US459633A - Railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2. sheets-sheet 1.

H. O. HORSTMANN. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 459,633. Patented Sept. 15-, 1891.

N? E W t i i J 1 W/TN'ESSES: H IN VENTOI? t 277%; E l v 1% News PETERS cm, mumm, msnmcmn o c (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. 0 HORSTMANN. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 459,633. Patented Sept. 15, 18-91.

llllllllllllllllllllll WITNESSES: flk QM INVENTOR J Arm UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. HORSTMANN, OF NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,633, dated September 15, 1891.

Application filed May 15, 1891. Serial No- 392,923- (No model.)

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. HORSTMANN,

. of Naperville, in the county of Du Page and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Railway-Signal, of which the fol- -lowing isa full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved electric signal for railway block systems arranged in such a manner that a train entering a block causes the display of visiblesignals throughout the entire block, the signals indicating the direction of the train.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

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

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the signaling apparatus in the cab. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is an enlarged face view of the circuit-breaker, and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same.

Between the rails of the track A are arranged conductors B B B &c., one for each block of the system. One end of each conductor is connected with a wire 0, leading to a battery D, the other end of the wire being connected with one of the track-rails. (See Fig. 1.) Each conductor B B B &c., is connected with one or more signals E, arranged on one side of the track A, and similar signals F are arranged in the circuit-wire O on the opposite side of the track, the said signals being of any approved construction, actuated by an electric current passing through the conductor and the circuit-wire.

In order to establish connection between the respective conductor B and its circuitwire, a contact-Wheel G is provided, journaled under the cab of the locomotive and held in contact-with the said conductor, one end of the axle of the wheel G being connected by a wire H with a signaling apparatus I, located in the cab of the locomotive and connected by a wire H with one of the axles of the carwheels, so. that by the said axle and carwheels and one of the rails of the track connection is made with the end of the circuit-wire O, as previously mentioned. The signaling apparatus I (shown in detail in Figs. 4., 5, 6,and 7) is arranged in a suitable casing, and contains binding-posts H and H connected with the wires H and 11, above mentioned. The binding-post H is connected with a sounder J of any approved construction, and con nected with a battery K, held in the casing of the signaling apparatus I. The battery K is connected with an alarm L, which byareturn wire is also connected with a sounder J, as plainly shown in Fig. 4.

In order to break the circuit of the sounder atsuitable intervals, a circuit-breaker N is provided set in motion by a suitable clockwork 0, carrying on its main shaft a circuitbreaking wheel P, revolved by the said clockwork. One face of the wheel P is in contact with a spring-pressed arm Q, while the opposite face is likewise engaged by a springpressed arm R, pivoted at its lower end and connected with a lever B under the control of the operator for changing the position of the pivoted arm R. The face of the wheel P on which the arm R is held in contact is formed near its periphery with a series of insulatingplates P, arranged in a circle so that the arm R alternately comes in contact with the conducting-surface of the wheel P and the illsulating-plates P. A second set of insulating-plates P are arranged on this face of the wheel P, the second set P being longer, so that the alternate contact of the arm R takes place at longer intervals than on the insulating-plates P. By operating the lever B the pivoted arm B may be moved out of contact with the insulating-plates P and in contact with the plates P and vice versa. Thecontact-armQ is connected by a wire S with the magnet of the sounder J, while the arm R is connected by a wire S with a switch-post T, adapted to be connected or disconnected with a switch-lever T, pivoted on the binding-post H of the wire II. The switch-lever T may be moved in contact with the switch-post T connected by a wire T with the binding-post Il so that the current passes directly from the wire II, binding'post I1 wire T post T lever T, and binding-post ll to wire H, to complete the circuit in the apparatus I.

In the wire S, previously mentioned, is arranged a switch U- for passing the circuit through a resistance-coil V, of any approved construction, whenever it is desired, the said resistance-coil being connected by a wire S with that part of the wire S leading to the arm R and by a wire 5 with the post T. 01'- dinarily the circuit passes from the arm R and wire S to the binding-post 'I" and from the latter by the lever T to post II and wire 11 to establish the circuit.

\Vhen the switch U is changed for the purpose hereinafter mentioned, the circuit passes from the arm B through the resistance-coil V to the binding-post T and by lever T and binding-post H to the wire II.

The arrows in the several figures indicate the direction of the electric current. In ordinary running the electric current passes from wire H and binding-post II to sounder .I and by wire S to arm Q, in contact with the circuitbreaking wheel P, revolved by the clock-work 0. Now whenever the wheel P in revolving passes the arm R, with its insulating-plates I or P then the circuit is broken, so that the bell L is sounded. Trains moving in one direction have their arms R in contact with the plates P, thus alternating theirsignalssay every second-while the train moving in the opposite direction has its arm R in contact with the plates P so that their signals alternate every five seconds. Trains using the shunt for short alternation include in their circuit the resistance-coil V, while such trains as use long alternation close the switch U, so as to shunt theresistance-coil V. The armature of the sounder J is part of the circuit passing through the battery K, and is intended to be closed when no currentis passing through the magnets of the sounder, and is to be broken when the current passes through the latter. It will be seen that while the conducting part of the circuit-breaking wheel P is between the spring-pressed arms Q and R the current is made and all signals E and F are displayed, while the bell L of the apparatus I is silent, and vice versa. Thus the engineer can compare visible signals along the track with audible signals in the cab of the locomotive. In case two trains move in an opposite direction and meet in any block of the railway system, then the one having the long alternations of signals and no resistance will for five seconds deprive the other having resistance in his circuit of the current, during which five seconds the bell L 011 the second train will ring. By this the engineer in the second train receives a signal that an other train is coming toward him, and consethe cabs.

quently closes immediately the switch-lever T, which, as it offers no resistance whatever through wire T deprives all other trains of the electric current, thereby causing the apratus I in the other train to sound the bell L, at the same time causing a display of a steady signal throughout the block. Should a break occu r in a train, then the party in charge of the train simply places a piece of wire or other conductor of electricity across the rail, and the respective conductors B B B 650., so as to display steady signals and ring the bell in the cab of any train which may be 111 the block.

A proper code of signals will be arranged so that engineers in different trains can signal one to the other. For instance, signals alternati n g every second will indicate westbound trains. Signals alternating every five seconds will indicate eastbound trains. Steady signals, as above mentioned, will ind cate danger, caused either by a stopping train or a train broken in two. The latter will be accompanied by steady ringing of the bell 111 In case the line is out of order the bells will ring, but no signals will be displayed. In case of one train following another when either engineer notices any discrepancy between the displayed signal and the audible signals then the switch-lever T is opened so as to break the circuit entirely to enable the engineer to see whether another train is on the same block or not.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an electric signal for railway block systems, the combination, with an electric circuit for each block, the same including the conducting-rail B laid between the ordinary track-rails, of the wire 0, battery D, and signals F, arranged alongside the track, the signals E, also in circuit with the sections of said rail 13 the locomotive contact-wheel, which runs on the latter, and the signaling apparatus carried in the locomotive-cab, which is in circuit with said wheel and one of the trackrails, as shown and described.

2. In an electric signal for railway block systems, the combination, with an electric circuit for each block, the same including the conducting-rail B laid between the ordinary track-rails, of the wire 0, battery D, and signals F, arranged alongside the track, the signals E, also in circuit with the sections of said rail E the locomotive contact-wheel, which runs on the latter, and the signaling apparatus carried in the locomotive-cab, which is in circuit with said Wheel and one of the trackrails and includes a sounder, alarm, and the circuit-breaking wheel N, clock-work for revolving the latter, spring-pressed arms, and means for shifting the position of one of said arms, as shown and described, to operate as specified.

3. In an electric signal for railway block IIO systems,a circuit-breaker comprising a revomoving the latter in contact with either a luble disk or Wheel formed on one face with long or short set of said insulating-plates, one or more sets of insulating-plates, springsubstantially as shown and described.

pressed arms in contact With the faces of the HENRY O. HORSTMANN. 5 said disk, one of the said arms being pivoted WVitnesses:

and adapted to engage the said plates, and a JAMES J. HUNT,

lever for shifting the said pivoted arm for FRANK W. HUNT.

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