Improvements in Electric Railway Signals.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Signals.
We, WILLIAM JAMES SMITH, of Charlottsville, Albemarle County Virginia, United
States of America, Mechanical Expert, and JAMES WALTER Fox, of Lexington
Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 certain improvements in electric railway signals.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved, cheap, simple, and effective
arrangement, whereby the engineer of an approaching train on the main track will be
notified if a switch is open and swung to throw his train from the main track, and
also whereby the engineer of an approaching train will be notified of danger if a bridge
or trestle work is in dangerous condition.
These objects are accomplished by and the invention consists in certain novel
features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter
and particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of a railroad provided with the present invention, and shewing a
switch and trestle work and a locomotive (in diagram) on the track.
Fig. 2 is a plan of a track and trestle work provided with my invention.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the trestle, and portion of track on both sides
thereof.
Fig. 4 is a detail of the circuit maker and breakers operated when the switch is
changed.
Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the circuit closers at the bridge.
In the drawings the reference letter a, indicates a railroad track; is a side track,
and d the switch between the main and side tracks. The switch rails are secured to
move with the horizontal sliding switch bar or rod e sliding on the base tie ƒ as shewn,
and extending laterally beyond the track.
This switch bar is provided with the lever and link g, for actuating it to operate
the switch. The outer end of the switch bar outside of the track is provided
with the lateral contact arm h, rigidly secured to, and preferably insulated from, the
switch bar.
When the switch is closed to throw the main track into continuity with the side
track this contact arm, which is slightly bevelled on its engaging face, tightly engages
and slides under a stationary spring contact plate i, rigidly secured to the base tie.
This contact consists of a spring plate secured to the tie at one end and bent up so
that its remaining horizontal spring portion will lie a distance above the tie to allow
the arm h, to slide under and tightly engage the same and form a perfect contact.
This contact plate is so formed that the arm h, will wedge against the same when it
is pushed thereunder. When the switch is open and the side track out of continuity
with the main track, the contacts h and i are disengaged.
A suitable distance from the switch, say half or quarter of a mile, a pair of raised
conducting bars jj' are located parallel with and on opposite sides of the track. These
bars preferably consist of a length of gas pipe having their ends bent down and
suitably secured to and insulated from the ties or other supports so that the bars or
conductors lie horizontal and will be raised up into planes above the ties or other
supports as clearly shown.
The contacts of the switch circuit closers are separately and respectively
connected by wires 1, with the two separate line conductors 22 supported by telegraph
poles or other means along the track to the two raised conducting bars to which

page_text: they are respectively electrically connected as shewn, so that each bar j or j¹, will be
directly connected with a contact h, or i, hence when said two contacts are in engage-
ment the two raised bars jj, will form the terminals of the circuit.
Each locomotive k, (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) is provided with an electric circuit
including an electric alarm 1, located in the engineer's cab and a battery or source of
electricity m. The locomotive is provided with a pair of brushes n n, located on opposite
sides thereof, and forming the terminals of the circuit in the engine.
and
These brushes are so located as to engage the raised connecting bars jj,
each brush preferably consists of a series of bunches of wires placed one behind the
other.
From the foregoing it will be evident that if a train approaches the switch when
thrown so as not to interfere with the main track there will be no signal given on the
train, but if the switch is thrown to place the main and side tracks in contiguity the
switch circuit closer will close the track circuit between the two conducting bars jj,
and when the locomotive brushes engage said bars the circuit will be closed through
the locomotive and the bell therein will be sounded and the engineer thus notified of
danger or that the switch is thrown. The conducting bars ; j' should be of
sufficient length so that the bell will ring a suitable length of time to notify the
engineer.
If desired the batteries can be suspended beneath the tender, and the brushes
extended out from the opposite sides of the tender.
In Fig. 2 an arrangement of the same principle as the foregoing is shewn, whereby
the engineer of an approaching train is notified if a bridge or trestle work is in a
dangerous condition.
The track is a suitable distance from and on each side of the bridge or trestle is
provided with the conducting bars jj', arranged just as before described.
"
PP
At opposite ends of the bridge and secured to suitable bases or ties are enclosed
boxes oo, containing circuit closers. Each circuit closer consists of a stationary con-
tact p, constructed of a spring plate rigidly secured to and insulated from a base plate.
This contact is similar to spring contact i before described. These contacts of the
two bridge circuit closers are electrically connected by suitable wires, as shewn with
one of their line conductors. The other movable contacts qq of the bridge circuit
closers are both electrically connected with the other of their respective line conductors
by suitable wires.
Each pair of conducting bars jj' is connected with the bridge circuit closer on that
side of the bridge by a separate pair of line conductors, so that the circuit closer and
bars on opposite sides of the bridge are totally separate.
Each contact is pivoted at one end to and insulated from said base plate, so that
its free end can swing beneath or from the spring contact.
This free end is so arranged that the stationary contact extends towards the same
and is located in the box on the side towards the bridge or so that pulling force on
the swinging contact from the bridge will swing the free end of said contact beneath
the spring contact.
A flexible connection at its end is secured to the free end of the bridge circuit
closers on opposite sides of the bridge. This cable-cord, or connection is loosely
secured to each timber beam or support u of the trestle work or bridge by staples or
orher means so that if the bridge or trestle work is destroyed, sinks, or if any timber
thereof becomes loosened and drops, the connection will be drawn taut and thereby
draw the two movable contacts into engagement with the stationary contacts and
hence electrically unite the two line conductors, hence if the train approaches the
bridge in either direction the engineer's bell will ring as soon as the brushes of his
locomotive reach the raised connecting bars.
The switch circuit closers are intended to be enclosed in boxes, and the wires from
the switch and bridge circuit closer boxes are enclosed in pipes or other suitable means
of protection.
The extreme simplicity and durability of this system is obvious; also the great want
that it fills and the danger of loss of life and property which it obviates.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The herein described electric railway signals.
2. The combination of the switch between the main and side tracks, the two line
conductors extending up the track, a pair of raised conducting bars secured beside the
track a distance from the switch and electrically connected each with one of said line
conductors, and a circuit closer operated by the switch electrically uniting said line
conductors when the switch is thrown to place the tracks in contiguity, substantially
as described.
3. In an electric railroad signal, the combination of a switch, a pair of raised con-
ducting bars located on the track a distance from the switch, a circuit of which bars
form the terminals and a circuit closer in said circuit operated by the switch
substantially as described.
4. The combination of the two line conductors extending along the track, a circuit
closer at one end to electrically unite said line conductors and a pair of raised con-
ducting bars at the other end of the line forming the terminals of the two line
wires, said hars consisting of horizontal bars located on opposite sides of the track
and having their ends bent down and secured to suitable supports, substantially as
described.
5. In an electric railroad signal, the combination of the vehicle containing an
electric circuit including an alarm and source and the two brushes forming the
terminals of said circuit, and a pair of raised conducting bars, located beside the track
and adapted to be swept by said brushes, said bars being horizontal and having their
ends bent down and secured to a suitable support, substantially as described.
6. The switch bar having a lateral contact arm, in combination with the spring
contact plate beneath which said arm springs when the switch is thrown in a certain
way as set forth.
7. The combination of a circuit closer closed by a switch when thrown to break
the contiguity of the main track of a pair of connecting bars located along the tracks
a distance from said switch and connected with and adapted to be electrically united
by the said circuit closer, and a vehicle having a circuit and alarm and brushes
adapted to engage said bars, as set forth.
8. The combination of two pairs of conducting bars located along the track
a distance from and on opposite sides of a bridge or trestle work, one or more
circuits of which said bars are the terminals, circuit closers in the same, and means
to operate said circuit closers to electrically unite said bars for the purpose set
forth, when the bridge or trestle work is destroyed or injured, substantially as
described.
9. In an electric railroad signal, the combination of a line circuit, a circuit closer
in the same, and means to close the circuit closer when a bridge or trestle work sinks
or is destroyed or injured, as set forth.
10. The combination of the two circuit closers located at opposie ends of a bridge or
trestle work and each composed of a stationary and movable contact and a connection
extending the length of the bridge and secured to the beams of the same and at its
end secured to said movable contact, so that if the bridge is destroyed or injured the
circuit closer will be closed, substantially as described.
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1000
W. J. SMITH,
By L. W., per F. B.
J. W. FOX,
By L. W., per F. B.