Patent GB-190523278-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Signalling Systems.
Inventor: HEIDE HENRY CONRAD
Filed: 1905-11-13
Granted: 1906-10-25
Abstract: 23,278. Heide, H. C., [Seeley, G. M.] Nov. 13. Selectors.-For controlling a number of signals from one cabin an electric signal selector is used for actuating, by means of an electro-magnetic reversing switch, a polarized relay controlling an electro-magnetically driven ratchet carrying an insulated disk with a single contact, for engaging fixed brushes in local circuits for electro-magnetically controlling the semaphores, which may be set by a circuit from a power-main or trolly circuit. Fig. 1 shows a central cabin A and one of the signal stations B. Other stations may be connected in series with the station B and the conductor earthed at the last, instead of at B as shown. To set a signal C at danger from the cabin A, a pin 51 is inserted in the proper hole 47 in the ring 46 corresponding to such signal. The arm 50 with the toothed ring 49 is allowed to rotate by removal of a detent (not shown). The brush 52 thus makes contact with the teeth of the ring 49 and closes the circuit from the battery 36 through the solenoid 42 as each tooth passes. With the arm 50 at the normal position, this circuit is broken. Each time the circuit is completed, the armature 43 throws over the reversing switch H, two terminals of which are earthed, thereby sending currents in alternate directions from the battery 35 through the manually-operated reversing-switch I, which is normally in the position shown, switch H, wire 59, armature 39, contact 40, brushes 62, 63 (the insulated section of the ring 49 being removed from the brushes by the rotation of the ring), to the polarized relay F and to others in series with same or to earth. This relay F closes the circuit from the battery 28 to the magnet 29 the armature 30 of which moves the bell-crank levers 134, 140, Figs. 6 and 7, the former driving the ratchetwheel 21 and the latter locking the same against overrunning, and the spring detent 137 preventing backward motion. The ratchet 21 has the same number of teeth as the wheel 49 so that it is moved step by step in accordance therewith. The spindle 20 also carries an insulated disk 19 with a contact 18 on its surface in electrical connexion with the spindle 20 by which the circuits from the battery 14 are completed through the brushes 17, 27, to the magnets 13, E respectively, if the contact 15, 16 is closed. On the arm 50 reaching the pin 51, the circuit from the battery 37 to the solenoid 38 is completed and the armature 39 breaks contact at terminal 40 and makes circuit at terminal 41 through the sounder K and the polarized electromagnet 91 which is so energized as not to move its armature, magnet 34<a>, to earth through the make- and-break wheels 80, 79. Thus the circuit to the magnet 13 is closed at contacts 15, 16, and 17, 18, and the detent 7 removed from the latch 6, allowing the arm C to fall to the danger position, and rotating the make-and-break wheels 79,80, winding the spring of one and allowing the other spring to unwind, the make-and-break of the circuit causing the sounder K to indicate audibly in the cabin that the semaphore C has moved. To restore the signal C to normal safety position, the pin 51 is moved to the next bole and the arm 50 moved up to it, thus causing the disk 19 to move one space further and the contact 18 to come under the brush 27, thereby energizing the relay E and closing the circuit through the solenoid D from the main circuit. The core 10 is connected to a chain passing over a sprocket-wheel connected to the arm C by a second chain. For the purpose of correcting the position of the whole of the series of switch disks 19 in regard to the selector disk 49, the reversing switch I is employed in conjunction with the polarized magnet 91. The switch arm 96 is moved on to the arcs 107, 110, thus energizing the relay 91 through wire 111, battery 35, wires 112, 71, 72 in such a. manner as to cause the armature 92 to stand in the path of a pin on the disk 19. The arm 96 is then returned to its normal position and the ring 49 is rotated once, causing the disk 19 to be rotated until engaged by the armature 92. The armature 92 is removed by moving the arm 96 to the contacts 104, 105 during which movement the magnet 91 is energized when the arm 96 is on the arcs 108, 109, so as to remove the armature 92 from the pin on the disk 19, thus leaving all disks free to move when the next signal is to be operated.