US578236A - Railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. P. HALL. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

A fro NE Ys.

UNITED STATES \VILLIAM P. HALL, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HALL SIGNAL COMPANY, OF MAINE.

RAILWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,236, dated March 2, 1897.

Application filed November 28, 1892. Renewed July 28, 1896. Serial No. 600,856- (No model.)

To all whom it Wmy concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. HALL, of Greenwich, in the county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof.

My invention relates to railroad visual signals and it has for its object to provide a signal that may be operated with a small expenditure of power and will be distinctly visible by dayand night and Whose operation maybe effected electrically and automatically if desired.

My invention consists in the construction hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a rear View of the signaling apparatus with the case partly broken away, showing the day-signal at danger and the night danger-signal in its signaling position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached View of the mechanism with the signals'in the same position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the several signal-disks at clear. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation of the apparatus and inclosi-ng case. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the armature and one of the helices of the electromagnet, and Fig. 7 a detail showing construction of pole of magnet.

A represents a plate, which may be the front of a casing A, as shown in the drawings, and carried by a suitable support. This plate is provided with two apertures a a. When the plate A is part of the casing, the casing has an aperture (1 registering with aperture a, and preferably an aperture a registering with the aperture (1. Behind the plate A or within the casing are three signaldisks S, R, and G, mounted to turn upon an axis and operated by any suitable motor, so that the disk S may move into and out of register with the aperture a and the disks R and G move alternately into and out of register with the aperture a. When the disk S registers with aperture a, one of the disks R and G, as R, registers with the aperture a, and when the disk S is out of register with aperture a the other disk, as G, registers with aperture a. The disk S is intended, as herein shown, for a day-signal disk, and if it is designed that it shall indicate danger it will ordinarily be suitably colored, as, for example, red, being in this case preferably opaque or seiniopaque, so as to reflect sunlight. The disks Rand Gare intended, as herein shown, for night-signal disks, and for this purpose one or both of them should be translucent,

so as to transmit and color a beam of light from a lantern, as Z, arranged behind the apertures a (F. If both of the disks R and G are translucent, they would ordinarily be made of differently-colored glass, so that different colors would appear at the aperture a, one for danger and the other for safety. Instead of having both disks R and G translucent one of them might be opaque, in which case the opaque disk would cut off the light from the lantern Z when registering with the aperture a.-

While the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings contemplates two night-signal disks and one day-disk, it is of course to be understood that the invention includes the reverse of this arrangement viz., two day-disks and one night-disk.

In the daytime, when the signal-disk S is away from the aperture a, a disk of white sunlight is visible at this aperture to indicate that the track is clear. When the disk is moved before the aperture to indicate danger, a colored disk is visible at the aperture surrounded by'an annulus of white sunlight. If the plate A is, as shown in the drawings, the front of the casing A, then I provide an aperture a in the back of the casing directly behind the aperture a. In this latter instance the apertures a and a are preferably covered by a plate of glass, and when the sig nal-disk S is. at danger the annulus of white sunlight will still be visible around the disk.

Referring now more specifically to the present embodiment of the invention, the actuating mechanism is preferably constructed as follows: The poles at of the electromagnets D D are prolonged laterally, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, so as to be embraced by wings e' e, curved upon the arc of a circle from the same radius, but in opposite directions, and extending from the ends of a bar of soft iron forming the body of the armature E. This armature is formed in one with or mounted upon the side of a rotary plate E, which is pivoted centrally (slightly below the electromagnets) between the arms f f of a bracket F, carrying the magnets D, and which bracket is in turn carried by and adapted to be adjusted lengthwise in a grooved bracket F, fastened to the inner face of the front board of the case A. The arm f of the bracket F has a pin f projecting into a curved slot 6 in the plate E'to limit its rotary movement and the consequent travel of the disks S, R, and Gr. The wings e e of the armature are each made up of two curved plates or arms placed a sufficient distance apart to enable them to straddle or embrace the prolon gated poles d of the magnets, so that while free to move thereupon a full and efficient contact is made by the armature with said poles when the magnets are energized, and one arm of each wing is preferably longer than its companion, so as to always remain in close proximity to the poles d when the electromagnets are demagnetized, so as to be easily attracted when the circuit is made and thus economizing battery-power in operating the signal. (See particularly Figs. 2 and 5.)

e is a connecting pin or brace between the arms of each wing near their outer ends, set to one side,so as to allow the armature to move past the poles to the full end of its throw.

As seen in Figs. 6 and 7, I introduce a spring-pin 6 into a suitable cavity a formed in the prolongated pole cl of the magnet, to afford a yielding impact for the armature when the latter is attracted by the energizing of the magnet, and thus prevent the wear and tear consequent upon the jarring of the parts as heretofore arranged.

The several signal-disks are rigidly connected to the rotary plate E, the day-signal disk S being closely connected by the piece I), and the two night-signal disks R and G are mounted upon the extremities of rods 7 and g, extending outward from the rotary plate, the disks S and R being on directly opposite sides of the center and the rod of the disk G standing out at right angles thereto, its opposite being a counterbalance-rod H, having an adjustable counterweight h near its extremity. A strap or bar h, curved to properly avoid the bracket F, connects this counterbalance-rod with the rotary plate E.

The day-signal disk S is usually of red silk stretched upon a light rim, but the night-signal disks R and G should be of colored glass or other transparent or semitransparent material, through which the rays of a lantern Z, mounted in proximity to or upon the ease in line with the opening aiwillbe projected when said lantern is lighted after dark and when either of said sign al-disks is in position at the aperture (1.. As the night-signal disk R serves to indicate danger, it is usually colored red, and, as the other night-signal disk G is to indicate clear, it is usually colored blue, but

any other suitable color may be used. An electric light may be used in place of the ordinary lantern. 7

Both of the apertures a, a, a and a are covered, preferably, with plain glass to protect the internal mechanism from injury by rain and dust.

The operation of the above-described compound-signal device will be readily understood from the foregoing by those skilled in the art, but I may further explain that the concurrent movement of the three signaldisks and their arrangement in connection with the one armature are such that the disks S and R are exposed at the apertures in the case simultaneously when danger is to be indicated, one or other of them being consid ered as efieetive, according to whether it is daylight or dark, and upon the retirement of these within the case the aperture a of the day-signal is left clear, but the aperture a is covered by the colored disk G, which is effective as positively indicating clear at nighttime.

While the preferred arrangement of cansing the signal-disks to go to danger by gravity upon the demagnetization of the electromagnets and to go to clear upon the magnets being energized is herein described and illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that my improved compound day and night signal may be operated in the reverse way and that the details of construction and arrangement of mechanism may be varied without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

As above stated, the day-signal aperture a is of greater diameter than the signal disclosed at said aperture, so as to leave an open space 1) between the rim of the disk and the edge of the aperture or face proper of the case A, this arrangement having been found highly serviceable in enabling engineers of approaching trains to more clearly discern the signal displayed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,--

1. In a railway-signal, the combination of a casing having two registering apertures, one in the front and one in the back of the casing for a day-signal and having a third aperture in the front for a night-signal, a daysignal disk within said casing movable before and away from its apertures and mounted upon a shaft, with two or more night-signal disks mounted upon the same shaft and adapted to be made visible at night through said third aperture, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-signal, the combination with an inclosing casing having two apertures in the face thereof, one for a day and one for a night signal, a danger day-signal disk of col ored material and a night signal disk of translucent material mounted upon a common shaft and arranged to concurrently indicate danger when appearing at said apertures, a supplementary night-signal disk made of IIO translucent material mounted upon the said shaft and adapted to indicate clear at the night-signal aperture concurrently with the clearing of said danger signal, armatures mounted upon the said shaft and an electromagnet adapted to revolve such armatures and thus shift the signals, with means for illuminating said night-signals, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway-signal, the combination of a casing provided with two registering apertures in front and back for a day-signal and an aperture in front for a night-signal, a daysignal disk and two or more night signal disks arranged to move in and out of register with their apertures, the day-disk being less in diameter than its apertures whereby when it registers with its apertures an annulus of sunlight surrounds it, substantially as set forth.

4. In a railway-signal, the combination of a plate provided with two apertures, one for a day-signal and one fora night-signal, a daysignal disk and two night-signal disks pivotally mounted behind the plate, the day-signal disk being arranged to move in and out of register with its aperture and the night signal disks being arranged to move in and out of register with their aperture alternately, substantially as set forth.

5. In a railway-signal, the combination of a casing provided with two registering apertures in front and back for a day-signal, and an aperture in front for a night-signal, a daysignal disk arranged to move in and out of register with its apertures and two night-signal disks arranged to move alternately in and out of register with their aperture, substan tially as set forth.

6. In a railway-signal, the combination of a plate provided with two apertures, one for a day-signal and one for a night-signal, a

danger day-signal disk and two night-signal disks, one a danger-disk and the other a safety-disk, pivotally mounted behind the plate, the day-signal disk being arranged to move in and out of register with its aperture and the night-signal disks being arranged to move in and out of register with their aperture alternately, substantially as set forth.

7. In a railway-signal, the combination of a casin g provided with two registering apertures in front and back for a day-signal, and an aperture in front for a night-signal, a danger day-signal disk arranged to move in and out of register with its apertures, and two night-signal disks, one a danger-disk and the other a safety-disk, arranged to move alternately in and out of register with their aperture, substantially as set forth.

8. In a railway-signal, the combination of a casing provided with two registering apertures in front and back for a day-signal, and two registering apertures in front and back for a night-signal, a day-signal disk arranged to move in and out of register with its apertures and two night-signal disks arranged to move alternately in and out of register with their apertures, and a lantern mounted upon the back of the casing behind the night-signal apertures, substantially as set forth.

9. The'combination with the case and an electromagnet having prolongated poles, of a V rotary plate E, armature E having wings e e, signal-disks S, R and G, all rigidly connected so as to move with said rotary plate and armature, and suitable supporting-brackets, substantially as set forth.

10. In a railway-signal, the combination of a plate provided with two apertures, one for a day-signal and one for a night-signal, three signal-disks pivotally mounted behind said plate so as to move in and out of register with the apertures, whereby two disks register conjointly at both apertures at one time and the third disk registers with one of the apertures at another time, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM P. HALL.

Witnesses:

H. MACBRIDE, HENRY D. WILLIAMS.

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