Year: 1889

page_text: A communication from WILLIAM H. .WADDELL, of Lexington, in the County of
:
Rockbridge and State of Virginia, United States of America, gentleman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 an improvement in electric signals to prevent accidents
on railways.
The object of this invention is to provide an improved electrical railway signal ·
whereby when two railway trains approach within certain distance of each other
one or more signals will be sounded upon one or both of the trains, thereby
notifying the engineers, and giving them time in which to stop their trains before
a. collision occurs.
With these ends in view this invention consists in certain novel features of con-
struction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter.
Referring to the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a railroad track and two approaching
cars provided with the improved device.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of the same.
Figures 3 and 4, are detail views of different forms of movable contact arms
carried by and moving with a car and bearing upon the parallel conductor.
Figure 5, is a detail view of one pair of contacts.
Figure 6, is a diagrammatic representation of two cars following each other with
conductors etc., and showing one car provided with a switch whereby the battery
can be connected with the bell and contacts on one side of the car, or with the
contacts on the opposite side.
In the drawings, the reference letter A, indicates a railroad track provided with
two pair of parallel conductors B B₁ located on opposite sides of the track, with

page_text: the single conductor of each pair insulated from each other and located a suic
distance apart. Said conductors may be placed between the rails or outside of the
same upon the ties or they can be secured to suitable insulators at any desired
height.
Each pair of conductors are formed in sections of a suitable length, say two miles
and between the sections there are breaks as at E, so that the different sections are
insulated from each other, and further the sections on opposite sides of the track
overlap each other as shown in figure 1, that is the breaks between the sections of
the conductors on one side of the track occur approximately opposite the centres of
the sections on the opposite side of the track.
Each section of the conductors is preferably, provided with one or more circuit
breakers F, located within the length and consisting of two inclines extending in
opposite directions and in the vertical plane of the conductors, said inclines extend
above and cover the conductors and meet at their upper ends to form a continuous
surface.
D D (fig. 1) indicate two cars or trains moving towards each other and each
provided with transverse beam or shaft G, or other suitable material to which are
loosely pivoted or hinged the upper ends or contact carriers or arms HH, H¹H¹
to allow the free ends of the same a vertical movement. In the present instance
there are four contact carriers, two on each side, one for each conductor and at their
lower free ends said carriers H, are provided with suitable contacts 9 g, g¹ g³, such
as rollers as seen in figure 3, coiled uninsulated wires as seen in figure 4, or any
other suitable sliding contact which slide upon their respective conductors as clearly
shown.
The two contacts on the right side (preferably) of each car or engine are insu-
lated from each other and connected with the opposite poles of a battery i, by
wires 1, 2, and the two contacts on the other side of the car or engine are also
insulated from each other and connected with an electric bell or other suitable alarm j,
by wires 3, 4.
Thus it will be readily seen that when two trains are moving towards each other
there will be no closed circuit until one pair of contacts of each train reach the same
section, when the circuit will pass from one of the batteries on one train through say
wire 2, connected with that pole to a movable contact g, connected with a wire 2,
through a conductor B', upon which contact 9, slides to a contact g¹, sliding on that
conductor and on the opposite train, through wire 4, to and ringing the bell and back
again through wire 3, to a movable contact g', sliding on the parallel conductor B¹,
a contact 9, sliding on the same on opposite train and from contact g, to opposite
pole of battery by wire 1, thereby notifying the engineer on one of the trains, and as
the trains approach nearer to each other a circuit will be closed on the opposite side
of the track and the bell in the other engine will be rung.
When the contacts pass over the inclines or circuit breakers F, of course the
circuit will be broken, the bell ringing again as the contact touches the conductors on
the other side of the incline, thus making the alarm more noticeable, by having it
sound at intervals.
By means of an ordinary switch board, the battery on an engine can be changed
from right to left, see fig. 6. This is necessary when the trains are following each
other in the same direction, or instead of the switch board, a battery can be inter-
posed between the contacts connected with the bell and a circuit with the bell, see
figure 3.
If necessary the hinged arms or contact holders can be provided with a spring J
(see figure 5) to hold the contacts yieldingly in engagement with the parallel
conductors to allow for inequalities of the conductors and rapid motion of the
train.
If the conductors on the opposite side of the track were not formed in overlapping
sections, but the breakers in the sections were opposite each other two trains might
meet at the breaks without even notifying each other. The pivoted contacts pre
ferably slide after the car as shown in figure 2.

page_text: The great advantages and utility of the herein described invention can be readily
seen and understood by all railway men and others, hence it is not considered neces-
sary to fully enumerate the same herein.
It is clearly evident that various slight changes might be resorted to in the form
and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope
of this invention hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction
herein set forth.
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 correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. In an electrical railway signal, the combination with a track, of two pairs of
conductors normally out of circuit, insulated from the ground and located on opposite
sides of the track, each pair of conductors having no electrical communication with
the other pair, and the conductors of each pair being parallel and insulated from
each other and divided into non-communicating sections, the breaks between the
sections of the pair of conductors on one side of the track being located approximately
opposite the centers of the sections of the pair on the opposite side for the purpose set
forth.
2nd. An electrical railway signal comprising two pairs of parallel conductors insu-
lated from each other and from the ground and located in the opposite sides of a
railroad track, said conductors being normally out of circuit and the conductors of
each pair insulated from each other and divided into non-communicating sections,
two pairs of contacts carried by and on opposite sides of a car or engine, said
contacts being insulated from each other and each electrically engaging and sliding on a
separate conductor, the two contacts on one side being connected respectively with
the opposite poles of a battery carried by the engine and the two contacts on the
opposite side being included in a circuit containing a bell or alarm, all operating in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. An electrical caution signal for railways comprising two pairs of parallel
conductor's located on opposite sides of a track and insulated from each other, two
pairs of contacts carried on opposite sides of a car (or engine) and electrically
engaging said conductors, and inclined circuit breakers located a suitable distance
apart along and rising above said conductors to momentarily throw the contacts
from engagement with the conductors as they pass over them for the purpose of
intermittently sounding the alarm, substantially as described.
4th. In an electrical caution signal for railways, two pairs of hinged or pivoted
arms located in opposite sides of a car (or engine) and each carrying a contact
insulated from the others and each adapted to electrically ongage a separate con-
ductor extending along the track, the two contacts on one side being electrically
connected with the opposite poles and forming the terminals of a battery carried by
the car, (or engine) and the two contacts on the opposite side forming the terminal
of a circuit including a bell or alarm, all operating substantially as described.
5th. A rail road electric signal comprising conductors extending along the track,
contacts carried by a car (or engine) and bearing on said conductors, two of said
conductors forming the terminals of a circuit including a bell or alarm, all operating
substantially as described.
DL:
A 1 1000