Improvements in Electric Railway Signals, Parts of which are applicable to other Signalling or Alarm Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Signals, Parts of which are
applicable to other Signalling or Alarm Purposes.
I JOSÉ ORTEGA Y ESPINOSA of 2^ Del Reloj num 3 in the City of Mexico Civil
Engineer and Surveyor at present of Blomfield House London Wall London E.C.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to prevent the collisions of trains that come over
the same road and in opposite directions and also to give other warnings and
alarms.
I will first describe the electric railway signals.
To obtain this object my invention by a special system of electrical apparatus
notifies not only the extreme stations of a portion of a road but also the engine
that runs over said road that another engine is coming in an opposite direction.
To fully explain the manner in which this is obtained I will proceed to describe
in particular and successively each one of the features of the invention that form
the complete system.
a very
Apparatus: Figure 1:-This apparatus is placed in the station in
conspicuous point so that it can be easily consulted by the telegraph operator
and station agent as well as by the conductor and engineer of the train that
passes by said station. This apparatus consists of a closed case that placed against
the wall shows on its outside face four holes two with white and two with black
back ground the two on the left corresponding to the south line and the two on
the right to that of the north line.
Four small discs
are provided and moved by a mechanism entirely
analogous so that it will be quite sufficient to describe one of them. Each such
disc is mounted upon and moved by a suitable lever cb which in its normal
position and abandoned to the simple action of gravity places the disc away from
the opening of the box taking the position o b. The small arm of said lever
leans against a soft iron armature c d which oscillates about a pivot at its bottom
end and this is limited in its oscillation by means of a pin t on one side and on the
other by means of the electro magnet A in front of which it is placed so that when
no current passes through the electro inagnet the opening that corresponds to it is
left unoccupied and on the contrary when an electric current passes through it it
attracts the soft iron bar this acts upon the lever of which I have already spoken
and immediately the small disc appears in the opening.
It will be well to say here that the two circuit wires that run to the two electro
magnets of the north side start from batteries placed in the station and running over
other apparatus that I will in their turn describe they lastly pass over the electro
magnets' of the south of another similar apparatus placed in the nearest station and
introduce theinselves into the earth so as to complete the two circuits and thus
successively' in all the stations of a railroad.
Apparatus: Figures 2 and 3. This apparatus is placed at the starting point of
a station outside of the yard said apparatus is composed of a closed iron plate box
that has on its either side two levers A A advantageously of wrought iron joined
by two cylinders p q of the same metal that revolve or rock in the journal box
formed by the plates B B placed on either side of the case and said levers are
held in the vertical position by means of two springs R symmetrically placed in
the interior of the case and which are secured to the bottom of the 'case by their
lower ends. These springs exercise their tension on the two bridges S S₁ that
transversely connect the two cylinders or axes. Above one cylinder y is arranged
an arm of the bar B and 'which slides vertically and longitudinally in the

page_text: guide E formed by a box of four sides two of which sides have openings (the one
that remains in front of the lever and the opposite one). The latter has an
opening SE so that a spring G may immediately press the bar and the former
has two holes or openings one of which is opposite the pinion D and the other in
the upper part with the object of leaving free transit to the arm F in the ascending
movement that it has to effect as will afterwards be seen.
The face of the bar B that faces the centre of the figure is formed with ratchet
teeth whose horizontal sides are placed downwards and in an opposite position to
the cogs of the pinion D that have the same form so that they only mesh and make
said pinion turn when the bar descends. This pinion is placed as is seen in the
figure on the axis of a fly wheel C whose weight and size are calculated in such
a manner with respect to those of the bar that the latter being lifted to its
extreme upper part cannot return to its primitive position without at least two
seconds delay as it has to make said fly wheel turn around.
The electric circuit connecting with this part of the apparatus enters by the
left side of the figure by the wire 1 goes to a button n placed in the wall of
the guide E as is seen in the drawings and is in contact with the face of the
corresponding bar by means of a small spring r that constantly presses it and
which in its turn establishes the necessary contact to let the current pass. The
bar being placed in its lowest position said spring rests against the face of the bar
which is made of wood or any other insulating matter. From the farthest end of
the button starts a wire that takes the current to another button fixed in a bar of
soft iron which is placed in front of the electro magnet H by means of its spring.
This last button perforating the bar presents a point i that when the same bar is
attached by the electro magnet is put into contact with the metal sheet f. which
in its turn transmits the current to the electro magnet to at last go. out by the
wire m m.
Before going any farther I will say that the bar B has in its surface opposite
the levers an inlaid sheet 6 that extends from point 6 to a point a little below
where the spring rests and goes over to the lower end of the same bar..
Referring to the spring G it will be seen that pressing as it does the plate and
being placed in turn in contact with the same plate the electric current is there-
fore transmitted by the first of said springs G and from its point of detention X
also goes by the corresponding wire to the plate f to run in its turn to the electro
magnet H.
On the other side of the box a small bar K is arranged in horizontal position
against the end of which leans the lever J which turns around the point L and
which by its own weight is constantly in contact with the bar at the point g. On
the higher end of the lever there is a tooth f which corresponds to a similar one
that is contained on the cylinder or axis p which cylinder on moving upwards
makes said cog come in contact with tooth f and by this movement throws aside
the lever obliging it to interrupt its contact established at g'.
The corresponding current on this other side of the apparatus enters from the
right side of the box by the wire e e e enters at point L going from L to g and
communicates with the bar K at last going out on the left side of the box by the
corresponding wire.
Before describing the manner by which this apparatus works it is well to notice.
that the electric current that passes through the mechanism of the right side
which I described before comes from the battery of the station or from any
convenient point passes through the magnet A of Figure 1 and runs over the right
side of the apparatus now being described and then traverses by the left side of the
apparatus of Figure 2 exactly alike and which is placed at the entrance of the
proximate station to work at last upon the electric magnet A³ of Figure 1 of
the corresponding apparatus which must exist in the latter station and directing
itself to the ground so as to join the electric current.
By this it can now be seen how the apparatus works. The engine has on the bottom
part of its pilot or at any convenient point two teeth or bolts symmetrically placed

page_text: on either side of its middle line exactly the same distance that separates the
levers A A of Figure 3 in such a manner that corresponding with said levers the
teeth can move them on passing.
The apparatus being placed in the situation already specified the nearest or
starting station being on the right side of the figure the levers are pushed by the
teeth of the pilot of the passing engine which place said levers in the position A'
Figure 2 raise the cylinder 7 which carries in its ascending movement the arm F
which finally drags in its train the bar B. In this movement the spring of the
button (which has been resting on the wooden part of bar on the ascending of said
bar) is placed in contact with the metallic plate already mentioned. The current
thereby passes which at the same time is transmitted by the spring G which is
also in contact with the metallic plate. Said current goes to plate f puts the
electro magnet in operation which attracting the piece of soft iron I brings the
piece in contact with said plate and establishes the direct communication of
button n with the electro magnet by means of the wire wo. So that although
the cogged bar replaces itself in its primitive position and interrupting the current
that passes through G the circuit is wholly established by means of the constant
action of the electro magnet which working on the armature I continues to
establish the contact between i and f. The fly wheel and the cogged bar are
designed with the object that though the passing of the engine be very rapid
all this mechanism will work equally and at the same time giving it plenty of
time so as to better assure the operation of all these electric currents.
Having already seen what happens when the train starts from the station I
will now describe what happens when the train enters the station for which it is
directed.
By means of the same teeth of the pilot the levers are now moved in contrary
directions the cylinder q now serving as axle and does not alter in the least the
incchanism of the right side but the cylinder marked with the letter p rises and
diverts with the tooth o the lever J and interrupts the contact at g said interruption
reacting on the electro magnet H of apparatus Figure 2 of the starting out
station.
This releases the armature I of that station and by this means the current in
the relative circuit is once again definitely interrupted.
Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8: All along the line of the road are to be
found placed in the middle of it in places thought to be most convenient as will
be afterwards seen certain apparatus whose longitudinal side view is seen in
Figure 6.
This apparatus is composed on the upper part of a sheet of quadrangular
hammered iron of about 15 centimeters wide and one hundred in length more or
less. Said sheet must be arched in its longitudinal part so as to form a curve of
two or three centimeters pitch more or less. Upon this plate are strips E E' of
copper placed parallel lengthwise alongside of each other and separated from
each other and from said plate by means of suitable insulation. These parts
which remain on a level with the rails and parallel with them cover a subjacent
iron box inside the upper part of which are sustained two electro magnets B BCC
Figure 7 which accordingly as the electric current flows through or not elevate
or lower the levers g h g h whose fulcrum is in the part M of the support of the
form of an inverted T. These levers are limited in their movements by the
piece D' D of the T shaped support and they approach or recede from said
electro magnets. Each one of the levers has transversely and near its fulcrum a
sheet of copper Z Z also seen at st in Figure 8 and which on ascending with
the lever is placed in contact with a pair of conductors e e and e¹e which are
separated and that go to communicate with the four plates already referred to that
is to say E and E' and which are on the upper surface of the same apparatus.
The action of each one of the electro magnets corresponds respectively to the right
or left pair of said plates and serves to connect them in pairs. The two wires

page_text: which as has been seen depart from the station which traverses firstly the apparatus
Figure 1 and secondly the apparatus Figure 2 also run over that which is now
being described and to all those that resemble it which are distributed along the
whole line of the road. A wire connects with all the electro magnets which
connect the two plates on the right side and another, wire connects the electro
magnets which make connection between the plates on the left side.
On the engine I provide two thin bars of quadrangular section solidly sustained
and perfectly parallel to the rails and at an adequate height on such part of the
engine as the constructor may think most suitable. Probably the support and
position which would be most desirable to give them would be to put them on
one side of the pilot and on the other extremity under the ash box it being usually
the part that goes nearest the earth. In said bars are inserted the apparatus
shown in Figures 9, 10, 14 and 15 at a distance of 90 to 93 centimeters and solidly
.fixed to said bars.
These are contact making devices and they are of two kinds and can be
employed indiscriminately. One of said systems is of rolling contact and the other
of simple sliding plates. With the first system the apparatus the sketch of which
is found in Figures 9 and 10 is formed of a support M of wrought iron which is
fixed in the bars by means of the square holes F F. Towards the bottom part it
ends off in five plates B B B B B which serve as supports to as many journal
boxes of a special disposition as will afterwards be seen and which are those in
which the four wheels C C C C turn and the periphery of which is covered by a
band of copper the same as the tyre of a wheel which metal band is constantly in
contact with the plates L L L L which bring the current of the two electric
batteries which are carried by the engine by means of the wires that are seen in
the upper part of the view and which serve to sound as many electric bells which
will indicate to the engineer (as will be seen further on) the existence or absence
of the currents in the two chief circuits of the whole system. The placing of the
plate L against the cylinder C can be better seen in Figure 10. In this view also
is seen the construction of the journal boxes of which mention has hitherto been
made. Each of plates B B B B B has a vertical slot a bed in whose bottom
part which is in the shape of a semi circle rests one of the ends of the shaft of
the cylinder C and in the upper part which is quadrangular slides a movable
block pgs which by its rounded lower side completes the circular form of the
journal box. This block is continually forced down upon the shaft of the cylinder
by means of the spring R R which is placed in a closed case which acting upon the
stem N presses the piece in question and of which it is nothing more than an
extension. This combination has for its object that the cylinders may the better
be applied upon the surface on which they run and establish by this means a
more perfect contact. These wheels C run upon the metal strips E E¹ of
Figures 6 and 8 (already described) and whose respective correspondence is shown
at the bottom part of Figure 9.
•
3. ..
In the place of the rolling contacts Figures 9 and 10 the same results can be
attained with more economical advantages by sliding contacts as shown in Figures 14
and 15. The cylinders are replaced in this modification by as many simple
elastic copper sheets LL LL which slipping upon those of apparatus Figure 6
(e. E E E E Figure 8) do the same work as the cylinder establishing a direct
and close contact with them. To prolong this contact as far as possible (in either
system) it is convenient to place three or four of these apparatus or as many as
can be placed on the length of the bars which sustain them separating them by a
distance of ninety to ninety five centimeters or thereabouts as already stated.
These four wheels or strips are the two ends of two circuits that come from two
electric batteries which the engine carries each of which passes through an electric
bell of different sound and end in said wheels or strips. The two ends of said
circuits terminate in a pair of said strips or wheels and the other in the opposite
pair in such a way that placed upon apparatus Figure 6 and in contact with each

page_text: of the pair of strips that this apparatus carries the electric current is established
or not according as the strips of the latter apparatus are or are not in communi-
cation between themselves which will be immediately revealed to the engineer by
the sounding of the bells accordingly as the current does or does not pass through
them. It is necessary to note so as to do away with all kinds of confusion that
the two electric currents that sound the bells and which are formed by the batteries
that the engine carries are completely independent and separated from the others
which going from station to station run over the various devices that have been
hereinbefore described. The first two have for their object as already mentioned
to sound their respective bells giving notice by this means of the communication
that exists between the strips of the apparatus Figure 6 and the others have as
sole object to establish or interrupt this communication.
To make apparatus Figure 8 more economical and without diminishing the good
result of the entire system the two outside strips that are placed in the upper part
of said apparatus can be replaced by the rails themselves so that instead of the
electro magnets connecting two plates they will connect one of the plates that
remain with one of the rails which secures the same result and the batteries which the
engine carries instead of directing its two circuit wires to two of the special contacts
on the engine will direct one wire to one of these contacts and the other to some
of the metal parts of the engine which through the trucks shafts and wheels
makes connection with the rails. This modification of course only has two contact
wheels or sliding plates on the engine.
The description of these devices will enable it to be understood how the whole
system works.
Figure 21 represents a diagrammatic illustration of the whole apparatus as
follows: M is the apparatus Figure 1 placed in the north station and M' the
corresponding one to the south station. B is the apparatus Figure 2 placed
between the rails R R and R' R' at the starting point of north station. B¹ is
another apparatus Figure 2 same as the last also placed between the rails and which
corresponds to the entrance of the south station. F F F" represent apparatus
like those designed in Figures 6, 7 and 8, and lastly the line P P P and TTT
represent the two circuits which run over the whole system.
Let it be supposed that from the south station a train starts. On passing by
the apparatus B₁ the levers are moved and by the same mechanism which has
already been explained transmits the current over wire T in the direction of the
arrows (through the apparatus M³ of the starting out station) the electro magnet A
Figure 1 works and on its black face the white disc i appears which assures the
operator and station agent that the train has already taken the road that leads to
the north. This same electric current working on all the electro magnets which
correspond to the right pair of strips of the apparatus F F F scattered on the
road establishes the union of said strips between one another in each one of the
same apparatus. This will give as a result that when the engine passes by any of
them the contact sheets or wheels Figures 9, 10, or 14 and 15 coming into contact
with the corresponding ones of the apparatus F F F the electric current will be
established in only one of the independent circuits which the engine carries and
which ends in the right hand pair of sheets or wheels of the aforesaid pieces
because of the communication that exists between the sheets that form the right
hand pair of apparatus F has been already established by the action of the
corresponding electro magnets. The engineer will hear on passing each one of
these the ringing of only one of the bells which will indicate the existence of the
electric current which his engine has established on going out of the station. This
same current in the apparatus M of the arriving station passing by the electro
magnet A Figure 1 will make appear on the white face the black disc i¹¹ and
will indicate by this means to the telegraph operator and station agent that the
road is occupied by a train coming from the south. Lastly when the engine before
arriving at the north station passes by the apparatus B moves the lever in opposite
direction it will again interrupt (as has already been seen) the current and the

page_text: signal openings on both stations will again become empty indicating by this means
to the employees of the stations that the road has again become clear.
Let it now be supposed that before the train arrives at the station through fault
of the employees another enters the road from the opposite station by this means
moving the lever of apparatus B corresponding to the last mentioned station. The
current P P P which runs by the wire which is marked by the arrows from left to
right will be transmitted and this acting upon the electro magnets corresponding
to the left pair of sheets of the apparatus F F F will put them immediately in
contact and both engineers will hear on passing by these apparatus not only the
ringing of one bell but the ringing of both together which will indicate to both
that the road is occupied by a train coming in the opposite direction and by this
means it is in their power to prevent a collision-sufficient warning being thus
given.
The apparatus B can be substituted if it is thought fit to do so by a system of
keys whose mechanism is shown in Figures 4 and 5 one to communicate the
current and the other to interrupt it. The first Figure 4 placed longitudinal to
the rail is inlaid in the rail R R and consists of a bar A and curved upwardly
above the same so that being pressed by the wheels of the train on passing it
returns to its position by means of the spring E E. On the bar A being pressed
it forces down by means of the stem B the arm ture C which is sustained by an
. elastic sheet H and establishes the contact between the point i and the sheet z
communicates the current and through it returns to raise the stem B the contact
continues on account of the action of the electro magnet D on the bar of soft iron
which obliges it to remain in its former position. The interruptor Figure 5 is an
apparatus very similar to the preceding one with the difference that the stem B
works upon a lever C which by means of a spring is obliged to put itself into
contact with the bar D which are the two conductor terminals by which the
current passes. So that on being pressed with the passing of the train the bar A
lowers the lever breaking the contact which affects the electro magnet D
apparatus Figure 4 of the other station. The armature C rises and the current
is by this means finally interrupted.
The way that these apparatus are to be fixed in the rails is shown in
Figure 22. E E E E represent the interrupters and D D' the commutors.
With this arrangement it will be seen what happens when a train starts from the
south station. Before pressing the bar A Figures 4 and 5 they meet the first
apparatus F which if the road in all its course is free will not make any of the
bells ring as up to this time there is no current in the wires. On the passing of the
train the interrupters E" E which are placed on both rails nearest the station
will work by the action of the wheels so that the last will be pressed by the com-
muter D' which by the mechanism previously described will at once put into com-
munication the current T T T which goes by the wire which is indicated by the
arrows from right to left in the drawing. After verifying this and the train
following its course the apparatus F F F will make the bell that corresponds
to the trains that run from south to north ring. On the supposed train arriving at
or near the other station by means of the interrupter E' which corresponds to the
same current which was communicated at first the current will once more be
definitely interrupted without that the passing of the same train on the other two
apparatus placed on the opposite rail can communicate the other current, for though
it is true that on pressing the commuter D this is communicated it is again and
definitely interrupted by the passing of the last wheel over the interrupter E which
is immediate and in the same rail.
Lastly let it be supposed that while the train in question is going over the way
another one not noticing the indications which as has already been seen the
apparatus M in the north station gives and goes out towards the south on passing
the first apparatus Fit will be given another warning that the road is occupied for
the bell corresponding to the current of the left side will immediately ring in
virtue of the communication which has been established by the train coming from

page_text: the south.
If notwithstanding all this it continues its onward course passing the
apparatus E E D it is certain that on passing apparatus F1 F" etcetera it will have
no further indication that another train is coming over the same line in an opposite
direction but in exchange the train that comes from south to north will at once
notice that instead of the right hand bell ringing as it had hitherto done the left
ne will ring a thing that will at once indicate that the road is occupied by a train
that is coming in the opposite direction. So that with this system of less perfect
interrupters and communicators-an unheard of carelessness on the part of the
employees would be necessary to cause a collision to happen.
In conclusion I would point out that as in some cases it is convenient to shut off
one of the two general circuits without moving the lever A of the apparatus
Figure 2 a wire from button X must go to the nearest station so that being placed
in communication with a key placed within reach of the employees of said station
goes to the electric battery and a current can be established at will which passing
through the electro magnet H connects the whole circuit which goes to the
other station.
I will now describe and illustrate a modification or modified application of part
of my present invention to another purpose than those described above viz. to
indicating or signalling in case of a "wash-out" or flood carrying away part of the
embankment or bed or permanent way of railways.
The object of this part of my present invention is to provide a simple and
effective means for electrically indicating to the stations along a railroad any
danger that may exist along the rcad due to wash-outs of or similar accidents to the
road beds or bridges and to this end consists in the peculiar construction and
arrangement of the device which I will now proceed to fully describe with reference
to the drawings in which
Figure 17 is a transverse vertical section through an elevated portion of the road
bed showing my apparatus embedded in the bank of earth and in its proper
position.
Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional detail of the float and its contained parts.
Figure 19 is an enlarged detail view of the circuit breaker and
Figure 20 is a side view of a portion of the road bed embankment showing
various water inlets to my apparatus.
Referring to Figure 17 A B are the rails arranged upon ties on the rail road
bed at the top of an embankment which is shown cut through transversely. In the
earth or filling of this embankment and rather near the bottom there is a chamber F
of wood iron or masonry from which there proceeds two pipes G and M both of
which open upon the inclined face of the embankment and of which G is lower
down and much larger than M. These pipes dip downwardly as they pass to the
outer surface of the cinbankment so that rain or slight surface drainage will not
enter the chamber F.
In the bottom of the chamber F there are firmly fixed two vertical standards H
provided at their tops with eyes or journal bearings. In these are hinged the
spherical float E of wood or other suitable material so as to turn from the position
shown in full lines in Figure 17 to the higher position indicated by dotted lines.
This wooden float is bored with a diametrical hole that extends nearly but not
quite through the same and this hole is closed and hermetically sealed by a screw
plug n m having trunnioned extensions & which coustitute journals or hinging
points within the eyes of the standards H.
Contained within this screw plug are two pairs of circuit wires g* h which
emerge centrally through the trunnions or journals and extend to the stations in
any suitable manner. One of these circuits terminates in the ends g g¹ and the
other in the ends h the said wires extending in position parallel to each other
into the bore of the float.
N is a freely moving circuit breaker constructed in the form of a block with two
holes through the same (see Figure 19) which holes are lined with copper or other
metal conductor.

page_text: The ends of the wires g g¹ approach each other somewhat closer than the width
of the block N but do not touch each other but are doubled back on themselves
to form elastic hooked ends a a' and the wires h h' are similarly constructed.
In the normal position of the parts the block N bridges across the broken ends
of the wires gg and hand by the metal lining of its tubes serves to maintain
the electrical circuits closed within the float the circuit wires g³ ³ passing through
the pipe M and going to the stations.
The apparatus being adjusted in about the position and relation shown in
Figure 17 the operation of the parts is as follows
:-
In any ordinary rain the water simply flows down the side of the embankment
without entering the tube G but when from excessive rain fall or the melting of
large masses of snow the water rises (as a torrent) and attains the level shown by
the dotted lines D D and thereby endangers the stability and integrity of the road
bed said water flows in the pipe G and partly or wholly filling chamber F causes
the float E to rise to its dotted position. This action changes the position of the
bore in said float from a horizontal to a vertical one and the circuit breaking
block N drops down from its position and allows the terminals g g' and h h' of
the two circuits to become disconnected electrically and a corresponding alarm is
sounded in the stations and on the engine also thus notifying the danger to be
apprehended. When the block N drops away from its bridging position on the
wire terminals the elastic hook shaped ends a a¹ bb' of the wires prevent it from
ever getting back again to its position so that the circuits are permanently
broken.
In placing the chamber F it is embedded advantageously in such portion of the
bank as is most likely to be washed away before endangering the road bed that is
to say it is placed outside the line C C (Fig. 17) so that if the washing takes place
and the bottom of the bank is destroyed the apparatus will in its fall from its
position cause the circuit breaking block to leave its position and by passing either
to the right or left on the wire terminals as may happen in its fall will cause the
circuits to be broken and the alarm sounded even though no water has yet reached
the chamber F.
To make this part of my present invention more effective the chamber F may by
a longitudinal canal be put into connection with a series of tubes or openings G
along the bank as shown in Figure 20. To prevent small animals from crawling
into the tube G and entering the chamber F which might render the device
inoperative a reticulated screen or guard d is placed in each one of the said tubes G
(see Figure 17).
As shown my device is designed to operate in connection with two separate
circuits 9 and 12 to correspond to and be used with the automatic railroad signal
system which I have above described and set forth but it is obvious that the
apparatus would work equally as well with a single circuit wire and any other
system of signalling and I therefore do not confine my invention to any special
arrangement of circuits and signals or applications thereof.
Dad the and day of Narambor 1801