US1032345A - Railway block system. - Google Patents

Description

W. G. ROOME.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1902.

Patented July 9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

314mm, F01:

W. G. ROOME.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM. APPLICATION-FILED MAR. s, 1902.

1,032,345; Patented July 9, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

b a *a S w E o N} w 83k N [1 L'Q 3. s :Q N S k WITNESSES: n k INVENTOR W.'G. ROOMB.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION'PILBD MAR. s, 1902.

Patented July 9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR AT ORNEY WITNESSES: aim

Cit

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

WILLIAM G. ROOME, OF L03 ANGELES. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR T) THE UNION SVVITGH AND SIGNAL COI/IPANY. OF SXVXSSVALE. PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA.

CORPORATION OF RAILNVAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters atent Patented JnlyS), 1912.

Application filed March 3, 1902.. Serial No. 95536.

To a whom if m I ma 11');

Be it known that l. .VILLIAM G. Rooms. a citizen of the llnitetl States. formerly a resitlent of Jersey City. New Jersey. but now a resitlent of Los Angeles, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Block Systems. of which the following is a specification.

1 will describe several block systems emhotlying' my invention, as well asseveral parts or pieces of apparatus adapted to he usetl in these systems. and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

in the :u-companving drawings, Figures l and 2 are views showing the mechanial parts of. a signal operating mechanism. Figs. 31. 1 aml 5 are views showing a mechanically actuatetl rotary switch which may be usetl in connection with my invention. Figs. (3 ainl Tare views showing a similar rotary switch hut of an electromagnetically actuatetl tvpe. Fig. 8 is a tliagramn'iatic view showi 4: a motor generator or rotary transtorn cr which may he usetl; in connection with my inventioh. Fig. 9 is a view showing; in section a form of controller such as is ortlinarily usetl on cars of electric rail-- ways Figs. 10. It and 12 are views showing); a relay rlevice which may he usetl in connection with my invention. Figs. 13 antl ll are views illustrating tliagrainmat cally portions of a railway having applied thereto two forms of block system emhotlying my invention.

Similar re'terence characters designate similar parts throughout the several views.

ltet'erring now to Fig. l, I have here shown in front elevation a signal operating mechanism eml'io ving my invention. This mechanism may he-mountetl upon'a sign 1 pole and connected with a signal as illustratetl in Fig, 2. In Fig. 1 M designates an electric motor which is operative-1y connect-ed by means of gearing in a usual manner with a tlrum (l. I have shown two gear wheels with portions of the teeth 9. The upper gear wheel is secured to the drum (7. 'ountl upon. the drum (i is a wire rope or chain 7) for moving the semaphore on its pivot in a manner such as is shown in Fig. I 2. To this upper gear wheel also securetl an arm or stutl l carrying: a pin j which latl ter is arranged to engage with anti move a haihlle It of a rotary switch F hereinafter l described. The pin is in loose euggagcinent with the handle 71 The solicl lines iiulicute the positions which the arm J and the haiulle h assume when the semaphore is in 'langer position, and the arrow indicates the tlllttftion in which these parts and the tlllllll r/ rotate when the signal is moved to safety position. During this movement, the tlrum makes a little more than one complete revolution, the arm and hamlle then assuming the positions indicated by the (lash lines. 011 completing one revolution, the pin j strikes the handle I; on the side opposite to that shown in the solid lines, aml (hiring the remaintler ot' the rotation the pin rotates the hamlle it of the rotary switch F. \Vhen the motor tlet nergiZed and the counterweight returns the signal to the danger position, the gear wheel d and pin are rotatetl in the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow. The pin j makes a little more than one complete revolution in this reverse direction. striking the hantltc [L on the other sitle and returning this handle with the rotary switch F to the position shown in the solitl lines. .1 do not tlesire to limit myself to this particular method of operating the rotary switch F hy the movement of the signal meclu-iuism, as any method may be used by which the switch shall. be shifted just as the signal. s mapl'iore is completing its movement to one l Or-lIlOll or another,

Figs. I? anti 4 are sitle antl eml views respectively of a form of rotary switch which may he used in connection with my invem tion. This switch comprises a hastn at in two upright supports 0, (1. These supports act as hearings in which revolves a block t of insulating" material towhich is securetl the operating hantlle ll. Secured also to the block (l are small metal bridging contact piccesm which are arranged to he engaged antl disengaged, by the rotation of the block t with upright contact springs l. which are mounted upon the base 11. When these contact pieces m are mountetl on the hloek t in the arrangement snown in Fig. l. the shifting ot the hloclt through a quaw tcnrevolution acts to disconnect one set of contact pieces from the springs on one s tlc, tllltl to connect another set with the springs on tle other sitle. The contact pieces m may however be arranged on the block G as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which case a quarter-revolt ion at the block (9. will act to disconnect ht 'contact pieces from the springs on each si e at the saine time. This rotary switch is adapted to make a quick break, and it may be used to open a circuit in several places at the same instant. As the block'G is revolved, it is evident that a rubbing contact is made between the contact pieces m and the springs I. The block (it is of square construction, and it may be so proportioned that at the moment a contact piece m leaves a contact spring I, the corner of the block G strikes the spring I and forces itaway from the contact piece m. This arrangement effects a break in a circuit twice as quickly as an ordinary switch, since the spring 1 and the contact piece 171 are each moving away from the other at the time the break occurs. Although I have in Fig. 3 shown six contact springs I on each side of the switch. it is to be understood that this number of spri may be varied to suit. the conditions nn lm which the switch to be used. l 1

In F i gs. 6 and 7 I show a method by which a rotary switch such as I have just described may be operated by means of a solenoid N. Instead of the handle it, a small gear wheel is in this case secured to the shaft of the block (l. and the teeth of this gear wheel mesh with the teeth of a rack carried by a plunger f of the solenoid N. This plunger t may b held in its lower or deenergizcd position by means of a weight w secured to its lower end. When the solenoid is energized, the plunger't will be raised, shifting the block G and openin the contact between the contact pieces in and the contact springs I.

In F ig. 8 I have shown diagrammatically a motor generator or rotary transformer T, such as may be used in connection with my invention for the purpose of charging storage batteries as hereinafter explained. A motor generator of this'type is shown and described in Letters Patent No. (W362i, granted to me on October 1, 1901.. The commutator on one side is-connected with a primary coil p, and the commutator on the other side is connected with a secondary coil 8. v

Fig. 9 is a view showing a controller C, such as is used on the cars of an electric railway. I here show a view of such con troller in order that for the sake of brevity and clearness I may refer to it hereafter by the reference character C.

Referring now to Figs. 10, 11, and 12, I have here showiri'espectively a front elevation, side elevation, and a partial plan view of a relay which may be used in connection with my invention. This relay is adapted to control 4 plurality of circuits by themovpment oi its armature, and is particularly adapted to be used in an alter-nab ing current circuit. V designates a core. upon which are wound coils t. This core is preferably comprised of laminated soft iron stampings, and is substantially U-shaped shown in Fig. 1.0 to bring its two poles adjacent one another. designates an armature pivoted at to a frame 76 which supports the core V; to this armature is secured an armature piece y, also comprised of laminated soft iron stampings and so arranged that when attracted by the poles of the core V it will form a complete magnetic circuit with the core. By means of this arrangement the coils t, 6 act as a choke coil when energized by alternating current and when the armature is closed, An economical relay is thus produced; the farther the armature piece y is drawn away from the poles of the core, the less the choking effect becomes upon the alternating currentin the coils, and consequently the stronger the pull exerted by the core upon the armature; but when the armature is closed and only a. small amount of current is required to hold it closed, the choking effect is greatest and the current consumption is therefore reduced to a minimum. By the use of a laminated core, I provide a relay which will hold strongly when energized by alternating cur rent, and whose armature vibrates only slightly due to the alternations of the current. A spiral spring k serves to hold the armature open when the coils are dcenergized. Secured to the armature C is a block I of insulating material in which are mounted contact springs W, W, etc, These springs are composed. of a number oi? thin strips laid together to provide fiexibilit y and to permit of good electrical. connections when there is a slight vibration of the armature due to the use of alternating current in the coils. When the armature is closed, spring W makes electrical contact with two contact blocks '5 and i, which contact blocks are electrically connected with binding posts it and M respectively. The surfaces of these contact blocks are slanted so that. when they are engaged by contact spring \V, a rubbing contact will be made. Contact. spring W is adapted to make contact with two similar contact blocks 2" and i which latter are likewise connectedwith binding posts a and 14 IV and V. are each a half contact spring making contact respectively with two blocks 1? and i These two contact springs are shown as being connected electrically by means of a wire 77, but obviously the wire may be dispensed with by i forming the springs'of one piece bent into the proper. shape. Contact blocks i and 2' are electri' (rally connected respectively with binding posts H2 and it.

One feature of my invention is the provi' sion, in a railway block system, of a safety or intermediate block section behind a car. i safety block section is automatically hep: guarded behind a car, no car being pet rallied to ent'cr it even though the safety block section itself may not be occupied by a car and may not he deranged. I provide this safety block section by means of a nov l. control of thesignal circuits and of the circuits for the current used for the propulsion of the cars along the railway. That is, i so arrange this safety block section that if it is entered upon by a car, passing a danger signal at the entrance of the safety block, the propulsion current. will be cut oil from the car. I also provide for this safety block section a signal. preferably a semaphore or other visual signaling device, which shall denote to the motorman of an approaching car, whether or not the propulsion current circuit for the block section is open or closed; that is. whether or not the propulsion current will be cut off from the car when it shall enter the block section.

Referring to Fig. 13,1 have here shown an application of my sa ety or intermediate block section toa. railway system in which electricity is used as the propulsion power for the cars or trains. I) designates a genorator which furnishes current for propelling the cars. H is a continuous feed rail, and H is a sectional feed rail divided into block sections corresponding with block sections (1.11. etc. of the rails of the railway. The continuous feed rail H is shown as being connected directlywith one terminal of the generator I) by a wire 2, and the sec tions of the divided rail H are shown as being connected with the other terminal of the gt'snerator through rotary switches F, F, etc. These rotary switches may be of a type such as l have shown in Figs. 3; 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings and described here-inhefore. Each block section (1, (1 etc, of the track rails of the railway is provided with a track battery 3 B, etc. and with a relay R. R, etc. These relays may be of a. type such as I have shown in Figs. 10, 11. and 12 of the accompanying drawings. Each of these relays controls a circuit in which is included a motor device Fi 5 etc... which is used for operating the rotary switch l l5", etc. of the preceding block section. These motor devices may be signal operating mechanisms of a type such as I have shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, or they nay be solenoid operated mechanisms of a type such as I hive shown in t3 and T. in the case of a signal operating mechanism being used. the semaphore blade may be omitted. or it may be employed. as shown in Fig. 2. in which case it forms an additional visual signal. The

ircuit tor the motor device ti may be traced as follows-from battery 13 through wiref 18, motor device 5, wire 17, armature of relay R, wire 16 to battery B. The cir- CUItS for motor devices S and may he traced in similar manners. For each block section I provide a signal h hi. etc. and in this view I show these signals as being;- controlled directly by the ear propulsion curt L l '5. rent from the generator l '3 no circuit tor slgnal S is as follows: trom generator I.) througlrwires l and 8 switch 1 wire it. sectional feed rail H, wire 10, signal S, wire 11. continuous feed ran it. wire to generator D. The signal S is shown as connected with the feed rails H and H ot block section a by wires and 23. These sicnals S etc.. may be of the tr ')e shown.

in Figs. 1 and of the accompanying tlrawings and described hereinhefore. IE designates a car or train carrying shoes or brushes K and K which make sliding contact with the feed rails H and H respec. tively. M is a motor for moving the car or train, and C is a controller which may be of a type such I have shown in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings. The circuit for the propulsion current. for car if may be traced as follows: from generator I) through wires l. and 8. contacts of'rotary Switch F. wire 4. feed rail H, shoe K. wire controller C. wire (l, motor M, wire 7,

shoe K, feed rail ll, wire 2 to generator I). A signal lamp L carried by the car E is connected between vii-es 5 and 7 so that it. is always in circuit with the feed rails H and H irrespective of the control of the motor circuit by the controller C. The switches F. F. etc are so connected with the motor devices 9', S. etc, respectively that when these motor devices are insthe clear positiointhat is, when th block sections by which they are contr lled are unoccupied, by cars or trains the contacts of the switches will be closed and the propulsion circuit therefore closed to the sectional feed rail ll of the preceding block section.

The tu'ieration of this system may now-be described as follows: As indicated in the drawing, the hloch'seclions a and of are clar. hence signals S and S" are in their clear positions and the car i) may enter block section a. Should there be a car or train on block section, (L2, the shunting of the relay R would open the circuit for the motor device which would operate rotary switch l to open its contacts. The opening of switch F would cut oil current from the seclirmal feed rail H of l)l()(:l section (1. and this would more signal S to its danger position. The fact that signal S is in danger position would then denote to the motorman of a car E in blocl; section (I that the se(: tional rail ll of block section a is disconouted from the source ot pl'npttlE-loil current. Should the car '13 now move past signal S and into block section (1 its open &

reaching the car or train in block section a The batteries used in this system may be storage batteries, and charging circuits and apparatus for these batteries may be provided as indicated in the drawing. For example, the trackbatteries may be charged by the use of rotary transformersas indicated at T for track battery B, the priinary winding 2 and field f of this trans former being connected. across the 'propuL sion current, circuit from wire 1 to the feed rail H. A switch 100 may be included in this primary circuit to control the operation of the rotary transformer. A similar transformer T may be used as indicated for charging the batteries used for the operation of ,the motor devices S 'S etc. with a,

switch 101 for controlling the supply of power to this transformerf These rotary transformers may be oi a. type such as is shown in Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.

ig. 14 shows an application of a signal-- ing system embodying my safety or; intermediate block section to an ordinary elec tric railway using'a trolley or a third rail. H. is a trolley or third rail which is divided to form block sections a, a, (2?, etc., the track rails being continuous. It is understood that cars are "moving in the direction indicated by arrow 105. D designates agen erato; from one terminal of which extends a main feu wire 1. The other terminal of the generator D is connected with the track in the usual iL-snner by a wire 2. The main feed wire 1. is connected with the third rail H ofeach block section through the windin gs of solenoids N, N,etc., and through contacts of rotary switches F F", etc. For

example, the connection between the main fecd wire land the third rail H of block section a isthrough wire 14-, winding of solenoid N, wlre 15, contacts of rotary switch F wire 16 to third rail H. The

third rail of each block section is connected with the main feed wire 1 in a similar manner. Each of the solenoids N, N, N and N is used to operate a. rotary switch F, F, F and F in'the manner shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings, and each of these rotary switches controls the circuit of a signal S S S and S. The circuit for signal S isfrom generator I) through main feed wire 1, wire 38, contacts of rotary switch .F, wire 39, signal S, wire to, rails of the trackway, wire 2 to generator 1). The circuits for each of the signals S,..S and S may be traced in a similar manner. These signals S, S", S. and S are to operate respectively rotary switches F, F, F and F asillustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Thesemaphores of these signals are unnecessary, but they may, however, be' used if desired, as signals to indirails through the third rail H, contacts of two of the rotary switches as F, F, F, F,

etc., and a resistance as Q, Q; etc. For ex am lo, the circuit for signal S may be traced as ollows: from generator D through main feed wire 1., wire 14, solenoid N, wire 15, contacts of rotary switch F wire 16, third rail- H of block section'a, wire 17, signal S, wire 18, contacts of rotary switch F, re-

sistance Q, rails of the trackway, wire 2 to generator D. The circuit for each of the signals S, S and S may be traced in a similar manner. The resistance Q, Q, etc., may be dispensed with if desired by so winding the coils of the motors or solenoids used to operate these last mentioned signals as to include the equivalent of the resistances Q.

Q, etc., in the windings. Each of the rotary switches F, F, F and F is adapted to control two circuits the main feed circuit connection to the third railor trolley-H of the block section in the rear, and the circuit for the signal for its own block section. Thus rotary switch F controls the main feed'cir cuit to the third rail of block section a, and

also the circuit for signal S of block section car E shown in block section a, signal S is i at danger position, and the block section a is the safety or ihtermediate block section protecting the rear 'of car E. Although there is no car in block section a, the inter locking of--the circuits holds signal S in danger position while the car E remains in block section a in advance. Signal S is also at danger, making a second danger sig nal which must be passed before reaching the'car E. Signal S being in safety position indicates that there is no car in either block section a or a; and signal S being in safety position similarly indicates that there. is nocar in block section a or in the next'succeeding block section in advance (not shown). The cores of solenoids N, N, N and N are each provided with a weight so adjusted that when the current for these solenoids passes through respectively the resistances Q. Q, and Q it. will-not he of sutiicientstrength to lift: the cores, ant the rotur tq switches will therefore be normally closed. When however, one of these resistances is shunted, by the motors and signal lamps of a train in the block section, the current through the solenoid be comes of sutticicnt strength to operate the core and open the rotary switch.

The operation of this system may now be explained as follows: When a car E enters a block section, for example block section a the current passing through two signal lamps L. L, on the ca in addition to that passing through the resistance Q. is sufficient to cause the core of the solenoid N to be lifted, thus opening rotary switch F. The path of the current through the car is tiwm generator I) through main feed wire 1, wire 3, solenoid N, wire 4, rotary switch F, wire 5, third rail or trolley H, shoe K, wire (5, controller C, yhotor M (also through lamps L, L in multiple with the. controller and motor) wire 7, axle and wheels A, rails of trackwayg wire 2, to generator D. The opening of the contacts of rotary switch F opens the circuit for signal S which latter moves to danger position and in doing so, opens the contacts of rotary switch F The opening of rotary switch F breaks the circuit for signal C. which therefore moves to its danger position. I mayadd that it is not necessary to depend upon the brealc ing of the circuit for signal S by rotary switch F to more the signal to danger position, since the circuit for this signal may he so adjusted, if desired, that the circuit through the motor and lamps of car E will shunt. sufiicieit current from the signal to cause the signal to more to danger position. The opening of the circuit by the rotary switch holds this signal in the danger position, hmvever, longas block section a is occupied.

Tim-foregoing remarks regarding adjustment of the circuit for signal S apply equally well to the circuits for signals S, S and S". The opening of the contacts of roiuiv switch F also opens the feed circuit from the main feed wire 1 to the third rail or trolley -Ll of block section a in the rear of the lJltlt'h .\(\il( ll occupied by the car E. The opening of this feed circuit opens the circuit for si mal r of block section a, which signal there. r moves to danger position. The fact that signal S is in danger position indicates to tho motorman of a car approaching block section (I. that the sectional l'ccd rail ll of that. block section is disconnected from the source of propulsion current, and that therefore if the car aga enter that block section its propulsion current would he cut off.

It will be noted that in the railway signaling systems I have just described, the signal lampsv L on a. car or train denote, if burning, that the block section ahead is clear; but if extinguished they denote that the block sec tion ahead is occupied. If, for example, with a car in block a another car were to pass the danger signal of the block section in the rear and enter the safety or inter-- mediate block (1, its signal lamp would be extinguished and its operating power shut off. The motorman of the car in block a would become aware of car E passing out of block a by the lighting of his signal lamp and he could then proceed in safety to the signal governing block a.

The signaling systems which I have just described are of the type known as normal safety systems. That is, when the blocks are unoccupied by cars and the circuits are in proper working condition, all signals will be held in the safety position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a railway signaling system the com bination of a plurality of block sections, a t 'ack circuit for each block section comprising a source of current and a relay, a signal for each block section, a local circuit for each of said signals controlled by the relay of the corresponding track circuit, a generator, feeding and return conductors extending therefrom, a supply conductor extending along the railway and divided into sections corresponding to the block sections, a circuit controller between each section of the supply conductor and the feeding conductor and operated by the signal for the block section in advance.

2. in a railway signaling system the combination of a plurality of block sections, a track circuit for each block section compris' ing a source of current and a relay, a signal for each block section, a local circuit for each of said signals controlled by the relay of the corresponding track circuit, a genera-- tor, feeding and return conductors extending therefrom, a supply conductor extending along the railway and divided into tions corresponding to the block sections. a circuit controller between each section of the supply conductor and the feeding conductor and operated by the signal for the block section in advance, and a second signal for each block section having a part of its controlling circuit the section of the supply conductor for the corresponding block section.

3. In a railway signaling system, the comeach signal controlled by the relay of the corresponding track circuit, a source of pro pulsion current, a third rail or trolley extendinq along the railway and divided into sections corresponding to the block sections, and a circuit controller between the source of propulsion current and each section of the third rail or trolley and operated by the signal for the block section next in advance.

4. In a railway signaling system, the combination of a plurality of block sections, a track circuit for each block section comprising a source of current and a relay, a signal for each block sectiorna local circuit for each signal controlled by the relay of the corresponding track circuit, a source of propulsion current, feeding and return conductors extending therefrom along the railway, a third rail or trolley extending along the railway and divided into sections corresponding to the block sections, a circuit controller between the feeding conductor and each section of the third. rail or trolley and operated by the signal for the next block section in advance, and a signal device for each block section connected between the section of the third rail or trolley for that (Ionics of this patent 'may be obtained for block section and the said return conductor for the propulsion current. i In a railway signaling system, a plurality of block sections, home and distant signals for the block sections, a track circuit for each block section each for the control of the home signal for the corresponding block section, a source of propulsion current, a third rail or trolley extending along the railway and divided into insulated sections corresponding to the block sections, a circuit controller between the source of propulsion current and each section of the third rail or trolley and controlled by the track circuit of the next succeeding block section, and a circuit for the control of each distant signal including the section of the third rail or trolley for the block section preceding the block section whose condition is indicated by such distant signal. I

Signed at Jersey City in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this first day of March A. 11-1902.

WILLIAM G. ROOME. Witnesses:

D. G. GRANT, A. C. GREENE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents, Washington, I G. a

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