US893731A - Electric signal for railways. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

W. H. HARRIS. ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 6, 1908.

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ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

Application filed January 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

1908. Serial No. 409,477.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY HAR- RIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stark, in the county of Missoula, State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals for Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railroad signals and more particularly to a block signal sysvide a system of such character that one the length of one block without the engineer of the rear train being warned.

The system embodiedin my invention is equally well adapted for use on steam railroads or interurban roads and in planning the system I have aimed to obviate the employment of mechanical devices such as switches, trips, etc, making use of the rails as conductors where necessary and employing as a signal, the ordinary electric signal lamp, or other indicating device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a diagrammatic view of the system under normal conditions, and Fig. 11 is a similar view but showing diagrammatically a train or car in one block, a train or car leaving the preceding block and a train orcar entering the succeeding block, illustrating the method of operating the signal circuits.

In the drawings, there is shown diagrammatically a section of track made'up of rails A, these rails being divided up into block sections 5 and short sections 6 and 7, the sections 6 and 7 occurring at each end of each block section and determining the length of the block. Conductor wires 8 establish connection between one of the rails of each block section 5 and the corresponding rail of the succeeding section 7 and a similar rail of each block section 5 to one pole of a battery 10, the other pole of this battery having electrical connection by means of a 1 wire 11 with the other rail of the above mentioned section 7, the leads from the rails of the l block sections 5 being taken at any desired point. throughout the extent of the system is a sig- Interposed in each of the wires 8 ence of the first mentioned train.

nal lamp 12 or other indicating'device and these lamps or other indicating devices are located adjacent the sections 7.

Electrical connection is established between the rails of each block section 5 and the rail of the preceding section 6 by means of wires 13, one wire being led to the corresponding battery 10 and the other having interposed in its length an electric signal lamp 14.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be seen that I have provided a system of this character in which electric signal lamps or other indicating devices are positioned at the ends of the blocks. It will also be understood that these signal lamps or other indicating devices are set into operation only when one train approaches another Within a distance of less than two blocks length, a circuit being formed at such time through the wheels and axles of the cars and the rails of the track section and also through the signal lamps or other indicating devices. Thus, a train having the right of Way while traveling on section 5 assists in closing the signal circuit, for should a train attempt to enter from above as it crosses section 7 a circuit is closed. For starting at storage battery 10, the current is conveyed through wire 11 to one rail of section 7 and through the wheels and axles of the train to the other side of section 7, thence through wire 8 to one side of section 5, thence through the wheels and axles of the train having the right of Way to the other side of section 5, thence through wire 8 the current is conveyed through lamps or other signaling apparatus 12, then returning to the storage battery 10.

It will further be understood that should there be a train in one block and should a train enter the succeeding block or rather the block just passed by the first mentioned train, a circuit will be formed to light the corresponding signal lamp 12 and warn the engineer of the following or rear train of the presence of the first mentioned train in the first mentioned block and similarly should a third train attempt to enter the block ahead" Thus at no time can a train approach another nearer than a blocks length Without the engineer of one of the trains being Warned of the pending danger.

Having fully described my invention, the following is What I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a block signal system, track rails divided into block sections and into short sections at each end of each block section, each of said block sections being in circuit With one of the succeeding short sections, each of said block sections being also in circuit With one of the receding short sections, a source of electrical supply, and signal devices disposed one adjacent each pair of short sections.

2. In a block signal system, track rails divided into block sections and into short sections at each end of each block section, each of said block sections being in circuit With one of the short sections at the far end of the succeeding block and being also in circuit with one of the short sections at the far end of the preceding block, a source of electrical supply, and a signal device located adjacent each end of each block.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY HARRIS.

Witnesses:

JOHN MINNEI-IAN, VALENTINE TROOP.

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