US1014600A - Electrical relay. - Google Patents

Description

E. E. K'LEINSGHMIDT.

ELECTRICAL RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

E. E. KLEINSCHMIDT'. ELECTRICAL RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1908.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

V I %14 5420x1421 Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

EDWARD E. KLEINSCHMIDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-AL RELAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Application filed November 18, 1908. Serial No. 463,289.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, EDWARD E. KLEIN- SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Relays, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric signaling devices especially adapted to railways in which there is a single track with cars running in both directions and passing each other at sidings.

My improvements and advantages among other respects are, first, that the polarized and numerous supplementary relays required by other systems forthe purpose are done away with; second, the number of track circuits is reduced to a minimum. By my presentimprovements, there are preferably only two track circuits between sidings which in itself amounts to a very considerable saving in the cost of installation and maintenance compared with the average other system in which there are necessarily from four to six track circuits between sidings and even more.

Further objects and advantages of my improvements will be apparent from an understanding of the annexed description and drawings.

In the drawings which show only one of the forms which my improvements may take, Figure 1 is a vertical mid-section partly in elevation of a relay specially devised for the present purpose and used in combination with the system; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the relay of Fig. 1 with its top portion broken away to reveal the interior; and Figs. 3, 4- and 5 are each partial views showing various positions of the interlocking member and related parts of the relay in Fig. 1, said positions corresponding to various conditions of the track circuits due to the presence or absence of-cars in the blocks. The significance of these various figures will be made apparent later. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a relay and signal system within my invention.

The relay shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a casing 1, two sets of magnets X and Y, a supporting frame comprising parallel members 3 between which is rotatably supported a barrel or interlocking member 4. At opposite ends of the frame 3 are pivotally sup-' ported right-angled members each comprising a vertical arm 5 or 5 and a horizontal arm 6 or 6. The vertical arms carry armatures 7 located adjacent the poles of the magnets X and Y. The horizontal arms are shown insulated at 8 from the vertical arms, and extend toward the barrel or interlocking member 4 located between them. Here the horizontal arms are provided with latcharms 9 and 9' pivot-ally supported from the horizontal arms and extending uprightly at the sides of the barrel. The barrel or interlocking member itself is shown as comprising a body member 10 of insulating material having an axial opening through which passes a shaft 11 about which the barrel swings, said shaft consisting of the smooth stem of a screw 12 that connects across between depending lugs 13 from the frame members 3. Secured to the ends of the body member 10 are plates 14 having ends projecting beyond the sides of the barrel and having across said ends rods 15. These plates may have hubs 16 best shown in Fig. 2.

To hold the interlocking member stationary in any given position into which it may have been last swung, a friction washer 17 is provided, that shown m'Fig. 2 comprising a cupped-up sheet metal washer split at one or'more places to give it resiliency under compression, said washer being located on the shaft 11 and being confined bet-ween the hub of one of the plates 14 and the adjacent frame member 3.

The latch arins 9 and 9 have vertically extending recesses 18 adjacent the cross rods 15 of the side plates, the upper boundary of said recesses consisting of shoulders 19 adapted under certain conditions to overhang the cross rods and contact with same to swing the barrel from the downward motion of the latch arms. Springs 20 connect the lower ends of the latch arms with the horizontal arms to give the latch arms normal tendency toward the barrel with'their shoulders or projections 19 overhanging the cross rods of the barrel. The upper ends of the latch arms are received against rods 21 located across the frame members 3 and are held yieldingly against said rods by the action of the springs 20. The contact portions of the latch arms wit-h the rods 21 are cam surfaces 22 adapted to cam the latch arms outwardly to carry their shoulders-19 out of contact with the cross rods 15 on the barrel when in descent of the latch arms they have carried the barrel through a glven are, whereupon the latch arms will continue for the rest of their downward motion without affecting the position of the barrel. The lower shoulders 23 of the recesses 18 are wide enough to underlie the rods 15 at all times. The underside of the barrel at either side is notched out so as not to contact with the ends of the horizontal arms during the swinging in either direction of the barrel. The remainin bottom portion of the barrel is provided with insulated contact plates 2? and 5 adapted respectively under certain conditions to contact with the ends of the horizontal arms 6 .or 6 depending upon which position of swing the barrel occupies.

The vertical arms 5 and 5 attheir upper ends, each carry a horizontally extending bar 25 or 25' of insulating material along which are disposed a series of contacts. Thus on the side of bar 25 next the ma net X are three pairs of contacts 4*, .2 an 5, whereas on the reverse side is a fourth pair of contacts 3". There are four pairs of brushes designated by the same letters properly positioned to contact with these contacts, said brushes being best shown in Fig.

1 and have the form of spring arms depen ing from the inner ends of binding posts on top of the relay casing. The bar 25 is similarly fitted with pairs of contacts 3 5, 2 and 4 When the armatures and vertical arms are in position nearest the poles of the magnets, then the three pairs of contacts of the respective bars 25 and 25 are touching their brushes. This is the condition when the magnet or magnets are energized. ()n the contrary when the armatures and the vertical arms are in their position farthest away from the poles of the magnets, which is the position occupied when the particular magnet or magnets are deenergized, then only the single pair of contacts-3 or 4 or both are in contact with their brushes.

'. An intermediate and third position for the armatures and vertical arms exists, in

-which neither set of contacts touches the brushes, said position being that in which the end of one of the horizontal arms 6 or 6 is in contact with one of the contact plates 2" or 5 on the bottom of the barrel as indicated in Fig. The circumstances under which this and the other described conditions occur will be understood from the following description. In the first place it may be prefaced that the railway shown comprises a single track with cars passing each other-at sldings. There are two sidings shown marked sidings 1 and 2'respectively. Between these sidings there are two block sections X and Y. The magnet X of the relay is connected across the rails of section X and the magnet Y across the rails magnet or magnets will be short-circuitedv Thus with both blocks unoccupied, both magnets X and Y will be energized and both armatures will be attracted int-o the position shown in Figs. 1 and? with the contacts 4, 2*, 5, 3, 5 and 2 all made and with the latch arms in their uppermost position with the barrel in normal or nontilted position. Should a car now enter from the left into block X it will deenergize magnet X, release its armature and permit the horizontal arm to carry downward by gravity its latch arm 9 to swing the lower end of the barrel to the right and to carry the vertical arm 5 also to the right to make contacts 3'". This is the condition indicated in Fig. 3. Precisely the same condition, except that the barrel will be tilted to the left with the other latch-arm 91 in the lowermost position and with latch arm 9 held elevated, would exist for a car entering from the right into block Y, instead of as supposed from the left into block X. Should now the car proceed from X into Y, it will be evident that at the connecting point between the blocks, the front and rear axles of the car Wlll straddle both blocks, in other words, for the time being the condition will be the same as if both blocks were occupied. The

effect will be to dcenergize both sets of magnets X and Y which means that magnet Y will now drop its armature, magnet X having already done so. With the dropping of the horizontal arm 6, its latch arm 9 will carry the lower end of the barrel to the left. In other worls the parts will assume the positions shown in Fig. 4. Finally when the car has wholly proceeded into block Y, then magnet X being no longer short-circuited will attract its armature, but same can not be brought back into its original position immediately adjacent the poles of magnet X. on the contrary cannot approach nearer than an intermediate position in which none of the brushes 4*, 2, 5 or 3 are in contact but in which the end of the horizontal arm 6 abuts against and is in contact with the plate 2 on the bottom of the barrel. In other Words, the position of-the parts shown in Fig. 5 is that corresponding to a condition of track circuits in which a car has proceeded from the left into block X and has proceeded into block Y leaving block X unoccupied] Precisely the same relative position of parts exists for a car proceeding from the right through block Y into block X, except that the positions will be reversed with the barrel swung to the.right with the latch arm 9 down and arm 9 up. When the car in Y proceeds out of said block leaving both blocks X and Y unoccupied, the interlocking barrel and latch arms will be restored from the position shown in Fig. 5 to theiriiormal position shown in Fig. 1,' because magnet Y will now be energized and attracting its armature will lift its horizontal arm 6 so that the lower shoulder 23 of the latch arm will swing the lower end of the barrel to the right and into the position shown in Fig. 1, whereas the other magnet X being also energized is now able to carry its armature and horizontal arm 6 also into the position shown in Fig. 1 because the barrelin its motion to the right has swung out of interfering position with the up-lifting of. said horizontal arm back into the position of Fig. 1.

The above will suffice for a description of the working of the relay, from which it will be seen that there are three positions for each armature and set of contacts, first, a position in which the armature is fully attracted with the three sets of contacts made;

second, a position in which the armature is released with single pair of contacts made; and third, an intermediate position in which none of the foregoing contacts are made but in which the armature is held attracted inwardly to make contacts 2 or 5 depending upon the position of the barrel.

The succeeding description will chiefly refer to the diagram in Fig. 6. Here the described relay is shown diagrammatically. Thus instead of showing the contacts in pairs, which is merely a preferable construction to satisfy working conditions, a double break being better than a single break, said contacts are shown singly. Moreover they are shown disposed one over the other instead of horizontally alongside. Moreover the contacts 3 and 4" are shown forming part respectively of contacts 5 and 2 this being a convenient representation in view of the fact that said pairs of contacts are connected in Fig. 2.

In the dia ram, there are two block sections X and between the sidings 1 and 2. I have also shown at the left a portion of a block section designated Y and which corresponds to block section Y. Whereas at the right I have shown a portion of a block section designated X corresponding to block X In the particular system shown there are six signals controlled by the relay, these signals being designated in the diagram by the numerals 1 to 6.' The signals 1 and 6, each consist of two signals in series but for convenience are considered as one signal since they operate simultaneously with the same indication. Thus signal 1 comprises signals 1 and 1, 1 being a permissive signal to 4 and 5,

give an advance indication of the position of signal 1. Similarly signal 6 consists of a main signal 6 and a permissive signal 6.

C is a common return forv all the signals and B is the battery to operate the signals, the system shown being one in which, when the signals are energized, they are clear and when dee'nergized they go to danger.

To explain the connections between the relay and the track circuit-s and signals, I will start a car on the main track of siding 1 proceeding to the right. The eliect of the presence of this car is to set at danger signals 1 and 1 due to the following connections. Thus these signals are connected in series across the common return C through contacts 9 adapted to be closed when magnet S is energized and adapted to be opened when deenergized, said magnet being connected across the rails of the main track of siding 1, across which is also connected a battery I). These contacts 9 are likewise connected in series with contacts 2 of the relay, thence through the main battery B back to the common return to complete the circuit. Thus the clearing of signals 1 and 1 is dependent upon both sets of contacts 9 and 2 being closed, if either be open the signals will go to danger. This last is the condition existing in the imaginary case, because a car in the main track of siding 1 short-circuits the magnet S causing the opening of contacts 9, hence the signals 1 and 1 go to danger. This is a necessary indication, since it prevents another car following from the left into the same block. The car having now proceeded into block X the contacts 9 by which the signals 1 and 1 originally went to danger, will close but the signals will still remain at danger, because the magnet X will now be deenergized to dro its armature and open the contacts 2 ccordingly the signals 1 and 1 will remain at danger. Signals 2 and 5; 6 and 6 will also go to danger, whereas signal 3 will clear. The connections by which these operations are accomplished are as follows. Thus signal 2 is connected across from the common return through contacts 2 and 2, said contacts being in series, and thence back by way of the battery to the common retu n. In other words, to clear signal 2, contacts 2 closed, which means that both magnets X and Y must be energized, which isthe same thing as saying that a car entering from the left into block 'X or from the right into Y is sufficient to deenergize signal 2 and cause it to go to danger. Signal 5 has connections corresponding to those of sign'al 2, it being connected from the common return through two pairs of contacts in series, designated 5 thence by the battery back to the common return. Accordingly as with signal 2, to get current to signal 5 to clear the and 2 must both be signal, it is necessary that both magnets X and Yshould be energized'to make both these contacts. lhis is not the condition in the imaginary case where the car now is inblock X, because the contacts. 5 will be open, consequently signal 5- will be at danger along with signal 2 as already explained, These danger indications of signals 2 and 5 thus serve first, to prevent a car from following up upon the car alreadyin block- X, and second, to prevent a car from entering from the right into bloclr Y, which must be kept clear so that the car already in block: X can proceed through block and pass at the siding any car proceeding from the right. The further mentioned effect of the presence of a car in block X to clear signal 3 is accomplished by the following conned tions. Thus this signal 3 is connected from the common return through two pairs of contacts in series designated tits and 3 thence by the battery back tothe common return; Both of these cont tits will be closed to clear signal 3, when' magnet X is as is precisely the condition in the imaginary case, because there is a car in block X shortcircuiting magnet X.

It may be conveniently noted here that signal a isconnected in corresponding manner with signal 3, that is to say, it is connected from the common return through two pairs of contacts in series, designated l and a thence by the battery back to the common return. To clear signal 4 it is therefore necessary that magnet- Y be deenergized and magnet X be, energized, as for example when there is a car proceeding from the right in block Y with no car in block X. However this condition does not now exist for signal 4*, Which must go to danger because there is a car in block X and contacts 4" are open. This alone is sufficient to throw signal 4 to danger. As a matter of fact, block Y being unoccupied, contacts 4 for signal 4 will likewise be open, which is an additional'reason why under the conditions signal 4: is set. The object of this signal is evidently that-of preventing a possible car to in block Y proceeding towardthe left from colliding with the car in X. I

Continuing now the progress of the. imaginary car and assuming it to have pro grossed into .bloclr Y, the efi'ect will be to clear signal 1 and l and signal 2, while it will set at danger signal 3. Thus signals 1 and 1 will clear because, there being no car in block X, magnet X w ll, be energized,

contacts 2 and l will be closed, and the so other contacts 9' for these signals. 1 and I? being already closed, it follows that there will be a circuitthrough signals 1 and It to clear said signalsuin other words, theywill indicate that a car is free to proceed as from theleft toward the right out of bloclr battery B with the common return.

deenergized and magnet Y energized, which in Fig. second, by the passage of a car into bloclr Y as it straddles both blocks X and Y into the position shown in Fig. a; 55 and third, by the entrance of the car fully in block Y with no car in block X into the position shown in Fig. 5. In this third position, there being no car in block X, magnet X will be energized and itwill attract lts so armature but same can go only to the here- 'tofore described intermediate position with .the bottom contacts 2 closed. These contacts are in series with contacts 4; for signals 1*, 1 and 2 and connect through tjliue 35 11 other words both sets of contacts 41- and 2 will be closed, and signals 1, 1 2 will clear under the assumed condition, wherein a car proceeding to the right has passed out so of block X completely into block Y. it may here be said that signals 5, 6 and (i is correspondingly connected. to clear, when a car proceeding to the left has passed out of block Y fully into block X. The connections of signals 5, 6 and 6 for the purpose being from thecommon return through contacts 3 and 5 through the battery back to the common return. Returning to our imaginary car in block Y, signal 3 will be at danger because being in series with contacts 3' and 3", contacts 3? will be open. The car having proceeded into the main section of track of siding 2 will cause all of the signals behind to clear, if not already in that condition, except signals 3 and i of which the normal condition is danger The signals 6 and 6 will remain at danger by the shortcircuit of magnet S across the rails, causing it to drop its armature to open contacts 70 in series with the signals 6 and 6 and thence leading by contacts 5 on the relay through the battery back to the common return. Thus the opening of the aforesaid contacts 7c is'snfiicient to set atdanger the .sig- 1 nals 6 -6 due tothe presence of a car in the main section of track of siding 2. Such indication therefore makes impossible a head-on collision at this point by a car proceeding to the left out of section X which 1% car thereby receives the indication to turn into the siding instead of proceeding on through the main tracln The signals shown in dotted lines connect with similar relays belonging to similar pairs of. block-sections X Y or X Y to the right and left of the relayshown in the diagram. These dotted-line signals have been given the same numerals (written dotted) asthe corresponding signals 1 to 6 that have been described and are connected arms having spaced apart projections and having a forward reciprocation from a position No. 1 into a position No. 2, and a return reciprocation from position N o.- 2 back into position No. 1, each of said arms on its forward reciprocation having. one of its projections engaging the interlocking member and swinging said member into a-position wherein it arrests the other reciprocating arm in a position No. 3, should said arm be returning from its No. 2 position to No. 1, each arm having its aforesaid projection carried out of engagement with the interlocking member before the arm arrives in its position No. 2, and each arm on its return reciprocation having its other projection in engage cut with the interlocking member to swing said member out of any arresting position which it may have relative to the opposite reciprocating arm; electro-magnetic means for each reciprocating arm adapted to effect its reciprocation; and electrical contacts respectively operated when the relay members are in their said positions.

2. In a rela the combination ofan interlocking mem 'r supported to swing and adapted to remain in the given position last,

swung into; latch arms one on eachside of the interlocking member, each of said arms havin a forward reciprocation from a position o. 1 into a position No. 2, and a reverse return reciprocatiomand each having spaced apartpro ections, one of them a short projection 19 and the other a long projec-. tion 23, one or the other of said projections engaging the interlocking member and swinging said member in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of reciprocation of the latch arm; bell-cranks on opposite sides of the interlocking member ivotally sup at their angles and each aving oneo its arms conven ently termed its horizontal arm p'ro'ecting toward the interlocking member an having its other arm conveniently'termed its vertical arm provided with an armature; magnets for attractingand releasing said armatures to reciprocate the horizontal arms of the bellcranks along with the latch arms, which are ivotally supported from the ends of said orizontal arms,'each of said arms on .its

forward reciprocation having I its short pro- 'ection 19 ,in ca ing en agement with the interlocking meh her until said member has.

I position reciprocation,

' been swung into the path of the extremity of. the horizontal arm of the other bellcrank preventing the complete return reciprocation of the other latch arm back to its position No; 1; cam means acting on each latch arm to cam its short pro ection 19 out of the aforesaid carrying engagement with the interlocking member, after said member has been swung into the aforesaid obstructing position and beforethe particular latch arm has fully arrived in its No. 2 position, each-of said latch arms on its return reciprocation fully back into its position No.1 having its long rojection 23 in engagement with the inter ocking member to swing said member out of any obstructing position which it may have relative to the horizontal arm of the bell-crank belonging to the other latch arm; two contactpoints H on the vertical arm-- of each bellcrank, onecontact point on either side of said arm, and stationarymembers spaced apart to contact with one or the other of said contact points when the particular vertical arm is in either one of its positions of swing corresponding 'to the no. 1 or No; 2 positions of-its latch arm, and additional electrical contacts comprising the ends of the horizontalarmsof the bell-cranks and the portion of; the interlocking' member which obstructs said ends during the operation of said member asaforesaid.

tion of-said members from their position No; 1 into their position No. 2 being termed their-forward reciprocation and their re ciprocation from osition llo. 2 back into No. 1 being termed their return each of said members on its .forward reciprocation coo erating with the interlocking member an swinging same until said member arrests the other relay member in a position No. 3, should said 3. A :relay comprising an interlocking member supported to swing and adapted to I relay members each recipromember be returning from its No. 2 position v v to No. 1 and each relay member on its re turn reciprocation coo erating with the interlocking member an swinging it out of any obstructing position it may have as to the otherrelay member; and electrical contacts respectivelyo erated when the relay members are-1n sai positions.

4. A relay com rising in. combination a pair of relay mem ers, each movable from a position No. into turn, means interlocking said relay members, said means being 0 erated by either of said members on its motion into Now 2 posi a position No, 2 and reiso tions,

. 5, A relay comprising in combination a, pair of relay members each movable from a position No. 1 into a position No. 2 and re turn,:'either of said. relay members in posi ticn No 2 operating to prevent the other member from returning into position No.

and to arrest? it in a position No. 3 and electrical contacts respectively operated when the relay members are in said positions. 7

6. An electrical relay comprising a pair of electro-magnet armatures, each armature being operable between two positions conof 'electro-rnagnet armatnres, each operable venicn'tly designaterl positions No 1 and N o.

2, an interlocking means operated by the movement of one armature to arrest the other armature at another position No. 3., an electrical contacts respectively operated by the armatures at their aforesaid difi'erent 7 positions v 7.. An electrlcal relay comprising a pair between two extreme positions conveniently designated positions No. 1

anti No. 2, an interlocking means operated by the movenoieeeo tacts respectively operated by the armatures at their'oli erent positions.

8. An electrical relay comprising a pair of electro-magnet armatures each operable between two positions conveniently designated positions No. 1 and No. 2, an interlocking means operate& by the movementof one armature to arrest the other armature at another position No 3, and three sets of electrical contacts for said armatures, the first set being a contact on the armature and another independent contact located to engage therewith when the armature is in its N o. 1 position, the second set of contacts being a contact on the armature and another independent contact located to enga e therewith When the armature is in its her 2 position, and the third set of contacts being a contaoton the armature and another contact on the interlockingmeans located to come into engagement with said armature l contact when the interlocking means arrests the armature in its No. 3 position In Witnesswhereof, I have signed my name'to the foregoing specification in the presence of two subscribing witnessmn EDWARD E. KLEINSCHRHDT. Witnesses: 2 Q

E. W. Somme, Jr, WELIAM R. Bennc

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