US627655A - Railway signaling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 627,655. Patented June 27, 1899. w. B. OUELCH.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 19, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 627,655. Patented June 27, I899. W. B. HUELCH.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed. Jan. 19, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M4 Inventor Wit j netsesa m g 7K5 Wall/Q4 A FFICEQ PATENT \VILLIAM BEWICK QUELCH, OF CROFT, ENGLAND.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,655, dated June 27, 1899. Application filed January 19, 1899. Serial No. 702,6 '76. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vWILLIAM BEwIoK QUELOH, a subject of the Queen of Great Brit-. ain, residing at Croft, near Darlington, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Apparatus, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain, No. 13,873, dated June 22, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signaling apparatus of the kind wherein means are provided whereby in case an engine-driver should pass a visual signal at danger for instance, in a fog-an audible signal should be sounded upon the locomotive to indicate the danger and to that class of such apparatus wherein a lever (which for convenience of description I term a receiver is arranged upon the locomotive or some other part of a train and is designed in case a signal is against the train to make contact with an abutment upon the line (which for convenience of description I term a transmitter) worked in unison with the usual visual signalin'such a manner as to oscillate the receiver to operate the signal upon the train. In apparatus of this kind as heretofore constructed the movement of the receiver produced by contact with the transmitter upon the line was directly utilized foroperating the signal upon the 10- comotive or train, with the result that the receiver came into contact with the transmitter with a force which might in some cases be injurious to the apparatus.

The object of my invention is to reduce to a minimum the resistance which is opposed to the movement of the said receiver, and to this end I arrange that the locomotive-signal shall be operated by a falling weight, the said weight being normally held in a raised position by the receiver and released so as to allow it to fall when the receiver is operated (without any lifting of the weight.)

My invention also comprises improvements in the construction of the transmitter for providing that the latter, if struck by any rigid part of .a train or otherobject, will be depressed so that it'is not injured. For this purpose the transmitter is mounted upon one end of'a. weighted lever, the weight being so arranged and the lever so pivoted that the transmitter shall offer the desired resistance to the receiver, but yield under the abnormal pressure before referred to. The wires or rods for moving the transmitter out of the path of the receiver may be connected to this lever, or instead of thus arranging for mov ing the transmitter out of the path of the said receiver the transmitter may be pivoted on the end of the said lever and have the operating wires or rods connected to it in such a manner that it can, when not required to operate upon the signal of the locomotive, be turned upon its side out of the path of thew receiver. In this case no movement need be imparted to the lever carrying the said transmitter undernormal circumstances.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive and the rails carrying the same and having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 and also showing a visual signal, and Fig. 3 is a plan of the rails and the transmitter. Fig. 4 is a front view, drawn to a larger'scale, showing the arrangement of the receiver and the fall- 'ing .weight in connection with it; and- Fig. 5

is a side view of the upper portion of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are respectively a front elevation, a horizontal section, and a vertical section of a spring-box in connection with the pivot of the said receiver, the said box being drawn to a slightly-smaller scale than Figs. 4 and 5. Figs. 9 and 10 are a front view and a rear view of the two parts forming the said box or case and drawn to the same scale as Figs. 6 to 8. Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively a front view and a side view, drawn to 'an enlarged scale, illustrating the method of communicating motion to a signal-whistle. Fig. 13 is a view similar-to Fig. 4, but illustrating a modification in the-arrangement of the falling weight, and Figs. l ta'nd 15 are respectively a vertical section and a horizontal section illustrating a modification in the arrangement of the spring-box. Figs. 16 and 17 are elevations at right angles to each other of the transmitter; and Figs.'18'and 19 are views similar to Figs. 16 and 17, respectively, illustrating themodification of the said transmitter.

Similar letters of reference illustrate corresponding parts in the several figures.

a is the receiver, 1) is the transmitter, and

c is the weight, the falling of which serves to operate the signal, which, as indicated in Fig. 1, is given by means of a whistle (Z, but which may be a gong or any other suitable form of sounding apparatus.

The receiver a is formed of two parts a (t the former of which is provided with a boss 0, fixed upon a shaft f, carried transversely of the locomotive in suitable bearings, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, while the other part (L is fixed to the said shaft inside the frame of the engine, also as shown in Fig. 2, and projects upwardly therefrom. The portion of the shaft f which projects outside the framing of the engine is surrounded by a cylindrical box fixed to the frame, as shown in Fig. 7, which cylindrical box g together with the boss 0 of the receiver forms the spring-box hereinbefore referred to, the said boss being adapted to rotate upon the end of the box 9. h is a spring within the said box, one end h of which is in engagement with the box g, while the other end 72,2 projects into a recess 7L3 in the end of the box, which recess limits the movement of the spring. Upon the inner face of the boss e of the receiver is a pin 7;, Fig. 10, which normally lies against the end h2 of the spring, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6,

and which when the receiverstrikes the transmitter causes the ceiling of the spring, thereby moving the end 7L2 thereof in the said slot 7L3. By this arrangement it will be seen that when the receiver a is moved by contact with the transmitter it will, if it has passed out of engagement with the said transmitter, be returned to its normal position by the said spring. Stops 7t 7t and a stud h can also be arranged in connection with the box g and boss (2, respectively, to prevent the receiver having more movement than is required.

The falling weight 0 is carried on one end of a leverj, pivoted atj' upon a suitable support, and the other arm j of which has an extension carrying a roller 7 which when the part a of the receiver is in its normal position bears against the under side of a projection 7t upon the said part a and so holds up the weight. The free end of the arm 7' of the lever is suitably connected with the sig 'naling devicefor instance, through the medium of a rod or wire Z, a bell-crank lever Z, and a vertical spring-rod or rod only, Z which engages with the lever Z of the cock Z of the whistle (Z, as shown in Fig. 1. To enable the whistle to be operated independently under ordinary circumstances without interference with the rod Z the upper end of the said rod is formed with a slot art, through which the lever Z of the whistle passes, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. A flexible connection may be used instead of the rod Z Vith this arrange ment it will be understood that when the receiver a strikes the transmitterb and is thereby oscillated the projection will be moved away from the roller j", so that the weight a will fall and thereby through the medium of the connecting parts operate the whistle (Z.

To enable the parts to be reset after the weight has fallen, I advantageously form the vertical rod Z with the crank n, Fig. 1, which serves as a handle, by means of which the desired pull may be exerted upon the weight 0 to lift it. Any other suitable means, however, may be employed for returning the leverj and weight 0. In order that as the said weight is returned the roller j shall engage beneath the projection 7c, the upper surface of the said projection is formed with inclines which will cause the movement of the receiver in one or the other direction in order to allow the roller to pass it.

I sometimes modify the arrangement hereinbefore described for holding the weight 0 by causing the roller 7' to bear upon the top of the projection 7c, as shown in Fig. 13. In this case the said roller when the weight 0 drops passes below the said projection, and to permit of its being raised again the under side of the said projection is formed with inclined surfaces instead of the upper side,as hereinbefore described. In either case the fallingof the weight effects the operation of the whistle (Z. I also sometimes modify the arrangement of the spring-box, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. In this modification the bottom side of the box is made thicker than in the arrangement previously described and is provided with a longitudinal slot 0, at opposite sides of which, at the two ends of the box, the ends of the spring h bear. This arrangement enables the spring to be taken out and replaced with greater facility than in the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 8, wherein the end 7t of the spring is passed through a hole in the rear end of the box g.

In Fig. 4 it will be noticed that the lower end of the receiver is provided with an antifriction-roller p, which comes into contact with the transmitter. Instead of using a roller, however, the lower end of the said receiver may be formed with two elastic arms, as illustrated at q in Fig. 13.

The transmitter b, which is shown in Figs. 16 and 17, comprises the lever r, pivoted upon a suitable support 0', and having pivoted to one end the inclined plane 8, against which the receiver acts, the other end of the said lever r carrying a weights, which is so regulated that while the transmitter will offer the desired resistance when struck by the receiver it will yield in case it is struck by any rigid part of the train or other object or if the blow is greater by reason of increased speed or stiffness of parts. The pivoted inclined plane .9 may be operated through the medium of a wire Z, which when pulled will turn the inclined plane to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 17, the weighted lower end of the said inclined plane serving to return it to its vertical position when the wire is slackened, or the said inclined plane may be operated through the medium of a rod Z, the thrust of which serves to turn over the inclined plane, as described.

IIO

In the modification shown in Figs. 18 and 19 the inclined plane 3 is a fixture relatively with the lever r, so that whenever the said inclined plane is to be moved out of the path of the receiver the lever and weight have to take the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 19. They will also partake of this movement when the inclined plane is struck by an abnormal weight. This transmitter may also be operated by a pull-wire t or by a thrust-rod t, as shown in Fig. 19. hen the thrust-rod is used, the connection between the said thrust-rod and the leverarm to which it is jointed must be formed with a slot to, as shown in-Fig. 19, so that while permitting of the thrust being exerted to move the transmitterout of the path of the receiver it also allows the independent movement of the transmitter in case the latter is struck, as hereinbefore indicated.

Although in the drawings I have shown the receiver as being mounted upon the front of a locomotive, it is to be understood that such receiver may be mounted upon any other suitable part of the locom0tivefor instance, as shown at the rear in Fig. lthe rod Z being extended and connected to the lever j, or it may be arranged upon the-tender, suitable connections being in all cases provided between the said receiver and the signaling device. geous to arrange my apparatus in connection with the guards van of a train, so as to indicate to the guard, as well as to the driver, that the signal is against-the train.

Although I havein the foregoing description referred to the use of a weight for operating the signal, it is to be understood that a spring may be used instead thereof.

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of my said invention and in what'manner the same is to be performed,

I declare that what I claim is p 1. In railway signaling apparatus of the kind wherein a receiver upon a train is operated by contact with a transmitter upon the permanent way and wherein the movement of such receiver is utilized for effecting the operation of a signal upon a locomotive or other part of a train, the combination with a receiver formed in two parts a, a fixed on and. projecting respectively above and below the same shaft, of a weighted lever which is normally retained in an elevated position by means of a projection on the upper part of said receiver and having the described inclines, a whistle or other signaling device, and a means for communicating the movement of the weighted lever to the signaling device when the receiver is displaced and without lifting or forcing the weighted lever, substantially as described.

2. In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination with a pivoted receiver projecting both above and below its fulcrum, of

Also in some cases it may be advantaa lever pivoted on the upper arm of said receiver and carrying the weight adjacent to it, a projection or catch on the upper arm or part of the receiver and havingthe described inclines thereon and serving to engage the lever and hold its weight in a raised position, a spring in connection with a pivot of said receiver for retaining it normally in position and for returning it to position after displacement, a signal, and a means for transmitting the movement of the weighted lever to the said signal, all substantially as described.

3. In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination with a receiver made in two parts as described, of a weighted lever pivoted on a suitable support and sustain-ed in position by the upper part or arm of said receiver, and engaging a projection or catch as described on said upper part, and whereby when such weighted lever is released, the weight will fall to operate a signal, and means substantially as described whereby the parts may be reset after the weight has fallen, all substantially as described.

4. In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination with a receiver made in two parts as described, of a weighted lever pivoted on a suitable support and sustained in position by the upper part or arm of said receiver, and provided with a roller at its end engaging projections or catches on said upper part, and whereby when such weighted lever is released, the weight will fall to operatea signal, and a transmitter adapted to work in unison with the ordinary visual signal, such transmitter being carried at one end of a weighted lever and having inclined surfaces for actuating the receiver, but yet adapted to yield if struck by a rigid part of the train, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a railway signaling apparatus, a transmitter near the track having not only the described inclined upper surfaces but combined with and mounted on one end of a substantially horizontal weighted lever servin g to offer the desired resistance when struck by the receiver, but yet adapted to yield if struck by a rigid part of'a train, all as set forth.

6. In a railway signaling apparatus, a

transmitter near the track, having not WILLIAM BEWICK QUELCI-I.

Witnesses: FREDERICK GEORGE NESBIT'I, JAMES WILLIAM ANDERSON.

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