CESTER Improvements in and relating to Electric Signals for Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
CESTER
Improvements in and relating to Electric Signals for Railways.
We, EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY, Electrician, and JAMES ALEXANDER DICKEY,
Physician, Citizens of the United States of America, residing in the City of Bristol,
County of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, one of the United States of America,
and NAPOLEON BREEDLOVE AINESWORTH, a Citizen of the United States of
America, residing at McAlester, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, United States
of America, Attorney-at-Law, 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 has reference to electric signals for rail-roads, and consists
generally of two line wires extending parallel with the track or way, said line wires
having branches leading therefrom to points adjacent to one of the rails, together
with devices operated by the car wheel and circuit closing brush on the locomotive
tender to connect one of the wires with the track and the other with the brush
contact, to the end that when an oppositely moving locomotive reaches one of the
devices, it will through its contact brush close the circuit through a bell and the
rail and receive an alarm; this result be attained without regard to the number of
devices intervening. The system also provides for operating the devices in a
reverse direction so that the connection of the branch wires is reversed, one of them
being connected to the brush contact instead of to the rail while the other is
connected to the rail instead of the brush contact, the result being, however, that
the advancing train receives a signal as before. The electric connections are
broken at stations, so that the locomotives have to approach each other between
stations in order to receive signals.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of a track or way, illustrating in diagram the
general relative position of the circuits.
Figure 2 is a side view of a locomotive and part of its tender, showing the circuit
and contact devices carried by the same.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view representing the commutators
and other parts in an exposed position, the arrangement being reversed with respect
to Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of one of the track boxes, part of the same
being broken away to disclose the internal arrangement thereof.
In carrying out the invention we provide the track at suitable points with a series
of boxes, A, arranged adjacent to the outer side of one of the rails, B, as illustrated
in Figures 2 and 4. Each of these boxes, A, is closed, and contains a horizontal
cylinder, C, carrying trunnions, c', at one end, bearing in ears, c², therefor secured
at the inner side of one end of the box to allow the cylinder to move pivotally.
This said cylinder is provided at its opposite end with a stuffing box, a, through
which a rod, b, plays, the rod being connected within the cylinder to a piston, c,
provided with a small port, or ports, d. Interposed between the end of the cylinder
and piston is a coiled expanding spring, D, while a valved disk, D', has a limited
play on the rod b. at the rear of the piston.
Transversely within the other portion of the box a rotary commutator cylinder, E,
is mounted, one of the journals, of which projects beyond the side of the box and
has rigidly attached thereto a contact arm, F, the free portion of which is beveled,
and normally occupies a vertical position. The commutator cylinder, E, is provided
centrally and at one side with horizontal ears, h, between which the end of the
rod, b, is pivotally secured by a pin, A, bearing in said ears. Each cylinder, E, is

page_text: provided adjacent to each end with an insulated band, i, of copper, forming a
continuous contact, and adjacent to each of said bands are two short contacts,,,
also insulated, each pair,,, being circumferentially on a line with each other.
These said contacts,,,, are electrically connected to each other by wires, 3, as
shown by full lines, Figure 3, wherein each of the contacts, i', is shown as being
connected to the adjacent contact, i, and also with the contact, 12, farthest away.
Parallel with each cylinder, E, is a bar, G, carrying four insulated contact
brushes,, bearing on the cylinder, E, to register with the contacts thereof, binding
screws, 1, 2, 3, 4, being electrically connected with said brushes for the proper
connection of circuit wires.
Above each box, A, is a longitudinal copper plate, 1, one end of which is rigidly
secured on an insulated support whilst the other end is normally located a slight
distance above the contact block, m.
The circuit connection with the parts thus far described is as follows: The wire, 5,
leads from the rail, B, to binding screw, 2, and its brush, j.
Binding screw, l, and its brush, j, connect with the line wire, 6, leading to
binding screw, l, and brush, j, of the adjacent box, A. Binding screw, 3, and its
brush connect by wire 7 to contact block, m, and binding screw 4, and its brush, j,
connect by line wire, 8, to the corresponding binding screw and brush of the
adjacent box.
The cylinder, D, on one side of the piston is filled with oil, glycerine or
equivalent liquid.
Each locomotive carries at a suitable point an electric bell, n, and local circuit
with a battery, o, located on the locomotive and adapted to be closed by a relay, p,
also thereon, one of the wires of the relay leading to and connecting with one of the
axles, or otherwise grounded through the rail, B, the other wire leading to and
connecting with the spring brush, 7, carried by the locomotive tender to contact
with the copper plate, L, on the box as the locomotive moves along the track.
In practice the boxes, A, are located at suitable points along the track or way,
in some cases they will be arranged at intervals of two hundred yards and in other
instances a greater or less distance according to requirements.
Referring to Figure 1 in connection with Figure 3, assuming that locomotive
No. 1 reaches a box before locomotive No. 2 does, the first mentioned locomotive
will depress the arm, F, of the adjacent commutator so that its cylinder, E, will be
turned to bring the inner brushes, j, on to contacts, i¹, and outer brushes, j, being
always on contact, i, because, as before stated, they are continuous. By this
operation the following partial circuits will be established: From rail, B, along
wire 5, to binding screw 2, its brush,, and contact, i, across to adjacent contacts, i,
through brush, thereon, binding screw 1, line wire 6, to binding screw 7 of adjacent
box A. When locomotive No. 2 reaches box A last mentioned, it will depress
arm to turn its commutator cylinder in a reverse direction and bring its brushes
upon contacts, 1, and 2. Locomotive No. 2 also depresses plate 1, so that the
circuit is completed as follows: From one of the wires of the relay to spring
brush, through plate, l, its contact, m, wire 7, binding screw 3, brush, j, contact
cross wire to inner contact, and over to contact, i, through brush, j, thereon,
along line wire 6 to binding screw of commutator first operated, through brush, j
of said binding screw to inner contact, i, thence to adjacent contact, out through
its brush, j, and binding screw 2 to wire 5, where the circuit is completed through
rail, locomotive, relay battery and relay, and operating the latter to complete the
local circuit through battery, o, and ring the bell, m, thus notifying the engineer
that an approaching train has passed the locality of the box first referred to.
locomotive No. 2 should first reach its box then the engineer of locomotive No. 1
would be similarly notified through the corresponding closing of circuits that may
be readily traced.
If
The depression of each arm, F, moves the piston forward against the action of
the expanding spring, D, so that the oil under pressure passes through the port of
the piston to displace the valve and enable the oil to be shifted around to the other

page_text: side of the piston. When the wheel passes beyond the arm, F, the spring, D,
exerts a force to restore the piston to its first position, causing the cushion of oil to
move the valve against the piston and almost completely closing the ports thereof.
The play of the piston and the valve itself is such that the joints are not absolutely
tight, so that the oil under the spring pressure of the piston will slowly and
gradually pass back around and through the piston to the point it first occupied..
By this arrangement the arm, F, can be quickly depressed, and will remain so
generally long enough to permit the locomotive that has just passed over it to
reach the succeeding box and close the circuit before the circuit of the box
previously operated is broken, the result being that a constant connection is
maintained.
The movement of trains in the same direction will secure no signal connections
because the depression of the arms of the boxes under such conditions only serves to
connect all the contacts, m, together. By using the relay device weak batteries
can be employed, both for the same and local circuit, as the relay can be operated
with a comparatively feeble current, and the bell circuit being small will ensure
the bell being positively rung at all times. If desired air or gas may be used in
place of oil or glycerine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. In an electric signal for railways, the combination of the incomplete circuits
connected with rotary commutators, contact plates and the rails, the commutators
having arms which are adapted to be depressed by a train or locomotive and when
depressed will partially complete the circuits, said circuits being completed by
brushes contacting with the plates so as to sound an electric alarm mechanism
carried by the locomotive, and means for automatically elevating the arms attached
to the commutators, substantially as set forth.
2. In a circuit closing device for electric signals for railways, a rotary commutator
having a pair of complete contact plates and adjacent thereto pairs of short contact
plates with connecting wires, as shown, each pair being circumferentially on a line
with each other, a bar, G, carrying four contact brushes and wires connecting said
brushes with the line wires and with the rail and adjacent contact plates, means
carried by the locomotive and tender for electrically connecting the contact plates
and rails when the commutator is turned, substantially as set forth.
3. In a signalling system for railways, the combination of incomplete circuits and
commutators adapted to close the same, each having an arm adapted to be struck
by the locomotive to turn its commutator, a spring designed to restore said arm to
a vertical position and a cylinder carrying a valved piston the rod of which is
connected to the commutator to retard the action of the spring, substantially as
set forth.
4. In a circuit closing device for electric signals for railways, the combination
with a box provided with a contact strip upon its upper side, a commutator cylinder
located in said box and having one of its journals projecting beyond the side of the
same, a contact arm connected with said journal, a cylinder also located in said box
and containing a piston connected by a rod with the commutator cylinder, and a
valve movably located adjacent to said piston on said rod, together with the
commutator brushes, substantially as set forth.
5. In an electric signalling system for railways, the combination of the incomplete
circuits connected with rotary commutators, contact plates and the rails, the
commutators being adapted to be turned by a train or locomotive to complete the
circuit and establish an electrical connection with an alarm mechanism carried by
the locomotive, and means for automatically restoring the commutators to their
original position, for the purpose set forth.
6. In a signalling system for railways, the combination of incomplete circuits and

page_text: commutators adapted to close the same; devices operated by the locomotive to turn
the commutators and cylinders carrying pistons the rods of which are adapted to
automatically restore the commutators to their original position, substantially as
set forth.
D
1
CT1001
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.