US402562A - Electric signaling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) J: P. COLEMAN.

I ELEGTRIOSIGNALING APPARATUS.

( o. 402,562. Patented May '7, 1889.

- INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

JOHN PEEssLE COLEMAN,'.OF sWIssvAIjE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,562, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed March 10, 1888. Serial No. 266,806. (No model.)

To all whormit may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PRESSLEY COLE- MAN, of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which--" V Figure 1 is a side view of a semaphore-signal and of the electrical slot whereby the operative mechanism is connected with and disconnected from the semaphore. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the slot, showing it as it is when the parts are moved by break of the electric circuit, so as to prevent the semaphore from being removed from the danger position. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts as they are when the signal is inv its normal position and is capable of being moved into a position indicating safety.

'Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section on the line sists of mechanism operated electrically from a distance, either automatically by action of a passing train, or otherwise, so that when there is a break in the electrical circuit in which the slot is included the parts are so moved that the semaphore is brought automatically into a danger position and the connection with the mechanically-operating parts of the semaphore is disjoined, so that it cannot be brought again into a position indicating safety until the electric circuit is again established. This system of signaling is one which is well understood, and as my invention relates only to the apparatus con stituting the slot, it will not be necessary that I should further describe the system of which it forms a part.

In the drawings, 2 represents a semaphoresignal, which is pivoted at 3 to an upright post, 4. The short arm of the semaphore is provided with a weight, 5, which tends to bring it into a horizontal position, indicating danger. In order to lower the semaphore into a downwardly-inclined position, indicat ing safety, it is provided with a rod or link, 6, which at its upper end is attached to the short arm of the semaphore and at the lower end is attached to a lever, 7, which is pivoted on a fulcrum, 8, and which, in the manner hereinafter to be explained, is under certain conditions movable vertically. The other end of the lever 7 is connected by a link, 12,with a weighted lever, 9, to which are attached the chains or wires 10 and 11, by which the semaphore-signal is mechanically operated. When the pivot or fulcrum 8 is held fixed, the oscillation of the lever 9 by means of the wires 10 and 11 causes the lever 7 to rock on the fulcrum 8, and thereby depresses or raises the semaphore accordingly as the chain 11 or 10 is pulled. When, however, the fulcrum 8 is not fixed, but is freely movable, there is nothing to resist motion of the semaphore, which accordingly moves on its pivot into the horizontal danger position, and the oscillations of the lever 7 in response to pulls on the chains 10 and 11 are on the fulcrum of the pivot 13, which connects the lever with the link 6, and do not produce any motion of the semaphore-arm. I shall now describe the means whereby the fulcrum of this lever is controlled.

14 is a pair of electro-magnets set in a suitable covered case, B, fixed to the post 4. The armature 15 of these magnets is pivoted atthe end of the longer arm of .a bell-crank lever, 16, whose fulcrum is at 17 and whose shorter arm is pivotally attached to a rod, 18, which is connected with the lever 7 by the fulcrumpin 8. The purpose of connecting the armature to the end of the lever 16 by a pivotal connection is to permit the armature to adjust itself accurately to its seat on the magnets.

Fig. 4 shows the parts as they are when the armature 15 is in contact with the magnets 14, and is held there by the electric current exciting the magnets. In such case, the fulcrum 17 being so close to the line of strain of the rod 18, the attractive force of the magnets is suflicient to prevent the oscillation of the lever 7 from moving the pivotal point 8 and IOC to cause the force of such oscillation to be ex- A erted in moving the rod 6 and in shifting the semaphore on its pivot. Suppose, however, the circuit through the magnets 14 is interrupted from any cause whatever, either by a hand circuit-breaker or by an automatic device on the track operated by moving trains. The efiect of this is to demagnetize the magnets 1% and to release the armature 15, and if the semaphore is then in a safety position, there being nothing to resist its rise into a horizontal position, the weight 5 causes the semaphore to rise to indicate danger and at the same time shifts the pivot 8 and unseats the armature 15 from the magnets 14, as shown in Fig. 2. Then any movement of the wires 10 or 11 simply rocks the lever 7 on the fulcrum 13 and moves the pivot-pin 8 up and down without affecting the semaphore, which remains at danger. As soon, however, as the circuit is again established through the electro-magnets 14, the first upward motion of the rod 18 brings the armature 15 into contact with the magnets, and, the pivot 8 being then fixed, the next pull on the wire 11 will cause the lever 7 to swing on the center 8 and to operate the semaphore.

In order to cause the armature to seat on the magnets 14 with certainty, I part the rod 18 and fix on one part a hollow box,19,within which the other part works telescopically, and inside the box 19, hearing on the end of the lower part of the rod 18, I place a spring, 20. This gives a small amount of loose motion to the lower part of the rod 18,which is exerted on the lever 16 and causes the armature to seat with great security. In order. to provide a buffer to deaden the shock of the sudden movement of the semaphore from safety to danger, consequent on breaking the electric circuit, I arrange a spring, 21, at the bottom of the rod 18 and set on the spring a capplate, against which a shoulder, 22, on the rod strikes when the rod drops. (See Fig. 2.) This spring may be otherwise arranged.

I claim 1. In an electric signaling apparatus, the combination, with the electro-magnet, its armature, and a rod, 18, which connects the armature with the mechanism of the apparatus, said rod being arranged to have a loose or yielding motion and provided with a spring for the purpose of seating the armature with safety, substantially and for the purposes described.

2. In an electric signaling apparatus, the combination, with the signal, its operatingrod 6, and a lever whereby the rod is moved vertically, of a spring placed to receive the impact of dropping of the rod, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March, A. D. 1888.

JOHN PRESSLEY COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

"W. B. CORWIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

Images