CA1260127A - Vital apparatus for determining train travel direction - Google Patents
Vital apparatus for determining train travel directionInfo
- Publication number
- CA1260127A CA1260127A CA000504087A CA504087A CA1260127A CA 1260127 A CA1260127 A CA 1260127A CA 000504087 A CA000504087 A CA 000504087A CA 504087 A CA504087 A CA 504087A CA 1260127 A CA1260127 A CA 1260127A
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- track
- travel
- circuit
- occupancy
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 claims description 41
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 abstract description 16
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
- B61L23/00—Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
- B61L23/22—Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains for controlling traffic in two directions over the same pair of rails
- B61L23/30—Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains for controlling traffic in two directions over the same pair of rails using automatic section blocking
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A vital train direction of travel detection apparatus is provided for determining when a manual con-trolled vehicle is traveling in an undesired direction through the track circuits of a provided traffic zone in relation to a desired direction of travel of an automati-cally controlled vehicle through that traffic zone.
A vital train direction of travel detection apparatus is provided for determining when a manual con-trolled vehicle is traveling in an undesired direction through the track circuits of a provided traffic zone in relation to a desired direction of travel of an automati-cally controlled vehicle through that traffic zone.
Description
lZ60~.~7 1 51,858 VITAL APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING
TRAIN TRAVEL DIRECTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
_ield of the Invention:
This invention relates to detecting the travel direction of a manually controlled train in relation to the movement of an automatically controlled train.
Descri~tion of the Prior Art:
It is known in the prior art to sense the occu-pancy of a particular track circuit signal block with a vehicle control system to provide zero speed signals into one or more adjacent s.ignal blocks behind a moving train as disclosed by U.S. Patent Reissue 27,472.
It is known to provide a train vehicle detection apparatus wherein a coded speed signal is supplied to one end of the track circuit signal block and a coded speed signal is received from that signal block which signals are converted into analog signals for comparison in an opera-tional amplifier to provide an alternating current signal for energizing a vital relay operative with a speed signal encoder, as disclosed by U.S. Patent 3,958,781.
It is known to detect the occupancy of a first signal block by a first train to control the speed of a second train following the first train and in relation to at least a second signal block adjacent to that first signal block in response to an occupancy indication signal and protection signals to establish desired sequential occupancy control of the second train through at least the ~.26~ 7 , 51,858 second signal blocks, as disclosed by U.S. Patent 3,963,201.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides vital operational apparatus to detect the movement of a manually controlled first train travelling in an undesired direction in a particular traffic zone and to disable the movement of an automatically controlled second train travelling in the desired direction in that same traffic zone for preventing 0 a collision between the first and second trains.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a well known prior art vehicle occupancy determination apparatus;
Figure 2 shows a typical vehicle track layout in relation to buildings and stations;
Figures 3A to 3E show the movement of a vehicle along an illustrative prior art roadway in the direction of desired traffic alignment;
Figures 4A to 4E show the movement of a vehicle along an illustrative prior art roadway against the direc-tion of desired traffic align~ent;
Figures 5A and 5B show a first operation of the vital relay travel direction detection apparatus of the present invention for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic direction alignment and no occupancy of the track circuits within the provided traffic zone as illus-trated by Figure 3A;
Eigures 6A and 6B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and an initial occupancy of the first track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3B;
Figures 7A and 7B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and a subsequent occupancy of the first and the second ~L~601~7 3 51,858 track circuits in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3C;
Figures ~A and 8B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and a subse~uent occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3D;
Figures 9A and 9B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle ~ovement with a west traffic align-ment and after occupancy of the second track circui~ in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3E;
Figures 10~ and lOB show the operation of the present direction detection apparatus for an eastward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and an initial occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic ~one as illustrated by Figure 4A;
Figures llA and llB show the operation of the present direction detection apparatus for an eastward vehicle move~ent with a west traffic alignment and an initial occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4~;
Figures 12A and 12B show the operation of the present travel direction detection apparatus for an east-ward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and anoccupancy of the second and the first track circuits in the provided traffic zone as iilustrated by Figure 4C;
Figures 13A and 13B show the operation of the present travel direction detection apparatus for an east-ward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and theoccupancy of the first track circuit of the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4D;
Figures 14A and 14B show the operation of the present travel direction detection for an eastward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and no occupancy of the second and first track circuits in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4E; and 126~
4 51,858 Figure 15 shows an application of the present vehicle travel direction detection apparatus with a vehicle control system.
DESC~IPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In Figure 1, there is shown a roadway track 5 divided into signal blocks 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 by respec-tive shunt bars 13 provided at opposite ends of each signal block. A speed encoder 15 is operative with a transmitter 17 coupled with an antenna 18 for providing a desired vehicle speed control signal into signal block 10. A
second antenna 20 is operative at the opposite end of the signal block 10 and coupled with a receiver 22 for supply-ing to a comparator 24 the received signal 26 from the receiver 22. The transmitted speed control signal 28 from the transmitter 17 is also supplied to the comparator 24.
The comparator ~4 then operates through relay apparatus 27 to control the speed encoder 30 for the next succeeding signal block 8. A similar operation is shown provided for each of the signal blocks 12, 14 and 16. When the vehicle 32 enters the signal block 10, the speed control signal from the transmitter 17 and coupled through the antenna 18 into the signal block 10 is short circuited by the wheels and axles of the vehicle 32, such that the receiver 22 does not receive this transmitted speed control signal. There-fore, the comparator 24 does not find the received signal26 to be substantially the same as the transmitted signal 28, and the speed encoder 30 then provides through its transmitter 34 and coupled antenna 36 a zero speed control signal to the previous signal block 8 to prevent a follow-ing train from entering the signal block 10. In this way,block occupancy in relation to the signal block 10 is determined and operates to control subsequent trains.
The vehicle occupancy detection apparatus of Figure 1, when a vehicle is detected to occupy a particular track circuit, is operative to reduce the speed codes in the adjacent and previously occupied track circuits, but this operation cannot guarantee train safety, when two ~2~ '7 51,858 opposing train movements, one manually controlled and one automatically controlled, are directed into the same traffic zone area.
It is known in the prior art to establish vehicle traffic direction for a particular traffic zone by the operation of a vital relay.
In Figure 2, there is shown a typical layout of a roadway track 5 positioned to service a plurality of passenger stations 42 and passing adjacent to various buildings 44 and 46. A first automatically controlled vehicle 48 is shown proceeding in a desired clock~ise or aligned direction along the roadway track 5. A second manually dri~en vehicle 50 is proceeding in an undesired counterclockwise or nonaligned direction along the roadway track 5. It is readily apparent that the operator in the manually driven vehicle 50 cannot visually detect the presence of the automatically driven vehicle 48 because of the position of the building 44. It is desired for saety reasons that the automatically controlled train 48 detect the presence of the manually controlled train 50, such that the automatically controlled train 48 can stop on a pro-grammed profile for the comfort of the passengers prior to a collision occurring between the automatically controlled train 48 and the manually controlled train 50. It is feasible that the operator of the manually controlled train 50, when he ~irst sees the automatically controlled train 48, will not have time to stop the manually controlled vehicle 50 and avoid an otherwise program continued move~
ment of the automatically controlled vehicle 48 beore a collision between the automatic controlled vehicle 48 and the manually controlled vehicle 50 occurs.
In Figures 3A to 3E, there is shown the succes-sive movements of a train vehicle along a roadway track signal blocX arrangement in the desired and aligned west-ward direction through the signal blocks 8, 10, 12 and 14.
In Figures 4A to 4E there is shown the successive movements of a train vehicle along the roadway track signal ~;~60~L~'7 6 51,858 block arrangement of Figures 3A to 3E in an undesired and nonaligned eastward direction through the signal blocks 14, 12, 10 and 8.
The provided sequence of logic checks is de-scribed for determining when a train vehicle is travellingin a desired direction or in an undesired direction through a provided traffic check zone, such as signal blocks 10 and 12 of the roadway track 5. For the purpose of a first example, assume the manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving along the roadway track 5 as shown in Figures 3A to 3E in a westward and desired direction as shown by the arrow 64. For the purpose of a second example, assume the manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving along the roadway track 5 as shown in Fiyures 4A to 4E in an eastward and undesired direction as shown by the arrow 66.
Each of the track occupancy relays lOT and 12T
for the respective track circuits lO and 12 is a well known vital relay having an armature that physically drops by gravity to a known position when the relay is not ener-gized. When this relay is energized the front contact is made, and when the relay is not energized the back contact is made. When there is no vehicle in either of the track circuits io and 12, the respective relays lOT and 12T are energized.
In Figures 5A and 5B there is iilustrated a first operation of the present travel direction detection appara-tus with the two consecutive track circuits provided in the traffic check zone to illustrate the pr~sent invention - being the track circuits 10 and 12 and the vehicle movement is in the desired direction as shown in Figures 3A to 3E.
When a vehicle moving west as shown in Figure 3B
enters the track circuit 10, the associated relay lOT
becomes not energized while the track circuit relay 12T
remains energized. As the vehicle moves farther west as shown in Figure 3C, both of the traffic relays lOT and 12T
become not energized. When this vehicle continues to move west until it leaves the track circuit 10 and enters the ~IL2~ '7 J2 51,858 track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 3D, the relay lOT is again energized where the relay 12T becomes not energized.
For a vehicle moving west in the traffic aligned direction as shown in Figure 3A, the track circuits 10 and 12 are not occupied, so the relays lOT and 12T are ener-gized as shown in Figure 5A. The west traffic relay WF is energized to close the contact 76 and the east traffic relay EF is not energized to close the contact 74. The west train movement relay D1 is not energized and the east train movement relay D2 is not energized. As shown in Figure 5B, the EWDS relay is energized by current~from the voltage source through contacts 10-5, WF-1, EWDS-1, EFol and 10-6 to ground. This closes the contact EWDS-2 to provide current from the voltage source through the direc-tion check relay DCKR and the contact EWDS-2 to ground.
The energized relay DCKR holds open the contact DCKR-1 between the signal source ~ and the output 152.
As shown in Figure 3A, with no trains in the traffic zone including track circuits lO and 12, the direction check relay DCKR, which is a well known slow release vital direct current relay, is energized through the contact EWDS-2 of the east-west direction stick relay EWDS, which ~*~e~ relay is an ordinary acting and polar-biased vital direct current relay.
The train travel direction check apparatus provided by the present invention is responsive t~ an occupancy initially in track circuit 10 when traffic is aligned west, and is responsive to an occupancy initially in track circuit 12 when traffic is aligned east, for causing the direction stick relay EWDS to become deener-gized. The direction stick relay EWDS can become energized once again, only with the proper sequence of track occupan-cies in track circuits 10 and 12, in relation to the predetermined and aligned direction of desired travel that 3S is desired in conjunction with operation of the west traffic relay WF and the east traffic relay EF.
i~
6~ 7 -8- 51,858 As shown in Figure 6A, the movement relay Dl is energized by current from the voltage source through the contacts 76, 10-1, 12-1, D2-1, D2-2 and 74 -to yround. In Figure 6B, the EWDS relay is not energized. The direction check relay DCKR is energized by current from the voltage source through the closed contact 10-7 to ground.
When the train vehicle initially occupies track circuit 10, with traffic aligned in the west direction 64 as shown in Figure 2B, the west train movement relay Dl will become energized. Front contacts Dl-l and Dl-2 shown in Figure 6A of energized relay Dl then switch the polarity of voltage to be later applied to the east train movement relay D2, Upon a train occupancy in both of the track circuits 10 and 12 as shown in Figure 3C, the relay (D2) as shown inFigure 7A becomes energized by a current from the voltage source through the closed contacts 12-3, Dl-2, Dl-l and 12-2 to ground, because relay contacts Dl~l and Dl-2 remain unreleased during this interval as shown in Figure 7B, -the direction check relay DCKR remains energized through the closed contacts 10-7 and 12-7.
With the train occupancy of Figure 3D in track circuit 12, the contact 10-4 shown in Figure 8A opens.
Despite the control voltage being removed from the coil of relay Dl, relay Dl remains energized for about an additional 0.6 to 1.0 seconds because it has been selected as a slow release vital relay, and during this additional time the relays Dl and D2 are both energized.
As shown in Figure 8B, the east-west direction stick relay ~WDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5 and WF-l and contacts D2-3 and Dl-3 of energized relays Dl and D2, with the vehicle 50 as shown in Figure 3D. The direction stick relay EWDS remains energized through the contact EWDS-l of the direction stick relay EWDS which bypasses contacts Dl-3 and D2-3 of respective movement relays ~1 and ~2 in the pick circuit, when the east and west train movement relays Dl and D2 return to their normally deenergized state. Since the train direction of travel check was verified to be correct, the direction ~26~12'~
9 51,858 check relay DCKR remains energized through a contact EWDS-2 of the direction stick relay EWDS.
Figure 9A shows the operation when the vehicle has moved into track circuit 14 as shown in Figure 3E. The movement relays D1 and D2 are not energized. As shown in Figure 9B, the direction stick relay EWDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5, WE-1, EWDS-l, EF-l and 10-6.
The direction check relay DCKR is energized through closed contact EWDS-7.
In relation to Figures 4A to 4E, assume the desired traffic remains aligned in the west direc~ion and there is a manual train 50 traveling eastward, which manual train 50 travels through the traffic check zone such that track circuit 12 first becomes occupied before track circuit 10. As shown in Figure lOA, since the west direc-tion alignment remains the same the traffic relay contacts 74 and 76 are the same, and since the track circuits.10 and 12 are not occupied the track occupancy relays lOT and 12T
are energized. The movement relays Dl and D2 are not energized. As shown in Figure lOB, the direction stick relay EWDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5, WF-l, EWDS-l, EF-l and 10-6. The direction check relay DCKR is energized through the closed contact EWDS-2.
As shown in Figure llA, when the vehicle 50 is in the track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 4B, the pick circuit is open for the west train movement relay D1 by contact 12-l being open upon relay 12T becoming not ener-gized with the track circuit 12 becoming occupied. The train vehicle 50 occupancy in track circuit 12 closes the pick circuit through contact 12-4 of the relay 12T for the east train movement relay D2, but the polarity of the voltage applied to this relay D2, which is controlled by contacts 74 and 76 of the traffic relays EF and WF, is wrong, thus relay D2 remains deenergiæed. In Eigure llB
there is shown, for the same vehicle occupancy of track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 4B, the contact 12-7 of relay 12T maintains the direction check relay DCKR energized, '7 51,858 while the direction stick relay EWDS continues to be energized through the contacts 10-5 and 10-6 of traffic relay lOT.
Subsequently, as shown in Figure 4C, track circuit 10 becomes occupied in addition to track circuit 12, such that both of the relays lOT an~ 12T are not energized to cause the movement relays Dl and D2 to be not energized. As shown in Figure 12B, the contact 10-5 is open and the east-west direction stick relay EWDS becomes deenergized. The wrong sequence of occupancies prevents relays Dl and D2 from becoming energized at the same time.
The direction check relay DCKR is energized through the contacts 10-7 and 12-7.
When the train moves into track circuit 10 as shown in Figure 4D, the relay Dl shown in Figure 13A
becomes energized through contacts 76, 10-1, 1~-1, D2-l, D2-2 and 74, but relay D~ cannot become energized because the wrong sequence of occupancies has occurred. As shown in Figure 13B, the direction check relay DCKR is energized through closed contact 10-7.
Once the train clears the predetermined direction check ZQne as shown in Figure 4E and which is comprised of track circuits 10 and 12, the movement relays Dl and D2 are not energized as shown in Figure 14A. The direction check relay DCKR shown in Figure 14B is deenergized through the open contact EW~S~2 of the direction stick relay EWDS and the open contacts 10-~ and 12-7, thus indicatin~ the undesired direction of train movement. The contact-~5~ of /
the direction check relay DCKR then closes to be used in coniunction with a signal source 153 to control the speed code select logic for all desired track circuits in rela-tion to the traffic zone to stop automatic movement of the train vehicle 4~ within or before the traffic zone, or including additional track circuits as desired, once the undesired movement of manual vehicle 50 has been detected.
In Figure 15 there is shown an illustrative application of the present invention with a vehicle control 1L26~7 11 51,858 system to detect and provide an indication of a manually controlled first train 50 travelling in an undesired direction in a particular traffic zone, which is determined as signal blocks 10 and 12. The speed encoder 140 is operative to provide a desired travel speed for signal block 12. The speed encoder 14~ is operative to provide a desired travel speed for signal block 10. The desired alignment direction is shown by the arrow 144. When a manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving in an undesired direction and initially occupies the signal block 12, such as shown in Figure 4B, the relay apparatus 146 ope~ates to no longer energize the track relay 12T and the relay apparatus 150 continues to energize the track relay lOT of the travel direction detecti'on apparatus 148 as previously described in relation to Figures llA and llB. When the vehicle 50 moves into a position to occupy both of track circuits 12 and 10 as shown in Figure 4C, the relay appara-tus 146 is operative to no longer energize the track relay 12T and the relay apparatus 150 is operative to no longer energize the track relay lOT as previously described in relation to Figures 12A and 12B. When the vehicle 50 occupies the track circuit 10 as shown in Figure 4D, the relay apparatus 150 is operative to no longer anergize the track relay lOT as previously described in relation to Figures 13A and 13B. As the vehicle moves beyond the track circuit 10, and the vehicle 50 has cleared the check zone and no longer occupies the track circuits 10 and 12, the direction check relay DCK~ as described in relation to Figures 14A and 14B becomes deenergized to close the i 30 contact ~ and send a signal 152 for changing the speed code si~nal provided by one or more selected speed encoders 154 as required to stop satisfactorily any automatically controlled second vehicle moving in the aligned direction 144 toward the track circuits 10 and 12.
It is not intended that the direction detection apparatus of the present invention be implemented with all track circuits within a transit system. However, the - ~Z6~ 7 12 51,858 direction check could be selectively made with track circuits at strategic locations in the system, such as where manual vehicle operation visibility is limited by buildings or other obstructions or where areas of manual vehicle intervention are expected. For example, train direction of movement checks can be made at station loca-tions to verify that manually driven trains leave the station in the proper direction. Also movement checks could be made at the exit gate to an interlocking or entrance to a traffic zone to stop automatic trains from entering a predetermined track section should a manual train run in an undesired direction through that traffic zone.
TRAIN TRAVEL DIRECTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
_ield of the Invention:
This invention relates to detecting the travel direction of a manually controlled train in relation to the movement of an automatically controlled train.
Descri~tion of the Prior Art:
It is known in the prior art to sense the occu-pancy of a particular track circuit signal block with a vehicle control system to provide zero speed signals into one or more adjacent s.ignal blocks behind a moving train as disclosed by U.S. Patent Reissue 27,472.
It is known to provide a train vehicle detection apparatus wherein a coded speed signal is supplied to one end of the track circuit signal block and a coded speed signal is received from that signal block which signals are converted into analog signals for comparison in an opera-tional amplifier to provide an alternating current signal for energizing a vital relay operative with a speed signal encoder, as disclosed by U.S. Patent 3,958,781.
It is known to detect the occupancy of a first signal block by a first train to control the speed of a second train following the first train and in relation to at least a second signal block adjacent to that first signal block in response to an occupancy indication signal and protection signals to establish desired sequential occupancy control of the second train through at least the ~.26~ 7 , 51,858 second signal blocks, as disclosed by U.S. Patent 3,963,201.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides vital operational apparatus to detect the movement of a manually controlled first train travelling in an undesired direction in a particular traffic zone and to disable the movement of an automatically controlled second train travelling in the desired direction in that same traffic zone for preventing 0 a collision between the first and second trains.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a well known prior art vehicle occupancy determination apparatus;
Figure 2 shows a typical vehicle track layout in relation to buildings and stations;
Figures 3A to 3E show the movement of a vehicle along an illustrative prior art roadway in the direction of desired traffic alignment;
Figures 4A to 4E show the movement of a vehicle along an illustrative prior art roadway against the direc-tion of desired traffic align~ent;
Figures 5A and 5B show a first operation of the vital relay travel direction detection apparatus of the present invention for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic direction alignment and no occupancy of the track circuits within the provided traffic zone as illus-trated by Figure 3A;
Eigures 6A and 6B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and an initial occupancy of the first track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3B;
Figures 7A and 7B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and a subsequent occupancy of the first and the second ~L~601~7 3 51,858 track circuits in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3C;
Figures ~A and 8B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle movement with a west traffic align-ment and a subse~uent occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3D;
Figures 9A and 9B show the operation of the present vital relay travel direction detection apparatus for a westward vehicle ~ovement with a west traffic align-ment and after occupancy of the second track circui~ in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 3E;
Figures 10~ and lOB show the operation of the present direction detection apparatus for an eastward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and an initial occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic ~one as illustrated by Figure 4A;
Figures llA and llB show the operation of the present direction detection apparatus for an eastward vehicle move~ent with a west traffic alignment and an initial occupancy of the second track circuit in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4~;
Figures 12A and 12B show the operation of the present travel direction detection apparatus for an east-ward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and anoccupancy of the second and the first track circuits in the provided traffic zone as iilustrated by Figure 4C;
Figures 13A and 13B show the operation of the present travel direction detection apparatus for an east-ward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and theoccupancy of the first track circuit of the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4D;
Figures 14A and 14B show the operation of the present travel direction detection for an eastward vehicle movement with a west traffic alignment and no occupancy of the second and first track circuits in the provided traffic zone as illustrated by Figure 4E; and 126~
4 51,858 Figure 15 shows an application of the present vehicle travel direction detection apparatus with a vehicle control system.
DESC~IPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In Figure 1, there is shown a roadway track 5 divided into signal blocks 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 by respec-tive shunt bars 13 provided at opposite ends of each signal block. A speed encoder 15 is operative with a transmitter 17 coupled with an antenna 18 for providing a desired vehicle speed control signal into signal block 10. A
second antenna 20 is operative at the opposite end of the signal block 10 and coupled with a receiver 22 for supply-ing to a comparator 24 the received signal 26 from the receiver 22. The transmitted speed control signal 28 from the transmitter 17 is also supplied to the comparator 24.
The comparator ~4 then operates through relay apparatus 27 to control the speed encoder 30 for the next succeeding signal block 8. A similar operation is shown provided for each of the signal blocks 12, 14 and 16. When the vehicle 32 enters the signal block 10, the speed control signal from the transmitter 17 and coupled through the antenna 18 into the signal block 10 is short circuited by the wheels and axles of the vehicle 32, such that the receiver 22 does not receive this transmitted speed control signal. There-fore, the comparator 24 does not find the received signal26 to be substantially the same as the transmitted signal 28, and the speed encoder 30 then provides through its transmitter 34 and coupled antenna 36 a zero speed control signal to the previous signal block 8 to prevent a follow-ing train from entering the signal block 10. In this way,block occupancy in relation to the signal block 10 is determined and operates to control subsequent trains.
The vehicle occupancy detection apparatus of Figure 1, when a vehicle is detected to occupy a particular track circuit, is operative to reduce the speed codes in the adjacent and previously occupied track circuits, but this operation cannot guarantee train safety, when two ~2~ '7 51,858 opposing train movements, one manually controlled and one automatically controlled, are directed into the same traffic zone area.
It is known in the prior art to establish vehicle traffic direction for a particular traffic zone by the operation of a vital relay.
In Figure 2, there is shown a typical layout of a roadway track 5 positioned to service a plurality of passenger stations 42 and passing adjacent to various buildings 44 and 46. A first automatically controlled vehicle 48 is shown proceeding in a desired clock~ise or aligned direction along the roadway track 5. A second manually dri~en vehicle 50 is proceeding in an undesired counterclockwise or nonaligned direction along the roadway track 5. It is readily apparent that the operator in the manually driven vehicle 50 cannot visually detect the presence of the automatically driven vehicle 48 because of the position of the building 44. It is desired for saety reasons that the automatically controlled train 48 detect the presence of the manually controlled train 50, such that the automatically controlled train 48 can stop on a pro-grammed profile for the comfort of the passengers prior to a collision occurring between the automatically controlled train 48 and the manually controlled train 50. It is feasible that the operator of the manually controlled train 50, when he ~irst sees the automatically controlled train 48, will not have time to stop the manually controlled vehicle 50 and avoid an otherwise program continued move~
ment of the automatically controlled vehicle 48 beore a collision between the automatic controlled vehicle 48 and the manually controlled vehicle 50 occurs.
In Figures 3A to 3E, there is shown the succes-sive movements of a train vehicle along a roadway track signal blocX arrangement in the desired and aligned west-ward direction through the signal blocks 8, 10, 12 and 14.
In Figures 4A to 4E there is shown the successive movements of a train vehicle along the roadway track signal ~;~60~L~'7 6 51,858 block arrangement of Figures 3A to 3E in an undesired and nonaligned eastward direction through the signal blocks 14, 12, 10 and 8.
The provided sequence of logic checks is de-scribed for determining when a train vehicle is travellingin a desired direction or in an undesired direction through a provided traffic check zone, such as signal blocks 10 and 12 of the roadway track 5. For the purpose of a first example, assume the manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving along the roadway track 5 as shown in Figures 3A to 3E in a westward and desired direction as shown by the arrow 64. For the purpose of a second example, assume the manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving along the roadway track 5 as shown in Fiyures 4A to 4E in an eastward and undesired direction as shown by the arrow 66.
Each of the track occupancy relays lOT and 12T
for the respective track circuits lO and 12 is a well known vital relay having an armature that physically drops by gravity to a known position when the relay is not ener-gized. When this relay is energized the front contact is made, and when the relay is not energized the back contact is made. When there is no vehicle in either of the track circuits io and 12, the respective relays lOT and 12T are energized.
In Figures 5A and 5B there is iilustrated a first operation of the present travel direction detection appara-tus with the two consecutive track circuits provided in the traffic check zone to illustrate the pr~sent invention - being the track circuits 10 and 12 and the vehicle movement is in the desired direction as shown in Figures 3A to 3E.
When a vehicle moving west as shown in Figure 3B
enters the track circuit 10, the associated relay lOT
becomes not energized while the track circuit relay 12T
remains energized. As the vehicle moves farther west as shown in Figure 3C, both of the traffic relays lOT and 12T
become not energized. When this vehicle continues to move west until it leaves the track circuit 10 and enters the ~IL2~ '7 J2 51,858 track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 3D, the relay lOT is again energized where the relay 12T becomes not energized.
For a vehicle moving west in the traffic aligned direction as shown in Figure 3A, the track circuits 10 and 12 are not occupied, so the relays lOT and 12T are ener-gized as shown in Figure 5A. The west traffic relay WF is energized to close the contact 76 and the east traffic relay EF is not energized to close the contact 74. The west train movement relay D1 is not energized and the east train movement relay D2 is not energized. As shown in Figure 5B, the EWDS relay is energized by current~from the voltage source through contacts 10-5, WF-1, EWDS-1, EFol and 10-6 to ground. This closes the contact EWDS-2 to provide current from the voltage source through the direc-tion check relay DCKR and the contact EWDS-2 to ground.
The energized relay DCKR holds open the contact DCKR-1 between the signal source ~ and the output 152.
As shown in Figure 3A, with no trains in the traffic zone including track circuits lO and 12, the direction check relay DCKR, which is a well known slow release vital direct current relay, is energized through the contact EWDS-2 of the east-west direction stick relay EWDS, which ~*~e~ relay is an ordinary acting and polar-biased vital direct current relay.
The train travel direction check apparatus provided by the present invention is responsive t~ an occupancy initially in track circuit 10 when traffic is aligned west, and is responsive to an occupancy initially in track circuit 12 when traffic is aligned east, for causing the direction stick relay EWDS to become deener-gized. The direction stick relay EWDS can become energized once again, only with the proper sequence of track occupan-cies in track circuits 10 and 12, in relation to the predetermined and aligned direction of desired travel that 3S is desired in conjunction with operation of the west traffic relay WF and the east traffic relay EF.
i~
6~ 7 -8- 51,858 As shown in Figure 6A, the movement relay Dl is energized by current from the voltage source through the contacts 76, 10-1, 12-1, D2-1, D2-2 and 74 -to yround. In Figure 6B, the EWDS relay is not energized. The direction check relay DCKR is energized by current from the voltage source through the closed contact 10-7 to ground.
When the train vehicle initially occupies track circuit 10, with traffic aligned in the west direction 64 as shown in Figure 2B, the west train movement relay Dl will become energized. Front contacts Dl-l and Dl-2 shown in Figure 6A of energized relay Dl then switch the polarity of voltage to be later applied to the east train movement relay D2, Upon a train occupancy in both of the track circuits 10 and 12 as shown in Figure 3C, the relay (D2) as shown inFigure 7A becomes energized by a current from the voltage source through the closed contacts 12-3, Dl-2, Dl-l and 12-2 to ground, because relay contacts Dl~l and Dl-2 remain unreleased during this interval as shown in Figure 7B, -the direction check relay DCKR remains energized through the closed contacts 10-7 and 12-7.
With the train occupancy of Figure 3D in track circuit 12, the contact 10-4 shown in Figure 8A opens.
Despite the control voltage being removed from the coil of relay Dl, relay Dl remains energized for about an additional 0.6 to 1.0 seconds because it has been selected as a slow release vital relay, and during this additional time the relays Dl and D2 are both energized.
As shown in Figure 8B, the east-west direction stick relay ~WDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5 and WF-l and contacts D2-3 and Dl-3 of energized relays Dl and D2, with the vehicle 50 as shown in Figure 3D. The direction stick relay EWDS remains energized through the contact EWDS-l of the direction stick relay EWDS which bypasses contacts Dl-3 and D2-3 of respective movement relays ~1 and ~2 in the pick circuit, when the east and west train movement relays Dl and D2 return to their normally deenergized state. Since the train direction of travel check was verified to be correct, the direction ~26~12'~
9 51,858 check relay DCKR remains energized through a contact EWDS-2 of the direction stick relay EWDS.
Figure 9A shows the operation when the vehicle has moved into track circuit 14 as shown in Figure 3E. The movement relays D1 and D2 are not energized. As shown in Figure 9B, the direction stick relay EWDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5, WE-1, EWDS-l, EF-l and 10-6.
The direction check relay DCKR is energized through closed contact EWDS-7.
In relation to Figures 4A to 4E, assume the desired traffic remains aligned in the west direc~ion and there is a manual train 50 traveling eastward, which manual train 50 travels through the traffic check zone such that track circuit 12 first becomes occupied before track circuit 10. As shown in Figure lOA, since the west direc-tion alignment remains the same the traffic relay contacts 74 and 76 are the same, and since the track circuits.10 and 12 are not occupied the track occupancy relays lOT and 12T
are energized. The movement relays Dl and D2 are not energized. As shown in Figure lOB, the direction stick relay EWDS is energized through closed contacts 10-5, WF-l, EWDS-l, EF-l and 10-6. The direction check relay DCKR is energized through the closed contact EWDS-2.
As shown in Figure llA, when the vehicle 50 is in the track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 4B, the pick circuit is open for the west train movement relay D1 by contact 12-l being open upon relay 12T becoming not ener-gized with the track circuit 12 becoming occupied. The train vehicle 50 occupancy in track circuit 12 closes the pick circuit through contact 12-4 of the relay 12T for the east train movement relay D2, but the polarity of the voltage applied to this relay D2, which is controlled by contacts 74 and 76 of the traffic relays EF and WF, is wrong, thus relay D2 remains deenergiæed. In Eigure llB
there is shown, for the same vehicle occupancy of track circuit 12 as shown in Figure 4B, the contact 12-7 of relay 12T maintains the direction check relay DCKR energized, '7 51,858 while the direction stick relay EWDS continues to be energized through the contacts 10-5 and 10-6 of traffic relay lOT.
Subsequently, as shown in Figure 4C, track circuit 10 becomes occupied in addition to track circuit 12, such that both of the relays lOT an~ 12T are not energized to cause the movement relays Dl and D2 to be not energized. As shown in Figure 12B, the contact 10-5 is open and the east-west direction stick relay EWDS becomes deenergized. The wrong sequence of occupancies prevents relays Dl and D2 from becoming energized at the same time.
The direction check relay DCKR is energized through the contacts 10-7 and 12-7.
When the train moves into track circuit 10 as shown in Figure 4D, the relay Dl shown in Figure 13A
becomes energized through contacts 76, 10-1, 1~-1, D2-l, D2-2 and 74, but relay D~ cannot become energized because the wrong sequence of occupancies has occurred. As shown in Figure 13B, the direction check relay DCKR is energized through closed contact 10-7.
Once the train clears the predetermined direction check ZQne as shown in Figure 4E and which is comprised of track circuits 10 and 12, the movement relays Dl and D2 are not energized as shown in Figure 14A. The direction check relay DCKR shown in Figure 14B is deenergized through the open contact EW~S~2 of the direction stick relay EWDS and the open contacts 10-~ and 12-7, thus indicatin~ the undesired direction of train movement. The contact-~5~ of /
the direction check relay DCKR then closes to be used in coniunction with a signal source 153 to control the speed code select logic for all desired track circuits in rela-tion to the traffic zone to stop automatic movement of the train vehicle 4~ within or before the traffic zone, or including additional track circuits as desired, once the undesired movement of manual vehicle 50 has been detected.
In Figure 15 there is shown an illustrative application of the present invention with a vehicle control 1L26~7 11 51,858 system to detect and provide an indication of a manually controlled first train 50 travelling in an undesired direction in a particular traffic zone, which is determined as signal blocks 10 and 12. The speed encoder 140 is operative to provide a desired travel speed for signal block 12. The speed encoder 14~ is operative to provide a desired travel speed for signal block 10. The desired alignment direction is shown by the arrow 144. When a manually controlled vehicle 50 is moving in an undesired direction and initially occupies the signal block 12, such as shown in Figure 4B, the relay apparatus 146 ope~ates to no longer energize the track relay 12T and the relay apparatus 150 continues to energize the track relay lOT of the travel direction detecti'on apparatus 148 as previously described in relation to Figures llA and llB. When the vehicle 50 moves into a position to occupy both of track circuits 12 and 10 as shown in Figure 4C, the relay appara-tus 146 is operative to no longer energize the track relay 12T and the relay apparatus 150 is operative to no longer energize the track relay lOT as previously described in relation to Figures 12A and 12B. When the vehicle 50 occupies the track circuit 10 as shown in Figure 4D, the relay apparatus 150 is operative to no longer anergize the track relay lOT as previously described in relation to Figures 13A and 13B. As the vehicle moves beyond the track circuit 10, and the vehicle 50 has cleared the check zone and no longer occupies the track circuits 10 and 12, the direction check relay DCK~ as described in relation to Figures 14A and 14B becomes deenergized to close the i 30 contact ~ and send a signal 152 for changing the speed code si~nal provided by one or more selected speed encoders 154 as required to stop satisfactorily any automatically controlled second vehicle moving in the aligned direction 144 toward the track circuits 10 and 12.
It is not intended that the direction detection apparatus of the present invention be implemented with all track circuits within a transit system. However, the - ~Z6~ 7 12 51,858 direction check could be selectively made with track circuits at strategic locations in the system, such as where manual vehicle operation visibility is limited by buildings or other obstructions or where areas of manual vehicle intervention are expected. For example, train direction of movement checks can be made at station loca-tions to verify that manually driven trains leave the station in the proper direction. Also movement checks could be made at the exit gate to an interlocking or entrance to a traffic zone to stop automatic trains from entering a predetermined track section should a manual train run in an undesired direction through that traffic zone.
Claims (10)
1. An apparatus for determining a travel direction of a vehicle in order to initiate some corrective measure of response along a track including first and second track circuits and having a relay signal selectable for a desired direction of vehicle travel, the combination of first means responsive to said vehicle occupying the first track circuit, second means responsive to said vehicle occupy-ing the second track circuit, third means coupled to said first and second means, for energizing a predetermined circuit path respon-sive to the desired direction of vehicle travel, fourth means logically coupled with the first means and the second means for sensing at least the initial occupancy for the respective travel direction by said vehicle of one of the first track circuit and the second track cir-cuit, and fifth means coupled with the fourth means for determining the travel direction of the vehicle through the first and second track circuits in relation to said desired direction.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, with the fourth means sensing the sequence of occupancy of the first and second track circuits by said vehicle in relation to said desired direction of vehicle travel.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, with the fifth means determining when the vehicle has moved through the first and second track circuits to provide an indication of said travel direction.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, including sixth means coupled with the fifth means for indicating said travel direction of the vehicle after the vehicle has occupied each of the first and second track circuits.
5. An apparatus for detecting a travel direction of a vehicle along a track in order to prevent a head-on collision with another vehicle, including a traffic zone comprising at least first and second track circuits and having a selectably aligned direction of vehicle travel, the combination of first means for sensing vehicle occupancy of the first track circuit, second means for sensing vehicle occupancy of the second track circuit, third means adapted to energize a circuit path in accordance with said selectably aligned direction, fourth means coupled with the first, second and third means for sensing the initial occupancy of one of the first and second track circuits by the vehicle and then sensing the sequence of occupancies of the first and second track circuits by the vehicle, and fifth means coupled with the fourth means for detecting the travel direction of said vehicle.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, with the fourth means sensing the initial occupancy of the first track circuit by the vehicle in relation to a first aligned direction and sensing the initial occupancy of the second track circuit by the vehicle in relation to a second aligned direction.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, with a first energization of the fourth means being provided by said initial occupancy of said one track circuit and a second energization being provided by a predetermined sequence of occupancies of the first and second track circuits by said vehicle.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, with the fifth means detecting the travel direction of said vehicle after the vehicle has travelled through said traffic zone.
9. An apparatus for shutting down the movement of a first vehicle before a head-on collision by determining its position and travel direction along a track relative to another vehicle on the same track which includes first and second track circuits and the first vehicle being selected for a desired direction of travel, the combination of first means responsive to said other vehicle occupying the first track circuit, second means responsive to said other vehicle occupying the second track circuit, third means coupled to said first and second means and adapted to energize a circuit path responsive to the desired direction of vehicle travel during a portion of the occupancy sequence of said first and second track cir-cuits, and means set by circuit energization of said third means to permit further first vehicle movement in the desired direction only if a non-converging direction of said other vehicle movement as detected ahead of said first vehicle is determined from the relative occupancy sequence of the first and second track circuits with regard to said other vehicle.
10. An apparatus for shutting down the move-ment of an automatically driven vehicle by determining its position and travel direction along a track relative to a manually driven vehicle on the same track which includes first and second track circuits and the automatically driven vehicle being selected for a desired direction of travel, the combination of first means responsive to said manually driven vehicle occupying the first track circuit, second means responsive to said manually driven vehicle occupying the second track circuit, third means switchably coupled to said first and second means and adapted to energize a circuit path respon-sive to the desired direction of vehicle travel during a portion of the occupancy sequence of said first and second track circuits, and means set by circuit energization of said third means to permit further automatically driven vehicle move-ment in the desired direction only if a non-converging direction of manually driven vehicle movement is determined from the relative position of the first and second track circuits with regard to said manually driven vehicle.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US71726285A | 1985-03-28 | 1985-03-28 | |
| US717,262 | 1985-03-28 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1260127A true CA1260127A (en) | 1989-09-26 |
Family
ID=24881334
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000504087A Expired CA1260127A (en) | 1985-03-28 | 1986-03-14 | Vital apparatus for determining train travel direction |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU599898B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1260127A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2173025A (en) |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3552692A (en) * | 1968-08-09 | 1971-01-05 | Dashaveyor Co | Railway control system |
| CA854797A (en) * | 1968-08-30 | 1970-10-27 | Claes Joseph | Device for detecting the position of a railway vehicle on a track |
| US4251041A (en) * | 1978-07-12 | 1981-02-17 | General Signal Corporation | Multiplexing means for motion detectors at grade crossings |
| DE2906888A1 (en) * | 1979-02-22 | 1980-09-04 | Degussa | METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HARD SOLENOIDABLE METAL LAYERS ON CERAMICS |
| GB2103408B (en) * | 1981-07-13 | 1985-09-04 | Marconi Co Ltd | Position monitoring system |
| DE3412150C2 (en) * | 1984-03-31 | 1986-01-23 | Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, 4050 Mönchengladbach | Circuit arrangement for monitoring the presence of rail vehicles within certain track sections |
-
1986
- 1986-03-06 AU AU54369/86A patent/AU599898B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1986-03-14 CA CA000504087A patent/CA1260127A/en not_active Expired
- 1986-03-21 GB GB08607031A patent/GB2173025A/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8607031D0 (en) | 1986-04-30 |
| AU599898B2 (en) | 1990-08-02 |
| GB2173025A (en) | 1986-10-01 |
| AU5436986A (en) | 1986-10-02 |
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| MKEX | Expiry |