GB2540207A

GB2540207A - Fixed block track circuit

Info

Publication number: GB2540207A
Application number: GB1512105.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cho Hsun-Jung; Ju Hsu; Liu Kun-Yu; Chein Ming-Hung
Original assignee: China Eng Consultants Inc
Current assignee: China Eng Consultants Inc
Priority date: 2015-07-10
Filing date: 2015-07-10
Publication date: 2017-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2035-07-10
Also published as: GB2540207B; GB201512105D0

Abstract

An active fixed block track circuit comprising; a fixed block section 1 and at least two rails 11 corresponding to each other where each rail 11 has an isolation connector 12 at two ends thereof and is connected to a power supply unit 13 and a traffic signal 14. The circuit additionally comprises a short driving unit 2 connected to each of the two rails 11 within the fixed block section 1, and a detection unit 3 connected to the short driving unit 2. The circuitry is operable to function as a standard track circuit where no more than one train may be allowed into the same fixed block section 1 at a time. The circuitry is also operable to prevent trains from entering into fixed block section 1 when the detection unit 3 detects an exceptional event such as a landslide, avalanche, flood or line trespasser within a neighbouring fixed block section. Block access prevention is achieved by shorting a rail circuit of the fixed block section 1 so that the traffic signal unit 13 is switched to stop traffic and thus prevent approaching trains from entering the fixed block section 1.

Description

FIXED BLOCK TRACK CIRCUIT

The present invention relates to an active fixed block track circuit and particularly to apparatus that provides safety protection to such device where a train on rails may be provided with a safety protection.

Conventionally, a railway track circuit is designed by considering that a railway route area is comprises from several fixed blocks or sections. When a train enters a rail block, an area traffic lamp is switched from a pass traffic signal type to a stop traffic signal type. This causes a train, following the aforementioned train to stop when it reaches the signal, before entering the fixed block section, preventing the possibility of the two trains colliding.

In the instance that an exceptional event, such as a landslide or flooding, occurs at the fixed block section, there is no automatic detection function to prevent a train entering the fixed block section Currently, a train driver and a track worker are required to monitor the exceptional event and inform each other by a wireless radio. This places additional pressure on both the train driver and the worker which posses a safety issue through the possibility of human error. TW patent publication M414580, entitled "a water level detector used for a side slope monitor system" or TW patent publication M438683, entitled "landslide monitor system", may be used on a railway traffic signal circuit. However, when the teaching of the two TW patents is applied onto the water level detector disposed at a railway side slope or a road basis along the rails, or applied where the railway side slope landslide and land and stone avalanche are required to be monitored, a further alarm device is required. This may also increase the train driver and workers' work pressure, and the detection device's setup and maintenance may be increased.

The invention as set forth below provides an active fixed block track circuit capable of detecting an exceptional event to effectively improve the shortage of the prior art.

It is a main object of the present invention to consider that after a train enters a fixed block section, a traffic signal lamp at the fixed block section is switched from a pass traffic signal to a stop traffic signal, so that a rearward train stops and waits at a rearward fixed block section thus preventing a collision. In addition, the detection unit may short the fixed block section through a short driving device, and may also switch a pass traffic signal type to a stop traffic signal type for a traffic signal unit corresponding to the fixed block section, so that a train will not enter the fixed block section when an exceptional event has occurred affecting that fixed block section.

The invention thereby aims to provide reduced setup and maintenance costs, decreased work pressure for a train driver and workers' monitor task, and provide more effective safety protection.

To achieve the above object, according to the invention there is provided a active fixed closure sign traffic signal device comprises at least a fixed block section, comprising at least two rails corresponding to each other, each having an isolation connector at two ends thereof and connected to a power supply unit and a traffic signal; a short driving unit, connected to each of the two rails within the fixed block section; and a detection unit, connected to the short driving unit.

In an embodiment, the power supply unit is a direct current (DC) power source.

In a preferred embodiment, the traffic signal unit comprises a relay connected to each of the two rails, a traffic signal lamp connected to the relay, and a traffic signal lamp connected to the power source

In a preferred embodiment, the traffic signal lamp further comprises a pass lamp type and a stop lamp type.

In a preferred embodiment, the short driving unit comprises a current limited resistor connected to each of the two rails and a short switch element connected to the current limit resistor.

In a preferred embodiment, the detection unit comprises an instrument, an apparatus, a system, or a circuit for detecting an exceptional event.

The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments according to the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. lisa schematic diagram of a basic architecture of an active fixed block track circuit; and FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of active fixed block track circuit.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is described an active fixed block track circuit capable of detecting an exceptional event comprising at least a fixed block section 1, a short driving unit 2, and a detection unit 3 .

The fixed block section 1 comprises at least two corresponding rails 11, each having an electrical isolation connector 12 disposed at two ends thereof. Further, each of the rails 11 is connected to a power supply unit 13 and a traffic signal unit 14. The power supply unit 13 is a direct current (DC) power source. The traffic signal unit 14 comprises a relay 141 connected to each of the rails 11, a traffic signal lamp 142 connected to the relay 141, and a power source 143 connected to the traffic signal lamp 142. In addition, the traffic signal lamp 142 further comprises a pass traffic signal type 1421 and a stop traffic signal type 1 422.

The short driving unit 2 is connected to each of the rails 11 at the fixed block section 1. The short driving unit 2 comprises a current limited resistor 21 connected to each of the rails 11, and a short switch element 22 connected to the current limited resistor 21.

The detection unit 3 is connected to the short switch element 22. The detection unit 3 comprises an instrument, an apparatus, or a circuit to detect an exceptional event.

The apparatus provides the traditional rail traffic signal circuit function of preventing the presence of more than one train in a fixed block section 1, and also provides signaling to take into account an exceptional event. Examples of exceptional events include, for example, a side slope avalanche event, a person invade event, a too high water level event, a tunnel collapse event, a bridge breakage and fall-off event, and a roadway run-off event. The choice of i n s t r u m e n t ( s), apparatus, and/or circuit used in detection unit 3 will depend on the type of exception case that is to be detected, and may include apparatus to detect more than one type of exception case. For example, to detect a landslide, a tilt meter and/or landslide image detection system may be use; if it is wished to detect flooding, a water level gauge could be used.

Upon the detection of an exceptional event by the detection unit 3, a signal from detection unit 3 is transmitted or stopped with respect to the short driving unit 2, so that the current limited resistor 21 and the short switch element 22 switchs the fixed block section 1 to a shorted state. This causes the traffic signal lamp unit 14 to fail to transit the relay's state, forcing the traffic signal lamp 142 at the fixed block section 1 to switch into a stop traffic signal type 1 422, so that an approaching train is caused to stop.

If the detection unit 3 detects that the exceptional event no longer persists, the short driving unit 2 is switched into an open state by a coordination of the current limited resistor 21 and the short switch element 22. Consequently, the fixed block section 1 recovers its original state, enabling the traffic signal lamp unit 14 to receive a power source from the power supply unit 13 to transit the state of the relay 41, so that the train approaching may enter the fixed block section 1.

In summary, the apparatus can act in the known method, i.e. after a train enters a fixed block section, the traffic signal lamp at the entry of the fixed block section is switched from the pass traffic signal to the stop traffic signal, causing a following train reaching the traffic signal to stop and wait. In addition, the detection unit may short the fixed block section through the short driving device, and may also switch the pass traffic signal type to the stop traffic signal type for the traffic signal unit corresponding to the fixed block section, so that the rear train may not enter the fixed block section having the exceptional event. In this manner, the purposes of a simple railway system structure, a reduced setup and maintenance cost, a decreased work pressure for a train driver and workers' monitor task, and an effective safety protection.

It will be appreciated that the above describes mere examples and preferred embodiments of the present invention, and not and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active fixed block track circuit, comprising: at least a fixed block section, comprising at least two rails corresponding to each other, each having an isolation connector at two ends thereof and connected to a power supply unit and a traffic signal; a short driving unit, connected to each of the two rails within the fixed block section; and a detection unit, connected to the short driving unit.

2. An active fixed block track circuit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is a direct current (DC) power source.

3. An active fixed block track circuit, wherein the traffic signal unit comprises a relay connected to each of the two rails, a traffic signal lamp connected to the relay, and a traffic signal lamp connected to the power source.

4. An active fixed block track circuit according to claim 3, wherein the traffic signal lamp further comprises a pass lamp type and a stop lamp type.

5. An active fixed block track circuit according to claim 1, wherein the short driving unit comprises a current limited resistor connected to each of the two rails and a short switch element connected to the current limit resistor.

6. An active fixed block track circuit according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises an instrument, an apparatus, a system, or a circuit for detecting an exceptional event.

6. An active fixed block track circuit according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises an instrument, an apparatus, a system, or a circuit for detecting an exceptional event. Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows Claims

1. An active fixed block track circuit, comprising: at least a fixed block section, comprising at least two rails corresponding to each other, each having an isolation connector at two ends thereof and connected to a power supply unit and a traffic signal; a detection unit arranged detect an exception event and in response to transmit a signal or stop the transmission of a signal to a short driving unit; and the short driving unit being connected to each of the two rails within the fixed block section and arranged in response to the transmission or cease of transmission of the signal by the detection unit, to switch the fixed block section to a shorted state.