Patent GB-190500423-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Railway Signalling Systems.
Inventor: LEMIRE JOSEPH
Filed: 1905-07-08
Granted: 1906-07-07
Abstract: 423. Lemire, J. July 8. Signalling - systems. - An automatic electrical system employs track contacts and also a special instrument at each semaphore. Each instrument comprises a series of electro-magnets with mechanically interacting armatures controlling electric contacts for the system. Other manually-controlled electric switches are also used in certain cases, and the control of the system in conjunction with track switch points is described. In each electro-magnetic instrument the armature-carrying arms 21, 22, 23, 24, Fig. 1, of the electro-magnets A, B, C, D are pivoted on a shaft, and are retained in the raised position by adjustable springs 27, Fig. 2. The opposite end of each arm 21, &c. is bevelled and engages with a bevelled member 31, Fig. 8, carried by an arm 32, which is pivoted on a rock-shaft 33 to release the arm 22 when the magnet A is energized and the arm 21 consequently depressed. The arm 21 is locked in its lower position by a catch 33<b> on a bell-crank lever 39 pivoted on a shaft 34, and held in position by a spring 35<a>. Thus a bevelled pin 35 contacts with the terminal 36, Fig. 2, to close partially a semaphore circuit common to all the magnets A, B, C, D. If the magnet B is then energized, its arms 22, Fig. 8, descends, depressing an arm 38 on the bell-crank lever 39, which thus releases the catch 33<b> from the arm 21 and opens the corresponding contacts 35, 36, although similar contacts are simultaneously closed by the depression of the arm 22. The arm 22 is locked by a hook 41 on an arm 42, Fig. 4, carried by the shaft 33, Fig. 8, which is retained by the spring 43 in the locking position. When the arm 23 is depressed, it is similarly locked by a hook 49, Fig. 4, and releases the arm 22 by means of a pin 46 on the free end of the arm 23 engaging a piece 47 on an arm 48, which is fixed on a spring-controlled extension shaft 33<a> of the shaft 33 and which is thus rotated to release the locking-catch 41 of the arm 22. When the magnet D is energized, the depressed arm 24, Fig. 2, actuates the rock-shaft 33<a> through the piece 50 on the arm 51, and releases the arm 23 from its locking-hook 49. In energizing the magnets in the order A, B, C, D, the magnet D is not locked, but when the reverse order obtains, the initial energizing of the magnet D depresses the arm 24, Fig. 8, which is then locked by a catch 33<c> on a bell-crank lever pivoted at 34<a> and held in position by a spring 35<a>. Thus the pin 35 on the arm 24 makes contact with the terminal 36, Fig. 2, to close a semaphore circuit partially as before. If either of the magnets A, D is energized and then either of the magnets B, C, the circuit through the semaphore 3
, Fig. 6, will be closed to give a 'danger' indication. The circuit includes the wire 55 leading to the contacts A', D', and the wire 56 leading to the contacts B', C', the four contacts A, B', C', D' being the contacts 35, 36 for each magnet. If the magnets B, C are simultaneously energized, their armature arms will depress the insulated rocking arm 57, Fig. 5, connecting the contacts 58, 59, which connect the contacts A<1> C<1>, and signal danger.' Either magnet B, C if energized alone merely rocks the arm 57 on its pivot. The contacts 1<a>, Fig. 6, are formed by extensions 67, Figs. 2 and 8, of a rocking arm 65 on a shaft 66. An attached insulation block 69 carries a pivoted hanger 70 actuated by the pin 46<a> on the armature arm 23. A pin projecting from the block 69 causes the rocking hanger 70 to close the contact at the terminal 67. The contacts 3<a>, Fig. 6, comprise similar arrangements with respect to the rocking arm 65<a>, &c, Fig. 8. The contacts a', Fig. 6, comprise bridges on the armature arms, and are normally closed, but when the arms are lowered these contacts are broken, and the semaphore circuits are broken when both magnets A, D are energized. In the operation of the system a train travelling in the direction of the arrow 7, Fig. 6, closes the track contact 1, and energizes the magnet C at station 1
, the circuit being from earth through the contacts 1, lead C<x>, terminal 3<c>, leads 102, 103, 104, magnet C, leads 105, 106, terminal 6<c>, wire 74<a> battery y, wire 107, terminal 7<c>, and the leads 108, 109 back to earth. The contacts 1<a> are thus closed, and a circuit formed through the magnet D at the next station ahead, that is from earth through the wire 109, terminal 7, wire 107, battery y, terminal 6<c>, wires 110, 111, 112, contacts 1<a>, wires 73, terminal 1<c>, lead 4<cx>, terminal 4<c> at station 2
, wires 115 and 118, magnet D, and the wires 119, 120, 121 to earth. In similar manner, when the train reaches and closes the track contacts 2, a circuit is closed through the magnet B at station 1
, which closes the contacts 3<a>, and thereby energizes the magnet A of the next semaphore to the rear, which cause the previously locked armature of the magnet B to be released. On the contacts 3 being closed, the magnet C at station 2
 is energized, closing the contacts 1<a> as before, and energizing the magnet D at station 3
. The closing of the contacts 4 energize the magnet B at station 2
, and closes contacts 3<a>, and so energizes the magnet A at station 1
; similar effects are produced as the train successively close3 the contacts 5, 6. Assume that a train 9 is situated between the contacts 5, 6 and is travelling in the direction of the arrow 7, the magnet C at station 3
 is energized, and likewise the magnet B at station 2
. A second train approaches and closes the contact 1, energizing the magnet C at station 1
 and the magnet D at station 2
. The contacts B<1>, D<1> at station 2
 are thus closed, and the circuit through the semaphore 2
 is thereby made to signal 'danger' to the following train. The train 9 then closes the contact 6, energizes the magnet B at station 3
 and the magnet A at station 2
, which unlocks the armature of magnet B to break the semaphore circuit and signal ' safety' to the following train. The system may be worked in conjunction with track switch points 16, so that contacts at the points are closed when the switch points are turned out of their normal position. A circuit is thus closed from earth at 16 through lines 16<x>, 16<x1>, switches L, K, line 16<x2>, terminal 5<c>, a magnet at the extreme left of the series A, B, C, D, contacts G<1>, 7<b> (which have been closed by a train closing the contact 2, and energizing the magnet B), line 106, terminal 6<c>, battery y, terminal 7<c>, line 108 to earth. The energized magnet at the left of the series attracts its armature, which mechanically depresses the armature of the magnet D, closing the contacts D<1>, which co-operate with the previously closed contacts B<1> to close the circuit of the semaphore 1
 and signal ' danger.' Similar circuits are closed to throw the semaphore 2
 to 'danger' when a train approaches the switch points from the opposite direction and closes the contacts 4. Intermediate signal stations may be provided between semaphores provided with manually-operated switches K, L, to set the semaphores 1
, 2
 to danger' when the approaching trains close the contacts 2, 4 respectively. When the switch K is moved by an operator on to the contact K<1>, the line 16<x2> is earthed through the line 500, and the magnets D, B and that at the left of the series are therefore employed to throw the semaphore 1
 to 'danger' when a train closes the contact 2, exactly as described with reference to the switch points 16. The line 16<x2> may be similarly earthed by moving the switch K on to the contact K<2>, but here a warning signal of the approach of a train is given to the operator when the magnet O is energized. A local circuit including the bell O<2> is thus made. The arm L is moved on to either of the contacts L<1>, L<2> to earth the line 16<x1> for trains approaching the contact 4 in the opposite direction, an approach warning signal being given by the bell O<2> when the contact L<2> is employed.