GB112945A - Improvements in or relating to Fluid Pressure Operated Railway and like Points and Signals. - Google Patents

Abstract

112,945. McKenzie, Holland, & Westinghouse Power Signal Co., (Assignees of Coleman, J. P.) Jan. 22, 1917, [Convention date]. Visual outdoor signals.-Railway points and signals are operated by fluid-pressure, the supply of which is controlled by a valve or set of valves actuated directly or indirectly by a polarized electromagnetic element. In the example described, a set of railway points are operated by a fluid-pressure motor connected to the ports 11, 13 of the valve chamber 8 shown in section in Figs. 2 and 3. The ports 11, 13 and the exhaust port 12 are controlled by a slide valve 9 operated by a pair of motors 26, 26<a>, and locked in both of its extreme positions by a plate 25 connected to a piston 20. When the plate is moved to unlock the valve 9, it engages the stem 17<a>, thus opening the valve 17 and admitting fluid-pressure from the supply pipe 16 to the valve chamber 8. The fluidpressuro supply to cylinder 19 is controlled by an electro-magnetically operated valve 22, and the supply to the motors 26, 26<a> by valves 30, 32, respectively, which are operated by the polarized member 37 pivoted at 36a to the U-shaped permanent magnet 35. The magnet 37 operates the valves through rocker-arms 40, 40<a> carrying resilient members 43, 43<a> whereby the pole-piece of the magnet is able to move into contact with the permanent magnet. To reverse the points, the lever L is moved upwards till stopped by " indication " apparatus (not shown). In this position, contact arm 44 engages contact 44<a> and magnet 23 becomes energized, and contact arms 45, 45<a> reverse the direction of the current in polarized member 37. The valve 22 is operated to admit pressure to cylinder 19 which causes the piston 20 to unlock the valve 9 and open the valve 17. The movement nf the magnet 37 reverses the positions of the valves 30, 32 thus allowing pressure to pass from chamber 8 to the motor 26<a> whereby the valve 9 is reversed and the points motor operated to reverse the points. When the point movement is completed and the points locked, the lever L is released by the " indication " current. The final movement of the lever can then be completed which breaks the circuit of the magnet 23 and the slide valve 9 again becomes locked. In a modification, the permanent magnet is pivotally mounted to move between the legs of a polarized U-shaped core, and the magnet 23 is electrically connected to the battery through a controller operated by some part of the point mechanism. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) covers railway traffic-controlling apparatus generally. This general application does not appear in the Specification as accepted.