US228034A - Railway-train signal - Google Patents

Description

A. H. GATLIN. Railway Train Signal;

No. 223,034. Patent ed Ma 25,1880.

NJEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D, C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN H. OATLIN, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

RAILWAY-TRAIN SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,034, dated. May 25, 1880,

\ Application filed December 5, 1879. I

ends, especially adapted to freight-trains, the

same being operated by the train separating into two parts.

My present invention is made for simplifying the train-connections and causing the sig nal to ring at both ends of the train if the conductor that runs along the train is separated.

In the drawings, Figure l is a diagram of the circuit connections and instruments, and Fig. 2 is a section of the coupling for the trainconductor.

The instruments at the engine and at the caboose or last car are similar-that is to say, there is a repeating-alarm, composed of an electro-magnet, a, bell b, armature-lever c, and hammer, and a circuit-closer operated by the armature, the circuit passing from the battery (I through the armature e and contactpoint i of the magnet f. This magnet f is in a closed circuit passing from a constant battery, (such as the Eagle battery,) 9, through the conductor h, to the distant electro-magnet f, andboth ends of this circuit are to the ground through a metallic conductor to one of the wheels or axles of the caboose and of the engine. In this circuit there is a key or closed switch, k, at each end.

The conductor his an insulated wire pass ing along the entire train and provided with one or more slip-couplings, m, formed of an acorn-shaped end, 2, passing in between a group of latch-ended springs, 3, as shown in Fig. 2. This coupling pulls apart if the train separates, and in so doing the circuit to the magnetsfis broken and their spring-armatures fall back, closing the local circuits from the batteries d d and ringing the alarm at both ends of the train.

If the brakeman wishes to signal the engineer, or the reverse, it can be easily done by operating the key or switch k, and thereby breaking the circuit, through the magnets ff, and allowing the armatures to fly back and A switch can be placed in the local circuit,

if desired, to stop the automatic bell.

Ifdesired, more than two alarm-instruments may be used on the train, and one might be placed in each car, because the train-circuit that passes through the electro-m'aguet of each instrument, if broken at any point, demagnetizes the train-magnets and closes each local alarm-circuit to the alarms.

I am aware that train-signals have been operated by a single conducting-wire running along the train, with a magnet placed in the main circuit, so that its armature will fly back and strike a bell if the circuitis broken. 1 am also aware that local circuitsin telegraphs have been closed by the breaking of the normallyclosed main-line circuit. By my improvement I combine the instrumentalities so as to ring a continuous alarm at both the engine and last car when the main-circuit conductor separates, which is very important in calling attention to the separation of the train into two parts, particularly at night, and by my apparatus the two ends of the train are put into communication Whenever desired.

I claim as my invention- The combination, in a train-signal, of a metallic circuit extending from the engine to the rear of the train, a return circuit-connection to the track, slip-couplings at one or more places in the circuit, an electro-inagnet and a switch or key at the engine and at the last car, a local circuit and a continuously-ringing alarm-instrument at each end of the train, brought into action by the circuit-closing armatures of the electro-magnets in the main eircuit, whereby a continuously-operating alarm is given at both ends if the .train separates, and signals can also be sent from either end of the train to the other when the main circuit remains unbroken, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 28th day of November, A. D. 1879.

A. H. CATLIN.

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