US266027A - Magneto-electric railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

l (No Model.)

Wl Wl MAGNETO ELECTRIC' RALWAY SIGNAL.

lNo. 266,027L Paiteted 0013.17, 1882.

- UNITED vSTATES PATENT @Ferca WESLEY W. GARY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IVIGNETO-ELEQTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,027, dated October 17, 1882.

Application filed J une 1, 1881.

1'0 all whom Iit may concern:

Be it known that I, WESLEY WARD GARY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Magneto-Electric 'Switch-Signals, of which the following is a specilication.

The object ot" my invention is to produce a simple switch-signaling system which maybe operated without batteriesfor the purpose of indicating to those in charge of moving trains, and'others, whether a distant switch is open or closed.

Hitherto electric signals of many kinds have been constructed for the purpose of indicating the position of railway-switches; but, so far as I am aware, all electric switch-signals hitherto devised have involved the use of a battery and of delicate and expensive instruments, wherebythe signals were rendered uncertain in their action and a constant care and supervision rena magneto-generator adapted and arranged to be operated by passing trains, mounted in circuit withan electric signal, and with a circuitcontrolling device connected with a switch-operating' mechanism in such manner that the circuit will open and close by the act ot' opening and closing the switch. The movement ot' the train past the generator causes the latter to develop a powerful current ot' electricity which acts upon and operates the signal, the latter assuming one or another position, according to the position of the circuit-closing device, which is determined by the position of the switch.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to make use of a signal which stands normally in aposition indicating danger, and to mount this signal on a circuit which embraces the magnetomachine operated by the train and the circuitcontrolling device operated by the switch. Un-

der this arrangement the circuit remains in a closed condition whenever the switch is closed and the main track unbroken; but at the same time the signal stands normally in a position indicating danger. When the parts are in this position a train approaching the switch will, while still distant therefrom, actuate the generator, from which the current will Abe trans- (No model.)

mitted through the circuit to the signaling-instrument, causing said instrument to move from the position indicating danger to that indicating safety, thus informing the engineer visually or audibly, or both, that the switch is closed. lf, however, the switch is opened, it will effect the bneaking ot' the circuit, andthe result will be that although the approaching train may operate the magneto-generator, as before, the break in the circuit will prevent the current from operating the signal, which will consequently remain in its normal position, indicating danger, informing the engineer' that the still distant switch is in` an open position. This system is peculiarly advantageous,in that it serves not only to show when the switch is opened or when it is closed, but also in that it warns the engineer or other observery in the event of any break which may be caused accidentally or maliciously in the circuit. my system it is impossible for the switch to remain open or the line to remain broken withouta warningto the engineer or other observer.

iIn this connection the arrangement of the signal to stand normally in a position indicating danger, instead ot' compelling it to be moved by the current to such position, as usual in railnav-signals, is a feature of great importance.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention embodied in one ofthe various i'orins ot' which it is susceptible.

A represents the main track or railway; B, the siding or switch-track; and C, the movable switch-rails or switch proper, these rails being connected, as usual, by rod a. to an upright crank-shaft, C', provided with a handlever, a half-rotation ot the shaft by means of the hand-lever serving to open or close the switch, as usual.

D D represent the main-ci rcuit wires, extending beside the railway-track trom the switchoperating mechanism to a point at any desired distance therefrom, and connected with the signal-instrumentF and themagneto-generator G, ordinarily near each other, but at a distance from the switch. i

E represents the circuit-closing instruments, mounted in the main circuit in such position that they will be acted upon and forced together to close the circuit by means of the roo Under switch-operating crank-shaft C', the arrangement being such that the circuit will be closed and will remain closed While the switch is closed, but will be opened and permitted to remain open whenever 'the switch is open.

The signal in the present instance consists of an upright vibratingY arm operating by means of an electro-magnet at the lower end, and arranged to present different-colored glasses in front of a lantern as it is moved to and fro.

Referring' to the drawing, I) represents an upright post supporting a lamp, e.

d represents the upright vibratory arm, the upper end of which is provided with dii'erentcolored glasses e, one or the other of which will be presented in front of the light, according to the position in which the arm stands. At its lower end the arm d is provided with the electro-magnet f, mounted in the main circuit D. This electro-magnet is arranged in coils,and serves as an armature to a permanent magnet, g, the poles of which are reversed in relation to those of the electro-magnet. A spiral spring, h, connected with the lever d, serves to draw the electro-magnet away from the permanent magnet and to hold it in that position during the time that thereis no currentiiowingthrough the circuit.v /Vhile the arm is in this position, which is its normal position, the signal at the upper end is in the position indicating danger. Whenever a current passes through the main circuit D the electro-magnet j is excited and is attracted toward the permanent magnet g, thereby moving the lever d and causing the signal to leave the position indicating danger and resume a position indicating safety.

Passing next to the magneto-electric generatorG, it will be seen to consist in the present instance ot' a permanent magnet, i, and of an electro-magnet or induction coil,j, the latter mounted in the main circuit and arranged to vibrate or reciprocate in relation to the permanentmagnet. Theelectro-magnetismounted upon a horizontally-swinging arm, and is connected by means of an upright arm, k, on one end of ahoriziontal rock-shaft, H, the opposite end of which carries an arm or trcadle, l, arranged by the side ofthe railway-track in position to be depressed by the wheels of the passing cars.

The operation is as follows: rlhe switch being open, as represented in the drawing, the circuit-breaking device E is released from the switch-operating crank-shaft and the circuit remains open. If,now,a train approaches the switch while still distant therefrom, it acts upon the lever l and causes the operation of the magneto-generator G, producing an electric current; but as the circuit is broken this current will have no effect, and the signal will remain in its normal'position, indicating danger, thus warning the engineer that the switch stands in an open position, or that the circuit has been otherwise broken, in either of which cases he will immediately arrest the motion of the train. 1f, however, the switch bc closed,

the switch-operating crank-shaft C will' hold the circuit-closing deviceE in'aelosed position, maintaining the continuity of the circuit. A ti ain approaching the switch whilethe parts are in this condition will operate the magnetogenerator, as before, and transmit an electric current through the circuit to the signal-instrument F, where the effect of the current will be to excite the electro-magnet and cause the same to operate the lever d and move the signal from a position indicating danger to that indicating safety, thus informing the engineer that the switch is in a closed position, and also that the signal is in an operative condition.

lt will ofcourse he understood thatin order to have the signal remain in the position indicating safety the generator will be provided with an ordinary commutator or currentstraightener;7 whereby the current is given an unchanging polarity to hold the signal in position. The apparatus may be operated without the commutator; but as there would be a repeated vibration of the signal arm or lever the use of the commutator' is preferred.

shortly after, the electric current will cease and the signal will at once resume its normal position, indicating danger. Vhile the vibratory generator, as represented in the drawing, answers a good purpose, it is preferred to make use, in ordinary cases, of a rotary magneto-generator constructed in any ofthe ordinary known forms, and provided preferably with a commutator. y

The rotary generator may receive motion through any suitable device arranged to be actuated by passing trains. The device representedin Letters Patent Nos. 240,694, 240,695, and 240,696, or that represented in my application ot' April 2l, 1881, or either of them, answer a good purpose in this connection.

In place of the signal represented in the drawing, any other suitable electro-magnetic signal, either audible or visual, may be used.

In place of the switch-operating crank and the fingers for effecting the opening and closing of the circuit, any other suitable devices having a similar mode of operation may he used,the only essential requirement being that the opening and closing of the ,switch shall effect the corresponding opening and closing of the circuit.

By the expression open7 switch, as herein employed, is meant that adjustment ot' the switch in which the switch-rails are set to the siding or switch-track, and b v the expression closed77 switch is meant that adjustment of the same under which the switch-rails are set to the main line, the expressions opened and closed7 being used in the sensein which they are commonly employed in the art. The expression magneto-electric generator,77 as herein employed, is intended to include any and all of the numerous machines known in the art wherein a current of electricity is devel- As soon as the train has passed the generator, or

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oped by the movement of an armature in the ield of a magnet, or vice versa,sncl1 machines being known alsoby the various namesotelec trical generators and dynamo-machines.

Having thus described my invention, what claim is- 1. In a switch-signal for railways, the combination of the following elements: the magneto-generator and appliances for operating the same from passing railway-trains, a magneto-electric signal, electric conductors connecting said signal and generator, and a circuit openingand closing device connected with and operated by a switch mechanism, substan` tially as described and shown.

2. In an automatic switchsignal, the combination of the magneto-electric generator and appliances for operating the same from passing railway-trains, the magneto-electric signal arranged to stand normally7 in a position indicating danger, electric conductors connecting said signal and generator, and circuit-closing VESLEY TARD GARY.

Witnesses:

Rona?. L. MILLER, PHiLIP T. DODGE.

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