US829142A - Railway traffic-controlling system. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

C. W. COLEMAN. RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYST APPLIUATIOH PIL ED FEB. 15. 1904.

2 HBETS-SHEET 1. C-(@ no. 329,142. PATENTBD AUG. 21, 1906. c. w. COLEMAN. RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

.lii'I-IOA'I'IOH FILED PER. 15. 1904.

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=1; w Q1 W Q Q Winesses: In uelzior m 6W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE W. COLEMAN. OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE HALL SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 211' Application filed February 15, 1904. Serial No. 193,506.

at Vvestfield, in the county of Union an State of New Jersey, have invlntcd certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Traflic-Controlling Systems, of which the following is a specification, ILfcI'GIlCG being had thr rein to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to systems and aparatus for controlling traflic upon railways y means of signals,

means, and other means controlling the movements of trains or railway-vehicles.

My invention includes the employment of an elcctric currr nt or currents havin anumher of CUI'I'tIlt characteristics, incl udin a current characteristic known as perio 1c and consisting in a periodic variation of lluctuation in a property of an cltctric current for selective control of the oprrations of the traffic-controlling apparatus.

My invention also includcs the transmis sion of the controlling-currents or current characteristics to the tra'lllc-controlling apparatus through conductive means including a common conductor or trafiic-coi1troll1ng circuit, and when thus transmitted the current characteristics affcct the trafiiccontrol lin apparatus diih rcntially by virtue of their di (re nt electrical properties.

My invcntion also includes the employ-- mtnt, as such periodic currt nt cl aractr, ristic, of a periodic variation in the polarity or direction of a current such as exists in the ordinary commercial alt rnating current. In my invention thc trafiic-controlling means are capable of performing a numln r of operations and are sick ctivclycontrollr d to pr rform one or more of such opt rations by a controlin currrnt or currents having a number of di rrint Cllfl-I'HfiiitllStlCS, one of which is a periodic charactrristic such as above referred to. In one form of m' inv ntion the home and distant signal indications are thus (-1- fected, and an altr rnating curruit is cinploycd to (Hi ct the homcclcar indication, ant a unidirtctional curr: nt characteristic or direct current is omplo '(d to cllcct the dis tant cl! ar indication. n one form of my invention the railsof the railway-track are the only conductors for the signal-controlling circuits from point to point along a railway switch controlling.

line, such a systenrbcing known as a wiroless-circuit system.

My invention also includes various im-' provements in the construction, arrangement, and combination of circuits and aparatus embodied in the si aling system creinafter particularly dcscrih ed.

The obi'ects of my'invention are economy and simp icity of construction and effectiveness, economy,and reliability of operation; and my invention has other obects and advanta eous features, which will be evident from t is specification. V

I will now describe the systems shown in the accompanying drawings and embodying my invention an my invention in claims.

The accompanying drawings are diagram matic representations of three different embodiments of my invention which are articularl described hereinafter.- These t eo partiou ar embodiments are wireless autoponent controlling currents or current characteristics are transmitted over a common will thereafter point out controlling-circuit comprising the rails of the lishcd or home-signal component is discontinned and after the second-established or distant-signal component is caused to flow.

Economy of current and wear upon the current-generating apparatus is the object of this arrangement, to effect which one operation of the traffic-controlling or signal-indicating apparatus, in these instances the clearing of the home signal, is made selectively controllable by or responsive to one current characteristic, while another operation required to be performed after the first-mentloned operation, in these instances theelearing of the distant signal, is controllable by and responsive to the other current characteristic, the apparatus being also responsive to the latter current characteristic to maintain the osition or condition thereof eil'eoted by the list operation and after the first-established current characteristic has been (liscontinued.

In the drawings, Figure l shows three blocks of a system in which normal clear signal-indicating apparatus is located at the rear end of each block. Figs. 2 and 3 show modifications of the system illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the system shown in Fig. l the home and distant signals of each signal-indicating apparatus are normally maintained in clear positions by passage of a unidirectional sig nail-clearing current from the next signal-indicating apparatus in advance through one rail r of the intervening block or section of the railway-line and thence through clearing and controlling electric translating ap aratus or relays comprised in the signal-int icat ing apparatus at the rear end of the block such as the ordinary relay U, responsive to unidirectional currents, and the relay A, of s ecial construction and responsive to both alternating and direct currcnts-and thence through the other rail r and back to the aparatus at the advance end of the block. The

oIne-sign'al clearing and controlling translating devices or relays, such as A, are in this instance constructed according to the principles of the well-known Kelvin balance, as indicated in the drawings, and in this instance the distant-signal clearing and controlling translating devices or relays, such as U, are made unresponsive to alternating current by means of their counter electromotive force of self-induction or what may be termed their inductive resistance, which is so adjusted that the alternating current or current of periodic characteristic will pass only in small part through such distant-signal relays and not sufliciently to eftectually energize them.

When a train is present in any block-for instance, as indicated, in the blocks S the signal-clearing current instead of passing through the clearing-relays U and A' at the rear end of the block passes directly from rail to rail through a low-resistance shunt or short circuit made by the wheels and axles of the train. Being thus denergizedfthe clearing-relays U and A actuate their respective contact-fingers t and v or permitl such fingers to be actuated by gravity or 'oLher force to open the contacts between sich fingers and their respective contact-stopii u a w. The opening of the contacts 'u l'w o ,the home-signal-clearing relay A opens the'local circuit of the home-signal-controlling magnet i10 which. leads from the main battery B through a connecting-wire to the. contactfinger c thence through contact-stop w -connccting-wire, home signal controlling magnet h and connectiiig-wire back to battery. Through this local circuit the homesignal-controlling magnet is normally energized by current from the main battery B. The ho]ne-signabcoi'itrolling magnet ll and the distant-signail-controlling magnet (1, respectively, control. the home-.dgrutl semaphore H" and the distant-signal sema )hore l), through interposed mechanism an apparatus well known in the art, in such manner that the energization oieither of these controlling-magnets causes its respective semaphore to be placed in the clear position, and the decnergization of either magnet causes its respective semaphore to be moved by counterweight or other force to the danger position. Thus the deenergization of the home-signal-controlling magnet h efl'ected by the deenergization of the home-signah clearing relay A causes the home-signal semaphore H to go to the position indicating danger." The distant-signalsemaphore D is likewise caused to moveto danger position by deenergization of the distant-signalcontrolling magnet (i which is ellected by opening the contacts t a, controlled by the .distant-signal-clearing relay U as already pointed out, and included in the local circuit of the distant-signal-controlling ma not, which is as follows: from main battery 2 through connecting-wire, contact-stop u, contact finger t connecting-wire, distant-signal-controlling magnet d connecting-wire, contactlever i contact-sto j and connecting-wire back to battery. he contact-levers i", it, m and '0 are all actuated by or together with the movement of the home-signal semaphore H, the actuating means being represented in the diagram. by a common rod R connected at its lower end to each of these levers and at its upper end to the semaphore. Suitable insulation is provided to prevent conductive connection from one lever to another through the rod. By the movement of the home signal to danger the contact-lever "i is actu ated to positively break contact with its stop 7' and thus positively break the local circuit of the distant-signal-controlling magnet d and cause the distant signal to go to danbe efl'ectually broken by the contacts t a because of sticking, arcing, or other unusual condition.

The railway-block S- (shown in the diagram in rear of the block S) represents an unusually long railway-block or a railwayblock so situated as to be liable to abnor mally wet conditions. To avoid unreliability or uncertainty in the actuation of the signal-indicating ap aratus a the rear end of such a block, sue as might ensue from ger even if such local circuit should fail to from rail to rail through an abnormally wet rail-circuit, this particular block is divided into two successive subsectlons insulated from each other, but having a signal-currentrepeating apparatus interposed between them by connection to the rear end of the rail-circuit of the forward subsection and to the advance end of the rail-circuit of the rear subsection.

' Assuming that the railway-train has entered the block or section S in its ordinary progressive movement along therailway-line and from the block S in rear of the block S it will be noted that just prior to such entrance of the train upon the block S the wheels and axles of such train constitute a short circuit from rail to rail of the rail-circuit of the advance subsection of the railwayblocks. This short circuit until it is broken by exit of the train from the block S effectua ly shunts all current transmitted from the signal-indicating ap aratus at the rear end of the block S to t e advance end of such rail-circuit and prevents the transmissionof such current along this rail-circuit to oints in rear of the train. In the absence 0 such current at the rear end of the rail-circuit of the forward subsectionof the block S the home-signal-rcpeating relay A and the distantsignal-repeating relay U comprised in the signal-current-repeatmg apparatus and connected in multiple at the rear end of such rail-circuit, are both deener 'zed. In this condition of the repeating-re ays the signalcurrentrepeating apparatus transmits no clearing-current to the rail-circuit of the rear subsection of the railway-block S and in such absence of clearing-current both the home-signal semaphore H and the distant semaphore D of the signal-indicating apparatus at the rear end of this block are in their danger positions.

Upon exit of the train from the block S. into the block s 'and when the signals at the rear end of the latter block go to danger the movement of the home-signal to danger causes the contact-lever k to break its contact with the contact-spring l and-thus breaks the delivery-cn'cuit of the two multiple cells of the track-battery 12 through which these cells deliver unidirectional current to the advance end of the rail-circuit of the advance subsection of the block 5*, this delivery-circuit being as follows: from one rail of the subsection through wire connection to the contact-lever Ir, thence through the contact-spring l to one pole of the bat tery I), through the battery, and thence by a wire connection back to the other rail of the subsection. The same movement of the home-signal semaphore causes the contactlever m to make contact with the contactspring it, thus closing the local circuit of the motor-armature M i of a motor-generator com rised in the signal-indicating apparatus, this ocal motor-circuit being as follows from one ole of the main battery B to one brush of t e motorarmaturc, thence through the armature, the other brush, wire connection,

contact-lever m contact-spring n, and wire connection back to the other pole of the battery. The same movement of the home-signal semaphore causes the contact-lever o to make contact with its contact-spring p and thus closes the circuit of the alternating-current-generator armature G of the motorgenerator, through which circuit thisgenerator-armature delivers alternating or homesignal-clearing current to the advance end of the rail-circuit of the advance subsection of the railwayblock S. This delivery-circuit of the alternating-current generator is as fol-' lows: from the advance end of one rail of the rail-circuit through wire connection to one brush of the armature G through the armature to the other brush, and thence through wire connection, contact-spring contactlever 0 and wire connection to t e advance end of the other rail of the rail-circuit. The contact-springs are so adjusted relative to their respective contactdevers that the aforedescribed circuits of the motor-armature and of the generator-armature of the motor-generator are closed during the movement of the home-signal semaphore H to danger before such movement opens the delivery-circuit of the direct-current track-battery b. The duration of the direct current flowing from this battery to its rail-circuit after the entrance of the train upon the block S is, however, only momentary and produces no clearing etlect upon the signal-indicating apparatus at themear end of such block.

Upon closing of the circuits of the motor and generator armatures of the motor-generator resulting from the movement of the home signal H to "danger the motor-generator M G is started by its motor-armature and its generator-armature commences to deliver alternating current to the advance rail-circuit of the railway-block S, the function of which alternating current is to clear the home signal at the rear end of that block. This home-signal-clearing current traverses the advance rail-circuit of the block 8*,

asses through the home-signalrepeating re a A which is of similar construction to the ot ier home-signaLclearing relays, such as A, and is responsive to both alternating and di rect currents and energizes this rela The distantsignal-re )eatingrelay U is 0 similar construction to the other distant-si nal-clear- ,ing relays, such as U, and althoug connect ed in the rear end of this same rail-circuit in multiple with the hon'ie-signal-re eating relay the inductive resistance of t e distantsignal-repcating relay is so adjusted that this IlQ alternating current passes only ins mall part through it and not sufficiently to energize it. The energization of the home-signal-repeating relay A causes this relay to move its other brush, thence through connecting-wire,

contact-spring n contact-finger m controlled by the distant-signal-repeatin'g relay U and inclosed position when this relay 'is deener ized, and from the contactfinger m throug wire connection, contact-finger v contact-stop w, and wire connection back to the other pole of the battery. The closing of this motor-armature circuit starts the motorgenerator, and the alternating-current-generator armature thereof commences to deliver an alternating current or homesi nalclearing current 'to the advance end 0 the rear rail-circuit of the railway-block S through a delivery-circuit which may be traced from the a Vance end of one rail of such rail-circuit by wire connection to one brush of the alternating-current armature and from the advance end of the other rail of suchrail-circuit, through wire connection, contact-finger 0 its contact-spring p and wire connection to the other brush of the ar mature. The contact-finger 0 is controlled by the direct-current or distantsignal-re peating relay U and is in circuit-closing position when this re eatin -rela is deencr gized. A contact-finger W ich is also controlled by'the distant-signal-repeating rclay U but only brought into contact with its contact-spring I when this relay is energized, controls the delivery-circuit of'the direct-current distant-signal-clearing battery b which delivery-circuit is as follows: from the advance end of one rail of the rear railcircuit of the block 5*, through connectingwire to one pole of the battery, thence through the batterzy and connecting-wire to the contact-spring thence through contactfinger k and connecting-wire to the advance end of the opposite rail of this rail-circuit.

The alternating current or home-signal clearing current from the generator-armature G traverses therear rail-circuit of the block 9) to the rear end of such rail-circuit and of such block and thence passes through wire connection b means of which the home and distant signs clearing relays A and U, re-- spectively, are included in multiple with each other; This alternating current does not energize the distant-signal-clearing relay U! for reasons alre'adyset forth. Thelhomesignal-clearing relay is, however energized by this alternating currentand raises its contact finger 1) into position of contact with the contact-stop w, thus. closing the local circuit of the home-signatcontrolling magnet h, which corresponds to the local circuit of the home-signal controlling magnet h which has already been traced at the rear end of the block S. Thereby the home-signal-controlling magnet h is energized and the home-signal semaphore H is conse' quently placed in clear position in a manner already described. The signal-indicating apparatus at the rear end of the block S now gives the one block clear indication, and this condition of the apparatus exactly corresponds to the condition of the corresponding signal-indicating apparatus at the rear end of the block S prior to the exit of the train from a bloc}: S and at the moment of clearin the home signal at the rear end of such b ock. Upon such clearing of the rear home signal of the block S and by the clearing movement thereof the contact-lever k is brought into contact with its contact-spring l to close the delivery-circuit of the direct-current or dis tant-signal-clearing battery I), which delivery-circuit corresponds to that of the clearing-battery b already described. By the same movement the motor and generator circuits of the motor-generator corresponding to the motor and'generator circuits already described at the rear end of the block S are open, but not before, and preferably an in-' stant after, the closure of the delivery-circuit of the direct-current battery I), through which it transmits distant-signalclearing current to the advance end of the rail-circuit of the block S. This distant current or distant signal clearing current traverses the rail-circuit of the block S to the rear end thereof and thence passes through and ene'r gizes the distant-signal-clearing relay U and maintains the energization of the home-signal-clearing relay A, the distant-signal relay being responsive to a direct current and the home-signal relay being responsive to either a direct or an alternating current. a

The distant-signal-clearing relay U when it is energized moves its contact-finger t into contact with its contact-stop U, thereb closing the local circuit of the distant-signal controlling magnet d, which is the same as the corresponding circuit already described in connection with the apparatus at the rear end of the block 8. The home signal at the rear end of the block S being already clear; the contacts 11 controlled by such home signal and interposed in the local circuit of the distant-signal-controlling magnet, are al ready closed, so that this local circuit is completed and the distant-signal-controlling mag- .net d is energizedimmediately upon closure iof-the contacts t This energization of the distant-signal-controlling magnet d clears the distant signal D at the rear end of the block S, thereby giving the two blocks clear indication at the rear end of this block.

The clearing movement of the home-signal semaphore H at the rear end of the block S,

1 by means of which the distant-signahclearing contact-stop 7"- reparatory to complete closure of the'loca circuit of the distant-signalcontrolling magnet d when the other nontrolling-contacts thereof it a shall be closed by the passage of direct current or distantsignal-clearing current through the distantsignal-clearing relay U.

It will be noted that although the alternating current or home-signal-clearing current has been out off from the block S by the clearing movement of the rear home signal of the block S the home-signal-clearing relay A at the rear end of the block S is still energized and maintained in signal-clearing po sition by passage of the direct or distant-signal-clearing current through it.

Upon exit of the train from the block S the rear home signal H of that block will be cleared by an alternating home-signal-clearing current transmitted through the rail-circuit of this block and from the signal-ind eating apparatus at the advance end thereof in the manner already described with respect to the clearing of the rear home signal of the block sflexcepting. that the home-signal-clearin current may e transmitted through the rai -circuit of the block S directly from its advance end and without the interposition of signal-current-repeating apparatus. Thereupon the clearing movement of the rear home signal H of the block S will terminate the alternating or home-signal-clearing current transmitted through the advance rail-circuit of the divided block S, but only after establishing a direct or distantsignalclearing current from the track-battery I) through such advance rail-circuit to maintain the hornesignal-repeating relay A in signal-clearing position or condition and to energize the distant-signalrepeating relay U responsive only to direct current. This energization of the distant-signal-repeating relay U opens the motor-armature circuit of the motor-generator M G and the delivery-circuit of the generator-armature thereof at the contacts m n and 0 11 respectively, but not until after closing the delivery-circuit of the directcurrent distant-signal-clearing battery I) at the contacts 1: l by reason of the adjustment of the contact-springs n p and l relative to their respective contact-fingers.

It is apparent that the foregoing operation of the signal-current-repeating apparatus ef- .fects a cessationof the alternating or homesignal-clearin'g current traversing the rear railcircuit of the divided block S and maintaining its rear home signal inclear position, but only after establishing a direct or distant-signal-clearing current. in such circuit to clear the distant signal at the rear end thereof by energizing the direct current or distant-signalclearing relay U and to maintain the energization and clearing position or condition of the home-signal-clearing relay A at the rear end of such block. The efiect of the signalcu1rentrepeating apparatus interposed between the adjacent subsecticns of the railwayblock S is merely to transmit to the rear railcircuit of such hlock the same kind of current or currents which the repeating apparatus receives from the advance rail-circuit of such block.

Figs. 2 and 3 represent signal-indicating apparatus of the same construction as represented at the rear end of each block of the system shown in Fig. 1, excepting as to the means for producing the alternating current or home-signal-clearin current. In each of these figures the signa -indicating apparatus at the rear end of one block only is shown. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 the motor generator of the signal-indicating apparatus of Fig. 1 is replaced by an induction-coil I, the priinarv circuit of which comprises a primary coil 11: and a circuit-breaking device 2, which may be actuated by the core of the induction-coil in a well-known manner. In its relation to the rest of the apparatus this primary circuit corresponds to the motorarmatui'e circuit of the motor-generator of the system shown in Fig. 1 and is similarly supplied with circuit from the main battery B, controlled by the contact-lever m and its contact-spring n. The secondary coil y cor responds with the generatonarmature of the motor-generator in function and in its connection with the rail-circuit in rear of the ap paratus and in its method of control by the contact lever 0 and co1'itact-spring p. The current produced by this secondary coil is a non-symmetrical alternating currenttl1at is, an alternating current whose opposing signs have different values or whose opposing current-waves may have different forms. In the signal-indicating apparatus shown in Fig. 3 the alternating or home-signal-cloaring current is'supplied by a transformer T, the secondary coil y of which corresponds to the generator-armature of the motor-generator already described in function and in its connection with the signalindicating apparatus and the rail-circuit inrear thereof. The primary coil to of this transformer is. in a circuit which supplies it with an alternating current and which is controlled by the contact-lever m and the contact-spring n in the manner alrrady described with reference to the control of ti o motor-armature circuit of the motor-generator. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, however, this primary circuit of the transformer connects with and is supplied by the wires of a transmission-line 'l L, connecting with an alternating-current generator A U G, located at some convenient point. It is of course obvious that such a transmission-line extending along a railway-track may supply alternating current to any number of signal-indicating ap paratuses.

it is obvious that various other modifications of the constructions shown and above particularly described may be made within the s irit and scope of my invention.

W rat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i l. The combination of electricslly-controllahle railway traffic-controlling apparatus differentially responsive to different current characteristics and means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics includin aperiodic alternation, the traffic control ing a paratus being in controllable relation to t e means for supplying electricity through suitable conductive means including a conductor common to the different current characteristics.

2. The combination of electrically-control I lable railway tlttlilC-GOIIUOlliIlg apparatus differentially responsive to different current characteristics, and mcansfor supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic alternation, such means for supplying electricity being governable by movement of a railway-vehicle along the railway-line and being in controlling relation to the traffic-controlling apparatus through suitable conductive means including a conductorcommon to the different current characteristics.

3. The combination of electrically-controllable railway signal-indicating apparatus differentially responsive to different current characteristics and means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic alternation, the signal-indicating apparatus being in controllable relation to the means for supplying clcctricity through suitable current-transmitting means including a conductor common to the different current characteristics.

4. The combination of electrically-controllable'railway signal-indicating apparatus differentially responsive to different current characteristics, and means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic alternation, such means for supplying electricity being governable by movement of a railway-vehicle along the railway-line and being in controlling relation to the signal-indicating apparatus throu h suitable current-transmitting means inc uding a conductor common to the different current characteristics.

5. The combination of electrically-control lahle railway traffic-controlling apparatus and means for producing electricity number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, the traffic-controlling apparatus being in controllable relation to aving a the electricity producing means through suitable current-transmittin means including a conductor common to t 1e different current characteristics, and such traffic-controlling apparatus being selectively responsive to one of the current characteristics to effect one condition of the traflic-controllin apparatus and responsive to another of t e current characteristics to effect another condition of the traffic-controlling apparatus and to maintain the first-mentioned condition thereof.

6. The combination of electrically-controllable railwaytraffic-controlling apparatus I selectively responsive to a periodic current characteristic to effect one condition of the traffic-controlling apparatus and IeSp0I1SlV3 to another current characteristic to effect another condition of the traffic-controlling apparatus and to maintain the first-men tioned condition thereof, and means for producin electricity having a number of cnrrent cfiaracteristics including a periodic characteristic, the traffic-controlling apparatus being in controllable relation to the electricity producing means through suitable current-transmittin means including a conductor common to t e different current charac teristics.

7. The combination of electricallycontrollablc railway traffic-controlling a paratus, means for supplyin electricity liaving a number of current c laracteristies including a periodic variation, the traflic-controlling apparatus being differentially responsive to the different current characteristics and besupplying electricity throu h suitable current-transmit tin means inc uding a conductor commonto the different current charac tcristics, and means for controlling one current characteristic from a point in advance of the traffle-controlling apparatus along the railway-line and for controlling another current charactcristic from a point farther in advance thereof along the railway-line.

S. The combination of clcctrically-controllable railway traffic-cont rolling apparatus, menus for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, thc Hallie-controlling apparatus being differentially responsive to the different current characteristics and being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity through conductive means including a conductor common to the different current characteristics and means for controlling either current characteristic from a point in advance of the trailic-controL ling ap aratus along the railway-line and for control in 7 one current characteristic from a point fart er in advance thereof along the railwa -line.

from a point in advance of the traffic-controlling ap aratus along the railway-line and for control ing another current characteristic from a point farther in advance thereof along the railway-line;

10. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling apparatus, a controlling rail-circuit in controlling relation to the traffic-controlling apparatus and extending in advance thereof, and means for supplying to the controlling rail-circuit electricity having a number of current charaeteristics including a periodic variation, the traffic-controlling apparatus being differentially responsive to each of such current characteristics, and being responsive to one of such current characteristics to maintain the condition effected by the other current characteristic.

11. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling appara tus, a'circuit in controlling relation to the traffic-controlling apparatus, means for supilying to the controlling-circuit electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation the trafliccontrolling apparatus being differentially responsive to such current characteristics, and another traffic-controlling apparatus in controlling relation to the controlling-circuit and controlling one of the current characteristics.

12. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling apparatus, a circuit in controlling relation to the traffic-controlling apparatus, means for sups plying to the controlling-circuit electricity raving a number of current characteristics including aperiodic variation the traffic-controlling apparatus being differentially responsive to such current characteristics, and another traffic-controlling apparatus in controlling relation to the controlling-circuit and controlling both of the current characteris tics.

13. The combination of electrically-eontrollable railway traflic-controlling apparatus differentially responsive to different current characteristics including a periodic variation, a controlling railcircuit in controlling relation to the traffic-controllingapparatus, means for supplying to such controlling-circuit electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, and another traflic-controllii1g apparatus in controlling relation to such controlling-circuit and controlling either current characteristic thereof,

14. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling apparatus differentially responsive to different eur- 1 rent characteristics, a controlling-circuit in controlling relation thereto, means for suplying to such controlling-circuit electricity iiaving a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, another electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling apparatus in controlling relation to the said controlling-circuit and controlling one of its current characteristics, and another controlling-circuit in controlling relation to the second traffic controlling apparatus, and means for supplying electricity to the second controlling-circuit.

15. The combination of electrically-coritrollable railway traffic-controlling apparatus, means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, the traffic-controlling a paratus being in controllable relation to t e means for supplying electricity through suitable cinn'luctive means including a conductor common to the different current characteristics, and such traffic-mntrolling apparatus being differentially responsive to the different current characteristics, and means for controlling one current characteristic from a distant point along the railway-line and for controlling another current characteristic from a more distant point along the railwayline.

16. The combination of electricallycontrollable railway traflic'controlling apparatus, means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, the traffic-controlling apparatus being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricit through suitable conductive mcans in-clur ing a c'onduc tor common to the different current characteristics, and such traflic-controlling apparatus being differentially responsive to the different current chariu-I'cristics, and means for controlling one current rlniractcristic by prcscnco of a railway-vchiclc in one railwayblock of flu ruil\\'a \'-linc and for controlling another current characteristic by presence of a railnayvchiclcin another b ock of the railway-luau 17. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffle-cnurolling apparatus. moans for supplying electricity having a number of current chin-acteristics including a periodic variation, the traffic-controlling apparatus being in controllable relation to tho means for supplying electricity through suitable conductive means including 'a conducforronnnontolbediffcrcinrurrcntrl1ur iu-ivrisiirs, and such lrallir-ronlrolling appu- I'atus being ilill'ereniially responsive to the different current characteristics, and means for controlling two current characteristics by resencc of a railway-vehicle in one railwaylilock of the railway-line and for controlling one of such two current characteristics by presence of a. railvg ayvehicle in another block of the railway-line.

18. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traflic-controlling apparatus, means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation. the tramc-contnolling apparatus being in controllable relation to the means'for supplying electricity through suitable conductive means including a contus, means for supplying electricity having anumber of current characteristics including a periodic variation, the trallic-controlling apparatus being dill'crcntially responsive to the dill'crcnt current characteristics and being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity through suitable current-transmitting means including a conductor common to the difierent current charac teristics, and means for controlling two current characteristics from a distant point along the railway-line and for controlling one of such current characteristics from a point l farther distant along the railway-line.

20. The combination of electrically-controllable railway traffic-controlling apparatus located at one end of a railway block or section and comprising an electric translating device governin r such Hattie-controlling apparatus, and at t ie other end of the rail way-block a means for supplying electricity havi a number of current character t c including a periodic variation, the translating device being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity through suitable current-conductive means and being subjected to the tendencies of the various current characteristics and being selectively responsive to one of'such current characteristics.

21. The combination of electrically-co n trollable railway traffic-controlling appara-.

tus comprisinglan electric translating device governing suc trafficrcontrolling apparatus, and means-tor supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic alternation, the translatingfievice' being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity and being in circuit with and subjected to the tendencies of its various current characteristics and being selectively responsive to one of such current characteristics.

The combination of electrically-controllable railway trafiic-controlling appara tus located at one end of a railway block or section and comprising a plurality of electric translating devices governing such apparatus, and at the other end of the railway-section a means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics includ ing a periodic variation, the translating devices being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity and being in circuit with its various current characterist but one of the translating devices being responsive to sele'ctive actuation by one cur rent characteristic and another translating device being responsive to another current characteristic.

2 3. The combination of electrically-controllable railway trafi'ic-controlling apparatus located at one end of a railway block or section and con'iprising a plurality of electric translating devices governing suchapparatus, and at the other end of the railway-section a means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic variation, the translating devices being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity and being in circuit with its various current characteristics but one of the translating devices being responsive to selective actuation by the character istic of periodic variation and another translating device being responsive to another l current characteristic.

'24, The combination of electrically-controllable railway Hallie-controlling appara tus comprising 'a pluraliyt of electric translating devices governing such apparatus, and means for supplying electricity having a number of current characteristics including a periodic alternation, the translating devices being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity and being in circuit with its various current characteristics but one of the translating devices being responsjive to selective actuation by the characteristic of periodic alternation and another translating device being responsive selectively to another c rre haracteristic,

25. The combination of electrically-con.- trollable railway signaling a paratus rbspon: sivc to different current 0 aracteristics to give different clear indications and means for supplying electricity having components with a number ofcurrent characteristics including a component of uniform unidirectional current characteristic and a component having a current characteristic of periparatus through suitable conductive means odic variation, the signalin apparatus being including a conductor common to the differin controllable relation to t e means forsupplying elcctricigy through suitable conductive means inclu ing a conductor common to 5 all the said current components.

26.-'flicombination of electrically-controllable railvvrii traffic-controlling ap aramdicati'ng apparatus being selectively responsive to one of the current characteristics to control the home-signal indication thereof and being responsive to another of the cur nal intimation thereof.

,e combination of elcctricallycontrollable railway traffic-controlling apparatus comprisin a plurality of electric relays including a elvin balance-relay, such rc- 55 lays governing the traffic-controlling a paratus, andmeans for supplying electricity aving a number of current characteristics .includmg a periodic variation, the electric lo characteristic, of period plying electricity being governable b movement of a. railway-vehicle along t e, rail r 5 way-line and being in controlling relation to the traffic-controlling apparatus through suitable conductive means including aconductor common to the different current characteristics.

2o 27. The combination of electrically-concircuit with its various current characteris: trollable home and distant rarlway signall tics but the Kelvin balance-relay being reindicating apparatus, and means for supply-v sponsivc to selective actuation by one cur-.

' rent characteristic and another relay being 65 ing electricity having a number. of current characteristics including-a periodic variation, responsive to another current characteristic. :5 the si al indicating apparatus beingin con- 30. he combination of electrically-controlla ,le relation to e means for supplying trollable railway traflic-controlling apparaelec ricity' through suitable conductive means including a conductor common to all the said current characteristics and such si o rial-indi ating apparatus bein differential gr responsive to the different current characteristlcs to control its home and distant indications. Y a

28.1 The combination of electrically-com 35 trollagble home'and distant railway signalindicating apparatus, and means for supplying electric'tyhaving a number of current 0 arapteristics including a periodic variation, such means .for supplying electricity being o overnable by a movement of a railway-ve- 'cle 111011 the railway-line and being in controlling re ation'to the signal-indicating aprent characteristics and means for supply- 7: ing electricity havin a number of current characteristics includlng a periodic variation, the trailic-controlling apparatus being in controllable relation to the means for supplying electricity through suitable current-trans- 7 5 Init-ting means including a current-repeating ap aratus.

ntestimony w hereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CE W. COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

HENRY ,D. .WILLIAMS, HENRI; Banana.

ent current characteristics, and the signal- 5 rent characteristics to control the distant-sig 5o relays being In controllable relation to the 60 means for supplying electricity and being in i

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