pivoted on the post and provided with a pulley, a cable running around the central drum and the pulley on the signal vane, horizontal drums arranged oneither side of the central drum and connected therewith by an intermediate cable, and vertical tappet arms which protrude through an opening in the middle of the track and arranged in the path of the guard or other projection on a locomotive.

Our invention further consists in a signal especially designed for service on a track where the trains are constantlyrpassing and repassing andvwhere it is desirable to have the signal vanes displayed at danger position Serial No.438,533- (No model.)

each time a train passes either back or forth on the track. In this formof our invention, we employ in connection with each track, or a single track, two sets of signal operating tappets and drums, each of which sets has one arm normally in the path of a train or locomotive, and one set of tappets being adapted for operation when the train moves over the track in one direction and the other set of tappets being operated when the train moves in the opposite direction over'the same track, thus keeping one set'ot' signal vanes displayed at danger no matter in which direction the train passes on the track.

Our invention further consists of the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of devices, which will be hereinafter fully described and pointed outin the claims.

The accompanying drawings fully illustrate our steam railway signal, in which- 1 Figures 1 and 2 are side views of the signal with the vanes at each. post and showing modified constructions for transmitting the power of the central drum to the vanes. Fig. 3 is a detail detached view of the long horizontal drum for use in the signal shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is'a view of the duplex signal for a single track, in frontelevation, and with a part of the track-bed broken away to show the tappets and power drumsbelow the track. Fig. 5 is adetail plan view of a part of the signal showing the relative arrangement of the drums, cables and guide pulleys of the signal shown in Fig. 4, the signalin Figs. 4

and 5 being more especially adapted for use on a single track. Fig. -6 is a detail view of the tension device.

Like letters denote like parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to which:-

A designates the track, and B the post or posts erected beside the track, on one or both sides thereof, and at the crossing where the street orroad intersects with the track.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment of our invention shown by Figs. 1, 2,

and 3, we provide two tappet drums O, D, and

a central power drum E, which are located or arranged in a longitudinal sub-way F formed in the ground below the surface of the track A and extending longitudinally of the same, along the middle thereof. The tappet drums,

C, D, are arranged in horizontal positions across the line of the sub-way F and the shafts 0, cl, of said drums have suitable bearings (not shown) by which the drums are supported in place. On the drums O, D, are provided the tappet arms C, D, which project upwardly through the sub-way for a suitable distance so that one of said tappet arms is always in the path of the guard, or fender, or other projection on the locomotive or other part of the train while the other tappet arm lies at an angle to said guard or projection. In the application of our signal to a single track, we connect the tappet arms to their drums by means of the hinge joints 0, d, and provide each tappet arm with a drop weight G which has its cord or cable connected to the arm in the manner to hold the tappet arms in their proper positions and at the same time permit each tappet arm to yield or give to the guard or fender on the locomotive as it passes in thereverse direction on the track, thus obviating the liability of damage to the signal mechanism. The power drum E is arranged between and in line with the tappetdrums, and the tappet and power drums are connected for simultaneous operation by means of a cable II, which is wound or coiled around the drums. If desired, the cable may be endless as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or the cable may be continuous and have its ends fastened to the tappet drums, the intermediate part of the connecting cable being coiled or wound around the central power drum.

On each or the uprights or posts B, at the sides of the track, we provide the signal vane I which is pivoted by a suitable shaft or red to the post, and this signal vane is provided with a pulley z around which passes a connecting cable J which leads to and is operated by the power drum E.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings we show thepower drum E arranged in a horizontal position and of sufiicient length to extend entirely across the crossing, said power drum having its ends terminating beneath the bottoms of the posts B. Around the ends of the power drum are coiled or wound the'transmitting cablesJ which extend through the hollow posts B and connect with the pulleys '6, t, of the signal vanes to operate the same. If desired, however, we may employ a short drum E which is placed. in a vertical position as in Fig. 2, and the transmitting cables J, J, are extended from the posts in a transverse subwayE to and around the power drum E in the mannerindicated by Figs. etand 5 of the drawings. This transverse sub-way E lies at right angles to the longitudinal sub-way F, and in it is arranged the long power drum or the transmitting cables J, J.

Each post B in the signal shown in Fig. 1 has the signal vanes I, and each vane is operated by a single cable J. If desired, the vanes may have the warning lantern hung from its outer end in the night, as shown; and on the top of the post we provide the audible alarm K adapted to be operated in connection with the signal vane, in the manner shown and described in our pending application, D, filed even date herewith, Serial No. 438,534.

In operation:-The tappet arm D projects upward above the track and the tappet arm 0 stands at an angle in the manner indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. A train passing over the track in the direction indicated by the arrow on will have its guard or fender brought against the end of the tappet arm D thereby turning the same and the drum to the fullline position indicated in the drawings, and this movement of the drum draws the cable and turns the central drum and the other tappet drum, the arm 0 on the latter drum being turned to the upright position in the path of the guard or fender on the locomotive. As the central power drum is turned, the cablesJconnected thereto are operated to raise the signal vanes to their danger positions; and after the train passes the crossing, the guard or fender thereon strikes the tappet 0, drawing upon the cable to turn the power drum and thereby return the signal vane to safety and the tappet arm D to its normal position. If the train passes in the reverse direction on the track, as indicated by the arrow m, its guard or fender will simply turn tappet arms on the hinge joints, 0, d, and the the train is permitted topass without damage to the tappet arms or affecting the signal.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we disclose a signal especially adapted for use on a single track over which trains pass in both directions and We have so arranged the signal operating mechanism that the vanes will be displayed at danger no matter in which direction the train may pass over the track. Beneath the track we provide the longitudinal sub-way E, which extends centrally of the track, and in this sub-way are arranged two sets of tappet drums C, D, and L,M, the set of drums C, D, having the tappet arms C, D, projecting above the surface of the track in the manner described, and the other set of drums L, M, having their tappet arms L, M, extended above the track in the same manner; but the tappet arm L is inclined in the reverse direction to the tappet arm 0 on the drum 0 adjacent to and in line with the drum L, and in like manner, the tappet arm M on the drum M is inclined reversely to'the tappet arm D on the drum D, adjacent to and in line with said drum M. The pair of tappet drums C, D, are connected together and to a central drum E by means of the cable N, and the drums L, M, are likewiseconnected together and to an independent central drum 0 by means of the cable P, so that each set of tappet and central drums are independent of each other and operate separately on the passage of a train over the track. The posts or uprights B on each side of the track are provided with two signal vanes Q, R, each vane having a pulley or sheave t, or t, whichis secured to the vane or to the shaft on which the vane is pivoted; and over the pulley t of the vane Q passes a transmitting cable T which extends to and around the power drum E while over the sheave or pulley t on the signal vane R passes another cable T which extends to and around the power drum 0 which is operated by the connecting cable P and the set of tappet drums L, M. At the base of each post we provide two independent shafts U, U and on the shaft U we place two guide sheaves u u beneath which passes the nects the other set of drums O, L, M, with the signal vane R, as clearly shown in the drawings.

It will be understood that we provide two posts and two pairs of signal -vanes on opposite sides of the track at the crossing, and that each pair of signal vanes is connected in the manner described with the power drums E, 0, so that the signal vanes are adapted to be operated simultaneously on both sides of the track. J

In lieu of the vertical drums E, O, and having the cables T, T, extending beneath the track and around the guide sheaves u, u, and u, 16., at the bottoms of the posts, we may omit the said guide sheaves and employ the long drums V, V shown in Fig. 5 of the draw: ings. These long drums-are arranged in horizontal positions, side by side, and extend be neath and across the track, with their ends terminating beneath the posts. The cables N, P, are connected to the drums V, V and around the ends of the drums are coiled-or wound the transmitting. cables T, T which thereby connect the ends of the'drums to, the signal vanes Q, R, on both the posts.

. In Fig. 5 we have also illustrated a signal for use on a track, alongside; of the track on which the duplex signal is arranged. The tappet drums W, W are arranged on opposite sides of the drums V, V and connected thereto by means of the cable w; and each tappet drum has an arm X which projects above the track, one arm being in the path of a projection or guard on the train and the other arm being inclined in the manner previously described to adapt the same to be brought into operative position, after the train passes the first tappet arm.

The operation of our duplex signal shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be briefly described as follows: A train passing over one track in the direction indicated the arrow '0 in Fig. 5 will have its guard or other projection brought into contact with the tappet C but will pass over the tappet L, thus turning the drum 0 to draw the cable N, turn the drum E, set the signal vanes Q, and move the other tappet drum D to bring its tappet/arm D in the path of the train guard. After the train passes the crossing, its guard will strike the tappet D and operate the cable N to lower the signal vanes Q and return the tappet'O to' its normal position. When the train passes over "the track in the reverse direction as indicated by the arrow 0 in Fig. 5, the guard or projection on the locomotive'or train will strike the tappet M and through the cable P, the drum 0 will be turned to set the signal vanes R to danger and throw the tappet arm L up into the path of the guard so that after the train passes the crossing the tappet arm L will be operated to return the signal vanes R to safety and the tappet arm M to its normal elevated position. Each set of tappet arms 0, D, and L, M are connected to their respective drums O, D, and L, M, by means of the hinge joints and provided with the bal-' versa, when the tappets L, M are operated by a train passing in the reverse direction to set the vanes R, R,-the first set of tappets O,D are simply turned on their hinge joints without affecting the vanes Q, Q.

We have arranged the signal operating devices and the signal vanes so that they indicate to the public the direction in which the train is passing. For instance, the vanes Q 'are'adapted to extend from the right hand sides of the posts when the tappet arms C, D are operated by a train passing in-one direction; and the vanes R are adapted to extend from the left hand side of the post when the tappets L, M are operated by a train passing in the other direction over the same track, whereby the public are notified not only of the approach of a train but also of'the direction in whichit is traveling.

Our improved signal can also be used to notify the engineers of trains that a' certain part or section of the track is occupied by a train and to prevent a following train from entering the section or block of the track crossing and to indicate the direction in which the train is traveling. The signal vanes, the tappet arms, and the intermediate connections are arranged to be automatically operated by a passing train, and the engineer in charge of a train" can always be notified whether the preceding section or block of the track is occupied from the fact that the signal vane will'be displayed at the danger position, andif the track is clear the signal vane will be lowered to the safety position.

The operation of the signal vanes are operated and controlled solely by the passage of a train over the track.

A further use to which our automatic signal can be put consists in employing the same at a tunnel through which the train must pass; thus, when the train enters the tunnel it operates a tappet to set a signal vane to danger position and thus warn all following trains that the tunnel is occupied; and after it passes through the tunnel it operates the other tappet and returns the signal vane to safety.

The tension of the cable connecting the drums can be regulated by any suitable form of tension devices, one form of which we have illustrated in Fig. 6. This tension device consists of the right and left hand threaded members Y, Y which are connected by the intermediate coupling Z screwed on the threaded shanks of the members, each section or memher being provided at its outer end with an eye or loop adapted to receive the cable. WVhen the members are properly adjusted on the cable and the coupling turned to contact the members, the device takes up the slack in the cable and maintains the same under the proper tension. 7

We are aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction of the mechanisms herein shown and described as an embodiment of our invention can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of our invention, and we therefore reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to-secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway signal, substantially such as herein shown and described, the combination of the intersecting longitudinal and transverse sub-ways, the horizontal tappet-drums C, D, journaled in the longitudinal sub-way on opposite sides of the transverse sub-way, the upright tappet-arms carried by the l1orizontal tappet drums and projecting above the longitudinal sub-way in the path of a passing car, the power drum situated between the tappet-drums and at the intersection of the two sub-ways,a cable connecting the tappet and power drums for simultaneous operation, the signal vane pivoted on a post and provided with a pulley, and the transmitting cable in the transverse sub-way and connecting the central power drum with the pulley on the pivoted signal-vane, the whole combined and arrangedfor operation in the inanner and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an automaticrailway signal, substantially such as herein shown and described, the combination with the intersecting longitudinal and transverse sub-ways, of the longitudinal tappet-drums journaled in the longitudinal sub-way on opposite sides of the transverse sub-way, the tappet arms 0, D, each hinged or pivoted at one side of its axis to one of said tappet drums and adapted to have a fixed abutment against said drum to move therewith, the drop-weights connected to each tappet on the opposite side from its hinged connection with said tappet-drum, the central power drum situated at the intersection of said sub-ways, a cable connecting the tappet and power drums for simultaneous operation, the signal vane pivoted on a post and provided with a pulley, and the transmitting cable connecting the central power drum and the pulley of the signal-vane, as set forth.

3. In an automatic duplex railway signal, the combination, of the independent signalvanes Q, R, mounted on a suitable post, and the two sets of tappet and power drums each of which has its power drum connected by cables with the tappet-drums and its respective signal vane for simultaneous operation, each set of tappet drums being provided with tappet arms inclined in reverse positions to the tappet-arms on the other set of tappet drums and one tappet arm of each set being normally in the path of a passing car, whereby the independent signal vanes will be displayed at danger positions by the passing of a train in either direction over a single track, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In an automatic duplex railway signal, the combination with the independent pivoted signal vanes Q, R, mounted'on a suitable post, of the independent sets of tappet drums arranged alongside of each other and each set of tappet drums provided with two yielding tappet arms which are arranged in reversely inclined positions to the tappet-arms on the adjacent set of tappet drums, one of said yielding tappet arms of each set being normally held in the path of a passing car on the track, a power drum situated between and connected with the tappet-drums of each set, and a cable connecting each power drum with one of the pivoted signal vanes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB G. I-IARTMAN. ELIJAI-l BAKER. Witnesses:

HENRY -E. Ooornn, H. I. BERNHARD.

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