US550210A - wyokoff - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 1. B. WYCKOFF. RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 19, 1895 AN DREW ESRANAM:FHTW-UTM!4 WASHINGTON. DE.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 2.

B. WYGKOPP.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 550,210. Patented Nov. 19, 1895.

v G "l /3 o j e 7p y x5' gz ze /f J 6 AH2# Z2 l JGS/9 W L@ Y @Wwf/@9% (No Model.) 4 Sheetse-Sheet 3.

. vB. WYCKQPF.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. 110. 550,210. f 125.1551511 Nov. 19, 1895.

ANDREW BLRAHAM. PHUTUUTHUWASNINGI'DKD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Modem B. WYCKOFP.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

oNo. 550,210. Patented No\ f.f19,l1895.

` UNITED STATES f PATENT OFFICE.,

BENJAMIN VYCKOFROF ASBURY PARK, NEV JERSEY.

RAILWAY SIG NALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersvPatent No. 550,210, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed March l 3, l 8 9 5.

.To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WYCKOEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asbury Park, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Apparatus; and I do declare the p 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.

My invention relates to railway signaling apparatus, and more particularly to signal moving or operating mechanism and its novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in section, illustrating a signal of the semaphore type and my improved mechanism for moving the same. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, illustrating two signals of the semaphore type and my improved mechanism for moving such signals on a single tower or upright. Fig. 3 is a View taken at right angles to Fig. 1 with parts broken away or in section.- Fig. et is a diagrammatic view illustrating the normallyopen electric circuit in which the motor for driving the weight-conveyer is arranged, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating'one of the applications of my invention.

In the said drawings, similar numerals and letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views, referring to which- `1 indicates an ordinary signal upright or tower. 2 indicates a signal of the semaphore type, which is connected to the upright or post and has the usual weight 3 at one end, and t indicates the lower stationary receptacle of my improved mechanism for moving the signal. This receptacle 4, which is connected with the upright or post 1, may be of any form and construction suitableto the purposes of my invention; but I prefer in practice to make it of an angular form in cross-section and to slope its bottom 5, which is provided at or adjacent to its forward edge with a dischargespout l6, from its side walls downwardly to its middle and'from its rear wall downwardly to its front wall, as shown in` Figs. 1 and 3, for a Serial No. 541,548. (No model.)

purpose presently to be explained. Said receptacle 4 is designed to contain the movable weight-holder 7, and the said movable weightholder, which has a discharge aperture S in its bottom, as shown, is suitably connected with the rod 9, which extends through an aperture 10 in the stationary weight-holder 11 and through aguide 12 in said holder, and has its upper end connected with the signal 2 by a link 13, as shown. By reason of this construction it will be readily observed that when the weight-holder 7 is caused to move downwardly by tle imposition of a sufficient weight in or on the same, the signal 2 will bemoved to and held in the safety position, shown in Fig. 1, while when the weight is removed from the holder 7 the said signal, by virtue of the weight 3 thereon, will automatically assume the danger position.

A sleeve 14 forms the upper portion of the rod 9, and this sleeve, which has its lower end open, as illustrated, is designed, when in the position shown in Fig. 1, to close the discharge-aperture 10 of the stationary weightholder 11, and is also designed to receive a valve or gate 15,v which when the sleeve is raised is capable of extending through the open end thereof and closing said aperture 10, for a purpose presently set forth.

1G indicates a gate or valve which is arranged in a suitable guide 17 and is designed to close the discharge-opening 8 of the movable weight-holder '7, and 18 indicates the conveyer, which is designed to convey or transfer the weight from the receptacle 4 to the stationary weight-holder 11. This conveyer 1S is preferably in the form of a wheel, which is fixed on a rotary shaft 19, and by preference it comprises a suitable hub 20, spokes 21, and a circular portion 22, which is connected to the outer ends of the spokes, and is provided in its inner side with a plurality of pockets 23, as illustrated. The said portion 22 of the wheel 18 is designed to move in the stationary circular trough 24., which is connected to the discharge-spout 6 of the receptacle 4., and has a portion of its bottom removed above the holder 11, as indicated by 25 in Fig. 2, and the pockets 23 of said conveyer portion 22 and the discharge-spout 6 of the receptacle 4. are preferably of about the proportional width or diameter illustrated in ICO Fig. o with respect to the diameter of the weight-globules,for a purpose which will presently appear.

26 indicates t-he weight employed in my improved mechanism. This weight may be any suitable material, which is divided into a number of separate particles or is capable of being so divided; but I prefer in practice to form it of shot Aor metallic globules, as I have found them to be well adapted for the purpose. These shot or metallic globules in practice should be of a size slightly smaller than the spout G of the receptacle 4, so that they will pass one by one from said receptacle and will not be liable to choke the spout (i or the conveyer-wheel 1S, or in any wayimpede the movement of the latter, and a number of such shot or metallic globules sufficient to overcome the weight 3 of the signal should be employed, as is obvious.

In the practice of my invention, when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the weight 2G in the holder 7 will, through the medium of the mechanism described., hold the signal 2 in the safety position. Now,when itis desired to have the signal move to the danger position it is simply necessary to raise the gate or valve lo, so to open the dischargeaperture S, when the shot will pass out of the holder 7, and in consequence the weight 3 on the signal 2 will be enabled to raise the holder 7 and cause the signal to asf sume the danger position. The conveyor 18, which may be rotated by any suitable means, is designed to receive the shot or weight particles from the receptacle 4 and convey or transfer them to the uppermost point of the trough 24, from` whence they are discharged through the opening 25 into the stationary weight-holder 11,. lhey are held in this holder 11 and the signal is permitted to remain in the danger position until the gate or valve 15 is raised, when they will pass through the aperture 10 to the movable holder 7 and will depress said holder 7, and in consequence will move the signal to and hold it in the safety7 position.

As the weight 2G is made up of a number. of separate and small particles which the conveyer 18 is adapted to receive and elevate in small portions or piecemeal1 as it were, andas there is no necessity for a. quick transfer of the weight from the receptacle 4 to the holder 11, it will be appreciated that but little power will be necessary to rotate or drive the said conveyor. For such purpose I prefer to employ a suitable electric motor 30, which is designed to rotate the shaft 19of the conveyor, and is preferably arranged as better. shown in Fig. 1. This motor 30 may be arranged in an electric circuit in common with a number of motors for rotating the conveyers of a plurality of signal-moving mechanisms anda dynamo or other generator, but I prefer in practice, as but little power is necessary,to arrange it together with alow-power battery or other generator 31 in a normallyopen circuit, (see Fig. 4,) formed by the wires 32 and 33, the contact-plate 34, arranged on the bottom of the receptacle 4, a contact-plate 35, connected to the bottom of said receptacle 4 and the wire 36. rlhe plate 35 is made of resilient metal or is arranged on acoiled spring, (not illustrated,) so that it will normally rest away from the plate 34, as shown, and it lis so arranged with respect to the aperture 8 in the bottom of the receptacle 7 that when the shot or globules are discharged from said re ceptacle they will fall upon it, and forcing it into contact with the plate 34 will close the electric circuit and set the motor in motion so as to rotate the conveyer 18. rlhe electrical circuit will remain closed so long as the weight of any of the globules is imposed on the plate 35, and it will therefore be seen that the conveycr-wheel will be enabled to elevate all the globules that are discharged from the holder 7. When the last globule has passed off of the plate 35 and through the spout l5, said plate will move away from the plate 34 toopenor break the electrical circuit, and

thus save the electrical energy which would be expended to, no purpose when there is nothing for the conveyer to elevate.

The valves or gates 1.5.16 of my improved signal moving or controlling mechanism are easily moved, and they therefore maybe controlled through the medium of armature-lcvers 37 38 and electromagnets 30 and 40, arranged in a suitable electric circuit or circuits. The armature-lever 37 extends through a slot in the sleeve 14 of the rod 9 and is connected to the gate or valve 1.5, and is provided near its connected end with` a weight 41, design ed to assist the downward movement of the gate or valve 15 when the magnet 3.() is demag netized, while the armature-lever 38, which is connected at one end` with the gate or valve 1G, is provided at its opposite end with a weight 4.2, calculated to raise the gate or valve 16 when the magnet 40 is demagnetized. Thus it will be seen that when the magnet 40 is (le-energized or demagnetized the gate or valve 1G will be automatically opened so as to permit the shot to escape and permit the signal to assume the danger position, while when the magnet 39 is demagnctizcd` the gate or valve 15 will automatically assume a closed position, so aste hold the shot raised by the conveyer in the holder-11 and permit the signalto remain in the danger position. This movement of the signal to the danger posi tion, when the electro-magnets are deenergized or dcmagnetized, is highly desirable for the reason that in ease of the electric circuit or circuits being casually opened or interrupted the signal will assume the danger position and willl at once announce the interruption or break in the circuits, and will prevent an accident from occurring before the break or interruption is repaired.

My improved signal-moving mechanism is designed more especially to form part of electrically-actuated block-si gnal ing apparatus,

IOO

IIO

and when so used I prefer to mount two signals, one a danger-signal and the other a cautionary-signal, and two signal-moving mechanisms, such as described, uponva single tower or post, as shown in Fig. 2, for a purpose which will be presently understood.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings, in which I have illustrated an improved electricallyactuated block-signaling apparatus in which my improvements may be employed, 50, 5l, and 52 indicate three blocks or sections of track, each of which may be of any desired length-say' a mile, more or less. The ends of the sections or blocks are to be insulated, as shown, and the successive rails in each line between insulated points are to be electrically connected in any suitable way--as, for example, is done in the well-known Robinson closed-track-circuit system; also the opposite lines of rails of each section are connected by wires ad at or near one end with a suitable batteryb, and by wires c c at or near the other end with an electromagnet, and I'have shown one of such man gets to each track-circuit and have lettered them d, CZ, and d2. This also is common in the Robinson system referred to, but instead of using these magnets to actuate or move signals I employ them as relays. The method of short-circuiting such track-circuits by the connection through wheels and axle from 'rail to rail is so well known that further description is unnecessary.

I prefer in practice to so organize the apparatus embodying my invention that when a train enters on each block or section the signals of each block or section will be moved to danger and will remain in such position so long as the train remains on the block, while the cautionary-signal of the section or block `danger-signals are lettered e e.'

in rear of the section or block on which the train has entered will be retained in the danger position, so as to announce thata train is on the block or section in advance. To this end I proceed in the erection and application of my improved apparatus to erect on one side of the track at the entrance end of each block or section a tower or upright on which two signals and two of my improved signal-moving mechanisms are mounted, as shown in Fig. 2, and for the sake of clearness I will refer to the upper signals on the towers as danger-signals, and to the lower signals as cautionarysignals, and will designate the three mechanisms for moving the danger-signals by the letters A A A2, and the three mechanisms for moving the cautionary-signals by the letters B B B2. The mechanisms for moving the danger and cautionary signals are precisely alike, with the exception that the armature-levers 37 of the mechanisms for moving the danger-signals are alone connected. by wires t with the batteries u and the ground, and said mechanisms for moving the dangersignals are alone provided with circuit-closers, that of the first danger-signal being lettered e, while those of the two succeeding These circuit-closers, respectively, comprise a section f, which is carried by the'rod 9 of the signalmoving mechanism and a stationary section g, and said sections are so arranged that they will be separated when the danger-signals are in their safety position and will'be brought into engagement by the movement of the signal-operating mechanisms in moving the danger-signals to the danger position.

The sections f g of the circuit-closers are made of such a size that they will contact during the first portion of the movement of the danger-signals to the safety position, for a purpose presently describe The armature and contact-point of the relayd are connected by wires hand z', respectively, with a battery D and with the magnet 40 of the mechanism B, which operates the cautionary-signal, and with the electricallyconnected magnets 39 40 of the mechanism A, which operates the danger-signal at the commencement of the first section. The circuit-closer e, which, as stated, is normally open, is connected by the wires j k with the contact c above the armature-lever 37 'of mechanism A, and with the electromagnet 39 of the cautionary-signal-operating mechanism of the preceding block or section and the ground. The circuit-closer e of the mechanism Al is connected by wires j k with the contact c above the armature -lever 37 of mechanism A', and with the electromagnet 39 of the cautionary-signal-operating mechanism B of the preceding block or section 50 and the ground, while the circuit-closer c2 of the mechanism A2 is connected by wires ,72162 with the contact t above the armature-lever 37 of mechanism A2, and with the electromagnet 39 of the cautionary-signal-operating mechanism B of the preceding block or section 51 and the ground.

Batteries E F are provided for the pairs of signals at the commencement of the sections 51 and 52, and are connected by wires h t', respectively, with the magnets 40 of the mechanisms B B2 and the magnets 39 and 40 of the mechanisms A A2, as shown.

In operation the entrance of a train upon the first section 50 in thexdirection of the arrow short-circuits the current of the battery b through the rails and the wheels and axles of the train, thereby demagnetizing the relay CZ and breaking the current of the local battery D, which, asstated, is through the magnet 40 of mechanism B and the magnets 39 40 of mechanism A by wires h and c'. The resultant release of the armatures of the said magnet 40 of mechanism B and magnets 39 40 of mechanism A effects movement of the signal-operating mechanisms A and B, and causes the danger and cautionary signals to move to their danger position. In this operation the circuit-closer e is closed,l but the irst ground-circuit is not completed, because the armature-lever 37 of mechanism A has,

on account of the'dema'gne'tizing of magnet IOO IIO

39, dropped away i'rom the contact lr, and in consequence the magnet 39 of the cautionarysignal-operating mechanism of the preceding section is demagnetized, so as to hold the said cautionary-signal in the danger position to indicate that a train is on the block ahead. As the train enters section 5l, the iirst result is to short-circuit the battery h of said section, and thereby to demagnetize the relay df, break the circuit of the battery E, and release the armatures of the magnets 40 of the signal-operating mechanism B and the magnets 39 i0 of the signal-operating mechanism A through the wires h and fi, thus causing the cautionary and danger signals of the section 5l, to be moved to their danger posi tion. In moving the danger-si gn al to its danger position the circuit-closer c is closed, but the second ground-circuit is not completed, because the armature 37 of mechanism A' has, on account of the demagnetizing of magnet 39 of said mechanism A', dropped away from the contact yzr, and in consequence the magnet 39 of the cautionary-signal-operating mechanism B of the preceding section 50 will remain demagnetized, so as to perm it the cantionary-signal of said section to remain at danger while a train is on the section 5l. When the last pair of wheels of the train leaves section 50, the upper or danger signal of said section only is cleared, and this is effeeted by restoring the circuit through the battery b of the section 50 and closing the armature oi the relay d, which closes the circuit of the local battery D through the magnets 39 4() of the mechanism A and wires 71/ i', and consequently draws the armatures 37 3S to the magnets 39 i0, (see Fig. 1,) so as to open the aperture l0 of the receptacle 1l to permit the weight to enter the holder 7 and close the aperture 8 of said holder 7, in order to enable it to retain the weight which will draw the danger-signal downto its safety position. The cautionary-signal of section 50 still remains in its danger position, inasmuch as it depends for its clearing upon section 51,011 which the train has just entered being unoccupied, and it, as well as the danger and cautionary signals operated by the mechanism A B' of the section 5l, will remain at danger as long as the train or any portion of it remains on section 5l. Then the last pair of wheels of the train passes off of the section 51, the upper or danger signal of said section alone will be cleared by restoring the circuit through the battery Z) of section 5l and closing the armature of the relay d', which closes the circuit of the local battery E through the magnets 39 i() of the mechanism A' and wires 7L t, and consequently draws the armatures E37 38 of said mechanism to the magnets 39 10, (see Fig. 1,) so as to open the aperture l0 of the receptacle ll to permit the weight to enter the holder 7 and close the aperture S of said holder 7, in order to enable it to retain the weight which will draw the danger-signal down to its safety position. ln order to clear the upper or dan ger-si gn al oi' the section 5l it is necessary, as stated, to energize the magnet 3) of mechanism A. XVhen this is done, the armature-lever 37 of said mechanism A will be moved against the contact r, and the ground-circuit will be completed while the sections f g of the circuit-closer e' are in contact, in consequence of which the current will iiow from one pole of the battery u of section 51 through wire t, armature 37 of mechanism A', contact Iv of said mechanism, wire j', circuit-closer c', wire 7s', electromagnet 39 of mechanism l-S, wire 7n', ground and wire 7a' to the other pole of battery u. This will energize the said magnet 39 of mechanism B, and said magnet will remain energized so long as the scctionsf g of circuitcloser c are in contact, so as to permit the weight to flow from holder ll into holder 7, and thus lower the cautionary-signal ot the section 50. By reason of the contact of the sections f g of circuit-closer c being a sliding one, the magnet 39 of mechanism B will be energized sufficiently long to permit weight to escape from holder l1 to holder 7, so as to lower the cautionary-signal to safety. In this way it will be seen that the danger-signal of one section and the cautionary-signal ofthe preceding section will be simultaneously cleared, which is a desideratum. The danger and cautionary signals of section 52 are similarly set when the train enters said section, and the danger-signal of section 5:2 and the cautionary-signal ci. section 5l are cleared when the train passes oit of the section 52, such successive setting and clearing' of signals being automatically eiteeted by the movement of the train as it passes from scction to section, successively, throughout the line or road. The rear of the train is thus protected by a cautionary-signal at the commencement of the section in rear of that over which the train is passing and by a cautionary and a danger signal at the commencement `of the section which it occupies, and the engineer of a following train is made aware whether one section or a greater distance intervenes between his train and a train in advance.

The mechanism ior moving each cautionary-signal is operated in two ways: iirst, by the breaking or opening of the circuit in which the local battery is arranged, and, second, by reason of the dan ger-sign al of the n ext section in advance being moved to safety by it-s operating mechanism.

As before stated, my improved system just described is but one of many electrically-actuated signaling systems in which my improvements may be employed,and I therefore do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to using said improvements in any particular system. l also do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to controlling the signal-moving mechanism by electromagnets arranged in an electric circuit or circuits, and I further do not desire to limit m yself: to using IOO IIO

the mechanism in conjunction with semaphore-signals, as it may, with slight modifications, be used to move signals of other descriptions as Well as other devices which it is desired to move.

It will be observed from the foregoing description, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, that my improved signal-moving mechanism is very simple and durable, and it will also be observed that a block-signaling system, such as described, embodying my improvements, may be set up at comparatively slight cost, as there are no connections other than the circuit-wires necessary between the signal-operating mechanisms of the several traclcsections, and that such a signal system may be maintained at a comparatively small expense, which is a desideratum. lt will be further observed that in my improved system I use only one wire to connect the danger-sig nal-operating mechanism of one section with the cautionary-signal-operating mechanism of the preceding section, whereby it is impossible for a foreign wire or lightning to affect the danger-signals, and there is little likelihood of them affecting the cautionary-signals.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination of a movable device or body such as a semaphore, a reciprocatory weight holder connected and adapted to move therewith and having a discharge small in size in comparison to the size of the holder, a stationary weight holder having a discharge, a weight adapted when imposed upon the movable weight holder to move the movable device or body and hold it in one position; the said weight being made up of a number of separate particles of such a weight that a plurality of them are necessary to move and hold the movable device or body and of such a size in proportion to the size of the discharge in the movable Weight holder that the aggregate weight can only escape gradually through said discharge, means for controlling the discharges of the movable and stationary weight holders, and a movable conveyer adapted While in motion to receive the weight in portions when it isV discharged from the movable weight holder and convey or transfer it in portions or piecemeal to the stationary weight holder, by reason of which said conveyer may be moved with but little power, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a movable device, a weight made up of a number of separate particles, a reciprocatory movable weight holder connected with the movable device and having a discharge, a stationary weight holder having a discharge, valves or gates controlling the discharges of the movable and stationary weight holder, and a rotary conveyer adapted to receive the weight in portions when it is discharged from the movable weight holder and convey or transfer it in portions or piecemeal to the stationary weight holder, Substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

.3. The `combination of a movable device, a weight made up of a number of separate particles, a movable weight holder connected and adapted to move with the said device and adapted to carry the weight and having a discharge which will prevent the entire weight from escaping at once and will permit it to escape in portions or piece-meal only, a stationary weight holder having a discharge, movable gates for closing the discharges of the movable and stationary weight-holders, a conveyer adapted to receive the weight in portions when it is discharged from the movable weight holder and convey or transfer it in portions or piecemeal to the stationary weight holder, a motor for driving the conveyer arranged with an electric-generator in a normally open electrical circuit, and means for automatically closing or completing the said electric circuit when the weight is discharged from the movable weight holder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of a movable device, a movable weight holder connected and adapted to move with said device, and having a discharge, a weight made up of a number of separate particles adapted to be carried by the movable weight holder, a stationary weight holder arranged above the movable holder and having a discharge, valves or gates for closing the discharge of the movable and stationary weight holders, a circular trough 24, surrounding the stationary and movable holders and communicating with the discharge of the movable holder and having a portion of its transverse wall removed above the stationary holder, and a Wheel conveyer mounted on a shaft and having a circular portion arranged and adapted to move in the trough 24:, and provided in its inner side with pockets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a movable device, a movable weight holder connected and adapted to move with said device and having a discharge, a stationary weight holder having a discharge, a weight made up of a number of particles and adapted when imposed on the movable weight holderto move said holder and the device connected therewith and hold them in one position, valves or gates for closing the discharges of the movable and stationary weight holders, a conveyer adapted to receive the weight when it is discharged from the movable weight holder and convey or transfer it to the stationary weight holder, an electric motor for driving the conveyer, a contact 34, arranged in an electric circuit with the electric motor and a suitable electric-generator, a contact 35, also arranged in circuit with the motor and generator; said contact 35, being adapted to normally rest away from the contact 34, and being so arranged with respect to the discharge of the movable weight holder that it will be pressed into contact with the contact 34E, by the weight as it is discharged from said holder so as to close the IOO IIO

electric circuit and set the motor and weight conveyer in motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 1

them in one positiomvalves or gates for closing the discharges of the movableand stationary weight holders, electro-magnets arranged in normally closed circuits, an armature lever having one of its ends connected with the gate or valve of the movable weight holder and its opposite end weighted and arranged under the iniiuence of one oi' the electro-mag nets, an armature connected with the gate or valve of the stationary weight holder and arranged under the influence of the ot-her elecw tro-magnet, a conveyer adapted to receive the weight when it is discharged from the movable weightholder and convey or transfer it to the stationary weight holder, an electric-motor for driving the, conveyer, a contact 3l, arranged in an electric circuit with the electric motor and a suitable electric generator, and a contact 35, also arranged in circuit with the motor and generator; said contact 35, being adapted to normally rest away from the contact 3l, and being so arranged with respect to the discharge of the movable weight holder that it will be pressed into contact with the contact 34-, by the `weight as it is discharged from said holder so as to close the electric circuit and set the motor and weight conveyer in motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of a receptacle having a discharge, a holder l1, arrangedabove said receptacle, a stationary circular troughQL/i, surrounding the receptacle and holder and communicating with the discharge of the receptacle and having a portion of its transverse wall removed above the holder, and a wheel conveyer mounted on a shaft and having a circular portion arranged and adapted to move in the trough 24, and provided in its inner side with pockets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of a movable device, a movable weight holder having a discharge, a valve for closing said discharge, a stationary weight holder arranged between the movable holder and the movable device and having a discharge, a rod connecting the movable weight holder and the movable device and extending through the discharge of the stationary weight holder, and having a tulnllar upper portion adapted to close the discharge of the stationary weight `holder and having its lower end open, ,a gate or valve arranged in the tubular portioniof the rod and adapted to close the discharge of the stationary weight holder when the. said rod is raised, a weight made up of a number of particles, adapted when imposed on the movable weight holder to move said holder and the movable device downwardly, and a conveyer adapted to receive the weight when it is discharged lrom the movable holder and convey it to the sta tionary holder, substantially as specified.

9. In a signaling apparatus the combination of a plurality of track blocks orscctions insulated from each other, a danger and a cautionary signal located on the line of each of the t-rack blocks or sections, a signal operating mechanism connected with and adapted to operate each of the signals, a circuit closer connected with each dangerfsignal operating mechanism, electric circuits connecting each cautionary signal operating mechanism with the circuit closer of the danger signal operating mechanism located' in the next block or section in advance, and electric circuits connecting each danger and cautionary signal operating mechanism with a track circuit, a relay and a local battery, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

l0. In a signaling apparatus, the combination of aplurality of track'blocks or sections insulated from cach other, a danger and a cautionary signal located on the line oil each of the blocks or sections, a signal operating `mechanism connected with andadapted to operate each of the signals, an electro-magnet 39, connected with each danger signal operating mechanism," an armature 37, arranged under the influence of each electromagnet, a circuiti-closer connected with each danger signal operatingmechanism, contacts o, designedto be engaged by the armatures 37, of eachdan ger signal operating mechanism,` electric circuits connecting each cautionary signal operating mechanism with the circuit closer, contact fu, and armature 37, of the danger-signal operating mechanism located in the next block o1' section in advance,

`and electric circuits connecting each danger and cautionary signal operatingmechanism `with a track circuit, a relay and a local batj tery, substantially as and for the purpose set forth In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lVitnesses:

`Isaac C. KENNEDY,

T. FRANK APPLEBY.

IOO

Images