US863263A

US863263A - Railway signal mechanism.

Info

Publication number: US863263A
Application number: US36212707A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Coleman
Original assignee: Union Switch and Signal Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Rail STS USA Inc
Priority date: 1907-03-13
Filing date: 1907-03-13
Publication date: 1907-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1924-08-13

Description

No. 863,263. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. P. COLEMAN. RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1907.

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PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907,

J. P. COLEMAN. RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 13, 1907.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN I. COLEMAN, OF EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH I AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM.

No. 863,263. V

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aa 13, 1907.

I will describe a railway-signal embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in vertical section, partly in elevation and partly broken away, of a mechanism embodying my inven- 7 tion and showing the parts in the position they eecupy when the signal device indicates danger. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in their intermediate position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in the position they occupy when the signal device indicates safety. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly broken away, of a modified form of signal device; and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. -l.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a. post or other suitable support, and B a signal device supported thereby.

The signal device B is here shown as being of the sema phore type and as comprising a blade I) and a spectaclecasting Z), to which the blade is secured, and which also serves as a counterweight for the blade 11. The spectacle-casting b may be formed to carry as many lenses 1) as desired in order that the signal device may be employed to give indications at night in connection with a lamp. The casting b is fixed upon a shaft suitably journaled on the post, which shaft carries an arm If, to which one end of an up and down rod b is connected. The lower end of the rod 1) is pivotally connected to an operating mechanism D. As here shown, this mechanism is of the fluid pressure type and comprises a cylinder (Z and piston d. The mechanism D is supported by a cylinder d of a similar fluid pressure mechanism D The piston d" of the mechanism D is fixed, being supported in any suitable manner on a base (1*. Fluid pressure is supplied to the mechanisms D and D from any suitable source, as through a pipe D and such fluid pressure is under the control of electrically operated valve devices E and E The valve devices may conveniently be substantially of the form and arrangement illustrated and described in Letters Patent No. 357,109, issued February 1, 1887, to George Westinghouse, Jr. for electrical interlocking mechanism for switches and signals, to which reference may be had for the details of construction and operation.

It is only necessary to here state that each electrically operated valve device has the functions of opening the supply of fluid pressure when the magnet comprised therein is energized and of shutting oli or closing the supply of fluid pressure when the magnet comprised therein is deenergized and to open an exhaust port or passage to the atmosphere.

The stems of the pistons and d are tubular and communicate at their lower ends with passages d, (Z respectively, controlled by the valve devices E and E respectively, and the supply pipe D also communicates with the passage (l controlled by the valve device E At their upper ends the tubular stems communicate with the cylinders (Z and (Z above the pistons. The lower end of the stem of the piston (Z communicates with the upper end of the cylinder d by means of a passage d controlled by the valve device E.

As shown in Fig. 1 the signal device indicates danger and the fluid pressure operating mechanisms are in their normal positions, and the valves 0 and a, con trolled respectively by the electrically-operated valve devices E and E are in position to prevent the passage of fluid pressure to the cylinders and to open communication between the interior of the cylinders and exhaust ports. If now the valve device E be energized by the closing of a circuit, the valve 0 will be shifted to close the exhaust port and open communication between the supply pipe D and the interior of the cylinder (F by way of the tubular stem of the piston (Z and since the said piston is fixed the cylinder (1 will be moved upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and will carry with it the fluid pressure operating mechanism D and the electrically-operated valve device E, both of which are supported on the cylinder (Z to move positively therewith in both directions vertically. This movement will move the rod 1) upwardly to sulficient extent to move the signal device to the caution position, as indicated in Fig. 2. In such position the valve 0 will prevent any fluid pressure passing from the cylinder (Z to the cylinder (Z through the passage (1 and i will continue to do so until the valve device E is energized to move the valve 3. If now the valve device E be energized the valve e will be shifted to close its exhaust port and open communication between the cylinder (F and cylinder d by way of the passages (Z d and tubular stem of the piston (Z and this will cause the cylinder (Z to move upwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 3 and thereby move the rod I) still further upwardly and shift the signal to the clear position of indication as shown in Fig. 3. Obviously, by deenergizing the valve devices E and E the valves 6 and 2 will be moved to open the exhaust ports and close the supply passages and the signal will automatically move to danger position and the fluid pressure operating mechanism to the positions shown in Fig. 1.

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate or describe any circuits or soiu'ce of electrical supply for the valve devices E and E The railway signal may be used in block signaling systems wherein the operation of the signals is automatically controlled by the movements of trains over the blocks.

Reference may be had to U. S. Patent, No. 729,065, granted May 26, 1903, to M. D. Hanlon, which shows one arrangement of circuits, etc., which might be used in connection with the electrically operated valve devices E and E and in which patent the devices marked E, E, are substantially the same as devices E and E. Of course, the railway signal may also be used in other connections, for example, in interlocking plants.

in Fig. 4 I have shown a signal device B in which the blade I) is designed to move above the horizontal to the caution and clear positions of indication instead of below it as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Here the post or support A is shown as tubular and in order to adapt my invention for use in connection with this type of signal device the shaft which carries the signal device is journaled in a box or casing C, secured to or forming a part oi the tubular post A and provided with a pinion c with which a pivoted quadrant chmeshes. 'lhe quadrant is provided with an arm 0 pivotally connected to the upper end of the rod 1) which, as shown, extends up through the tubular post or support A. When the rod 5 is moved upwardly as heretofore described the arm c will move to the two positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the signal blade I) will be moved to the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig, 4.

It will be noted that the operation of the cylinder d for moving the signal device to indicate clear is dependent upon the operation of the cylinder to move the signal device to indicate caution. This is due to the iact that the supply of air to the cylinder (Z is obtained through and from the cylinder d and therefore the movement of the cylinder (Z is dependent upon the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder (1 An important advantage of the above described con struction is that stui'fing boxes and packing for the piston stems are dispensed with and the only packing necessary is that for the pistons.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a railway signal, the combination of a signal device, a plurality of fluid-pressure mechanisms for moving the signal device to different positions of indications, said mechanisms each comprising a cylinder and a piston and the cylinders being movable with respect to the pistons, the piston of one mechanism being fixed and the other mechanism being supported by the cylinder cooperating with the fixed piston, a connection between the cylinder of the last named mechanism and the signal device, and valve devices for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinders.

2. In a railway signal, the combination of a signal de vice, a plurality of fluid pressure mechanisms for moving the signal device to different positions of indications, said mechanisms each comprising a cylinder, a piston and a tubular piston stem, and the cylinders being movable with respect to the pistons, the piston of one mechanism being fixed and the other mechanism being connected to and movable as an entirety with the cylinder cooperating with the fixed piston, a fluid pressure supply pipe connected by a passage with the tubular stem of the fixed piston, and the cylinder cooperating with said fixed piston being connected by a passage to the tubular stem of the piston of the other mechanism, a connection between the cylinder of the last named mechanism and the signal device, and separate valve devices for controlling the flow of fluid pressure through said passages.

3. In a railway signal, the combination with a signal device having a bias to one position of indication, of means for moving it against its bias to two other positions of indication, said means comprising two pistons and cylinders and an electrically operated valve for each for controlling the supply of fluid pressure thereto, one of said cylinders receiving its supply of fluid pressure through the other cyl inder and only when the electrically operated valve of said other cylinder is energized.

4. In a railway signal, the combination with a signal device having a bias to one position of indication. of means for moving it against its bias to two other positions of indication, said means comprising two cylinders arranged in tandem and in communication with each other through a passage, a piston in each cylinder, and an electrically operated valve for each cylinder one of said valves being adapted to control said passage between the two cylinders.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

JOHN P. COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

A. HERMAN WEGNER, Fnnnmucx B. BLACKMAN.