US1355251A - Block-signal system - Google Patents

Description

c. OLSEN. BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM. APPHCATION FILED NOV. 27, 1916.

1,355,251. Patented 0G17.12,1920. 15 57.

Black-- 65010 or TAWCK mm POLE l/IVE \i'llPPl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE M. OLSEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEM.

T 0 all 10 710mzt may concern Be it known that I, CLARENCE M. OLsEN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Block-Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically controlled signal systems for railways, particularly to block signal systems having the signal located in the cab of the locomotive.

The object of the invention is to provide means for operating a signal in the cab of the locomotive whenever another train is in either the block ahead or the block behind that which the locomotive is in. Further objects are to provide for operating the cab signal in case the apparatus fails to function properly, and for showing that it is in order.

The invention consists in bonding together or connecting the ends of the rails of each section or block of track so that the rails form a continuous conductor of electricity, and insulating each block of track from the adjacent blocks, providing a continuous third rail and a supply wire along the track for its entire length, and in locating an automatic circuit controller at each block, the circuit controller being connected to the supply wire and. having connections to its block and to each adjacent block. The circuit controller is controlled by control cir-f cuits including contact posts located-one at each end of its block. Normally, the circuit until the train leaves its block.

Further details and objects of the invention appear hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustratlng the system and apparatus diagrammatically. V

v Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 12, 1920 Application filed November 27, 1916. Serial no. 133,598.

Referring particularly to F ig. '1, the track IlllS 11 are laid 1n sections of convenient length, the rails of each section being bonded together or otherwise connected so that they form a continuous conductor of electricity, and the rails at the ends of the sections being insulated, so that each section of rails constitutes an insulated block.

For convenience, three-blocks are shown in Fig. 1, marked A, B, and C, respectively,

the ends only of blocks A and C being shown.' A continuous third rail 12 is laid 4 similar contact makers 15, 16. The contact makers are slidably mounted on horizontal guides 17, and are geared together by means of rack bars 18 and an intermediate pinion 19 to move simultaneously in opposite directions' The pinion 19 is caused to rotate through a little more than a half circle, first in one direction and then in the other direction, by means of an armature 20 to which it is connected by a link 21. The

. armature is operated by an electro-magnet 22. One terminal 23 of the electro-magnet is connected to the pole line 13 and the other terminal 24 is connected by wires 25, 26 to two contact posts 27, 28, located between the track rails, one at each end of the block B adjacent to the blocks A and'O, respectively. The locomotive has a wheel or a shoe 12 making contact continuously with the third rail, and a shoe or contact maker 27 which is adapted to make contact with the contact posts 27,28 as the train enters or leaves the blockB. When the circuit through the electro-magnet is completed by means of-the locomotive passing a contact post, the armature is momentarily attracted toward the 'magnet, thereby rotating the gear 19 and causing the contact makers 15, 16 to slide; The momentum of the moving contact makers carries the. gear past the dead center of the link connection to the armature, and the spring 29 returns thearmature to its normal position and completes the stroke ofthe contact makers.

- The contact maker 15 has a contact'strip 30 on one end which slides between the contact post 31 on one side and thetwo contact posts 32, 33 on theother side iJO'IDZtkE an electrical connection between them. 7 The contact posts 32, 33 are respectively'com nected by wires 34, 35 with the ends of'the track sectionsAand G adjacentito the section B. WVhen there is no train in the block B and the instrument 14 is in its normal position the contact maker 15 is out ofcontact position. v r

.The contact maker 16 likewise has a contact strip 30 on its end which slides between the contact post 36 on one side and the contact post- 37 on the'other side to complete an electrical connection between them in the normal position of the instrument. The

posts 31 and 36 are connected by a wire 38 with the pole line 13'; and the post 3'? is connected by a wire 39with the track railof the section B... Contact springs 40 are provided for each contact post.

TNhen the instrument 14 is operated bya train entering the block B, the contact maker contact makers 15 and 16 to theirnormal positions, thereby breaking the connect ons between the pole line and the track sectlons A and C, and making the connection between the pole line andthe track section B.

j The blocks A and C are likewise provided Qwith an instrument and circuitconnections like those for the block B, only the wlres 41 leading to the ends of the-track rails of the section B and the contact aosts 42 at the ends of the sections A and and'wires "43 connecting them with their respective inparent that the system normally is on an 'struments being shown in Fig. 1.

The locomotive is provided with a-suitable 7 signal devlce n the cab to indicate whenever a current of electricity passes through it. This signal is connected in a circuit between the locomotive axles or wheels 51 and the wheel or shoe 12 whlch runs on the ,third rail so that whenever a connection is established between the rail section and the T pole line, a current passes from the pole line I supply through the track and the wheels of the locomotive, operates the cab signal, and

. returns through the third rail to the source f of supply. The systemof track circuits and operating devices shown and described are capable of use withva'rious locomotive circuit arrangements.

The operation' of the system is as follows:

'Assuming that a train is in the block A,

U and a second train is in block O approaching the block B, the circuitcontroller corresponding to block A will bethrown to connect the track rails of section B with the pole line, and the circuit controller of the block C will likewise be thrown toconnect the track rails of the section B with the pole line. When the train running in block .G-makes' contact with contactjpost 42,first the circuit controller of block C. will be thrown to break'the connection through the wire 41 between the pole line and the track section B, and next, whencontact is made 1 .with contact post 28" in block B, the circuit "controller of block B will be thrown to break the connection through the wire 39'with the pole line when the engineer gets a cab signal after entering the block B he knows that the block A is not clear. Also, the entrance of the train from block G into block B causes the connection through the wires 34 and 35 with the track sections A andC to be com pleted, thus causing the cab signal on the 1 train in block A to operate.

If by any chance either the circuit conlikewise indicatedanger. In order for the cab slgnal to remain at safety ,when'the train enters block B, the circuit controllers for blocks A and C must both be in normal rposition and'the circuit controller in block B in moved position; in other words, all

three of the circuit controllers must be functlomng properly in order for the cabsignal to indicate safety, On passing from one block to another, during the interval required for the locomotive to pass the space between the contact posts, the cab signal will momentarily indicate danger if the system is working properly, and if no momentary signal is obtained upon entering a block the engineer knows that the system is out of order.; 7 o

From the foregoing description it is apopen circuit, and hence can be cheaply operated by smallbatteries arranged along the right of way. Moreover, a signal is given at the ends of each block to indicate that the system is operating properly.

principle of operation of the system, and the nventlon isnot restrictedtothe forms of devices shown in the drawings. I claim the following as my invention:

1. A block signal system comprising a continuous third rail, a source of electric ,power connected thereto, insulated sections of track, contact'posts at the ends of the track sections, a circuit controller for each track section, connections between-each circuit controller and the posts at the ends of the corresponding track section, and connections between each circuit controller and V the rails of the sections of track adjoining the track section corresponding to said controller.

2. A block signal system comprising a continuous third rail, a source of electric power connected thereto, insulated sections of track, contact posts at the ends of the track sections, a circuit controller for each track section, connections between each circuit controller and the posts at the ends of the corresponding track section, a connection between each circuit controller and a rail of the corresponding track section, and connections between each circuit controller and the rails of the sections of track adjoining the track section corresponding to said controller, said circuit controllers being arranged to make connection with the corresponding track sections and break connection with the track section adjoining on each side, and Vice versa.

3. A block signal system comprising a continuous third rail, a source of electric power connected thereto, insulated sections of track, contact posts at the ends of the track sections, a circuit controller for each track section, connections between each circuit controller and the posts at the ends of the corresponding track section, and connections between each circuit controller and the rails of the sections of track'adjoining the track section corresponding to said controller, the bridging of the gap between either contact post and the third rail operating said circuit controller alternately to make and to break said; connections between said circuit controller and track rails.

4. A block signal system comprising a continuous third rail, a source of electric power connected thereto, insulated sections of track, contact posts at the ends of the track sections, the contact posts at the adjoining ends of the sections being spaced a short distance apart, a circuit controller for each track section, connections between each circuit controller and the posts at the ends of the corresponding track section, and connections between each circuit controller and a rail of the tracksection corresponding to said controller, said circuit controllers being arranged to make and break alternately said tr'ack connections, whereby a train entering a track section first gets a danger signal and then a clear signal if the section is clear.

5. A block signal system operating on open circuit and having means for indicating failure of the source of electric energy at the entrance of each block, said means comprising a third rail, a source of electric power connected thereto, a track section insulated from adjoining sections, a

circuit controller for making and breaking the circuit, a contact post spaced a short distance away from the end of the section, a connection between said contact post and said circuit controller, and a connection between said circuit controller and a rail, whereby, if the electric current is flowing properly, the train will get a danger signal until it passes the contact post.

6. A block signal system operating on open circuit and having means for indicating failure of the control apparatus to operate properly when a train enters or leaves a block, said means comprising a continuous third rail, a source of electric power connected thereto, insulated sections of track, contact posts at the ends of the track sections, a circuit controller for each track section, connections between each circuit controller and the rails of the track sections adjoining the section corresponding to said circuit controller, connections between each circuit controller and the contact posts of the corresponding track section and connections between each circuit controller and a rail of the corresponding track section,

, whereby, if one of said controllers fails to CLARENCE M. OLSEN.

properly, the train gets a danger

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