Patent GB-190500530-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Electric Railways and Trains.
Inventor: COURTEEN HENRY
Filed: 1905-01-11
Granted: 1906-02-10
Abstract: 530. Courteen. H. Jan. 11. No Patent granted (Sealing fee not paid). Electric railways on a sectional-conductor-block system, in which means are provided for (1 ) preventing a train from leaving any section until the train in front of it has passed the section in front or has arrived at a predetermined point, (2) automatically stopping trains in the event of a break in the motor supply circuit or of the speed of the train exceeding a certain limit, (3) automatically starting the trains by a motor-operated starting rheostat, so that under certain conditions trains may be run without attendants. Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of three sections of the system. P are the track rails, S the sectional conductors and M the supply main. The supply passes to the sections by branches a through switches C, which are operated from the train as it leaves a section, to cut out that section. This section is re-energized on the train leaving the adjacent section and operating the restoring-switch R. The sections may also be put into circuit by hand-operated switches c, or by the combination of hand-operated switches c<1> and the train-operated switches C, as shown. In a modification, the switches C, R are so arranged and operated that the supply passes to the sectional conductors through two circuits alternately between the switches. Fig. 3 shows a modified arrangement, in which the sections are kept dead until the train arrives at them. A trainoperated switch A is arranged in the circuit a and at the fore end of the section. The train, on reaching a section, operates the corresponding switch A to complete the circuit a ; on reaching the end of the section, it operates a switch C to break the circuit there and simultaneously to complete a circuit through a<3> to operate an electromagnet, whereby the switch A is opened again, the switch C being closed, as above described, by the restoring-switch R. Fig. 4 shows a train-operated switch suitable for working as described above. The disk C or R, carrying suitable contacts, is fixed on the shaft d, which also carries the ratchetwheel f. The train-operated lever B, weighted at its lower end, swings freely on the shaft d, and, when struck, rotates the ratchet-wheel and disk C until the cam-surface h disengages the pawl g. Simultaneously, the cam-surface h presses the projection on the lever i into the notch k<1> in the disk k and thus arrests the switch in its proper position. The lever B then returns to its initial position, and the lever i is drawn back by a spring. At points and crossings, train-operated switches as above described may be provided for cutting off the current from any section along which it is desired to stop the passage of trains. The switches may also be interlocked with the point or signal operating mechanism. The trains may be provided with one or other of the following braking arrangements : (a) gearing operated by the rotating axles applying the brakes through a clutch or its equivalent, the clutch being held out of gear by an electro-magnet when this is in circuit ; (b) a centrifugal governor driven by the axles operates by its sliding sleeve or equivalent, when the train exceeds a predetermined speed limit, a switch either to cut off the current from the driving- motors, or to put the brakes into action, or to perform both these duties ; (c) additional sectional conductors S<1>, Fig. 6, may be provided for actuating the electric brakes, in combination with cut-off and restoring switches C, R, so arranged that, when the motor supply sections S are cut out of circuit, the brake supply sections S' will be cut into circuit, and vice versa. For automatically starting the trains, or for running them without attendants, motor-operated rheostats may be provided. Any suitable known system of electric signalling, operated from the switches C, R, may be used. Signals, in the form of electric lights, may also be placed on the trains so as to be 'on' when current is being taken from the conductors S, and 'off' when the section is de-energized. Signals may also be operated from the switches to indicate in advance the approach of a train, and means may be provided to permit a train automatically to signal its position to the one following it.