Patent GB-190615425-A (GB)
Inventor: O'DRISCOLL JOHN ROCHFORD
Filed: 1906-07-07
Granted: 1907-03-21
Abstract: 15,425. O'Driscoll, J. R. July 7. Contacts, mechanical and electric; signals on engines and trains; crossing - gate signals; indicating condition of bridges etc.; indicating route to drivers; miniature signals and indicators; stopping engines and trains.- Relates to that class of apparatus in which track contact - rails are raised into the path of verticallymovable engine contacts and actuate miniature signals and bells on the engine and apply the brakes or actuate the controller on electric trains. The track contacts are worked in conjunction with the ordinary semaphores or with crossing-gates, bridges, &c., and auxiliary contact apparatus indicates to the driver the number of the platform or siding into which a train is moving. Electric contacts on the engine may be similarly actuated by the mechanical track-contact apparatus, or electric currents may pass from the track-contact bars to engine indicators &c., for the above-mentioned purposes. The arrangements are similar in some respects to those described in Specification No. 24,295, A D. 1904. The track contacts are laid parallel to and between the track rails, and comprise bars 2<A> 2<B>, 2<C>, Fig. 2, Illustration B, of channel section, the bar 2<B> being raised into two different positions above the normal inactive position by cranks 5, 5<A>, which act on camsurfaces on the bar 2<B> and are actuated by bellcrank levers fixed on the crank shafts 6, 6<A>. One arm of each bell-crank lever is connected to a cabin lever or to a crossing-gate, a bridge, &c., and the other arm to a balance weight or a lever in another cabin to allow of control from two cabins. The inclined bars 2<A>, 2<C> are hinged each at one end to the bar 2<B>, and are supported by an inclined slot 9, resting on a fixed pin 10 at the other end. The channel-section bars may rest upon discarded track rails or upon inverted T-shaped rails. The engine contact apparatus comprises a wheel 21, Fig. 1, Illustration D, with an outer rotatable tyre 19 which comes into contact with the track bars. A rod 17 fixed to the wheel 21 is raised vertically to actuate the engine apparatus by the track bars, a spring 23 being interposed between the wheel 21 and a sliding hub 22, through which passes either an ordinary train axle 13 or a special fixed shaft. To diminish the shock of contact between the engine and track contacts the tyre is driven at the speed of the tyres of the ordinary train-wheels either by means of chain-and-wheel gearing between auxiliary wheels connected to the tyre and a train-wheel, or in similar manner through a chain-driven hub 57, Fig. 1, Illustration G, which carries arms 57<A> ... 57<D> driving arms 56, 56<A>, 56<B>, 56<C> fixed to the tyre. The hub arms are hinged at their centres to move outwardly on moving over projections 58, 58<A>, so as to escape the horizontal tyre arms, and thus allow vertical movement of the wheel with respect to the hub on passing over a track contact. The miniature engine signals are actuated by the vertically movable rod on the engine connected with the contact wheels, which are moved slightly upwards for an 'all clear' indication and to a greater extent for a 'danger' indication. Two rods and wheels may be provided for main and branch lines, in which case the engine indicators are duplicated. The rod 17, Fig. 1, Illustration F, leading from the contact-wheel is formed with a rack 17<B> engaging a toothed wheel 37, which actuates miniature semaphores (or rotary disk indicators), mounted on the same axle 38 through a pin 39 which engages in a curved slot 47, Fig. 3, Illustration F, in the miniature semaphore arm 31. The arm 31, on being raised to either indicating position, is retained by a catch 40, say, despite the fall of the contact-wheel and return of the rod 17, the pin 39 moving downwards in the slot 47 without affecting the arm 31. A manuallydepressible slide 42, Fig. 8, Illustration F, releases the catches 40, 41 to allow the return of the semaphore arm to the non-indicating position. The slider 42 moves against the action of a spring 50, and through pivoted levers 53, 51 depresses the catches 40, 41 against the action of springs 49, 49<A>. An arm 43, Fig. 1, Illusfration F, fixed to the rod 17-rides over the slider 42 on its downward motion owing to the hinged joint 43<A>, but if the driver has not returned the indicator by depressing the slide 42 before the receipt of a second signal, the upward movement of the arm 43 with the rod 17 depresses the slider 42 and thus automatically returns the indicators, after which they immediately give the new signalling indication. Levers 44, 45 are actuated by the rod 17 to give respectively a bell signal, and to actuate an enumerator informing the driver of the number of signals already received. For giving an indication of the number of the platform or siding into which a train is moving, a series of additional track contacts 62, Fig. 1, Illustration H, is provided as many contacts. being included in a series as the number to be indicated. The contacts are all actuated together by connexions 65 from the cabin or the switch points, the connexion 64 leading to a balance weight. Each contact is hinged at the joint 62<B>, and when actuated is raised into the path of a pivoted lever 60 on the engine provided with a spherical contacting-piece 60<A>. The cord 61 leads to the enumerator, and the cords 61<A>, 61<B> ensure operation in either direction of travel. The rising motion of the engine contact-wheels, Fig. 1, lllustration D, may be utilized to close successively two or more sets of electric contacts by the flange of the hub 22, which move in the groove of the wheel 21, and so to actuate electric indicators &c. on the locomotive. The track contact-rails may be raised by electric motors or electro-magnets, and may be provided with a live portion running down the centre, so that a current is transmitted through the tyre of the signal wheel to the engine indicators, when connexion is made from the cabin.