US718233A - Electric signal system for railways. - Google Patents

Description

No. 718,233. 7 PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903; J. w. WILLIAMS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR B-AILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED MAY '1, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.'

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 9 V N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

110. 718,233. v PATENTED JAN; 13, 1903. 'J. w. WILLIAMS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

v APPLIOATIOE FILED MAY 71 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED TATES' ATENT FFICE.

JAMES WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OF SPOKAISE, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC SIGNALSYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,233, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed May 7, 1902. Serial No. 106,308. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES WILLIAM WIL- LIAMS, of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signal Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

. The invention has relation to that system of electric signaling in which the several blocks or sections of the railway are combined with electric signal-circuits and connections adapted to be operated by a passing train in such manner that the said circuits shall be automatically completed and broken as the train enters and leaves the successive sections or blocks to which such circuits pertain.

My invention consists of certain improvements on this kind of an electric signaling system, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and will then be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, mainly diagrammatic, of an electric signaling system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the circuit making and breaking levers to be operated by the passing train. The construction of the lever-whether C or Ois the same. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a system in which the succes-.

sive signal-circuits overlap instead of following one another, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a modification in which insulated track-sections are employed instead of the levers O O of the preceding figures.

In Fig. 3 I have represented three overlapping signal-circuits. The connections and ap pliances of each circuit are the same, and I have therefore omitted these from two of the circuits as unnecessary to an understanding of the particular modification illustrated in this figure.

In Fig. l, which represents a single block, A B 'arethe feed-wires, to which the several signal-circuits pertaining to the railway blocks or sections are connected, these wires extending along the track and being supported on poles or otherwise, as may be found to be convenient. They are supplied with moving in one direction and those on theother side of the track being operated by trains moving in the other direction, and in this event I prefer that, the signals operated by the train shall be on the left side of the track relatively to the movement of said trains, so that the engineer of that train may have on his right hand, (which is the side of the cab on which he usually sits,) the signals controlled by anytrain moving in the opposite direction, the latter signals being thus under his more immediate observation. The signal circuits and appliances are the same on both sides of the track, save that the signal-circuitclosing appliances for a train moving in one direction are at the opposite end of the block from that at which the circuit-closing appliances for a train moving in the opposite direction are located. The same is also true of the circuit-opening appliances. I prefer to use electric lamps as signals, and in this event I prefer to use lamps of different colors for opposite sides of the.tracksay purple for one side and blue for the other-s0 as to prevent the engineer from confusing his lights on curves and the like with those pertaining to trains moving in an opposite direction.

Assuming there is a train. moving on the track in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrow w, the circuits and appliances on the left of the track (relatively to the direction of movement) will be affected. These devices and their mode of operation are as follows: 0 is a hinged lever (shown in detail in Fig. 2) which (together with the mechanical parts with which it is associated) is to be inclosed v at s, Fig. 2) for returning it to normal (and consequently breaking the contact between (1 and e) when the train ceases to act on it. It is through these instrumentalities that the signal-circuit pertaining to the block is completed. The signal-circuit, or lamp-circuit as I shall term it, is lettered L, and it contains two electric lamps Z Zin multiple, located one at or near opposite ends of the block. The lamp-circuit is connected to the feed-wire A by wire Z, and it is electrically connected to the contact 6 by wire 1 From the movable contact cl a wire Z extends to the other feed-wire B, this wire Z including the coil or coils of a relay-magnet M. This wire 1 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned, is electrically connected at Z to the soft-iron core of the magnet. The armature-lever N and its armature n of the relay-magnet are electrically connected to the wire Z by a branch wire Z around the train-controlled contacts at and e. These devices constitute what may be called an establishing-circuit or a circuit for establishing and maintaining electrical connection between the feed-wire and the signal-circuit. When by the passing train the lever C is struck so as to bring 11 and 6 into contact, the signal-circuit L will be completed, and the lampsl therein will be illuminated, the circuit at this time being from A, through Z L and the lamps l therein in multiple Z e d Z and coils of relay M, to B. As soon as the train entering the block passes the lever C the circuit will be broken at (Z 6; but it will still remain intact, being completed by the branch Z from wire Z the circuit thence being from said branch Z through armature-lever N and armature n, (which by the previous closing of the circuit through the contacts (2 01 had been closed upon the core of relay magnet M,) magnet-core m, connection Z, magnet-coils, wire Z to feed-wire B. The lamps I will thus re main illuminated, and this condition of atfairs will continue until the train reaches the other end of the block. At or near the end of the block last referred to there is located a lever O, and contacts d e are similar in construction and operation to the parts 0 cl e, already described, but designed to short-circuit or cut out the magnet M, and thus break the lamp-circuit when the train leaves the block. To this end the contact (1 is connected by Wire Z to the lamp-circuit L, and the contact e is connected to the B feedwire by a wire Z and thus when the passing train moves over lever C, and consequently depresses arm d into contact with e, the circuit, following the path of least resistance, will be from A through I, lamp-circuit L, wire Z contacts d 6', wire Z to B. The short circuit thus established will cut out the relay-magnet M and the armature-lever N will rise, thus destroying the connection through which the circuit through the relay-coils is maintained, and consequently when after the train passes the lever C rises and breaks the contact at d e the lamp-circuit will be broken and will remain so until another train enters the block. The train after leaving one block enters upon the next block, which is provided with the same system of circuits and appliances and where the same sequence of operations as already described takes place, and so on indefinitely. It will be noted that only trains which movein the direction of the arrowwwill operate the levers O O on the left side of the track. Those moving in the opposite direction will depress these levers, to be sure, but in the opposite direction, where they will have no infiuence whatever upon their contact-arms d d, and correspondingly trains moving over the track in an opposite direction to the arrowa; will operatively affect only the levers G C on the side of the track opposite that on which are located the levers O G to be operatively affected by trains moving in the direction of arrow as. The signal-circuit to be operated and controlled by trains moving over the track from right to left is lettered L.

Thus although trains may move in both directions upon the same track, yet only those circuits and appliances will be operated by the train which pertain to trains moving in the same direction with that train. It will be noted that in the system thus far described the train quits one signal-section before or at the time of entering upon the next; but the signal-sections, so far as the several signalcircuits are concerned, may be overlapping, the train entering upon a section and setting the signals in that section before quitting the last preceding section. This will permit the engineer of the moving train to always have a light both before and behind his train at such distance as may be desired. Thisis exemplified in Fig. 3, where I have illustrated the overlapping system as applied to but one side of the track only, although, of course, for a single-track road it will be applied in the same way, mutat-is mutandis, to the other side of the track also. In this figure We will assume that the block typified by one lampcircuit L is, say, four miles in length. These lamp-circuits, as will be seen, overlap each other by half a length-that is to say, by the time the train has traversed half of one section it will meet the entrance-lamp of the next succeeding lamp-circuit and the appliances for establishing that circuit, so that by the time the train reaches the far end of any one block and short-circuits the lamps in that block it will have, some two miles before it and behind it, the already-illuminated lamps of the next succeeding block. I have omitted from the figure last referred to the mechanical details described and illustrated in the preceding figures as unnecessary and have made it almost if not wholly diagrammatic.

In the preceding figures the mechanical devices for making and breaking the signal or lamp circuits have been represented as located alongside of the track in position to be mechanically actuated by the passing train,

butin lieu of this I can make use of short insulated track-sections, the circuit connections being completed through the opposite rails of these sections and the car wheels and axle by which they may be bridged. This modification is represented in Fig. 4, wherein I have represented one full block equipped for trains moving in either direction over a single track. Inasmuch as this modification requires at each end of the block an insulated track-section by which the entering train can bring into operation the signals or lamps pertaining to its side of the track, and inasmuch as the train which is quitting the block must pass over this track-section, as well as the one which is entering the block, it follows that the lampspertaining to that side of the track belonging to the entering train will be lighted byan oppositely-moving train quitting the block. To remedy this, means must be provided by which the quitting train is caused to extinguish the lamps thus-lighted by it. The block is of course provided at opposite ends with a lamp-circuit closer and a lampcircuit breaker, the circuit-closer for the entering train and the circuit-breaker for the oppositely-moving or quitting train being located at the same end of the block. In addition to these two devices I provide a third device at each end of the block in the nature of a circuit-breaker, by which the quitting train after having momentarily closed the lamp-circuit appropriate to the entering train is caused to break that circuit. This arrange ment is illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig.- 4. At each end of the single-track block there are three insulated track-sections T T T The inner track-section T pertains to the circuit-closing devices of the lamp-circuit of the train entering the end of the block at or near which said section is located. The middle section T is a track-section by which the oppositely-moving outgoing train is caused to break the circuit which it has closed by its passage over T, and the outer section T pertains to the circuit-breaking devices of the lamp circuit appropriate to the outgoing train. In other words, the two sections T T at each end of the block in fact correspond in a general way to the two levers O O at each end of the block in the arrangements previouslydescribed. ThethirdsectionT?isadded at each end for the purpose just above indicated. L is the lamp-circuit for the trains moving from left to right. L is the lampcircuit for the trains moving from right to left. Corresponding letters and figures of reference at the opposite ends of the block indicate corresponding parts. The relay-magnet M at each end corresponds in function to the relay-magnet already described, and, similarly, the lamp-circuit is established temporarily at first through the coils of the magnet by a direct connection from T (the instrumentality corresponding in this modification to the lever O in the system already described) and then permanently through the coils by way of the core and armature-lever and a branch connection from the lamp-circuit. Theappliancesandcircuit connections are-as follows: Considering the left-hand end of the block, the feed-wire A is connected by wire 1 to lamp-circuit L. From thelatter leads a wire 2,which,bya bridge-Wire 2 ,is connected.

to the adjoining rails H (on the same side of the track) of the two abutting insulated tracksections T T The opposite rails 25 t of these two sections are connected the one, 25, by

wire 3 with the coils of relay M, the other, i

by a bridge-wire 5 with the adjoining rail 25 connections and appliances at the right-hand end of the block are thetsame as those at the left-hand end and bear the same reference characters. If a train enters the block at the left-hand end and traverses it from left to right the sequence of operations, assuming both lamp-circuits L L to be open, will be as follows: The train first meets the outer track-section T at the left-hand end of the block and passes over it without affecting any portion of the system except to momentarily excite the lamps in circuit L. It next meets and spans the middle track-section T with the effect of momentarily establishing the lamp-circuit L, the circuit being from feed-wire A through wire 1, lamp-circuit L, wire 2 2 rail 29, thence through car wheels and axle to Z thence through 5, i 6 to feed-wire B. This circuit is not through the relay-magnet M, and consequently it will be broken as soon as the train leaves sectionT The train after passing from section T? meets and spans section T. A circuit is then established as follows: from feed-Wire A, through wire 1, lamp-circuit L, wires 2 2 rail t, through car Wheels and axle torail t, thence bywire 3 to and through coils of relay-magnet M, thence by wire 4: to rail 6 and thence by wire 5, rail 1?, and wire 6, to B feed-wire. The magnet M being excited will attract its armature n, so that by the time the train leaves section T a branch will be established through wire 7 by which the lamp-circuit is maintained, the circuit then being from A, through 1, L, 7, N, n, m, Z coils of magnet M, 4, t 5, t 6, to B. The L lamp-circuit thus established is maintained until the train reaches the far or right-hand end of the block,

where it meets in succession the insulated.

magnet M of lamp-circuit L, and conse quently the latter circuit is interrupted as soon as the train travels beyond section T and in passing over the last and outermost section T the train short-circuits the magnet M of its own circuit L, the path of least resistance, and consequently the flow of current being from A, throughl, lamp-circuit L, S, it, through car wheels and axle t 6, to B. The magnet-relay M is thus deenergized, the contact at n m is broken, with the result that when the train passes out beyond T its lampcircuit L is open. The same sequence of operations takes place in the case of a train entering the block at the right-hand end and traversing it from right to left, save that in this case the signal or lamp circuit L is established and not L. The lamp or signal circuits under this plan can be duplicated indefinitely and can be arranged, as previously described, either to follow one after the other or to overlap one another.

There may be as many lamps as desired in each signalcircuit. I prefer two-one at each end of the block; butin the case of a doubletrack road it may be necessary to have only a signal behind the train, and in that event there may be only one light, located at the entrance to the block. Signals other than electric lamps can be used; but I prefer the lamps. I find that when they are suitably boxed and housed they can be seen, even in the day-time, a long distance off. In practice I propose to use for one light two or more lamps to provide against the contingency of one of them burning out.

The system herein described can be applied also to switches and side tracks and will be found well adapted for use in connection with road-yards. It is also available for railwaycrossings to indicate the approach of a train, the lamps for this purpose being located at the crossing and being lighted when the train is within a predetermined distance of the crossing.

Having described my invention and the best way now known to me of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as new, and de sire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In an electric signaling system for railways, the combination of main or feed wires, a signal-circuit and electrically-operated signal appliances therein, an establishing-circuit between the signal-circuit and the feed-wires completed initially through normally open contacts adapted to be temporarily closed by a passing train, a relay the coils of which are included in the establishing-circuit and are excited when the train-controlled contacts are temporarily closed, and a branch connection around said train-controlled contacts, which also includes the relay-coils and is completed through normally open contacts controlled by the relay, whereby the establishing-circuit is maintained after the opening of the traincontrolled contacts, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In an electric signaling system for railways, the combination of main or feed wires, a signal-circuit and electrically-operated signal appliances therein, an establishing-circuit between the feed-wires and signal-circuit completed initially through normally open contacts located at or near one end of the block and adapted to be temporarily closed by a passing train; a relay the coils of which are included in the establishing-circuit and are excited when the train-controlled contacts are temporarily closed; a branch connection around said train-controlled contacts which also includes the relay-coils and is completed through normally open contacts controlled by the relay, whereby the establishing-circuit is maintained through the coils of the relaymagnet after the opening of the said traincontrolled contacts; and connections completed through normally open contacts located at or near the other end of the block and adapted to be closed temporarily by the passing train, for short-circuiting the relay-magnet, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In an electrical block-signaling system for single-track railways having two distinct signal-circuits and electrically-operated appliances therein one for trains moving in one direction and the other for trains moving in the opposite direction over the block, in combination with feed-wires and two signal-circuits L, L, of three insulated track-sections T, T T at each end of the block, and connections between the same and the feedwires, the several signal-circuits and the electrical appliances therein, these parts being combined and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of April, 1902.

JAMES WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

WVitnesses:

EVVELL A. DICK, E. K. LUNDY, Jr.

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