US935892A

US935892A - Electric signal for railways.

Info

Publication number: US935892A
Application number: US40319307A
Authority: US
Inventors: Augustus C Carey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1907-11-21
Filing date: 1907-11-21
Publication date: 1909-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1926-10-05

Description

A. C. CAREY. ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 21, 19

v Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

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A. C. CAREY. ELECTRIC SIG-NAL FOR RAILWAYS. APPLIGATION 21.1.31) Nov. 21. 1907;

Patented oen-5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

UNITED sTATEs AUGUSTUS C. CAREY, OF BOSTON, MASSAHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

To'a'll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS C. CAREY, a.c1tizen of the United States, residing at :Bostorn in the county of Suffolk and State of lvlassachusetta` have K invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1n Electric Signals for Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to prevent collisions of railway trains, and to attain this object automatically. For this purpose, this invention includes a .conductor erected alongside of the track, with which conductor is a cooperating mechanism carried in the cabs 'of the Ilocoxnotivcs and comprising an vaudible or other alarm, means for actuating the air-brake mechanism to set the brakes, a source of electric energy, and a regulator' for the current, the lWhole arranged in such way that when trains enter a givfen stretch of track equipped with the conductor, the engineers of the several trains will'be automatically apprised of the presence in that section of the other trains 1n time lto shut ofi' steam, and the airbrakes on the several trains will be automatically set, all as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invent-ion, in the several figures of: which like parts are similarly designated, Figur-e1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the electrical installation and a portion of the roadway conductor. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on a largenscale, taken onpthe line A B, Fig. '1, showing the contact roller and its supporting arm. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on va lar er scale, taken on the line C D, Fig. `1, an 'looking'in the'direc tion ofthe arrow, showing the en 'neers air-brake valve and its releasing m'ec anism in elevation. on a larger scale, taken on the line E F,

Fig. 1, showing one of the conductor sup-- Fig. 5 1s a cross-sectlon', on a. largerv ports. v scale, taken on the line G I-I,.F1 g. .1, showing. a lapped joint for the 'conductor sections.

Fig. 6is a diagrammatic view of the con- -ductor and contact roller showing the direction of the current as it' passes from the' roller, and the incoming current vfrom an l approaching locomotive, l

4 For purposes of illustration,` I have h erein shown the several electrical mechanisms emplloyed as mounted upon a base 1, having a s elf 2V at its lower edgeVbutsucH. base- Speeication of Letters Patent.

Fig. 4 isa vertical section,

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Appueation med November 21, 1907. serial No, 403,193.

Vices may be otherwise arranged and supported in the `Vcab of the locomotive or other vehicle to suit the purposes of the installation.

ducting plate 3 is secured by means of screws 4:, 5 and G, and hinged to the upper edge of said platel 3,'in any suitable manner, is an arm 7 of conducting materiahcarrying at its outer end a suitable contact, such as a roller 8. A current regulator 9 is also mounted upon the base l, and preferably this regulator is of the coherer type, in which loose granular particles of conducting material are confined within a non-conducting tube between conducting plungers and adapted to be compacted, more or less, be-

tween the ends of theplungers to regulate or control the flow of electric current. The plungers 10 and 11 of the regulator are inclined or beveled at their inner ends to more .effectively produce the loosening and com-A pacting of the' particles of granular mate- 1 rial. ,Furthermore the re l'a'tor is provided with a switch arm 12 or throwingt-he regulator in and outfof circuit when desired. The switch armv `12 maybe pivoted at 13 to the base of the regulator, and is adapted to olperating end 14 of the plunger 11. An e construction, is also arranged upon the base 1, for ascertaining the amount of current assing through -the v re ulator. An alarm gell 16 is also arrange upon the base 1.

net 17, and-supported upon shelf 2 ofthe uponwvhich is pivotally supported the armature 19 for the electro-magnet 17, having au arm'20 projecting outwardly theretrom.- The electro-magnet 17 audits armature 19-2O will be arran ed adjacent to the en-y gineers air-brake va ve 21, Figs. A1 and 3, which may be provided with an arm 2 2 `pro- 'ecting therefrom and adapted to be engaged lbythe arm, 2O of the armature 19 to hold said-valve in a closed-position. A spring 23 is yconnected at onelend to the valve arm 22 by means of a screw 24, and at its other end is, connected .with the base of the electromagnet' 17, and serves to" open the valve when'released by the armature' arm 2 0.

fbeemployed in connection with the apparamay be dispensed with and the several de- To the upper edge of the basel, a con? ectric meter 15, of any suitable or approved Also mounted ,upon base l is an electro-mag.

base is a suitable standard' or support 18 be swung into and out of contact withthe Any suitable source of electric-supply mayv tus abo-ve described, as for example, a battery 25, having one. of its. terminals ground, ed by means of wire 2G in any suitable manner. The other terminal of battery is connected by means of WireZT with the pivot- 13 of the switclrli), which as hereinbefore stated, is adapted to contact with the oper-p ating end 14 of the movable plunger 11 of' vthe regulator 9. The opposite plunger' 10 of the regulator is Aconnectedby means of Wire 2S with one of the terminals of the meter 15,l Y anda Wire 29'connects the other terminal of theaneter with the Contact plate 3 by means of screwl 5, and 'the conducting `arni 7, carry- .n'g roller 8, is connected with the plate 3, and thus a metallic circuit is provided from the battery through the regulator and meter to the contact roller 8. l p A Wire 2. X connects' the contact plates 3,v by meansY of screw et, with one terminal oi' the bell or other suitable alarm 1G, andthe other terminal of bell 16 is grounded in. any .suitable.mannerv by means ot Wire 30, and thus a complete circuit is provided through battery", regulator'1 meter, contact plate 3,' and bell 1G."

A fvire 31 connects the. contact plate 3, by means of screw 6, with one terminal of the electro-magnet 17, and the other .terminal of'the magnet is grounded in,` any suitable manner by Wire 32, and thus a complete circuitfis Aprovided through battery, regulator, meter, contact plate 3, and electro-magnet 17. l The coils ofthe bell 16 and electro-magnet 17 are Wound so th; the coils of the bell 1G will 'bexof less re, tance than the coils of the electro-ma net 1'. Ain order that upon supplying a predetermined amount current initie circuits of the bell and electromagnet, the bell will be the first to be operated, and upon a slight increase of'current the electro-magnet rvilloperate.

Each locomotive is pto be'supplied with the apparatus above described.

conductor 33, 'preferably of soft iron,- is arranged along the entire length of the road, and is supported in clamping brackets 34, suitably insulatedY from4 the conductor, at 35, Fig. 4. These clamping brackets 34: are mounted upon screw posts 36, and are adjustable thereon by means 'of binding nuts 257 and 3S. The screw posts`36 are secured Y, in the upper ends of wooden or other suitable posts 39 arranged lat suitable distances apart along theroad, The posts 39 may be bored transversely, as at 4:6, Fig. .1,1 and serve assupports Jfor telegraph and telephone wires.

'The conductor 33 is constructed of, sections of fiat rodsonbars, of suitable length, and the meeting ends are preferably lapped and bolted together, as by bolts 4.0 (Fig. 5) With an interposed spring Washer 1:1, to insure a perfect contactbetween the lapped app roaching holes for the bolts of the joints may :e yelongated to provide for the expansion and contraction of the bar due to changes Olt temperature.. f

The upper or contact. surface ot* the conductor andthe adjacet lapped surfaces of the joints are preferably polished and tinned or -nicliled to prevent.corrosion, to thereby 'insure' perfect contact surfaces, and the remaining surfaces of the ,conductor may be covered with any suitable non-conducting, 1x .11i-cori'odible, protecting material.

IAThe conductor 33 is arranged along the track in a position to be engaged by the Contact roller S of thesignaling and'brake apparatus carried by the locomotives, and thus maintains a normally y,closed branch vcircuit' through the apparatus of the several loconilotives upon the track. Said conductor is supported upon the posts in an insulated manner and Withoutv ground connection at any point. Any suitable pro visions it r carrying the conductor over or under crossings and atstations may be provided.

The operation of the apparatusis as follows :uns above stated, each locomotive or train is supplied With a set'of lignaling and brake apparatusand the current in the normally closed circuits ori-each locomotive is so regulated by`means of the regulator), and they armatures of the bell magnets and the brake releasing magnets so set with relation to the strength or the current on the respective locomotives, that when two locomotives are at a predetermined distance apart, say' about live hundred feet, the strength of the currentv in the circuits on the respective locomotives will be insutiicient to lenergize the magnets suliciently to attract the armatures of the signa-ling apparatus and brake mechanisms, and hence the signaling apparatus and brake mehanisms are maintained in closed circuits and remain in- .active, due to the resistance offered by the branch circuit through the track conductor and ground connections between adjacent ,locomotiv As soon as two locomotives approach one another* and come closer together 'than the before mentioned predetermined. distance apart, the branch circuit between the adjacent or approaching locomotives reduced and the resistance offered thereby decreased and the currents of the batteries or other sources of supply of the locomotives are gradually brought together and combine in the signal ing apparatus'and brake mechanism circuits of the respective` locomotives, and as the locomotives still further approach the strength of the current increases, dueto the reduction of the resistance offered by the branch circuit'between the approaching locomotives, and ywhen the locomotives reach,

surfaces of the ends of the conductor. rlybe i say, about three hundred eet apart, the

bined batteries will be `saiiicient to energize the magnets of the bellsl or other signaling apparatus on the approaching locomotives and thus notify the engineers of the approach ot' their trains, and to shut oit' steam. Upon further approach of the trains and consequent increase of current in the signaling apparatus and brake mechanism circuits, the magnetsfo'f the brake mechanism will be energized sufficiently to attract their armaturesto release the brake valves on the approaching locomotives and set the brakes and to eliectually stop the trains and thereby prevent collision. Should the engineers noglect to shut. oit steam, upon the' sounding ct' the signals, thebr'ake mechanisms will operate to ettect the braking or stopping of" the Atrains suiiicientlyjr to prevent accident. W/'hen the trains are stopped, the switch arm i2 of the regulator may be raised, as shown by dotted 4lines Fig. l, and the circuits broken, until the trains are separated a sufi licient'dis'tance to again lower the switch to set the apparatus for further protectionl against danger of collision.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact details of construction and 'a 'rangement of parts herein shown and described, as the same may be changed .in various particulars and still be- Within the scope of the invention.

I do not undertake to state definitely any theory involved in the operation of the apparatus, but have. herein. given the results of repeated experimental and service tests, in which lhav'e employed dry cell batteries purchased .in open market and without certain knowledge ci' their relative strength, and where the electrical equipment on cach locomotive has been the same. .lt may be that these batteries on the different loco- Y motives have or have developed. in operation certain strength, but the tests have uniformly resulted in the setting of the brakes when the predetermined danger zone has been approached.

By the use of the term locomotive herein and`- ii the claims, I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of the invention to that one structure.

Instead of using one contact roller S for each locomotive, I may use twosuch rollers, and arrange them upon opposite sides of the locomotive cab for the purpose of running a train in opposite directions upon the same track equipped with asingle conductor, and for this purpose, it would only require additional wiring tothe several devices of the apparatusl for the 'additional contact roller. 0r, each locomotive may providedfwlth two sets of signaling and braking apparatus with acontact roller for -each'setarranged upon `opposite .sides of the locomotive cab' 4and the road rovided with two conductors, ,one 'upon' eac lside of the track; Aor 'both set-s of apparatus-:may be arranged upon the same side of the locomotive with two contact rollers and two conductors upon the same side loztf the track. The contact roller is shown as a plain circular roller, but there may be used a Contact device of other form, and the contact device may be provided with means for cleaning or scraping the conductor to free it of ice,.snow, or dii-t.

What I claim is 1- '1. In an apparatus of the class described,

rangement being such substantially as de-l scribed that the electro-magnetically oper! ated brake mechanism on each locomotive'is adapt-ed to 'be set to be inactive when the' locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and is rendered active when the 'locomotives approach one another 'proX'imately, to set the brakes and thus prevent collision.

2. In an electric signal 'for railways, a normally closed circuit, including signaling apparatus, carried by each locomotive, combined with a conductor arranged along the track, a Contact carried by and connected in branch 'with the circuits of each locomotivev for engaging the conductor to include said conductor in a branch circuit between adjacent locomotives', and ground connections t'or the circuits of each locomotive to complete said branch circuit, whereby the sionaling` apparatus and their normally cosed adv circuitsv on the respective locomotives are adapted to be maintained inactive until'the locomotives approach one another.

3.111 an electric signal for railways, a normallyclosed circuit, including signaling apparatus, carriedrby each locomotive, combined with a. conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried. by and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive for engaging the 'conductor to include said c'onductor in a, branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, a-nd ground connections for. the circuits of each locomotive to. cornplete said branch circnit,..whereby the si aling apparatus and their normal-ly close crcuits on the respective locomotives are adapted to be maintained inactive until the tloco# motives approach one another, and a switch for breaking the normally lclosed circuits4 on the .respective locomotives. Y y

V4. In an electric signal for railways, a'

normally closed circuit, including signalingV apparatus, carriedby each locomotive,

hined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive for engaging Vthe conductor to include said conductor in a branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits of each locomotive to coniplete said branch circuit, whereby the signaling apparatus and their normally closed circuits on the respective locomotives may be' set to be inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and caused to be operated byan increase of current in said circuits upon the approach of twosimilarly equipped locomotives.

5. ln an velectric signal for railways, a normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatusrand al brake mechanism, carriedA by each locomotive, combined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive for engaging the conductor to include said yconductoryin a branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits ot' each'locomotive to complete said branch circuit, whereby the signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms and ,their normally closed circuits on the' respective locomotives are adaptedto'vbe maintained inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and the signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms caused to be operated by the appreach of two similarly equipped locomo-A tives.

6. In an electric signal for railways, a normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatus and a brake mechanism, carried by each locomotive, and a regulator in eluded in sa'id circuit for controllingthe amount of current to said signaling apparatus and brake mechanism, combined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by Vand connected in branch `with the-,circuits of Aeach'locornotive` for en- I gaging the conductor; to include said conion in Leners Patent No. 935,892.

[SEAL 1 Cor'rect locomotive,

active when 'the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and the signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms caused to be operated by the approach of two similarly 'equipped locomotives.

7. In an electric signal for railways, a normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatus provided with an electroinagnet having its `coils of a predetermined resistance and a brake mechanism provided with an .electromagnet having its coils of a higher resistance than the coils' of the signaling apparatus, carried [by each combined .with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried vby and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive and adapted to engage the conductor to include, said conductor in a' branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits of each locomotive' to complete said branch circuit, whereby the y.signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms and their normally closed circuits onthe respective locomotives are adapted to be maintained inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart andthe signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms caused to be operated one after the other, respectively, as two similarly equipped locomotives apvproach one another.

In testimony Vwhereof I., have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of November A. D. 190?.

AUGUSTUSy c. CAREY l/Vitnesses Tiroimxs BAXTER, EDwiN C. BAILEY.

Signed andY sealed this 26th day ot' October, A. D., i909. r

C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting 00m mission e7'y of Patents.

rIt is hereby certified thatv in Letters Patent No. l35,89, granted `October 5, 1909, upon theapplication vor Augustus C. Carey, of Boston, Massachusetts, for an improvement in r Electric Signals for Railways, an eiror appears in the printed specification requiring correction, as follows: Page 3, line 32, the Word definitely should read dlnz'ceg; and that they said Letters Patent should be read with this correo-tionv therein that thesauie may conform to the record of the case in the Patent hined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive for engaging Vthe conductor to include said conductor in a branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits of each locomotive to complete said branch clrcuit, whereby the signaling apparatus and their normally closed circuits on the respective locomotives may be' set to be inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and caused to be operated byan increase of current in said circuits upon the approach of twosimilarly equipped locomotives.

5. ln an velectric signal for railways, a

normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatus'and al brake mechanism, carriedA by each locomotive, combined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive for engaging the conductor to include said yconductoryin a branch circuit between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits ot' each'locomotive to complete said branch circuit, whereby the signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms and ,their normally closed circuits on the' respective locomotives are adaptedto'vbe maintained inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart and the signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms caused to be operated by the appreach of two similarly equipped locomo-A tives.

6. In an electric signal for railways, a normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatus and a brake mechanism, carried by each locomotive, and a regulator in eluded in said circuit for controllingthe amount of current to said signaling apparatus and brake mechanism, combined with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried by Vand connected in branch `with the-,circuits of Aeach'locon'iotive` for en- I gaging the conductorl to include said con- Otlice.

l l I i l l .I

i [SEAL 1 i,

conectan in Leners Patent No. 935

' locomotive,

7. In an electric signal for railways, a normally closed circuit, including a signaling apparatus provided with an electromagnet having its `coils of a predetermined resistance and a brake mechanism provided with an .electromagnet having its coils of a higher resistance than the coils' of the signaling apparatus, carried [by each combined .with a conductor arranged along the track, a contact carried vby and connected in branch with the circuits of each locomotive and adapted to engage the conductor to include, said conductor in a' branch circuit, between adjacent locomotives, and ground connections for the circuits of each locomotive' to complete said branch circuit, whereby the y.signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms and their normally closed circuits onthe respective locomotives are adapted to be maintained inactive when the locomotives are a predetermined distance apart andthe signaling apparatus and brake mechanisms caused to be operated one after the other, respectively, as two similarly equipped locomotives apvproach one another.

AUGUSTUSy c. CAREY l/Vitnesses TEoMAs BAXTER, EDWIN C. BAILEY.

Signed andY sealed this 26th day ot' October, A. D., 1909. r

C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting 00m mission e7'y of Patents.

[Il rIt is hereby certified thatv in Letters Patent No. l35,89, granted' `October 5, 1909, upon theapplication vor Augustus C. Carey, of Boston, Massachusetts, for an improvement in r Electric Signals for Railways, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction, as follows: Page 3, line 32, the Word definitely should read dlnz'ceg; and that they said Letters Patent should be read with this correo-tionv therein that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent It is hereby rertitied that; in Letters Patent No. 935,52*:3 granted October 5. 1909.

upmr the application f Augustus C. Carey. of Boston, Massachusetts, for an r improvement in Electric Signals for Railways, an error appears in the printed n Letters Patent No. 9

Correction specification requiring correction, as follows: Page 3, line 32, the word definitely should read d/'m'tzeely; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with .this

Signed and eealed this 26th dal)v of October, A. D., 1909.

[smul (I. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Comm winner gf Patents.