US1325683A - Ketnell - Google Patents

Description

S. 3. ALLWILL.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS 0N RAILWAYS. 4

APPLICATION HLED FEB.2I. I919.

1,325,683. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLWILL, OF HAUTAPU, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING GOLLISIONS ON RAIL-WAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed August 3, 1917, Serial No. 184,262. Divided and this application filed February 21,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLwILL, a citizen of th Dominion of New Zealand, residing at Hautapu, in the Provincial District of Auckland, Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions on Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for preventing collisions on railways and consists in certain devices, hereinafter more particularly described, whereby the uncoupling of the air-brake hose section of any car of a train will direct into a return circuit an electric current normally passing through said train. Of course the same result will follow from accidentally failing to couple the said hose section before starting or from any accident which may cause the uncoupling while in motion. Primarily, the said invention is intended for use with the electrical and mechanical apparatus set forth in my application 184,262, filed August 3rd, 1917, of which this application is a division.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a side view of one car of a train provided with my automatic switches, hose couplings and electrical connections;

Fig. 2, an enlarged longitudinal sectional view in detail of one of said switches in closed position; and

Fig. 3 represents a similar view of the said switch when open.

A designates the body of a car having a metallic underframe 94, B the wheels and G the main rails of the track on which they run. Each car will be similar in the general construction of the appliances herein described. The usual air-brake hos runs through the train, the hose-section of each car being indicated by 98. Normally these sections are connected for service; but if they are accidentally left uncoupled or in some way separated while running, the flexible ends of said section 98 will hang down as shown in Fig. 1. Th couplings 89 on the said ends are metallic and electrically conducting as usual. An insulated wire 70 Serial No. 278,372.

consists of sections, one to each car, which collectively run through all the vehicles of the train when all the couplings 89 are joined said wire sections being connected to the couplings of each section 98, as shown in Fig. 1 and in electrical connection with each other. Normally in this connected position the wire 70 may be used for signaling and other functions of railway apparatus. When any section of wire is discon nected at either end, its function is to prevent the car or train from starting or to stop it, as hereinafter described.

Under the car body A near each end thereof is attached an automatic switch 90,

.which comprises a frame or casing 92 having within it a spring 91 adapted to make electrical contact (see Fig. 2) with a terminal 93, which is connected by a short wire 94 to the underframe 94. The other end of said spring is mechanically connected by a wire 95 proximate to the hose section coupling 89. When the ends of said hose-section are bent up in line with the body thereof for coupling, as shown in Fig. 3, the spring is drawn upon by the latter wire out of contact with terminal 98; but when the end of the hose section is uncoupled and hangs down as in Figs. 1 and 2, the said spring is permitted to move into contact with said terminal 93, making a branch circuit through wire 95, spring 91,

terminal 93, wire 94:, underframe 9%, the

wheels and the main track to the source of electricity, which may be a battery on the engine. Or additional means of completing the branch circuit without passing through the main rails of the track may be provided.

The switches 90 are identical in construction and operation at each end of the car. If either be permitted to close in any car the branch circuit will be set up and may be utilized to close the valve of the engine or otherwise prevent the movement of the train so that the train cannot start in case the brakeman should forget to couple any two hose sections.

When the spring is left free by the dropping of the end of the hose-section, the resilieiicy of the said spring will naturally cause it to draw back in the direction away from the previously exerted pull of. said section and to press its other end against the terminal 93. F or the purpose in hand a helical spring, as shown, will be the best.

A by-pass pipe 96 fitted with an auxiliary air cook 97 is provided in the air line hose 98 in each section thereof near each end of said section and of the car body carrying the same. The handle 99 of said auxiliary cock is loosely attached to the wire 95 so that the raising of the coupling 89 of the hose section by means of astop95 secured on wire 95, which stop contacts with said handle, pulls said handle and opens said cock, making an open by-pass around the cock 101 of the hose section 98. Said handle is locked by a spring catch 100, so that the auxiliary cock will remain open in case of the hose becoming uncoupled or bursting. Vhen the vehicles are disconnected the brakeman must close the cock 9? as well as the ordinary train cock 101. If he should forget to open the cock 101 in again coupling the vehicles and hose sections, the act of coupling the hose will automatically open the auxiliary cock 9? and the brake will operate, even though the cock 101 be closed. The handle 99 has a slotted end 102 which permits the cock 97 to be opened by the stop 95 on the wire 95, but said cock cannot be shut by said wire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a railway car and an air-brake hose-section carried thereby and provided with flexible ends extending beyond the car body and having terminal metallic couplings, a wire consisting of sections, collectively extending through the train, each of said wire sect-ions being connected to said couplings of each car, a terminal carried by said car and electrically connected in a branch circuit, a spring adapted to make contact with said terminal when the proximate end of the hose-coupling section is uncoupled and drops down, and a wire which mechanically as well as electrically connects said spring to the coupling on said section end, said wire being adapted when said end is raised and coupled to draw said spring out of contact with said terminal, breaking the branch circuit and completing the electric connection along wire through the train.

2. In combination with a railway vehicle, a pair of spring-pressed sliding switches carried thereby, connections whereby either of said switches closes a branch circuit when left free to operate, a hose-section of an airbrake system, mechanical connections between said switches and its flexible ends,

adapted when said ends are moved for coupling to draw ope said switches, and a wire consisting oi sections corresponding to the .voliicles, said wire normally making electric connection through the train running through the train and connected to said couplings, the branch circuit being then inconiplete and inoperative.

A railway car body provided with a metallic underframe, in combination with an air-brake hose-section havin ends adapted to flex downward and provitIed with metallic couplings, an insulated wire consisting of sections running through the train and connectcd to each of said couplings, a casing carried by said vehicle, a terminal on said casing, a spring movable in said easing into contact with said terminal, a conductor from said terminal to said underframe,;a mechanical and electrical. connection between said spring and the proximate coupling of said section whereby said spring may be drawn out of contact with said terminal when the hose-sections are coupled substantially as set forth.

l. A railway vehicle provided with a section of an air-brake hose, an automatically closing switch held open by the coupling of I said hose-section, a conductor connected electrically to each end of said hose-section, electric connections through said conductor and said switch when the latter 1S closed, and a mechanical connection between said switch and the proximate end of said section, for holding open said switch while said sectionend is coupled.

5. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, a brake pipe and brake cock, in combination with a by-pass pipe connected to said main train pipe on each side of said brake cock, a cock in the by-pass pipe and a connection between the latter cock and the coupling of a brake hose section end, in order that the latter may operate said bypass cock. 7

6. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, the combination of a brake hose coupling section with electrical connections between its terminal couplings, a sprin actuated switch electrically connected there to, a wire connecting said switch to the coupling at the end of said section and adapted to hold said switch open while the section is coupled, but to allow said switch to close when said section is uncoupled, said wine being also adapted to open a valve in the air pipe when said section is uncoupled.

7 In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, the combination of a brake hose coupling section with electrical connections between its terminal couplings, a springactuated switch electrically connected thereto, a wire connecting said switch to the coupling at the end of said section and adapted to hold said switch open while the section is In testimony whereof, I have signed my coupled, but to allow said switch to close name to this specification in the presence of when said section is uncoupled said wire two subscribing witnesses.

being provided with a stop arranged to open STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLWILL. a valve in the air pipe when said section is WVitnesses: uncoupled, but to avoid contact with said ETHEL FRANCES COURTNEY,

valve when said section is coupled. HERBERT THoMAs- REYNELL.

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