US849172A - Electric signaling. - Google Patents

Description

No 849,172. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. J. B. STRUBLE. ELECTRIC SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED no. 3, 1902; RENEWED JAN. 17. 1906.

UNITED sTATns PATENT omen.

JACOB B. STRUBLE, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batenteot April 2, 1907.

Application filed December 3, 1902. Renewed January 17,1906. Serial No. 296,446.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB B. STRUBLE, residing at \Vilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and Stat e of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling, of which the following is a specification In an application filed December 3, 1902, Serial No. 133.711, I have described and claimed a signaling apparatus for railways involving the control or operation of one or more signals by another signal or signals by modifying or changing one or more of the characteristics of an alternating current.

The invention described and claimed in the present application relates to a signaling apparatus for railways in which one signal .is controlled by another by modifying one ofthe characteristicsi. e.', the frequency of the alternations of the signaling-current employed in the track-circuit for operating or controlling the signals.

In the accompanying drawing is shown diagrammatically two tracks-sections with signals and operating and controlling circuits, &c., embodying my invention.

In the practice of my inventionthe line of rails .1 is'made electrically continuous, while the'other line of rails is divided into .sections 2 3, &c., by means of insulation or any other means known in the art interposed between the adjacent ends of said sections. The generators 6 and 6 have their terminals connected to the continuous rail 1, while the other terminals are connected to the feedwires 7 and 7. These generators are so constructed or operated as to generate in their respective circuits currents of different fre quencies. The feed-wires7 and 7 are connected to contactplates 10 and 11 of a circuit breaking or shifting device, the movable member 12 I which is adapted to be shifted in accordance with the conditions existing upon the section 3, preferably by means'of the home signal 4* of said section. The movable member 12is connected through the. primary 9 of the transformer A to-the continuous line of rails 1. p a movement of the movable member 12 from one to the other of the contact-plates 10 and 11 will afiect .a change in the frequency of the current in the track-circuit of which rail By this construction 2 forms a part. The secondary 8 of the transformer A has its terminals connected, respectively, to the continuous line of rails and to the section-rails of section 2, a resistance 13 being interposed so as to prevent an excessive flow of current in the track-circuit when the latter is shortcircuited by a train. At the entrance end of block 2, I employ a mechanism for controlling the signals operative on the shifting-field principle. The main exciting-coil 25 of this mechanism surrounding the core 24 has its terminals connected, respectively, to the continuous rail 1 and the rail-section 2. The core 24 of this mechanism, which is arranged out of line with the core 24, is excited inductively by a closed circuit, including coils 35 and 36,

one on the core 24 and the other on the core 24. A disk 29 is pivotally mounted in operative relation to the cores, so as to move freely between them, and is adapted to be shifted-in one directionby electric energy and in the opposite direction by any suitable power, as gravity. Movable contact-fingers 30 and 31 are connected to the disk, so as to be shifted into and outof contact with plates 32 and 33, thereby closingv the circuits through the motors 17 and 18 of signals 4 and 5. Provision is made for limiting the movement of the disk under certain conditions hereinafter specified by means of a slotted connection 37 with a weight 38, which normally rests upon a support 39. These circuits may include therein any suitable form of generator, preferably the secondary of a transformer 19, the primary of which has its terminals connected to the continuous rail 1 and the feedwire 7.

The operation of the motor which actuates circuit-controllers 30 and 31 depends upon the density of the Foucault currents induced within the movable disk or member 29. As Foucault currents are proportional to the frequency, the motor is so constructed that the torque exerted by member 29 islikewise approximately proportional to the frequency. Hence when the movable member 12 of the circuit-shifting device is in contact -with the erator having a lower frequency the mechanical effort of disk 29 due to the currents in duced in it will be sufficient only to raise the disk until its upward movementis arrested by a'weight 38, resting on a suitable support 39. By "this movement contact-finger 30 is brou ht into electrical contact with plate 32, there y closing the circuit through the motor of signal 4 and clearing said signal' When,

however, signal 4 is cleared, bringing the.

I fingers 30 and 31 in contact with the plates 32 and 33, closing both signal-circuits and clearing both signals.

I claim herein-as my invention- 1. In asignaling system for railways, the combination of sources of alternating currents of different frequencies, a signal-controlling mechanism operative by such cur-- rents, and means for eflectin a change from one alternating current to t e" other in the of a series 0 operation of said signal-controlling mechanism. I a

2. In a signaling system for railways, the combination with atrack-circuit, of sources of alternating currents, a translating device operativeby such currents for controlling signalc1rcu1ts, a means for effecting a change in the frequency of alternations of said currents in said track-circuits.

3. In a si nalingsystem, the combination I track-sections, each comprising a track-circuit, a source of alternating ourrent for each of said track-circuits of different freqluencies, a translating device in circuit W1t each trackc1rcu1tfor controlllng signaling-circuits, said translating device being responslve to an alternating current of one fre-' quency to control one signal-circuit and responsive to an alternating current of a different frequency to control a second signal-circuit, and means for effecting a change in the alternating current from one frequency to a diflerent frequency. 1 4. In a si naling system, the combination of aseries of track-sections, each comprising a track-circuit, a source of alternating current fo'r'eachl of said track-circuits of different frequencies, a translating device in circuit with each track-circuit for controlling signaling-circuits, said translating device being responsive to the alternating current of one frequency to control one signal-circuit,

and responsive to an alternating current of a difierent frequency to control a second sigoetB, j. 1":

nal-circuit, and means for eflecting a change from one I quency to control a second signal-circuit,

and means operated by one of thesignals for effecting a change in the alternating-current frequency in the track-circuit oi the preceding track-section.

6. In a signaling system, the combination of two block sections', a source of alternating currents connected to the track-circuits of said sections, signals controlling one of said sections and governed by the currents in the track-circuit, and means controlled by a signal of one section for changing the frequency of alternations of the current in the trackcircuit of the other section.

7. In a signaling system for railways, the

combination of a series of track-sections, a track-circuit for each track-section, signal mechanisms controlled from the track-cir cuits',two sources of alternating current for supplying alternating current to the trackcircuits, and means operated by a signal for effecting a change in the fre uency of alternations of said currents in t e tracir-circuit whereby the operation of another signal is controlled.

8. A controlling mechanism for a plurality of signals responsive to an alternating current of one frequency to control one signal and responsive to an alternating current of a different frequency to control a second signal and means for supplying the alternating ourrents of different frequencies to said 1nechan-' ism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

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