US863609A - Electrically signaling from moving trains. - Google Patents

Description

No. 863,609. PATENTED AUG. 20, 41907. A.' D. JNES.

ELEGTRIGALLY SIGNALING PROMMOVING TRAINS.

APPLIGATION FILED 1320.3, 1906.

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A. D. JONES.

NLBCTRIGALLY SIGNALING PROM MOVING TRAINS.

APPLICATION AFILED DEU. 3, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVA D. JONES, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY AND ONE-HALF ONE- I-IUNDREDTI-IS TO THEODORE HARRIS, W. O. BRADLEY, AND JAMES GAYLE, TWENTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO FRANK A. FULLER, EDGAR D. MARTIN, AND TIN, AND SEVEN ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JOHN O.

AARON G. MAR- STROTHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed December 3. 1906. Serial No. 846,124.

To all wltom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALvA D. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county ol' Jefferson land State oi Kentucky, have invented 5 Certain new and useiul Improvements in Apparatus ior Telephoning, Telegraphing, or Otherwise Electrically Signaling from Moving Trains; and I do hereby declare the followingr to be a full, clear7 and exact description oi the invention, such as will enable others l skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present apparatus is designed to perform the same general result that is secured by the apparatus of my Patent N o. 714,189, dated November 25, 1902, and the l present improvements are additional to the apparatus embraced in that patent.

In the present instance, I prefer to employ a complete metallic circuit instead oi a grounded circuit as in my former patent, and for that reason there are two 2O line wires and the contact device is in duplicate, one for each wire. I would have it understood however that. the present apparatus may be operated with a single line wire and a grounded circuit, in which event only one oi the contact devices need be employed.

As in my former patent I employ an absorbent pad that is moistened by steam from the dome or other part oi' the locomotive boiler. and interposed between the pad andthe steam pipe I locate a receptacle containing soluble chemicals. Instead of making direct contact, however, between the pad and the line wire, I employ a brush oi metallic bristles, and make the contact with the line wire through this brush.

The present improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, wherein,

Figure l is an enlarged elevation of the apparatus disconnected from the locomotive, Fig. 2 is a partial view in plan 'showing the contact device in operative connection with the line wires, Fig. 3 is a view looking 40 from the iront of the locomotive, the contact device being shown in operative position in full lines, and out of operation in dotted lines, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a locomotive with my Contact device applied, showing the means for raising and lowering it.

Referring to these views, a denotes an arm that is hinged or pivoted at its lower end to the front cross bar b of the locomotive. At its upper end the arm a carries a supplemental biiurcated arm c that is extensibly and adjustabl-y connected to the pivoted arm, the preierable means for making this extension and adjustment being the making of the arm a tubular, and setting the lower end oi the arm c in its upp'er end, set screws d being provided for the purpose of positioning the bifurcated arm at various elevations.

My present preference being for an all metallic circuit, a pair of line wires is employed, as indicated in Fig. 3, and each fork ol the bifurcated arln c carries a metallic brush e, (the construction of which will be presently described) for making the necessary sliding contact with the line wires. As above stated, however, a single line wire and a grounded circuit may be employed, in which case, the bifurcated arm c may be turned one quarter around and secured by the set screws d in position so that both brushes may Contact in tandem with the single wire, or, if preferred, one of the brushes may be omitted.

As will be readily understood, the line wires run parallel with the railway track, and they may either be erected at or about the level indicated in Fig. 3. or elevated to any desired extent. The position oi the Contact carrying arm a is controlled from the locomotive cab by means of a rope or cord f which is connected to the arm, as shown in Fig. 4, and extends over a roller g into convenient reach of the engineer in the cab.

When the device is not in use, the arm a stands vertically, as indicated in Fig. land in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and for the purpose of holding it steady in its vertical position, it is provided with a foot rest h on its inner side.

Each brush e is composed of metallic bristles, of phosphor bronze or other suitable wire set in a back 2'. of wood, such wooden back being adjustably or otherwise secured in a tray-like holder Z that is mounted on the upper end of a fork of the bifurcated arm c, the vertical Section m of this fork prelerably being made of wood or suitable insulating liber. As indicated in Fig. l, the bristles of the brush e extend all the way through the wooden back t', and contact with a copper plate n which rests upon an absorbent pad o. The plate is preferably perforated and the pad is made of leather or other suitable material, and is also provided with perfoiations preferably carrying Cotton batting or other suitable fibrous material, as in myformer patent. The pad, the copper plate and the brush back may all be adjustable secured in the tray-like holder Z, and depending from the under side of the holder is a receptacle p for holding a soluble chemical, and the receptacle is in open communication with the absorbent pad through a pipe s which also extends through the copper plate and the wooden back of the brush and is open at its upper end so as to keep the pad, the plate and the bristles in a moistened condition and to maintain an aqueous chemically saturated vapor in the brush for the purpose of increasing the conductivity of the brush. Although I may employ the chemicals described in my former patent, I prefer in this instance toruse a combination of sulfate of copper and chlorid of sodium in the proportions of about one part of the copper to six parts oi the salt, these substances being iinely powdered before being put into the receptacle, so that the condensation of thel steam passing through the receptacle, is sufficient to hold the chemicals in solution and distribute them to the pad, the brush, wires and the atmosphere adjacent to the wires. This chemical receptacle may be of any suitable con struction, and be located in any convenient position. It is connected with the dome or other steam space of the locomotive boiler by a rubber or other flexible pipe t, so that steam from the boiler may pass through the chemical receptacle and keep the pad and the brushes in a moistened condition, as above explained. The periorationsin the copper plate are for the purpose oi allowing the chemically saturated steam to pass freely through the plate on to the bristles of the brush, and, if preferred, the wooden back of the brush may also be perforated l`or the same purpose.

Fig. l. shows the wires x, x/ leading from the contact device or devices above described, to the telephones, telegraphs or other instruments for electrical signaling installed in the cars. No iurther illustration or description of this connection is necessary, except to say that the wires are preferably connected, as illustrated in Fig. l to the copper plate n.

The construction being as thus described, the operation will be sufiiciently understood by those skilled in the art, without further explanation, especially when reference is made to my patent above reierred to, and it is remembered that the present improvements have for their purpose the same general object, and the operative characteristics ol the two constructions are practically the same.

What l claim isz- 1. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a metallic brush adapted to make sliding contact with a line conductor, a steam pipe for maintaining an aqueous vapor in the brush, and a receptacle for soluble chemicals between the pipe and the brush.

2. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a lnetallic brush adapted to make sliding contact with the line conductor, said brush having a wooden back with the bristles extending through it, an absorbent pad contacting with the back of the brush and the exposed ends of the bristles, and a steam pipe for maintaining the pad in moistened condition.

An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a metallic brush adapted to make sliding contact with the line conductor, said brush having a wooden back with the bristles extending through it, an absorbent pad contacting with the back of the brush and the exposed ends of the bristles, a steam pipe for maintaining the pad in moistened condition, and a receptacle for soluble chemicals between the pipe and the pad.

4. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a metallic brush adapted to make sliding contact with the line conductor, said brush having a wooden back with the bristles extending through it, an absorbent pad contacting with the back of the brush and the exposed ends of the bristles, a steam pipe for maintaining the pad in moistened condition, and a copper' plate interposed between the pad and the brush back.

5. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a vertically swinging arm provided with means for raising and lowering the same from the locomotive cab, a supplemental bifurcated arm extensibly and adjustably connected with the pivoted arm, and a metallic brush carried by each fork of the bifurcated arm and adapted to make contact with the line conductor.

G. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a pivoted arm provided with means for raising and lowering it from the locomotive cab, a supplemental arm extensibly and adjustably connected with said pivoted arm, and a metallic brush carried by the supplemental arm and adapted to make sliding contact with the line conductor, said supplemental arm having an insulated section.

7. An apparatus ior the purpose described, comprising an arm pivoted on the front cross-beam of the locomotive so as to swing vertically and laterally, and provided with means for raising and lowering it from the locomotive cab, a foot rest to brace the arm when in elevated position, and a metallic brush carried by the arm and adapted to make sliding contact with the line conductor. i

S. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a pair ot' line conductors, an arm pivoted on the front cross-beam of the locomotive, means for raising and lowering the arm laterally from the locomotive cab, a supple mental bifurcated arm extensibly and adjustably connected with the pivoted arm, a metallic brush carried by each fork of the bifurcated arm and adapted to make sliding contact with one or another of the line conductors, an absorbent pad in contact with the back of the brush and its bristles, a receptacle for containing soluble chemicals communicating with each pad, and steam pipes communicating with the receptacles and taking steam from the locomotive boiler.

f). An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a vertically and laterally swinging arm pivoted on the front cross beam of the locomotive, and provided with means for raising and lowering it from the locomotive cab, a supplemental bifurcated arm adjustably and rotatably connected with the pivoted arm, and a metallic brush carried by each fork ofthe bifurcated arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.-

ALVA D. JONES.

Witnesses z Heimen A. LINDSAY, .Tanns QUAkLns.

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