USRE9693E - schnabel - Google Patents

Description

5 ShgetS-Sheet 1 A. SOHNAEEL & T. HENNING, Assignors, by mesne assignments, to THE INTERLOCKING Swmn AND SIGNAL COMPANY. Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus. 9,693. Reissued May 3,188I.

. Wy M WM. .JMJU S MOM/IQ 1 Hf W s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2-. A. SUHNABEL & T. HENNING, Asslgnors, by mssne assignments, to THE INTERLOGKING Swrrcn gm) SIGNAL COMPANY. Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus.

' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. SGHNABEL 821T. HENNING, Assignors,'by mesne assignments, to THE INTERLOGKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY.

- Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus. No. 9,693.

, Reissued May 3,1881.

al ea Mal GUY i 5 Sheetsished; 4. A. SGHNABEL &- T. HENNING, Assignors, by mesne assignments, to THE INTERLOGKING Swnrcn AND SIGNAL Gommmr.

Railway Switch and Signal Appar atus. No. 9,693. Re d May 3,1881.

- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. A; SGHNABEL & T. HENNING,

Assignors, by mesneassignments, to THE INTERLOGKING SWITCH mm SIGNAL Gummy.

Railway Swimh and Signal Apparatus. 693.

lReissued May 3,1881.

U ITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH' SOHNABEL AND THEoDon HENNING, or BRUCHSAL, BADEN,

GERMANY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE "ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE INTERLOOK- ING SWITCH AND SIGNQALGOMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH AND SIGNAL IAPPIARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 9,693 dated May 3, 1881.

Original No 1\1,26l, dated January 24, 1871. Application for reissue filed March 29, 1881. Patented in England, No. 215 of 1870; in

Austria, No. 1,320 of 1870; in France, No. 91,784 of 1870; and in Belgium No. 27,011 of1870.

' and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in theart to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings. forming part of thisspecitication, in which drawings- Figure'l represents a transverse vertical sec= tion of the central apparatus. which serves to control the current of the water in its flow to the various switches, the plane of section being indicated by the line at m, Fig. 2. Fig.2 is a sectional front view of the same, the lines y y, z z, and m" as indicating the various planes of sections, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a local apparatus, which receives its motion from the central apparatus and-transmits the same directly to theswitch. Fig. 4 is a sectional front view of the same; Fig. 5 isa horizontal section of the same, the line 3 y. Fig. 4, indicatin g the plane of section. Fig. 6 is a similar section of the same in the plane 2 2. Fig. 7 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the signal apparatus, which connects with the local-apparatus and serves to indicate to the engineer that the various switcheswhichhe has to pass are in the horrect position. The liner/c .27 Fig. 10, indicates the plane of section. Fig. 9 is a similar sec tion of the same, taken in' the plane 3 31*, Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the plane of z 2*, Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a similar section of the same, taken in the plane 00 a, Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the general arrangement of the invention in a railroad d epot.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

Thi'sinvention relates to an apparatus Whcrcby the various switches and appropriate signals in railroad-depots are set correctly all,

from one point or central apparatus, so that the safety of the travel is not dependent upon the attention of the switch-tender and, further- -more, one operator is enabled to attend to all of switchesbelonging to the route of a certain traiuthat is to say it a train, in passing in .or out of a depot, has to travel over two or more switches, the local apparatuses controlling these switches are connected with each other; and theflow of water to all ot'thm is governed by one and the same valve in the central apparatus.

With the local apparatus or apparatuses of each route is connected a signal apparatus, situated at a convenient distance from the first switch to be passed by an approaching train, so that the engineer can see in time if all the.

switches which he has to passnre in the correctposition. The valve-rods of the central apparatus are provided with locking-slides, so. that two interfering switches can never be moved simultaneously; and these locking-slides are so constructed and arranged that, being actuated from the valve-moving lever, they will be caused to interlock or engage with each other i n advance of the opening of the ports by which an operative hydraulic pressure is admitted to the pipes leading to the switch-actuating mechanism. The local apparatus or apparatuses and signal apparatus belonging to one and the same route are connected together, so that the signal cannot be raised unless all the switches in the route have previously been correctly adjusted.

With the signal apparatus is also connected a control-signal, situated in the central apparatus, so that by the position of said controlsignal the operator of the central apparatus is enabled to ascertain if all the switches of a route are in the correct position. Each local apparatus is provided with a locking-bar, so

that the several switches arefirmlylocked while the trains pass over them. At the same time, after the signal is drawn in, each switch can be moved by hand in the ordinary manner, if desired.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, the letter A designates the central apparatus, which contains a series of valve-chambers, a, one for each particular route in the depot. Each of these valve-chambers communicates with a pipe, B, which connects with a hydraulic pump, or with any other apparatus containing water under pressure, and the'bottorn of each of said valvechambers is perforated with two ports, I) b", (see Fig. 1,) the port 11 leading to a cylinder, 0, which contains a plunger, d, while the port 11* leads to the exhaust-pipe (J.

Over the ports b 'b* is placed the slide-valve e, which connects,by a rod, f, with a hand-lever, g. If this hand-lever is brought in the position shown in Fig. 1, the cylinder 0 is cut olf from the supply-pipe B and brought in commnnica-.

tion with the exhaust-pipe U; but by moving the hand-lever in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. 1 the port]; is'thrownin communication with the supply-pi peB, the-port 11* remaining closed, and the water passes through the cylinder 0 and the pipe E to the 10- cal apparatus D. (Shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.)

Before proceeding with the description of the local apparatus, it must be remarked that the central apparatus, A, contains a series of valve-chambers, a, and cylinders c, one for each local apparatus, four such valve-chambers and cylinders being shown in Fig. 2, one in front view, the next as a section in the plane y y, Fig. 1, the third as a section in the plane 2 2, Fig. 1,-and the fourth as asection in the plane x as, Fig. 1.

From the valve rods fextend prolongations h, which are provided with notches t, and across these prolongations are placed aseries of slides, j, to which a transverse motion is imparted by oblique cam-pieces k, attached to the prolongations h, and acting on the edges of notches l in the slides. (See Fig. 2*.) These notches areso shaped that each valve-rod, on being depressed, imparts motion to one or more of the slides, and the slides so moved engage withthe notches t in one or more of the prolongations h of other valve-rods, so that if one of the valverodsis depressed all the other valve-rods which control the motion of interfering switches will be locked, and consequently no switch can be moved which would allow the passage of a train liable to come in collision .with that train for which the switches are actually to be adjusted.

It will also be observed that the dilierent cam-pieces k may,on the different prolon gations h, have difi'erent degrees of obliquity with reference to varying the rapidity or length of motion of, the slides which are engaged thereby, and also that they may, on the difl'erent'prolongations h, be arranged at different points in the vertical length" of the prolongations with reference to causing them to act on different slides, in the manner and for the purposes herein stated.

In Fig. 2* we have shown a plan view of one of. the slides. of unequal length, some of the notches being so long that their edges will not engage with the corresponding valve-rod when the slide is moved, and one of the notches being provided with a recess for the corresponding cam-piece k.

The plunger (1 of the cylinder 0 is loade by a weight, m, and the area of its transverse section is so proportioned that said plunger is not raised on the first admission of the water, but

the water admitted to the cylinder 0 passes through the pipe E to the appropriate local ap paratus I), as above set forth. This local apparatus consists, chiefly, of aplnnger, H, which is raised by the pressure of the water flowing in through the pipe E, and which serves to set proportion is as follows: 0 P: Q P :1 O P:

Q P; and consequently it makes no difierence at which point the roller m of the plunger H strikes the rod N for the purpose of raising the same up. The levers P O and R O are connected at their hubs in the manner of a [00 clutch, so that when the rod N is raised the lever P Owill force the lever B 0' in the position'shown in Fig. 4; but if the rod N sinks down, the lever B 0 will remain in this position. The levers R O and P O are not connectcd at all, so that the lever 0R simply moves with the slide L. By raising the rod N, therefore, the slide L is moved out in the direction of the arrow marked thereon in Fig.

4, and the switch-tongue is carried'in the same 1 1o direction. If desired, the levers R O P 0 may be dispensed with. With this same switchtongue connects a second local apparatus, the plunger H* of which acts on a rod, M, which connects with the slide L by levers arranged it 5 like those of the rod N, but in the reverse direction, so that by their action the motion of the slide L and of the switch-rail is reversed. This action of this second local apparatus, however, is controlled by a sl'idevalve in the cen- 12o tral apparatus different from that which controls the'fi'rst localapparatus', each slide-valve being intended to set the-various switchesfor one train only, or for one and the same route.

When the plunger H has been raised to the top end of its. stroke an arm, S, which is secu'r'ed'on its elongation, strikes a collar, n, fastened on the upper part of a rod which extends from the valve 8, and this .val ve is opened.

The water is thereby admitted to the space K, 13c

and it raises the plunger I, which carriesa valve, 0, covering the pipe E, through which The notches in these slides are 70 This le- 90 taken off for thepurpo'se of getting access to with a bad conductor of heat.

'in the top of the well, and as the well in this the water passes on to the next local apparatus, or to the signal apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

From the plunger I extends a rod, 1, which passes freely through the arm S, and which. extends close under a slide, L, running parallel to the slide L. (See Figs. 3 and 7.) This slide L connects with the switch-rail, and itis provided with a hole, 19, which passes over the rod 1 as soon as the switch-tongue is brought up close to the required position. The plum ger I, therefore, is not permitted to rise until the switch has been properly-adjusted, and as soon as the rod 1 penetrates the slide L the switch is firmly locked. After the train has passed the switch the connection with the exhaust-pipe C is opened in the central apparatus, A, and the plunger H is depressed, by the weight of the rod N, which is made sutfi-' cieutly heavyfor this purpose. hen theplunger H approaches the lowest pointof its stroke the arm S strikes the shoulder q of the plunger I and depresses the same to its original position, and thereby unlocks the movable rails of the switch. In the meantime the switch remains in position, and it can be moved, in the ordinary manner, by hand, if it is necessary or desirable. The entire apparatus is inclosed in a box .of sheet metal or other suitable material, and it is sunk in level with the ground. The top of the box is made removable, so that it can be the working parts. To prevent freezing the box may be made with double walls filled in The water used in the apparatus is freed from air by means of a float, W, which is placed in a well between the cylinders containing the plungers H I, and couneetin'g with the same. On the top of this float is a valve, and if the well is'filled with water free from air the float rises and closes the valve; but if, in the course, of time, such air which may be contained in the water becomes disengaged, it accumulates case cannot be filled up with water the float W sinks down and its valve is opened, so as to allow the air contained in the top of the well to escape. As soon as the air is out the well fills up with water, the floatrises, and the valve is closed.

If a route contains two or more switches, each switch is operated by a distinct local apparatus; but allthe local apparatus appertaining to the same route are situated in the same circuitot' pipes, whichiscontrolled by one slidevalve in the central apparatus. The last local apparatus in the circuit connects by means of the pipe 13* with the signal apparatus G, which is shown in Figs. 8, 9, l0, and 11, and which is situated at some distance from the switch in the direction in which the train approaches, This apparatus is inclosed in a box and let down level with the ground under the signal with which it connects by a rope or chain, 0?, i

the signal itself not being shown in the drawings. Said apparatus consists, principally, of two pluugers, I) and F and the water which passes in through the pipe E* forces up the plunger D The rope a? extends through under a pulley, A, which is mounted on a pin secured in a bracket attached to one of the cylinders; thence over a pulley, B which is mounted in the forked prolongation of the plun-.

ger D and then down to a loop or ring secured to the'cylinder of the plunger 1).. If the plunger D rises, therefore, the rope or chain is drawn in for double the distance traveled over by said plunger. plunger F is also raised, as follows:

From the prolongation of the plunger D extend two levers, one on each side, each being pivoted at its outer end to a rocking-bar, d while it connects at or near the middle of its length by a link, e with a sleeve, f, which slides up and down on the rod g extending from the plunger F. From the sides of the sleeve f 2 project gudgeons M, which supporta rocking frame, 17, one end of which is loaded with a weight, j", while the other straddles the rope or chain a From this rockingframe extend two hooks, I audit the weight is al-' lowed to sink down these hooks engage with notches l in the plunger-rod g". (See Fig. 5.)

To this plunger-rod is also secured a heavy weight, at. When the plunger D rises the hooks 7c carry up the plunger F until a disk,

'n Fig. 9, which is secured to the rope or chain a comes, in contact with the rocking frame 6 atid by tilting the same on its gudgeons throws the hooks k out ot'thenotches i This operation takes place after the si gn al has been set, and then the plunger F is depressed by the weight m. By the pressure of the plunger F the water contained in the signal apparatusis forced back through the pipes Fi E into the central apparatus, and sipce itis prevented l vucheek-valve from returning to the supply-pipe B,Baid water aets'npo'n the plunger d in the central appara- At the same time the tus; From thisplunger extendsarotha, which 3 carries the control-signal 'v, and as the plunger F descends, after the several switches and the signal of the route have been set for the passage of a train, the control-signal is raised by the actionof the plunger d, show.ng to the operator ofthe central apparatus that everything is right. it is obvious that in order to effect this purposethe superficial pressure exerted by the plungerl must be greater than that of the pluiigerd. After-the train has passed the handlever of the central apparatus is returned to the position shown in Fig.1, and the water is thereby allowed to discharge.

It will alsotbe observed that the valve 6, by the motion of which hydraulic pressure is turned on and ofi,thas a considerable length of lap in its upper foot, or in the foot which covers the port 1), so as alternately to bring said port the port I) is opened to the supply or head unner described what in other kinds of interlockin g switch and signal mechanism was and still is known as preliminary interlocking, and the distinctive feature of which is, in the present invention, the partial engagement of the interlocking devices in advance of the opening of the port by which hydraulic pressure is transmitted to the switch and signal actuating mechanism and we believe ourselves to be the first to incorporate preliminary interlocking into the construction and operation of a hydraulic switch and signal apparatus of any kind.

From this description it will be seen that our apparatus has the following chief advantages: First, the signal foratrain to pass cannotbe set until all theswitches for said 'train have been properly adjusted; second, it is never possible to give simultaneously the signal to pass for two trains the routes of which cross each other; third,the'proper adjustment of the switches and signals to pass is indicated in the central apparatus by thecontrol-signal; fourth, during the motion of a train all the switches belonging to it are firmly locked, but as soon as the signal to pass is drawn in said switches areunlocked and can be set by hand, if desired; fifth, our apparatus acts with safety for the distance of three thousandyards; and, sixth, we attain in ahydranlic'apparatus pre liminary interlocking, or the engagement of the interlocking parts-or devices in advance of the application ofhydraulicpressure to the switch or signalactuating mechanism.

We claim herein as our invention- 1. In an apparatus for actuating railway switches-and signals by hydraulic pressure, a

series of valves forapplying and releasing the c pressure, and an interlocking apparatus for lockingothervalves on the movement of one, in combination with each other and with a handsubstantially as setjorthige'r movement, substantial] y as setforth, whereby on the completion ofthe switch movement the signal movement will be efl'ected by the further transmission of the same force.

4. In combination with a hydraulic switch actuating mechanism, a locking-bolt for locking the switch and a hydraulic plunger for operating the bolt, substantially as set forth.

5. In a hydraulic interlocking switch and signal apparatus having an operating-lever, a 8o valve, and supply and waste ports governed thereby, a locking mechanism taking its mo- -tion from the operating-lever, and arranged to be brought into an interlocking engagement in advance of the opening of the supply-port, sub- 8 5' stant iall y as set forth. i

(i. A series of recessed locking-slides, j, in combination with the valve-rods of the central apparatus, substantially'as described, whereby. the movement of one valve shall lock other 0 valves and their operating-levers, and so prevent the switches of interfering trains from being set simultaneously.

7. The locking-slide L, connected with the movable rails of the switch, in combination with plunger I, locking-rodl', and plunger H, substantially asset forth. V

8. The combination of th' {switch-actuating plunger H and signahaotnating plunger 1), and a hydraulic connection-from the cylinder mo of the one to the cylindqr of the other, substantially as set forth'.

9. The combination of the switch-actuating plunger H, the signal-actuating plunger D,

the loaded plunger F, and the control-signal v (0 5 plunger, (1, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPH SGHNABEL. v THEODOR HENNING. Witnesses:

MATHIAS flooKLru; u AUGUST MEISTER.

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