USRE6476E - Improvement in circuits and circuit-closers for railway-signaling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

- '2 Sheets--Sheet 1. H. W. SPAN G.

Circuit and Circuit-Gloser r Railway-Signaling Appara 7 Reissued lunehl875.

MITRE SEES.

2 Shegts Sheet 2. H W. SPANG.

Circuit and Circuit-Closer for Railway-Signaling Apparatus.

Reiss'ued June 1,-1.8'75.

WITN E EEZZ V I I N VLNTD QM wk. mw W a W %WZW4 UNITED STAT S PATENT. OFFICE.

"uss'nr w ering, or; R ADING; PENNSYLVANlA.

,- mrnoyrsrsr. m cincu rs Ann CIIRCIUYITQLCLOSERS' For nil wmsleuiuucAnimus.

est mates; pas-tel. Letters Patent so, 142,131; August as, is-1a; reissue No. 0.410, emu

- :1 June-1, 1875; application November 10,1813.

To allwhom itmayconcem: T L

Be itlrnown that I, HENRY 1W. 8mm of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvementsin ElectricCircuits and CircuitOlosers for RailwaySignal Purposes, of which the followingisaspecification:, I s

The objectof he invention is toprevent the collision of railway-trains, and accidents at street. or railway crossings b V causing sigwhena loconals to be displayed or soun motive or: train is occupying 'a specified sec tion of the track, or approaching a street or road crossing. It consists tirst, in the combination, in a circuit closer tube. operated by a suitable pressing device or devices, of aninsulated foundation having metallic conductinfi-pieces arrangedthereomwith a metallic roe er' gr rollers for electrically connecting the said metallic pieces, and thereby causing "an electric circuit to be closed or broken, and a signal displayed or sounded, .or, both ;,second,

the combination of two electro maguets, an

armature-lever with two armatures," and a spring or springs pressing against and hold: ing the said lever in proper position, the said electro-magnets being-in separate and indepeb ent'circuit's, and arranged to be brought into action alternately for closing and break ing a secondary or local circuit and thereby causing a signal to be displayed or sounded, or both, and afterward cca'selto' be displayed orsounded..

The arrangement of an electro-magn'et, controlling a secondary circuit and a visualor audible signal, or both, at or near one-end of an insulated section of railway-track, andla galvanic battery and circuit-closer at ornear the opposite end of said section, and connected with the two lines of rails of tion of track, so that the said magnet can only-be charged bysaid battery anda safety,-

signal given when every'pair'oi' wheels of a locomotive or train have passed ofl said tionof track. b p

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is. aperspective view of a section of railwayt'rack, with my improved circuit closer'.and breaker near each end; also, an improved arriingement of relay electro-magucts, which can 5 be placed'at any suitable point of the section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the contact-rollers of my circuit closer and breaker. Fig. 3. is a plan viewof a given section or length of track, whichv is insulated or separated from the adjacent track of same line at each end of said section', and showing anovel' arrangement of. electro magnet, battery,-snd circuitcloser-in'co'mbination therewith. Fig. 4 is a plan view-eta given length orsection of a singleiine'of rails of a railway-track said section being not insulated from the ad acent track at-each end thereof, and showing my novel arrangement of electro-magnets, battery, and circuit closers and breakers connected therewith, and with a wire conductor, which forms a portion of the circuit. Fig. 5 shows views of the contact-plates or conductors on the end of a. vibrating lever, forming a part of the circuitlcloser and breaker'in one form that I propose to use. Figs. .6, 7, and 8 are views of diii'erent arrangements of the contact-plates .or conductors of averticnl or upright circuit closer and breaker.

B, Fig. 1, is an electric circuit closer and break whichr can be operated by'a passing train. t is constructed as 'follows': '0 is a metallic lever, the short end of which is adjacent to and slightly above the raili in whichposition it is retained by the spira or other 'sprin'g. D,gacting on the under side of the One or both of its ends may be so attached to the sins as to allow the spring orpresser bar'to spread and lower under pressure. The track-end of the lever O bears against the under side ofbar E. The wheels of-a locomotive or train ride over the spring or yielding presser-bar E, which gradually an easily spreadspand lowers, and thereby depresses the track end of lever O of the circuit closer and breaker B.

To'the inner end of the long arm of lcverO a a I 0.06

is fixed an insulating plate, I", to the of which the metallic contactplates G G or G G G are attached. They are insulated or separated from each other, as fully shown at Fig. 5. In place of the metallic plates-Gr G G, plates'of cbonite or any insulating substance can beused. H H H H, Fig. 2,.are metallic contact-rollers in suitable bearings in the blocks or heads I I, and said blocks are insulated or separated from each other. When end of leverO, to which plate F is, attached, is depressed by spring D, roller H in metallic headI is in contact with wide portion oi metallic plate G, or plate G, and rollers H H in metallic head 1', are in contact with plate G or G, and circuit broken between H and H H and when said end of lever G is elevated by presser-bar E and wheel of a locomotive or car, rollers H and H H will contact with plateG or G, and close circuit between said rollers. A good contact will be made tween said rollers and plate or plates .by means of the springs J J, which are recessed in the blocks I1, and exert their forceon the journals of the rollers through intervening caps K K.

L is a vertical circuit closer and breaker, constructed as follows: M is an upright, upon which is fixed a plate, N, of eboniteor' other insulating substance. N N? are projections from plate N, and of similar material. ,A cast-iron box, lined with ebonite or other insulatingfmaterial, and fixed to upright, can be used'with equal efi'ect. Upon the insulat ing -plate N are fixed the parallel metallic plates or conductors 0 O 0' or 0 O 0 O, which are separated from each other, I as shown in Fig. 6, and so completely insulated that very little electricity can pass between them. P is a vertical guide-rod,over' or upon which movesthe sleeve Q. The roller-head R, attached to the sleeve, carries the contact roller 'or rollers R, which traverse the plates or rails 0 0 0' or 0 0 O 0, and are held firmly against them by springs'and caps simi-- lar to those shown in circuit-closer B.

To the sleeve Q is attached a rod, Q, which is actuated by the lever 0', like 'in' construction, arrangement, and mode of op eration to the lever C of the circuit closer and breaker B, shown. and described. Rod Q or sleeve Q can be actuated by any'suitahle means, for causing the contact-rollers to traverse the plates or rails O O 0' or O? 04 0 O. A spiral spring 8 brings the connect ing-rod Q, sleeve Q, an their attendant parts 'back to their normal position, after pressure which has moved them therefrom has ceased.

1 The sleeve Q may be insulated from metallic contact with theconnecting-rod Q or the roller-head Rby placing a plate of any insu- 'l'ating substance between them. Plates or rails of ebonite may be substituted for the me tallic plates 0 0 0. T, Fig. 1, is a relaymagnet, having two electro-magnets, T T! and T T, the terminal wires of which are connected with the binding or connecting postsc c and c c. U is an armaturc-lever'on the shaft d.- It has the armatnrcs U U on or near its opposite ends; VV are posts, which -or both. w V are springs which press against the lever U, and hold it in' the position it is placed by an electric circuit closed telnporarily, the said circuit charging one electromagn'et, TQT', and attracting the armature" II on-one end of the lever, which is held by said spring or springs in that position until another circuit is closed, and charges the opposite electro-magnet' '1. T, which then at tracts the opposite armature U, changing the position ofleve'rU. A, Fig. 3, is a'section of railway-track, of any required lengthusually one mile. It is insulated or separated from the adjacent track A A.- at eachend and in the same line.

A3, Fig. 4, is a section of track not insulated from, but forming acontinuous metallic line with, the portions of track at each of its ends. B B are circuit-closers, respectively near op posite ends of sections of track A or A. T is the relay-magnet, at or near one end of said section, of either modification.

Referring to Fig. 3',"'the'wire x connects the roller-head I and the connecting-post c of the electro-inagnet T' T; wire a, the batteryY and roller-head I; wire a", the battery Y and binding-post c of electro-magnet T T wire 2:, the line of rails 11 and the binding-post c of the electroma-gnet T- T; wire .11, the line of rails a and theconnecting-post c of theelectro-magnet T'T; wire a, the line of rails a and the battery Y; wire as", the line of rails'a and the roller-head I1; wire a", the roller-head I and the battery Y. v

A train, reference being bad to' Fig. 3, pass:

ing over the track in the direction of the arplate 'Gbr G and the rollers H H' II make contact with each other, and close the electric circuit, which, flowing from battery-Y over wires 0; :va, the roller-he'adsI I, springs J charges the electro-magnet T T which-atsounded, or bot-h', until the last car of said train has passed oil the insulated section of track A, and depressed the spring or resser bar. E and the end of lever C of the circuitcloser B, which is located just beyond, or desired distance beyond, the termination of the insulated section of track, and thereby cause the electric circuit from the. battery Y .to

closed, and the current thereof to flow overwirez", circuit-closer B, wire :15, rails a, wire a, magnet T '1, wire :v", rails a, and wires", and charges the'electrmmagnet T T, which attracts the armature U, and .therebycauses lerer U' to contact with post V, and open and keep open the said secondary or local cir-x cult, the result of which is that the signal ceases to be displayed or sounded. No electrical communication can be had between the. magnet T T and battery Y, at opposite .ends

. ot the insulated section offtrack, so long as a train orlocomotive or car is on said section, because the metallic wheels and axles form complete metallic circuits, in connection with the rails, and of course the electrical. circuit oi.

battery Y will be' completed at, and not extend beyond, the first pair of metallic wheels and axle in the direction of its flow. For this mason the circ'uit closer-and breaker B is located so that it is operated only after the last car of the train has passed ofi' said insulated section of track.

As shown in Fi 4, the electric circuit from battery Y! .is comp eted by passing over wires a? 22 's" :0, line of rails a, and the circuitcloser B, as and for the purpose hereinbeforeexplained.

In Fig. 3 i the two lines of rails a a form the principal portion of the conductors of the electrical circuit between battery Y at one end and the electro-magne't '1 T at the opposite end of the insulated section of track, and

i in Fig. 4 the line-wire w" and one line, a, of

the rails form the principaLportion of the conductors of the. electrical circuit between battery Y at one end and the electro-magnet T T at the opposite end of section of track A. y The line-wire or other conductor m" can be attached to insulators on poles, or insulated and laid in the earth.-

. Instead of the devices shown and described in Figs. 3 and 4 for closing circuit, any other suitable devices may be substituted, and be operated by a locomotive or car or person.

Section of rails a-and a, Fig. 3, and a,

i Fig. 4, should each have metallic continuity throughout its length by the ends of the com.

ponent rails being connected by suitable metallic connections or conductors,

Instead of connecting wires w" and m, Fig. 4, to line of rails a, they can terminate in, and form connection with, the earth.

Fig. 6 shows the arrangement of the .lbattery, electro-magnet, and the wires in connec- -.tion with the metallic plates or conductors O I closer and breaker L. When the roller R, or

its. equivalent-viz., two rollers connected by a conducting-axle, as shown at H H of the electric circuit is. closed. The vertical circuit closer and breaker canalso be placed in a hori-- fzontalposition, and he used for railway-swltch signal,.or other signal or alarm purposes, by arranging it so that the rod Q will be act Fig. 7;, for a-three-throw switch.

Fig. 8 shows the arrangement of the battery with plates'O 0' 0' and two electro-inagnets, and arranged for changing from one circuit to another.

The spring or presser bar E can be used-in connection with any other contrivance for closmg or breaking an electric circuit, and thereby operating an electromagnetic signal or alarm apparatus. 7

Having now fully described theconstruction and operation of my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, in a circuit closer, breaker, or changer, operated by a suitable pressure device, of an insulating foundation having metallic conducting-pieces arranged thereon, and a metallic roller or rollers for' electrically connecting the same-,substantially as set forth. 2. The metallic plates or rails 0 O1 Oor O O O", or 0" 0 O U", in combination with the insulating-plate N, guide-rod P,- sleeve Q, roller-head R, roller or rollers R, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. ,The combination of curved spring or yielding presser-bar E, detached lever O, and. a circuit-closerlia'ving an insulated foundation with metallic roller or rollers, for electrically connecting the same for closing an electric railway-signal circuit, as set forth.

4. The combination of the electro-rnag'nets T .T T 1, armature-lever U, arina'tures U. U and springs V V, one or both, substantially as described. a

5{ The combination of the two'lines of rails a a of insulated section A of railway-track, electro orqrelayv magnet T T, controlling a secondary circuit and electric railway-signal apparatus, and connected with said lines of rails at one end of said section of track, and a circuit closer and breaker and battery located beyond the opposite end of said section of track,.and connected with said lines of'rrfils thereof at said opposite end, as and for the purpose set forth.

' 6. The combination of electro-magnct TT battery Y, and circuit closer and breaker B with electromagnet '1 T, connected with lines of rails a a of insulated section A of-railwaytrack at one end thereof, and battery. Y and circuit closer and breaker B, locatedbeyond and connected with said lines .of rails at the opposite end thereof, as and for the purpose set forth. 7 I

-7. The combinationof an insulated section of railway-track, the respective lines of rails of which are in continuous metallic connec- .-tion, an electro-m'agnet having its terminals connected respectively to opposite lines of rails of said section at one end thereof, a galvanic battery having one of its poles connected in one line of rails of said section at the opposite end thereof, and its other pole connected with a circuit-closer, which is electrically connected with the other line of rails at said oppqsite end of the section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

in testimony whereof I hereunto sign'mj name in the presenccof two s'nbsc ribiug witness cs. i

, v HENRY W. SPANG;

- Witnessem DANIEL SPANG, ISAAC Sun-

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