US1552389A - Electric lock - Google Patents

Description

Sep 1925' J, E. STEPHENSON ELESlTRIC LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 25, 1921 NVE TO 1, RNEY.

Sept. 1, 1925i 1,552,389

J. E. STEPHENSQN ELECTRIC LOOK Filed June 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mu i 3 m; 5 d2 2 8 MN 2 m mm 3 8 m I. O R O O a O L i 1| E. w 5 I 1 aw 0 o 1. 0 O

v v v 3 bn Qw mw m d2 2 m m: 8 5% mm m m mm mm 8 2 AN |u Sept. 1, 1925..

J. E. STEPHENSON ELECTRIC LOCK Filed June 25, 1921 m m t 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 J a w 2 2 8 AM E 5 mm aw 5 in 3a 1 z A 13.1- & KOKD O "l .J I 1 Mm 5 U Om l om O a 3 mm Nm 3 mm z a? 3 I 8 "an Mm mm 6? mm wm Q on m 0 o I o 0 6 m O g w o 0 Q o O a 2 3 mm 3 mm Sept. 1, 1925. 1.55.2,389

J. E. STEPHENSON ELECTRIC-LOCK Filed June 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PIC-1.11. 1 H612. 6 2 3 61 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. STEPHENSON, 0F oonEszrER, NEwYoRx, ASSIGNOR 21 0' GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF eATEs,'NEw YORK, A coRPoRATIoN 0 NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. STEPHENSON,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Locks, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to anelectrically operated lock for the levers of mechanical interlocking machines of the type employing so-called lever locking, that is, that type in which the movement of the leversthemselves operate the tappet bars of the me chanical interlocking between the levers.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a simple and compact design of an electrically operable lever lock which is strong enough to lock the lever directly, which includes a circuit controller operated in accordance with the movement of the lever so that it may be used to select signal circuits or govern the operation of ower operated switches and the like, in which the locking parts are forced into engagement after each release, and which possesses various other desirable features and characteristics of devices of this character.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of a lever lock which can be readily converted or adapted for use as a track circuit controlled lock for locking the lever in either the full normal or full reverse position, or both, or as an indication lock, or asa combined indication and track circuit'controlled lock.

Other specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter as the description progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which i g Figure 1 shows'one lever of a well-known type of. a mechanical interlocking machine,

' and illustrates the way in which the electric lock embodying my invention may be connected to said lever;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view partly in-perspective illustrating the principal parts of the lock, and its manner of connection when controlled by a track circuit;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device, some parts being shown lever.

V Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the device taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are vertical transverse sections taken on the lines 5'-5, 6+6, 7-7 and 88 respectively, of Fig. 3;

1 Figs. 9 and 10 show in elevation and plan respectively, an alternative form of the lock releasing electro-magnet;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the locking plunger-provided with a modified form of dog and guide cam; a i

Fig. 12 is a detail section of the modified dog shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is across-sectional viewtaken on the line 1313 of Fig. 12, viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view of the locking plunger provided with another modified form of guide cam;

Fig. 15 shows the device illustrated in Fig. 14 in the unlocked position; and v Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view, partly in perspective, showing how the electric lock may be used, both as a track circuit controlled lock and as an indication lock.

The electric lock employing the invention is particularly designed for direct connection tothe lever of a mechanical interlocking machine of the type employing lever locking. In Fig. 31, I have shown a single lever L of a well known type of mechanical interlocking machine, commonly known as the McKenzie and Holland machine, and have illustrated onetypical application of the lock embodying this invention to this bolted tothe base timbers. The switch, facing point, lock, switch and lock movement,

signal, or derail, as the case may be, is connect'ed by a suitable pipe line, wires, or the like (not shown) to the tail piece 3 of the The lever L is provided with the usual latch 4 operated by a handle 5 and engaging shoulders in the quadrant 6. The locking bed 7 is supported on a bracket 8, and the tappet 9 operated by the lever L is pivotally connected to the lower end of a cam lever 10 which is journaled on a shaft 11 running lengthwise of the machine. The

When the lever L is shifted from the nor-. mal position shown in Fig. 1, during the first part of its movement, the die 13 on the lever carries with it the upper end of the cam lever 10, raising this upper end and shifting the tappet 9 to the left. This movement of the tappet 9 causes the primary locking of all conflicting levers in the well known manner.

As the lever is moved further, the die 13 slides out of the end portion of the Z-slot 12, and during the nextpart of the movement of the lever, the said d-ie slides in the curved part of the Z-slot without rocking the cam lever 10. When the lever L is near the reverseposition, the die 13Vengages the other end of the Z-slot 12 in the cam lever 10, raising the upper end of this cam lever nected to the tail piece 3 oi? the lever, or may be operatively connected to the lever in any most expedient. In the particular arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, the lock is mounted on suitable floor beams 14 above the locl-;- ing bed 7, and is connected to an intermedb ate point of the lever by a rod 15. however, may be mounted vertically and conother suitable way in such manner that it constrains movement of the lever at the de-.

sired points in its stroke. r

The lock comprises in general a main frame or casing F formed of counter-part side plates 16 which have integral therewith base portions and which are bolted together by suitable bolts '17, as shown in Fig. 5. These side plates 16, when bolted together, 'jorin a longitudinal guiding slot in which is .slidably mounted a. locking plunger P. The

intermediate portion of this locking .plunger ,1 is provided with a cut-away portion into which a dog 18 1s counter-sunk, and fastened thereto by machine screws on other suitable fastening means. Fastened to the. locking plunger P directly over the dog is: a guide cam 19 having the inside edges beveled or inclined as shown so as to force a lock bolt, to be described hereinafter, into locked posi tion On each side of the locking plunger P the side plates 16 are provided with recesses in which is guided a U-shaped lockbolt B straddling the locking plun er and positioned under the guide cam or retainer 19. This bolt B when down prevents the locking plunger]? from moving farther than to the dog 18 mounted thereon.

The lock,

The lock bolt B is raised by a double angle lever 20 made of one piece and pivotally supported on pins 21 secured to the side plates 16, (Fig. The two long arms of this angle lever are positioned over the lockingplunger P and are pivoted to the U- shaped lock bolt 13 by a pin and slot connection. angle lever 20 extend upward and have pivotally connected thereto links 22 which have their opposite end connected to cranks 23 mounted on the ends of a shaft 24 of the lock releasing magnet M. This shaft 24 is-suitably supported inbearings formed in the two halves of a housing 25 (Fig. 4) fastened together by bolts 26; and fastened to this shaft is a laminated Z-shaped armature 27. A U-shaped laminated core 28 of the usual construction, provided with inwardly extending pole pieces 28", is clamped be tween the two halvesof the housing 25, so that the Z-shaped armature 27 is positioned between the poles. These pole pieces 28 are provided with coils and when these -coils are energized, the armature 27 is drawn into a horizontal position, thereby raising the lock bolt B from engagement with the dog 18 on the lockin plunger 1?. The core 28, coils 29 and armature 2i constitute in effect an electroresponsive device for releasing the'lock bolt B, and this device may be conveniently termed the lock releasing magnet M. The construction shown and described is adaptable for efficient operation by alternating current, being designed to obviate vibration and other objectionable effects incident to the use of alternating current for a tractive type device.

For the purpose of automatically closing the energized circuit for the lock releasing magnet M at the time a release is desired, an energy, saving orcut-out switch device ES operated by the lock plunger is provided. Thisswitch comprises a block 30 of insulating material supported on the back end ofthc housing 25 of the lock releasing magnet M; a fixed spring contact 31 fastened to the under side of said block 30 at one end by a, suitable binding post; and a movable resilient contact member 32 fastened to the other end otsaid block in the same way and arranged to engag the fixed contact 81. An insulating pin 33 arranged to engage the movable contact member 32 and push the same in engagement with the fixed contact 31, is supported on the end oi an operating lever 34, which has its other end pivotally supported on a pin 35 fastened in side plates of the main frame or casing F. This operating lever comprises two parallel side portions having downwardly extending ears 36 in which is pivotally mounted a roller 37. The roller 37 rides on the top of the locking plunger P, and the upper The two short arms of the double face of the locking plunger P is provided with spaced notches 38 and 38 to receive the roller 37, said notches being of sufficient depth to allow the movable contact member 32 to open the circuit through the lock releasing magnet. These notches 38 and 38' are so spaced that the roller 37 is positioned u enclosed by a hood comprising suitable therein when the locking plunger P is in its extreme positions. The locking plunger P, even though the lock bolt B is in its lower position, may be moved a short distance to bring the roller 37 out of the notch, and thereby close the contacts and permit the lock releasing magnet M to be energized if the circuit is otherwise completed. lVhen th locking plunger P is moved to'either ezo treme position, the roller 37 drops in one of the notches 38 and opens the contacts to break the circuit through the lock releasing magnet M, thereby economizing in the energy used for releasing the look.

In connection with the electric lock proper, embodying this invention, 1 also provide a simple circuit controller C of the rotary type, operated by the movement of the locking plunger. Since this circuit controllerfollows the movement of the lever, it can be used for governing the operation of power operated switches, signals, or the like, or may be used for selecting signal circuits, indication circuits, or for any other desired purpose. This controller comprises a shaft 39 supported in suitable bearing brackets fastened to the main frame or casing, and on the shaft are interchangeably mounted a plurality of drum sections 40 of insulating material having conducting seg ments 41 attached thereto. These drum sections are adjustably secured to the shaft in any suitable or well-known manner, so that they may be positioned with respect to the shaft to close or open the circuit at any predetermined position of the shaft The drum sections are manufactured with different length of segments; and by using drum sections having contact segments of the .de-'

sired length and by adjusting these sectionsabout the shaft, a controller for every application of the electric lock may be built up with a very few number of different parts. Adjacent to and extending underneath the drum is a terminal board 42 of insulating material provided with two or more spring contact fingers 43 for each drum section, so that the contact segments may bridge their respective pairs of contact fingers. 1 v

The end of the shaft 39 remote from the lock releasing magnet M is provided with a crank 44 to which is pivotally connected a connecting rod T5, which has its other end pivotally connected toa U-shaped operating slide 46 which rides in recesses similar to those of'the lock bolt B. This operating slide 46 straddles thelocking plunger P and is provided with a pin carrying a roller 47 primary movement, causing the energy said plunger, thereby causing the circuit controller drum to be turned at times during the movement of the plunger P, depending on the particular shape of the cam slot 48.

This lock and its mechanism is entirely arched end castings l9 connected together by sheet iron 49* or the like, one of said castings being notched to provide clea 'auce for the conduit outlet 50. This hood fits over the base and isheld thereto by suitable fastening means, such as the hasp-SO and staple 51 shown.

When direct current is used for. the lock releasing magnet M, the construction shown inl igs. 9 and 10 may be employed. In this construction the angle lever 20 is provided .nearfthe ends "of the upwardly extending arms with a soft iron armature 52. Cooperating. with the armature 52 is a pair of cores 53 mounted on the angle bracket 54,

which is supported on th f'main frame or casing, and each of these cores is provided witha magnet coil 55. The two types of lock releasing magnets have interchangeable attaching means and one may be substituted for the other at any time if desired.

Fig. 2 illustrates in a diagrammatic way the-principal operating parts of the lock, and showsv it used as a track circuit controlled detector lock. Used in this way, the lock prevents movement of the lever when the detector track circuit, associated with the switch operated by that lever, is 'occu V pied. The well-known detectortrack circuit lSSllOWll conventionally and comprises a track battery 56 connected across the rails near one end of the track section, and a track relay Y connected across the rails at the opposite end of the track section, sothat the relay Y is shunted out by'a train on. the track section, thereby causing the armature of the relay to drop and open the circuit through the front contact 57. The coils 29 of the lock releasing magnet M are connected in a circuit energized from a suitable source ofcurrent (illustrated as a transformer T, since the'particular construction of the. magnet shown is one specially designed to be operated by alternating current). This circuit, which may be readily traced on the drawing, includes a front contact 57 of the track relay Y, and the con tacts 31 and 32 of the energy saving cut-out switch ES.

Assuming the locking plunger P to'be in the normal position shown, as it is moved to the right toward the reverse position, it may only be moved a short distance until the dog 18 engages the lock bolt B. The roller 37 is raised from the notch 38 by this saving switch ES to be closed; and if the track circuit is not occupied, the energizing circuit for the lock releasing magnet M will be established. When this magnet is energized, the Z-armature 27 will be attracted, thereby rocking the angle lever 20 and raising the lock bolt 13 up so that the locking plunger P can be moved to its extreme reverse position. When the plunger P nearly reaches its. reverse position, the guide cam 19 with. its inclined or beveled end engages the upper edge of the lock bolt B, forcing it down behind the dog 18 in position to lock the plunger P against return movement; also, the energy saving switch 3:2 will. again be opened by the roller 37, riding into the other notch. 38 when the plunger is shifted'to its full reverse position. If the track circuit should be occupied, the lock releasing magnet M will not be energized, and the plunger P can not be moved beyond the point where the dog 18 engages the lock bolt B. When the lever is moved in the opposite direction, the operation is similar, and its description is not thought necessary. Since the lock bolt B is positively forced into position to engage the dog by the guide cam 19 each time the plunger P is shifted, proper locking of the plunger is assured regardless of friction between the parts. This feature not only makes the lock njiore positive and reliable in its performance, but also permits the lock to be mounted vertically or in an inclined position as conditions require.

lVhile the lock embodying the invention is shown in Fig. 2, as controlled by detector track circuit, it may be controlled by one or more track circuits to provide the desired control of the lock for route or approach looking, or for any other suitable form of track circuit controlled locking. Also, direct current may be used for operating the locks, well as alternating current, but it is preferred to use the form of lock releasing magnet shown in Figs. 9 and 10 if direct current is used.

The lock embodying the invention may also be used as either a normal or reverse indication lock, or both, by arranging and )ro oortionin the carts So that the en 'aee- {a l. b o

ment of the lock dog with the lock bolt B occurs at the desired position in the movement of the locking plunger P. If the indication current is given by a battery, or other source of supply, so that it continues to flow through the lock releasing magnet M until the lever L is operated to take advantage of the indication release, either the alternating current or direct current type of releasing magnets may be employed.

When it is desired to use the lock with a signal. lever as an indication lock for the normalposition of the lever, the guide cam 19 is formed'as shown in Fig. 14. Fig; 14

shows the plunger P in the reverse position, corresponding to the clear position of the signal. When the lever is shifted to put the signal in the normal or stop position, the plunger P moves to the right, as viewed in Fig. 14, to the point where the dog 18 engages the lock bolt B. This prevents the signal lever L from being moved further to release the mechanical interlocking until the lock releasing .magnet M is energized to raise the bolt B clear of the dog 18 If the signal coupled to the lever in question has properly responded and as sumed its stop position, the indi ation current supplied from any suitable source over any one of the well-known types or forms of indication circuits, by energizing the lock releasing magnet M, raises the bolt P) and allows the movement oi the lever to be completed, whereupon the parts assume the po-' sition shown in Fig. 15. If the lock is to beused with a switch lever as an indication lock, for both the normal and reverse positions of the lever, the guide cam is also provided at its opposite end with the beveled cam edge to force the lock bolt to its locked position.

Figs. 11 to 13 illustrate a modified construction of the lock dog by which the electric lock is adapted for use as an indication lock in dynamic indication systems. In a dynamic indication system, the indication current, usually generated by the rotation of the operating motor, flows only momentarily; and in-order that the operator may take advantage of this indication current at any convenient time, after it has been received, it is desirable to provide a latch or detent device for holding the lock bolt in its unlocked position after once unlocked by the indication current. In the particular construction illustrated, the loclr dog 59 is provided. with a longitudinal recess 60 in which a latch or detent 61 is slidably supported. This latch 61 is provided with a longitudinal slot in which is a pin 62 fastened to the dog 59'. The latch 61 is also bored lengthwise to form a housing for a long coiled compression spring 63, having one end engaging an end of the slot, and the other end engaging the latch guiding pin 62, thereby forcing the latch or detent 61 outwardly to the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

The particular arrangement shown in Fig. 11 is intended to be used in connection with a signal lever, the'parts being shown in the cation position, power is applied to the signal, either electrically by the operation of the circuit controller C, or in any other suitable way. If the signal mechanism operates properly, and the signal'assumes the normal or stop position, the indication current generated dynamically at the completion of the operating cycle of the mechanism, energizes the lock releasing magnet M and raises the normal position. When the lever L is sub sequently put back to its reverse position, the beveled end of the guide cam 19 forces the lock bolt B down to the position shown,-

' ready for the next movement of the leverto its normal position. Obviously, the same modified construction of the lock dog may be employed to provide indication looking for both the normal and reverse positions of the lever. In this discussion no particular form of power control of the signal or switch has been considered, since this may:

take any one of the well-known forms.

In Fig. 16, provision is made so that the. lock may be used, both, as a track circuit controlled lock and as an indication lock. The locking plunger in this instance is connected to any well-known form'of lever, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, which controls the electric switch machine SM, presumably a part of an otherwise mechanical interlocking plant. The'plunge'r is provided with two dogs 59 and 59 like the oneshown in Fig, 11, having their spring pressed latches 61 and 61 facing each other. The guide cam 19 is similar to the ones already described, but also has an intermediate beveled projection 64 to force the lock bolt down when the plunger P moves to its intermediate or indicating positions, the same as the beveled edges 96 at theend of the guide cam 19 force the lock bolt-down in the extreme normal and reverse positions of the plunger. The plunger P is provided with a long cam slot48 arranged in four steps, corresponding to the four positions of the plunger, namely normal, normalindication, reverse indication and reverse; and the roller 47 in these four POSltlCI1S lI1EllCElt8Cl by the reference characters n, ml, 12' andir, respectively) shifts the controller crumto four corresponding positions. v f 1 The general organization ofzthe Y typical system illustrated in' Fig. 16 comprises an electrically operated switch machine SM, shown diagrammatically and comprising a l series motor provided with a controller which the connection of the armia back ture 65 with respect to thefield 66 and also the connection of the armature 65 from re verse operating Wire R to the normal wire N, or vice versa', as the case may be, when the switch has been operated; a detector track circuit (the relay Y only being shown), a circuit controller C operatively connected to the locking plunger; a lock releasing magnet "with its energy saving switch ES, and a battery.

Assuming the switch and lever L to be in the normal position, the parts are in-the position shown in Fig. '16, theplunger P being in-its extreme left or normal position, with the roller 37 of the energy saving device ES resting in one oi the notches (not shown). hen the operator desires to reverse the switch, he shifts the lever, slightly moving the locking plunger P to the right to the point where thedog 59 engages the lock bolt B and prevents further operation of theplunger until thebolt is released. During this movement the roller 37 of the energy saving device is moved out of the notch closing the energy saving switch 32. During this movement the circuit controller drum 6? is not moved from its initial position. If the track circuit (not shown) 'adjacent to switch is not occupied, the track relay Y is energized, and the lock releasing magnet M is energized by a circuit which may be traced from the battery 68, wire 81, through the front contact 57 of the track 'relay Y, wire '69, contact finger 70, drum segment 71,1contactfinger'72,wire 73, contact finger 7 wire 75, lock releasing magnet -'M, wire 76, energy saving, switch 32, eta..-

tionary contactgl, wire 77, wire 78, and to thefhattery 68. Current flowing through this circuit will raise the leckbolt B permitting the locki plunger P to be loo movedto the right imtil the [dog'59 en gages the lock bolt B and compresses the spring of the latch or detent61 of the dog 59 but preventing further movement of the locking plunger.

During this movement, the roller l? in the cam slot will have moved to the position marked m in the cam slot 48 and the circuit controlled drum' 67 will have'moved in the direction of the arrow so that the contacts'79 and 80 bridge their respective contact fingers This will complete a circuit for operating the switch machine mo tor, which may b traced as follows:-

80, contact finger 83,-wire R, terminal 84,

89, movable contact 90 terminal '91, wire '92, fieldwinding 66, wire 77, wire 78', [and back. to the 'hatterytS. 'Tlii's circuit will the switch machine SM throw the switch starting at the bat-tery 68, through the feed wire 81-, contact finger 82, contact segment" 1 allow current tofiow through the motor of i U into the opposite position; and when this operation has been Completed, the movable contacts 85 and 90 will be thrown to bridge the terminals 93 and 88, and 87 and 9%, respectively. The switch machine controller is now positioned to establish an indication circuit which may be traced as follows zstarting with the armature of the motor to the terminal 88, movable contact 85, terminal, 93, wire N, cont-act finger 95, controller segment 79, contact finger 96, wire 97, wire 75, lock releasing magnet M, wire 76, energy saving switch 32, stationary contact 31, common return wire 77, motor field .66, terminal 94:, movable contact 90, terminal 87, and back to the armature.

The armature 65 of the motor is rotating due to its acquired momentum, and when the indication circuit-just traced is established with the armature and field connections reversed, the residual magnetism in the field causes the motor to act as a series generator and produce a temporary flow of indication current, continuing so long as the armature ot' the motor is rotating. This current flowing through the circuit just traced, energizes the lock releasing magnet M and draws the lock bolt B up, causing the latch 61 to slip under the bolt, and hold it in raised position. The lever L may now be shifted to the full reverse position, actuating the mechanical locking in the usual way to release other associated levers.

When the locking plunger P is moved to' lock bolt B down into its locked position,

and the roller 37 of the energy saving device will be positioned in theother notch (not shown) provided in the locking plunger, thereby opening the switch oi the energy saving device ES. hen the locking plunger P is in this position, the con tact segment 99 (shown in dotted lines) will bridge the contact fingers 7 0 and 7 2, therebv placing the lock releasing circuit in condition for moving the locking plunger from the reverse to the normal position.

From the foregoing, it will be observed, that in the normal and the reverse positions of the locking plunger P, the front contact 57 of the track relay Y will be connected in series with the lock releasing magnet M the energy saving switch 32, battery 68,

:while in either of the other positions the .front contact 57 of thetrack relay Y is not connected in any circuit as is apparent from the drawing. When the locking plunger P is in either of its intermediate positions, that is, the normal indication or reverse indication-,the lock releasing magnet will be connected to the particularwire N or R, over which the dynamic indication current will be received."

It will be'noted that in moving fro'm'the normal position to the: reverse indication position, the controller drum 67 passes through the position in which the contact segments 100 and 101 bridge their respective contact fingers, but no current will flow during such time because the circuit established has no source of current in it.

The operation of this device from the reverse to the normal position is substantially the same as the one just desc -ibed.'

The electric lock forming the subject mat-- ter of this application has a very wide application in railway signaling. It is interchangeably constructed so that it may read ily be applied to any one of the various uses hereinbefore enumerated. The inter changeable features summed up briefly, con sistfof a two-part housing with the necessary recesses, which is easily assembled and disassembled to facilitate interchanging the various locking plunger-s; -a lock bolt, controller mounting, controller operating mechanism, energy saving device and cover which constitutes the basic mechanism for tant trafiic controlling mechanism, or both as hereinbet'ore'pointed out, and the particular electric lock releasing mechanism Opel? able as the source of current available. Therefore, by having the basic lock mechanism and each of the interchange-able 1 in stock, the consumer would be equipped to meet any one of the various problems which he may expect to encounter, withoiiit a great deal of expense in stocked parts; and likewise the manufacturer need not be stocked up so' heavily in the various dis tribution centers, to meet the demands of his customers.

While several specific embodiments of the invention. have been shown and described, together with different organizations or combinations of parts to adapt the lock to various uses, it should be understood that these speclfic constructlons are merely 1llustrative, and that various other adaptations comprising, a slidable'locking plunger, a

iao

bolt straddling the plunger and rigidly ported and guided by said members or the casing for cooperating with the plunger.

at. An electric lock for mechanical levers comprising, a two-part casing, a slidable plunger guided by the casing, a dog fastened to the plunger, a bolt for engaging the dog,

unitary electro-responsive device detachably fastened to the two parts of the casing, and means operatively connecting the bolt and the electro-responsive .device.

5. An electric lock for mechanical levers comprising a lock bolt, an angle lever connected to the bolt, and electro-niagnetic means having Z-armature for rocking the angle lever.

. 6. An electric lock for mechanical levers, comprising a casing, a locking plungerslidably mounted in said casing and having a shoulder, a lock bolt for engaging said shoulder, and a double angle lever pivotally supported and straddling said shoulder, said angle lever having one pair of arms pivotal- 1y attached to said lock bolt, and means for operating the angle lever to raise the bolt out of its locked position; 7 4

7. An electric lock for mechanical levers comprising, two counter-part members bolted together to form a recessed casing to receive the locking mechanism, a conduit outlet attached to the counter-part members at one end of the casing, and a hood extending over said casing to protect the mechanism. I

8. The combination of alever of a mechanical interlocking plant for railways, an electric lock comprising a locking member having a cutaway portion and connected directly to said lever, a'lock dog fastened in said cutaway portion, a lock bolt cooper ating with said lock dog to hold the samein locked position, said member and bolt being of sufiicient strength to withstand the force that can be applied thereto by the lever. i

9. In an electric lock for the levers of lock dog, and means associated with said plunger for forcingsaidlock bolt into en, gagement with said lock-dog. i

10. An electric lock 'for mechanical levers,

comprising a. locking member'having a p015 tion thereof cut away, a lock dog screw fastened in said cutaway portion, alocl: bolt for engaging said loci; dog, electro-respon- SlXG means for releasing said lock bolt, and a retainer anchored at both ends to the plunger and extending over said lock bolt to force it into locking position. I

11. An electric-lock for mechanical levers ccnrprising, a slidable plunger directly connected to the lever and provided with a locking shoulder, a U-shaped bolt straddling); the plunger and adapted to engage said shoulder, and a guide cam fastened to the plunger and acting to force the bolt into position to engage the. shoulder as the plunger is shifted. r

' 12. An electric lock comprising, a slid able locking plunger provided with a dog, a lock. bolt to engage said dog, and a springpressed detent projecting from the end of said dog to hold the lock bolt in raised position, so that the locking plungermay be moved at any time after the lock bolt has been raised.

13. An electric lock for mechanical levers, comprising a slidable locking'plunger having locking shoulders, a lockboltadapted to engage either of said shoulders, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock bolt, and a spring-pressed detent projecting from one of said shoulders, said spring pre ssed detent being adapted'to maintain the dog out of engagement with the corresponding shoulder after such disengagement has been elfected. 7

14. In an electric look, a plunger, a dog fastenedto the plunger, a detent associated with the dog, and spring meansfor projecting said dete-nt from one end of the dog. A

15. In an electric lock, the combination with a slidable plunger and a lock dog tas-- tened thereto, a bolt for engaging one end of the dog, and means supported and guided by the dog for holding the bolt out of engagement therewith when such disengage,

ment has been effected.

16. An electric lock forswitch levers,a slidab-le locking plunger having a plurality of locking shoulders, a spring detent for each shoulder, a lock bolt arranged to engage said shoulders, an electro-magnet for releasing said lock bolhdynamic indication means for energizing said magnet. and a guide cam for forcing said lock bolt in po sition to engage one .ofsaid shoulders in each of its locked positions. c

17. An electric lock for signal levers, a

slidable locking plunger having a' locking lock bolt, dynamic indication means for v energizingsaidmagnet and a guide cam for forcing said loekbolt in position to engage said shoulder.

18. An oblong lever lock comprising, a casing, a plunger guided lengthwise in the casing, a bolt for locking the plunger, electro-n1agnetic means at one end of the casing for releasing the bolt, and circuit controlling with shoulders, a lock bolt for engaging said shoulders, a cam slot in one end of said plunger, a clrcuit controller supported over said cam slot and operated thereby, and an electro-responsive means mounted overthe other end of the casing and adjacent said controller for releasin said lock bolt.

20. A lever lock comprising, a plunger, a

bolt for locking said plunger in any one of various positions, a casing for supporting and guiding the plunger and bolt, electroits opposite end, and a protecting'hoodfor said parts.

21. An electric lock for mechanical levers, comprising a casing, a locking plunger slidably mounted in said casing and having a shoulder, a lock bolt to engage said shoulder, an electro-responsive device attached to the casing over the plunger near one end of the'casing, a circuit controller disposed lengthwise over the plunger and attached to the casing near its other end, and an angle lever having one arm eXtending between the controller and plunger and attached to said lock bolt, the other end of said lever extending between said electroresponsive device and controller, and actuated by said electro-responsive device to raise the lock bolt and thereby release said plunger.

22. In an electric lock for the leversof mechanical interlocking machines having lever locking, comprising, a .locking plunger having a locking shoulder, a lock bolt arranged to engage said shoulder, electromagnetic means for releasing said lock bolt,

and an energy saving device actuated by said plungerto cut oil the energy from said means at a predetermined position of the plunger.

electric lock "for mechanical levers, acasing, a locklng member supportgage said shoulder, electro-responsive means,

to raise said lock bolt, an energy saving de vice comprising a switch, and means for operating said switch provided with a roller riding on said locking member and adapted to engage said deformed portion to open the circuit to said electro-responsive device when the lever is in one of its extreme positions.

24:. In an electric 100.: having a locking plunger and an electro-magnetic lock releasing means, means operated automatically by the movement of the plunger for governing the supply of current to said means.

25. An electric lever lock having a movable locking element and electro-magnetic releasing means therefor, an energizing circuit for the means, and automatic means operated by the movement of said locking element for opening and closing said circuit.

26. In an interlocking system, the COl11bl'. nation with a lever, a locking plunger connected to said'lever, a controller drum rotated intermittently by a continuous movement of the plunger, a lock for said plunger, and electrical means for releasing said lock.

27. The combination of a lever of a mechanical, interlocking plant for railways provided with means for operating a distant traflic controlling device mechanically, an electric lock connected directly to said lever, comprising a slidable locking plunger, a lock bolt for locking said plunger, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock bolt, and a circuit controller operated directly by said plunger for cutting energy off of said electro-responsive means in certain positions of said plunger.

28. An electric lever lock comprising, av plunger having a cam slot therein, a rotary circuit controller, and means cooperating with said cam slot foroperating the circuit controller in accordance with the movement of the plunger.

29. Ina mechanical interlocking plant for operating traflic controlling devices, a plurality of levers, one of said levers being provided with means for operating a distant traffic controlling device electrically, a lock connected directly to said lever, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock, and a controller operated directly by said lock for-controlling saiddistant traffic controlling device.

30. In a mechanical interlocking plant for operating switches and signals mechanically, an electric lock including a looking plunger operatively connected directly. to one of said levers, a lock for said plunger, a controller operated directly by said plungerfor controlling a distant traffic cont-rolling device, and indication means to release said lock after the distant traffic controlling device has been operated. 7

31. In a mechanical interlocking plant for operating traffic controlling devices,"'a

plurality of levers, one of said levers being provided with an electric lock connected directly thereto, said lock comprising a lock ing member having a shoulder, a lock bolt arranged to engage said shoulder, an electro-responsive means for releasing said bolt, and a track circuit controlled relay for controlling said electro-responsive device.

32. The combination of a lever of a mechanical interlocking plant for railways, an electric lock connected directly to said lever, and comprising a slidable locking plunger, a lock bolt for locking said plunger, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock bolt, a distant traffic controlling device, a plurality of circuits for controlling the electro-responsive means, and a controller operated directly by said plunger for alternately comiecting said electro-responsive means to said circuits and for controlling said distant devlce.

33. The comoinatlon of a lever of a mechanical interlocking plant for railways, an

electric lock connected directly to said lever and comprising a slidable locking plunger, a lock bolt for locking said plunger, electroresponsive means for releasing said lock bolt, a plurality of circuits for actuating said electro-responsive means, a distant power operated traflic controlling device; and a controller operated directly by said plunger for alternatelyconnecting said electro-responsive means to said circuits and for controlling said distant traflic controlling device.

3L-In an interlocking system, the combin-ation with a lever, a locking plunger connected to said lever, a lock for said plunger, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock, a circuit adapted to be connected to a .continuously present source of potential, a dynamic indication circuit, and a circuit controller operatively connected to said plunger for alternately connecting said circuits to said electro-responsive means in the different positions of the plunger.

35. An electric lock for the levers of mechanical interlocking machines having lever locking comprising a slidable look ing plunger provided with shoulders for locking the plunger in four different positions, a lock bolt arranged to engage said shoulders, electro-responsive means for releasing said lock bolt, and a controllenfor said responsive means operated intermittently four successive times by the continuous movement of said plunger from one to the other of its extreme position.

36. An electric lock for the levers of mechanical interlocking machines having lever locking comprising means provided with shoulders to lock said lever in 'four different positions, a lock arranged to engage said shoulders, a controller having for alternately connecting said circuits to' said electro-magnetic means in the several locked positions of the plunger.

38. An electric lock for mechanicallevers comprising, a locking member having shoulders, a lock bolt for engaging said shoulders, a magnet for releasing said lock bolt, a track circuit controlled circuit, dynamic indication circuits, and a circuit controller operatively connected to said locking memher for connecting either a dynamic indication circuit or a track circuit controlled circuit to said magnet in the several locking positions of the member,

39. In combination, an electric lock comprising a locking member having shoulders and directly connected to a lever of an interlocking machine, a lock for engaging said shoulders, an electro-responsive device for raising said lock, a track circuit, a relay in said track circuit, a circuit controlled by said relay and including a source of energy for controlling said electron'esponsive device, a distant traffic controlling device having indication circuits for also con-- trolling said-electro-responsive device, and a controller for operating said trafiic controlling device and also for alternately connecting one circuit andthen the other circuit tosaid electro-responsive device.

40. An electric lock comprising, a locking member, having normal and reverse locking positions and an indication position, a shoulder on said member for each or" said positions, a latch for engaging said shoulders, an electro-responsive device for operating said latch, a dynamic indication circuit, another indication circuit which is track relay-controlled, and a circuit controller operated by said member for alternately connecting the dynamic indication circuit and said another indication circuit to said electro-responsive device.

41. An electric lock comprising, a locking member having normal and reverse locking positions and indication positions, a shoulder for each of said positions, the shoulders of said indication positions being provided with detents, track relay controlled circuits including a source of energy, dynamic indication circuits, and a controller operated by said member for selecting the proper circuit for each of said locking positions.

.42. An interchangeable electric lock comprising, a casing provided with a recess, a lock bolt, a locking plunger adapted to have attached thereto dogs and guide cams of various configurations and adapted to slide in said recess, a movable member connected to said bolt, electro-responsive devices adapted to be operated on various sources of energy supply and constructed to be at tached to said casing for actuating said movable member, a circuit controller having a drum comprlsing a plurality of adjustable and interchangeable sections, and means for operating said circuit controller by the looking plunger.

43. In a mechanical interlocking plant for operating railway traffic controlling devices, the combination of a lever, an electric lock for locking said lever comprising a casing, a locking plunger in said casing mechanically connected to said lever, electro-1nagnetically released means for locking the plunger, an energy saving switch in the energizing circuit of said electro-magnetic means, and means operated by initial movement of said locking plunger for operating said energy saving switch.

44. An electric lock chanical interlocking plants for railways adapted to be operatively connected to a lever by a single connecting link and including electro-magnetic means which if deenergized will lock said "lever, and means for cutting energy off of said electro-magnetic means when said link is in either of its extreme positions.

45. In a mechanical interlocking plant for operating switches and signals from a distance mechanically, the combination with a plurality of levers, of a connecting link con- 7 nected to one of said levers, and means connected to said link for controlling a distant traffic controlling device electrically comprising, a locking plunger, electro-magnetic means for locking said plunger if deenergized, an energy saving switch connected in series with said electro-magnetic means, and a circuit controller actuated in accordance with the movement of said plunger for operating said distant traific controlling device.

v 46. In an electric lock, the combination of two counterpart members which'if assembled form a casing having a recess, of a locking plunger having a portion thereof cut away to form a notch and slidably supported in said recess, a lock dog detachably fastened in the notch of said plunger, a lock bolt adapted to .be engaged by said .dog to prevent further movement of said dog, and means detachably connected to said plunger for forcing said lock bolt to its operative position.

for levers of me 47. An electric lock for locking levers of railway 'traflic controlling devices comprising, a casing having a recess, a locking plunger slidably supported in said recess and provided with a deformed portion, a shoulder on said plunger, a lock bolt cooperating with said shoulder, electro-magnetic means for actuating the lock bolt, and means adapted to cooperate with the deformed portion of said plunger for at times cutting energy from said electro-magnetic means.

48. An electric lock for railway ,traflic controllingapplianoes comprising, a locking plunger having a recess and a locking shoulder, a lock bolt for cooperating with the locking shoulder, electro magnetic means 'for actuating said lock bolt, and an ener saving switch connected in series with sai' electro-magnetic means and including an operating arm provided with ;a roller adapted to ride on said locking plunger and move into said recess.

49. An electric lock for railway trafiic controlling appliances comprising, a locking plunger having a cam slot and .a locking shoulder, an electrically operated lock bolt cooperating with said shoulder, a drumtype circuit controller, a slide member supported for movement transversely to the movement of the plunger, a roller carried by said member and disposed in the cam slot of the plunger, and means for causing rotary movement of said circuit controller {2y transverse movement of said slide mem- 50. An electric lock for railway trafiic controlling devices comprising two counter-part members bolted together to form a recessed casing, a locking plunger slidably supported in the recess of said casing and haV-in locking shoulder, a lock bolt slidably supported for movement transverse to the movement of the locking plunger, a guide cam fastened to said locking plunger for actuating said lock bolt to its active position upon movement of the locking plunger to its locked position, and means fastened to opposite sides of said lock bolt for actuating said lock bolt to the unlocked position.

51. An electric lock for railway trafiic controlling devices comprising, a locking plunger having a locking shoulder, a U-shaped lock bolt slidably supported for movement transversely to the movement of the plunger and adapted to have the closed endthereof engage the locking shoulder, a uide cam fastened to said locking plunger for actuating said lock bolt to its locking position upon movement of the locking plunger to its locked position, and means fastened to opposite sides of said U-shaped lock belt for actuating said lock bolt to the unlocked position.

52. An electric lock for railway trafic controlling devices comprising, a locking plunger having a locking shoulder, a U-shaped to its locked position, and pivotally suplock bolt guided for movement transverse ported means having a pin and slot connecto the movement of the locking plunger and tion to said lock bolt for actuating the lock 10 arranged to engage said shoulder, a guide bolt to its unlocked position.

cam fastened to said locking plunger for In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. actuating said lock bolt to its locking position upon movement of the locking plunger JAMES E. STEPHENSON.

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