Patent GB-191000756-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Devices for Preventing Collisions between Railway Trains.
Inventor: ANGUS ARTHUR REGINALD
IPC: B61L3/10
Filed: 1910-01-11
Granted: 1911-04-11
Abstract: 756. Angus, A. R. Jan. 25, 1909, [Convention date]. Electrical systems, automatic; single-track systems; track apparatus actuating signals on trains; miniature signals. - In an automatic electrical system employing sets of fixed track contact rails engaging contact rods or brushes on the engine, the source of current is carried on the train, and a current passes through certain track contact rails to electro-magnetic switches arranged to make or break the circuit between other pairs of track contact rails and thus to give a danger or safety indication on another train and in the case of a danger indication to apply the brakes and shut off steam. Electric generators of any kind are employed as the source of current and are carried on the engine, brake van or other part of the train. The track contact rails in each set are bound together and insulated, and secured in a single chair bracket secured to a sleeper. There are eight contact rails in each set secured between the ordinary rails. The first, second, seventh and eighth contact rails are termed " con- " troller " rails, the third and sixth " stop " rails, and the fourth and fifth " indicator " rails. The stop rails are shorter than the controller rails, and the indicator rails longer than the stop rails sufficiently to indicate on the engine whether the stop rails are connected or not, and to permit the driver to stop the train, if necessary, before passing on to the stop rails. There are five similar sets of engine contacts arranged at different points in the length of the engine. The first and fifth sets are connected with a dynamo, the second and fourth sets with accumulators, and the third set with a primary battery. Each set comprises eight contact rods or brushes 78 ... 81 and 078 ... 081, Fig. 13, connected through a commutator switch 92 ... 95 and contacts 100, 105, 111, 112 on a reversing-switch board to a dynamo 118, accumulators 127, and a primary battery 126. This reversing-switch is operated by the usual hand-wheel for reversing the engine. When the dynamo is supplying current, a magnet 121 is energized and breaks the circuits of the accumulator and the primary battery. When the accumulators supply the current, electro - magnets 130, 131 break the circuits of the primary battery and the dynamo. When the primary battery supplies current, the electro-magnets 136, 137 break the circuits of the accumulators and dynamo. When the engine passes over a set of contact rails in which the circuit is closed between the two rails in contact with the brushes 81, 081, the electromagnets 143 and solenoid 144 are energized to blow a whistle 150, ring a bell 155, and operate a miniature signal 148. If similarly the circuit is closed between the brushes 80, 080, the brake is applied by the operation of a handle 175 and the steam throttle lever 176 is also operated to shut off steam. A holding-circuit is closed by the energization of a magnet 163 to continue this action until the circuit is broken by the engine driver. The electro-magnetic switches used in connexion with the track apparatus comprise a vertical pivoted armature 54, Fig. 8, operated by either of the electro-magnets 55, 56 and provided with a double wedge head 57 adapted to bridge the contacts 58, 59 or 60, 61. In another similar form, the armature is operated by any of the electro-magnets 55, 63, 64, Fig. 9, on one side or 56, 65, 66 on the other side. A solenoid switch used in connexion with the track apparatus comprises a plunger rod 70, Fig. 6, with a wedge-shaped head 71 normally bridging contacts 72, 73 under the action of a spring 75 but capable of being withdrawn to break the circuit by the energization of either of two solenoids 68, 69. These solenoids are placed in circuit between the controller track contact rails, and make or break the circuit between the stop rails so as to determine whether a current is flowing from the source on the train, and ensure that the train will be stopped upon encountering the stop rails if no current is flowing through the controller rails. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing the track arrangements for a single track system. If a train is moving from A towards E, the engine contact brushes engage the controller rails 40, 040 at A, and current flows from the engine through the rail 40, wire 178, magnet 56 at A, wire 178, magnet 55 at C, and wire 179 to the rail 040 at A. The energized magnet 55 at C closes the circuit between the stop rails 42, 042 and the indicator rails 43, 043 at C, and another train would therefore be stopped and signals given thereon on passing on to these rails. The energized magnet 56 at A breaks the circuit between the corresponding stop rails 42, 042 and the indicator rails 43, 043 at A. On passing over the controller rails 40, 040 at B, the circuit is broken between the stop and indicator rails at D as described above, and in addition a switch 48 is operated to close the circuit between additional stop rails 46, 046 and indicator rails 47, 047 situated some distance behind the set of rails at B. Similar actions take place at the sets of track rails C and D, and, as the train passes over the set of rails at E, the circuits are broken between the stop rails 46, 046 and indicator rails 47, 047 situated between B and C. Similar actions take place at each of the sets of track rails, and a train moving in the opposite direction from E to A produces similar effects by the use of controller rails 41, 041 in each set. The connexions between the various track rails and magnets are arranged in parallel in a modification. The arrangements and necessary modifications of the system are also described for use on a double track, at a set of points, and at crossing tracks using both double and single track working, at a balloon loop, a turn-table, and a siding or turn-out. In similar arrangements at a terminus, and at the siding, certain circuits pass through contacts on the semaphore arms to control the working in accordance with the position of the semaphore.