USRE6579E - Improvement in electric signaling apparatus for railways - Google Patents

Description

zsheets she'em v v r. POPE. Electric Sigia ling' Apparatus for Railways.

Reissued Aug. 3, 18.75.

rr m 2Siieeta--Sheet2. r. L. POPE.

Electric Signaling Apparatus far Railways.

. No, 6,579, a Reissued Aug.3,i875.

mini W Iii! MW Hilllilllflilili 1 UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. POPE, OF ELIZABETH, ASSIGNOB. TO HIMSELF, JAMES N. ASHLEY, OF GREENVILLE, NEWV JERSEY, STEPHEN G. HENDRIGKSON, OF BROOK- LYN, NEV YORK, AND JAMES D. LINCOLN, OF GREENVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT lN ELECTRlCSlGNALl-NG APPARATUS FOR RAIL-WAYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,941, dated August 27, 1872; reissue No. 6.579., dated August 3, 1875; application filed July 23,1875.

DIVISION B.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, FRANK abeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and of this specification.

The invention set forth in this division consists, first, in the combination, with a visual signal, of an electro-Inagnet and armature, adapted to cause the signal to be displayed by a momentary action of a current, and then to hold the signal displayed so lon'gas may be deemed necessary by theaction ofresidual magnetism and, further,-in the arrangement of connections and circuits for. arresting the action of the visual signal actuatinganagnet, and restoring the signal to its'normal position by means of a reverse current'thrown through. the helix or helices of the actuatingmagnet, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

These means and principles may be applied to any desired .visual signal; but "1 have here shown the invention with special reference to my improved system of electric railroad-signals- Figure 1 in the accompanying drawingis an'elevation of the signal box and signal mechanism, the box and a portion of the apparatus being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a detached sectional view, showing the construction of the magnet. Fig. 3 is a diagram, showing the arrangementof the electrical connections and the manner of operating the signals.

In Figs. 1 and 2, E E designate the helices of the electro-magnet which moves the signal apparatus.- The soft-iron cores 0 e are oil the usual cylindrical form, and are connected to gether by the soft-iron yoke 'e, which is securely fastened, in any suitable manner, to the frame or support 'D D. The cores 0 e extend about. half the length of the helices EE, and within them, as shown in Fin. 9

L; Porn, of Eliz- A second yoke, f, also provided with cylindrical cores f f, which are movable longitudinally within the helices E E, constitutes the armature, and this armature is supported by a vertical rod, F, pivoted to an angular lever, G G, which turns upon an arbor at g, and at the opposite extremity of which is pivoted to the pitmanrod H of a crank, J. The crank J is secured to an arbor or shaft, j, which, as here shown, is provided with suitable bearings. The signal, as here shown, is composed of four circular disks or targets, M M M M, constructed of some thin and light material, such, for exhooksof any suitable diameter. The signal is shown as inclosed in an opaque box,"L, provided with two circular openings, 0 O, which permit the white disks M M to be seen from the exterior when the apparatus is in its normal position.

fourth of a revolution, the colored disks M M while-a reversal of this movement will cause the white disks to he again displayed and the "colored disks concealed.

- The construction of the signal used need not bedwelt upon in this division, as it is evident that the principles of operation herein illustrated may be applied to any signal apparatus in which a signal is displayed by being moved or actuated by an electro-magnet.

When a current of electricity is sent through the helices E'E the axial magnetic force developedthereby tends to draw the cores f f into the helices, while at the same time both sets ot cores, f f and c 0, become powerfully magnetized, and their mutual attraction acts in conjunction with the first-named force to bring them into contact with each other. The employment of the force of axial magnetism in this manner is found to materially increase the effective length of the stroke in the apparatus. The movement of the cores f f is ample, as paper or oiled silk, stretched upon g It will be readily understood that, if the an I .lbor or shaft) be moved the disance of onewill be brought in front of the opening 0 O, and the white disks M M will be concealed.

transmitted through the vertical rod anthrough the said helices,-when ices E'E, and their v a simple armature, f, wh ich, if necessaryyean 'roperator at r leyer G, and pitman H ,to the crank J whichis so adjusted that the arbor orshaftj will be moved thereby through the distance of one-fourth of a revolution, and the colored. disks or targets M and M will then be exhibited through the openings 0 0, instead of the white disks M M shown in the drawing... A pulley, 1?, provided with a. cord, 1), and a weight, 1), is also fixed upon the shaft j. The weight p is sufiiciently heavy tocause the apparatus to return to its normal position whenever the attraction between a e and f f eeasesg but; inasmuch as these cores are permitted to come into absolute contact with each other, the residual magnetism which, by a well known law of magnetic action, always ren hins in the soft iron under these conditions after the exciting current has ceased, prevents them from beingseparated by the action of the weight 1). If,- now,'a somewhat weaker electric currentof opposite polarity be sent through the helices E Egth residual magnetism willbe neutralized, and the attraction betweenee and ff entirely destroyed, and the signal will at once return to its normal posi- .tion by the action of the,wei'g'ht p! acting upon the pulley P.

Thus, it will be understood that an electric. current sent through the helices E E in-one direction will cause a signal to 'beshown through the opeliingsO O, which will remain in position after the said current has ceased, and until a currentbfopposite polarity is sent will be againshown. I

I wish it to be nnderstoodtnatl do not con.

fine myself to the particular mode of constructing'an electro-magnet as shown in Fig.2. .The same result maybe produced by the use of an 'electro-m agnet of the. ordinary form, in which the cores e 'eextend entirely throngh'the helattraction is exerted upon be guided in an y suitable manner so as to come directly in contact with the ends of both cores e e and I will furtherremark that the movable cores ff (shown in Fig. 2)]may. be ex tended nearly or quite 'throughtheheliees E and the cores 8 e and yoke e may be; dispensed with, in which case the movement of the cores ffiand yoke f, will be efi'ected solely by axial magnetism.

A and B, Fig. 3, are supposed to represent two stations, situated at the opposite ends. of a bridge, tunnel, or any section" ofa single-- track upon the line of a railroad. Each station is provided with a semaphoric signal, constructed and arranged'as hereinbefore described, as well as a tell tale o'rrepeating signal, a battery, and twofinger-keys of any -suitable construction. j

The manner in which the apparatus is oper fated is as follows: We will assume that the A wishes to set sign'at at B; be then depresses the black key K, which closes the circuit at k.

' the stop n.

operator at A, as arm. N will be brought in contact with the stop a white signal sitiou, after the operator at thepositivev pole of the battery and 6 to the earth.

An electrical current S'rom the negative or pole of the battery S (its positive orv pole bein gpermanentlyin connection with the ground) will pass through the wires l and 2 to the' key K; thence :over the linewire 3 to station B; thence through the rear contact of key K and wire 4 to the helices E E of the semaphoric signal-operating magnet, and thence to the ground by the wires 5 and 6. The passage of this current through E E will cause a signal to be displayed at B.

In order that the operator whether the signal at B is properly displayed, the latter is madeto work a repeating signal or tell-tale at A. I This is accomplished as follows:' N, Figs. 1 and 3, is a flexible metallic arm, attached to the lever G of .the signal, its extremity being placed between two metallic steps, a and n, and so adjusted that when the apparatus is in its norlnal position it will be 'in contact with the stop a; but when the apparatus is not'in normal position the said arm will be brought in contact with It 'will, therefore, be understood that when the signal at B has been set by the hereinbefore explained, the

n. This contact will close the circuit .and cause acurrent to pass from the battery S through the wire 7, arm N, line-wire 8, arm N, and wire 9 to the helices Q Q 'atstation A,- and thence by wires 10 and 11 to the ground. The helices Q Q may be employed to operate any suitable form of tell-tale, repeating-signal, g3 alarm-bell, the particular arrangement opted being immaterial, as the object ot' the device-is merelyto inform the operator at A that the semaphoric signal at B is in the desired position. The signal at B is held in po- I A breaks the circuit at the key K, by the action of the residual magnetism, as hereinbefore explained. When it is desired to unset the signal and restore the apparatus "to its normal condt tion the operator at B depresses. the white key K.. This causes a current. ,to pass from S through the wires-i, 12,'and 13 to'the key K, through the jwireslag-lz'i, and 4 to the semaphoric helices E E, and thence by the wires5 This current, being of a polarity opposite to that by which the magnet was originally charged, neutralizes the residual magnetism, and permits the signal to resume its normal position, which latter operation breaks the circuit between N. and n, a thereby. releases I the repeating-signal'connect ed with Q mans notifies the operator at A thatft hesignal has been unset at. B, and re 1 stored to its normal condition. In case a sig:

nal is to be setat A theoperation is precisely the same, but in a reverse direction. The operator at B depresses key K and sends a current through the helices E' E of the scum: phoric signal operating magnet at A, its niovements'being indicated by the. repeating-v signal connected with Qt), It will be observed that the signal at B, and consequently. the telltale or repeating-signal at A having atA may know.

and thence -for neutralizing the permanent magnetism in the semaphoric magnets should. be considerably weaker than, the primary current. This result-is accomplishedby inserting a rheostat, B, into the circuit between the key K and -helices E E, by the aid of which the strength of the current can be modified or regulated at pleasure. The same result may be accomplislred by using a smaller separate battery of suitable power, or by including only a small portion of the battery S! in the reversing-current, or the battery may be dispensed with and the demagnetizing current may be derived from a magnetic-electric apparatus of any well-known and suitable construction.

The force ol'the residual magnetism employed for the purpose of holding or retaining the signail in position may be greatly increased by making the yokes e and f of hardened steel, or by partially hardening the cores so and ff, and it will in most cases be found preferable to construct the magnet in this way. In case a signaling apparatus is so situated as to be exposed to excessive vibration, so that the rcsidual magnetism remaining in, the cores of the electro-magnet after the circuit is brokenis insufiicient to retain the apparatus in position with certainty, a weak current may be made to circulate around the cores e 0 after the primary current has'ceasethand in the same direction. This current may be derived from the same battery as the primary current, or from a"; separate battery, as maybe found most convenient.

By this means the force of the residual magnetism may be increased to any desired extent.

A bell-signal may be used forcommunicating between the stations A and B, using the wire 3 and a weaker current, which, though strong enough. to operate a magnet for'striking a bell, will not be suflicient to aifect the semaphoric magnets. a separate battery. or from the main battery, or a portion thereof, and weakened by being made to pass through a rheostat. This are rangement, however, forms no necessary :part of my invention, and, therefore, need not be further described. V

When itis desired to operate the signal This current may be derived from through a considerable length of line, I employ a relay-magnet,- of any suitable construc tion, in place of the helices E E and their appurtenances. This relay is caused in a manner well understood to close the circuit of a 10-,

cal battery actuating the magnet which moves the signal. The armature'of the said relay is held in position after the circuit is broken by means of the residual magnetism, as hcreinbefore explained, and thus the local circuit remains closed, and t e signal displayed until a demaguetizing current is sent through the helices of the relay.

In case it is found desirable or necessary to employa bell or other alarm, operated by electromagnetism or mechanical power, in any suitable manner, in lieu of or in conjunction with a semaphoric signal, I employ a relay, constructed in the manner last described, for the purpose of actuating or controlling the said hell or alarm through the agency of a local circuit.

I make no claim to the method herein shown ,by which the electro-magnet that actuates a semaphoric signal at a distant statioujs made toclose another circuit and actuate a secondary signal situated at or near the point from which the p imary signal is operated, as substantially the same arrangement is set forth in the English patent of W. H.- Preecc, No. 77, January 10, 1862.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.l. The combination, with avisual signal, of an electro-magnet and an armature operating to display the signal by direct magnetic attraction, and to hold the same displayed by residual magnetism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a visual signal, an electro-magnet, and armature operating to dis play the signal by magnetic attraction, and to hold the same displayed by residual magnetism, of a circuit-closer and opposing circuit for throwing a releasing or demagnetizing current through'the coil or coils of the actuating electro-magnet, substantially as set forth.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

. FRANK L. PQPE. Witnesses:

IL-M. Hues, GEORGE S, HAMLIN.

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