Improvements in the Method of and Means for Indicating whether Railway Points are Properly Set or are Fouled.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 17th Apr.. 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Indicating whether
Railway Points are Properly Set or are Fouled.
I, HERMANN BIERMANN, of 5 Paradiesstrasse, Breslau, in the German Empire,
Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to a method of and to electrical appliances and devices
for guarding against such railway accidents as may be caused by points being in
a wrong position for an approaching train, or by a train or any part of it, projecting
over points. By the adoption of these devices, it is rendered possible to ascertain,
in the approaching train, whether or not the points immediately in front of the
train are, or are not correctly set. The appliances are actuated by a source of
electrical enrrent carried in the train, and the rails of the permanent way are
utilised as conductors. These rails, in advance of the points, are divided into fields
which are not insulated from each other, but are connected by means of suitable
conductors. At the end of each field there is a contact apparatus which has for
its function to interrupt the main circuit in its field by a suitably arranged shunt,
and to direct the current over the next field. In the two fields next to the points,
insulating parts are inserted so that in these fields the current cannot pass through
the rails. Instead of through the rails, the current is conducted through contact
apparatus which are connected with the points. The source of electric current in
the train is connected with a shunt circuit in which there is a resistance allowing
the current to pass in sufficient quantity only when the main circuit has been
interrupted. This is the case when the points are wrongly set .or when part of
the train projects over them, as will be hereinafter described. In the train shunt
circuit there is an electric bell or other signalling device which comes into action
when the train enters the aforesaid fields, when the points are not correctly set or
are fouled.
I will more particularly describe my said invention with reference to the
accompanying diagrams, in which :-
Figure 1 illustrates my invention in use when the points are in the proper
position, and
Figure 2 the same when the points are not in such position.
Figure 3 shews the apparatus employ for indicating when a part of the train
or of a locomotive or vehicle, projects over the points.
Figure 4 represents in side view and plan respectively, the contact apparatus
shewn in Figure 3, drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 5 shews the construction and arrangement of the contact apparatus at the
ends of the respective fields.
Figure 6 illustrates the train circuits and alarm or indicating apparatus. This
is preferred to be on the locomotive as shewn in back elevation by the figure.
The conducting rail fields a b c are produced by the arrangement of the contact
apparatus ghi, through which the conducting wires 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6
respectively pass as indicated by. Figure 5. The connection of these wires within
each apparatus is effected by means of the spring levers 7, 8 and 9 respectively and
the contact screws 10, 11 and 12. Each lever is capable of being removed from

page_text: touch with its contact screw by means of an electro-magnet 13, 14 or 15, so that
thereby the eircuit between the rails al a, b, or el e, becomes interrupted. In
the case of such an interruption, the current passes by a shunt circuit 16, 17 or 18,
insulated from the other shunt circuits by insulations 19, 20 or 21. From each
shunt a branch circuit 22, 23, or 24 is led out to the contact apparatus gh or i.
The course of the current is from the rail a, b or 2 through the electro-
magnet 13, 14 or 15 to the wire 16, 17 or 18. A source of electric current such as
a battery or small dynamo or magneto machine B is carried on the engine or
convenient part of the train and the current therefrom passes through suitable
connections and the arın 25 and contact roller 26 to the rail. From the opposite
rail it returns through the arm and contact roller 27, 28, to the generator B.
Upon the shunt circuits 16, 17 and 18, there runs a contact roller 29 carried upon,
but insulated from the arm 25. This roller is connected by the circuit with the
generator B as indicated,
When a train arrives in the field a, the roller 29 travels upon the conductor 16,
until the contact apparatus is reached. Thereby the shunt circuit of field a is
closed so that the current passes through the rail a, electro-magnet 13, and
conductors 22 and 16 back to the generator B. The electro-magnet being thus
energised, pulls the lever 7 out of touch with its contact screw 10, and interrupts
the circuit between the rails b¹. The main current is now unable to pass the
apparatus g and takes the only available course through the rail 62, conductor 4,
and apparatus ; returning through the conductor 3, rails and a to the.
generator B, so that the current in the field a controls the current in the field b.
In the field the main or working circuit is interrupted by suitable insulation d.
(See Figures 1 and 2.) The connection of the interrupted circuit across dis
effected by means of conductors e and respectively connected with the contact
apparatus k, situated close to the points, as shewn by Figures 1 and 2. When the
train is in the field a, before arriving at g, the current passes from the rail a
through the rail 6, the contact apparatus A, the rail &, conductor e, contact
apparatus k, conductor, rail 6 and rail a' to the generator B.
In the contact apparatus k, the circuit is closed by the arm l, and contact
screw m, when the points are in the right position for the advancing train. In
this case, the current passes through the main circuit without actuating the
indicator or alarm in the train shunt circuit. If however the points are in the
avrong position, as shewn by Figure 2, the contact I m is opened so that the main
circuit is interrupted and the current passes through the shunt circuit in the train
and the indicator or alarm is actuated.
The apparatus shewn by the diagrams Figures 3 and 4 is employed to announce
when a part of the train projects over the points. In the angle included by the junction
of the two pairs of rails, there is arranged a centrally fulcrumed T-shaped lever o, in
such a position that it will be touched by any part of a train projecting over the
points and thus be caused to turn on its fulcrum, as shewn by the dotted lines
Figure 3. It is connected with the toggle joint p p', carried by the rods controlled
by the springs, the ends of the rods being in touch with the contacta g g'. In
the field c, close behind the contact apparatus h, an insulating parts is arranged in
the rail. The thus insulated ends of that rail are electrically connected by
means of the conductors t and u with the contact springs y and q¹. If the train
has passed the insulator d in the field 6, the current passes from the generator B
through the rails 6, the wire t, the contact springs and g', conductors, rail e,
contact apparatus i, and rails c and b, back to the generator. If the lever o is
turned, one of the rods is pulled off the springs g or g so that the main circuit is
interrupted. In this case again, the current has to pass through the train shunt
and actuate the indicator or alarm.
In the train, the contact rollers 26 and 28 are connected by a main circuit z
(Figure 6), which is provided with the shunt circuit a', in which an electric alarm
or indicator is inserted. In the shunt z¹ there is also included a resistance 2 of
such dimensions that the current can pass through it when the main rail circuit is

page_text: interrupted as hereinbefore described, either when the points are in a wrong
position or are fouled, and actuate the indicator or alarm. The contact roller 16
is in circuit with the generator by means of the conductor 2³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The hereinbefore described method for giving, within a railway train, an
audible or visible indication when any points which are being approached are
wrongly set or fouled, substantially as and by the means set forth and illustrated
by the accompanying diagrams.
2. Apparatus and appliances for giving within a railway train, an audible or
visible indication when any points which are being approached are wrongly set or
fouled, constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein before described
with reference to the accompanying diagrams.
3. In the herein before described method of and means for giving within a
railway train an audible or visible indication when any points which are being
approached are wrongly set or fouled, the division of a part of the rails near the
points into fields a b c in each of which there is a shunt circuit and contact
apparatus, and in which the rails are insulated at d and s, in combination with
electrical connections, a circuit ef and a contact k m actuated by the points and
with a circuit t u including contacts actuated by the lever o, all these being in
connection with the permanent way, whilst on the train there are in further
combination, a generator B, a main circuit, a shunt circuit including a resistance
and an indicator or alarm, and means for making electrical connections with the
rails, constructed arranged and operated substantially as herein before described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of November AD 1806
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.