EP0958986B1 - Monitoring device for track-free signalling systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The signaling system has track circuit measurement devices, axle meters etc. and an evaluation circuit via which the system is connected to a voltage supply and which evaluates signal voltages from the signaling system. A separate monitoring device receives signaling system operating parameters, e.g. the supply and signal voltages and if appropriate the phase of the voltage measurement value in the rest state independently of the track-free measurement system. The operating parameters are measured and evaluated against time.

Description

The invention relates to a device for monitoring track-free signaling systems with Gleisstromkreismeßeinrichtungen, axle counters or the like and an evaluation circuit in which the track-free signaling system is connected to a supply voltage source and signal voltages of the signaling system are evaluated in the evaluation circuit.

Track-free signaling systems are used to monitor railway lines to ensure the safety of the vehicle. In principle, two different configurations of such systems are common. In a first such system, a measurement of the track circuit with an insulated rail track, with such a system is suitable for applications of about 1500 m monitoring distance. Alternatively, there are a number of configurations that detect the incoming and outgoing axles within a test track by axle counter. In this second case, the test section can be selected to be correspondingly larger.

In track circuit measurement, a particular rail section is limited by insulating joints and the mutually insulated rails electrically separated from the subsequent track sections. A supply voltage is constantly applied, this supply voltage in the existing of damping resistor, insulating section and a track relay open signaling circuit drives a supply current. Since the insulation of rails by foreign influences, such as weather od. Like., Only imperfectly succeed, usually flow more or less high leakage currents, whereby the length of the track to be monitored is limited. The discharge current flowing through such insulation defects can flow away through the sleepers and bedding, whereby the quiescent current is correspondingly reduced. However, this quiescent current must in any case be sufficient to keep the track relay in a tightened position. Now, when the vehicle enters the isolated section, the vehicle axles form a low-impedance electrical shunt to the track relay, over which flows a side stream. The remaining electricity will be down to one reduced residual amount, whereby the track relay drops and the track section is reported as busy. For reliable switching of the motor relay, the auxiliary voltage, the track voltage and, due to the design of the track relay as motor relay, the phase shift are of essential importance. For each type of construction of a motor relay, very specific limit values of this operating data must be observed so that the function is safely maintained.

When using Achszähleinrichtungen usually a plurality of points of delivery are defined, which are located at least at the beginning and at the end of a defined section and their signal are evaluated in a counter located in the interlocking. Counting points can hiebei be formed by wheel sensors, rail contacts and an associated electronic junction box. Rail contacts may consist of transmitter and receiver units mounted opposite the rail track. The formation of such axle counters can also enable a direction detection, wherein the signals of different metering points or the receiving coils of such counter are processed in largely the same branches. Usually, the measured voltages are amplified, rectified and then used to control a voltage / limit transducer. These converters deliver two fundamental frequencies when not installed. After further processing of these frequencies in an electronic junction box by means of trigger and pulse-forming modules, two counts are available on separate counting wires and another pulse on a monitoring wire for controlling a motor counter. In these devices, in a given section, the number of axles entering and exiting can be determined and a section declared free if there is a match between the number of axles retracted and the number of axles extended. If the two counter readings do not match, this means a busy message of the section, for safety reasons, a busy message of the section must be made even if any pulse of the Counting point is actuated, but no counting and counting occurs.

With ever-increasing driving speeds and higher axle loads as well as constantly increasing train density, demand-oriented maintenance is no longer sufficient, and it seems desirable to enable preventive remote diagnostics and thus preventive maintenance by means of trend detection.

The hitherto known monitoring devices, with which in addition to the signaling system fault conditions are to be diagnosed, let statements always only when the error has already occurred.

Devices for monitoring track sections can be found, for example, in DE 36 34 696 A1, DE 44 05 039 A1, CH 684 257 A5, DE 196 31 564 A1 or DE 42 21 779 A1. AT 316 644 B describes a circuit arrangement in axle counting systems, which monitors the functioning of counting points and then responds when a specific fault, such as the failure of a voltage signal, has occurred. DE 4 217 694 A1 describes an arrangement for the evaluation of two voltages belonging to a monitoring kress.

Monitoring devices in the known type usually provide additional sensors and additional facilities vorraus, so that in addition to the fact that errors are recognized only when they occur, not only the design effort is increased, but also the meaningfulness of such interference from the extent of the selected redundancy depends.

The invention now aims to provide a device of the type mentioned, in which in addition to conventional, proven and standardized track-free signaling systems monitoring is made possible, which allows a trend analysis and thus makes early attention to the possible occurrence of future errors. The inventive Device also aims to dispense with additional components in the field of sensors or measuring devices or axle counter to actually monitor those measuring devices or axle counter, the signals of which are evaluated in the track-free signaling system. To achieve this object, the device according to the invention essentially consists in the fact that operating parameters of the signaling system such as the supply and signal voltages and possibly the phase of Spannungsmeßwerte in the idle state are fed independently of the track-free signaling system of a separate monitoring device, the operating parameters in dependence measured and evaluated by time. Characterized in that now in addition to the usual operating variables, which generate the signals for the track-free signaling systems, operating characteristics of the signaling systems, and these are evaluated in a separate from the track-free signaling system separate monitoring device, the possibility is created changes in the operating parameters long before the occurrence of an actual disturbance, and in this way to be able to infer the possible timing of a disturbance in the form of a trend. Essential for the inventive device is thus the independence of a second monitoring device of the track-free signaling system and the evaluation of the operating characteristics of the signaling system in this separate monitoring device according to criteria that are not monitored in the track-free signaling system itself. While the trackless signaling system signals only the free or busy state, such additional monitoring device must monitor the operating characteristics of the signaling system in the idle state continuously at certain intervals to allow the desired trend analysis.

Advantageously, the inventive design hiebei made so that the track-free signaling system includes at least one motor track relay and that the supply voltage or an auxiliary voltage to the relay, the tapped to the supply voltage source, insulated rail sections tapped signal voltage and the phase angle of the two voltage measurements are measured and monitored at rest. In such a monitoring, in the case of the track circuit measurements, both the track voltage, the auxiliary voltage and the phase shift are monitored and compared with known operating parameters of the track-free signaling system used in each case. A change in the voltage on the motor relay as a result of a change in the ballast resistance is thus recognized early as well as a change in the phase position, which would put the safe function in the sequence in question. Track relays are usually operated in closed circuit, with interruptions or resistance increases in the circuit, such as rail breakage, breakage of the leads or broken rail connections as well as short circuits lead to relay drop, and thus pretend a track occupancy message. An excessively high leakage current due to faulty track insulation or faulty insulation joints also leads to a drop in the track relay and to a busy signal. Due to the continuous monitoring in the idle state, such leakage currents, which sometimes also increase slowly in operation, or emerging defective track insulation can be recognized early and already indicate additional maintenance and testing outside the usual maintenance intervals.

Essential for the safe operation of such a monitoring device is of course also the fact that the monitoring device must not influence the track-free signaling system in any way, and the function of the standardized track-free signaling system must therefore remain completely separate from the monitoring device. Advantageously, the training is therefore made so that the monitoring device is electrically decoupled from the safety signaling device and / or the maximum occurring in case of failure voltage increase of the monitoring device is electronically limited.

In order to carry out a reliable trend analysis, the design is advantageously such that the measured values of the monitoring device a central computer of a switch diagnosis system are supplied and a trend analysis is performed in the computer.

In the case of the use of Achszähleinrichtungen characteristic of such facilities operating characteristics are detected, which is advantageously done so that when Achszähleinrichtungen operating parameters in the idle state, the supply voltage, the rest frequencies and the rest signal amplitudes are monitored. The measuring modules for additional monitoring device are hiebei deviating from the use of direct current measurements usually directly on the track and not in the interlocking. Measured values that are obtained when driving over the measuring point and thus in the damping of the wheel sensor are excluded from the evaluation, the error trend detection can detect changes by the continuous detection of the operating parameters when moods in the frequency-selective circuits of the outdoor and indoor equipment and a drifting away the frequency occurs, further when changes in the electrical parameters of the indoor and outdoor equipment occur and not least temperature dependencies are detected.

In particular, in order to exclude measured values when passing over the measuring points, the device is advantageously designed such that the monitoring circuit is connected to the signaling system for suppressing measured values during the characteristic signal changes in the event of a busy reporting process.

Another possibility to hide measured values during a busy reporting process is when these temporary measured values are detected and eliminated as interference signals by means of a computer program.

All known safety devices can additionally generate a fault message at best. In the case of an additional expense of sensor technology, for example by applying a separate reference voltage at intervals, which should simulate a driving, only the current operation of the sensors can be checked, but not a trend analysis be made.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown schematically in the drawing.

2 shows a detail of the wiring of the monitoring device for the track circuit detection device, and FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment using axle counters in the context of the track-free signaling system.

In Fig. 1 rails 1 and 2 of a track can be seen, which are formed over a distance a relative to the respective rails 1 and 2 isolated. The area a of the rails 1 and 2 is separated by corresponding insulating joints from the rest of the track and it is applied to this track section, a voltage across the feed lines 3 and 4. The voltage is tapped via the signal lines 5 and fed to a motor track relay 6.

Regardless of the components for the track-free signaling system, a turn diagnosis system is provided, which, as shown in the following figures, is coupled to the track-free signaling system. The switch diagnostics system comprises a central computer 7 with a corresponding display 8 and optionally a printer 9, the data for the switch diagnostics system being obtained from a plurality of different systems 10. The systems 10 can each detect different functions of the switch via associated sensors, such as tongue position, tongue spacing and wear-dependent criteria, which will not be described in more detail below. It is essential to link the switch diagnosis system with the track-free signaling system in a manner which Repercussions and feedback on the safe operation of the track-free signaling system excludes.

In Fig. 2, a detail of a track-free signaling system with a motor track relay 6 can be seen for this purpose. An auxiliary voltage is applied to such a motor track relay via lines 11. The motor track relay 6 is provided via the lines 12 tapped from the track track voltage available. With correct phase angle of the signals and corresponding amplitude, the operation of the motor track relay takes place in the desired manner. If, for example, the track voltage drops significantly due to the rolling over of axles due to the low-impedance shunt resistance across the axles, the motor track relay responds and signals the busy condition.

The separate monitoring device now includes Spannungsmeßmodule 13 and 14 for monitoring the track voltage and the auxiliary voltage, wherein the evaluation of the signals takes place both in terms of their amplitude in a Spannungsmeßschaltung 15 and with respect to their phase position in the corresponding component 16. The signals obtained in this way arrive via input and output interfaces 17 in the system bus 18 and are provided via a head group 19 to the central computer, in which a trend calculation is made. A value of the amplitude of one or both of the voltage measuring modules that changes over time causes a drift in the voltage and thus possible insulation problems. A change in the phase position also allows for the time to draw conclusions, to which due to an undesirable shift of the phase position, the motor track relay will no longer respond correctly. Since only imperfectly isolated on both rails, always flows an undesirable discharge current, for example, by the thresholds and the bedding, which reduces the quiescent current accordingly. However, such a quiescent current must remain large enough in any case to keep the track relay in the tightened position. Only when a vehicle enters the isolated section and the vehicle axles form a low-impedance electrical shunt to the track relay, the quiescent current is reduced to a residual amount, which brings the track relay to drop and has the busy message of the track section result. For each type of construction of such a motor relay 6 very specific limits for auxiliary voltage, track voltage and phase shift must be complied with to ensure the function of this relay. Normally, motor relays are checked for their functionality in accordance with a given timetable, with input variables for this purpose. In such a review, however, only the motor relay is tested for functionality and not introduced by isolated track section measured variables.

In Fig. 3 is a modified embodiment using Achzähleinrichtungen seen, wherein along the rails 1 and 2 wheel sensors are arranged. Achszähleinrichtungen as safety equipment for free and busy reporting of sections usually consist of a plurality of such metering points, as defined by the sensors 20, which are arranged at least at the beginning and at the end of a section and evaluated in an arranged in the interlocking engine counter 21 become. Telecommunication cables 22 are used to connect the metering points to the engine meter.

The metering points themselves consist of the wheel sensors 20 and rail contacts and an electronic junction box 23. The rail contacts themselves consist in turn usually of transmitting and receiving devices, which are mounted opposite one another on the rail web. In each such device next to each other two coils are arranged, which allow by their offset direction detection. In the electronic terminal device 23, the signals of the two receiving coils are processed separately in two substantially identical branches, the voltages are rectified rectified in the rule and then used to control a voltage / limit transducer. These Transducers deliver two basic frequencies when the arrangement is not used.

The two frequencies are now further processed in the electronic junction boxes 23 by means of carrier and Pululformerbaugruppen, so that two counts on separate Zähladern and a pulse on a monitoring wire for controlling a motor counter 21 is available.

With such rail contacts, the number of axles entering and exiting the section can be counted and a section declared free if there is a match between the number of axles retracted and the number of extended axles. If the counter readings do not match, a busy message occurs. A busy message but also occurs when any pulse generator of the counting is pressed, but no counting and counting occurs or a line break occurs in the connecting lines to the counting point.

In the separate monitoring circuits 24 again operating parameters are detected, in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 3, the supply voltage of the counting point and the two rest frequencies and amplitudes are detected. The monitoring device is located in a separate housing next to the electronic terminal boxes to be monitored and allows the continuous measurement of the operating parameters of the metering point at rest. The respectively obtained signals are made available to the central computer 7 via signal lines 25 and the components described in FIG. Deviating from the arrangement at the track current measurement, the measuring modules are located directly on the track and not in the interlocking. Measured values which are obtained when the measuring point is passed over and thus when the wheel sensors are damped are excluded from the evaluation. The fault detection occurs due to the continuous detection of the operating parameters and in particular their temporal change. In detail are for the Trend detection Discriminations in the frequency-selective circuits or a drifting of the frequencies as well as changes in the electrical parameters and temperature-related changes can be detected and evaluated as a trend.

Claims (6)

1. A device for monitoring signalling systems that signalize whether a track is free including track circuit measuring means, axle counters or the like, and an evaluation circuit in which the track-free signalling system is connected with a mains-voltage source and signal voltages of the signalling system are evaluated in said evaluation circuit, characterized in that operating parameters of the signalling system such as, e.g., the mains and signal voltages as well as, optionally, the phase positions of the voltage measurements in the resting state are fed to a separate monitoring device irrespective of the track-free signalling system, said operating parameters being measured and evaluated as a function of time.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the track-free signalling system comprises at least one motor track relay (6) and that the mains voltage, or an auxiliary voltage, to said relay (6), the signal voltage tapped from insulated rail portions (1, 2) connected with the mains-voltage source, and the phase positions of the two voltage measurements are measured and monitored in the resting state.
3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the monitoring device is electrically decoupled relative to the safety signally device, and/or the voltage rise of the monitoring device maximally occurring at a failure is electronically limited.
4. A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the measurements of the monitoring device are fed to a central computer (7) of a switch diagnostic system, and a trend analysis is done in said computer (7).
5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mains voltage, the resting frequencies and the resting signal amplitudes are monitored as operating parameters of axle counters.
6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the monitoring circuit is connected with the signalling system for the suppression of measurements during the characteristic signal changes in an occupied-signalling procedure.

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