Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-09-03
AN INGENIOUS DEVICE.

| Ideas of an indiana Man to Prevent
80 Railroad Wrecks.
j. u. Stcige!mcyer, member OF The
city ire department, is the inventor
OF Il system which. il is clnimcG by
prominent machinist.. Will successful-
~ prevent wrecks ON railroads and
I'm many other WAYS make travelling.
safer both for the public. The employee;
ana the railroad companies. g
The new invention is an addition to
the block" system. The system has
been perfected 10y Mr. Stcigclmeycr
utter several years Of hard work, and
he has applied for patents AS soon
rs they are issued he will arrange for
| Il practical test of his scheme, and will
then organize IL company for the man
ufacture and sale Of his patent.
inc new system is one which acts
directly upon the throttle of the loco.
motive. regardless of the attention Or
inattcntion of the engineer. The pat
cnt is So arranged that each time Il
signal is ignored the engine is auto.
matically stopped and ut the same
time record of the stop is made in
the signamai'S tower, recording tho
exact time it occurs. At the end of
his run the engineer must explain the
rcasons for the stop. Thus. it is
claime;l. will the watchlulncss of the
engineer br Increased instead of dim,
inishcd. as it has been by the former
block system
The Automatic Locomotive Con-
troll" is The name of the new device.
The controlling power hy which the
engine Is stopped is electricity, while
INC operating power Is compressed air
taken from the train line pipe a bat.
tory at the bottom OF The signal post
connected with a copper plate at tho
top of tho post, which. in turn. is con.
n"ctcd with Il roller arm on the arm
%. the signal post, ana Il short rail in
he middle Of tho railroad track, com.
nirtci the mechanism of the system
n" fur as the track is concerned.
On the cn"inc is II small wheel
"hich comes in contact with the short
"ail ID in ,hc ccmicr of the track.
licrc also is what Is; known as IL
n''ny' truck wheel and n copper disc
with al electric brush which is con
n'ctrd with Il throt ilc.rlosiny cylin-
der, Tho mir from the train line pipe
is taken mp through the cylinder.
which is controlled by an electric mag.
nrt ON top of he cylinder
With the signals and tho engines
equipped thus any engine attempting
Ia pass signal SGT at block" will an.
'"n,o;ically lc brought to standstill.
Tin" trolley wheel coming in contact
With the short rail in the center OF the
Track. AMI IN" pony truck wheel com,
irT IN contact with the main rail, com
n.rirs the circuit which charges the
magnet and in this way autulnaticnlly
r'"Sca tho throttle and sets the
i'nkci On The other hand. when the
signal is set clearance" there is n,
c!rcuit completed, ami III" train passes
'hc signal posi- untouched
some advantages az the System are
ia; in case the engineer is dead III
asleep ANA he signal is set aguins.
Lin the train Is brought To n stuD
without loss Ia The company or In
j':ry 10 Tic train. Tho system is such
ilht sliou'd Il train break in two or
~ air hose hrCaI. the engine is shut
down, rs the throttle works in ilar.
innny with the brakes and as Tho
brakes ar" SET the thrn;tlc will close
II" system also throws a safeguard
around the travelling public in the case
-! drrail. for il The signal is set a.
block" the engine will bc stopped
l"!urc the dcrail is reached.
Railroad mon who have examined
Nj. Stcigclmcycr's patent are astomnd
or at the simplicity of the mechanism
and believe the system great sue.
cess. With this system in use. they
sry. the danger of railroad travcin.
will he reduced 20 per cont. They also
say il is entirely indian.
an0lis Star.