Patent GB-190405064-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the Electrical and Automatic Working of Signals, Points and Crossing Gates on Railways.
Inventor: DABOO DORABJI MERWANJI
Filed: 1904-03-01
Granted: 1905-03-01
Abstract: 5064. Daboo, D. M. March 1. Semaphore signals; lamp signals ; audible signals; contacts, electric; controlling and locking signals; crossing-gate signals; indicators and repeaters, point or switch and signal. - Electricpower actuation of signals, points, and crossing-gates with electric train-actuated treadles in the circuits are described. Referring to the power actuation of the signals, the semaphore arm, Fig. 1, is lowered to " safety" by completing a circuit at the station commutator H from the battery L through the wire l and contacts a' carried by bars a of the rocking-commutator C, and so by a wire l and an electromagnet m through a motor M to contacts i, i<1> of a train-operated treadle T. The energized magnet m withdraws a locking-bolt h from the motor M, which lowers the signal arm through a sector S. The lowered signal arm tilts the upper bars of the commutator C to break the motor circuit at the contacts a', and complete a circuit from a local battery A through contacts a' and wires 2, l through the station indicator I, which may consist of a moving coloured disc. Simultaneously, a circuit is completed from a local battery B, through wires 3, contacts b<1>, an electromagnet m<1>, a bell n on the signal post, and treadle contacts i, i<1>. The magnet m<1> locks the signal arm in the lowered position by attracting an armature r, but the arm is released when this magnet m<1> is de-energized by a train passing over the treadle T which normally rests with the contacts i, i<1> closed. A train acting through any known lever system on the treadle opens the contacts and closes contacts i<2> i<3> to close a circuit containing the battery A, wires 2a, l and a station bell E. The rocking commutator C returns to its normal position as the signal arm rises. The bell n on the post may be dispensed with, and hand-operated switches s<2>, s<3> are included in the circuits of the indicator I and the bell E at the station. An electric signal lamp q, Fig. 5, may be lighted by current passing from the station through a line-wire l<1>, a wire 4, and contacts b<2> on the rocking commutator C to an electromagnet m<2> which attracts a locking-bolt h<1> allowing a bar o to be raised by a motor M<1> engaging rack teeth on the bar o. A lever p is thus tilted to depress the commutator C and complete a local circuit from a battery B' through wires 3<a>, an electromagnet m<3>, the lamp q, and a bell n to the treadle contacts i, i<1>, so that, when the treadle is operated by the passing train, the circuits are restored to the normal conditions as before. Since the circuit 3<a> is completed independently of the commutator C, no lamp current is wasted in the day time. The energized magnet m<3> retains the bar o in the raised position. Ordinary lamp spectacles may be actuated independently of the semaphores by a similar arrangement, the bar 0 being employed to move the spectacle lever while the lever p merely tilts the rocker and does not also act as a switch. In similar electrical power actuation of points, Fig. 7, the point-operating rod o is actuated by a toothed rack on the rod engaging a wheel on a motor M<2> included in a circuit from the station through a line-wire l<2>, a wire 5, and closed contacts a<2> on a rocking commutator C and so through an electromagnet m<2>, which withdraws a locking bolt h<1> from the rod o, the circuit being completed through closed contacts i, i<1> of a train-operated treadle T placed sufficiently far from the points to allow the longest train to clear the points before encountering the treadle. The movement of the rod o actuates a lever p to close a circuit 3<a> containing a local battery B', a lamp q, and contacts i, i<1> on the treadle T. The actuated leverp depresses the upper bar of the commutator C, and thereby closes a station indicator and bell circuit through contacts a' and circuits 2, 2<a>. The movement of the points may operate coloured lamp screens, the lamp q being dispensed with. The passage of the train over the treadle T opens the contacts i, i<1> and restores the appliances to the normal position shown. Crossing-gates may similarly be electrically actuated. A hollow gatepost x, Fig. 8, to which the gate is fixed, rotates on a vertical post x<1> and carries toothed rings u engaging with wheels on motors M<3>, M<4>, for respectively opening and closing the gate. Current from the station passes by the line-wire l<3> through electromagnets m<4> to withdraw locking-bolts v<1> from the gatepost x, and so passes by a wire 6 to an electromagnet m<5>, Fig. 10, which gives an initial starting impulse to the outer gatepost u through its armature and levers v<2>, v<4>, v<3>, and a roller v<5>. Rollers y, y<1>, Fig. 8, are carried on a fixed vertical axis, and engage at their sides respectively with contact strips w, w<1> on the post x, thus completing a circuit through the wire 6<a> and the motor M<3> after the starting impulse has carried. the roller y beyond a small insulated portion at one end of the strip w. This roller y finally encounters a second insulated portion of the strip w, thus breaking the motor circuit, stopping the gate, and releasing the locks v<1>, which then lock the gate in the open position. A station current being transmitted to close the gate again first actuates similar starting apparatus to that shown in Fig. 10, and the roller y<1> which is capable of vertical motion on its axis against a spring, and has lifted a pivoted strip w<3>, and passed beyond it on the opening of the gate, now rides upwards on this strip w<3> on to a strip w<2>. A circuit is thus closed through the lower motor M<4> to close the gate. Indicators and bells at the station may be operated similarly to the manner described in reference to the operation of the semaphore signal by means of a rocking commutator and a train-operated treadle and signal, and siding lamps may also be similarly actuated in connection with the gate.