US499126A - Electric signaling apparatus and system for railways - Google Patents

Description

.L t. Dv e h s m. e e h s 2 G I T T A L J. unluu d 0 M o W ELECTRIC SIGNALTNS APPARATUS AND SYSTEM EUR RAILWAYS. No. 499,126.

Patented June 6, 1893.

Witwen/.wy

(No Model.)`

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. LATTIG'. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

N0.'{199,126. Patented June 6, 1893.

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JACOB VILLIAM LATTIG, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,126, dated J' une 6, 1893.

Application led February 2l, 1893. Serial No. 463,199. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JACOB WILLIAM LATTIG, of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Apparatus and Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is directed to an automatic block system of danger or home and caution or distant signals similar to that described in my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 456,380,1iled December 27,1892; and like the latter contemplates the employment of an electric motor for actuating the signal operating mechanism to move the signal to safety.

The particular form of electric motor which I here describe in illustration of my invention is a solenoid or sucking magnet, to the core or cores ot' which the signal actuating rod is connected.

The nature of my improvements can best be explained and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a representationin part diagrammatic--of an automatic block system of danger and caution signals involving my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the solenoid employed by me. Figs. 3, et and 5 are diagrammatic representations of modified circuitarrangements.

To illustrate the system I represent two insulated blocks or railway track sections X X2, each provided with a signal pole carrying two pivoted and counterweighted semaphore blades B, B', the one home the other distant. For operating each blade there is a solenoid O, having its core or cores connected by a rod a to the weighted end of the blade--- the arrangement being such that when the solenoid is energized its core will be drawn up, thus lifting the rod a and moving the signal to safety. At a suitable point on each rod a. is interposed a short link a', to permit the armature or core to move up and down in a right line, notwithstanding the slight lateral movement of the upper portion of the rod d in rising and falling due to its connection to thepivoted semaphore blade. Each solenoid has its spools connected at the top to an angle' piece c preferably of non-magnetic material, the vertical limb of which is bolted to the signal pole. The magnetic yoke for the spools is shown at d. It is placed on top of the horizontal limb of the angle piece c, and is provided with short cores d which extend through the angle piece, into the interior of the spools. The yoke is held in place by bolts e which pass down loosely through the yoke and screw into or are otherwise fastened to the angle piece. Encircling the bolts, and interposed between the heads of the latter and the yoke d, are springs j. The object of this is to furnish a cushion or yielding and elastic butter for the cores to bring up against, when they are drawn up. Other `forms of elastic cushion may be employed but l prefer the one just described for the reason that when the armature cores are in contact with the cores d ot' the yoke, there will be a closed magnetic circuit-which is particularly adapted for tractive power. Thus, after the signal has been pulled to safety, the current in the solenoid may be greatly reduced, and still serve to maintain the signal in that position.

To the operating rod a of the danger signal B is connected a lever b pivoted to a casting g secured to the pole. A like lever is connected to the rod a of the caution signal; but this lever has no part in the electrical functioning of the apparatus. The upper or danger signal lever b however is by a pin and slot connection joined to a vertical rodh which is arranged to slide up and down in guides on the casting( ,and has on it two insulated contacts m', n', which operate the one in connection with the fixed contacts m, the other in connection with the fixed contacts n. In the path of each armature is the movable member 0 of a switch which plays between two contacts p, lo', with the lower one p of which it normallyis in contact. In connection with each signal operating appliance there is a relay D, which controls two sets of contacts w, y, the one set insulated from the other.

The circuit arrangements are as follows: For the home signal-the relay D is included in a constantly closed track circuit l which is completed through the rails of the insulated track section or block appropriate to that signal; a second circuit 2--the signal operating circuit, includes the solenoid, and is completed through the contacts oc, and o, p; a third circuit 3'-which I `will call the locking and re- IDO leasing circuit-is a shunt around the large battery of circuit2, and is completed through the contacts y and 0,19. This last named circuit also includes the solenoid, and is supplied :from a small battery of only enough power to energize the solenoid sufficiently to hold the cores in the position to which they are brought through the closure of circuit 2. There is the same system of circuits l", 2X, 3X, for the caution or distant signal, save that the primarycircuit l is a grounded circuit, of'

tion X2, traveling in the direction of the ar` row. Consequently in section X track circuit'l is closed through relay D, the latter is energized and by attracting its-armaturehas closed the contacts nay. Signal operating cirl cuit 2'has thereby'been closed,vwith' the result v of causingthe solenoid to draw up its armature, 5

. thus lowering thehome signal to safety. The armature however by the time it has moved `up far enough to set the signal'to safety,`fhas `lifted the key o from contact @,thus'breaking.` the signal operating circuit 2,and has brought yit intocontactwith contact p thuscompleting the locking and releasing circuit 3, by which the-solenoid is energized just enough to hold' its armature in place. -Bythis movement the contacts m, m and n, fn', controlled by the home signal B 'have been closed. The cau-j `tiener distant Asignal -B however of section X still remains at dan-ger,`be,causewhile the contacts m, m of its circuit lare closed, the

contacts n, 'n' of that circuit controlled by the lhome signal ofsection X2 still remain open,

this being due tothe fact that asthe train Y is still on section X2, the track/circuit l of that section is completed through'the'path of lower resistanceoffered by the wheels Aand axles ofv the train,thus cutting out the relay magnet- VD of section X2, and consequently putting iboth of its signals to danger.

the caution signal will go to safety.

-In Figs. 3, 4 and '5 are shown different cir- 'p cuit arrangements which maybe-used as subf stitutes for the particular arrangement of cir y'cu-it 3, (the locking and releasing circuit) sho-Wn in Fig. l-all of these arrangements 4having a common object viz: to cut down, Aafter the signal 'has been brought to safety, the-battery power from that required to bring the signallto'that position'to that-requisite to hold it in that position. In Fig. 4 for exam notch j. tinue until the circuit is brokenat x, when `themagnetfEwill release its armature and 'thesignal consequently will at once rise to As soon l1ow -everfas the train Y passes lbeyond section X2, :thesignals in that section will stand as -nowi represented for section X ,while in section X Y set of contacts In Fig. 3, the upper contact p is dispensed with and the circuit 3 is completed through a constantly closed shunt 3 around the contacts o, p, containing a resistance R, which will permit the passage of only current enough to cause the solenoid to hold its armature at safety. Relay D in this instance also has only one set of contacts In Fig. 5, the relay D as beforecontrols only one set of cont-acts But in this figure, the circuit arrangements differ from any shown in the preceding tigures in that the solenoid is cut out as soon as it has done its work, and an'electro magnetically controlled detent or lock isrelied on to hold the signal in the safety position to-which the solenoid has brought it.

\ To thisend the locking and releasing circuit 3 is in a shunt from the -main operating circuit 2, around the solenoid, and is completed th rough the upper contact 19'; and it includes alocking and releasing magnet -E,and a resistance R so proportioned as to permit the lpassageof onlycurrent enough toenergize properly the magnet lE, |llhe magnet rE is mounted in a box Fsecured to the signal pole, in the line of-thesignal operatin g rod @,which passes'through'the box as shown. Pivoted to the box is the armature lever E of thefmag- Vnet `1E, which lever on its face next tothe rod acarriesfa initier-shaped nose ordog z',1which, when therod is in the position which it occupies when'the signal is at safety, registers with a like shaped notch j on the rod a. `Under "this arrangement when the circuit2 is closed,

Vin rising willhave 'lifted thekey ofi-cmp into contact'with p thus-cutting-outthe solenoid and lat the-same time closing the shunt 3 c around the latter, whereby the locking yand -releasingmagnet E is energizedand Lby attracting its armaturelever locks the rod ain place by the engagement of thefdog and the This -condition of affairs will con dan-ger.

'It willl of course'be understood that-the circuits represented in Figs. 3, 4, 5 are'applicableas Well Vto the distant signal aste-the home signal.

Having new described my improvements andthel manner inwhich the same are or may j becarried into effect, what Ifclaim herein as new and of my own invention is@ 1. The`v combination of a series of-home or danger signals B; a-series of circuits l, 2, 3, for each home signal; a relay -D ineach circuit l controlling contacts -in'the other circuits; a solenoid in each-circuit-2, having its armature core or cores connected to and adapted to operate the home signal; a series of caution or distant signals B', a series of circuits 1X, 2X, 3X, for each distant signal; two sets of contacts m, m and n, n', in each circuit 1X controlled the one by the home signal mechanism of the same section, the other by the home signal mechanism of the section next in advance; a solenoid in each circuit 2X having its armature core or cores connected to and adapted to operate the cau tion or distant signal; and a contact controlled by the moving part of each solenoid (pertaining to both the home and the distant signal mechanism) for successively completing each circuit 2, 3, or 2X, 3X, appropriate to its signal, all as hereinbefore specified. l

2. The combination of the signal, the solenoid and its armature core or cores connected to and adapted to operate the signal; the signal operating circuit including the solenoid, and completed through contacts 0,29; the signal locking and releasing circuit completed through contacts 0,29 and containing the locking and releasing magnet E; the armature lever E' connected to a dog adapted to engage the signal operating rod; and the primary circuit including the relay D and controlling contacts through which the signal operating and locking and releasing circuits are completedunder the arrangement and for joint operation as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the signal, the solenoid having its armature cores connected to and adapted to operate the signal, and provided with a spring yielding yoke with cores entering the spools of the solenoid to constitute an elastic buffer for the armature cores, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB WILLIAM LATTIG.

Witnesses:

HARRY C. FREY, OsMAN F. REINHARD.

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