US236336A - john b - Google Patents

Description

' (No Model.) A whew-sheet 1.

' y v-J..B.` 8v 0. B. JOHNSON l Bleqtroal'RaJilroad Signal.` No.i 236,336. Patented Jan. 4,1881..

HIIIIIIIIHIIIIIlllIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIlllmmlllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIII Ilm nu7 N, PETERS. PHQTOMTHGGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. nv C.

(N Model.) 2Sheets--Shee'iJ 2'.

' B.' 8i 0.l B. JOHNSON. Y

v.Electrical Railrad Signal. ,N. 236,336. l Patentedklan.4.11881.

tAfrnNfr JOHN B. JOHNSON AND ORVILLE B.V OHNSON, OF BOSTON, MASS.

ELECTRICAL RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 236,336, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed August 7, 1880, (Novmdel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B. JOHNSON and ORVILLE B. JOHNSON, both of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Railway-Signals, ot' which the following is a specilication.

Theinvention relates to that class of railwaysignals in which a target or other visible signal is mechanically set7 or caused to be displayed by the wheels of a passing trainand concealed when the train in its departure has reached a point at a given distance from the signal, the wheels of the train at the distant point acting to generate an electric current, which is transmitted back to the point where the signal is located, and suitable mechanism is operated to conceal the target.

The invention has for its object to provide certain improvements in the mechanism for setting` the target, whereby its movement induced by the abrupt contact of a car-Wheel with a lever by the side of the track is made gradual and moderate, so that no injury will be inliicted on the target orits operating mechanism by the abrupt movements of the lever.

The invention also has for its object to provide mechanism for locking the taget when it is set which will securely hold the target, and is capable of being operated to release the target by a light current of electricity transmitted from a distant point.

To these ends our invention consists in the improvements hereinafter described and claimed. l

Ot' the accompanying drawings', forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 representsl a front elevation of a signal and its accompa nying mechanism embodying' our invention. Fig. 2 represents a side or end elevation. Fig.

' 3. represents a t-op view. Fig. 4 represents a top view Aof a portion of the target-locking mechanism. Fig. 4a represents a similar view,

tating mechanism, showing certain parts in different positions, a part ot' the frame f being removed.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the ligures.

In the drawings, B represents a target or signal of the usual or any suitable construction, the same being preferably -a circular frame having a colored covering and located, as usual, by a railroad-track.

r represents the shaft of the target, which is journaled in a frame, A, and is adapted to rotate in both directions. The target is normally held in a practically concealed or horizontal position, as shown by the horizontal line in Fig. 7, by a spring, s', suitably connected to the shaft r and a fixed object, and adapted to rotate the target against a stop arranged to hold the target in its horizontal position. The target is rotated from its horizontalposition to the vertical position shown in Figs. l and 7 by the action of apassing train on a motor constructed as follows:

In a suitable frame-Worley, isjournaled the arbor g ofa disk, c, one side of which is provided with a series of lateral pins, c. On the arbor of the disk c is rigidly ixed a ratchetwheel, d.

g represents a lever pivoted on the arbor g', and provided at one end with a dog, p, engaging with the teeth of the ratchet, and at the other end with a downwardly-pullin g spring, s2.

e represents a lever pivoted on the arbor g', by the side of the lever g, and adapted to move independently of the latter. The lever e is connected,.by a rod, e, to a pedal or lever, c2, the outer end of which is supported by a spring, and is arranged in such relation to the railroad-track as to be depressed by the Wheels of a moving train passing' the point Where the signal is located. The lever g has a lug, g2, projecting over and bearing loosely upon the lever e when said levers are in line with each other, so that when the lever e is abruptly lifted by the action ot' the car-wheels on the lever e2 it will lift the lever g and cause the pawl p to slip over one tooth of the ratchet, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, but when the lever e2 is left by the car-wheels, and the connecting-rod e and lever e drop abruptly,

.dotted lines in Fig. 2, and by the dotted oval y TOO the lever g, which is engaged with a new tooth of the ratchet, is lett, as shown in Fig. 10, to be drawn down more slowly by the spring s2, thus rotating the ratchet d and disk c gently in the direction indicated by arrows in Figs. 7 and 10, until the lug g2 of the lever g is stopped by the lever e. This rotation of the disk cis sufficient to cause one of its pins c to engage with an arm, a, on the shaft of the target B, and rotate said target gently from its concealed to its displayed position. The position ofthe arm a when the target is in its horizontal position is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, said arm lying in the path of the pins c', so that when the disk c is rotated one of the pins will swing the arm upwardly until such pin passes the arm and target in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. The independent downward movement of the levers c g preventsany violent or abrupt rotation of the target and intermediate parts, thereby obviating danger of breakage or injury. A friction spring or brake, s, is employed to prevent the too free rotation of the disk c. Vhen the target reaches its vertical position it is locked by automatic mechanism, which is adapted to be operated to unlock the signal by the closing of an electric circuit. rThe shaft of the target is provided with a rigid arm, on, which swings or rotates with the target.

The mechanism for locking the target consists ot` a horizontal lever, l, pivoted at Z3, and provided with shoulders l and Z2 near its pivot and at opposite sides thereof, and with a lug, l, at its forward end, a lever, 0, pivoted at 02, and provided with a hook, o', and an electromagnet, M, the armature of which is attached to the lever o, so that when said magnet is eX- cited it will attract the armature and swing the lever 0 in one direction, and a spring, o3, to swing the lever 0 in the opposite direction when the armature is released.

Then a train passes the point where the target is located and rotates the latter, by the mechanism described, to set it in a position to indicate danger#7 the arm m strikes the longer shoulder Z2 ofthe lever l, (the latter being in the position shown in Fig. 4a, and by dotted lines in Figs. 3, 4, and, 7,) and by its pressure against said shoulder swings the lever Z around until its lug l4 passes over and is caught by the hook o', as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 7, the side of the lever l at the same time meeting a stop, c, which prevents the further movement ot' the lever l; hence the shoulder Z2 becomes a stop to arrest the rotation of the arm m and the target. The lever l is now held, by the hook o', in theposition shown in full lines in Figs. 3, 4, and 7, and its shorter shoulder Z constitutes a stop for the arm m, which prevents the target from being rotated by its spring s' back 'toits concealed position. The target is thus locked until the lever o is attracted by the electro-magnet M, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lever l being thus released, s0 that the pressure (by the spring s) of the arm m against the shoulder Z will cause the lever Ito swing back against a stop, z', to the position shown in Fig. 4f, and by dotted lines in Figs. 3, 4, and 7, thereby releasing the arm mifand allowing the spring s to rotate the target back to its concealed position.

The electro-magnet M is excited to attract the armature-lever 0 by means of a magnetogenerator, A', composed of a permanent magnet, S, and a rotating armature, M U', com posed ot' a pair ot' coils onja journaled shaft, and arranged to rotate in the field of the magnet and generate magneto-currents, as usual in generators of this class. The generator is located by the track, at any desired distancesay a mile from the target B-and its rotating armature is electrically connected with the electro-magnet M, the generator being pro vided with a suitable commutator, C, and contact-springs s* s, through which the coils of the armature M are connected to ground and line, the latter extending from the commutator to the electro-magnet M. The armature M lll is rotated by a motor arranged to be operated by the wheels of the train, the best forni of motor of which we are at present aware being a ratchet-wheel, R, located'loosely on an arbor on the frame ot' the generator, a lever, L, journaled on the same shaft and provided with a pawl, p', engaging with the teeth ot' the ratchet R, a cog-wheel, G, rigidly attached to the ratchet R and meshing with a pinion, F, on the shaft of the armature M', a lever or pedal, T, pivoted at T', and arranged to be depressed at its outer end by the wheels ot' the train, and a rod, l", connecting the lever T with the lever L. Under the lever T is an upwardly-pressing spring which lifts the lever T and depresses the rod Z5, lever L, and pawl p after the depression ot' the lever T by each wheel. The motor is so arranged that a single depression of the lever T by a ear-wheel produces a rapid rotation of the armature M.

The operation of the described mechanism is as follows: Suppose the target B to be in a horizontal position indicating safety and a train of cars to be approaching the point where the signal is located. When the wheels of the train strike the lever c2 the rod c and levers e g are raised thereby, and when the rod e and lever c descend, the ratchet d and disk c are rotated by the spring s2 and ratchet p, and one of the pins of, bearing against the arm af, turns the target to its vertical position, in which position it is automatically locked by the engagement ofthe arm m with the locking mechanism, as already described. The target now indicates danger until the train in its departure reaches the point where the magnetogenerator is located, and when said point is reached the wheels of the train operate the motor, and thus rotate the armature of the generator sufficiently to cause a current of magneto-electricity to be transmitted back to the magnet M. The magnet thus excited attracts its armature and moves the hook 0',

IOO

IOS

IIO

thereby releasing the lever l, which yields and allows the spring s to rotate the target to its horizontal position, the lever Z turning on its pivot until the arm m passes the shoulder Z. When the target reaches a horizontal position its rotation is arrested by a suitable stop. rlhe target now indicates safety,7 and is ready for a repetition of the described operation.

The combination of a magneto-generator of the class described with the target and mechanism for operating the saine in the manner above set forth forms the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent which we are about to tile, and is not therefore claimed in the present application.

We iind that our locking mechanism above described is well adapted to be operated by 1n agneto-currents, which have not the strength of the usual battery-currents,) for the reason that said mechanism is very sensitive and easily operated, and at the saine time is sufficiently strong to hold the target.

We claiml. The combination of the pivoted target held normally by a spring, s', in a position to indicate safety,77 a lever, e2, adapted to be operated by the wheels of a passing train, intermediate mechanism, substantially as described, whereby a gentle rotation of the targetto a position indicating danger is effected after a movement of the lever e by the wheels of a passing train, and automatic locking mechanism to hold the target in the lastnamed position against the force of its spring s', as set forth.

2. The target exposing or setting mechanism, consisting of the arm aon the shaft of the target, the rotary disk c, having pins c', the ratchet d, attached to the disk c, the pivoted lever g, carrying thedog p, the pivoted lever e, connected by a rod to a suitable pedal-lever and engaged with the lever g, so as to move the latter in one direction only, and the spring s2, adapted to return the lever gto'place after it is moved by the lever e, whereby the target is rotated gently to its exposed position, as Set forth.

3. In combination with the pivoted target, rotated in one direction by a motor operated by the wheels ot' a train, and in the opposite direction by a spring, s', the arm m rigidly attached to the shaft of thetarget, and the lockingmechanisin composed of the lever l, and the hooked armature-lever 0, operated, as described, to hold and release the lever l, the latter being provided with a projection, L2, against which the arm m bears and moves the lever l to engage the same with the armaturelever when the target is turned by its motor, and with a projection, l', which acts as a stop for the arm m to prevent said arm from being rotated by the spring s', as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of July, A. D. 1880.

JOHN B. JOHNSON. ORVILLE B. JOHNSON.

Witnesses C. F. BROWN, MoRRls Dona.

Images