US545903A - Electric signaling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Sept. 10,1895.

INVENTEIR' 5% WITNEEEEE 7W6 Z-XWy I Uni-re terns GEORGE E. MILLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN ELECTRIC TRAIN AND SW'ITCH SIGNAL COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Np. 545,903, dated September 10, 1895. Application filed August 1, 1894. Serial No. 519,164- I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that LGEoReE E; MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in electric signaling as applied to railroad-service, being particularly applicable to those systems employing an insulated sectional co'nductor in constant connection with a source of electrical current-such as agenerator or bat tery-carried, preferably, upon each locomotive and adapted to indicate to the engineer of a train by the closing of the circuit the dangerous proximity of another train or any danger from misplaced switches. Such a system is shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 464,979, dated December 15, 1891, and No. 507,918, dated October 31, 1893.

My present invention has for its object to extend the service of such a system by providing means to warn the engineer of an approaching train in the event of danger from an overhanging car which does not fully clear the switch or of the destruction of a bridge or culvert at a point on the main track ahead of a train.

The apparatus devised by me for this purpose is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of a main-line railway-track with a siding or turnvout, with a diagrammatic illustration of the train apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a bridge or culvert equipped with alarm apparatus.

In the drawings the sectional conductor is shown secured to the sleepers, from which it is properly insulated in any well known manner. This construction is not w absolutely necessary for the operation of my system, since the conductor might be'laid outside the rails on a single-track road or between tracks on a double-track road. Moreover, it might also be an overhead conductor. In anyone of these positions it would be merely necessary to provide a suitable contact device to keep it in constant electrical contact with trains. Such devices are preferably carried on the engine, butmay be carried on any part of a moving train. The duplex conductor, as used in a system of this kind, is divided into sections of any desired length, well insulated from each other and from the rails, the points of insulation being so arranged that they appear at equal intervals alternately in each conductor-strip. 1n the drawings but one such point of insulation is shown, since only one section of conductor is represented. This feature, however, forms no part of my present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 in the diagrammatic representation of the train apparatus, A is an alternating-current generator, preferably located upon the locomotive and driven from a suitable source of power,such as a small steammotor. B is an alarm-bell, attached to some convenient part of the engineers cab and included in the main circuit when closed. A key it is also provided, conveniently located, by means of which the circuit can be opened and closed at the will of the engineer. One terminal of the generator is connected to a contact device (shown at 0) supported in any desired manner so that it shall always be in constant electrical contact with the sectional con ductor D. It is illustrated in the drawings as secured to an insulating and supporting frame f, attached to the forward truck of the locomotive. The other terminal, leading through the alarm-bell and the key It, is in electrical connection with the track-rail by means of the locomotive-wheels. From this construction it is evident that whenever electrical communication is established between the track-rail and the insulated conductor D the circuit will be closed, and the bell B, being included in the circuit, will be operated. S is a siding or turn-out. For the sake of simplicity a single track is shown,'and the rolling-stock is shunted onto the siding by means of the usual switch 3, operating in a manner well known. The continuity of the conductor D is interrupted by the switch-rail 0"; but the corresponding sections of the conductor on either side of the rail are bonded by the wires to w, and there is consequently no electrical interruption. Opposite trackoue wheel resting upon the rail.

rails are also bonded by the wires 1). In the siding S is a track-sectionE, well insulated in a suitable manner. This section is preferably of but one rail'in length, and its position with relation to the switch 3 must always be such that a car upon the siding overhanging the main track will always have at least At F is shown a wheel thus located, the corresponding wheel upon the opposite side of the car necessarily occupying the position shown. The insulated rail E is electrically connected to the conductor D by the bond g. With a car upon the siding not perfectly free from contact with passing trains on the mainline, its dangerous position would be indicated to the engineer in the following manner: With the key is closed and the generator A in operation supplying current to the conductor D as soon as the train arrived at the section in which the siding S is included the circuit wouldbe closed from A to c, to D, bond 9, rail E, wheel F and its axle to the corresponding wheel on the opposite side, to the trackrails, locomotive-wheels, key f, bell B to the generator. The alarm-bell B would thus be operated, indicating the presence of the danger ahead. The response of the alarm-bell to the danger position would be obtained by a train approaching from either direction, the connections being such that the section of the conductor opposite the siding bears the same electrical relation to the rail E at all points, and it preferably extends the same distance on both sides of the siding. Furthermore, it is evident that if the overhanging car should be be moved back from danger position to one of safety on the siding, the wheels of the car having left the insulated rail E, there would be no electrical communication between the rail and the conductor D, the circuit would remain open, and no alarm rung in the locomotive-cab.

The other feature of my invention (shown in Fig. 2) has relation to a method of indicatin g to the engineer of a train the destruction or dangerous condition of a culvert or bridge. The train apparatus is similar to that already described. In the diagrammatic representation of the apparatus designed to operate for the purpose above stated the section of track from a to b indicates a bridge or similar structure. At each end of the bridge are situated the two contacts H H, electrically connected by the wire L. The contact H in each set is also connected to the conductor D. It would answer equally well to thus connect II instead of H. Pivoted at 0 is alever M, held between contacts H H by'the joint action of the spring a and the cable P. The cable P, crossing the bridge and attached to it, connects the shorter arms of the two lovers and is made as taut as possible'without disturbing tion that any sagging of the bridge will cause the cable P to elevate the longer arm of the lever until it strikes the contact H. With the lever in this position an approaching train upon reaching the section nearest the bridge would be warned of danger by the clos ing of the circuit from the generator through the conductor D, contact H, wire L, contact H, lever L, the track-rails, locomotive-wheels, key It, bell B, and generator. The alarm would therefore be sounded in the engine-cab and the engineer be apprised of the danger ahead. Should the total destruction of the bridge occur or damage sufficient to break the cable P be sustained, the lever M would drop onto contact H. 'In this event the circuit would be closed in the same manner, except that contact. H would be cut out. So long, therefore, as the bridge remains in a safe condition the lever M will remain in its normal position between the contacts H H and no alarm will be sounded in the locomotivecab of an approaching train.

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

1. In a signaling system for railways the combination with the main line having a continuous insulated sectional conductor extending along the track and electrically continuous track rails of a siding, an insulated rail insaid siding, a generator having one terminal constantly connected to said conductor and the other to said rail, and electrical connections attached to said rail, whereby the circuit will not be closed through said rail until a car rests upon it.

2. In a signaling system for railways provided with a continuous sectional conductor extending along the track and electrically continuous track rails, the combination with a generator carried by a train supplying current to said conductor, the circuit being closed through said conductor the rails and the car wheels, of a siding and an insulated rail therein electrically connected to said conductor and adapted to invariably close the circuit when a car on the sidingoverhangs the main track.

3. In a signaling system for railways, the combination with the main line, of acontinuous sectional insulated conductor extending along the track, electrically continuous track rails, a siding having its rails in electrical connection with those of the main track, but having a sectional rail adjacent to the switch point insulated from all other rails, and connected to said conductor, a generatorcarried by a train upon the main line supplying current to the conductor and electrical connections between the siding and main track rails,

whereby a car on the siding resting upon said insulated rail will invariably close the circuit, substantially as set forth.

4. In a signaling system for railways, the combination with the main line, of a continuous sectional insulated conductor extending along the track, electrically continuous track rails, a generator carriedby a train on the main line supplying current to said conductor, a siding, an insulated rail in said siding connected to said conductor and normally opencircuited,and electrical connections between rails of main track and siding whereby a car on the siding overhanging the main track will serve to invariably close the circuit through the insulated rail.

5. In a signaling system for railways provided with an insulated sectional conductor extending along the track, the combination with a generator, one terminal of which is connected to. the track rails and the other to said conductor, of a tell-tale for bridges, culverts and the like, consisting of contacts in sets of two adjacent to each end of the bridge, the contacts being electrically connected with said conductor and normally in open circuit, a pivoted lever for each set of contacts adapted to make connection respectively with either one of said contacts in the set, said levers and contacts being respectively connected to opposite main line terminals, and connections attached to the bridge for operating said levers when the bridge sags or breaks, sub stautially as described.

6. In a signaling system for railways provided with a sectional insulated conductor extending along the track, the combination with a generator on a train supplying current to said conductor, the circuit being closed through said conductor the rails and the car wheels, of a tell-tale for bridges, culverts and the like consisting of a set of normally opencircuited electrical contacts at each end of the bridge, a pivoted lever for each set of contacts, a cable attached to the bridge connecting said levers and holding them between the contacts, said levers and contacts respectively being connected to opposite main line terminals, whereby the sagging or breaking of the bridge will throw said levers and contacts in the main line circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand this 27th day of July, 1894:.

GEORGE E. MILLER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE T, CUNNINGHAM, ERNEST S. WILLIAMS.

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