INTEGRA TB 621 A Quecksilber-Thermoblinker
Mercury flashing relay
Clignotant au mercure utilisé dans les chemins de fer

Integra Signum was a publicly traded Swiss company active in train control and signaling systems. Its main achievement was the development of the train control system Integra-Signum, which was subsequently adopted by the Swiss Federal Railways in 1933.
Headquartered in Wallisellen, the company existed from the late 19th century until January 1, 1992, when it was acquired by Siemens. Siemens renamed the company to Siemens Integra Verkehrstechnik. It is now a division of Siemens Mobility AG.

This device operates as an astable multivibrator. It uses two or more reservoirs filled with mercury to generate a clock signal. It was primarily used in stationary signaling systems in railway areas, where it controlled the flashing indicators in signal boxes and the red flashing lights at level crossings.

The device consists of two bulbs connected at their lower ends by a U-shaped tube, so that at rest they always contain the same amount of mercury. Each bulb contains a filament and contacts near, but not in contact with, the mercury. An electrode is permanently connected to the mercury at the lowest point of the U-connector. The right-hand bulb contains an auxiliary contact, the only one immersed in the mercury at rest. This contact is used for starting the device because it closes the circuit via the right-hand heating filament before the mercury begins to oscillate. The active filament heats the gas in the upper part of the bulb, creating a slight overpressure that forces the mercury through the U-shaped connecting tube to the other, cooler side. As a result, the electrodes on the heated side lose electrical contact with the mercury, while on the cold side, the electrodes make contact with the mercury, and the heating filament on that side begins to heat the gas. This process causes the mercury to oscillate between the two containers, resulting in the contacts opening and closing alternately. This cycle repeats periodically as long as the power supply remains on.

• Wikipedia - Quecksilber-Thermoblinker.
• Deutsches Reichspatent Nr. 536 467.
• Datenblatt / Datasheet: TB621A.pdf.

 Videos on YouTube:
• INTEGRA thermoblinker
• Quecksilberblinker SBB Barrierenblinker
• Thermoblinker TB621A

 

H × L × P • H × W × D : 29 × 11.5 × 7.8 cm • 11"3/8 × 4"1/2 × 3"1/8

 

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