Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-04
A NEW BLOCK SIGNAL
Devised, Which Is to Be Operated by
Means Of Electricity.
THE MANUFACTURES OF OZONE.
Experiments as to the Physiological 4c'
tfon of Magnets.
IMPROVING TEE STORAGE BATTERY
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH,

WRITTEN FOR THE DTsPArcH.l
Past attempts to devise practical sys-
tenn of electric block signaling have been at
tended by many difficulties, and have re-
suited in not few failures These failures
have been traced TO detective designs or in
atruments, failure through inatteution to
the batteries and other causes, to provide
against which greater care is now taken,
and system has now been evolved which
bids fair to meet the requirements of
electric block signaling. The blocks are
not less than three-quarters of a mile apart.
The, home signal is operated by lever, the
| operation Of the other signals being de-
/ pendent on electricity and gravity or air
pressure. These signals are placed 1000 to
l. 500 feet apart throughout the block, the
circuit connecting them being also con-
nected with the lever at the home station,
SO that in moving the lever to place the
home signal at danger, the circuit will be
opened and the signals will fall to the dan
ger sign by gravity.
These signals will give ample notice. Of
the position of the home signal and protect
train stopping just beyond block station.
Notice can also thus be given to the train
should the block ahead clear after the
train passes the distant signal, and schedule
speed may be resumed before the train
reaches the home station. To prevent the
chance of an operator ualoeking the lever
while any part of the train is on the block,
one line is specially connected and insu-
lated throughout each block. The rail is
free from contact with cinder ballast and
taps are run from its circuit to one side of
the metallic line circuit which is used to
unlock the lever at the Office in the rear.
The manner in which this system is oper-
ated is as follows: A train passing over
the block will ground the side of the circuit
connected by taps to rail and close the relay,
and the local of the relay will lock the lever
which operates the home signal. At the
same moment the circuit OF the block in the
rear will be opened, and will remain so un-
til the last pair OF wheels connected by
metal axle passes out of the block.
Twisting Strings for Musical instruments.
The new method of twisting strings by
electricity for musical instruments is being
guitars, violins, hsrps, bass viols and many
other musical Instruments The work is
done by electric motors, one machine being
used exclusively for making banjo fourth
strings, which are only .o023" thick
when finished 1t will make string 40
inches long in As seconds, the wire used for
winding the silk being .oo3" thick. This
fine wire is carried and directed by hand
and two wires can be worked at once On
such string there are no fewer than 13, 1888
coils along 4oh length. The motor used
for this purpose runs at e 100 revolutions
per minute, driving the string machine by
means Of fiber gearing at 5000 revolu-
tionA
Another small electric motor, which runs
at 2,2o0 revolutions. actuates a machine
making 5000 revolutions, used for the max
ing of violin G strings, covered with copper
wire silver plated and only .006h thick.
By this machine q man can make 108
strings an hour. Another machine, which
Is run by a larger motor, is SO arranged that
every kind OF string can be made on it from 4
15i to 64n in length. The wire used for
the various kinds of strings runs from .003"
to .0017" in thickness.