US1221928A - Signaling apparatus for railroads. - Google Patents

Description

W. L. WATERS. SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILROA DS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I914.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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W. L. WATERS. SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6, I914.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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WILLIAM L. WATERS, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

Application filed Mar-0116, 1914. SeriaI'No. 822,797.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. WATERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of VVisconsimhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus for Railroads, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to signaling apparatus and is particularly concerned with such apparatus for use on railroads. My invention comprises mechanism which may be used in conjunction with the standard semaphore system, including the block signaling system idea, now employed, the object of my invention being to give an audible signal to the engineer running a train before he reaches the visual signal. My invention is thus particularly useful in foggy weather or during rain or snow storms, or Whenever it is difficult to discern the position of the ordinary semaphore at any advantageous distance.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, a railroad which employs the block signaling idea is divided into so-called blocks or sections at the beginning of which, assuming the track to be used for trains going in a definite direction, or on both ends of which, if trains are used on the track in both directions, a semaphore signal is mounted, this semaphore signal comprising a swinging arm which in its various posi tions indicates the position of the section ahead, and also the condition of the section or block succeeding that. These visual sig nals may be either manually or power controlled, and when they are electrically controlled, the operation is obtained automatically by means of solenoids or other electrical devices included in independent circuits, in which the rails of each section are connected, it being understood of course, that the rails of each section are effectively insulated from the rails of all the other sections. Thus, an engineer running a train views the track ahead from his cab and watches the position of the semaphores which are mounted on the side of or over the track and as he approaches each semaphore he is advised of the condition of the block ahead, whether it is clear or not, and also of the condition of the second block ahead, as to whether it is clear or not; If the block ahead is not clear he stops his train. If the block ahead is clear but the second block ahead is not clear, he proceeds but with special caution; and if both blocks are clear he proceeds at the usual and required rate of speed. It will thus be seen that in this system of signaling the engineer must rely entirely upon the visual signaling of the semaphore, the position of the arm being used in the day time, and lamps which are exposed or concealed by the different positions of the arm being used at night or on dark days. In foggy Weather or in storms however, it is very difficult to see the semaphores with suliicient certainty to make high speed operation entirely safe, and traflic is frequently very much interfered with due to the necessary precaution with which engineers proceed under such conditions. It is the object of my invention to associate with the visual signal an audible signal, which is transmitted to the engineer before he reaches the visual signal, and thus as an instance of my invention I provide audible signaling devices located, say twelve or fifteen hundred feet on the approach side of the semaphore. By approach side I mean the road before the train reaches the semaphore, and I shall refer to that part of the road after the train passes the. semaphore as the departure side of the semaphore. The audible signal can be of any form, such for instance, as a whistle, bell, howler, or any other sounding device, means being prov ded to have d1s-.

tinctive sounds or distinctive audible signals for each condition of the semaphore, so that the nature of the sound which the engineer hears, twelve or fifteen hundred feet in advance of the new block, will indicate to him the exact position of the semaphore which he is about to view. If a right-of-way should have a number of tracks, proper provision would have to be made so that an audible signal for the local-up-track might be clearly distinguished from the audible signal from the through-up-track, but it will be seen that my invention is of such flexibility that almost limitless combinations may be had to avoid any confusion of signals.

My invention contemplates the use of any kind of audible sounds, and the use of any combination of sounds in order to give the properly distinctive signals and in the folmanner,'w-hich are mounted upon'a shaft 28,

Llowing description which I present to those skilled in the art as an instance of my inven- 7 tion I have shown suliicient to clearly instructthose skilledin the art in the use of my inventlon, and have shown such modifications as I think desirable to demonstrate the various means which may, as instances, be employed. V

My invention will be described further by referring to the accompanying drawings in 22 ofFig. 1;

Figurel is a more or less diagrammatic representation of a track, semaphore, and my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line Fig. 3- is 'a sectional vlew taken on the line .33 of Fig.1;

Fig.4 is a view lllustrating a modified form of my invention; 11 F1g. 5 is an elevatlonal view of the semaphore shown 1n Flgflz;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating another modi- 'fication of my invention, and

l Fig. 7 is a side view of the semaphore shown in Fig; 6.

' Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown a standard 8. which has pivoted thereto at its upper end a semaphore arm 9 to which is hinged a rod 10 leading tant here and I have therefore shown merely diagrammatically an instance of construction. The rod 10 also has secured thereto an L-shaped arm 13, which terminates in a contacting blade 14 which is arranged to slide on a guiding plate 15 and is arranged to make contact with any oneof the switches 16, 17 and 18 which are preferably mounted in a box, as'shown. The switch 16 is connected with a brush 19 by means of the conductor 20, and the switch 17 is connected to a brush 21 by means'of a conductor 22. The switch 18is connected with a brush 23 by means of'the' conductor 2%. Thebrushes 19,

21 and 23;engage the; circuit controlling disks 25, 26 and 27 respectively, eachconstructed to control the circuit in a distinctive atone end of which there is a spur gear 29 "'imeshingiwith' a pinion 30 carriedbythe shaftiof themotor 31. The plate15 may be .eonnected to anyoneof the switches 16, 17 and 1 8" by means of the blade Hand a conductor 33 leads from; this contact plate to the ""motor. .A conductor '34 leads from the r as motor to one of the springs mounted on the relay which extend conductors 36,

which is provided for.

and 37, the conductor 36 leading to one rail 38 of the block on the approach side of the semaphore, and the conductor 37 leading to to place the audible signaling apparatus in working condition.

WVhen a train running in the direction of the arrow X enters the first block on the approach side of the semaphore, the relay will be energized, it being assumed that the switch 42 has been closed, and when the train has proceeded to a point within twelve or fifteen hundred feet of the semaphore the engineer will receive the audible signal This signal will be given by means of the bell or any other convenient sounding device 43 which is located about twelve or fifteen hundred feet on the approach side of the semaphore. The relay 35 is energized as follows: from the positive side of the battery 39, through the conductor 40, through the rails ll, through the trucks of the engine, and through the rails 38 and the conductor 36, the relay conductor 37 and the switch 42, back to the negative side of the battery. The armature of the relay is thereupon attracted, and a circuit is closed as follows: from the positive side of the battery through the conductors 44, 33, the contacting plate 15, blade 14:, conductor 20, brush 19, and the disk 25, the shaft 28, disk 27, brush 23, conductors 24, 4-5, bell 4:3, conductor 16, conductor 3ft, through the switch springs of the relay 35, through the conductor -17, and back to the battery 39. The circuit will also be closed from the positive side of the battery through conductors 4H and 33 to the motor and the conductors 34, springs of the relay 35, conductor 47, to thenegative side of the battery. It will thus be seen that the motor rotates the disk 25 so that a plurality of intermittent impulses will be sent through the disk 25 and shaft 28 to the bell .3, so that there will he a series of aotuations of the bell. The disk 25 is provided with a number of pieces of insulation 48 as shown in Fig. 2, so as to produce the desired result, and by means of. this signal the engineer will know that the first block on the departure side of the semaphore signal is occupied.

If the semaphore is set so as to indicate that the first block on the departure side of the semaphore is clear, but that the second block on the departure side is occupied, the arm 9 will be in the position indicated by the dotted lines 49' and the contacting piece 11 will be in engagement with the switch 137.

The engineer on thetra-in which is in the block mmediately on the approach side of '23, conductors 24,

and the contacting the semaphore will then receive a signal from the bell 43 by reason of the following circuit being closed: from the positive side 'of the battery through conductors 44, 33,

contact plate 15, switch blade 17, conductor 22, brush 21, disk 26, shaft 28, disk 27, brush 45, bell 43, conductors 46, 34, the springs of the relay 35, conductor 47, and through the switch 32 to the negative side of the battery 39. This signal will be a different one from the one which was previously described, owing to the large piece of insulating material provided in the disk 26. A comparatively long ringing of the bell will take place, and then will follow a short interval when the bell will not ring. This signal will be repeated as long as the relay 35 is energized, owing to the closure of the circuit through the trucks of the engine.

WVhen the two blocks on the departure side of the semaphore are unoccupied, the arm 9 of the semaphore'will occupy the position as indicated by the dotted lines 51 member 14 will be in engagement with the switch 18 so as to produce a continuous ringing of the bell 43. In each case it will be seen that the engineer will receive the audible signal considerably before the train reaches the visual signal which he may not be able to see until he is quite close.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a standard 52 which has pivoted thereto semaphore arms 53 and 54, these arms having pivoted thereto rods 55 and 56 respectively which are operated by means of wires or cables 57 and 58 respectively, and which may lead to a point so as to be accessible to an operator. The rod 55 has secured thereto an arm 58, which terminates in a contacting piece 59 and which is arranged to slide on a plate 60 in the switch box 61. The rod 56 has an arm 62 mounted thereon and which terminates in a contacting piece 63 which is arranged to be guided by a plate 64. The contacting piece is arranged to engage with switches 65 and 66 and the contacting piece 59 is arranged to cooperate with a switch 67. Leading from the switch 65 is a conductor 68 terminating in a brush 69 arranged to engage a disk 70 mounted upon a shaft 71. The coin tact 66 has a conductor 72 extending therefrom, the other end of which is secured to a spring 73 being normally in engagement with another spring 75 having a conductor 76 connected therewith terminating in a brush 77 engaging a disk 78 mounted upon the shaft 71. The switch 67 has a conductor 79 leading therefrom and terminating in the winding of the relav 74. The conductor 80 extends from the relay and terminates in the brush 81 which bears on a disk 82 mount ed upon the shaft 71. This shaft is provided with a spur gear 83 meshing with a pinion 84 carried by the shaft of the motor 85. Contact plates 64 and 60 are disposed in the box 61 behind the switches 65, 66 and 67, as shown, and have a conductor 87 leading therefrom which terminates in a spring 88 carried by the relay 89. This spring is normally out of engagement with the spring 90, which. has a conductor 91 extending therefrom and connected to a battery 92. A manually-operated switch 93 is arranged to close the circuit through the motor by way of the conductor 91, springs and 88, conductors 87, 95 and 94. Conductors 96 and 97 lead from the separate battery 92 and are electrically connected with the rails 98 and 99, respectively, of the first block on the approach side of the semaphore, the blocks being each properly electrically isolated. The relay 89 is electrically connected to the same rail. sections 98 and 99 by means of conductors 100 and 101 respectively. It is thus possible to normally maintain the relay 89 in an energized condition, but as soon as a train has entered the 583- tion immediately on the approach side of the semaphore, the relay is de'elnergized so as to close the circuit through the springs 88 and 90. It is assumed that the train is moving in the direction of the arrow A, as indicated. Suppose, for example, tha-tthe arms 53 and 54 are rotated so as to indicate that both sections on the departure side of the semaphore are occupied. The contacting member 63 on the arm 62 will then be in engagement with the switch 65 so as to cause impulses to be sent from the battery through the conductors 91, springs 88 and 90, conductor 87, contacting member 64, switch 65, conductor 68, brush 69, disk 70, shaft 71,brush 102, conductor 103, bell 104 and conductors 105 and 94 back to the negative side of the battery. It is to be remembered, of course, that the trucks of the engine short-circuit the relay 89, which causes its denergization, so as to close the circuit through the springs 88 and 90. The engineer on the train approaching the semaphore will thus receive the signal which will indicate the positions of the semaphore arms 53 and 54, and thereby he will know that the sections on the departure side of the semaphore are occupied. The bell 104 will continue to ring until the next block has been cleared and the semaphore moved.

If the arm 54 is inits dotted position and the arm 53 remains in the position as shown in full lines, this will indicate that the first section immediately on the departure side of the semaphore is unoccupied, but the second section on that side of the semaphore is occupied. The contacting member 63 associated with the arm 54 will then come into engagement with the switch 66 so as to complete the circuit as follows: from the positacting member springs 73, 7 5,- conductor 76, brush 77, disk V sulating this signal may be of an entirely different sound than either of the other two mentive side of the battery 92 through conductor 91, springs 88 and 90, conductor 87, con- 64, switch 60, conductor 72,

78, brush 106, through conductor-107,'bell 108, andconductors 109 and 94 back to the battery. An audible signal will then be given which is entirely different from the previous one, owing to the fact that the disk is provided with onlyone section of inmaterial, which prevents the flow ofcurrent for just a short space of time, or

' the bell 108 is arranged to give an entirely difierent sound from the bell 104, so that the engineer is positively informed regarding the occupancy of the track ahead. In case both arms 53 and 54 are-allowed to drop to their dotted positions, only one signal will be given, and that one through the bell 110, owing-to the fact that when the contacting member 59 associated with the arm 53 is in engagement with the switch 67, the relay 74 will be energized so as to break the circuit through the springs 73 and7 5, so that a continuous signal will be given by the bell 110;

' tioned. This signal will be continuous bedesired. vThe rod.113- carries an arm cause the disk 82 is not provided with any means for interrupting the current. The manual switches place the system in working condition. 7

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, Ihave shown a standard 111 which has hinged thereto an arm 112 one end of which has pivotedthereto a rod 113 extending down ward, and whichat its lower end has a cable 114 secured thereto and which leads to a convenient point so as to be operated when 115 terminating in a contacting block 116 ar- 7 ranged to engage any one of the switches ;117,.1181and 119.1 The; switch 117 has a conductor 120 leading therefrom and terminatingzin'the'brush 121 which bears against a disk 122 mountedupon a shaft 123. The

I switch 118 is connected to the brush'124 by I means of the conductor 125, said brush havis connected tothe brush 127 by ing bearing engagement with a disk 126 carried upon the shaft 123. The switch 119 means of a 'conductor 128, said brush bearing against a battery 136 This :battery 7 disk 129.carried' by the shaft 123 which has I at one end a gear 130 meshing with'apinion 5'5 131 mounted upon the shaft of the motor 132.1' A lead line 133 extends from the motor andis electrically connected with the'batteryasc. a

The rail section 135 isconnected' tothe by means of a conductor 137.

' to therail section 134, and a manually-operatedl switch138 is provided so as to close the circuit and connect the'battery with the rails whendesired; Assuming that a train has 93 and 93 are closed to has the conductor 133 leading entered the section immediately on the approach side of the semaphore, and bearing in mind that the rails are electrically connected, it will thus be evident that the relay 139, which has been previously energized, will become deenergized, owing to the fact that it is short-circuited. Current will then flow from the positive side of the battery 136 through the conductor 140, through the springs 141 and 142 of the relay, through the conductor 143, the contacting member 144, switch 117, conductor 120, brush 121, shaft 123, disk 129, brush 127, conductor 128, through the relay 145, through conductors 146 and 133, and back to the battery. At the same time the current will flow from the battery through conductor 140, the springs 141 and 142, conductor 147, motor 132, and conductor 133 back to the negative side of the battery. This will cause rotation of the disks 122, 120 and 129, and since current is flowing through the disk 122 there will be periodic energizations of the relay 145 so that the puppet valve 148 wil be opened at stated intervals by means of the armature of the relay. Since this valve is connected with the compressed air tank 149, a certain amount of compressed air will serve to blow the whistle 150, at equal intervals, thus indicating to the engineer that the section immediately on the departure side of the semaphore is occupied by a train. If the train is occupying the second section on the departure side of the semaphore, the operator will set the semaphore accordingly, and the current will be sent from the battery through the disk 126, and the relay 145 will be energized for a comparatively long period of time so as to produce a long sound of the whistle, and then a comparatively short interval will follow when it will not operate, owing to the strip of insulating material in the disk, which opens the circuit. If the operator sets the semaphore so the contact- 'ing member 116 will make engagement with the switch 119, the current will flow through theconductor 128 so as to energize the relay .145 and thus maintain the puppet valve in continuous open position, as distinguished from theother two positions just described, and this will produce a different signal to the engineer, so that he will be informed as to the condition of the track ahead. After the train which has previously been on the approach side of the semaphore has passed out of that section and has passed to the departure side of the semaphore, the battery 136 will serve to energize the relay 139 so as to break the circuit, and thus prevent the further sounding of the whistle. During clear weather, and when the audible signal is not necessary, the manual switches 138 and 138 may be thrown so as to open the circuit and thus prevent the operation of the audible signaling apparatus.

The arrangements just described are of great utility in foggy weather and in sections of the track where there are curves, so that it becomes diflicult to discern the position of the semaphore arms. It is to be understood that while I have shown certain forms and types of sounding devices, I may find it desirable to employ other mechanism for producing audible signals to the engineer, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise forms shown. However, I wish to claim broadly audible signaling mechanism disposed at the track, either at the side or on or over the track to indicate to the engineer of an approaching train whether or not the track sections ahead are occupied or not.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a system of railroad signaling, the combination of a semaphore switching mechanism, means connecting said switching mechanism with the semaphore arm, cur rent interrupters connected with said switching mechanism, a motor, a source of power for starting said motor and current interrupters upon the approach of a train, and sounding devices cooperating with said current interrupter-s.

2. In a system of railroad signaling, the combination with a semaphore and a section of railway protected thereby, of an audible alarm arranged in the section on the approach side of the semaphore, means 0perable by an approaching train to actuate the alarm, and means actuated by the semaphore to control the frequency of the audible alarm to indicate the position of the semaphore.

3. In a signaling system for railways, a track relay, a circuit for said relay, a visual signal capable of giving a plurality of indications by the positions thereof, signaling means controlled by said circuit to give a distinctive audible signal corresponding to each position of the visual signal, a plurality of signal controlling means and a selecting element controlled in accordance with the movement of said visual signaling means to select the proper signal controlling means to give a distinctive signal corresponding to the indicating position of said visual signal.

4. In a signaling system for railways, a semaphore arm having a plurality of positions, signaling means capable of giving a plurality of distinctive audible signals corresponding to the positions of said semaphore arm, a plurality of circuit controlling said signaling means, switch means operating in accordance with the semaphore arm to select the corresponding audible signal controlling circuit and a track relay governing the energization of the circuit selected.

In a signaling system for railways, a semaphore arm having a plurality of indicating positions, audible signaling means,

controlling circuits governing said audible signaling means to give a distinctive indication corresponding to the positions of said semaphore arm, selecting means for selecting the circuit to be energized and a track relay controlling the energization of the circuit selected.

6. In a signaling system for railways, a semaphore arm having a plurality of indicating positions for indicating the con dition of the track ahead, audible sig naling means located on the approach side of said semaphore, a plurality of signaling circuits, said circuits having signal controlling means in series therewith to cause said signaling means to emit distinctive audible signals corresponding to the positions of said semaphore arm, a selecting switch for selecting the circuit corresponding to the position of the semaphore arm, and a track relay for controlling the energization of the circuit selected.

7. In a signaling system for railways, a semaphore arm indicating the condition of the track ahead, audible signaling means located on the approach side of said semaphore, a plurality of signaling circuits, interrupting means of different periodicity in series with said circuit to cause said signaling means to emit distinctive audible signals corresponding to the positions of said semaphore arm, a selecting switch for selecting the circuit corresponding to the position of the semaphore arm and a track relay for controlling the energization of the selected circuit.

8. In combination a semaphore, a section of track, an independent signaling means at the approach side of said semaphore, a track relay connected to said section of track, a selecting switch controlled by said semaphore, a plurality of signal controlling circuits selectable by said switch and a signal actuating circuit controlled by said track relay.

9. In a system of railway signaling, the combination with a path of block sections and a visual signal protecting one of the same, of an audible signal arranged on the approach side of the visual signal, means operable by an approaching train to actuate the audible signal, and means controllable by the visual signal to regulate the frequency of the audible signal to indicate the condition of the visual signal.

10. The method of imparting to the operator on a moving train the condition of a semaphore signal which consists in creating an audible signal in such relation as to be heard by the operator on the train, and varying the characteristic sound of the audible signal in accordance with the change in condition of the semaphore signal.

11. The method of imparting to the operator on a moving train the condition of a which consists in creating audible signals of various sound characteristics in accordance with the variations in position of the semaphore, so as to apprise the train operator of the position of the semaphore before reaching the same. 7 I

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of February, A. D.

GEO. J. CAMPBELL.

' Copies of thispatent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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