Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-04
TO AVERT RAILWAY WRECKS

Automatic signal system Tested
With Soeeess NJ Lee Angeles.
Patents have been recently secured
fJr a signaling system on railroads.
steam OF electricity. which, IL Is claim
ell. viii absolutely safeguard trains
against collisions The inventor IL
Henry NJ. Davenport Of Los Angeles.
Cal
/, Men In charge OF railroad construc-
\ uon and mechanics for the large lines
| II the country have without dissent
and hesitation pronounced the ideas Of
Mr.. Davenport perfectly sound. prac-
teal AMI Indicative Of success. The
new system is being Installed on nm
electric line running out Of Los Ange-
les. Cal. and 10 TO lie in operation soon.
Mr.. Davenport's signal system de
ponds upon the operation OF a number
OF small signal machines. each OF about
q hundred pounds weight. inclosed in
waterproof cases and buried In the
ground at the end OF the ties OF the
railroad SO as not TO interfere with
, track laying or other repairs. Zach box
II pierced by n number OF shafts for
the control OF the mechanism. All of
them are connected by cable. running
from machine TO machine.
The system Is directly operated by
the train itself while in motion. II Is
caused by the gradual depression of an
Inclined lever which lies parallel to
and against the rail The end OF this
lever nearest the approaching train is
flush with the top OF the rail and the
other end slightly above the rail. The
passing wheel OF tire engine or the
electric ear forces the lever down. 1t
is locked I'm this position by the first
wheel passing over IL. The movement
given the lever Is transmitted by means
OF short crank and the shaft. before
described. tn the interior CT the signal
machine I. ,nai tox a .atchet is
made TO rotate step. and by this
rotation n reciprocatiDg stroke OF
few inches Is produced on the cable
which connects all the machines. This
movement OF the cable produces ro-
tation OF the ratchet wheels in all the
machines. which are actively protecting
the train. and also operates the signals.
The signal IL small wheel made OF
fiber. which. when the machine is &C.
tive rises above the rail OF the road.
The operation OF the signals is very
simple. Each engine or electric car has
attached 10 some rigid part Of its truck
a narrow inclined plane q few inches
above the rail. This operates n three
way valve connected with the air
brake system. Suppose that Il train.
A, Is throwing UP signals 5000 feet in
front or 500 feet in the rear. Train
B, on the same track. Is coming to-
ward It, When train u reaches the sig
nal machine 5000 feet in front of train
A IL Is signnled as being In that trains
protected zone The disk OF the signal
machine. having been raised. strikes
the inclined plane ON the engine or
electric car. and the resulting operation |
Of the three way valve gives II signal |
To the person IN control OF the engine. |
At the same time the signals projected |
5000 feet ahead OF train have sig |
naied train A OF its having entered |
upon the protected zone % another |
train. Eacn engineer or motorrnan |
then knows Of his danger and takes |
the required action for safety. The |
same condition exists where trains are |
following each other.
Should either or both OF the persons |
controlling the trains disregard the |
hrst signals when they reach the sec |
ond signal. which II shown by the next |
succeeding signal machine. this signal |
Ing disk acts the same rs the other. |
excepting IL has n more decided action /
which operates TO automatically stop |
either or both trains