US739518A - Railway block-signaling system. - Google Patents

Description

N ,739,518. PAiTENTED SEPT. 22, 1903.

H. B. TAYLOR. RAILWAY 'BLOGK. SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1901.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: I l/YME/VTOH.

Jaw/M;

Y I WPATENTBD SEPT. 22, 1903.

H. B. TAYLOR.

RAILWAY BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1901. I no mom!- -2 SHBBTSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: V INVENTOH .m J. 4/4 i665; W.

N-iTED STATES Patented September 22. 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.-

RAILWAY.BLOCK-SIGNALING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 739,518, dated September 22, 1903. Application filed August 2, 1901. Serial No. 70,636 (NomodeL) bodying all the essential features ofany standard system now in use and at-the same time avoiding defects relative to such signals to which objection can be made.

.The system maybe called a wireless cab block-signal system, from the fact that all line-wires are dispensed with, no wires of any kind being used except those connecting the signal with the rails, and to attain this object I intend employing such apparatus as has already been described in previous patents of my own, together with such other apparatus as is or has been in practical use for wireless signaling purposes, this combination being novel and useful.

The description is as follows: A railway track is divided intoblocks or sections which are electrically insulated one from another in a manner usual in signal practice, each section including a source of electrical energy, thus forming a'track-circuit. A device controlled by the track-circuit oi a section is arranged and adapted to operate a transmitting device which is located at or near the junction of two of the said sections. The said transmitting device on being energized will send electrical waves or oscillations out through'spacc-thai is, through the surrounding medium. A sensitive receiver may be located at any suitable place for observation along the track or may be placed on the moving train. This receiver is adaptedto be influenced by the waves or oscillations produced by the said transmitting device. As objection is made in some "cases to visual signals placed along the track, which may be obscured by snow or fog, I prefer in such cases to locate the receiver on the train. The signal on the train or cab of the engine may be visual or audible, preferably the former, and

is controlled by the said receiving device,

batteries 1, 2, and 3.

and the engineer or train-runner is governed by the said signal instead 'of looking ahead for a track-signal and is therefore able to maintain a regular speed in storm or fog.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram of a portion of a track provided with my signaling system. Fig. 2 shows a modification thereof. Fig. 3 shows in detail the apparatus provided for propagating or transmitting electrical waves or oscillations undercontrol of the track devices.

In Fig. 1, AB C are theblocks or sections into which-the railway-track is divided. 1 2 3 are the so'urces of electrical energy for the respective. sections A, B, and O. The negativefrail- 'of. the, sections may be grounded.

Maghets l, 5, a-nd 6 are of high resistance (twenty ohmsland are normally energized by The contacts 7 8 9 are normally held open, thus making the circuits of sections A B C open track-circuits. Magnets 1O 11 12 are in shunt relation to magnets 4, 5, and 6 and are of low resistance, (one ohm.) At the opposite ends (if-sections l3 and C from the source of energy arelocated magnets 13 and 14, connected across the rails of their respective sections, but including, re-, spectively, the contacts 7 and 8. Magnets 13 and 14 are of medium resistance (five ohms) and are in series relation to batteries 2 and 3-1'. 6., magnet 13 is in. series with battery 2.

and with magnet 11, and magnet 1% is in series with battery3 and magnet 12-so that the 8: resistance of the completed track-circnit'of 3 suitabledevice for propagating or transinitting electrical waves or oscillations duringthe entire time that said device is in operated or controlled condition. any approved type, butwonld generallyco'n Such device may be of tain a primary electric circuit and source of energy and also a secondary circuit which is adapted to become energized by induction from the said primary and toim part or transmit the said oscillations upon becoming so energized, one part of said secondary circuit being connected toground. As this device must transmit the waves or oscillations as long as the controlling-circuit remains energized, it is necessary to provide an induction device which will operate continuously dur-- ing such conditions. Such a device is shown in Fig. 3, consisting of an induction-coil 21, having its primary connected through the circuit-breaker 22 and the energizing-battery 23 to the local circuit 24, cont-rolled by the armature 15, while the secondary of such induction coil is connected, on -one hand, to ground and, on the other hand, to the trans- -mitting conductor or terminal 26. The circuit-breaker 22 referred to is controlled magnetically by the induction-coil in the usual manner, so as to continually make and break the circuit, and thereby cause the induction of current im ulses in the secondary circuit, which impuls s are ,transmitted through the device 26 to the surrounding atmosphere as electrical waves or oscillations. circuitof the transmitting deviceisnormally open at contact and is controlled by magnet 4 of section a and magnet 13 of section B. Magnet 4 normally holds open the contact 15. Therefore as long as the primary circuit is open at 15 there is no wave transmission. On section A are wheels and axle F, intended to represent a train bridging the rails of said section. To some part of said trainvF, preferably to the front of theengine-pilot,is fixed astatf G, insulated therefrom and as high as the stack. To this said staff is fixed the sensitive receiving device, which may be ofany approved type and must be adapted to be influenced by the electrical oscillations which proceed from the stationary transmitter D in advatice of the train F. The said receiver must also be adapted to control the circuit of a signal located on the said train, preferably the engine-cab. I show a signal which is normally in a safety or clear position and which will assume the danger position upon the-train entering upon a defective trackcircuit or for any other reason thatwould cause the receiver to become denergized. The normal condition of the various circuits is as follows: Battery 1 is energizinghigh-resistance' magnet 4, holding open contactv 15 of '5: the primary circuit of signal-transmitter D.

Battery2 of section B is similarly energizing magnet 5. Contact 7 in the track-circuit of section B is open, owing to the denergization of magnet 10 of section A, and therefore no current flows through the track-circuit andvmagnets 11 and 13 of section .B. The signal devices located on the train (which has not entered upon a cont'rolled section) may beassumed to be deenergized and the. signaLd-isk in the danger position.

The-operation is as follows: Upon train F entering controlled section A a low-resist ance bridge is established across the rails of said section, and the current from battery 1 is divided proportionately between the circuit through relay 4 and the circuit through relaylO with the rails of section A. As the The primary the decrease of circuit through relay 10 (which has a resistauce of one ohm) and the rails is of m uch lower resistance than the circuit through relay 4,

(which has a resistance of twenty ohms,) most defined circuit is much less than the resistance of the circuit through relay 5, a greater part of the current from battery. 2 will thus flow through magnet 13, and the pull exerted on the armature 15 by magnet 13 will be more than sufiicient to overcome the attraction of magnetet of section A for the said armature. Upon the closure of contact 15 the primary circuit of the transmitter D is energized, and by induction the secondary circuit produces waves or oscillationswhich will be propagated through space. 'The condition of the signalde Thus the contact 15 will be closed.

vices on the train F will be changed upon the y entrance of the said train upon the section A. The receiver Gis so influenced by the waves which areprod uced-bythetransmitterthat the.

magnet of the signal H is energized, causing the signal to assume the safety position,which indicates that section Bis clear. As the train F reaches section B magnet 13 becomes shortcircuited, owing to the bridging of. the rails of section B, and as the said magnet no longer exerts apull on armature 15 the said armature is drawn against its back' stop by the magnet 4, which is still weakly energized. This action opens the primary circuit of transmitter D, and the electrical waves are -no longer produced by transmitter D. Similarly as in section A-npon bridging the rails of sec-v tion B the magnet 11 at the advance end of saidsection now becomesn'ergized, owing to resistance'i'n the rail-circuit, the resistance of which was six ohms. By cutting out relay 13 at the entrance end of section B, whose resistance is five ohms, magnet 11, which has a resistance of one ohm and was in series with magnet 13, now becomes powerfully energized and closes the track-circuit of ,the section 0, said circuit controlling the primary circuit of the transmitter E. It will be seen that the train-signal'H does not change its position upon entering 'a new section unless circuits of the track or transmitter are out of order or sections are occupied. Any derangementorf the several devices will cause the signal H to assume a danger position, thus assuring absolute safety in running trains. "As the wave-signals may be trans-' mitted through storms or fog as well as during clear weather, the value of this invention will be plainly apparent. Although I have shown the receiving device as located a on a moving train, there is no reason why it can: not be located at any convenient place along the-track, if so desired.

Fig. 2 represents the signal placed in fined position near the track convenient forobservation. In Fig. 2 the-arrangement of circuits and devices are somewhat different. A,

B, and O are the sections; hatteries 1, 2, and

Ilia-D are the are in series relation to battery 2-of section B, and relays 14, 18, and 12 are in series re-- .lation to battery 3 of section 0. Relays 16,

$5 10, and 13 are similarly connected to batnal will not be operated.

tery 10f section A.-

Theoperation is as follows: Upon the short- .circuiting pf section A relay 13 at the enis short-circuited and relays 16,.

said 10 alone are energized. Owing to the low resistance of relay 10, which may be one ohm, it did not normally exert sufficient pull on the contact? to close the circuit of section B; but when nelay 13" of five ohms is short-cireuited relay 10 becomes strongly enough energized to close the said circuit. Upon the closure of the said circuit relays l3 and .17 become energized and relay 13 closes the circuit of receiver G for signal H at point 15. This signal is actuated by thereceiver G, which in 'these relays relay 11 is not energized owing to thefhigh resistance of the other relays; but

when relay 13 is short-circuited by entrance of a train on the section then sufficient current will pass in this circuit to energize relay 11 and'coutrol the next section- It will be noted that any transmitter cannot influence any receiver except the one on the same secion, the other receivers being open-circuited. One advantage of the system above described, wherein the signaling device' is located on the train itself, is that after a train has entered a block indicated as safe it is i still open to receive signals indicating subsequ'ent actions, such as opening of a switch, rendering the block dangerous. For example, the opening of a switch would break the track-circuit and stop the transmission .of

safety impulses. Havingthus described my invention, the

following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

,1. In a wireless cab block-signal system,

,the combination of a track divided into blocks or sections, track-circuits for the'blocks,

source of electrical energy for each of said track-circuits, devices located in the vicinity of the track and controlled by said track-circuits for producing electrical oscillations during-the entire time that said devices are in operated condition and for transmitting without other conductors the said oscillations through the surrounding medium, and a signal suitably located and adapted to indicate the condition of the said blocks or sections through the influence of the said electrical oscillations.

2. In a wireless cab block-signal system, the combination of a track divided into blocks or sections, a device located near the track, and adapted to produce electrical oscillations in the surrounding medium during the entire time t hat said device is in operated co'ndition, a signal adapted to be actuated bythe said oscillations and indicating the condition of the track in advance of a train, and track devices conuec ted with. each of said blocks or sections and controlled by the movement of the said train for causing the production and propagation of the electrical oscillations which actuate the signal and a source of electrical energy for operating said track devices.

3. In a wireless cab block-signal system,

and adapted to produce electrical oscillations time that said device is'in operated condition, a signal located on a train and adapted in the surrounding medium during the entire to be actuated by the said oscillations and indicating the condition of the track in advance of said train, and track-circuits controlled by the movement of the said train and controlling the aforesaid oscillation-producing devices for causing the production and propagation of the electrical oscillations which actuate the signal and a source of electrical energy for each of said track-circuits.

4. In a wireless cab block-signal system, the combination of attack divided into blocks or sections, devices for transmitting elect/ri cal impulses through space ,without Wires, locatedalong the track, said devices being adapted and arranged to transmit such impulses during the entire time that said devices are in operated condition, a receiver for the said impulses located on a moving train, means adjacent to the track controlled automatically by the said train for transmitting and receiving the said impulses, anda signal onthe said train for indicatingthe condition of the-track-sections, actuated by the operation of the transmitting device.

5. In a wireless cab block-signal sys em,

the co m bination'of a track divided into blocks or sections, electric wave or oscillation-producing devices, located at-or near the junction of two sections for transmitting electric waves through the surrounding medium during the entire time that said devices arein operated condition, a device adapted to be energized by the said electric waves located the junction of two sections and capable of producing electrical oscillations in the sur-; rounding medium during the entire time that said devices arein operated condition, areceiver located on a train and adapted to be energized by such electrical oscillations, a signal dependent upon the energization of the said receiver also located on the'said train, and a track-circuit for controlling said signal arranged to operate said signal upon the entrance of the train on the track-circuit, or

the exit of the train from the track-circuit and a source of electrical energy for the trackcircuit.

7. In a wireless cal) block signal system, the combination of a track divided into blocks or sections, devices for transmitting electrical impulses without wires through the surrounding medium during the'entire time that said devices are in operated condition and located at the junction of two sections, a device for receiving the said electrical impulses, located on-a train, and controlling a signal capable of indicating the condition of a, track-section in advance of the transmitting device, and track-circuits for each block for actuating the said transmitting devices, said track-circuits being controlled by the movement of the said train on the different track-sections and a source of electrical energy for each track-cirenit.

.8; In 'a wireless cab block-signal system, the combination of a track divided into blocks or sections, devices, located at or near the junction of two sections and adapted to produce electric waves in the surrounding medium during the entire time said devices are in operated condition, a device adapted to be energized by the said electric waves, and track-circuits for each section controlling the electric-wave-prodncing devicesand adapted to cause the operation of the said devices upon the entrance of the train on the said track-circuits and a source of electrical energy for each track-circuit.

9. In a wireless cab block-signal system,a track divided into blocks, each block constituting a track-circuit, devices near said blocks for propagating electrical oscillations through space, energizing-circuits for said oscillation devices, relays in said track-circuits for controlling said ener'gizingcircuits, sa'idrelays controlled by a train in a preceding block, and aireceiving device responsive to said oscillations suitably arranged to give notice of the condition of the block in advance of the train.

10. In a wireless cab block-signal system, a

track divided into blocks, each block constitutingatrack-circuit, devices near said blocks for propagating electrical oscillations through space, energizing-circuits for said oscillation devices, relays in said trackrcircnits for controlling said energizing-circuits, said relays controlled bya train in a preceding block, and a receiving device responsive to said oscillations suitably arranged on said train to give notice of the condition of a block in advance of the train.

11. In a wireless cab'block-signal system, a

ti e

track divided into blocks, each block constitnting a track-circuit, devices near said blocks a for propagating electrical oscillations through space, energizing-circuits for said oscillation devices, relays in said track-circuits for controlling said energizing-circuits, said relays being of different resistances, the relay of higher resistance controlling the energizing circuit of the propagating device and the relay of lower'resistance controlling an advance track-circuit, saidrelays controlled by a train in a preceding block, and a receiving device responsive to said oscillations suitably arranged to give notice of the condition of a block in advance of the train.

12. In a wireless cab block-signal. system, a,

HERBERT B. EAYLUR.

Witnesses:

J. Gnnnn, A. P. KNIGHT;

IOC

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 739,518, granted Sebtexnber 22,

1903, upon the application of Herbert B. Taylor, of Newark, New Jersey, the titlelgf the invention wae erroneously written and printed Railway Block-Signaling System,- whereas the said title should. have been written and printed Wireless Gab Block-Signal System; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in'the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of October, A. D., 1903. 7 mm F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

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