US472359A - Electric indicator for railroad-blocks - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. W. JAGGARD.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD BLOCKS.

(No Model.)

,359. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

an uewto Q/VVM uwow (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. W. JAGGARD. ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD BLOCKS.

No. 472,359. A Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

Wbtmaoaaq I III" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. JAGGARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD-BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,359, dated April 5, 1892. Application filed April 6, 1891. serial No. 387,847. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. J AGGARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Indicators for Railroad-Blocks, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

' My invention relates particularly to electrically-operated railway-signals of the block typefor the information of and guidance of operators or switchmen who control the blocks on railways by outdoor signals; and its objects are, first, to provide means for indicating visually and audibly at the same time the condition of various blocks; second, to so arrange the several parts of the system that after a train has once entered a block and the indicators have been set to danger a safety-signal will not be displayed at the first station until the train has left the block, and, third, to accomplish the various features of operation hereinafter described, all of which objects are brought about by the use of the apparatus shown and described, but particularly pointed out in the claims which follow this specification.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the audible and visual signal mechanism. Fig. 2 represents a vertical and sectional view of same. Fig. 3 represents a diagrammatic view showing the circuit connections and indicator mechanism entire for one block of a system, each of the blocks of said system being the duplicate of that disclosed in said figure.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a support for the indicator mechanism, and N is an inclosing box for the latter, secured to said support.

D. designates a signal-bell or equivalent audible indicating apparatus secured to the support Aby a bracket G.

S designates a visual blade or semaphore pivotally secured by a shaft in the box or frame N, which shaft carries a polarized armature a, adapted to play between the poles of a polar magnet M.

L designates a two-armed lever, which is pivoted to a frame in the box N. In the path of the long limb of said lever. is a locking-lug Z, which is carried by the shaft of the blade S. The short limb of said lever is engaged by a finger F on the pivoted armature-lever A, the latter carrying the hammer F of the bell D, said finger serving by its engagement with the short limb of the lever L to raise the long lever thereof. The armature-lever A is provided on its rear side with a contact-spring adapted to make and break contact with a back contact, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The armature of the lever A is actuated by a neutral magnet M, and is provided with a retractile spring Q for automatically returning it to its rear position after each forward vibration. This constitutes the visual and audible apparatus, the same beingshown at two stations A and B (See Fig. 3.)

BA and BA are two main-line batteries,

both of which are normally open and have may be located directly in the signal-box N.

These push-buttons have each two pairs of contacts a and a which are adapted to make electrical contact with a conducting cross-bar, as clearly shown, dependent upon whether the push is in the forward or rear position. Normally they are held to the rear position by a spiral spring surrounding the rod upon which the cross-bar rests.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Suppose a train to be entering the block shown in Fig. 3 at station A Upon entering the block the operator or attendant in charge of that block pushes the button 0 and causes the contact-points a to make electrical contact with the cross-bar borne by said push, thereby closing the circuit of the battery BA from the earth E through the neutral magnetM, polar magnet M, the line-wire to running to the distant end of the block through the polar magnet M in the same direction asin the polar magnet at A the neutral magnet M, armature-lever A, back contact-point, wire 10 push-button O, to earth at E. This energizes the neutral magnets M at both stations, causing their armatures A to be drawn forward, and thus rings both bells D at A and B", and at the same time lifts the lockinglevers L out of the paths of the locking-lugs I, so that the polarized magnets M at both stations are allowed to lift the blades or semaphores S and S into positions indicating danger. At the same time the bells at both stations ring continuously, owing to the interruption of the circuit between the armature-lever A and its back contact-point at station 13; but this interruption is not sufficient to interfere with the action of the current upon the polar magnets M at both stations. As soon as the semaphores S and S are set and the operator at station A is made aware that a signal has been received on the bell at station B by the continued noise of his own bell he allows the push C to return to its normal position, thereby removing the battery-current BA from the line. Immediately the locking-levers L at both stations drop behind the lugs Z and lock the semaphores S and S in positions of danger, and they remain thus displayed until the train has passed out of the block at station 13*, when the operator at that station pushes his button 0 into its forward position, which places the battery BA to line in a reversed direction to that which set the signals when the battery BA was put to line, and by this action releases the locking-levers L and forces the semaphores into position of safety. Ilis bell is made to ring continuously by the vibration of A at A and removing his hand from the button it takes its normal position and cuts the battery from line. It will be noticed that when either button is pushed the circuit-breaking points on the armature A are cut out of circuit and the armature is made to vibrate by the interruptions of the current by the armature A at the distant instrument. The continued ringing of the bell shows to the operator or person pushing the button that his signal has operated in the distant indicator or that the person pushing a button is able to know immediately that his signal has or has not reached the distant station. Should the current not reach the distant instrument and operate the bell thereof, the home bell will make but one tap for each time the button is pushed or it will fail to ring at all. It will also be noticed that after the operator at station A has once set his semaphore to danger he cannot release it, as this can only be done by the operator at the distant station in the manner already dcseribed, although he may use the bells to call attention of the distant operator.

It will thus be seen that this system is one of expedition, with increased safety in setting and releasing the signals in sequence, as desired, and until this is accomplished the trains should not proceed.

I am aware that audible and visual signals have heretofore been used conjointly in block systems of electrical railway systems, and I make no claim to this feature, broadly.

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

1. In a system of electrical indicators for railroad-blocks, the combination of signals, neutral and polarized magnets having armatures for actuating the signals, the armatures of the neutral magnets controlling the armatures of the polar magnets, and the electrical connections, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical signal for railroads, the combination of an audible and a visual signal, a main-line battery with a neutral electromagnet,and a polar electro-magnct,the former magnet having mechanical connection with the audible signal and the latter with the visual signal, the armature of the neutral magnet controlling the armatures of the polar magnet, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical signal-indicator for railroads of the block type, the combination of two sets of visual signals and two sets of audible signals located at independent stations, two polar electro-magnets with two neutral electro-magnets at said stations, the former magnets having connection with the visual signals and thelatter magnets adapted to control each, and an audible signal with p ush-buttons at each station, whereby audible and visual signals are actuated and released, the armatures of the said neutral magnets controlling the armatures of said polar magnets, substantially as described.

a. In an electrical signal of the block type embodying visual and audible signals, the combination of a neutral clectro-magnetic trembler-bell and a polar electro-magnet at each end of the block, with a main-line battery and a switch for each apparatus, the polar magnets controlling eaclrvisual signal, and the armatures of the neutral magnetic bells controlling the armatures of the polar magnets, substantially as described.

ROBERT W. J AGGARD. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEnEnsnEnr, A. 1. JENNINGS.

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