US939984A - Electric railway signaling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

ELEOTBIO RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

' APPLIUATION FILED JULY 13, 1908. 939,984.

Patented Nov. 16. 1909 a sanms snmz'r 1.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING manna.

A PPLIOATION FILED JULY 13. 190B Patented Nov. 16. 1909.

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ELEGTBIO RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a, 1905.

939,984. Patented Nov. 16.1909

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WILLIAM J. COOK. 01 DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed Jul 13, 1908. mm No. 448,820.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. G005, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Railway Si aling Apparatus; and I do declare the fol l dwing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it uppertains to make and use the some, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical railway signaling apparatus, my object being to provide means whereb in the event of an injury to the track 9110 i as would ordinarily result in an accident, trains may be notified in time to avert the difliculty. My improved construction is es pecially adapted to warn trains in case of an injury to a culvert or bridve due to high water or the burning of the bridge. Provision is also made for warning trains in the event of the rolli of rocks or the accumulation of debris 0 any kind upon the track due to slides in mountainous districts whether of snow or other material. My apparatus includes an electrical circuit which is closed by the breaking of a device which is connected by means of a rod or wire with an element. which is sufficiently disturbed by the injury to or the accumulation of material upon the track, to break the said device, resulting in the release of a spring-actuated part which when the said device is broken moves into engagement with twocontacts which are bridged thereby thus closing a circuit through an elcctronulgnet, which acts to release a signal allowing the latter to assume the danger position. Provision is also made For simultaneously closing a light. circuit whereby a lamp connected with the signaling arm is lighted.

llnving hriclly outlined in im uovcd coustructiou, I will proceed to cscri m the some in detail reference bein r made to tho accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing. Figure 1 is a view illustrating my impruvm] apparatus shown in conucctiou with a bridge or culvert together with means for operating the signal in the event that the water rises to a den erous position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through a ox in which the spring-actuated circuit-closing device is located. This box also conceals the contacts which are bridged by the said device when released, the parts being shown on a larger scale. Fi 3 is a. view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating, owever, the application of the apparatus to a line of track in a mountainous district where the track is liable to be obstructed by the slidin of material from the mountain side to the track. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4- Fig.l 3. F' 5 is a detail view illustrating t e signa mg mechanism shown on a. larger scale. This view is obtained by lookiug in the direction of arrow 5 Fig. 6. Fig. 6 15 a view looking in the direction of arrow 6 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustratlng an electrical generator and an audible signal located in the circuit of the generator, the latter supplyin the currentfor the signaling device. file construction shown in this view may be said to be broken away from the left hand extremity of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a box or other suitable receptacle arranged in suitable proximity to a line of track 6. Within this box which is provided with a removable cover 7, is concealed a disk 8 composed of conducting material, the said disk being connected with a stem 9 which asses through an opening 10 formed in n ug or partition 12 projecting from the bottom of the box. Be twccn this lug and the disk and surrounding the stem 9 is a coil sprim 13. The extremity of the stem 9 remote mm the disk, pro trodes beyond the lug 12 and with it is connected a relatively fragile or breakable device 14. The opposite extremity of this breakable device 1s councctcd with a wire or cable 15 passing through a tubc. 16 arranged along the track (see Fig. 1) and terminaliug at a bridg or culvert 17 over which the truck masses. It will be understood that there 5 tflllld be one of these boxes 5 at each extremity of the bridge or that these boxes and their attachments should be located on 105 oppusitc sides of the bridge. culvert or other danger int. Hence it may be assumed that the flexible device 15, is connected with two breakable devices 14, one being located in a box 5 on each side of the danger point. At the bridge, still referring to Fig. 1, the tubular rotection or sheath 16 ceases and the flexi le device 15 is exposed and to it 18 connected, as shown in the drawing, the upper extremity of a lever 18 fulcrumed on a cross beam 19 as shown at 20. To the lower extremity of this lever is attached a blade 21 so arranged that when the water 22 rises to a dangerous height, it will act upon this plate and operate the lever sufficiently to disrupt the breakable device 14. The pull on the flexible device due to its connection with the lever 18, is sufficient to place the 5 ring 13 under tension. As soon as the fiexi le device is broken, the recoil of the spring 13 acting on the disk 8 will cause the latter to move into engagement with two separated contacts 23 and 24 located within the box 5 but. insulated therefrom as shown at 25. This movement of the disk closes an electrical circuit in which is located an electro-magnet 26 and an electric lamp 27. The magnet being energized by the closing of the circuit, acts upon a spring-actuated latch 28 which normally en ges a tooth 29 formed on the periphery ot a disk 30 pivoted at 31 on a post 32. This latch passes through two lugs 33 and 34 and is provided with a stop co ar 35 which is engaged by one extremity of a coil spring 36, the opposite extremity of the spring bearing against the lower lug 33. The magnetic force incident to the energizing of the magnet 26, acts on this latch to move the same downwardly whereby the latch is disengaged from the tooth 29, allowing the disk 30 to make a partial rotation whereby a signaling arm 37 connected therewith, is allowed to move downwardly to the dotted line position (see Fig. 5 By virtue of this movement of the dis a contact spring 38 is brought into engagement with a contact 39 whereby the electrical circuit is closed through the lamp 27. The cnga ement of the contacts 38 and 39 also limits t e further movement of the disk and the signaling arm. The position of the signaling arm when the disk is locked by the latch 28, is illustrated in Figs. 5 and t.

In the form of construction shown in Fi s. 3 and 4, the device 1:3 msscs through a tn )0 40 preferably composed of a number of sections 41 which are separated as shown at 42 to facilitate the collapse of the tube for the purpose of acting on the cable or other suitable device 15 whereby the fragile member 14 is broken. It is evi ent that if a rock 43 or other object or mass of nmtorial of suflicient magnitude to obstruct the track, should fall upon this tube 40. the some would collapse resulting in aulllcient pull ulpon the inclosed wire or cable 15, to break t e device 14 and release the spring'actuatcd disk whereby the circuit is closed to the signaling devices the same as when the other form of construction is em loycd.

Attention is called to t e fact that the tube 40 is arranged along the track on the side which is exposed to rocks or other objects which may roll down from the mountain side and have a tendency to obstruct the track. This structure 40 is located in the path of the rock or other object as it moves downwardly to the track and consequently must be crushed. As shown in the drawing the tube sections 41 are mounted on supports 44 arranged in suitable proximity to the track 6 on the danger side.

Assuming that the disk 8 is in en agement with the two contacts 23 and 24, i we start from one of these contacts the path of the current may be traced as follows: From the contact 23 through a conductor 45 to a conductor 46 and thence through the latter (see Fig. 7) to a bell 47 and thence through a conductor 48 to a pole 49 of an electrical generator 50. The current passes from the opposite pole 51 of this generator to a line feed wire 52 which may extend along the track an desired distance and with which any desired number of signaling devices may be connected in multip e are or otherwise as may be desired. From this feed wire :32 a conductor 53 leads to one terminal of the coil of the electro-magnct 6. From the opposite terminal of this coil leads a conductor 54 to the contact 24 from which the current passes throu h the disk 8 to the contact 23 completing the circuit.

From the conductor 53, leads a conductor 55 (see Fig. 5) to the lamp 27 mounted on the signaling arm 37. From this lamp a conductor 56 leads to the contact 38 secured to the disk 30 by a screw 57. Assuming that the contact 38 is in engagement with the contact 39 (see dotted lines in Fig. 5), the course of the current will be from the contact 38 through the contact 39, thence through a conductor 58 to a resistance coil 59 located in a box 60 mounted on the post 32 and thence through a conductor 01 to the conductor 53.

Connected with the periphery of the disk 30, is a rope or pull cord 62 which is used to operate the disk 30 for the purpose of setting the signaling arm in the position for use or that indicated in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, after the disk has moved to the sigimlinc position or that shown by full lines in F lg. 5. In moving the disk sullicicntly to raise the signaling arm to the position when set for signaling purposes or that shown by full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, the tooth 20 which will be in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, will move ast the latch in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5 and the latch will spring upwardly behind the tooth 6 locking the disk in the aforesaid position.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved signaling apparatus will be readily understood.

Assuming that the wire or cable l 5 has been subjected to sutlicient strain to disrupt the breakable device 14, the disk 8 Wlll spring into engagement with the contacts 23 and 24, completing the circuit through the magnet 26, which being ener and acts on the latch 28 which is compose of magnetic material, to draw the latter downwardly whereb it is disen :1 ed from the tooth 29, thus a] owing the is to move sufliciently to throw the signaling arm into the dotted line position in Fig. 5 whereby the contacts 38 and 39 are broughtinto engagement,

thus closing the circuit through the lam 27.

At the same time the circuit is comp eted through the bell 47 which may be located at a station along the track or m any desired location. It may be assumed that a bell 27 and the electrical generator 50, are located at stations installed at suitable intervals along the track. By virtue of this construction and arrangement, agents at these stations will be notified of the danger as well as the train men. It will be understood that the signalin devices are located ono posite sides of all anger points so that trams approaching these points from either direction will be notified. The conductor 45 is connected with a feed wire 63 as shown at 64. The feed wires 52 and 63 are connected with the opposite poles of the aerator 50, and may extend any desired distance along the track, the signalin devices being supplied therefrom by mu tiple are connections or otherwise as may be desired.

I luring thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of signaling mechanism comprising a movable signal having a tendency to assume the danger position, a latch for locking the signal in such a position that it indicates no danger. an clcctromagnct which when energized will act on the latch to relcnsc the signal and allow it to assume the danger position. a circuit nmke-uml-break .lrz'izas, a breakable device connected with the circuit nnlkc-nml-brenl: device and normally holding the some in the open circuit. position. and means connected with the breakable device and lending to a danger point, tlnsaid menus bring arranged lo be acted on by truck dislurlmm-os snlliricntly to disrupt tlubrcnlmhlc duvlvr and allow the circuitmake-nnd-brvnli device to more to a. position to close the circuit of the said magnet.

2. in electric railway signaling apparatus,

the combination of a movable si al, a latch for normally locking the signs in a position to indicate no dun '01, an electromagnct which when ener izet acts to release the locking device and allow the signal to move to the danger )osition, n cilrnit in which said magnet is coated, a breakable device, a circuit makwand-break device with which the breakable device is connected, whereby the circuit makeand-breal-z device is held in the open circuit osition, means connected with the breakabl device and leading to a danger point along the track, and so arranged that a strain u on said device will disrupt the same and al ow the circuit makeand-break device to move to the circuit closing position.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of signaling mechanism comprising a disk mounted to rotate and pro vided with a signalin arm whose normal tendency is to assume he danger position, a latch for lockin the disk in such a position that the signaling arm indicates no danger, an electromagnet which when energized will act on the latch to release the disk and allow the signaling arm to assume the danger position, a circuit make-andlneuk device, a breakable device connected with the circuit makc-and-In'eak device and normal] holdii v the same in the open circuit position, am means connected with the breakable device and leading to a danger point, the said means being arranged to be acted on b track disturbances, sulficiently to disrupt t 1e breakable device and allow the circuit make-and-break device to move to the circuit-closing position, substantially as de scribed.

4. In electrical signaling ap aratus the combination of a movable signal a latch for locking the signal in the position to indicate no danger, an electro-magnet so arranged that when energized it acts on the locking device to release the signal and allow the same to move to the danger position, a circuit in which the said ma net is located, a spring-actuated circuit malte-aad-hrcak device, and a breakable device connected to hold the nmke-andhreak device in the open circuit position, and means connected with the breakable device and extending to a point of danger along the truck whereby us the breakable device is disrupted, the circuit make-nnd-break device will move to close the circuit through the clcctro-magnct, substantially as described.

5. ln electrical railwnv signaling appurutusdho combination 0 a movable signal, a latch for nornullly lockin r the signal in the position to indicate no I anger, an electro-mu netwhich when energized acts to rclcuse l. m kicking device and allow the sunnto more to the danger position, a circuit in which said magnet is located, a breakable device, a circuit makc-and-break device with which the breakable device is connected means for closing said circuit as the signal whereby the circuit make-and-break device moves to the danger position, substantially in is held in the open circuit osition, means as described.

connected with the breaka 1e device and I In testimony \vhereofI nfiix my signature leading to a den er point along the track in presence of two witnesses.

and so arranged t mt a strain upon said de- WILLIAM J. COOK.

vice will disrugt the breakable device and Witnesses:

allow the circuit make-and-brcak device to i A. J. OBnmx,

move to the circuit closing position, an elec- Dena NELSON.

tric luinp mounted on the movable signal, 11 circuit in which said lamp is located, and

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