US1030961A - Railway-traffic-controlling system and apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. ARKENBURGH.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS. AIfPLIOATION FILED NOV. 2, 1906.

' Patented July 2, 1912.

14 e 3 JAN I! f entrain ermine iea'rnnr om ns.

WEBER H. ARKENBURGH, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE HALL SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

' Application filed November To r ll 107mm i may concern:

Be it kn wn that I. Wanna H. ARKEN- union, a men ofthe United States. residing at Wes i'ield. in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railwayllratiic-Controlling Systems and Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates generally to electri cally controllable railway trafiic-controlling apparatus and systems which employ alternating or periodic tratiic-controlling electric current, and my invention particularly relates to that class of rail ay tratiic-controllin'g apparatus and systems wherein tralfic is controlled by the display of visual signals such assemaphores.

*ftill more particularly my invention relatesto home-and-distant railway block signaling systems.

Generally stated, the objects of my inven' tion are reliability and economy of operation. simplicity and economy of maintenance, and simplicity and economy of construction.

As embodied in a home-and-distant railway block signaling system. it is a more particular object of my invention to control the liome-sig1ialsemaphore and the distant-signal semaphore of a given signaling apparatus by current transmitted through a track circuit. including the track rails of the block or section next. in advance of such given signaling apparatus. and without de pendence on any additional linewire extending through such block or section, excepting line conductors which are employed in a general transmission line for supplying electrical energy to each signa'tifig apparatus and track circuit of the entire system.

My invention comprises various features. all of which will appear clearly in the light of the following complete description. al though I will at this point make general mention of several such features.

My invention broadly compreheiuls a railway trz'itlic-ctmtrolling a paratus such. for

instan e. as a rail .y signaling apparatus arranged to control tratlic along a railway tra k. and a triphase electric relay in control of the trallic-controlling apparatus and controllable by triphase alternating or perispecification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

2, 1906. Serial No. 341,736.

odic electric currents or current variations in such relay and responsive to a change in the phase sequence of such triphase currents or current variations. and means for producing such triphase currents or current variations in the triphase relay and for rents or current variations to actuate the relay; and, more specifically, as exemplified in the illustrated embodiment. my invention comprehends a triphase relay of the rotary organization; and. stillsmo re specifically, the illustrated embodiment of. my invention comprehends a triphase relay not only responsive to the aforementioned change in phase sequence of its triphase current variations', but also responsive to the given phase sequence of such current variations which obtains in the relay before such change of phase sequence is effected, and whereby the triphase relay is differentially responsive to two different phase sequences of its triphase current variations. And my invention broadly comprehends a triphase relay organized in a traffic-controlling or signaling system as above mentioned with means for effecting triphase alternating or periodic potential variations at the terminals of the relay and means for reversing the connections to two of such relay terminals to change the phase sequence of potential variations at such terminals and thus operate the relay. the relaybeing responsive to such change of phase sequence and. in some instances, also responsive to the phase quence preceding such change. And my invention comprehends a triphase relay such above mentioned organized in a systeni with its terminals connected with suitable sources of triphase current and with the track rails included in the connections leading to two of such terminals and with suitable switching or pole-changing mean arranged to reverse the connections leading through such track rails to such tw-- relay terminals wlmreby to change the phase sequence of triphase currents in such relay. And my invention broadly comprchcnds a home arid-distant railway block signaling system including triphase relays as above mentioned responsive to a change in the phase sequence of their triphase currents to control the distant signals, and. as exemplified in the illustrated embodiment, also rechanging the phase sequence of such cur-' field induction type in the foregoing co-' 'trolling means arranged to govern traffic along the railway track, a triphase relay, broadly new in this combination, such for instance as a rotary-field induction relay, arranged in control .of the traffic-controlling means, means for supplying triphase trafficcontrolling current to the relay, and means for controlling such current to govern the relay and thus control the traffic-controlling,

means.

My invention also broadly comprehends a railway traffic-controlling system; such for instance as a railway signaling system, comprising traiiic-controlling or signaling appa- -atuses located at various tratlic-controlling points on the railway, a. multiphase trafficcontrolling current transmission line such for instance as a triphase transmission line communicating with a suitable source of triphase or multiphase current and extending along the railway, triphase' or other multiphase relays in control of the trailic-controlling or signaling apparatuses andin turn controllable by triphase or multiphase traffic-controlling current, for instance controllable by a change in thephase sequence of such multiphase current, means for transmitting the triphase or multiphasecurrent of the transmission line to the multiphase relays, and means for controlling such multiphase current in each relay, for instance by changing the phase sequence thereof, so as to actuate the relay to control the trafficcontrolling or signaling apparatus governed thereby. And in the illustrated embodiment my invention comprehends, as one means for transmitting the triphase er multiphase current from the transmission line to the relays, a number of triphase or multiphase transformers having secondary terminals giving triphase or multiphase potential, the terminals of each multiphase relay being connected to secondary transformer terminals all differing in phase of potential so that the relay will receive proper multiphase potential at its terminals and each relay in the illustrated embodiment being a triphase relay and having two terminals'connected through the rails of the track with two secondary terminals of a distant triphase transformer and having its third terminal connected with the non-homologous secondary terminal of a triphase transformer collocated substantially with such relay; that is to say, the third terminal of the relay is connected with a given secondary terminal of (its collocated transformer, which given ter- I minal is nothomologous with either of the secondary terminals of the d1stant transformer which are connected with the other two relay terminals, whereby the third relay terminal is subjected to periodic potential not corresponding in phase with thepotein tial at the other two terminals but in proper multiphase relation therewith. The object of this arrangement is-to save an 1 extraline wirebetween two traffic-controlling or signaling points when a traffic-controlling ary terminal of a ,multiphase transformer located at 'the distant traffic-controlling.- point, but this would require a separate conductor extending along the railway for each relay terminal. The foregoing feature-of my inventionrequires only two conductors, which may be the track rails, for connecting the terminals of the relay with secondary terminals of the distant transformer, the

single remaining relay terminal or thirdjter minal in the case of a triphase system being connected with that secondary terminal of a local transformer which .is homologous with the third secondary terminal of the distant transformer to which such third relayter minal would be connected by a separate line conductor in the hypothetical case just noted. This arrangement is not limited to the triphase system, since it may be seinployed in other multiphase systemsby connecting two relay terminals through track rails or other conductors with two secondaryterminals of a distant multiphase transformer and connecting the remaining relay terminals, whether one or more, with local secondary transformer terminals delivering periodic potential complementary in phase with the periodic potentials delivered by the two distant-secondary transformer terminals connected with the two relay terminals.

My invention oomprehends, as one means of changing the phase sequence in a given relay, a pole changer or other equivalent de' vice for reversing the connections leading from two of the relay terminals to two of the secondary transformer terminals aforementioned, or otherwise leading into communication with the aforementioned multiphase transmission line.

I will now describe that particular em-.

hodiment of my invention which is illusjtrated in the accompanylng drawing. This drawing diagrammatically represents a single railroad track equipped with a home and-distant block signaling system.

Two successive signaling apparatuses A and B are'represented. The track rails are .employed as signal-controlling conductors extending throughout-the various signaling blocks or sections, and the rails of successive blocks are insulated from each other by insulations interposed substantially at the signaling posts in the usual manner.

S is a multiphase line generator which in this instance is a triphase generator. The generator S is connected with the triphase transmission line T U, V, extending along the railway. The signaling apparatuses A and B comprise triphase transformers with primary windings g, g, respectively, connected to the common transmission line T,

7, V. r and 1- respectively designate the triphase secondary windings of these transtormers. In this instance both the primary and secondary windings are arranged in star form and have their juncture points'or middle pointsconnected with a common neutral line wire W which is grounded at The three coils 8, 9, and 10 of the secondary winding 7" are homologous respectively with the three coils 8 9* and 10 of the sec ondary winding r; that is to say, the three triphase periodic potentials of the coils 8, 9

- and 10 are in phase respectively with the potentials delivered at the terminals of the coils 8 9 and 10. secondary coils 9 and 10 are connected. through the semaphorecontrolled pole- -changer n, 0, with the track rails (2, (Z, of the block next in rear, and the terminals of the secondary coils 9 and 10 are similarly connected through the semaphore controlled pole-changer n, 0', with the rails 0, (Z, of the block A, B, extending next in rear of the signaling apparatus B including such secondary coils 9 and 10 The signaling apparatuses A and B include triphase relays e and a respectively.

T hcse relays are of one construction, wheretom the relay 6 may be described to exemplify the relays of the system generally. The relay (2 comprises a laminated annular magnetic field core f with three coils 14, 15 and 16 in triphase delta coorganization. Concentrically pivoted within the field ring f is a, conductive inductor g, which may be made substantially as the squirrel-cage armature of an ordinary rotary-fieldinduction motor. The pivoted inductor g is of course subjected to torque in either direction from a rotary field having a corresponding direction of rotation in the field ring but produced therein by triphase current in its .triphase windings 14, 15 and 16. A depending pendulum contact finger h secured to the pivoted inductor 9 tends always to fall by gravity awayvfrom its contact stop 19 on the The terminals of the left hand or from its contact stops 20 and 21 on the right hand so as to assume vertical non-conducting position. Two of the relay terminals are connected by wires 17 and 1.8 respectively with the rails c and a of the block A, 13, extending in advance. \v'hcrcby such relay terminals are connected through such track rails with the terminals of the secondary coils 9 and 10", such connections being subject to reversal, as will be explained hereinafter, by the sen'iaphore-controlled pole-changer 02,-, o, of the signaling apparatus B. The remaining terminal of the relay c is connected by a conductor 13 with the terminalof the remaining coil 8 of the secondary winding 2*. Since the secondary coil 8 is homologous with the secondary coil 8", it will beapparent that such connection of the third terminal of the relay 1 with the terminal of the secondary coil 8 is equivalent to a connection of such third relay terminal with the terminal of the secondary coil 8", although the con nection of the third relay terminal with the secondary coil 5 through the short-wire l3 avoids the em 'iloyment of an additional line conductor extending throughout the block A, B, to connect such third relay terminal with the secondary coil 8 at the advance end of the block. The connections of the relay 0' with the track rails of the block next in advance and with the secondary winding r correspond to the foregoing connections of the relay 6.

Normally, that is to say, when there is no train present in any one of the signaling blocks affecting the signaling a pparatus, the signals are in their clear positions as indicated in the diagram. The home and dis tant signals 2' and jet the signaling apparatus A are held clear through the tollowing agencies. The terminal of the second ary coil 9 of the signaling apparatus B communicates with one terminal of the triphase relay 0 through a series of conductors traceable as follows: from the terminal of the secondary coil 9 through the con ductor 12", lower contact finger 0 of the pole-changer n, 0, controlled by the homesignal semaphore i, which contact finger is in contact with its upper stop 3" when the home signal 2" is clear as indicated, and from the contact stop 3*, through the conductor- 2", track rail d of the block B, A, and conductor 18 to one terminal of the triphase relay e. The terminal of the secondary coil 10 of the signaling apparatus B communicates with a second terminal of the triphase relay e through a series of conductors traceable as follows: from the terminal of the secondary coil 10, through the conductor 11*, upper contact finger 12' of the polechanger n, 0, which upper finger is in contact with its upper contact stop t", while the home-signal sem'aphore z" is clear as indicated, and from the contact stop at through the conductor track rail 0 of the block B, A, and conductor 17 to the second ter-' 'minal of the triphas'e relay 6.

The third terminal of the triphase relay 6 is connected with the terminal of the coil 8 of the secondary winding 1*, as already explained. By the foregoing connections the three terminals of the triphase relay 6 are subjected to triphase potentials producing a triphase counterclockwisely rotating rotary field in the field ring f so as to turn the pivoted inductor g counter-clockwi'se and bring its pendulum contact'finger h into contact with its right hand cooperating contact stops v20 and 21. Thereby local circuits are closed for clearing and holding clear the home and the distantsignal semaphores z and j, the home-clearing local circuit being traceable as follows: from one pole of the local battery y, through a wire connection" to the pendulum contact finger h and thence through the contact stop 20 and wire connection, to and through the home-signal semaphore actuative and re taining electro-mechanism, and thence back to the opposite pole of the local battery y.

The distant-clearing local circuit is trace-- able as follows :trom one poleof the local battery through wire connection, pendulum contact finger h, contact stop 21, connecting wire, home-signal semaphore-actw' ative-and-retaining electro-mechanism', and thence by connecting Wire backto-the opposite pole of the-local battery 3 The home and distant signals of the signaling apparatus B are cleared and held clear by agencies corresponding to the agencies above described for clearing and holding clear the home and distant signals a and j of the signaling apparatus A.

Now, it will be quite apparent that if a train should enter the block A, B, its Wheels and axles would form a low resistance bridge or shunt between the rails c and d" so as to effectually short-circuit those two terfl miiials of-the triphase relay 0 which are connected with such rails 0 and '(Z, whereupon the multiphase relay 6 would be no longer subjected to multiphasecurrent tending to rotate its pivoted inductor 'g, so thatthe pendulum contact finger 72, would assume its vertical non-contacting position and thus open the local signal-clearing circuits of the local battery y to place the home and distantsignals z" and in their danger posi ur tions. We may now assume that the train in the block A, B, has passed from such block into the block extending in advance of the signaling apparatus B, whereupon the home and distant signals 41' and j assume danger positions f orithe same reasons just explained regardingthe home anddis -tant signals and j of the apparatus A." As

the home-signal semaphordi of the signaling apparatus" B- .a'ssunies its danger posipositions making contact'respectively with the contact stops 3 and 6"; This reversal of the pole-changer n, 0', obviously reverses the connections'leading from the terminals of the secondary coils, 9? and 10 through the track rails a and; If to two terminals of the triphase relay 6 so that as soon as the rear end of atrain emerges fromthe block A, B,-

the triphase relay 6 will'be again subjected to triphase current but with a segmence of: current phases in its triphas'e-coils =14, 15'

and 16 different from vthe phasesequence which obtained with the semaphorecon troiled polechang'er a, o, held in-its aforedescribed upper positionby clear condition of thehome-signal semaphore i ofthe sig- I naling apparatus B. This change in phase sequence at the terminals of the trlphase T relay 6 effects a reversal in rotativefdirec tion of the rotary field produced by the t-ri phase current, that is'to say, the field now, rotates clockwise instead of counter-clockwise aswith the home-signal semaphore i in clear positio n', and this clo'ckwis rotation of the rotary field in the triphase relay e develops a clockwisetorque inv its pivote'd conductor 9 to turn such inductor Y clockwise and move its. pendulum contact finger h into contact-with itsleft hand contact stop 19,' so as to close a local home'si'gnal clearing circuit traceable as follows: from one terminal of the local'battery y, through the connecting wire to the pendulumcontact finger' -h, and thence through the vcontact stop 19 and connectingwirc to and through the liome-signal semaphore-actu ative and retaining electro mechanism, and thence back to the opposite'pole of the local battery y. Closure of the foregoing local circuit of course clears the home signal '5 and maintains the .s'amc" in clear position. Now when the trainleaves the advance end of the block extending in advance of the signaling" apparatus B, the home-signal semaphore- L" will be cleared as the home. signal'z' was cleared when the train left the block AQB, and as the home-s gnal semaphore 71 reaches its .clear po'sition the polechanger a, 0, controlled therebyfwill be reversed so as to reestablish in the triphase relay 6 that sequence and counter clockwise direction offield rotation whichis required i125 nal semaphores z' and j as above described;

to clear both the home and theidistant sig- It will be apparent that my invention or various features thereof may begembodied 1n arrangements and constructions vspecifically quite different from QJCQ-h paIUCUlH-I arrange;

ososcr in control of traffic along the railway track,

a triphase relay in control of the trafiic- COIIt-I'OllIDg. apparatus and responsive to a -change in phase sequence of triphase alternating or periodic current variations in such relay, means for producing such triphase current variations in the relay, and means for changing the phase sequence of such current variations to actuate the relay and control the traffic-controlling apparatus.

2. A railway traflic-controlling system comprising a traffic-controlling apparatus arranged in control of traflic along the railway track, a triphase electric relay in control of the traflic-controlling apparatus and I differentially responsive to two dilierent phase sequences of trlphase current alternations or variations in such relay, means for n'0ducing such triphase current variations in the relay with a given phase sequence to effect a given response of the relay, and means for changing the phase se quence of such triphase current variations in the relay to effect a different response of such relay.

3. A railway trafiiccontrolling system comprising a tratlic-controlling apparatus in control of trattic along a railway track, a triphase relay in control of the traffic-controlling apparatus and having three terminals and responsive to a change in phase sequence of triphase alternating or periodic potential variations at such relay terminals,

means for effecting such potential variations at such terminals substantially in triphase relation, and means for reversing the con-- ne'ctions to two of the relay terminals to change the phase sequence 01' potential vari ations at the relay terminals and thus oper ate the relay to, control the traflic-controlling apparatus.

4. A railway traiiic-controlling system comprising a traffic-controlling apparatus in control of traflic along a railway track, a triphase electric relay in control of the traflic-controlling apparatus and having three terminals and differentially responsive to ditterent phase sequences of alternating or periodic triphase variations in current potential at such three terminals, means for effecting such triphase potential variations with a given phase sequence at the three relay terminals to effect a given response of the relay, and means for effecting such triphase potential variations with a different phase sequence at the three relay terminals to effect a different response of the relay.

5. A railway traflic-controlling system comprislng a trafiic-controlling apparatus in control of traiiic along the railway track. a triphase relay in control of the trafI'ic-controlling apparatus and having two terminals connected with two of the track rails as conductive leads to such terminals and .-such relay being responsive to a change in phase sequence of triphase alternating or periodic potential. variations at the relayterminals or in the conductive leads connected with such terminals, current-producing means for eflecting such potential variations substantially in triphase relation at such relay terminals or in the conductive leads thereto, and means forreversing the connections rails which constitute conductive leads to two of the relay terminals whereby to change the phase sequence of triphase potential variations at the relay terminals and thereby actuate the relay.

6. A home-and-distant railway blocksignaling system comprising a home-and-distant signaling apparatus in proximity to a railway track, a triphase relay in control of the distant. signal thereof and responsive to a change in phase-sequence o'E triphase currents in the relay, means for supplying triphase currents to the relay, and means ?or effecting a change in the phase sequence thereof to actuate the relay.

7. A railway block signaling system comprising a home-and-distant signaling apparatus in control. of traffic along a railway track, a triphase relay differently responsive to different sequences of triphase current, and means to control thchome signal by response of the relay to one phase sequence of triphase currents and to control the distant: signal by response of the relay to a differentphase sequence of triphase currents, means for supplying triphase currents to the relay, and means for determining the phase sequence of such triphase currents in the relay to determine its actuation.

S. A home-and-distant railway block signaling system comprising a home-and-distaut signaling apparatus in control of tratfic along a railway track, a triphase rotary-field induction relay including triphasrrotary-field coils and a conductive inductor (-o-active with the rotary-field coils and differently responsive to different sequences of triphase current in. the relay, means for supplying triphase currents to the rotary field coils, means for controlling the phase sequence of such currents, means to control the home signal by response of the inductor to one phase sequence of triphase current in j controlling means located at various trafiiccontrelling points on the railway line, a

naling system comprising a home-and-distant signaling apparatus in control of traffic along a railway track, a triphase rotaryfield induction relay including triphase ro- "tary-field coils and a conductive inductor coactive with the rotary field to be'moved in a given direction by a given direction of field rotation and to be moved in the opp0s1te d1- 1'e('lion by the opposite direction of field rotation and such relay being arranged to control the home signal by one directlon of m- 'ductor' movement and the distant signal by phase trafiic-controlling current transmis" sion line communicating with the source of multiphase current and extending along the railway, trafiic-controlling means located at various traific-controlling points on the railway, multiphase transformers connected with the transmission line, multiphase relays in control of the traffic-controlling means and in turn controllable by multiphase traflic-controlling current and each responsive to a change in the-phase sequence of such multiphase current in such relay and each relay having its terminals con nected with secondary transformer terminals all difierentin phase of potential, and means for reversing the connections to two terminals of each relay to change the phase sequence of multiphase current in the relay and thus effect response of the relay and control the tratiic-controlling means govcrned' thereby.

A railway traffic-controlling system couiprising electrically controllable traflicsource of multiphase current, a multiphase traffic cont-rolling current transmission line communicating with the source of multiphase current and extending along the railway, multiphase transformers communicating with the transmission line and each having secondary transformer terminals all different in the phase of their potential, multiphase relays in control of the trafiic-controlling means and each responsive to a change in phase sequence of multiphase current therein, for each relay two conductive connections respectively including two of the track rails and leading from two terminals of the relay to two ofthe secondziry transformer terminals different in phase of potential, additional conductive connections mailin the additional terminals ofthe 3 ing a source of triphase current, a triphase traffic-controlling current transmission line communicating wlth the source of triphase current and extending along the railway,

traiiic-controlling means located at various traflic-controlling points on the railway, triphase transformers connected with the transmission line, triphase relays in control of the trafiic-controlling means and in turn control lable by triphase traffic-controlling current and each responsive to a change in the phase sequence of such triphase current in such relay and each relay having its terminals connected with secondary transformer terminals all different in phase of potential, andmeans for reversing the connections to two terminals of each relay'to change the phase sequence of triphase current in the relay and thus effect response of the relay and control the tratlic-controlling means governed thereby. I

13. A railway trafiic-controlling system comprising electrically controllable trafficcontrolling means located at various tratficcontrolling points on the railway line, a source of triphase current traffic-controlling current transmission line communicating with the source of triphase current and extending along the railway, triphase transformers communicating with the transmission line and each having three secondary transformer terminals all difierent in the phase of their potential, triphase relays in control of the traific-controlling means and each responsive to a change in phase sequence of triphase current therein, for each relay two conductive connections respectively including two of the track rails and leading from two terminals of the 'relay to two of the secondary transformer terminals different in phase of potential, additional conductive connections leading from the additional terminals of the relays to respectively secondary terminals different in phase potential from theaforementioned secondary terminals connected through the track rails with the aforementioned relay terminals,

it. A railway traliic-controlling system comprising traffic-controlling means located at a given tra ic-controlling point on a railway, a multiphase relay in control of the ti-attic-controlling means and in turn controllable by multiphase current, a distant'source oi. periodic potentials of two different phases constituting two phases of the multiphase potential for the relay, two conductors leading from two terminals of the relay to such source, and, connected with the relay, local means for producing periodic potential complementary to the two phases of periodic potential delivered by the distant source so as to complete the phases of the multiphase relay current, and means for controlling the n'mltiphase current.

15. A railway tratiic-controlling system com n-ising tratlic-controlling means in control oftrafiic at successive tratfio-controlling points on the railway track, a source ot multiphase current, a multiphase traflic-controlling current transmission line communicating with the source of multiphase current and extending along the railway, a number of multiphase transformers located at the Hallie-controlling points and connected with the transmission line and having secondary multiphase terminals, multiphase relays located at thetrailic-controlling points and in control of the trafiic-controllingmeans, conductors leading from two terminals of each multiphase relay to two secondary terminals oi the transformer at a distant traiiic-controlling point, conductors leading from the remaining terminals of the relays to the remaining secondary terminals of respectively -local transformers, and &means for controlling the multiphase current in the relays to govern such relays and control the trattic-controlling means.

16. A railway trafiic-controlling system comprising trattic-controlling means located at successive traflic-c'ontrolling points on a railway track, a source of-multiphase current, a multiphase trafiic-controlling current transmission: line communicating with the source of multiphase current and extending along the railway, multiphase transformers located substantially at the various trafliccontrolling points and communicating with the multiphase transmission line and having multiphase secondary terminals, multiphase relays located at the various tratti=controlling points and in control of the traffic-controlling means at such points, from two terminals of each relay two conductors including the twotrack rails and leading to two secondary terminals of the transformer located at a distant trafiic-controlling point, and conductors leading from the remaining terminals of the multiphase relays to the remaining secondary terminals of the transformers collocated with such relays respectively.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WEBER H. ARKENBURGH.

Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS,

BERNARD Oownn.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). (2.

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