US872631A - Audible warning-signal for railway-crossings. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEG.- s, 1907. V c. 1). ANDERSON & A. G. STOUT.,

AUDIBLE WARNING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY cRossmes. APPLIOATIONIIIQD MAY 27, 1907.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2L PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907. c. D. ANDERSON & A. STOUT. AUDIBLE WARNING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. ANDERSON AND ASHBY G. STOUT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS TO UNION RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

AUDIBLE WARNING-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CBOSSINGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES D. ANDER- SON and AsI-IBY G. STOUT, both citizens of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Audible aming-Signals for Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to audible warning signals for railway crossings, wherein a bell is electrically and automatically operated by an approaching car to warn persons by the temporary ringing of said signal bell.

The objects of this invention are :(1) To provide novel means for ringing a signal bell electrically at a railway crossing when an approaching car is passing a point 1000 feet more or less from said. crossing. (2) To provide novel mechanism to keep said signal bell ringing continuously while the car is traveling from said point to said crossing. (3) To provide novel means for electrically stopping the ringing of said bell immediately as said car passes said crossing or any other predetermined point. (4) To provide novel means for automatically establishing temporal, local electric circuits from a moving car passing fixed points. (5) To provide novel means to prevent the short-circuiting of the current between the contact-rails through the agency of dirt and moisture. (6) To provide novelty in the construction and fastenings of the railbed for the contact-rails. All these objects are attained in the present invention, andthe apparatus as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is practical in operation and embodies the novel means aforesaid and also other novel details of construction and combination of arts, all of which will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the drawings. And the operation and office of the various parts will be explained in connection with their groups, so that the operation of the apparatus as a whole may be clearly comprehended.

The various novel features, parts and combination of parts for which protection is desired are summarized in the claims following the detailed description of said invention.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side View in elevation of the railway track-bed, the nearer rail, part of a car-truck, the axleguard, the contact-brush attached to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27. 1907. Serial No- 376.040.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

guard, the contact-rail bed carrying the contact-rails along its top edge, the metal fastenings which hold the rail-bed to the ties, and a part of the conduit for the electric wires coming up through thetrack bed. Fig. 2 is a cross section in elevation of part of the track bed, showing the section of one trackrail, the axle-guard, the contact-rail bed, and the two contact rails on its top edge; showing also the relative location of the wire conduit, the wires running to the contact-rails, and the contact-brush completing the circuit between the contact rails and bolted to the axle-guard. Fig. 3 is a perspective and detail view in elevation, of the battery in the ground, the electric circuit from the release contact, the signal post, the sounding-board uncovered on which are fastened the bell and Fig. 6 is a perspective view, ground plan, of

the railway track, the crossing, the signalpost, wire-poles, bell-ringing contacts 1000 feet from the crossing, the release contacts near the crossing, and the entire electric circuit from the bell-contacts to the signal-post and from the release contacts to said post.

This invention has been made for use on steam railwaysas well as on electric roads; but on steam roads where the speed of trains is often sixty miles an hour or more, the bell contacts should be placed half a mile or more from the crossings, and all the contact-rails should be long enough to insure the operation of the signal. With this in view, we will now describe our invention in its application as illustrated in the drawings.

1 and 1 indicate the near wheels of a cartruck; 2, the bolt that holds the contactbrush at a certain height; 3, one of the four bolts that hold the brush-plates 4 and' P in position on the axle-guard 5,. (Figs. 1 8c 2.)

6 shows the metal contact brush held rigid by the clamp 18 (Fig. 2). This brush acts as a contact-bridge to conduct the electric current over from one contact rail 8 to the other contact-rail 8, (Fig. 2) so a current coming in on the positive wire through conduit 21 may pass through the contactrails and out again through the negative wire in conduit 21.

7 shows one of the counter-sunk screws that hold the contact rails 8 and 8 to the rail-bed 9 (Fig. 1) 10 shows the bed of railroad; 11, the ties.

12 indicates one of iron angle clamps that help bind the rail-bed 9 to the railroad ties 1 1.

13 shows a railroad spike passing through clamp 12 to hold it to the tie.

The ends of the rail-bed 9 are covered with the iron clamps 14, (Fig. 1).

15 indicates one of the bolts passing laterally through said clamps and the rail-bed 9 to hold said bed securely in position.

16 shows the near track rail; 17, the caraxle (Fig. 2).

20 indicates the positive conduit running to the contact-railS, and 20*, the negative 4 conduit running through the rail-bed 9 from contact-rail 8 (Figs. 1 & 2).

19 shows a wood tongue standing out on the upper edge of rail-bed 9 (Fig. 2) and running the entire length of said bed between the contact rails 8 and 8 to prevent the accumulation of dirt and-water between said contacts, such as would make short circuits between them.

In Fig. 3, signal-post 41 stands in the ground 10 near the battery-box 45 which lies beneath the surface and contains battery cells 46. X and Y are the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respec tively. Signal-post 41 supports the iron conduit 42, protecting the electric wires from the battery-box to the sounding board 22 upon which board is fastened the signal bell 23 with magnet 24, and other electrically operated mechanism for controlling the signals. 25 and 25 respectively, are the posi tive and negative wires between battery 46 and bell-magnet 24, the entire circuit through the bell-magnet being as follows T he bell-magnet circuit.From as along wire 25 through conduit 42, the current runs to binding-post 44, thence through the metal-plate ground 38 to post 32 and on through armature 32 and attached spring contact-strip 31 to the insulated contact-pin 29, where contact is made by the energizing of magnet 37 and broken again by the energizing of magnet 26, which operation will be fully explained hereafter. From contactpin 29 said bell-circuit goes to post 29 and thence through wire 25 to bellnagnet 24, returning through wire 25 to binding-post 40, and thence through conduit 42 to binding post 47 in battery-box 45, and from post 47 to the negative battery terminal y, (Fig.

3). This circuit hereinabove described will be referred to hereafter as the bell-circuit.

As above stated the bell-circuit is made and broken respectively by forcing the spring contact-strip 31 against the point of the contact-pin 29 and then allowing it to spring away from the contact-pin again to its normal position.

T he bell-starting circuit.As said above, magnet 37 is energized to make the bellcircuit and the entire circuit of magnet 37 is as folloWs:From battery terminal 00 along wire 25 the current runs through conduit 42 to binding-post 44, thence through metal plate ground 38 to magnet 37 and out again to binding-post 39, thence through Wire 36 to joint cl at which it shunts in either direction along line wire 53 down postcon duits 55 through ground conduits 21 (Figs. 5 & 6), up through bed-conduits 20 to the positive rails 8 of both bell-starting circuitgaps C and C (Figs. 5 & 6), at either of which gaps, C or C when contact-brush 6 momentarily sweeps along on both contactrails 8 and 8 by the passage of a car carrying said brush, the metal brush 6 bridges the gap electrically between said contact-rails and allows said current to pass to rail 8, from which it descends through bed-conduit 20" and along through ground-conduit 21, up through post-conduit 55, along line wire 53, down through 36 to binding-post 40, thence through conduit 42 to binding-post 47 and on to battery-terminal y (Fig. 3). This circuit thus traced out will hereafter be referred to as the bell-starting circuit.

The bellstopping circuit-As stated above, the bell-circuit is broken by the energizing of magnet 26, the complete circuit through which magnet is as follows: From battery terminal 90 along wire 25 through conduit 42, the circuit flows to binding-post 44 where it shunts into wire 35 and runs on through magnet 26, and then down along wire 35 through conduit 42 and thence through battery-box 45 and conduit 21 (Fig. 3), where it may be shunted at joint 9 (Fig. 2) or led in any other suitable way, as in Fig. 6, to run both through conduit 21 to contact-rail 8 at circuit-gap C and also through bedconduit 20 to contact rail 8 at circuit-gap C (Fig. 2), at either of which circuit-gaps, when contact-brush 6 momentarily sweeps along on both contact- rails 8 and 8 by the passage of a car carrying said brush, the metal brush 6 bridges the circuit-gap electrically between said contact rails and thus allows said current to pass to rail 8". If said brush sweeps along bridging the circuit-gap C the current will pass to rail 8 at the gap C and back through ground conduit 21 to wire joint 7b (Fig. 2) and thence along the negative wire through conduit 21 to bindingpost 47 in battery-box 45, and then to the battery terminal y (Fig. 3). If, however,

stop-post 33.

said brush sweeps along bridging the circuitgap C the current for energizing magnet 26 will then pass to rail 8 at the gap C and down through bed-conduit 20 to wire-joint h (Fig. 2) and thence along the course above traced from joint h to the battery terminal y (Fig. 3). Said energizing current for magnet 26 thus traced out in detail will be hereafter referred to as the bell-stopping circuit.

Operation of the signal mechamlsm.1t is now clearly seen that whenever a car carrying contact-brush 6 properly set, passes along track 58 from C toward C the brush 6 momentarily bridges the gap C in the bellstarting circuit above mentioned and thus momentarily energizes magnet 37, which instantly draws armature 32* against its poles. This action forces the spring-contact strip 31 against contact-pin 29, the contact of which parts instantly closes the bell-circuit and the signal bell 23 begins ringing before said car has passed C But it is evident that when contact-brush 6 passes off the contact-rails out of the circuit-gap C the bell-starting circuit will be broken and magnet 37 cease to be energized, and armature 32 under the compulsion of its spring stem 32 fastened in post 32*, would fly out to its normal position as seen in Fig. 3; and the bell-circuit would be then broken. But the bell-circuit remains for the time intact for the following reasons :Armature 32 is extended in a rigid finger 32 up to armature 28 of magnet 26; and armature 28 is supported by post 27' with angle spring 27 connecting them and normally pressing armature 28 out away from the poles of its magnet 26 and against the rounded end of finger 32. Now, armature 28 has a deep groove 28 cut across it transversely in a position to be in line with finger 32 when armature 32 is drawn against the poles of magnet 37, so that every time that armature 32 is drawn against the poles of magnet 37, armature 28 with its deep groove 28 springs down over the end of finger 32 and so holds said finger locked in said position. Said operation preserves the bellcircuit intact until broken by the release of finger 32 from the groove 28 and the separation of contact-strip 31 and pin 29 by=the action of spring-stem 32 (Fig. 3). The outward movement of spring-armature 28 is controlled by stop-pin 34 in its supportingpost 33; and the outward movement ofspring-actuated finger 32 is controlled by its Armature 28 carries insulating post 30 which supports contact-pin 29,.

The release of the finger 32 and the consequent breaking of the bell-circuit happens in the following way :When said car in its passage from C toward C reaches C brush 6 sweeps along the contactrails and momentarily bridges the gap at C in the bell stopping circuit above mentioned, and thus momentarily energizes magnet 26, which instantly draws armature 28 toward said mag net and then releases finger 32 from groove 28*, and armature 32 and its finger 32 impelled by spring-stem 32 fly out to their normal positions (Fig. 3), instantly separating the spring-contact-strip 31. from the contact-pin 29 and thus breaking the bell-circuit. By these operations, it may be clearly seen that when a car going in the direction of from C toward C and carrying a contact brush, reaches C, 1000 feet more or less from the crossing 56 (Fig. 6), the signal-bell 23 in signal-box 54 near the crossing 56 will begin and continue to ring until said car reaches C near said crossing when said bell will immediately stop ringing. And when said car has reached its terminus and turned for its trip back again, its brush will be carried on the opposite side of the track so as to bridge the gaps in the contact-rails at C and O respectively, for thestarting and the stop ping of the signal-ball. Thus, we have an audible signal for railway crossings electrically and automatically operated by an approaching car to warn persons in time to.

avoid the danger;

The electrically operated mechanism of said signal, we have placed in suitable weather-proof housing 54, fastened high on v a strong post 41, covered with a shed roof 48, and a front door 50 provided with a knob 51, a lock 52, and weather slats 49 across the upper part of said door for the ready passage of the bell-sound, and a broad panel 59 at the lower part of said door bearing some cautionary notice 60 (Fig. 4).

Having thus described our invention in detail in the foregoing specifications, what we claim as new and useful is as follows 1. In a warning signal for railway crossings, the combination of a pair of adjacent terminals of a relay circuit for closing a signal bell circuit, said terminals being normally insulated and fixed at a given point along a railway track; adjacent terminals of a second relay circuit for opening said signalbell circuit, said terminals of said second relay being insulated and fixed at a second point along said railway track; an electric signal-bell and its circuit arranged to be closed by the energizing of said first relay circuit, and to be opened again by the energizing of said second relay circuit; with a metal contactbrush carried on a moving car, and adjusted so as to touch simultaneously and electrically connect both adjacent nected by said contact-brush in brushing along over said pair; an insulating rail bed for each pair of said contact-rails; an insulating tongue between each pair of said rails adapted to prevent accidental short circuits between the rails of each pair; a circuit from said rails through a local battery; a relay magnet in said circuit; a bell-circuit adapted to be closed by said relay magnet; a signalbell in said bell-circuit for causing the audi ble signal, substantially as described.

3. In an audible warning signal for railway crossings, the combination comprising pairs of insulating rail-beds securely fastened to the crossties along a railway track; a pair of parallel, metal contact-rails on the upper face of each of said railbeds; an insulating tongue between said rails running their entire length; a bell-starting relay circuit whose terminals are the two contact-rails on the one of a pair of said rail-beds; a bellstopping relay circuit whose terminals are the contact-rails on the other of said pair of rail-beds; a signal-bell and its circuit adapted to be closed by the energizing of said bellstarting relay circuit, and to be opened again by the energizing of said bell-stopping re lay circuit; and a metal contact-brush carried by the car and adapted to touch simultaneously either pair of said relay terminals to complete the circuit thereof, as said car in its course passes either one of any pair of said rail-beds.

4. An audible warning signal of the character described, comprising, in combination with the railway track and the contact-rails thereon, the car and the contact-brush fastened thereto, the signal-bell and its circuit adapted to be alternately closed and opened at predetermined intervals by the action of relay magnets, the groove 28 on the armature 28, a bell-starting relay magnet adapted to close said signal-bell circuit, the finger 32 on the armature 32 adapted to be engaged and locked by groove 28* when said relay magnet is energized, the spring contactstrip 31 on armature 32* adapted to contact with pin 29 to close said bell-circuit, the bell-stopping relay magnet 26 adapted when energized to cause a break in said bell-circuit, and a suitable housing for said bell and magnets.

The foregoing specification signed at Louisville, Kentucky, this 27th day of April,

CHARLES D. ANDERSON. ASHBY G. STOUT. In presence of two witnesses C. G. BARRIOKMAN, FRANK V. STOUT.

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