Improvements in Railway Signals.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by SAMUEL WHITZEL MILLER, of the Village of
Douner's Grove, Du Page County, Illinois, Telegraph Operator, ALEXANDER
CICERO MILLER, of 179, La Salle Street, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois,
Chief Train Despatcher (Chicago, Burlington, and Quency Railway), and
HENRY VALENTINE MILLER, of 705, West Olive Street, Bloomington,
Illinois, Superintendent of Telegraphs (Chicago, Alton, and St. Louis Railway),
all in the United States of America.]
Improvements in Railway Signals.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our improvement is to provide a signal for use in connection with
railways, intended to warn the engineer or other train man either that another
train is ahead of him in the same block or division of the road, or' that a switch has
been left open, or that any other state of affairs exists which the device is adapted
to indicate, and that it is his duty to stop the train, and, stated generally, our invention
consists in providing means, preferably placed on the locomotive, for igniting one
or the other of a pair of electric lights, and, further, in the features and details
hereinafter pointed out and claimed.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation and diagrammatic view of one form of our improved
apparatus;
Fig. 2, a plan view showing the arrangement of the track;
Fig. 3 a detail view showing the construction of the contact points;
Fig. 4 a side elevation and diagrammatic view illustrating a modification;
Fig. 5 a sectional view of the track; and
Fig. 6, an additional plan view of the track.
At any suitable point between the track rails A, A, we place a third rail, A¹,
insulated from the ties to prevent grounding of the circuit. This rail may be made
so as to overlap to some extent at the end of each division of the block, the separate
divisions being insulated from each other at such overlapping point.
At any suitable point on the locomotive is placed a dynamo or other suitable
source of electricity, B.
So far the preferred form and the modification are the same as they are in many
other points, as will appear from the following description, referring first more
particularly to the devices shown in Fig. 1.
a
On the locomotive are placed two electro-magnets, C, C'. Adjacent to C are
posts, D, D', having contact points, d, d¹, and between these posts is a vibrating
arm D", normally held by a spring, d", against the point d'. Similar posts, E, E³,
A lever E vibrates
with points e, e', are placed adjacent to the magnet C.
between these latter posts, having spring e, tending to draw it toward e', which
spring is overcome by the action of the magnet C', as hereinafter stated. Also on
the locomotive are placed lights, F, F, the former having preferably a white
globe, and the latter preferably a red one. Supported beneath the engine are
small wheels, brushes, or other suitable connectors, G, G', running upon and
making electrical contact with the third rail. G is a resistance coil, for the
purpose of regulating the current through the circuit. The electrical connections
are as follows:
A wire 1 from one of the poles of the dynamo divides into two branches, one (2)
connecting with the magnet C, which is connected by a wire 3 with the magnet C³,

page_text: the latter magnet being connected with G by wire 4. The other branch of the
wire 1, (numbered 5) divides into two branches, 6 and 7, 6 running to the arm D
and to the arm E". The wheel G is connected with G¹ by means of the third
rail, and G¹ is connected with the ground by a wire, 8, which passes through the
coil G and a switch H, the other pole of the dynamo being grounded by a wire 9.
The post D is connected with the light F by a wire 10, and this light is
grounded by wires 11 and 12. The post D is connected with the light F by
wires 13 and 14, and this light is grounded by wires 15 and 12. Finally, the
post E is connected with light F' by wires 16 and 14.
This form of the device operates as follows, supposing a train is running along
in a block in which there is no other train and no open switch. The current from
the dynamo runs through wire 1, then branches; a portion of it runs through both
magnets to the wheel G, along the third rail to G¹, and thence to the ground. The
other portion of the current runs through wire 5, whence it is prevented from
passing through the wire 7, the magnet C¹ having drawn the arm E" into contact
with the post E, breaking the circuit. The current therefore passes through the
wire 6, arm D", post D', and wire 10, into the light F, which it illuminates, and
thence to the ground. It does not pass into light F¹, the circuit through the
wires 13 and 14 being broken at the post D. Therefore, under ordinary conditions,
the light F will alone be burning. If another train similarly equipped is in the
same block, the current passing into the wheel G can ground not only through G',
but also through the wheels on the other train. This will afford a ready outlet for
the electricity, and cause a greater quantity to pass through the magnets, more,
strongly energizing them. The spring d" will then be overcome, and the arm D₁
brought into contact with the point d, breaking contact with d. The current will
then pass from post D, through 13 and 14, into light F', igniting it, and thence to
ground, the light F dying out. The engineer will be immediately notified of the
presence of the train ahead by this changing of the lights.
If the connection with the wheels G, G, be broken, no current can pass to these
wheels, and the magnets will not be energized. The springs e" formerly overcome
by the power of the magnet C', will withdraw the arm E, breaking contact with the
point e, and making contact with e¹. In this case the current will not only flow
through wire 6, &c., into light F, and thence to the ground, but also through
wire 7, arm E", post E¹, wires 16 and 14, into light F', and thence to the
ground, so that both lights will be burning, giving warning that the device is
inoperative.
To give information of an open switch, the following devices are provided:
H¹ represents the switch rails, and H the rod connecting them. One of the rails
carries a contact point I, and the third rail carries points I, I, to receive the
point I between them. A suitable resistance coil, 11, is provided. Normally, with
the switch set for the main track, these points will not contact, but when the switch
is set for the siding, they will contact, grounding the rail A'. This affords a similar
escape for the current as that afforded by another train in the block, thereby
increasing the amount of electricity passing through the magnets and the energy of
such magnets, so that the light F will be extinguished, and the light Flighted, as
already described.
In Fig. 4 we have illustrated a modification, which is constructed as follows:
At the joining of each of the blocks, is placed an apparatus, of which we have shown
three, but will only in detail describe one, between the blocks a, a'.
A magnet J
is connected with the rail a', and with the contact point j. Between this point and
another, j, is a vibrating arm, K, connected to the ground, and having a spring k, to
draw it against point j, to connect with rail a'. Adjacent to this arm is a magnet L,
which, when energized, will draw the arm K into contact with point, against the
spring k. The magnet L is connected with the rail a, and with a contact point l
placed opposite to a point . Between these points is an arm, L', pivoted adjacent
to magnet J. A spring, 1, normally draws this arm away from , into contact
with 1, which spring is overcome when J is energized, the arm contacting with P.

page_text: At the right hand of the drawing, at the other end of the rail a', are magnets M M',
contact points m, m', n, n', and arms N, N', having springs n", n. Magnet M is
connected with section and magnet M¹ with section a', the other connections
being same as described when speaking of magnets J and L. At the left hand of
the figure are magnets O, O', points o, o', p, p, arms P, P1, having springs pl,
magnet O being connected to section a, and O to section all, the other connections
being same as already described.
On the locomotive is placed the following apparatus, and for clearness we shall
describe two locomotives which are running in the direction indicated by the arrow,
so that the apparatus shown in the left of the drawing will be on the forward loco-
motive, and the other upon the rear. These locomotives, however, may run in any
direction, and the devices to be described may be placed upon any other part of the
train, though we prefer to have them on the locomotive.
19 runs
The locomotive, then, has a dynamo B or other source of electricity, as already
described. It has only one magnet, Q, contact points R and S, a vibrating arm, T,
having spring t, similar to the arms already described, and the same lights F, F1,
preferably white and red respectively. Beneath the locomotive is the wheel or
connector G, travelling upon the third rail, and already described. These devices
are electrically connected as follows: The dynamo with ground by the wire 17.
From its other pole a wire 18 runs, which branches into two, 19 and 21.
to the magnet and thence by wire 20 to the connector G. 21 connects with arm T.
From point R a wire 22 runs to light F, which light is grounded by wires 23, 24,
the latter preferably connecting with 17. From point S a wire, 25, runs to light F',
which light is grounded by wires 26, 24 and 17. These connections may of course
be varied as desired. The parts on the rear or right hand locomotive are similarly
constructed and connected, and in the drawings are indicated by the same letters
and numbers, with the addition of a prime mark, except the lamps, which are
designated F, Fill respectively.
This form of the device operates as follows: First, suppose the rearward engine
to be omitted and the other to be running along over block a. The current will
then pass from the dynamo, through the wires 18 and 19, the magnet Q, wire 20
and connector G, to third rail. Here it will divide, running in both directions.
That portion which runs forward will pass through, magnet O and arm P, into the
ground, energizing the magnet and drawing arm P into contact with point pl.
That portion which runs backward in the track will pass through magnet L and
arm L, energizing L and drawing arm K into contact with point, breaking
contact with j. Under these conditions, the current passing through magnet Q
should have sufficient strength to draw the arm T against its spring, into contact
with R, thereby igniting light F.
If, now, a train similarly equipped, enters block a', the current will be prevented
from passing to the ground through magnet J and arm K, the circuit being broken
at j. It will therefore pass backward, through the magnet M² and arm N¹, to the
ground. This cutting off of one point of outlet will increase the resistance and
diminish the force of the magnet Q, so that the spring t will draw the arm T¹ into
contact with S', thereby putting out the light F", igniting the light F, and giving
warning.
When the forward engine passes out of the block a', the magnet L will cease to
be energized, the spring k will draw the arm K into contact with j, affording
additional outlet to the current from the dynamo B', through this arm K, reducing
the resistance and increasing the power of magnet Q', so that the arm T¹ will be
gain drawn over to extinguish the light F and ignite the light F", showing that
fi is safe.
It will be apparent from the above description then when trains coming from
opposite directions enter adjacent blocks, the train which is the last to enter one
of these blocks will be the one to receive the signal, because the first train will
ave broken the connection.
This modification may be used to indicate the presence of an open switch, as

page_text: ;
above described, the only change being that in as much as the modification works
by an increase in resistance, the contact points of the switch should be so co-
structed that when the switch is improperly opened, the third rail should be opened
instead of grounded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A railway signal comprising a magnet connected with the ground and with a
suitable source of electricity, a pair of contact posts adjacent thereto, a white light
connected with one of such posts, and a red light connected with the other, both
lights being in an independent circuit, and a vibrating arm placed between the
posts and normally held in contact with the one connected with the white light, and
means whereby when the current passing through the magnet is increased the arm
will be withdrawn from the white light post and brought into contact with the post
connected with the red light, thereby extinguishing the white light, and lighting
the red one, substantially as described.
2. A railway signal comprising a magnet connected with a suitable source of
electricity, a pair of contact points adjacent thereto, such points being each
connected with an electric light, which lights are in an independent circuit,
a vibrating arm placed between such points and normally held in contact with one
of them by the action of the magnet, igniting the light connected therewith, and
means whereby when the resistance to the current is increased, the power of the
magnet will be diminished, the arm will be withdrawn therefrom into contact
with the other post to ignite its light without cutting out the magnet, substantially
as described.
•
3. A railway signal comprising an insulated rail, wheels travelling upon such
rail, one of such wheels being connected with the ground and the other with the
electro-magnet, a suitable source of electricity connected with the ground and with
such magnet, a pair of posts adjacent to the magnet and connected respectively
with a white and red light, which lights are independently connected with the
source of electricity, and a vibrating arm normally in contact with the post
connected with the white light, but adapted to be withdrawn as the current passing
through the magnet increases into contact with the post connected with the red
light, thereby igniting the latter and extinguishing the white light, and giving
warning, substantially as described.
4. A railway signal comprising a magnet connected with the ground and with
a suitable source of electricity, a pair of contact posts adjacent thereto, lights of
different colors connected respectively to each of these posts, said lights being in
an independent circuit, an arm vibrating between such posts and normally held by
means of the magnet in contact with one post, whereby the light connected with
such post is ignited, indicating safety, and means whereby, when the resistance to
the current is increased, the consequently decreased power of the magnet will be
overcome by a suitable mechanism and the arm withdrawn into contact with the
other post, igniting the lamp connected therewith and extinguishing the lamp
connected with the first post, thereby indicating danger, substantially as described.
5. In a railway signal, the combination of an insulated rail divided into blocks
and equipped with contact points and magnets constructed and connected sub-
stantially as described, a magnet located on the train connected with such insulated
rail and with a suitable source of electricity, a pair of contact posts adjacent
thereto, each of such posts being connected with an electric light, a vibrating arm
between such posts, and a spring connected to the vibrating arm, whereby under
normal conditions when a train is running in one block and there is no train ahead
the current will ground through both ends of the block and the magnet will hold
the arm in contact with one of the posts, igniting the light connected therewith, bu
when a train similarly equipped is in the block ahead the circuit will be broken a
the forward end of the rearward block, thereby increasing the resistance and

page_text: decreasing the power of the magnet on the train in this block, when the vibrating
arm will be withdrawn by the power of the spring into contact with the other post
igniting the light connected therewith and extinguishing the first light, substantially
as described.
6. In a railway signal, the combination of electro-magnets C C¹ connected with
a suitable source of electricity and with the ground, two posts D D¹ placed adjacent
to the magnet C and connected respectively with a red and white light, which
lights are in an independent circuit, an arm D' between such posts normally held
in contact with D', a post E' adjacent to magnet C and connected to the red light,
an arm E' provided with a spring but normally held away from the post E' against
the tension of such spring by the power of the magnet C¹, whereby under normal
couditions the white light will alone be burning but when the current through the
magnets increases the arm D' will be drawn into contact with the post D,
extinguishing the white and igniting the red light, and when the current through
the magnet ceases, the arm Ď will remain in contact with the post D', and the
arm E will be drawn into contact with the post E' igniting the red light, so that
both lights will be burned simultaneously, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of March 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.