US759652A - Railway-signal. - Google Patents

Description

No. 759,652. PATBNTED MAY l, 1904'.

J. W. ANDERSON, Jn. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIUATIONHLBD rms. zo, 1903. No MODEL. 2 sHnETs-sHBET 1.

No. 759,652. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

J. W. ANDERSON, Jn.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 2o, 1903.

No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@W4/24 KZ'/ /ZZ e MOHM vmus co. mum m4 uhmm wu u UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 759,652, dated May 10, 1904. Application iled February 2 0, 1903. Serial No. 144,281. (Noimodel.)

To @ZZ whom, it puny concern;

Be it known that l, JOHN W. ANDERSONJ r. a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodland, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Railway-Signal, oi' which the following' is a speciiication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railway-crossing alarms and signals of similar character, wherein an electromagnetic-bell or other alarm is sounded at a crossing or station on the approach of a train in either direction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved form of signaling mechanism which will occupy but small space and will act efectually in sounding an alarm at the desired point from an approaching train, a further object being to provide a simple form of mechanism which will prevent the soundingotI the alarm by a train receding from the crossing or other point where the alarm is situated. 1

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a device `for closing an alarm-circuit, a portion of a railway-line, and the circuits extending between the line, and the circuit-closing device being illustrated in diagram in order that the operation of the device forming the su bject of the invention may be clearly understood. Fig. Q is a detail view or' the two interlocking armature-arms for preventing the closing of the alarm-circuit by a receding train. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the arms. Figs. L1, 5, 6, and 7 are diagrams illustrating the positions assumed by the armature-arms when the circuits are successively deenergized.

` Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts tliroughout the several ligures of the drawings.

The device comprises in general a pair of relays connected in circuits extending from the railway-sections on opposite sides ot' the crossing or other point where the alarm is situated, both relays being adapted to close a local circuit including an alarm and a source ot' electrical energy, and the relay-armatures being adapted to interlock, so that when one is actuated by an approaching train it will prevent the closing of the circuit by the second relay after the train passes ,and is receding from the crossing.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate a pair of relay-magnets arranged closely together and in the same plane, the relays being comparatively small and placed as near t0 each other as possible in order that they may occupy but little space, devices ot' this class being usually inclosed in a box or casing and secured to a post adjacent to the crossing or station. To the iixed frames of the relays are pivoted armatures 3 and 4, respectively, and in the construction shown in Fig. 1, where the relays vare normally energized, the armatures rest against `insulated back-stops 5 against the stress of curved springs (i, extending between securing-screws 7, secured, respectively, to the fixed frame and the armatures, the screws passing through bent portions ot' the springs, so that by tightening or loosening' the screws the stress of the springs may be adjusted to any desired extent.

rlhe back-stops 5 are carried by one arm ot' a U-shaped bar 8, and in the opposite arm olI each bar is an adjustable screw 9, 'forming an outer stop for limiting' the outward movement oi' the armature.

lhe two stops 9 are connected by a line-wire 10 to a local alarm 11 and one pole oil a local battery 12, the opposite pole et' the battery being connected by a line-wire 13 to the relay-frames and through the iframes to the armatures, so that when either armature moves into contact with one of the stops 9 the local circuit will be closed and the alarm will be sounded.

14 and 15 designate two sections olI a railway-line located on opposite sides olI the cross ing or station and insulated Jfrom each other. The traiiic-rails 141 are connected in a closed circuit including a battery 16 and a relay f1, while the traliic-rails of the section 15 ot' the track are connected in a closed circuit including a battery 17 and the relay 2, so that on the approach of atrain in either direction the circuit throug'h the relays will be closed through the rolling-stock and short-circuited, the springs 6 then acting' to move the relayarmatures into contact with the stops 9 and close the local alarm-circuit.

The mechanism thus far described will be operated by a train approaching the crossing or station in either direction; but in order to render the device effective for practical purposes it is necessary to provide means for preventing a train after sounding an alarm on its approach to the crossing from sounding a second alarm after leaving the crossing and at the same time leaving' the system free-for the sounding or' an alarm by a following train approaching the crossing' in the same direction. This is accomplished by a pair of interlocking' arms 21 and 22, secured, respectively, to the armatures 3 and 4 of the relays 1 and 2. The arm 2l is rigidly secured at one end to the armature 3 and at the opposite end is bent rearwardly and outwardly, as indicated at 23, the angularly-bent portion bcing approximately on the arc of acircle struck from the pivot-point of the armature 3. A portion of the end of the arm 21 and the major portion of the angularly-bent arm 23 are cut away or recessed, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the width ofthe arm being' reduced about one-haltl and interfitting with the similar end portion of the arm 22. The extreme end of both arms are of the full width of the strip of metal which forms the arms, and both are slightly curved, as indicated at 24, to form lugs for engagement with the opposite arm. v

The normal position of the parts is that indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the curved and reduced portions of the arms overlapping and both arms being free to move in the event of the denergizing of either relay. It' the relay 1 is denergized by the approach ot' a train in the direction of the arrow, Fig'. 1, the arm 21 will move to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, or to the full-line position shown in Fig. 5, until the armature makes Contact with the adjustable stop 9 and closes the localfalarm-circuit. The parts will remain in the position shown in Fig. 5 until the train passes the crossing and enters on the portion 15 of the track, when the circuit will be closed through the rolling-stock and the relay 2 dcenergized. Both relays are denergized during the time the train is passing the crossing and the arms 21 and 22 assume the position shown in Fig. 6, the lug 24 at the end of the arm 22 engaging the angular portion 23 of the arm 21 and movement of the armature 4 to circuitclosing position being prevented. When the train fully leaves the section 14 of the track, the circuit is again established and the relay 1 is energized, its armature-lever moving to the position illustrated in Fig. 7,

but the lugs 24 of the arms being still engaged and preventing movement oi' the armature 4 to circuit-closing position while the relay 2 is denergized. rlhe position of the parts is such that should afollowing train enter the section 14 of the trackway the relay 1 will be denergized and the relay-armature will be free to again move to the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and close the local alarm-circuit. W'hen the train iinally leaves the section 15 of the trackway, both relays are energized and return to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The closed-circuit system herein described and illustrated in Fig. 1 is in many respects the best system for use in connection With an alarm of this character, as in the event of the failure of either of the batteries 16 or 17 or the breaking of a wire or short-circuiting from anycausethe relays will be denergized and the local alarm-circuit closed, the alarm being sounded continuously until the line is repaired.

By arranging' the relays closely together and in the same plane they occupy but little space and may readily be secured within a comparatively small box or casing, which may also contain the local alarm or the electromag'nets and armatures of such alarm.

iVhile the construction herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is the preferred form ot` the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details ot' the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim isd l In a device of the class specified, a railwayline divided into insulated sections or blocks, relays, normally closed electric circuits including the track-sections and relays, armatures pivotally mounted on the relay-frames, insulated back-stops against which said armatures are held while the relays are energized, circuit-closing stops with which the armatures make contact when the relays are denergized, an armature controlled local alarm circuit connected to the stops and including an alarm and a source of electrical energy, arms 21 and 22 secured respectively to the armatures and each provided with interengaging end portions arranged approximately on curved lines struck from the pivotal centers oi' the armatures, the engaging portions of the arms being reduced in width and each being' provided with a lug 24, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence or' two witnesses.

JOHN WV. ANDERSON, JR.

Witnesses:

C. O. CAvrrT, J. C. MOLYNEAUX.

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