US617139A - Electric block system for railways - Google Patents

Description

No. 6|7,|39. Patented Jan. 3, I899. H. BALUSS, In. ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FDR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Dec. 31, 1897.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 617,139, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed December 31, 1897. Serial No 664,970. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAMILTON BALUSS, Jr. a citizen of the United States, residing at WVayne, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Electric Block System for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a block system for railways especially designed for overhead electric railways or trolley-lines, although, as shall be hereinafter specified, the system of signaling embodied in my invention may be applied to other kinds of railways.

The object of my invention is to provide a block system embodying an improved arrangement of trolley-wires at and adjacent in both directions to a station, (which may be a switch, a turnout, or the end of ablock,) there being a section of detached insulated trolley-wire in advance of each station extending thereto and a second section of similar detached insulated trolley-wire leading from the station, the length of each detached insulated section being sufficient to prevent a car or train moving under its whole length without current and all of these detached sections being in line with and in continuation of the main line of trolley-wire, so that a trolley will ride naturally from the main line upon one of the sections or from a section upon the main line, current-controlling mechanism being provided operated by the car or train, whereby upon leaving a station and while upon a live detached section the car will operate a circuit-controller, which will close a line-battery circuit and through the medium of a relay will close a local-battery circuit, which will operate a signal apparatus to show a danger-signal at the next station, the same apparatus by the same movement disconnecting the main trolleywire, whereby the current therefrom will be cut off from the first detached section of insulated trolley-wire, so that no current would pass through it to another car or train approaching from the opposite direction. An-

other circuit-controlling mechanism in my system is operated by the car as it leaves the second section of detached trolley-wire, and this closes the local-battery circuit, operating a signal apparatus at the station j ustle'ft, d isplaying a danger-signal, and cutting off the maintrolley-circuit from the detached section of trolley-wire which has just been used.

A third circuit-controlling apparatus is operated by the car just before it reaches the first detached section of trolley-wire of the next station, the result of which is to close the local-battery circuit of this station, whereby the signal is changed to safety and the main trolley-wire connected to the first detached section of trolley-wire of the second station, under which the car is about to pass' A fourth circuit-controlling apparatus is operated by the car while upon this detached section of trolley-wire just before itreaches the station, which closes the line-battery circuit through a relay, which closes the localbattery circuit at the first station, thereby operating the signaling apparatus at the first station to show safety and to connect the main trolley-wire with the second detached section of insulated trolley-wire at the first station, thereby supplying it with current.

With this object in view my invention con sists in the improved system of construction and arrangement of trolley-wires and the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts of the circuit-controlling devices and their operating mechanism, hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims. In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains. to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being bad to the accompanyin g drawings, and the letters and numerals of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the operation of my improved system. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the signal-box. Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional View through the signal-box on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking upward. Fig. at is a detail perspective View of the circuitbreaking disk and signal-target. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the switch mechan ism to be operated by the spreader on the trolley-pole. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of the same on a plane at right angles to the trolley-wire with the parts in their normal positions. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sec tional view on the same plane, the parts being shown with the spreader in action and the circuit closed. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the trolley-wires at a switch.

Like numerals and letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur throughout the various figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings the stations hereinbefore referred to are illustrated as turnout-switches, and they will be so described in this specification; but I desire it to be understood that my invention may be applied where these stations would represent switches, crossings, the ends of blocks, and places where it is desired to display signals and open or close circuits.

Referring now to Fig. 1, A indicates the main trolley-wire, through which the current is supplied from any suitable generator. At each station the wire A is turned aside and conducted for any suitable or given distance on each side of a station to one side of and parallel with the direction the main line would take if uninterrupted, as at A and A and when a turnout is used the wire for fur nishing current to a car moving in the turnout is connected to the turned-aside portions A, as seen at A Figs. 1 and 9. The break in the main line at and on each side of each station formed by this turning aside of the main wire A is filled in by two sections B" B and O O of detached insulated trolley-wire, lying in the main line, insulated from each other and from the main wire, but arranged to permit the trolley-wheel or other currentcollector to pass uninterruptedly from wire A to either of these sections, or vice versa. The stations shown in Fig. 1 are indicated as turnouts B and O, and a description of one of them and of the lines and mechanism from it to the other will be sufficient to explain the construction of the whole road, as those parts are simply multiplied in number, according to the length of the road, and are unchanged in construction or operation.

To carry out the hereinbefore-expressed object of my invention, I provide in each section or block of road four current-controllers or contact-switches, those marked D, E, F, and G being arranged preceding and succeeding the station B, D and E being at the left and F and G at the right, while those marked D, E, F, and G bear the same relation to station 0, the controllers of each station being arranged to bring D at the point where the trolley-wheel will pass from the main wire A to the detached section B, the controller E at a point where the car will operate it while under the section B and just as it is about to pass to the turnout, the controller F at a corresponding point with relation to the opposite end of the turnout and the section 13*, and the controller G in position to be operated by the car just after its trolley has passed from the section B to the main trolleywire A.

The switches or current-controllers are all alike and are illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 to 9 of the drawings. Their construction and operation will be specifically set forth hereinafter, as will the construction and operation of the signal apparatus, which are also duplicates and are illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

In Fig. l I is a line-battery circuit passing through a relay 1 and grounded at 1 This relay operates to close a normally open localbattery circuit J, operating an electromagnet J, and the line-battery circuit is controlled by a switch or controller on the trolley-line to the left of the parts thereof illustrated in Fig. 1, the result of its operation when the car actuates it being to close the local-battery circuit J, thus energizing the electromagnet J and causing it to operate the signaling apparatus J 2 to show the danger-signal and open the circuit from the main trolleywire A through the wires J and J to the insulated detached section B of trolley-wire. This is the normal condition when a car traveling to the right reaches the controller or switch D and operates it, which has the effect of closing the local-battery circuit J, energizing the signal apparatus J, and closing the circuit from the main trolley-wire A, wire J and wire J 4 to the detached insulated section B, thus supplying that section of wire with the main current and permitting the car to pass under it. As the car passes to and the trolley operates the controller E the action, through a line-battery circuit K, will be the same as will occur when the trolley operates the controller E, as will be fully described hereinafter. The continued movement of the car causes the controller F to be operated just as the trolley leaves the switch B, while passing under the section B such operation closing a line-battery circuit L through a relay L, which in turn closes a 10- cal-battery circuit N, energizing an electromagnet N to actuate a signal apparatus N? to display a danger-signal and cutting off the circuit from the main trolley-wire A and the wires N and N through the detached section 0 and depriving that section of current. As soon as the trolley passes from the detached section B upon the main wire A it operates the controller G, which closes the local-battery circuit M through the wires G and G and energizes the electromagnet M, operating the signal apparatus M to display a dangersignal and disconnecting the main trolleywire A (through the wires J 3 and M from the detached insulated section B so that said section is dead or deprived of current.

From the foregoing description the opera tion of all the mechanism of a complete railway equipped with my system will be read- .ily understood, inasmuch as each succeeding block of the road is but a duplicate of that IIO described, each controller being placed in the same relative position, connected up in the same manner, and capable of the same function in every section or block of the road.

Stated briefly, the results of the operation of my system are as follows: The normal condition of all the parts of my system is to have all signal apparatus showing safety-signals and all of the detached insulated sections connected with the main trolley-wire and supplied with current, and a car or train starting out will, we will say, first operate the controller F. The operation of this controller will first show a danger-signal at N being at the next station, as O, which will warn the motorman of a car coming in the opposite direction that a car is between stations B and O. For fear that the motorman may fail to observe this signal, may misinterpret it by reason of color-blindness, or may fail to obey the signal, my system goes further, and the same action of the signal apparatus N breaks a connection and disconnects the detached section C from the main trolley-wire A,which is the only source of current for the detached sections, thus interposing a stretch of dead trolley-wire between the two cars, compelling the car approaching from the right to stop. If by the momentum of the car coming from the right it passes under the dead trolley, it can be backed by shifting the trolley to the turned-aside section A of the main trolleywire A and run upon the turnout by running the trolley upon the wire A over the turnout, which is a live wire, being permanently connectedto the wire A. Thus it is rendered absolutely impossible to have a head-on collision, except by failure of the mechanism to work or by deliberate intent and action of the motorman. All of this having been the result of the operation of the controller F the car passes on its course off the detached section B and operates the controller G, with the result that the local-battery circuit M is closed, energizing the magnet M and operating the signal apparatus M to show danger to a car following on the same track, thus notifying a car coming from the left that there is a car on the section or block of the road between stations 13 and O. For the reasons before given my system by the same action of the controller G also renders it impossible for the following car to pass under the detached section B by disconnecting it from the main wire A, leaving it dead or without current. Thus a rear-end collision is rendered impossible, and if necessary the following car can move onto the turnout by shifting its trolley to section A of the wire A and using section A connected therewith, as before stated.

The car is now on the main track between sage the car reaches the controller D just before the trolley is to pass onto the detached section 0 at a given distance from station 0. The action of the controller F having killed or deprived this section of current, it becomes necessary to connect it up with the main wire A before the car can move under it. This is accomplished when the car operates the controller D, which closes the local-battery circuit N, energizing the magnet N and causing it to operate the signal apparatus N to show safety and connecting up the section 0 with the wire A, so that it is again alive or supplied with current, enabling the car to pass along under it. Then the car has reached the controller E, the block or section is about to be cleared, and the ac wire A, so that it is again alive or supplied with current to enable any following car to pass under it. i

A car passing over the road finds all signals normally at safety and all detached sections of trolley-wire alive, and by reason of the arrangement of my system leaves them in the same normal positions and conditions when it has passed beyond the next succeeding station.

All of the line-battery circuits are properly grounded, as shown at l K L O P R in Fig. 1.

It will be readily understood that acar passing from right to left will operate the controllers in reverse order, but with precisely the same results.

It will be further understood that in the operation of my system I need not confine myself to the use of any particular form of electromagnets, relays, controllers, or signal- Referring to Figs. '5, 6, 7, and 8, A indicates the main trolley-wire suspended from hangers 10 and 11, depending from rods 12 and 13, lying above and at right angles to the wire A. These rods 12 and 13 are connected together by end rods 14 and 15, forming a a rectangular frame which is connected by wires 16 and 17 to poles or other supports, (not shown,) by means of which it is supported at a proper distance above wire A. The insulators 18 and 19 are interposed between the rods 12 and 13 and the trolley-wirehangers 10 and 11. A cross-rod 20 is mounted in brackets 21, secured to the rods 12 and 13, and from this cross-rod depend two arms 22, which are provided with horizontal lower ends 23, connected to the main bodyby insulators 24, from which extend braces to the end rod 14. Brackets 26 depend from the rods 12 and 13 and support a hood or sleet-box 27, which is rigidly held in position by means of braces 28, secured to its outer side at their lower ends and to the end rod 15 at their upper ends. Pivotally mounted in the ends of the sleet-box is a rock-shaft 29, upon which is secured arms 30, to the lower end of which is attached a plate or strip 31, of metal, having its outer ends curved outward, as at 32, a similar plate or strip 34 being secured to the outer end of the horizontal portions 23 of arms 22, said strip also having its ends 35 curved outward. The central portion of the arms 26 is formed of insulated material, as at 36. A binding-screw 37 inside the box secures a wire D to a contact-plate 39, said contact-plate being mounted on insulating material 40, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7. A contactspring 41 is normally held away from the plate 39 and is secured by a binding-screw 42,which also secures a wire D said binding-screw passing through an insulator 44. Slots 45 are formed in the upper ends of the arms 30, in which engage pins 46, around which are coiled springs 47 to normally hold the arm 30 in a position to cause a pin 48 to press against the contact-spring 41 and hold it out of engagement with the contact-plate 39, thereby holding the circuit, of which the wires D and D the contact-plate 39, and the contact-spring 41 are a part, normally broken. 38 indicates the trolley-wheel, and 43 the trolley-pole. Spreaders 49 are secured to the pole below the wheel and in line with the space between the two plates orstrips of metal 31 and 34. When the trolley wheel and pole are carried along by the car with the wheel in contact with the main trolleywire A, the spreader-s 49 will pass between the outwardly- curved ends 32 and 35 of the plates or strips 31 and 34, and the spreaders being wider than the space between the strips and the strip 34 being stationary the strip 31 will be moved laterally with relation to the trolley pole and wire, which movement will carry the upper end of the rod 30 in the opposite direction against the action of the spring 47, carrying the pin 48 with it, and 'thus permitting the spring 41 by virtue of its own resiliency to contact with the plate 39 and complete the circuit through the wires D and D As before described with relation to Fig. 1, the wires D and D form part of a local-battery circuit, by means of which the electromagnets J are energized and caused to attract the armature 50 of the signal apparatus J thereby permitting the disk 51 to be rotated by means of any desired motor, such as clockwork. (Not shown.)

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, 52 indi-' cates a box of any desired shape adapted to be secured upon any suitable signal-post to 58, having downwardly-depending frames 59,

in which are secured pieces of mica or other transparent material 60. Projecting inside of the box from its side, parallel with and above the bracket 54, is a bracket 61, made of insulating material, provided with a central opening for the passage of the post 56 and formed at its outer end into a lamp-shelf 62, upon which to place a lamp in position to have the rays of light therefrom pass through the transparent mica pieces 60 and the panes 53 when in proper position. The contact-disk 51 is mounted on the upright or post 56 and, as before stated, is propelled in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 by means of any suitablemotor. (Notillustrated) Thearmature 50 heretofore mentioned is secured upon a pivoted arm 63, to which is attached an escapement-bar 64 by means of an insulator 65. The outer end of the escapement-bar 64 is at a sufficient distance from the disk 51. to permit a double series of pins 66 and 67 to pass over it, and its extreme end is bent upward toward the disk. The disk is composed of metal, except two segmental pieces 68 and 69, set in opposite sides of its periphery, each occupying in the application of my invention.

here illustrated about one-fourth of the circumference of the disk, although the number of inserted insulating-segments may be in-.

creased at will, according to circumstances. A brush 70 normally bears against the periphery of the disk and is connected to but insulated from the interior of the signal-box. The wire J is connected to the brush byasuitable binding-screw, and the wire J 4 enters the box and is connected to the bracket 54 by a suitable binding-screw. When, as hereinbefore explained,a magnet J is energized by closing the local-battery circuit J, it attracts the armature 50 and draws the escapement-bar 64, with said armature, toward the magnet. The end of the escapement-bar in its normal position being in front of a pin 66, when the armature is attracted by the magnet and the escapement bar drawn into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 the end will no longer rest under the pin 66, but will pass over the pin 67, leaving the pin 66 free and no longer an impediment to the turning of the contact-disk 51 by means of its motor. The disk will be turned, and if the circuit is held closed sufiiciently long the next pin 67, when the disk is carried around, will come in contact with the outer bent end of the escapement-bar 64, and thus stop the rotation of the disk. The disk 51, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is shown with one of the insulatingsegments in contact with the brush 70,and as a consequence the circuit is disconnected; but when the quarter-turn of the disk has taken place, as just hereinbefore described, the brush will rest in contact with the metal portion of the disk, which will complete the circuit through wire J brush 70, disk 51, post 56, bracket 54, and wire J*. This circuit, as hereinbefore described, extends from the main trolley-wire A to the detached insulated section B of the trolleywire.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 4 that the rack 58, carrying the mica or other transparent panes in the frame 59, is so adjusted on the post 50 as to bring these. panes immediately over the metallic portions of the disk 51. By virtue of this arrangement when the brush 70 is in contact with the metallic portion of the disk the mica or other panes, which are transparent, or nearly so, and are colored red to indicate danger, are removed to positions at right angles to those of the panes 53, which are white or of clear glass to indicate safety. \Vhen, however, the disk has been operated so as to bring the brush 70 into contact with one of the insulating-segments of the disk 51, the danger-signal panes 60 will hang between the lamp and the clear panes 53, thus showing a red light in both directions.

hen the local-battery circuit J is broken, the electromagnet J will release the escapement-bar 64:, when the spring 71 will draw the escapement-bar into the position shown in Fig. 3, a stop-bracket 72 preventing its further movement in that direction, the position thus normallyassumed being the proper one to hold the disk 51 against being turned by its motor until the local-battery circuitJ is again closed by the operation of the circuit-controller E, thereby again energizing the electromagnet J and drawing the escapement-bar into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and permitting the disk 51 to be turned one step until the next pin 60 comes in contact with the escapement-bar.

From the foregoing description the construction and operation of my system and the particular circuit-controllers and signal apparatus preferred by me will be readily understood, and the advantages attending the use of my system will be obvious. As before stated, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself strictly to the exact construction and arrangement of devices herein described and shown for operating my system, but hold that any slight changes or variations, either in the construction or arrangement of the various parts, such as might be suggested to the ordinary mechanic or electrician, will properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.-

Having thus fully described my system and the improved means for carrying it into operation, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. A system comprising a railway provided with a trolley-wire for supplying current thereto, a plurality of stations at which the trolley-wire is bent aside and run parallel with the main line, two insulated sections of detached trolley-wire occupying the gap in the main line made by turning the main wire' aside, a switch at one station operated by a moving car for disconnecting. the current from a detached section in advance of a car, and a switch operated by a passing car to disconnect the current from a detached section at a station in the rear of the car, substantially as set forth.

2. An electric-railway system comprising a trolley-line composed of portions of the main trolley-wire and detached sections of trolleywire in advance of and in the rear of a series of stations, and asystem of circuit-controllers comprising one in position to be operated by the trolley while upon a detached section and leaving a station to disconnect the current from a detached section at the next station in advance of the car, and a second to cut off the current from the detached section which the trolley has left, substantially as set forth.

3. An electric-railway system comprising a trolley-line composed of portions of the main trolley-wire and detached sections of a trolleywire in advance of andin the rear of a series of stations, and asystem of circuit-controllers comprising one in position to be operated by the trolley while upon a detached section and leaving a station to disconnect the current from a detached section at the next station in advance of a car, a second to cutoff the current from the detached section which the trolley has left, one to be operated by the car just before reaching the detached section of Wire at the station in advance to restore the current to the detached section the car is approaching, and one to be operated by the car while under this detached section to restore the current to the detached section at the station from which the car started, substantially as set forth.

4:- A block-signaling system for railways comprising duplicate signal apparatus at each station adapted to be operated by the closing of normally open line and local-battery circuits, in combination with circuit-controllers, as follows, viz. one to be operated by a car leaving a station to cause a danger-signal to be displayed at the next station, a second to cause a danger-signal to be displayed at the station the car is leaving, one to change the danger-signal at the advance station to safety, and a fourth to change the danger-signal at the rear station to safety, substantially as set forth.

5. A block system for electric railways comprising a series of stations, a trolley-line consisting of a main wire between stations, interrupted by a detached wire in the main line before and after each station, signaling apparatus and switches at each station, and a series of four circuit-controllers in each block, the first actuating the signaling apparatus to deaden a section of wire at the advance station and display there a danger-signal, the second to deaden a section of wire at the rear station and display there a dangersigual, the third to connect up the dead section at the advance station and change the signal to safety, and the fourth to connect up the dead section at the rear station and change its signal to safety, substantially as set forth.

6. A system of trolley-wires for an electric railway comprising a main trolley-wire turned out of line at intervals and run parallel with the line at one side thereof, two detached sections of wire in the main line filling the gap made by turning the main wire aside, a loop connected at each end with the main wire and mounted over a turnout, and two branches one connected to each detached section and mounted over the turnout parallel with the loop from the main wire, insulated from it and from each other, substantially as set forth.

7. A circuit-controlling apparatus for electric railways comprising a skeleton frame, insulated hangers therefrom, the trolley-wire carried on said hangers, braced arms depending from the frame, a plate or strip of metal carried by the arms on one side of the wire and insulated from the framework, a sleet boX or hood suspended from the frame on the other side of the wire, a switch therein normally open, an arm pivoted in the sleet-box and adapted to close the circuit at the switch, a strip or plate of metal carried by the sleetbox arm and normally held at a short distance from the plate on the other side of the wire and a spreader on the trolley-pole adapted to pass between the two plates and move the pairs of pins projecting from the face of the disk arranged in two concentric circles, the pins of the two circles being equal in number but slightly out of true radial lines, an escapement-bar carrying an armature and engaging the pins as the disk is rotated, an electromagnet in a local-battery circuit for attracting the armature and operating the es- 6o capement-bar, a spring for normally holding the armature away from the electromagnet, and a bracket for limiting its movement by the spring, substantially as set forth.

9. In a signaling apparatus, the combiuation of a disk of metal having a series of insulating-segments in its periphery and connected up in a circuit extending through its shaft, the disk and a brush bearing on its periphery, means for giving a step-by-step 7o movement to the disk to bring the brush alternately in contact with the disk and an insulatingsegment, a cage mounted on the shaft of the disk carrying two oppositely-lo cated transparent colored panes or curtains, a lamp located in the cage, and a box in which the apparatus is housed having clear panes opposite each other, whereby the lamp will show alternately a clear light in opposite directions, and a colored light in the same directions, all substantially as set forth.

HAMILTON BALUSS, JR.

Witnesses:

HAMILTON BALUss, CHAS. E. BRooK.

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