US531986A - Bail way signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. H. WILSON.

, RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 531,986. Patented Jan 1, 1895.

DQ H, WILSON. RAILWAY lGNAL.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(N0 Muriel.)

Patented Jan 1, 1895.-

Z rzessesx RAILWAY SIGNAL,

N0. 153L986. l Patented Jan. 1. 1895.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. H. WILSON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No 531,986. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

DAVID II. IVILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-81G NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,986, dated January 1, 1895.

Application filed February 10, 1894:. Serial No. 499,733. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. \VILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railway signals and has for its object the production of an improved system of signals or block sys tem to be used in connection with railways and the like.

A further object is to combine the said system of signals with an electric fence which may extend along the track, for the purpose of preventing animals, such as horses and cattle, from getting in the way of the trains upon such track.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the switchboard for the fence and signaling apparatus.

' Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the signaling apparatus. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the rail attachment by which the circuits are operated. Fig. :l is a detail view of the semaphore con trolling apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a double track supplied with my system of signals.

Like parts are referred to by like letters and numerals throughout the several figures.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical View of the switch-board for the fence and system of sig male and a combined motor and generator for operating the same. This combined motor and generator consists of three machines combined in one, viz: a motor, a continuous generator, and an alternate current generator and is designed and constructed for use with my system of signals in combination with an electric fence.

A is the motor armature; A, the alternate current armature which is connected to the fence wires, and A the continuous current armature which furnishes current for the signaling device. This switch-board is similar to the one I have described in detail in my application filed September 8, 1893, Serial No. 485,102, and hence I will give only a general description of the same.

One brush of the armature A is connected to the different fence wires 1, 2, 3, a, 5 by means of the switches B and the other brush is grounded at E. The wires at the left side of the switch-board, except the grounded wire, are the return wires of the fence. The fence wires extend along one side of the track and back on the other side, the length depending on the generator. It will be noticed that the series of switches B'on the left are open, with the exception of the one connected to the ground, and hence no current will flow unless the fence wires are grounded by an animal coming in contact with them or in some other manner. These switches B are used to test the fence wires. When one of the fence wires is grounded, the current flowing through the magnet 0 causes it to attract its armature G and complete a local circuit through the battery O and magnet of hell 0 and sound an alarm.

D is a telegraph instrument arranged on the switch-board in such a manner that by moving the switch D from the contact points D D to contact points D D the fence wire 2 is cut out of circuit with the generator and cut in circuit with the telegraph instrument.

D is the battery for the telegraph instrument having one of its poles grounded at E.

A telephone F is arranged on the switchboard in such a manner that by removing the receiver F from the support F the fence wire 1, is cut out of circuit with, the generator and in circuit with the telephone. By

this arrangement a person supplied with a I hand telephone or telegraph instrument can communicate with the station operator from any point along the fence. By means of a prearranged set ofsignals sounded by the bell C the operators attention can be attracted. The armature A has one of its brushes grounded at E and the other connected to the wire 7 on the fence.

Referring to Fig. 2, which is a diagrammatic View of the signaling apparatus applied to a portion of track, the apparatus is shown in its normal position when no trains are on the track. This figure shows two sets of similar apparatus, one at each end of a portion or block of the road.

It will be understood that each block along the road is supplied in the same manner and that there will be a set of signals on each side of the road The signals on one side will be operated by the trains going in one direction and the signals on the other side by trains going in the opposite direction. One generator will work the signals for a number of blocks, the length of wire receiving current from each generator depending of course upon the voltage of such generator, as in other systems of distribution.

As the two sets of apparatus shown are alike, a description of one will be sufficient. I will, however, use diiferent'letters in the two sets to facilitate the explanation-of their operation.

G is a bar to which are pivoted the hermetically sealed tubes G, G G G These tubes are partially filled with mercury and are also pivoted to some stationary object so that a motion of the bar G will rock them so as to shift the mercury from one end to the other. This bar G is shifted by the wheels of the train through the agency of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. These tubes have contact points sealed into them as shown.

G is a catch by which the bar G is held in position when moved in the direction of the arrow by the passing train. This catch is normally held out of engagement with the bar G by the spring G and is held in engagement with said bar by the electro-magnet G which is connected by the wires G G with the battery G. This battery G has in circuit a switch G normally held open by the spring G This switch makes contact with the contact point G and is the armature of the elec tro-magnet G.

G G are the wires leading from the battery G to the semaphore apparatus.

G G are wires connecting the electro-magnet G with the tubes G and G G is a wire leading from tube G to fence wire 6. G leads from said tube to ground.

G is a conductor leading from fence wire 6 to wire G which connects the insulated contact G and one of the contacts of the tube G. Said tube G is supplied as shown with two contact points at each end, the opposite contact points being connected by the wires G and G The contacts connected by the latter wire are connected by conductor G to contact point G Contact G is fastened to but insulated from the armature G of the electro'magnet G. G is another contact connected by wire G to armature G Armature G is normally held free from the contacts G G by the spring G. The electromagnet G is connected by the wire G with the tube G and by wire G with the ground. G leads from the armature G through the electro-magnet I to wire G A spring G tends to keep the bar G in its normal condition. G is-a conductor leading from G to tube G A conductor G leads from the fence wire 7 to the tube G Referring to the apparatus for controlling the semaphore, an enlarged view of which is shown in Fig. 4, 1' is an electric motor the armature of which is connected to the shaft 1 carrying a drum upon which is wound the the springs K K rope 1 This rope I has its other end fastened to a druml connected with the semaphore 1 Rigid with the drum 1 is a pulley I provided with a belt 1 which also passes around a pulley I on the base of the lamp 1 This lamp is so arranged that it will show a white light in one direction and a red light in the opposite direction and is normally out of circuit, only being in circuit when the circuit is closed through the motor I; but when it is revolved by means of motor 1', the circuit is completed through it by means of the brushes 1 I and suitable contact rings. 1 is a piece attached to the drum 1 and is provided with the two lugs I l which are of different sizes as shown. A pawl l is situated so as to act as the armature of the magnet I and to engage the lugs so as to limit the amount of motion of the drum l 1 is a brush in contact with the shaft 1 and connected by wire 1 to condoctor G 1 is a lug on the shaft 1 adapted to engage the brush I when the shaft is rotated through an arc of ninety degrees from its normal position. From the brush 1 leads the conductor 1 through lamp 1 to conductor G The armature of the motor I, is connected with the wires G G by conductors I Referring to Fig. 3, which shows the track attachment by which the bar G carrying the tubes G, G G G is moved, two pieces K, K are pivoted at opposite ends in proximity to the rail K as shown. These pieces are beveled so that the free ends reach above the top of the rail as shown and hence when a train passes along the track, they will be depressed. These pieces are held in position by Pivoted to the free ends of the pieces K, K, are the bell crank levers K K. The horizontal arm of each of these levers is of such length as to extend beyond the end of the piece to which it is pivoted so as to be beneath the other piece as shown. Beneath the vertical arms of the levers K K is a T shaped piece K pivoted at K and connected by the link K to the rod K which has the enlarged parts K K having beveled surfaces as shown. K K are blocks on the ends of the bars G and have beveled surfaces similar and in proximity to the beveled surfaces on the enlarged parts K K. It will be noticed that there are two bars Gshownin this figure. One is for the signals on one side of the road which will be operated by the trains going in one direction, and the other for the signals on the other side of the road which will be operated by trains going in the other direction.

Fig. 5 shows a double track supplied with my system of signals and also shows three trains, X, Y, Z, in difierent positions and the corresponding position of the signals.

It is evidentthat the form,construction and arrangement of these several devices may be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown. I

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: hen the apparatus is in the position shown in Fig. 2, no current is flowing, as the circuit leading from the fence wire 7 is broken in the tubes G and H Suppose a train is traveling along the track in the direction of the arrow. When it comes opposite the tubes G G &c., or rather when its wheels come in contact with the piece K (see Fig. 3) said piece will be forced downwardly and since it comes in contact with the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever K, said lever will be rotated on its pivot and its vertical arm will be moved to the left so as to be out of the way of the piece K. The lever K will move downwardly with said piece and, coming in contact with the piece X, will cause it to rotate in the direction of the arrow, which motion will cause the rod K to be moved to the left and by means of the beveled surfaces on K and K the bar G will be moved in the direction of the arrow. It a train should be moving in the opposite direction, the action will be just the reverse of that described and the lower bar G will be moved while the upper bar remains stationary, thus working the signals on the other side of the track. When the bar G is moved in the direction of the arrow, the position of the tubes G, G G G will be changed so as to shift the mercury from the right end to the left end. To avoid confusion, I have not shown the tubes in this shifted position but have indicated the position of the mercury in this position by dotted lines, the position of the mercury in the normal condition being shown by full lines. hen the mercury is in the position shown by the dotted lines, a circuit will be completed through the armature A of the generator and will be traced as follows: from generator to fence wire 7, thence by wire G to tube G thence through mercury and wire G to c011- ductor G", thence through magnet G energizing said magnet so as to complete the circuit through the battery G thence by conductor GP to tube Gr, thence through mercury and conductor G to fence wire 6, thence by wire H to wire H thence through mercury in tube H to conductor H thence through conductor H to tube H thence through conductor H to magnet H, energizing said magnet so as to complete the circuit through the battery H thence by conductor H to tube 11*, thence by conductor H to ground and thence back to generator. When the magnet G is energized it attracts its armature G and completes the circuit through the battery G There will be several circuits from said battery and they may be traced as follows: from battery G to armature G thence through contact G and conductors G and G to magnet G thence by wire G back to battery. hen magnet G' is energized it attracts its armature G and causes it to engage the bar G bythe notches on the end of each and hold said bar from being moved back to its normal condition by the spring G After thetrain has passed a second circuit through battery GR is pleted through the motor I, and lamp I said motor revolves and by means of rope I and drum 1 (see Fig. 4) moves the semaphore 1 from its Vertical position to a position at an angle of forty-five degrees with the vertical position as shown in dotted lines. Vhen the semaphore has been moved through an angle of forty-five degrees, its further motion is prevented by the pawl 1 engaging the lug 1 The pulley I is revolved atthe same time and by means of the belt I revolves the lamp 1 so as to show a white light. This semaphore acts as a rear signal for the train that has just entered the block and shows a following train that there is a train in the block ahead. In the meantime, as we have seen above, the electro-magnet H is also energized so as to complete the circuit through the bat tery H. The circuits through said battery are similar to the circuits through battery G and hence need not be traced. The action of the semaphore apparatus in this case will also be the same as that described above and the semaphore will be at an angle of forty-five degrees with the vertical and will act as a forward signal for the oncoming train. The lamp J will be revolved so that it will show a red light forward to warn a train coming in the opposite direction, when the sig nals are used on a single track. \Vhen the train comes opposite the bar H, said bar will be moved in the direction of the arrow, as has been described above in relation to bar G. hen the tube H is in a horizontal position, the circuit will be momentarily broken on account of the arrangement of the four contacts in tube 11. This will cause the circuit through the magnet G to be broken and the spring G will move the armature G so as to break the circuit through battery G and allow the semaphore l to drop. The magnet G will then be demagnetized and the spring G will move the armature G so as to release the bar G and allow the spring G to pull said bar back to its normal position. The mercury in the tubes H H H and 11 will now be in the position designated by the dotted lines and the circuits will be similar to those traced above in connection with the tubes G G &c., and the semaphore J which has momentarily dropped on account of the breaking of the motor circuit will be again moved to a fortyfive-degree position and act as a rear signal for the train. Suppose now a second train enters the block which the first train has just left. The semaphore J which is now acting as the rear signal for train No.1, must also act as a forward signal for train No. 2. If the said semaphore remained at a forty-five-degree position it would not warn train No. 2 that there was a train in the block ahead of it. This difficulty is avoided in the following manner:

ICO

When train No. 2 moves the tubes G G G G so that the mercury takes the position shown by the dotted lines, the circuits will be the same as described in connection with train No. 1 until conductor H is reached, 1. a, starting with fence wire 7, by conductor G through tube G &c., to fence wire 6, thence through conductors H and 11 thence through conductor H mercury in tube H, wire H to wire H thence by wire H to tube H thence by wire H to magnet H thence by wire H to ground. hen magnet H is energized it attracts its armature I1 so as to make contact between said armature and the contact H 30 and also between the two contacts H and H The completion of the circuit between the latter two contacts cuts out the tube H and connects conductors H and H \Vhen contact is made between the armature H and contact H a circuit is completed through the battery H as follows: from battery to armature H thence through wire H contact H armature H and wire H to electro-magnet J, thence to wire H and back to battery. When magnet J is energized it attracts its armature to the pawl J and moves said pawl so it will be free from the lug J The motor J is now free to move the drum J and semaphore J until the pawl J comes in contact with the large lug J The latter lug is of such size that the pawl engages it even when attracted by the magnet J. The semaphore is now at right angles to its normal position and the lug J being now in contact with its associated brush, the circuit is completed through the lamp J and a red danger signal is shown. The lamp J is revolved so as to also show a red light to the rear. It will be understood that this lamp J which shows a red light in one direction and a white light in the other direction, always shows a red light forward when the semaphore is at an angle of forty-five degrees and to the rear when the semaphore is at an angle of ninety degrees and would ofitself be sufficient, thelamp J being used only as an additional precaution to prevent trouble in case the lamp J fails to work. When the semaphore is in this position and the danger signal shown, the engineer knows that there is a train in the block ahead. When train No. 1 reaches the end of its block, the circuit through magnet H is broken in the same manner as was the circuit through magnet G so as to demagnetize magnet H and allow the tubes I-I, H H and H to be brought back to their normal position. The current is now broken through magnet 11 and diverted so as to pass through magnet H This change is brought about by the arrangement of contacts in the tube H The contact in the left end of said tube is bent downwardly so that the current can be changed from conductor H to 11 without being interrupted, for if it were interrupted tubes G G &c., would be brought back to their normal position while train No. 2 was still in the block and then the semaphore I would cease to act as its rear signal and a third train following train No. 2, would not be warned as to the position of No. 2. When the circuit is broken through magnet H, the

circuit is also broken through the motor J by spring H and semaphore J drops to its normal position and the red light J 21 is extinguished and as the current is changed from magnet H to magnet H, the circuit through the motor is again completed and the semaphore brought to the forty-five degree position and acts as a forward signal for train No. 2.

If when a train passes a semaphore and it is neither at the forty-five degree or ninetydegree position, the train crew know the signals are out of order and can tap on to the fence wire and telephone or telegraph to the station and get or give information as the case may be.

It will be seen thatI have here a system of signals that will show each train the exact condition of the track ahead, and will also make the fact of any trouble or disorder in the system known to the trains as they pass along.

Fig. 5 shows a double track equipped with my system of signals. The left hand track shows the position of the semaphores when one train is on the track and the right hand track shows the position of the semaphores when two trains are in adjoining blocks.

I claim- 1. The combination with an electric fence and a system of railway signals of a combined motor and generator having three armatures on one shaft and connections whereby the two generator armatures supply current for the fence and system of signals, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a block system of a railway track divided into sections, a signal at the end of each section operated by an electric device, the signal between any two adjoining sections bein acted upon through the same motor mechanism by each of two trains, when they are in said adjoining sections, the action of the last or rear train causing the signal to take a position different from that due to the first train.

3. The combination in a block system, of a railway track divided into sections, a signal at the end of each section operated by an electric device and a series of switches and con nections so arranged that as a train leaves a section, the signal at the rear end of the section just left is brought to normal position and the signal at the forward end of the section just entered is set, and the signal between the two sections remains set, and means by which the last mentioned signal is moved to a different position when a train enters the rearsection before the forward section is clear, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a block system, of a track divided into sections, a signal at the end of each section, electric motors for operatingsaid signals, a circuit changer at the end of each section operated by the passing trains, and a system of circuits and electro-magnets so arranged that when one of said circuit changers is moved by a passing train, a circuit will be completed through an electro magnet which closes the motor circuit of the corresponding signal; through a second electro-magnet which holds said circuit changer 1n 1ts new position and through a third electro-magnet which completes the circuit of the motor operating the next forward signal.

5. The combination in a system of railway signals, of a signal operated by an electric devlce in an independent circuit, hermetically sealed tubes containing mercury, and having the air exhausted therefrom,suitablc contacts sealed into said tubes, electro-magnets in circuit with said tubes and means whereby a passing train rocks said tubes so as to change the circuits and energize the magnets, causing one of said magnets to close the independent circuit and operate the sigpa], and the other magnet to hold said tubes in their changed position, substantially as described.

6, In a switch actuating device for a system of railway signals, the combination of a ra lway rail, two flat pieces associated with said rail and pivoted at opposite ends, a bell crank lever pivoted on each of the adjacent ends of the said pieces so that the horizontal arm of thelever of one piece projects beneath the end of the other piece, substantially as described.

7. In a switch actuating device for a system of railway rails, the combination of a railway rail, two flat pieces associated with said rail and pivoted at opposite ends, a bell crank lever pivoted on each of the adjacent ends of the said pieces so that the horizontal arm of thelever of one piece projects beneath theend of the other piece, a pivoted T shaped piece beneath the vertical arms of the bell crank levers, said T shaped piece connected to the reciprocating rod, provided with the enlarged beveled pieces K K in proximity to similar pieces K K on the bars G, whereby said bars G are moved when a train passes along the track, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a block system, of a track divided into sections, asignal at the end of each section, electric motors for operating said signals, a circuit changer at the end of each section operated by the passing trains, and a system of circuits and electro-magnets so arranged that when one of said circuit changers is moved by a passing train, a circuit is completed through an electromagnet which closes the motor circuit of the corresponding signal; a second circuit is completed through an electro-magnet which holds said circuit changer in its new position and a third circuit is completed through an electro-magnet which closes the circuit of the motor operating the next forward signal; and the circuit is broken through an electro magnet, which holds the first circuit closer to the rear, in the position to which it was moved by said train, allowing said circuit changer and corresponding signal to regain their normal position.

9. The combination in a system of railway signals, of a semaphore operated by means of an electric motor and drum, a piece attached to said drum provided with two lugs of unequal length, a pawl adapted to engage the lugs to limit the motion of the drum, an electro-magnet in proximity to said pawl and connections whereby said magnet is energized when two trains are in adjacent sections so as to attract said pawl, free it from its engagement with the short lug and allow a further movement of the drum, substantially as described.

10. A system of railway signals comprising a number of circuit changers each circuit changerconsisting of aseries of hermetically sealed tubes containing mercury and having the air exhausted therefrom, suitable contacts sealed into said tubes, means associated with said tubes by which they are rocked by a passing train, each circuit changer being connected to a common source of electrical supply in such a manner that as they are successively rocked, the movement of one of said circuit changers causes the preceding one to be moved to its normal position.

DAVID E. XVILSON.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. Gnnrnonr, ALICE H. Gnnnns.

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