Apparatus for Railway Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Apparatus for Railway Purposes.
I, JOHN BRUCE SUTHERLAND, of the City of Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga,
in the State of New York, United States of America, Mechanic, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SIGNALLING, INDICATING
OR REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY PURPOSES," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention consists in a novel construction of a track instrument and devices
connected therewith by means of which the number of cars in each train passing
over certain sections of railroad can be automatically and positively signaled or
registered.
The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawing in which Fig. 1 is a top
plan view of a track instrument embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical
longitudinal section on line y, y, Fig. 1, Figs. 3, 4 and are vertical transverse
sections respectively on linesa, zz, and u u, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of
the track instrument minus its covering plate showing said instrument in its two
operative positions, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the circuit breaking devices.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
R-represents one of the rails of a railway track, to the outer side of which rail
I firmly secure a frame-A-preferably by grip-hooks-B-connected at one end to
said frame and extending across the underside of the rail and gripping the base
thereof at the opposite side as shown in Fig. 4 of the Drawing. This frame-A-is
extended lengthwise the rail-R-and to the ends thereof are firmly secured the ends
of two spring-levers-L-which lie close to the outer side of the rail and parallel
therewith and with their free ends toward each other.
Said free ends of the spring levers are deflected downward for the purpose herein-
after explained, and the intermediate or main portions of said levers project above
the rail so as to receive the downward pressure of the car wheels passing over them
as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the Drawing.

page_text: a-denotes a horizontal shaft arranged at right angles to the rail and in a line
intersected by a vertical line drawn from a point midway between the free ends of the
spring levers L-L. Said shaft is journaled in suitable boxes or bearings P P
secured to a case or an enlargement-A-of the frame-A-, and to this shaft is
rigidly attached a tumbler-T-which is formed with a head--sloped downward
from the center in opposite direction and under the free ends of the levers-L--L.
Said tumbler is sustained with the center of its head normally midway between the
free ends of the levers by means of a bar-e-which is rigidly attached to the shaft
-a-and projects from opposite sides thereof at right angles to a line drawn from the
center of the shaft through the center of the head-of the tumbler. Said bar
lying against the underside of or otherwise suitably engaging with a yoke-C-
extended across the top of the shaft and supported at its ends on the heads of bolts or
vertical guide rods-c-c-pendant from the top of the frame or case-A'-as shown in
Figs. 2 and 6 of the Drawing. The yoke is allowed to slide vertically on said guide
rods, but said movement is in a measure resisted by spiral springs surrounding the
guide rods and pressing on the yoke.
The operation of the apparatus thus far described is as follows:
A car wheel passing over the levers-L-L-first depresses one of said levers and
causes the free end thereof to strike the adjacent sloping side of the tumbler head-b-
and thereby crowd the tumbler-T-toward the free end of the other lever as shown
by full lines in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The wheel next depressing the second
lever L- -causes the free end thereof to strike the same side of the partly tilted
tumbler head--, but nearer the top of said head from where the first lever left it
and consequently the second lever tilts the tumbler-T-still farther in the same
direction as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the Drawing. This engagement
of both levers with the tumbler in one and the same direction insures a positive action
of the tumbler, which is one of the essential features of my invention.
The described action of the tumbler is to a certain degree resisted by the pressure
of the springs-d-d-upon the yoke-C-and during said action the bar-e
which projects from the shaft-a-and consequently tilts with the tumbler, prises up
one end of the yoke. As soon as the car wheel releases the second lever-L-, the
latter automatically rises and releases the tumbler-T-which is then restored to its
normal position by the pressure of the spring restrained yoke-C-upon the bar―e.
In order to insure more positively_the_central position of the tumbler head-b-
between the free ends of the levers-L-L-when at rest I provide the tumbler-T—
with a rigid laterally projecting lug--and place across the top of said lug a
bar which is supported at its ends on the heads on the lower ends of bolts or
guide-rods-h-h-dependent from the top of the case or frame-A¹-and is adapted
to slide vertically on said guide rods. The center of the bar-i-is provided with
a notch, which the lug-f-enters when the tumbler is at rest or in its normal
position as shown in Fig. 2 of the Drawing.
Springs -d-pressing down on the bar-i-cause said bar to partially lock the
tumbler in its normal position by the aforesaid engagement of the lug--with the
notch―j.
The movement of the shaft-a-received from the tumbler-T-I utilize to actuate
an electric circuit breaker or maker as may be desired, and this I accomplish chiefly
by means of arms---which are rigdly attached to and project laterally in opposite
directions preferably horizontally therefrom. The circuit breaker or maker may be
of any suitable and well known form. It preferably consists of two plungers-P-P-
one over each arm--at the free end thereof and guided vertically through an
insulating head-F-supported on standards-S-S. The plungers are suspended
from the head-F-so that when the shaft-a-is at rest the feet of the plungers
stand either upon or barely clear of the arms-1-1-as shown in Fig. 7 of the
Drawing Springs--surrounding the plungers and pressing with opposite ends
against the underside of the head-F-and feet of the plungers partially restrain the
plungers from rising. The upper ends of the plungers are provided with insulated
metallic heads-n-and against each of said heads bear the free ends of two sets of

page_text: metallic spring arms-0-0-which latter are maintained separated from each other
by the interposition, of the plunger and are secured at their feet to the insulated
head F. The arms-0--0-are connected in sets or pairs by wires-o¹¹—o"—and
from each set is extended one of the wires-o'-of an electric circuit. By employing
two arms-o-for each wire-o'-, I ensure the making of the circuit through the
metallic head-n-of the plunger. The tilting of the tumbler-T-by the depression
of the levers L-L-turns the shaft-a-and causes one of the arms--to rise
and lift one of the plungers-P-sufficiently to carry the metallic head-n-of said
plunger above the ends of the arms-o-o-so as to break the circuit. As soon as
the fevers-L-L-release the tumbler and allow the same to resume its normal
position on the shaft-a, the arms---are carried back to their normal position
and the plunger P-is depressed by the spring---so as to bring the arms-o-o-
in contact with the metallic head--of the plunger and thus the circuit is again
closed.
It will be observed that by means of the described track instrument and circuit.
breakers connected therewith, each wheel passing over the levers-L-L-produces a
separate and distinct electric impulse which can be utilized to register or signal the
passage of each wheel.
Inasmuch as the tumbler-T-changes the direction of its movement according to
the direction of the movement of the wheels on the track, and the arms--l-move
synchronously with the tumbler, it is obvious that the passage of the wheels in one
direction causes one plunger-P-to be actuated, and the passage of the wheels in
the opposite direction cause the other plunger to be actuated. Hence by connecting
the circuit breakers of each plunger with a separate circuit and connecting with
cach circuit a suitable registering or signalling instrument not only the number of
wheels but also the direction of the wheels can be registered or signaled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1-In combination with a railway rail, levers lying parallel with said rail, and with
their free ends toward each other curved downward at said ends and rising with their
intermediate portions above the rail, and a tumbler having a head sloping downward
from the center in opposite directions and sustained normally with the center of said
head between the free ends of the levers, substantially as set forth.
2 In combination with a railway rail, a tumbler arranged movable in a plane
parallel with the rail and provided with a head sloped from the center in opposite
directions, and levers projecting above the rail and adapted to engage successively
one and the same sloping side of the head of the tumbler, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
3-In combination with a railway rail, the spring levers-L-L-lying with their free
ends toward each other and deflected downward thereat and having their intermediate
portions projecting above the rail, the horizontal shaft-a-at right angles to the rail
and in a line intersected by a vertical line drawn from a point midway between the
free ends of the spring levers, the tumbler-T-rising from said shaft and formed
with the head--sloped from the center in opposite directions and under the free
ends of the levers, and springs supporting the tumbler with the center of its head
normally midway between the free ends of the spring levers-L-L-, substantially
as shown and set forth.
4-In combination with a railway rail, and frame-A-A'-the levers--L-L-
lying with their free ends toward each other and deflected downward thereat, the
shaft, tumbler-T-rising from said shaft and formed with the sloping head-b-,
the yoke-C-, guide rods-c-c-supporting the said yoke, springs-d-d-bearing
on the yoke, and the bar-e-projecting from opposite sides of the shaft-a--and held
by the yoke-C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5-In combination with a railway rail and frame-A-A, the levers-L—L—
lying with their free ends toward each other and deflected downward thereat, the

page_text: shaft a tumbler-T-rising from said shaft and formed with the sloping head-
the yoke C, guide-rods-c-c-supporting said yoke, springs-d-d-bearing on
the yoke, the bar-e-projecting from the shaft-a--and held by the yoke, the
lug projecting from the tumbler, guide-rods--- the bar--sliding
vertically on said guide rods, and provided with the notch-engaging the lug, and
springs-bearing on the bar-i-, substantially as described and shown.
6 In combination with the rail-R-, levers-L-L-, shaft-a-and the
tumbler T-projecting from said shaft and sustained normally with its head between
the free ends of the lovers, the arms---projecting from the shaft, and electric
circuit breakers actuated by said arms, as set forth.
7-In combination with the rail-R-, levers-L-L-, shaft-a-, and the
tumbler T-projecting from said shaft, and sustained normally with its head between
the free ends of the levers, the arms-1-1-projecting from the shaft, the
plungers P-P-supported above the free ends of the arms, insulated metallic
heads non said plungers, metallic arms-o-o-resting against said heads, and
electric wires-o-o'-extending from the arins-0-0-; substantially as described
and shown.