US806538A - Electric signal for railways. - Google Patents

Description

515.1505538. @ATENTBD DBG. 5, 1905.

J. B. 5 H. V. GORRBLL;

ELECTRIC SIGNAL POR RAILWAYS. APPLIOATION Hmm JUNE 21, 1905.v

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PATENTBD DB0. 5, 1905.

I. B. L II. v. GORRBLL, ELECTRIC SIGNAL PoR RAIL WAYS- I 1905.

APPLIOATION FILED {1"11111121,l

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- I PATENTED DEG. 5.1905. J. B. azqv. GORRBLL. f ELECTRIC SIGNAL POR RAILWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21, 1905..

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f4/,g l Y 3? 2# 20- 20' will I .ILLLP ullllnlnnu UNITED lSTM-FES JOHN B. eoRRLL AND H IRM v.`

PATENTQNFIGE.

'GORRELL OF Morro, INDIANA.

nl lfzornlc SIGNAL Fon eAlLWAYs, 2,.,

' No. 806,538. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratntea Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed June 21l 1905. Serial No. 266,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,JoHN` B. GORRELL e and HIRAMV GORRELL, citizens of the United States, residing at vLaotto', in the countyof Noble, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railways; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enablevothers skilled intheart to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in electric signals for railways.

.The primary objectof our present invention is to'provide a comparatively cheap, simple,

- efficient, andreliable electric signal apparatus for railways, located both at stations and at suitable points between stations under the eX- .'clusive control of the station operator and adapted to prevent train collisions by enabling the operator to signal trains between stations at pleasure, as incase of a mistake in train orders and the like, and also by enabling the operator to simultaneously signal the oiiice at the next station in both directions when atrain leaves in the direction of such station;

Our invention consists of an electric signaling apparatus operatively mounted in an up p right casing or box adapted tok be fixed upon any suitable ysupport and placed at stations and at suitable points between the same. The operative mechanism arranged inthe said casing consists of an electrically-operated switch adapted to be energized by a line-circuit nor-` mally open, a lamp-circuit normally open connected with the said switch, and signaling means adapted to be actuated by the closing 4o of the said normally open switch. l y

yThe principal novel feature of our invention resides -in the combination of operative parts by which the station operator is enabled to signal railway-trains between stations and by'which the operator is notified of all approaching trains as soon as .they leavethe .nearest station 1n each direction.,

Similar reference-numerals indicate like par-ts throughout the several views,in which- Figure 1 is a side View of our invention with. the containing-casing or signal-box in vertical section. Fig.- 2` is a front view of. the same with the casingalso in vertical section and showing .its connection with the line-batteries. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same in its containing-casing. Fig. 4 is 4, 5, 6, and 17, respectively, for the purpose hereinafter described.

upper end, is arranged an opening, preferably circular, closed by a proper transparent glass 8, fixed in a suitable frame 9. Immediatelybelow this opening is a second smaller opening of any proper form and dimensions around To the inner face of this stationary 'back are fixed aseries of horizontal shelves 8,

. l In the front face of the casing 1, near itsv whichis xed aframe 10, having a proper transparent convex glass 11 fixed therein.

On the shelf 7 are arranged the batteries i v12, having the `binding-posts 13, which are.

connected bythe wire 14. One of these batter-ies has a wire 16 running from its binding-post 15 to the incandescent lamp 17, arranged-on the shelf 5 and pnovided with a concave reflector 18. This lamp 17 is of any proper candle-power to perform its function hereinafter described. r

On the shelf Gisarranged an electrically- -operated switch consisting o fa base 19, having a binding-post 20, a bifurcated standard 21, in which is pivotally mounted one end of the lever-arm 22,"having at or near its central portion the Aarmature 23, arranged directly above and in closeproximity to the upper ends of thevmagnets 24, which are energized from the line-battery 25 through the leading-in wire 26 `when theA switchy 27 is closed by the operator. The free end of the armature has a xed projecting plate 28 of proper insulating material, on Whichis mounted 'a yoke-plate 29, whose lower end is secured v to the insulating-plate 28 by means of the pin 30, -connected in the'lamp-circuit by means of the wire 31 and adapted to' be brought into contact with the binding-post 32 on the shelf 6, which is connected to one of the batteries 12 by the wire '33, thereby closing the lampcircuit and energizing the lamp 17.

tical standard 35 has upon its upper end 1an overhanging lug 35', adapted to limit .the up.- ward movement of the arm 22.

To the inner face of the back of the casing A ver- 1 is Fixed a curved bracket 36, in which is rotatably-mounted the horizontal shaft 37, on Whose forwardly-projecting end is fixed a semaphore-arm 38 of proper dimensions. On the shaft 37 is fixed an oblique plate 39, one end of which is connected to the shelf 4 by a proper coiled retraction-spring 40. This spring 40 is adapted to normally retain the semaphore-arm 38 in its normal upright position through its connection with the shaft 37 `as. shown. To the other end of this plate 39 is pivotally connected the upper end of the operating-rod 41, the lower end of which is loosely connected to the top of the plate 29, whereby the vvertical movement of the armature will rotate the shaft 37, and thereby actuate the semaphore-arm 38 and brings it to a horizontal position as a day-signal that a train is approaching, while the energized lamp 17 is a night-signal to the same effect.

The operation and manner of employing our invention thus described is briefly stated, as follows: The line-battery 25 and the switch 27 are located in the station ofiice and are connected to our signal apparatus by means of the line- wires 26 and 42, supported in any proper manner, as on poles 43. Our apparatus is placed not only in each station, but at suitable points between stations for the purpose of signaling the engineer of passing trains, as follows: Our apparatus is placed at a proper height upon a suitable support on both sides of the single track in such a manner as to face an approaching train. For example, all the signal apparatus on the right hand of the running train or on the engineers side face the approaching train and those on the opposite side of the track face in the opposite direction. Each operator controls only those signals upon the left side of the track between his station and the next station in both directions and the corresponding signal apparatus in the office of these stations, whereby when a train leaves a station in either direction the operator by closing the corresponding switch 27 adjusts the said signals to indicate that fact upon each apparatus along the line and also in the station which the outgoing train is approaching simultaneously, the semaphore-arm 38 being the signal by day and the lamp 17 by night. Any train which by inadvertence was allowed to pass the last-mentioned station would be notied -by one of the said line-signals, and thus efectually blocked against meeting the said approaching train, so that where two trains are approaching each other between stations they will both be blocked or stopped, since each operator will close his switch 27 as the train leaves his station.

It is obvious that since in our apparatus the only signals which can be seen by the engineer are those which are intended for him there can be no confusion of signals. It is obvious that by the use of our invention the engineer who is thus stopped between stations can in like manner by the use of code-signals be instructed to return to his last station or to proceed, or he may be signaled any other desired orders. It is thus seen that by the use of our invention a collision is rendered well-nigh impossible, even where there has been a mistake in train orders.

Having thus described our invention and the manner of employing the same, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1.' In an electric signal for railways a linebattery; a signal box or casing; an electrically-operated switch arranged in the said casing and under the control of the station operator; a normally open line-circuit connecting the said switch with the said battery; means for closing the said circuit at pleasure by the station operator; a normally open lamp-circuit in said casing independent of the said line-circuit and adapted to be closed by the said electric switch; a lamp in the said circuit; means in the said box for energizing the said lamp-circuit; and a semaphore-arm pivotally connected to the said electricallyoperated switch and adapted to be actuated thereby.

2. An electric signal for railways consisting ot' a containing-casing; an electrically-operated switch mounted in said casing under the control of the station operator and energized by means of a normally open line-circuit; a semaphore pivotally connected with the said switch, and adapted to be actuated thereby; a normally open lamp-circuit in said casing having an independent source of energy to be closed by the said switch; and a lamp in the said lamp-circuit.

3. The combination in an electric signal for railways of a containing-casing; an electrically-operated switch arranged in the said casing; a normally open line-circuit adapted to energize the said switch; an independent normally open lamp-circuit in the said casing connected to the said switch and adapted to be closed thereby; anvk incandescent lamp in the said lamp-circuit; a semaphore in said casing pivotally connected with the said switch and adapted to be actuated thereby; and means for returning the said semaphore to its normal position.

Signed by us at Laotto, county of Noble, State of Indiana, this 16th day of June, A. D. 1905.

JOHN B. GORRELL. HIRAM V. GORRELL.

Witnesses:

WINFIELD GORRELL, NELLIE R. iVYATT.

IIO

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