US631869A - Signal mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

- Patented Au 29,1899.

a. BQGRAY,

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

(Application fild May a, .1899.

5 Sheets-Sheet l.

- (N0 Model.)

Patented Aug. 29, i899.

G. B. GRAY. SlGMAL MECHANISM;

(Applies Jamal filed May a, 1899.)

5 Sheefs-8heei 2 v (No Model.)

1 r 1 uriuuuinhahl Ir ill:

No. 63l,8 69. Patented Aug. 29, I899. G. B.. GRAY.-

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

(Application filed May 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 sheets-sum 3 w W WILKHHWMMMW WUIiFlPfMu w 9 y 6, v 3 Q No. 63|,869. Patented Aug. 29, I899. a. B. GRAY.

SIGNAL MECHANISM. (Application filed May 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 sh ets-sheet 4.

Patented Aug. 29, I899. a. B. GRAY. SIGNAL MECHANISM.

(Application filed m 6, 1899) v 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 (No MqdeL) h N H mi.

m XJ INVENTOR,

EJNETE STATES GARDNER B. GRAY, OF GRAFTON, PEifN YLVANIA.

SLGNAL MECHANISM.

srncrrme'rrorr forming part of Letters stent no. senses, dated Au ust 29, 1899.

Application ma m ma e; smnsomsmv. on model.)

To all. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GARDNER B. GRAY,"a

citizen of the United States, residing at Grafton, in the county of Allegheny and Stste. of Pennsylvania, haveinvented or discovered certainnew and useful Improvements in Signal Mechanism, of, which-improvements the {cl-lowing is a specification. My invention yelatesto certain improvements in signaling mechanism,iand has for its object a. construction and arrangement'of operating mechanism and controlling-circuits whereby the same signal may be em.-v ployed as a home and distant signal, its movements from clear-'to danger and caution being efiected automatically, but controlled by train movements. f In the accompenying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view of the supporting-post or signal and showing the several'positions of the semaphore-arm.

'Fig. 2'is a side elevation of the mechanism for operating the signal. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of same. Fig. 4 is a. rear elevntio'n.

Fig. 5- is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of operating mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the locking-block-of the slot mechanism. Fig. 7 is a detail, the circuit-breakers controlled by the movements of the signal. Fig. '8 is a sectional view on the line VIII VIII, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 ,is a dis.- grammatic view showing the circuits for operating the semaphore in a railway system,

and Fig. l0'is a diagrammaticwiew showing v .tion 10, adapted to-be shifted into engagenotch or groove ll, formed in a modification in the-circuits.

' For convenience of illustration and also as being the preferable form of signal the .improvements are described and shown in connection with the semaphore type of signal; but asregards the broad terms ofzthe claims the inventionis'not limited to suchstyie of signals.

In-the practice of the invention the blade- 1 and its supporting-casting and spectaclefrzini'e 2 are ofthe denial or any suitable construction and pivotally inbunted on the tubularpost- 3 or other support in accordance with the usual practice in the art. An arm 4 is secured to the pivotal shaft or pm at, on which the signal is secured; and the outer end of them-m is connected by separable members or parts to the signal-operating-mecln signal by ashort rod7, as in such construction anism This operating mechanism is prefer ablyinclosed in a box or shell 3, forming the lower endjor base of the signal-post, through which pass the connections to the signal. While it is preferred that .the parts or memberseonnecting the signal with its op erating. mechanism and the slot mechanism for locking said parts or members together should be constructed substantially as.here-' insfter described, any other suitable or known construction may be employed. As shown in the drawings, especially'in Fig. 5, the members connecting the signal with its operating mechanism are formed by a sleeve 5,and a rod 6, fitting within thesleeve. Either of these parts may be connected to the signal and the other to the operating'mechanism,

but it is preferred to connect the sleeve to the the sleeve forms a guide for the upper portion of the rod 6. The sleeve is provided with laterally projecting wings 8, adapted to fit in guide-grooves formed in the inner. faces of the uprights 8 of the frameof the machine.

These wings are adapted to guide the: sleeve in its vertical movement and also form an efficient means for connecting other parts of the mechanism, which .are designed to move with the sleeve, to thelatter. In order to lock the sleeve and rod' together, the sleeveis slotted at a. suitable point-along its length for v Q the reception of locking-block 9,' having an opening therethrongh for the passage of the rod, and also provided with a locking projec 'ment by. means of electromagnet 12, which is supported by a suitable frame or bracket 13, roo;

carried by the sleeve 5. Thesrmature 14 of this magnet is secured on one of the links 15, which are pivotally connected at or near the point of attachment of the armature. One

of these links has a plvotal'seat in the frame or bracketlil, while the other link hasits outer or free end loosely connected to a pair of links 16 at or near their pivotal connectionto each other. As'shown in Fig. 5, the links 16 are arranged at an angle to links 15, and one of the former has a pivotal seat, as at 17, in the frame or bracket 13, while the outer or free end of the other link 16 has a bearing against the locking-block 9. By reference to Fig, 5 it will be seen thatthe pivotal connection a of the links 15 isa little to one side of a' line passing through'thepoint-of pivotal movement of the outer endsof these links, so that when the magnet 12 is deenergized there will be a tendency on the part of the links to move out of line with each other and draw the armature away from the magnet. The point of pivotal connection of the links 16 is also a little to one side of a line passing through the axis of pivotal movement of the outer ends of the'links, so that a pressure against the block 9 will be efiective to turn the links 16 on their pivotal points, and this movement will not be resisted to any material extent by the links 15 on account of the relative position ofzits pivotal point a. The weight of the link 16 will be sufiicient to move the block 9 so that its tongue or projection 10 will engage the groove or notch in thej rod 6 when the latter is shifted to operative position,-and the block will be held in such locking position on the energizing of the magnet 12. It will .be readily understood by those skilled in the art that this arrangement of toggle links or levers will alford a strong and secure fastening for the lockingblockwith a minimum expenditure of power by the electromagnet .12. It will also be readily understood by those skilled in the art that this arrangement of toggle links orlevers can be employed with or applied to other forms of locksor latches for holding the two parts or members of a signal connection in operative relation to each other. The locking-blook 9 is shifted so' as to remove the tongue or projection 10 out of engagement with the notch or groove in the rod 6 by means of the weight of the sleeve and the signal, the bearing-faces of the tongue 10 being inclined or beveled, as at c, and the walls of the groove or notch being similarly inclined, as clearly shown in. Fig. 5, so that the weight of the signal, which is constructed to have a bias to danger position, will be sufficient to effect the unlocking movement of the block 10. q

vThe shifting of the signal to caution and clear'po'sitions is preferably elfected by means of an aelectric motor 18, and the-armature- -shaft is operatively connected by a train of gearing or any-other suitable form of transmitting mechanism to the shaft 19, on which is secured the pinion 20. The teeth of' this pinion are adapted to en gage a series of teeth formed on the rod 6 at or near its lower end, so that by the rotation of the pinion the rod may be raised to shift the signal to caution and clear positions. In order to permit the rod 6 to move down after the'signal has gone to danger without any reversal of the motor and its train 'of gearing, some of the teeth on the pinion 20 are removed, so that whenthe untoothed or mutilated portion of the pinion comes opposite the rack on the lower end of the rod 6 the latter will be free to drop.

In order to relieve the train of gearing and motor from the weight of the signal when in .clear and caution positions and also toprevent any tendency to a reversed movement of the motor by the weight of the signal, the pawls 21 21 are pivotallymounted upon brackets 22, secured to the uprights of the 'frame of the machine'in such manner or at such points that the pawls will project into the path of movement'of the block 9 when shifted to locking position. These brackets are so located vertically on the frame that when the signal has been moved down to can tion orclear position the projecting end of the block 9 will have moved just above one or the other of these pawls, which will drop under the projecting end of the block, and thereby prevent any downward movement of the sleeve so long as the blpckis held in locked or operative position. It is preferred to so incline or bevel the portions of the block 9 and pawls 2], 21?, which bear against each other, that the weight of the signal and sleeve will have atendency to move the block tounlocking position, and thereby reinforce the action of the inclinedfaces on the tongue 10 and the walls of the notch or groove in the-rod 6.

As it is possible in the construction of automatic. signals now in use for the signal to be moved from danger position while its operating mechanism is in danger position, and

thereby cause the signal to give a wrong indication, it is preferred to employ a lock for.

holding the signal in danger and caution positions so long as track conditions require such positions on the part of the signal. To this end an arm 23 is pivoially' mounted on the frame of the machine insuch position that a .hook or projection on its end will engage notches 24 on the sleeve 5 when the signal is in danger or caution position. The hook is shifted to engage these notches byta spring 25, mounted on a bracket 26, secured to the uprights of. the machine, and is held is operative position or one in which the sleeve will be free to move by a magnet 27, whose circuit will be hereinafter described, and is controlled by train movements along the section guarded by the signal.

In order to prevent any over-running of the signal-shifting mechanism when the circuit of.

IIO

the motor is broken, a brake-drum 28 is secured on the armature shaft or the shaft of any of the parts of the train-gearing driven by the armature, and a shoe 29 is secured to an arm 80, which is pivotally mounted in such relation to the brake-drum that when free to move the shoe will be forccdagoinst the drum.

The braking movement of the shoe is preferably effected by meansof a weight 31 on an arm 32, projecting at an angle from the arm The brake-shoe is held away fromthe- 30. drum by means of electromagnets 33, which are included in the circuit of the motor, so that said brake will be applied instantly on p the rupture of the circuit.

in order to prevent shocks to the mechanism when the signal is shifted, a cylinder 70, having a controlledcoutiet and inlet, is secured to'thebracket- 13 and a piston 71 is arranged within the cylinder, the stem 72 of the piston'beihg secured to the frame of the machine.

- The motor-circuits and ergizing the slot-magnetare controlled by or in accordance with the movements of the signal, and to this end circuit-breaking mechanisms 34, 35, and 36 are so arranged with reference to a movable part of the switchoperating mechanism or the signal as to be opened and closed in a certain predetermined order, as hereinafter described. Any suitable form of construction oftcircuit-breaker may be employedsuch, for exam plc, as that shown in Figs. 1, 4, 7, and 8. These consist of spring-plates mounted on ablock of insulating material and arranged upon the'frame of the machine, so as tolie in the pathiof a projection or rib 37, carried by the sleeve 5. The springs forming the circuit-breakers 3t and 85 are so constructed and arrangedthat when free to move they will bear against each other and complete the circuit, which will be broken, as hereinafter described, by the rib or 'projcetion 37 forcing one spring of each circuit-breaker from the other. The circuitbreaker 36 has its springs so constructed that they will normally stand apart to maintain an open circuit, but are adapted to be closed against each other by the rib or projection 37.

As is the usual practice, the rails, between adjacent sections are constructed to form a circuit, the rail of each section being insulated from thbse of the adjoining sections, and

each track-section X ,Y Z has connected therewith a relay 38 and a truck-battery 39. It is the general practice in'automatic signaling to arrange the track-circuits and the signaloperating mechanismcontrolled thereby, so that. the signal at the entrance of each Sec tion will be shifted to danger position as soon as the front pair of wheels of the engine or car passes the insulating-point, sot'hat only the trainmen at the front end of the train have any knowledge of the position of the signal prior to the entrance of the train onto the section? This is especially the case with long freight trains and whcredhe signalis located on a curve. In order to aiford all the traiumen on each train knowledge of the position of the signal prior to the entrance of 'the train on the section, suitable means are provided to maintain thesigual in its clear position until the last pair of wheels of tho train have unloved upon the section guarded the circuit for en-' by such signal. This is considered the better practice, as ncer to know that the section uponwhich he is -about to enter isclear, and this practice also affords a check upon the front'tminmen,

as the rear train men will know if they do not see the signalgoto danger that "it is probable that the engineerhas run by the signal when infdanger position. To this end each main section is subdivided into two sections, as X 00,1 y, and Z z, the-subsections a2, and z'being-located at the entrance of each block-section. This subsection has onerail connected to one pole of abattery whose circuit is formed by the relay 41, wit-e42, circuit-breaker 36, wire 43 to the other rail of the subsection. is a normally open section and will'not be closed until a pair of wheels enters upon the. section. By the closure 'of this circuit-the relay is energized and its armature 4:4 is so shifted as-to close the circuit consisting of wires 45 and 46, battery 47, slot-magnet 12, wire 48, armature 53 of relay 38 at the next signal in advance, wires i8- an'd51xto a1.- mature 4 The ribor projection37 is so located as to hold the circuit-breaker 36 closed while the sighalis in clear and caht-ion positions, so that the circuit formed in part, of the subsection as will remain closed as long it is sufi'icient .for the en'gi- It will be observed'that'this such section, whichismade of'a length alittle greater than the-di'staucebetween any two As'long as the pairs of wheels of a train. circuit of this subsection is closed, the circuit above described, through the slot-mag net 12,will remain closed clear or caution position. A second circuit andthe signal in of the slot-relay 12 consists, starting from the battery 47 of the magnet 12, wire 48, armature 53 of relay 38 at the next signal in ad Vance, wii-'e s 4S, '51, and 52, armature 53 of track-relay BS or track-section X,x-\"ll68 54 and 46 to battery. As long as the relays 38 of sections amiY areene'rgized, the arma- .IXO

cures-and 53P-Qwill be held against their front, contacts, maintaining the slot-circuit in closed position but as soon as a traiue'nters upon section X relay 3Swill be out out,- t-hercby permitting the armature 53 to move away from its contact and open the main slot-, circuit; but so long as any pair'of wheels-is upon the subsection m the shuntcircuit through the slot will'be held closed and the signal clear. As soon as "the last pair oi wheels passes off subsection 00' the relay 41 wilhbecomc cleC-nergized and the shuut-ein cuit broken, so that the slot-magnet 12 iscut out, permitting the locking-block 9 to move outof engagementwitli the rod 6 and the signal to move to danger position. By the movement of the signal to danger positionthe circuit-breaker 36 will be opened was. the ci'rcult-breakers and 35 closed. These ciremit-breakers form a part of 1 6 motor-circu its, one of which consists, starting from the battery 55 ofv the wire 56, armature of re,

- by its closure the signal is shifted from danger to caution positions. The other circuit for shifting.the signal from motion to clear positions consists, starting from the battery 55 of the wire 56, armature 53 of relay 38, wire 57,

1o brake-magnet 38, catch-magnet 27, motor 18,

wire 58, circuitbreaker 34, wire 60, armature 49 or relay 50, wire 59 to battery. It will be observed that the circuit-breaker 35 is closed while the signal is in danger position, but it 1-5 will be opened by the rib or projection 37 so, soon as the signal reaches caution position.

The circuit-breaker 340i the signal-clearing circuit is so located as to bein closed position so long as the signal is in danger and caution positions, but'it will be opened by the rib or projection-37 so soon as the signal reaches clear position. Both of these motorcircn ts are controlled by the track-relay 38, so that as long as such track-relay is deener- :5 gized the motor-circuits will remain open, and by the opening of such circuit-s the'brakemagnet is denergized', permitting the operation 6f the brake, and the catch-magnet 27 is also denergized, permitting the shifting 3c of the catch 23 by the spring into engagement with one or the other of the notches 3 in the sleeve 5. The signal-clearing circuit is also controlled by the relay 50, the circuit of whichconsists, starting from the relay of 5 the wire 61, armature 53' at station Y, wire 62, better 63, wire 64, relay 50. As thecircnit for c caring the signal atseotion X isdspendent or controlled by the relay 50, whose circuit is controlled by the track-relay 38 of 0 the section Y, the signal-controlling section X cannot be cleared until the relay 38 of section Y becomes energized, and this cannot occur as long-as a train is upon the section Y.

As the circuits for the motor are the same at each station, it will bereadily understood that the signal 1* controlling section Y will go to danger position as soon as a train enters upon such section, and as the caution-circuit of the signal of section X is entirely inde- 56 pendent of any adjacent section the signal 1.

cannot be shifted beyond caution position so long as section Y is occupied.

It will be observed that the main-slot-circult of section X is controlled by relay 38 of section Y and also. the signal-clearing circuit through the relay 50.

Hence in caseo'f a break in the track-circuit of section Y, as by the opening of a switch or the removal of a rail, the circuit of the slot of section X will 6o be'broken,'permitting the signal 1 to go to danger; but the slot-magnet 12 will be immediately reiiner'gi'zed, as the break in the circuit of relay 50 will permit armature 49 to be moved a'gainstits back stop, thereby 6'5 closing a circuit consisting of battery 47, slotagnet 12, wire48, back-stop armature 49-,

- Wires-51aml52, armature 5-);wiros 5i and'4li to battery. 'The movement of the signal to danger permits-the closure oi the-motorcircuits,so that-the signal will be shifted from danger, but cannot go beyond caution as the signal-clearing circuit was broken by the movement armature 49 of relay 50 from its front contact.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 9 it will be seen that when the rod 6 is raised the teeth on the rod 6 are engaged by'only a few of the teeth of the motile ted pinion 20 and those adjacent to the mutilated portiom As soon as the slot magnet is denergized the sleeve 5 drops along the rod 6, carrying with it the slot mechanism. As soon as the motor is energized the pinion 20 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow and its teeth disengage from the rack of the rod 6, which will-dro; suiiiciently far to bring the groove'cr notch therein in line with the locking-block 9. As the slotmagnet is energized simultaneous with the closing of the motor-circuit, the block 9 will be shifted so as to lock the sleeve and rod together as soon as the groove or notch in the latter comes into line with the block. By the continued rotation of the pinion 20' the rod 6 and with it the sleeve and signal will be shifted to caution position, where the circuit-breaker 35 will be opened, ope'ning' the motor-circuit. On the denergization of the magnet 27 the catch 23 will be shifted into engagement with the lower one of the notchesz t, thereby so looking the sleeve 5 that the signal cannotbe shifted from caution to clear -positions,bnt will not interfere with its further movement to danger po-' 'sition. \Vhen the signal moves to danger position in the manner described, the catch 23 will engage the lower one of the notches 2i and hold the signal in'rear position, the circuit of the magnet 27 being broken.

In the arrangement of circuits shown in Fig. 10 the shunt circuit-through slot-magnet 12 is omitted and the circuit of this magnet is formed, starting from the battery 47, by wire 73, magnet 12, wire 74, front and back stops of armature 49 of relay 50, wire 75, stop of armature 76 of relay 77 and wire 78 to battery. Relay 7 7 is included in a circuit consisting, starting from battery 7 9 of wire 80, relay 7?, wire 81, armature 53 of trackrelay 88, and wire 82 to battery, so that the slot-circuit through magnet 12'will be brokenwhile a train is on main track-section X, pro

vided the circuit through relay 41 is not completed gbya pair of wheelsmn subsection 0:.

front stop,.thereby preventing such movement of the armature as will break the circnit through slot-magnet 12, although relay 77 may be deenergized, as stated. Thus it will be understood that by means of interlocking.

arinatures and suitable cir'c nits the signalwill be held'in clear position until the lastpair of wheels of a train passes 09E of subsection :r.

In lieu of extending the circuit of the slotmagnet 12 to the track-relay 38 of section Y in advance, so that the signal 1- be shifted to caution in the manner described in case I a switch isopened or a rail removed in section Y, this slot-circuit may be controlled en-v tirely by relay 50, as shown in Fig. 10. ,The circuit of relay 50 consists of wire 61, armature 53 of relay 38 of section Y, wire (32, battery 63, and wire 64 to relay. 'It will be observed that as long as relay 38 of section Y is energized the circuit of relay 50 will be held closed, so that the circuit of slot-magnet will be held closed by armature 49 hearing against its front stop. As soon as relay 50 is denergized the circuit of slot-magnet 12 will be broken, permitting signal to go to d'anger; but the circuit of slot-magnet 12 will be immediately closed by the armature 49 hearing against its back stop, so that the signal will be shifted to caution in the manner described.

I claim herein as my invent-iony 1. In a signal mechanism, the combination of a signal having a bias to danger position,

- electrically-controlled mechanism forlocking the signal at clear position}, and two independent circpit-breakers controlled by train movements for controlling the signal-locking mechanism,said circuit-breakers being simultaneously operative to release the signal from clear position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a signal mechanism, the combination of a signal having a bias to danger position, electrically-controlled mechanism forlocking the signal at clear position, main and shunt Y circuits for such mechanism and independent the signal at clear position,

' circuits whereby the on the simultaneous track-circuits controlling the main and shunt signal is released only shifting of .both circuits,

substantially as set forth.

3. In a signal mechanism, the combination of a signal having a bias to danger position, electrically-controlled mechanism for holding the signal at clear position, main and shunt circuits for such mechanism, one of said circuits being normally open and the other normally closed, and independent track-circuits controlling the main and shunt circuits and adapted to reverse the normal conditions of said .main and shunt circuits and thereby'release the signal from clear position, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In a signal mechanism, the combination of a signal having a bias to danger position, elcctrically-controlled mechanism for holding main and shunt circuits for such mechanism, acircu it-breaker in the shunt-circuit adapt-ed to be shifted on 4 the shifting of the signal, and independent track-circuits adapted to reverse the normal conditions of said main and shunt circuits and thereby release the signal from clearposit-ion, substantially as set forth.

5. In asignal mechanism, the combination of :vsigual automatically movable to danger position, mechanism f or shifting the signal to transversely caution and clear positions and electricallycontrolled means for-holding the signal in said positions, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination of avertically-movablc rod having a toothed portion, a sleeve movable along said rod, a signal-arm operated by- ,said sleeve, an electrically-operated lock 8. The combination of a'movable rod, a

sleeve movable along said rod, a semaphore connected to said sleeve, a'.block movable of said sleeve and adapted to engage a groove or notch in said rod, and an electrically-operated arm adapted to engage said block and move itinto engagement with said rod, substantially as set forth.

9. In a signal mechanism,the combination of a signal,'means for shifting said signal, a connection between the signal and the shifting means consisting of two separable parts or members, a lock for detachably connecting said parts or members, two pairs of pivotally-connect-cd levers arranged at an angle to each other, anelectromagnet for shifting one pair of levers, thereby-causing the other to shift the lock, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination-of a movable .rod, a sleeve movable along said rod, a semaphore connected to said sleeve, a block movable transversely of said sleeve and adapted to engage a groove or notch in said rod, a togglelever adapted to. engage said block and move it into" engagement with said rod, and an electroimagnet for shifting the toggledever, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of sleeve movable along said rod, a semaphore connected to said sleeve, a block movable transversely of said sleeve and adapted to en-' gage a groove or 'notch in said rod, a togglelever for shifting said block, a second togglelever connected tosaid first-mentioned toggle-lever, and a magnet adapted to operate said second toggle-lever, substantially as set I a movable rod, :1

pnm-e connected to trically-eontunlled ed to engage said s1 forth.

said alcove, and an elec-v atclr on smd frame adapt:- eeve, substantial y as set 14. The combination of :m-verticaUy-movable rod, a. slidable sleeve on ing one 01 more notches therein, a semaphore connected to said 31 eeve, and an electricallysaid rod, havnotches, substantial! y as 30!; forth.

In testimeny wheleof have hereunto set my hand.

I Witnesses:

GARDNER B. GRAY;

F. E; GAITHER, DARWIN S. Women.

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