US774320A - Electric signal. - Google Patents

Description

No. 774,320. PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904. F. H. GRAY.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1,1904. no MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

FREDERICK H; GRAY, OF LEAVENVVORTH, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WVALTER V. THOMAS, OF LEAVENWVORTH, KANSAS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,320, dated November 8, 1904. Application filed February 1,1904. Serial No. 191,481. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signals for railways; and my object is to utilize an electric current for operating signals in the form of bells, lights, semaphores, or other devices in block systems at crossings, curves, bridges, and all other places where it is desired to announce the approach of a car or train. 7

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the in vention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved switch, taken on line H II of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the switch, taken on line TV IV of Fig. 2. F ig. 5 is a transverse section of the switchoperating lever, taken on line VV of Fig. 4.

For convenience in illustrating and describing my invention I have shown it in connection with a pair of trolley- wires 1 and 1, to which a pair of my improved switches are connected in a reverse position at opposite ends of a track-section. (Not shown.) Each of the switches comprises an insulated base 2, a depending forked lever 3, pivoted to the under side of the base and adapted to straddle a trolley-wire, a circuit-closer, and a circuitopener. The circuit-closer consists of a gravity-lever 1, pivoted to the upper side of the base and provided with a depending arm 5 and a contact-terminal 6 and a contact-terminal 7, suitably supported above contact 6, while the circuit-opener consists of a lever 8, pivoted to the base and provided with a depending arm 9 and a contact-terminal 10, which is normally held in engagement with a contact-terminal 11, arranged upon the base by means of a coil-spring 12. Arms 5 and 9 are arranged an equal distance apart at opposite sides of lever 3, so that when the latter is swung upwardly in either direction it will contact with and elevate one or the other of said arms, together with its lever.

Connection is made between trolley-wire 1 and one of contacts 6 by a wire 13, so that when contacts 6 and 7 are closed by a car entering the left end of the track-section com: munication will be established between wires v 1 1 through a local conductor comprising wire 13, said contacts 6 and 7, wire 14, wire 14:", an electromagnet 15, wire 16, series of lamp-signals 17 contacts 10 and 11, wire 18, a series of lamp-signals 17, located at the opposite end of the track section, contacts 10 and 11, located at said opposite end of the track-section, and through wire 13, leading from terminal 11 to trolley-wire 1, which conducts the current back to the dynamo or other source of electrical energy, and thus completes the circuit. The establishment of this current through said local conductor energizes magnet 15, causing it to attract armature 19, fulcrumed at 20 and provided with a terminal contact 21, which is drawn into contact with a fixed terminal 22, connected to wire 13 by a Wire 23, so the current will be divided into two parts in its passage to the magnet until terminals 6 and 7 separate. This separation takes place immediately after the trolleywheel or other contacting device on the car passes out of engagement with lever 3. After the contact is broken between said terminals 6 and 7 the current will flow from the main feedconductor or trolley-wire 1 to the main returnwire or trolley-wire 1 through wires 13 23, terminals 22 21, armature 19, wires 14314: magnet 15, wire 16, signals 17, contacts 10 11, wire 18, signals '17, contacts 10 11 on the switch at the right end of the track-section, and wire 13. This circuit remains closed until the trolley-wheel onthe car contacts with lever 3 of the last-mentioned switch and elevates it into contact with arm 9, thereby raising lever 8 and momentarily breaking the contact between terminals .10 and 11. This breaking of the circuit of course demagnetizes the electromagnet 15 and permits armature 19 to be drawn out of contact with said magnet and terminal 22 by a coil-spring 24.

A car entering the track-section from the right will close contacts 6 and 7 and establish r a current from trolley-wire 1 through wire 1 13 contacts 6 and 7, wire 25, wire 14", electromagnet 15, wire 16, signals 17, contacts 10 and 11 on the switch at the left terminal of the track-section, wire 18, signals 17, contacts 10 and 11 at the right end of the traclrsection, and wire 13 to trolley-wire 1, thus setting signals 17 17, which will notify the motorman on a car approaching from either direction of the presence of the car on the track-section between the signals. The instant that contacts 6 and 7 at the right are closed part of the current will flow to the magnet through wires 13 23, contacts 22 21, armature 19, and wires 14 14 so that when said contacts 6 7 separate a pathway will be provided for the current from trolley-wire 1 to trolley-wire 1 until interrupted by the trolley-wheel operating the circuit-opener at the left. Thus it will be understood that a car entering either end of the track-section will set the signals, and the latter will be held in said position until the circuit is opened by the trolley operating the switch at the opposite end of the track-section.

While I have shown and described the switches provided with forked levers 3, arranged to straddle the trolley-wires, it is apparent that when applying the invention to a steam or other railway said levers 3 may be substituted by one arranged to be operated by the wheels of the train or means carried by the latter.

While the invention as above described is especially adaptable for a single-track railway, it may be employed to advantage as a block-signal in double-track systems where all of the cars pass in the same direction on one track and in the opposite direction on the other track by dispensing with wires 13 25, a circuit-opener at the entrance of the block, and a circuit-closer at the exit of said block. When thus arranged, a local conductor of course will be necessary for each track.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric signal, the combination with amain feed-conductor and a main return conductor, of a normally open local conductor connecting the two main conductors, a circuitcloser for momentarily closing the local conductor, an electromagnet in circuit with the local conductor and provided with a normally open armature, a branch conductor in circuit with the local conductor and the armature for dividing the current between the feed-conductor and the magnet when the local conductor is momentarily closed by the circuitcloser, and which maintain a path for the current through the local conductor after the separation of the contact-terminals of said circuit-closer, signals in circuit with the local conductor, and a circuit-opener for opening the local conductor.

2. In an electric signal, the combination with a main feed-conductor and a main return conductor, of a normally open local conductor connecting the two main conductors, a pair of reversely-disposed switches having contactclosers for momentarily closing the local conductor, an electromagnet in circuit with the local conductor and provided with a normally open armature, a branch conductor in circuit with the local conductor and the armature for dividing the current between the feedconductor and the magnet when the local conductor is momentarily closed by either of the circuit-closers, and which maintains a path for the current through the local conductor after the separation of the contact-terminals of the circuit-closer, signals in circuit with the local conductor, and circuit-openers on the switches, the circuit-opener of one switch opening the local conductor after the latter has been closed by the circuit-closer on the other switch.

3. In an electric signal, the combination with a main feed-conductor and a main return conductor, of a pair of reversely-disposed switches each having a circuit-closer and a circuitiopener, means for operating said circuit-closers and circuit-openers, two conductors, 1 3 13 connecting the circuit-closers to the feed-conductor, a conductor 18 connecting the circuit openers, a conductor 13 connecting one of the circuit-openers to the main return conductor, an electromagnet, a conductor 16 connecting the magnet to one of the circuit-openers, an armature adapted to be attracted by the electromagnet, conductors l4and 14 connecting the armature to the magnet, a fixed contact-terminal 22 with which the armature contacts when attracted by the magnet, a branch conductor 23 connecting terminal 22 to conductor 13 whereby when the circuit-closer on one of the switches is closed the current through conductor 13 will be divided, part passing through conductors 14 and 14 to the magnet while the other part passes to said magnet through conductor 23, the armature, and conductors 14. and lt" which maintain a path for the current until the circuit-opener on the other switch is opened, and a conductor 25 connected at its opposite ends to one of the circuit-closers and the electromagnet.

4. In an electric signal, a switch consisting of an insulated base, a gravity-lever 4 pivoted to the upper side of the base and provided at its free end with a contact-terminal, an arm 5 depending from lever 4, a contact-terminal secured to the base and terminating vertically above the contact-terminal on lever I, a lever 8 pivoted to the base provided at its free end with a contact-terminal 10 and extending in an opposite direction to lever 4, a contact-terminal on the base below terminal 10 so the latter will normally rest thereon, an arm 9 depending from lever 8, and a depending forked In testimony whereof I affix my signature in lever pigotally secured at its slipper end to thgi the presence of two Witnesses. base mi way between cepen ing arms 5 an 9 so that whenswnng upwardly in one direc- FREDERICK GRAY 5 tion it will strike and elevate arm 5 and when Witnesses:

swung upwardly in the opposite direction it WALTER V. THOMAS, will strike and elevate arm 9. I F. G. FISCHER.

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