USRE11983E - Railway signaling and switching apparatus - Google Patents

Description

No. ||,983. Reissued May 6, |902.,

' J. lLTAYLUR.

RAILWAY SIGNALING AND SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 29, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet l.,-

witnesses:

jnygr/f'br: 76- 6..

No. ||,9a3. Beissued May 6 I902.

. Jgn. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SIGNALING AND SWITCHING APPARATUS.

' (Application filed May 29, 1901.

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 64 To/L713. Ta y/o r. M '35 his Attorneys,

N0. ||,983. Reissued May 6, I902.

' J. I]. TAYLOR. I

RAILWAY SIGNALING ANDSWITGHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed. May 29, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 3 I No. ||,9a3. Reiss ued May 6, I902..

J. n. TAYLOR.- RAILWAY SIGNALING AND SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Applicstion filed May 29, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

jnu'gnibr:

Jagnjzzvi z @AIJSE TMC 8/ Reissued May 6, I902.

No. ll,983.

I n. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SIGNALING AND'SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 29, 1901.)

7 Shaets$haet 5.

Reissued May 6, [902.

J. D. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SIGNALING AND SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 29, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet -7..

' switching apparatus embodying my. inven-.

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

JOHN '1). TAYLOR, OF. BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TAYLOR SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION oF NEW YORK.

RAILWAY SIGNALING AND SWITCHING APPARATUS.

I SPECIFICATION formingpart of Reissued Letters Patent No. 11,983, dated May 6, 1902. Original No. 605,359, dated June 7, 1898. Application for reissue filed May 29, 1901. Serial No. 62,433.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, J OHN D. TAYLOR, of Buffalo, New York, (formerly of Ohillicothe, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio,) have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling and Switching Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus forcontrolling the movements of signals and switches on a railway; and an object -is to construct an interlocking or controlling apparatus having means for preventing a leverchanging its position in either direction before the track-switch has made its complete movement.

The invention contemplates, in part, improvements upon my Patent No. 516,903, of March 20, 1894 and Patent No. 554,097, of February 4, 1896.

' I will describe a railway signaling and tion and then point'out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views.

In some of the views, as Figures 1 and 13, where a series of like parts is shownand referred to, the reference character designating a part in the other views is used with indices 'to designate the like parts of the series as, for example, the number 22 designates the signal-locking bar in Figs. 5 andfi, and the numbers 22 22 22 refer to like-individual bars in the series shown in Fig. 1. The same remarks apply to Fig. 13 with reference to the series of another by longitudinal bars.

signal-circuit controllers and contacts shown.

Fig. 1 is a plan viewof the locking-barsemployed in the switch-tower and showing how the transverse bars are interlocked with one Fig. 2 is a per spect-ive view of a portion of the switch-controlling mechanism. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a portion thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of another-portion thereof. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the signal-controlling mechanism. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a part of the same. Fig. 7 is adetail perspective view of a" part thereof.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the two-armed signal. Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a clutch mechanism employed for operating the signal-arms. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a chain-sheave employed.- Fig. 11 is a side ele- In the interlocking apparatus which .is placed in the signal-tower I employ in the switch-operating mechanism a series of secondary locking-bars, one for each function operated. Each ofthese bars 1 isv mounted upon a primary locking-bar 2, and there is designed to be a relative movement between said bars 1 and 2. The several bars are mounted in a frame 3, and the bars '2 have connection with switch 5 levers 4. These switch-levers 4 have link connections 5 with lugs 6 on the innerends of the bars 2. From the lugs 6'rods 7 pass loosely through openings in lugs 8, mounted on the bars 1. The portion movable within the opening in the lug 8 of each rod 7 is made somewhat larger than the remaining portion. The spring 9 bears at one end against a nut on the outer end of the rod 7 and at the other end against a collar 1'18, loose on the rod, and the spring 10 engages around the other end of the rod and abuts against the lug 6-and at the other end against a collar 117, loose on the rod. These springs 9 and .10 have a tendency to hold the bars 1 centrally over the bars 2.

Double-shouldered lugs 11 and 12 .are se- I cured to the upper sides of the bars land are the cores of the magnets, and they are 'pivotally connected to the uprights supporting the electromagnets. It will be hereseen that the adjacent pivoted ends of the latches 13 and These latches 13 and 14 IOO 14 are extended in an upward direction, and between the upper ends of these upwardlydisposed portions I place an adjusting-screw 17, (shown in broken lines in Fig. 3,) designed to destroy the efiect of residual magnetism.

These latches and lugs are so placed that they from the reversed to normal position and now in the normal position. Its movement from reversed to normal tended through the spring connection to carry the bar 1 also from the reversed to normal position; but the latch 14 engaged the lug 12 when the bar l moved half-way from the reversed to the normal and stopped the movement of the bar 1. The bar 2 was, however, free to continue its movement as the spring connections between it and the bar 1 yield. The rod 7 is rigidly attached to the bar 2, but slides loosely through the hole in the lug 8. The sleeves 117 and 118 are also loose on therod 7, so that the movement of the bar 2 toward normal position compresses the spring 9 after the bar 1 is stopped by the latch 14. The large part 119 of the rod 7 is thus partially withdrawn from the lug 8, and the pressure of the spring" 9 is brought to bear on thelng 8 and through it pushes the bar 1 into normal position as soon as the latch 14 is lifted by the electromagnet 16. The bar 1 in Fig. 3 is notin the normal position, but is stopped in the middle position by the latch 14. When both bars 1 and 2 are in either the normal or reversed positions, the large part 119 of the rod 7 is entirely inclosed by the lug 8.

In moving from 'normal to reversed positions the operations are the same except that the latch 13, lug 11, and spring 10 come into play instead of the parts 14, 12, and 9..

The reason why I permit a half movement of the bar '1 before it is stopped by the latch 14 is to. put the indicator carried by the bar 1 in the neutral positionthat is, neither normal nor reversals-whenever the switch-operating lever is changed from one position to the other. This indicator is described in my Patent No. 554,097. The indicator remains in this position until the track-switch makes its complete movement, as explained elsewhere.

By means of the set-screw 17, above mentioned, when one of the latches is raised theother is pushed down. This serves the purpose of destroying the eifect of residual magnetism in the following manner: Suppose the magnet 15 to be energized and the latch 13 to be lifted. This'releases the bar 1, which,

under the influence of the spring 10, carries an elevated portion of the log 12 under the point of the latch 14, lifting it, and through the set-screw 17 pushing the latch 13 away from the magnet 15 after the current through the magnet has ceased. This action is the plete movement in the opposite direction to that in which. it was moving at the time the currentwas cut oif, and the locking-bar 1 would be released, permitting other movements which might be conflicting. To prevent this, a pawl 18 is pivoted to a bracket 19, attached to the frame 3, and the pawl is pressed into engagement with the bar 2-hy means of a spring 20. p A notch is-cut in the edge of the bar 2, into wh'ich the pawl is designed to engage before the switch-operating lever 4 has moved far enough to break the circuit through the switch-operating motor and prevents reverse movement of the lever 4. When the track-switch completes its movement, the bar 1 is released and slides out past the point of the pawl 18 and the notch in the bar 2 and forces the pawl out of said notch, so that both bars are free to move. The switch-operating lever-4 can now be put in the other position. If an operator inadvertently tries to move the lever 4 too soon and the notch in the bar2 is made to receive the pawl 18, the pressure on the pawl will preventthe complete movement of the bar 1, as the pawl will bear against the wall of the notch; but if the lever 4 be out into proper position and the pressure on the pawl removed the bar lwill complete its movement. The pawls 18 are employed at each end of the bars 2, or rather at each side of the frame 3, to engage with opposite end portions of thewhich carry and are connected to bars 23 in the same manner that the bars 1 and 2am connected to the switch operating levers. The construction and operation of the bars 22 and 23 are'similar to the bars 1 and 2 in all respects, except that the bar 23 is'locked by a latch 24 in only one direction and that .in moving toward the normal position correspending to the danger position of the sig- The latch 24 is lifted at the proper time.

nal. by the electromagnet 25, which is energized by a current generated in the armature of the signal-operating motor, which is caused to rotate by the falling of a counterweight, which places the signal in a normal position.

The manner of converting the signal-motor into a generator driven by the counterweight during its descent is described in my Patent rotate with it.

No. 516,903, March 20, 1894; but in said patent the current is used for no other purpose than to retard the fall of the counterweight and prevent shock to the mechanism. In this application it is used both to retard the counterweight and to. operate the releasing-magnet 25. It' is unnecessary to lock the bar 23 by a latch when moving toward the reverse position, because the signal is the last thing that is to be reversed, nothing afterward depending bn its making a complete movement in that direction. Of course the distant signals must not be reversed until after the home signal is completely reversed; but this is secured by passing the distant-signal circuit through a circuit-closer operated by the home signal.

The mechanism for operating'the double signal, Figs. 8, 3, and 10, is similar to that for operating a single signal described in my Patent No. 516,903, except that instead of one chain-sheave keyed to the shaft there are two chain- sheaves 26 and 27, placed loosely on the shaft and carrying spring-pressed pawls 28 and 29, which engage teeth in the ratchetwheels 30 and 31, respectively. The ratchetwheels 30 and 31 each have only one tooth, and these and the pawls are so arranged that the tooth on thewheel 30 engages the pawl 28 when moving in one direction, and the tooth on the wheel 31' engages the pawl 29 when running in the opposite direction. The ratchet- wheels 30 and 31 are keyed to the shaft 32 of the signal-operatingmechanism and rotate with it in one direction or the other, depending upon the rotation oi the motor-armature. The parts are so proportioned that less than one revolution of the ratchet-wheel 30 is sufficient to efiect the reversal of the signalarm. This is necessary, because if more than one revolution were required the tooth ol' the other ratchet-wheel would pass its pawl. Then when the first signal returns to its normal position the other pawl would catch and tend to reverse the other signal.

If it is desired to reverse the signal-arm 33,

the signal-operating motor is run in such direction that the ratchet-wheel 30 engages the pawl 28 and At the same time the pawl 29 slides easily over the periphery of the ratchetwheel 31 and has no effect on the signal 34. Ifthe motor is run in the opposite direction,

- the ratchet-wheel 31 engages the pawl 29 and the pawl 28 slides easily over the ratchetwheel 30 and the signal 34 is .reversed. The signals 33 and 34 will be operated by the winding of the chains 35 and 36 on the sheaves 26 and 27, thus moving the pivoted levers 37 and 38 and moving the rods 39 and-40, which connect with the signals 33 and 34.

The instrument which eflfects the reversal I of the signal-operating motor is shown in Fig.

12. It is similar to the well-known polarized relay, except that it has two contact- tongues 41 and 42, each of which can make contact with either of two con tact-posts. The tongues I ture.

causes the chain-sheave 26 to 41 and 42 are attached to the armature-lever 43, but insulated electrically therefrom and above-mentioned contacts by means of the electromagnet 48.

In the track-circuit relay shown in Fig. 1 1 the armature-lever 50 is retracted by a weight 51. There is no objection to the weight on account of the slowness of its action, as rapid action of the armature is not required in a relay used for this purpose, and it has the following great advantage overaspringwhen the relay is used for the purpose herein described. A weight when suspended from a horizontal axis and free to move about that axis will tend to place itself in such position that its center of gravity is vertically below the axis, and the force required to push it out of its position will be zero at the start, but will increase proportionally to the sine of the angle which a line passing through the center of gravity and the axis makes with the vertical, and the actual force at any point will equal the weight multiplied by the sine of the angle. Applying the weight to the relay-armature, as shown in the drawings, the Weight will be partially con nterbalanced by the armature-lever. This will cause the weight to hang at some point betweenthe vertical and horizontal, and the force required to move it will be equal to the weight multiplied by-the sine of thetangle which the line passing through its center of gravity and the axis makes with the vertical, less the counterbalancing efiect of the arma- The weight may be so adjusted as to size and relative position with respect to the armature that the separation of the contacts 2 and 53 may be any amount desired, and

still the force required to draw the armature down will be so small that any ordinary battery used in track-circuit work will exert sufficient force. A wide separation of the contacts 52 and 53 is useful in working on highpotential circuits in order to break the are formed. Thearmature-leverhas knife-edged bearings 54. Y

To more clearly illustrate the functions of the mechanism described above, I will describe the operation of one of each of the different kinds, using the diagram of Fig. 13.

'The normal positionrof all derails is open,

the normal position of thetransf'er-switches is set for the main track,'and-the normal position of all signals is at danger. In Fig. 13 everything is shown in normal position. Suppose it is desired to give a clear track to a train traveling in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 13. Derails A and B must first be reversed or closed. I will describe the operation of the derail-B only, as they are alike.

the generator 57, so that the current flows through the wire 58, contact-fingers 56,

switch-arm 5 5,wire 60, contact 61, switch-arm 62, armature of motor 63, wire 125, switcharm 64, contact 65, wires 81 and 49, field S0 of the motor 63, wire 66, wire 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, wire 120, and wire 114, back to the generator 57. This rotates the armature of the motor 63, closes and locks the rail-switch, and reverses the pole-chan ing switch 64 62 to produce the back indication, as described in my Patent N 0. 544,097, February 4, 1896. The reversal of this polechanging switch breaks the circuit last above named and forms a new one, including the motor 63 and magnet 15 belonging to this particular derail, so that the current generated in the armature of the motor 63 by its rotation due to acquired momentum flows from the armature of the motor 63 through the switch-arm 62, contact 7 8, wire 49, fields 80 of the motor 63, wire-66, wire 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, wires 120 and 114, wire 113, magnet 15, wire 129, contact 71, switch-arm 73, (the switch-arm 73 having been put into connection with the contact 71 by the move-v ment of lever 4, mentioned above,) wire 74, contact 70, and switch-arm 64 and wire 125, back to the armature of the motor 63. This induced current serves a double purposet hat is,it serves to stop the rotation of the armature of the motor 63 and also serves to energize the magnet 15, which lifts the latch 13 and releases the bar 1,which under the influence of the spring 10 takes the reverse position. The bars 1 and 2 and the corresponding bars connected to the lever controlling the derail A being reversed release the signal-lever 21,

Y which operates the signal 33, governing this route. The reversal or closing of the trackswitch B places the contact-bar 98 in position to make electrical connection between the contacts 97 and 99, as explained in my Patent No. 554,097. Signal 33 is the one to reverse or clear for a train going in the direction indicated by the arrow. To do this, the signallever 21 is reversed. This puts the bar 22 and the bar 23 in the position shown at the left in Fig. 5 and puts the electric switcharm- 75, carried by the lever 21, in contact with a contact-piece 7 6 This closes the circuit of the generator 57, so that the current flows through the wire 58, contact 76 switcharm 75, wire 77, wire 83, magnet of polarized relay 48, wire 79, switch arm 75 contact 104 wire 134, magnet 25*, and wires 113 and 114,- back to the generator 57. This energizes the electromagnet of 'the polarized relay 48 and throws the armature 43 against either one of the magnetic poles, depending upon the direction of the current in the magnet-coil and the polarity of the permanent magnet.

that the current flows through the wire 58,

contact 76 switch-arm 75*, wire 77, contact 45, tongue 42, armature of motor 84, tongue 41, contact 44, field 94 of motor 84, wire 96, brush 85, rotary switch-arm 86, brush 87, rotary switch-arm 88, wire 89, contact 97, bar 98, contact 99, wire 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, and wires and 114, back tgit'he generator 57. This energizes the miitor, causing the ratchet-wheel 30 to rotate, so as to engage the pawl 28 to rotate the chainsheave 26. This puts the signal-arm 33 into reversed or safety position. The circuit is broken by the separation of the rotary switch-arm 88 and the brush 87 and main- 9 tained through the brake-magnet 90, as explained in my Patent No. 516,903. In this position of the signal 33 the rotary switcharm 91 makes cont-act with the brush 92, and if new the signal-operating lever corresponding to distant signal D be reversed the circuit is established, so that the current flows from the generator 57 through the'wire 58, contact 76, switch-arm 75', wire 93, motor 136, wire 121, brush 95, rotary switch-arm 135, wire 122, brush 92, rotary switch-arm 91 wire 89, contact 97, bar 98, contact 99, wire 82, contact 67, wire 68, contact 69, and wires'120 and 114, back to the generator 57. This reverses the distant signal D. The reversal of the distant signal D rotates the switch-arm 135 out of contact with the contact-spring 953mm shnnting the current leaving the motor 136, so that it passes through the magnet 115 and wire 128. The energizing of the magnet 115 holds the arm of the signal D to safety so long as the current is maintained through the shunt-circuit just described. The fall of the counterweight of. the signal D when said circuit is broken will again put the switch-arm 135 and the con tact-spring 95 in contact for establishing the circuit for the back-indication current and for the next movement of the signal. The locking-bars 22 and 23', Fig. 1, connected to the lever which controls the distant signal D, are in the position shown at the lefthand side of Fig. 5 when this signal is reversed. This reversed position of the bars 22' and 231ocks the bars 22 and 23 connected to the lever controlling the'home signal 33, through the'longitudinal bar 100, as shown in Fig. 1. The reversed position of the bars 102. In putting the different parts back into normal position the first thing to be operated is the distant signal'D.

When the lever controlling this signal is put-into normal position, its locking-bar 22 is drawn back to the normal position; but the locking-bar 23' is stopped halt-way by the latch 24catching on the lug 103,secu red to the bar 23. The switcharm 75 will be. separated from the contact 76 and put into contact with the contact-plate 104. This interrupts the current through the brake-magnet 115, as above described, and allows the signal to assulnea normal'position under the influence of its cou'nterweighted levers, and this closes another circuit, so that the current generated by the motor-armature 136, driven by the descending counterweight, flows through the brush 95, rotary switcharm 135, wire 122, brush 92, switch-arm 91,

Wll'B 82, contact67, bar 68, contact 69, wires 120, 114, and 113, magnet 25, wire 126, contact 104, switch-arm 75', and wire 93, back to the motor 136. This current retards the fall of the counterweight and energizes the magnet 25, causing it to lift the latch 24, releasing the locking-bar 23, which impelled by the spring 105 returns to normal position. This releases the locking-bars 22 aud23 and the home-signal-operating lever 21. If now the home-signal-operating lever 21 is .put back to its normalposition, its bar 22 to normal position, but its bar isdrawn back 23 is stopped half-way by the latch 24. This movement of the home-signal lever 21 also separates the electric switch-arm 75 from'the contact 76 and puts said switch-arm 75 into contact with the contact-plate 104 This breaksthe circuit through the brake-magnet 90, releasing the signal 33, and as soon as the signal moves far enough to put the rotary switcharm 88 into contact with the brush 87 estalr lishes a new circuit, so erated by the motor 84 flows through the tongue 41, contact 44, field 94 of the motor 84, wire 96, brush 85, rotary switch 86, brush 87, rotary switch-arm 88, wire 89, contact 97, bar 98, contact 99, wire 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, wires 120, 25*, wire 124, contact 104 switch-arm 75 wire 77, contact 45, tongue 42, back to motor 84. This energizes the magnet 25 releasing the locking-bar 23 and allowing it to go to its normal position. This releases the locking-bars 1 and 1 and the lovers controlling derails A and B. The derails A and B can now be restored to normal position; but I will describe the operation of only one,'B, as they are alike. Putting the switch-operating lever 4 into normal position draws the bar 2 back to normal position; but the bar 1 is through the wire 107,

89, contact 97, bar '98, contact 99, wire inagnet (i-and liftsiits latch that the current gen-' 114, and 113-, magnet the primary stopped half-way by the latch 14. It also puts the electric switch-arm 55 into contact with the contact-fingers 59 instead of the fingers 56 and the switch-arm 73 into contact with its contact-plate 72. This closes a circuit of the generator 57, so that the current flows post 108, and lever 109 of the track-relay 110, post 111, and lover? 112 of the next track-relay, wire 123, contact 72,

switch-arm 73, wire 74, contact 70, switch-arm 64, wire 125, armature of motor 63, switcharm 62,'contact 78, wire 49, field 80 of motor 63, wires 66 and 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, and wires 120 and 114, back to the generator 57. This current has the 'eflfect of opening the rail-switchB-that is, putting it in normal-positionwhile at the completion of this movement the pole-changing switch is reversed, breaking contact with other contactpieces. This interrupts the current from the generator 57 and makesa new circuit, so that the current generated by the rotation of the armature 63 flows throughthe wire 125,switch arm 64, contact 65, wires 81 and 49, the field of the motor 63, wires 66 and 82, contact 67, bar 68, contact 69, wires 120 114 113, magnet 16, wire 127, cont-act 59, switch-arm 55, wire 60, contact 61, and switch-arm 62 back to the motor'63. This energizes the electrolocking-bar 1 to return to a normal position, actuated by its spring. This releases the switch-operating levers controlling switches on opposite routes.

14, releasing the ICO The locking between the bars connected to the switch and signal levers (shown in Fig. 1)

is similar to that einployed'in the well-known mechanicalinterlockingfthatis, itis effected by means of pointed dogs attached to longitudinal locking-bars engaging notches in the transverse locking-bars connected to the opcrating-levers. The notches in the secondary orspring-connected bars coincide with the notches in the primary or rigidly-connected bars when thesebars-are normally situated with reference to each other.' When the primary or rigidly-connected bar is in either extreme position and the secondary or spring-connected bar is held in the middle position by a latch, the notches do not coincide, and the two bars together, so far as the locking is concerned, are equivalent toa sin- I The movement of baneifects the locking of other gle bar without notches.

Iio

levers, which locking is held by the secondary bar until the function controlled by the lever connected thereto has returned to its original position.

It will be noticed that the circuit which opens the derail passes through the contacts of the track-relay and the next one to it. The magnets of these relays are energized by currents derived from the track- batteries 116 and 133 and through the track-rails. When a train is on any portion of the track between said batteries, thecurrent will be shunted and cut oil? from one or both of the relays and their contacts will be separated, opening the circuit, which conveys currents for opening the track-switch. This prevents opening the track-switch under the train.

Certain of the switch-operating levers 4 are connected mechanically together in pairs, as shown at 4 in Fig. 2. When derailing-switch B is closed, the bar 98, connected mechanically to the switch'rail, bridges the contactpieces 99 and 97. "When the switch E is set for the main track, the bar 68, connected mechanically to the switch-rail, bridges contacts 67 and 69, and when set for side tracks the bar 68 bridges the contacts 130.and 131. By reversing the lever controlling signal 34 the electric current is put through the switcharm 75 and the contact-plate 76, closing the circuit of the generator 57, so that the current flows through the wire 58, contact 76 switch-arm 75, wire 79, magnet 48 of polarized relay, wires 83 77, switch-arm 75*, contact 104, wire 124, magnet 25, wire 113, wire 114, back to the generator 57. This current passes through the magnet 48 in the opposite direction to that sent through it when the lever operating signal was reversed. The lever 43'is thrown to the other side, and the tongues 41 and 42 make contact with contacts 46 and 47, respectively. This closes another circuit of the generator 57, so that the current flows through the wire 58, contact 76 switch-arm 75?, wire 79, contact 46, tongue 41, armature of the motor 84, tongue 42, contact 47, the fields 94 of the motor 84, wire 96, brush'85,rotary switch 86, brush 87, rotary switch 88, wire 89, contact 97, bar 98, contact 99, wires 82 and 129, contact- 130, bar 68, contact 131, and wires 132 and 114 back to the generator 57. This current flows through the armature of the motor 84 in the opposite direction to that sent through it when the lever operating signal 33 was reversed; This rotates the ratchet- wheels 30 and 31 in the opposite directions, causing the ratchet-wheel 31 to engage the pawl 29, the'ratchet-wheel 30 remaining inoperative. This brings the signal 34 into safety position. Putting the lever operating signal 34 back into normal position releases signal 34, which, returning to normal position, generates the current that releases the locking-bar 23 in the same manner as before described for 33.

When the lever 43 of the polarized relay is thrown to either side, it remains there on account of the attraction of the permanent ma net until a current is sent through the electromagnet in the opposite direction. The current which energizes the magnet 48 of the polarized relay when signal 33 is to be operated passes th rough themagnet 25, and when the signal 34 is to be operated it passes through the magnet 25; but this has no offeet, as the locking-bar under the magnet through which a current is passing must be necessarily in a normal position.

To more fully describe the operation of the pawl 18 in connection with the notch in bar 2, I will describe aspecific movement of the switch-operating lever 4. The lever 4 (see Fig. 2) and the bar 2, connected thereto, have just been moved from the normal to the reversed positions for the purpose of closing or reversing the track-switch operated thereby and for locking leverscontrolling switches on opposing routes. During the rotation of the motor which effects the reversal of the trackswitch the bar 1 is held in the middle position by the latch 13 engaging with the lug 11, which stops it when it has made one-half its movement-4n this case from the normal to the reversed position-in consequence of which the spring 10 is compressed by the continued movement of the bar 2. plete movement of the bar 2 will carry the notch in its edge past the front of the pawl 18. It now while the bar 1 is held in the middle position the operator should attempt to put the 1ever4 and the circuit-closers and the bar 2, connected to it, into the normal position again, the movement would be prevented by the pawl 18 engaging the notch in the bar 2; but when the track-switch is completely-reversed the current generated by the switch-operating armature, described elsewhere in the specification, also in my Patent No. 554,097, circulates in the coils of the The com magnet 15, causing it to lift the latch 13,

thus releasing the bar 1, which under the influence of the spring 10 moves to a complete reversed position. In this position of the bar 1 it covers the notch in the bar 2 and holds the pawl 18 away from engagement with the notch, so that it will not prevent the movement of the bar 2 back to normal position.

In Fig. 2 the bar 2 is shown in its reversed position, in Fig. 3 it is shown in its normal position, while in bothfigures the bar 1- is shown in the middle position. If it were not for the pawl 18, the operator could change the position of a switch-operating leverwhile the switch-operating motor was still running-that is, before. the track-switch is completely opened or closed, as the case may betherebycutting 011? the current from the generator to'the motor and closing the independent motor-circuit, and thereby releasing magnet 15 or 16, the current energizing the releasin g-magnet' in this case being due to the induction in the motor field-coils following the cessation of the magnetizing-current.

The transverse bars shown in Fig. 1 are the transverse bars of Figs. 2 and 5, the lower ones being connected to and operated by the switch-levers. The bars 2 and 22 are the same as those shown in Fig. 4 of my Patent No. 554,097, and the bars 100, 101, and 102 operate similarly to the bars a of my patent above referred to.

In Figs. 4 and 7 I show the several contacts in their true position. The wires in practice are connected to the metal blocks 56, 59, 71,

claim. as new and desire bars,

' releasing the and 72, which support the contact springs or fingers, and the metal supports and 73?, which support the bars 55 and 73. .In the normal position of the lever 4 the bar 55 bridges '55 and 59, and 73 bridges 73 and 72, and in the reversed position 55 bridges 55 and-56, and 73 bridges 73 and 71. In the normal position of the lever 21 the bar 75 bridges 75 and 104, and when reversed it bridges 75' .and 76.

The switch 91 engages 92 when the home signal, to which it is attached, is in a safety or reversed position, thus permitting the current to reach the distant signal only when the home signal is in a safety position. The bar 98 bridges 97 and the corresponding contact 99 when the track-switch is closed or reversed, soas to permit the current to reach the signals governing the movements on that track only when the switch is in a proper position.

For the purpose of clearness in the claims I will term the locking-bar 2 as a primary locking-bar and the locking-bar 1 as a secondary locking-bar.

- Having thus described my invention, I to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a railway signaling and switching apparatus, a series of operating-levers, primary and secondary locking-bars, connections between theprimary-bars and levers, yielding connections between the primary and secondary bars, holding-latches for the second ary bars, and electrical means for releasing the latches, substantially as and for the pur- I poses set forth.

2. In a railway signaling and switching apparatus, a series of operating-levers, primary and secondary locking-bars arranged in pairs, one upon the other, connections between the primary bars and levers, spring-yielding connections between the pairs of bars, and electrically-actuated locking devices for the secondary bars, substantially as specified.

3. In a railway switching apparatus, a series of operating-levers, primary and secondary locking-bars, arranged in pairs, one upon the other, link connections between the primary bars and levers, spring-yielding connections between the primary and secondary bars, two latches forcontrolling the opposite movements of each secondary bar, springpressed pawls, one at each end of each primary bar, adapted to engage notches in the primary bars, til released by the secondary bars, and electromagnetic means for lifting the latches and secondary bars, substantially as specified.

4. A railway switching mechanism, comprising operating-levers, primary and secondary locking-bars, link connections between the primary bars and levers, spring-yielding connections between the primary and secondary bars, holding-latches for the secondary electrolna'gnets for raising the latches,

and'hold said primary bars nn-.

ary locking-bars, link connections between the primary bars and levers, spring-yielding connections between the primary and secondbars, spring-pressed pawls for holding the primar bars until the secondary have made complete movement, electromagnets for lifting the latches and electric circuits comprising the switch-operating motor, an automatic electric reversing-switch operated by the motor, the circuit-closers attached to the operating-levers, the electromagnets and electrical connections, substantially as specified.

6. In a railway signaling apparatus, a sigha], a motor for reversing the same, a counterbalanced lever for restoring the signal to its normal position, and rotating the motor in the reverse d irection,a signal-operating lever, a two-position circuit-closer attached to the lever, a primary locking-bar, a secondary locking-bar, a link connection between the primary bar and lever, a spring-yielding con- I nection between the two bars, alatch for controlling the movement of the secondary bar,

and an electromagnet for raising said latch, the said magnet being in a circuit leading from the motor and energized by the current generated by the reverse rotation of the motor, substantially as specified.

7. In a railway signaling apparatus, two semaphores or signals, a motor, sheaves loosely mounted on the shaft of the motor, a clutch mechanism, between said shaft and the sheaves, the said clutch mechanism operating to rotate the sheaves in opposite directions when themotor is reversed, and connec- 'ary bars, holding-latches for the secondary tion between said sheaves and semaphores or signals, substantially as specified.

8. A railway-signal, comprising two swinging signals, a motor -for operating the same, two sheaves loosely mounted on the shaft of the motor, a single-tooth ratchet-wheel, arranged at one side of each sheave, pawls carried by the sheaves for engaging the said teeth, counterbalanced levers on the support for the signals, connections between the sheaves and levers, and connections between the levers and signals, substantially as specified.

9. In a railway-signal-operating mechanism, two semaphores or signals, a reversal elec tric motor'for operating the signals, a clutch mechanism on the shaft of the motor for selecting either one or the other signal, de-

pending on the direction of rotation of the motor, a polarized pole -changing relay for determining the direction of the current through the motor-armature, a two-pos tion circuit-closer, attached to each of the twosig- In testimony whereof I have signed my nal-operating'levers, one for each signal, said name to this specification in the presence of circuit-closers acting conjointly to control the two subscribing witnesses.

circuit through the polarized relay and sev- JOHN D. TAYLOR. orally to control circuits through the motor, Witnesses:

a generator and the electrical connections, M. E. SNYDER,

substantially as specified. EDWARD O. HARD.

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