US1099283A - Railway signaling system. - Google Patents

Description

A. V. T. DAY.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2B,1EJ08.

1,099,283. Patented June 9, 1914.

ALBERT V. T. DAY, OF N'E'YV ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIG'rNOH. BY IeIEElllTE ASSIGN- lVIENTS, TO HALL StVITCI-l' 8-: SIGNAL COMPANY, 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.-

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSHEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latenlml J one 9, .llllal.

Application filed August 28, 1908. Serial No. 450,716.

1/ '0 all whom it may concern lie it known that'I, ALnnn'r V. T. DAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at. New Rochelle, in the county of \Vesltehester and State Of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention: relates to electric trallic-- controlling systems and apparatus for railways, and the object of the invention, gcnorally statetfl, is to produer a trallic-eontrolling system which shall be simple and reliable in operation, and econon'iical in 1uater'lal and in expenditure of energy.

While my invention is applicable, in gem eral, to systems of various kinds, for the in} operation of various llll lllC(T'UlllJlOlllng devices, sueh as automatic train-stopping devices, switches, cab signals, etel, it in pan tieular'ly applicable, in some of its features, to automatic systems for controlling visual sigma ls such as semaphores.

My invention is lmrtieularly illustrated and described as embodied in a signal-eontrolling system of the type characterized by,l-he use of track relays selectively responsive to periodic currents of liliill'orent frequencies, together with insane for feed ing currents of dill'erent lirequencies at dilfe 'ent. points in the, track rails. in anotluu' application filed oi even date herewith, he rial Number elollfllfi .l have (lesoribed an improved system of this type in whirh electrically independent generators are em ployed for feeding the traolt rails, in order to prevent the interrln'ulge of stray eurrents o't' dill'erent 'tre .1uenoies between the Several feeding;- poinls, in my rniesent invention. 1 make use of this arrangeinent, and one object of my inventirm isto provide the system with improved means for actuating the track generators.

In the present invention, as in the system disclosed in my application hereinbelfore re ferred to, the relays are rendered selootively 'responsive to currents at partitailar he queneies by providing them with fields energized by currents oi eorres portd ng trequeneies and oi suitable phase relation; and a seoonol object of the present inventitm is to provide improved means for supplyingthe carr'ents for energizing the relay fields My invention is nirticularly illustrated as embodied in a system (annprising both home and distant signals, and provided with true tron current 'eondnctors for the oLmraiion of electric. care or trains, and further objects of the invention are, in such coni'ieetion, to economize in the use 0i. (:(Hltllltilul's in the various line and lrannnission circuits, and in the use of generators for energizing the sngnal-oonlrolling apparatus and 'l'onsup plying lrartiou current by combining sev eral functions, where possible in one conductor or gi-nerator, through the use of novel apparatus and arrangements hereina flier dearribed.

()ther objects of the invention] will be set forth in connection with the i'olhnving sperilio description and my invention consists in the iralliraronlrolling syatem. hereinafter dcscrilaul and illustrated in the zuzrompauyinn drawings. as dolined in the succeeding elaitus.

1 will now describe the illustrated embodiment of my invention, and will there after point out the invention in claims.

The drawing illustrates diagrranunatieally a portion ol a railroad track equipped with an automatic electric signal-controlling system ou'ila'ail ving the present invention, and it shows two tannpleto bloelo-i and portions of two olhers.

In the drawings and the folhiuving description the tract: is considered as divided into bloolts beginning and ending with the suereasive inhale, and the Monks are designoted successively as A, l), C. etc, The an paralus pertaining to each l)lOrfl\' includes the :ligjjlltils at the ei'itrance to the block, the relays and other apparatus directly couneeted with these signals and located thereat, the track relays located at the middle of the block, and the generator set by which ourrent is supplied for the feeding point near the entrance to the block. The apparatus in the several blocks is identical in general construction. and corresptmding parts in the several blocks are designated, in general, with the same reference numbers. but in the t'ollowing description these rnunbers are t'olltnved where necessary, by the letters A, ll and C, to iiulieate in which bloelt the partirulm part in question is loealed.

The railroad track of the drawing cornprisesrails l5 and 16 which are bonded or otherwise rendered continuously conductive throughout. The trains move from east to west or in the direction of the arrow 1, a home signal, 2 and a distant signal 3' are located'at the entrance of each'block, and the signals of each block are electrically controlled by two track relays 4t and 5' connected across the track railsat or near the middle of the blocks i The relays are of the polarized alternating current type. The relay l has a field magnet 6 which is constantly energized by alternating current, and a pivoted armature! which is provided with acoil and carries a contact finger 8 coiiperating with a fixed contact 9. The relay 5 is similar in all respects to the relay l except that its contact finger cooperates with-two fixed contacts 10 and 11, whereby'it is constituted a polechanging relay, and its field is energized with alternatingcurrent of diiierent fre- .quency from that in the field of the relay 4:. w

The armature coils of the relays are connected in parallel, by wires 12, across the track rails at points 13 and 14. The con-' struction of the relays is such that currents passing through the armature 0011- do not affect the armature and actuate the-relays" unless they are'of the frequencies employed in energizingthe field magnets and are also in suitable phase relation therewith. The relays thus act selectively, responding only to certain currents flowing through the track rails.

The track rails act as conductors for signal-controlling currents and form portions of train-controlled circuits. At a point near the entrance of each block an alternating generator 20 is connected, through wires 29 across the rails. The points of connection are designated successively by the reference numbers 17, 18, and-19 and are hereinafter, called feed points. The alternating current producedby the generator 20 A flows, from the feed point 17, through the rails and through the wires 12 and the armature coils. of the track relays 4 and'5 A, The current from the generator 20 B "also flows, from the feed point 18, to and through the relays 'and 5 A, and it flows likewiseto and through the relays 4 and 5 B, The same thing occurs at C, the current fiowingirom the feed point 19' to the relays at B and the relays (not shown) at C.

All of the generators 20 at A, B and C are constructed to produce currents of different' frequencies. These generators areof theordinary type in which the frequency is determined by the form of the field and the speed of the armature. Their fields 21 are energized with constant current through a; wire 23 from a transmission line wire 57., The transmission line isfed, through a wire '22 from agenerator 24, and the track rails are utilized 'as a returnconductor. To prevent short-circuitingof the signal controh ling apparatus connected with the rails, the generator 24 is connected with the two rails through a balanced choking coil 25, which acts to impede the flow of alternating CH1- rent-from rail to rail while permitting par allel and equal currents in its two halves to pass freely. Y

Each generator 20 actuated by a motor 26. In order to determine accurately the relative speeds of the several generators 20, the motors 26 are of the synchronous alternating cu'rrent type, and their armatures are energized by connection through a wire 31 with a transmission line conductor 56. The conductor 56 is fed, through a' wire 30 by an alternating current generator 32,.and the track rails are utilized as return conductors for this current also, the generator 32 be-. ing grounded through the choking coil 25. The field 27 of the motor 26 is connected in series with the field of the generator 20, so as to be energized by direct current from the wire 22.

Each generator set includesa generator 35 which supplies currentto energize the field of the track relay 4 of the same block and the field of the track relay 5 of the next block to the east. The generator 35 is of the same construction as its companion generator 20 and furnishes current, in each case of the same frequency, but the two generators of each set are elctrically independent so that no interchange of alternating cur:

rents can occur between them. The field 36 1% of the generator 35 is connected in serieswith the fields 21 and. 27 so as to be energized by constant current from the wire 23. The three fields and the armature of the motor 26 all have a. common return through 1% a wire 28 and one of the wires 29 to.one ot' the rails. At alternate stations these com mon returns are connected to opposite'rails so as to distribute the currents equally between the rails.

The several currents of different frequencies used in this system will be, for convenience, referred to as currents of a frequency, b "frequency, etc., to distinguish them, and

on the drawings the letters, a. 7), etc. are applied at various points to indicate the currents present or effective at such points. In order that the alternating current from the generator 32 may not interfere with the op eration or the track relays this current is of 1 0 relays of each block is conducted from the 1m as return conductors 'for traction current,

and the illustrated railway is shown as being arranged for electric traction. For this pur-' pose, I propose to use, as conductors for traction current, either or both of the transmission line wires 56 and 57 the current being furnished by the generators 24 and 32. The two conductors are shown in the drawings,.'as constituting respectively a thirdrail and a. trolley wire. The train or car, indicated diagrammatically at 60, may be provided with a contact member or shoe 61 engaging the third rail 56 and a contact member or trolley wheel 62 engaging the trolley wire 57, and these contact members may be used either alone or, as is the practice on some railways, alternatively in different parts of the road. The direct current from the generator 24L obviously will not interfere with the operation of the track relays, while the alternating current from the generator 32 of frequency (1, cannot actuate the relays since they are selectively sensitized to currents only of a, b, and-c frequency. By the above described arrange lent, I greatly simplify the railway system as a whole, and economize in the use of con ductors and generators. The operation of the signal-c0ntr0llin apparatus as a whole will now be describe is not of proper frequency l/Vith the blocks A and B clear the signals at A are both clear, as illustrated. Suppose, however, there be a trainer a car in block B. Tlre -wheels and axles of the train or car acta's canductors between the rails and at forda path of such low resistance for the current flowing from the nearest feeding point that they. substantially delimit the transmission of such current in the rails. In this manner either or both of the armatures of the track relays in the block B will'be short-circuited, according to the position of the train in the block. If, for example, the, train be between the points 14: and 18, the relay *4 B will receive no current from the feedpoint 18, and its contact finger will be released and disengaged from'its fixed contact, for the current of 0 frequency flowing to the relays 4 and 5 from the feed point 19 to actuate the relay 4:

pole-changing switch &0.

and the battery 42 A cut tion, indicating system operates, with It true that some current of 5 frequency f may still find its way to the relay 4: B from a feed point two and one-half blocks in advance of the train, but this current will be very feeble, owing to the impedance of the intervening length of rails through which it is transmitted, and the relay is adjusted so as not to respond to such feeble currents.

In any case one of the relays a or 5 B acts to open the circuit connecting the battery 41 B with the signal relay 45 B, and the latter thereupon is deenergized and opens the signal circuit through both signals 2 and 3 B, so that they both go to danger position. The distant signal 3 A also goes to danger position at the same time, through the action of the home signal 2 B upon the This switch being reversed by the movement of the signal 2 B, the alternating current flowing from the generator 35 B to the field magnet of the relay 5 A is reversed in phase, and the contact finger of'this relay the'reupon-Tnoves from the fixed contact 10 to the fixed contact 11.. The battery 41 A is thereby out out in, vthe direct current in the line circuit and the signal relay 4:5 A is reversed, the contact finger a6 moves from the fixed contacts 18 and 49 to the fixed contact 47, and the distant signal 3 A, being thus deenergized, rises to danger posian obstruction in block B. The breaking of a rail at any point in the the same effect as the presence of a train, to intercept the current by which one or another of the track relays is actuated, thereby causing the signals to be set to danger position.

Althoughthe feeding points 17, 18, 19, etc. are located approximately at the entrance ends of their'respective blocks, are located slightly in advance of the corresponding signals. This is necessary to prevent the movement of the signals to danger position until the train or car has reached or passed them. As the train or car approaches the feed point and shortens the length of intervening rails, a reached, at a short distance from the feed point, at which the'impedance of the rails and the wheels and axles becomes so slight that substantially the whole of'the current from the feed point is diverted from the re lay 4: at the middle of the block, so that this they relay is rendered inactive before the train incense rents employed at the severe] blocks, the use of a single eonstunt-current generator for energizing the fields olt' ell the local geno'zn tors and motor end for furnishing truction current, the use of a common comluctor-- the truck railsin both transmission lines, and the use of thesume line Wires for both the ulternetingcurrents to energize the re ley elds and the direct currents to control the signal relays.

Various modifications may he "n'nule in the embodiment of my invention hereinhelore cjlescrihed and illustrated in th :mc-mnpunying drawing, within the nature of the invention and the scope of the following claims:

I cluini:

1. A tinliioeontrolling system cm'uprisiing truck rails truiiic-mmtrolling dcwficcs respoir sire selective! to periodic currents of dilterout frerpieneies in the rails, generators lo outed at intervals along the truck and conneeted'ucross the "oils to feed periodic currents of different frequencies to the rails. motors for actuating Said gencrutors and e con'nnon source of direct current connected witl ru plurality of said motors aiul-generzrtors to energize the fields thereof.

2.. A tr: tho-controlling system comprising; truck rails, 'lruHic-control1ing devices respoir sire selectively to periodic currents of dill'ei ent 't'requencies in the rails, generators lo-- outed zit intervz ls ulonp; the truck and con-- neetcd. across the rails to feed periodic cun rents of dill'erent frequencies to the oils, motors for actuating said generators, u direct current transmission line for energizing the fields of the generators and the motors. and a periodiocurreut transmission line for energizing the :u'metures of the motors.

3. i l trullle-controlling system munprising truck rails, trethe-controlling devices rcsponsive selectively to perimljc currents of dillcrent frequencies in the ,ill S, generators located at intervals along the truck and con-- net-ted across the rails to feed periodic ourrents oi dilieren't frequencies to the ails, motors for actuating said generators, it direct current lLl'ZlllSl'IliSSlOIl line for energiw ing the fields ol the generators end the line forcuergizing the ziruiutures ol' the motors lhe tuo trui emission lines haying :i conductor in eounnon.

l. A troliicconlrolling system comprising truck ru ils. lru ilic-i-ontrolllug devices respoi'n sire selectively to 'ueriodic currents d," di'f tereut frequencies in the oils. ggcnerzditu's lfit'tll'flll- :it iuteiw uls along: the lv 'uclt tt'llil coir ne ler'l nero the rails to feed. periodic currents id (.lhi'ent fl'retpiencies to the rollsm motors vfor {ii-tout said ,grenerutors, l. Ill-- rectrurrent true lesionline for one the fields; of 'e and the outwit. and u periodic-curr it lrzinsmlrniirni line {or cncrgrizirur the ermetures of the motors, the two trmisinission lines including the track rails us a, conuuo'n. conduct-on 5. ll. tellicuzontrolling' system ctunprising, truck rails, t ulllc'cuintrolling devices responsire selectively to periodic currents of dift'ercnt frequencies in the oils, generators located at inter 'eL- along the t lick and eonuerl'ed across the mils to feed periodic currents oi dill'erent frequencies to the rails, motors to actuating the generators, a truelion current line energized with direct current, and connections between said line and the Il'lOlJOl'S to energize the fields of the motors.

(3. A, tullie-oontrolli11g system comprising truck rnilsl trutllc-controlling devices responsive selectively to pin'iodic currents of (lit- 'lcrcnt irequerunes in the 'zuls gene ntors 10- culed at intervals clonethe t'nck and connected across the rails to feed periodic currents o'l dill'crcnt Frequencies to the rails, motors for :icliuuliug' the generators, a direct truclion current line, and connections hetween said line and the motors and generators to energize the fields thereof.

A t traffic-eontrolling system. comprising lrullic-controlling devices, tuclt ails, truck rcluys controlling the lrefliwcontrolling dcriccs and responsive to periodic currents in the rails, said reluys having: fields energized by periodic currents of different frequencies, lrzicli gencrutors loutcd at intervals along the truck and connected across the rails to feed pcrii'idie currents o'l. (lill'erent frequencies to the oils, gene 'ulors located at inter rails ulong the tech and electrically independent of the truck generators For energizing the fields of the relays. and menus for neutering the generators.

e, A. trullitrrontrolling system comprising, tr: llic-conlrolling devices truck rnilsJtmelt rcluys controlling); the trullic-controllinc devices und responsive to periodic currents in the rails. said rulers having liclds energized l/y periodic currents of dill'ereut frequencies, truck generators locul'cd at intervals along:

the truck :ind connected across the rails to :l'ecd periodic currents of dillerent frequenrice to the mils. generators located at intro motors, and a. pernu'lic current lirens'smissiou ruls along: the truck and electrically independent ol each other for nergizin the fields ol, the reluye, motors for actuating: the generators, and u common trunsn'lission line l'or energizing the n'iotors.

ll. .sl. trullic-ronlrollingr truelt "oils on electrically-controlled truffleii'ontrolliiur device. menus: for feeding to the truck rails periodic currents of dillercnt freouencies zit i litl'erei'it points in the rails, a truck relay respoinaivt-i to periodic current in the relics lot-tiled Etl e. distunee from the '..xllir-c iuitrollino device and provided with u lield oer ggia l in: periodic current to render the reluy esponsive selectively to pert system cOll'llHlSlllglf.

odic current of a certain frequency in the rails, conductors constituting a line circuit connecting the track relay and the trafiiccontrolling device "controlled thereby, a source of periodic current located at a distance from the relay, and connections be tween the line circuit conductors and the field of the relay and said source of periodic current, whereby the field of the relay is energized by said source and the line conductors serve as common conductors for said periodic current and for current for con-' .line circuit controlled by the, relay and connecting the relay and the signal, a generator connected across the rails at a point near the signal for feeding the rails with periodic current of a certainfrequency, a generator connected with the line clrcuit to energize the field of the magnet, said generators being designed to produce periodic currents of the same frequency a motor connected with both generators to actuate them, a source of signal-controlling current connected in circuit with the relay and the signal through the line circuit, and means i in the line circuit for separating the signalcontrolling current and the periodic cur-' rent by which the relay field'is energized.

11. A Hallie-controlling system comprising track rails, signals dividing the track into blocks and arranged with a home signal and a distant signal at the entrance of each block, means'for feeding the railswith a eriodic current near the entrance end of each block, the frequencies of such currents being dififerent in successive blocks, two track relays responsive to periodic currents of difi'erent frequencies 'ilrfthe track rails near the center of each ing responsive selectivelyto current from one directlon, and the other being responsive to current from the opposite direction and being arranged as a pole-changing relay, a polarized relay controlling each pair of signals selectively, a pole changingswitch Y actuated by each home signal, a circuit connecting each pole-changi g switch with a the field of the 7 source of current and with pole-shah ing track relay next in the rear, whereby t e polarity of the track relay may be reversed, a circuit controlled by said track relay and connecting it with asource of current and with the polarized signal relay of'the same block. whereby the track relay may control the selective action of the "signals may block, one relay be-g signal relay, and a local signal circuit con-- trolled by the signal relay and including a source of current and the home and distant signals, whereby one or both of, the

be clearedby the selective-operation of the signal relay.

12. A traffi controlling system comprisingjraek rails, traffic-controlling means re- 'sponsives'electively to periodic currents of different frequencies in the rails, generators located at intervals along the track and con* nected across the rails to feed periodic currents of difierent frequencies to the-rails, motors for actuating saidgenerators, and means for actuatingsaid motors.

13. A traffic-controlling system comprising t'raflic-controlling means ,in-control of traflic along the railway,

comprising two co-acting coils adapted to enact when energizedby altering currents.-

connections between of the same frequency, the track rails and one coil of each relay, alternating current generators'for energizing the other coils of the relays, alternating current motors for driving the generators, a common transmission liiissifior energizing said motors, and means for supplying alternating vcurrents to the track rails to energize the coils connected therewith by alternatlng currents corresponding in frequency,

to the currents in their co acting coils. 14. A traffic-controlling system compris- 1n cohtrol of traffic along the railway track,

traffic-controlling means arranged in relays in control of said traffic-controlling .means'and each electro-translative devices in control of the traflic-controlling means and each comprismen frequency, track rails and one 0011 of each translative device, means for delivering alternating ,ing two coils co-active by currents of comconnections between the currents of difi'erentfrequencies to the track rails at different points, an alternatingcurrent transmission line, motors impelled thereby, driven by the motors and arranged to, feed to the electro-translative coils not connected with-wxthe-track rails currents of difierent frequencies corresponding vto the frequencies supplied to the track rails.

15. A railway traffic-controlling system comprising traflic-controlling means in control of tr'afiic along'the railway track, electro--' -translative devices in control off'the means and each including.

'traflic-coiitrolling a eoilconnected withthe track rails and a coil co activ'e' therewith, alternating current generators for supplyingcurrents ofdifierent frequencies to different said coils, alternating current motors arr ranged to operate said generators and all in turn opergtable by alternating current of one he uency diiferent from "either fre quency elivered by the generator armatures whereby it" is rendered impossible to and alternating current generators ones of the last reproduce in the translative coils supplied by said armatures current of any frequency which may be supplied to the motors by any circumstance. a common transmission line arranged to operate all of said motors by current of said one frequency adapted to 0 erate them, and means for supplying to t e track rails alternating currents of the same frequencies supplied by said generator armatures to the translative coils not connected with the track rails.

16. A railway traffic-controlling system comprising traffic-controlling means arranged to control trafiic along the railway, an electro'translative device in control of the traffic-controlling means and including a coil connected with the rails and a'coil coactive therewith, an alternating current generator for supplying, current of given frequency to the latter said coil, an alternating current motor arranged to operate said generator and in turn operatable by an alternating current of different frequency,'whereby it is impossible 'to reproduce in the latter said translative coil current of any ire qnency supplied to the motor, means for sup lying to the motor alternating current of t at frequency by which it is operatable, and means for supplying to the track rails an alternating current of said given frequency supplied by the generator to the electro-translative coil not connected with the rack rails.

17. A traffic-controlling system comprising track rails, responsive selectively to periodic currents of different frequencies in the rails, generators located at intervals along the track and connected across the rails to feed periodic currents of different frequencies to the rails, motors for actuatingsaid generators, and a Copies of this patent may be obtained for traffic-controlling apparatus v common periodic current transmission line for artnatin said motors.

18. A tra c-controlling system compris ing track rails, traffic-controlling means, clectro-translativc devices in control of the traffic-controlling means and each including a coil connected with the track rails and a coacting coil, a periodic current transmission line extending along the railway, means at intervals for receivin energy from the transmission line and elivering periodic current to the track rails, and electrical converting means at intervals including generator windings arranged to supply periodic current to the respectiveelectrotranslative coils not connected with the track rails and including motor windings arranged to re-' ceive energy from the transmission line.

19. A trafiic-controlling system comprising track rails, traffic-controlling means, electro-translative devices in control of the traffic-controlling means and each including a coil connected with the track rails and a co-acting coil, a periodic current transmission line extending along the railway, means at intervals for receiving energy from the transmission line and delivering periodic current to the eleclro-translative coils which are not connected with the tack rails, and electrical converting means at intervals in cluding generator windings arranged to supply periodic current to the track rails and including motor windings arranged to receive energy from the periodic current transmission line.

In testimony whereof l liavc aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT V. T. DAY.

Witnesses FARNUM F. Donsur, WM. ASHLEY KELLY.

m cents each, by addressing; the "Commissioner of mm, Washington, D. C.

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