US1148442A - Train-control system. - Google Patents

Description

A. CASALE. TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, T914.

1,148,442. Patented July 27, 1915.`

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' l T Witnesses Inventor I Attorneys A. CASALE. TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLlcATIoN FILED SEPT. 23. 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 27, 1915.

Wiesses Inventor Attorneys A. CASMIE.l

TRAfN CONTROL SYSTEM.

AwaxcATloN FILED SEPT. 23. 1914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor Attornys I fifa/2lb Y Witnesses` I I EJs STATES PATENT FFICE.

ANTONIO CASALE. OF SCR/ANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

Tnnrrtconrnon SYSTEM.

Application led September 23. 1914.

Il; of! /rm//L it 'may concern.'

lo it known that relv'roxro Cas-inn, a '.lzen ot the United jStates, residingiv at Scranton.I in the county of Lackawanna and material. portion of the system will produce' a danger or emergency condition. and cause the controlling apparatus ot' the train to be operated to check thc movement of the train.

fr further object or the present invention.

is the provision ot a system ol this character,.

which will produce thc slowingy down or retardation ot the speed of a train approachinferr another train within a predetermined zone. and to 'nallj.' stop such train when it has proceeded :farther into such zone. thus producing an emergency stop at a safe distance between the trains.

A furti ir obj it ot' the invention. is the provision of a train control system having novel means operatingr power to slow the speed of the train, under caution conditions, and t0 finally completely shut off vthe steam or po wer and apply the air brakes to bring the train to a halt under emergency or danger conditions.

lilith the foregoing; vand other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the cornhination and arrangement of parts and in the details or construction hereinafter described and (,laiined1 it beingfunderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope or what is claimed without ot the circuitcontrolling shoe member carried by the locomotive or train, the same beingy in normal position. Fig'. 8 is ar View showing' the same operated in connection with the F 4f is a similar View to Specification of Letters Patent.

.er shutting;- oli1 the steam or `of which is set forth rammed July 27, 1915.

Serial No. 853.112.

Fic'. 2 of a modified form of shoe actuated switch. Fig'. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 3 ot such modified form. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of still another modified form of shoe actuated switch, the parts bein;r in the position they assume when actuated by the ramp. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of one method of actuating` the renting" valve of the air brake system showinf;l means whereby the engineman may con'- trol the saine to prevent its automatic operation and also to permit the train under the control ot' the engineman to enter a prohibited Zone. Fig. S is a diagrammatic view showingr the present track installation used in ronnectionwith a block signal system.

Referring' to the drawings. and more par ticularly to Fils. 1 and 2 thereof, the numerals 1 and 2 designate the rail sections of the respective blocks A, B, and C, the same heine' insulated from each other, so that the respective rail blocks are only electrically continuous.r

)is illustrated in Fig. 1 disposed adjacent the end oi the block A are the two short rail sections 3 3 while disposed adjacent the opposite end of the block B are the two short rail sections 6 and 11, the purpose of which will presently appear.

Connected to one end of the rail section 3 is ay conductor 1, which has interposed therein, a. resistance 5, the opposite endof the conductor being connected to the adjacent site end of the rail 2 is a conductor 10, which leads to and is connected to onelend of the short rail section 11 at the outlet end of the block C, a conductor 12 connecting' the rail 11 to the short rail section 3.

Carried by the trainA T are the ytwo shoev controlled switches S, the detail construction in the various figures fronf 2 to C. 4

Each one of the respective shoe controlled switch mechanisms is provided with the two switch members 13 and 14, the switch member M ol which has led therefrom, a conductor 15 which in turn is connected to the conductor 16 of the cab apparatus as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thus as the switches 14 and 15 are normally closed, the following circuit will be maintained upon the cabso that the solenoid 19 will be energized and the valve 39 will be heldin closed position.

This circuit includes the battery 1.7,.tlie con-' ductor 18, the solenoid 19, the conductor 20, the movable switch member 13, the stationary switch member 14, and theu conductors 15 and 16. Thus when the respective shoe members S are out of contact` with the rail sections 33 or 6-11, the above mentioned circuit is energized, and the solenoid 19 is energized, thus maintaining upon thel train a closed circuit to hold the valve -39 in closed position.

y As the shoes S engage the rail sections i 3%3, the switch members 13 and 14 are opened, as will presently appear, but immediately the following circuit is closed so'as to maintain the energization'of the solenoid 19. This circuit includes the battery 21, the conductor 22, the shoe S which engages the short rail 3, the short rail 3, the conductor 12, theshort rail 11, the conductor lO, the rail 2 of the block C, the conductor 8 and its resistance 9, the trafiic rail 1 of the block C, the conductor 7, the short rail 6, the rewhen both resistance -5 and 9 are connected in the line, and the -conductor 29. Thus when this circuity is' closed, and the electromagnet 28 energized, the armature 30A is attracted thereby,' against the action of the spring 31, closing-the switch 324-33. Thus the circuit to the solenoid 19 which has been previously opened due to the switches 13 and 14 is closed, and includes the battery 17, the conductor 18, the solenoid 19, the conductors 20 and 34, the switch 32-33 and the conductor 16.

As the solenoid core 35 is 'connected through its stem 34 to the dash-pot 37 any imperceptible lapse of time between the opening of the switch at 13 and 14 and the closure at 32 and 33 will be accounted for and the corel 35 will be held against the action of the spring 40, so that the lever 38 of the normally closed valve 39 will not be operated until the circuit including the battery 17 is opened for a greater lapse of time than betweenthe opening and closing of `the above mentioned switches. In order to"keep a record of the number of times that the valve 39'is operated, a register 41- is disposed incoperatlve relation to the lever 38, the/same only being operated whenthe spring 40 pulls the lever 38 to its full valve opening position.

Assuming that a train T is within the block C as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and that the train T is so disposed that the short rail sections 3-3 are engaged and consequently the above set forth circuit has been closed, it will be seen that the co nduc tor 8 and its resistance 9 is cut out of the circuit, and that therefore the axle of the train T being ot less resistance, the circuit above referred to will include the axle of the train T between the rails 1 and 2 of the block C, and the full forcent thebatjtery 21 will be thrown yinto the electroinagnet 26,

but not with sufficient force to operate the electron'iagnet 24. This energization of the v electromagnet 26, will cause the attraction Ithereto of the armature 42, which is operably connected ,to the lever 44 of the valve 45, the same operating the valve 45 against the action of the spring 43 to open the valve and at the same time actuatel the register 46 to record such operation. As the valve 45 is connected in the pipe 49, which in turn is abranch of the pipe 48 led from the pipe 47 of the auxiliary reservoir 46, of the air brake systemyit is apparent'that the air therefrom will then be directed through the pipe 49 into .the cylinder 50. 4This cylinder 50 is mounted adjacent to the boiler of the locomotive and has mounted therein, the piston 51, whose siem 52 is disposed in cooperable relation with the short lever 53 pivoted at 54 to the ie end of the throttle lever 55. This'diirottle lever 55 is mounted in the usual manner at 56, and controls the valve actuating or throttle rod 61.

Connected to the lever 53, which is in the natu-re of-a bell `cranlr lever, is a rodv 57, which leads forward and is connected to the short lever 58, which in turnis operably connected to the pawl 59, so that upon the-actuation of the bell crank lever-53, the pawl 59 is operated to disengage the segment 60, and thus permit the movement of the throttle lever 55 to control the throttle and to gradually reduce the speed of the train, under caution conditions.' Should the train T however, continue and` enter the block B, and finallyeome. in con 1act with the rail sections 6 and 11, the resistance 5 being cut out, and the train T being within the block C, the before mentioned circuit having the resistances 5 and 9 removed therefrom, will throw the full battery force into the electromagnet 24, which is then energized to move the armature 62 against the action of the spring 63, to in turn operate the lever 64 of the valve l65, the register or recorder 66 being ,operated simultaneously to indicate the number of times the valve 65 is operated. This action is an emergency or danger condition, and will immediately conduct the air from the pipe 67 which is a branch ot the pipe 47. into the pipe 68. and into the cvlinder 69. ln the cylinder G9 is mounted the piston 70, whose rod 71 is operably connected to the lever 72 carried by the throttle lever and which in turn is operablv connected through the link or rod 73 to the pawl, actuating lever 5S. rl`hus the pawl 5S) is released from the segment (l0 and at the same time. the lever is pushed forward b v the stem or piston rod. 71 actuating the throttle to cut ott'jthe .steam supply to the locomotive. 'As there is led Jfrom the cylinder of) a pipe 7l. air is conducted therefrom into the cylinder 7 5, which has mounted therein the piston 7G whose stem 77 carries the rack ba. 7S which in turn is operably eonnecttal to the pinion 79 of the enginee1"s brake valve S0. Thusthe brake valve SO is operated to aetuate the air brake system at the time that the steam is cut off, and the train is brought to a halt. i

ln order that the engineers valve may not be too easily operated and bring the train to a stop too suddenly. there is interposed in the pipe Tl a 'valve S1, whose lever 82 is operably connected to the stem 83 connected to the' stcnrTT. Thus as the piston 76 is operated by the air pressure, thevalve is gradually shut off producing more in the nature ot` an application effect in the'engineers brake valve and gradually applying the air brake-s` as would be the case if the engineer were operating the same.

1n order to provide a means for bringing the train to a halt should the switch members 125 and l-t not operate, and also should the circuit controlling the electromagnet 28 be broken or inoperative when the shoes S engage the rail sections along the right of wav. the valve) is connected the pipe at which is branched from the pipe 48 into the branch pipe (i8. tion ot the solenoid 10 and the consequent opening ot' the valve BS due to its spring 40, will conduct the air into pipe 68 to operate the pistons TO and 76 and thus produce the same eti-'ect upon the throttle 55 and the engineer-s brake valve S0, as was produced when the solenoid 24C was fully energized.

ln the detail form ot' shoe carried switch as illustrated in Figs. l and 2%.A the bolt 1(17 with the spring 10H form a. resilient connection tor the shoe S with the trame plate 106, a rod 10S) being disposed through the. plate ltlt' `for sliding movement and operably connected to the shoe S so that motion is transmitted therethrough to the lever 11() which is operated in opposition to the spring 111 to thus open the circuit at the switch contacts .13 and 141. The lever 1l() is jonrnaled in the bracket 112 vwhich may be suitably supported at any point ot the present apparatus. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the switch 13 and 14: isshown in its-normally closed Thus the denergizaposition. while in Fig. 3 'it is shown in the open position or when the shoe S engages one ot' the ramp ralls. as l.

ln theI construction ot shoe carried switch 10G and insulated theretromis a pivoting support 117 t'or the lever 11G. which in turn is operablv connected at one end to the movable switch poiitt 113 and atthc opposite end to the projection 115 is connected to and insulated t'rom the shoe S. Thus the parts may readily assume the position shown 'in Fig. at. Fig. l illustrating the same in normal condition,l while in Fig. 5 the switch is open as the sli/0e is in contact with the rail 3.

In the construction ot' shoe controlled switch shown in Fig. (i, the 'trame 10ftnt is carried by the bolt 11S) tor sliding movement to and from the plate l2() which is a supporting plate. ln this construction` it is desirable. that means be provided tor elevating the shoe S at a desired distance above the rail, so that the rails as 3 at certain points will not be engaged. In order t0 accomplish this, the cylinders 121 are suitably supported from above and are connected to the plate 120, the stem 123 of the piston 122 mounted therein` being operably connected to` the plate 106, so that air admitted through the pipes 12.1. and 125 will elevate the pistons and consequently the shoe S.

In order to provide a meansto permit the engine to enter a prohibited zone,the`con struction as illustrated in Fig. 7 is employed.

` In this instance, the ,armature (52' electronmgnet 2l is normally held in the position as shown by the spring 63, so that the catch will engage and elevate thc lever 86, which is normally moved to the dotted line position by the spring` 87. This lever 86 is oper-ably connected to the lever 64 ot the valve G5. so that when the electromagnet il is energized, the lever 8G will be released and the valve (35 will be opened to operate the pistons 7() and 76. The handle SS is connected to the lever 86, so that the engineman may grasp the saine and hold the lever S6 elevated so that should the electro magnet 24 become deiinergized, itis apparent that the valve (35 will remain inoperative, thus permitting the engineman to enter the prohibited zone. l f

Although no audible or visual signal means has been shown in the present apparatus as connected to the train carried core ot' the V103 and the raily section 3b.

struction, it is apparent 'that whistles, bells, and other signaling means as lamps or indicators may be provided, to indicate to the engineman the condition arising, such as caution or danger or thc breakage ol any of the circuits which would cause, an emergency or danger inieration4 of the device.

lt is also apparent with the present apparatus. that trallic in both directions may be controlled. on a single track railway or that the saine may he applied only to traiiic in one direction.

As illustrated in Fig. S, the present apparatus including` the rail sections 3 and 3 are, shown in operative connection with a block signaling electrical system, which includes' the battery S9, the conductor 91, the

rail 92, the conductor 93, the semaphore controlling,r system electromagnet 95, the conductor 9G, the .rail 9T, and the conductor 9 0. There are disposed for operation with the electromagnet 95,' the two armatures 97 and 98, the armature 97 being the usual armature for controlling the semaphore' mechanism (not shown), while the armature 98 controls the circuit to connect or disconnect the resistance 102 from the line, such resistance being similar to the resistance 9 heretoiorc described: Thus under normal conditions, with no train upon the rails 92 and 97, the -electromagnet 95 Will be energized,

attracting the armature 98 so that the following apparatus will be connected to the rail sections 25 and 3b:-the conductor 99, the armature 98, the contact 100, the conductor 101, the resistance 102, the conductor The contact 100 and the conductor 99 are both permanently c`onnected to the armature 98. l

W hen a train is upon the rails 92 and 97, and the battery 89 is short circuited, the electromaffnet- 95 becomes denergized, re leasing the armatures 98 and 97 under the influence of the spring 94e, so that the resistance 102 is cut out from the connection withthe rails 3 and 3b, and the same condition would arise as heretofore recited in connection with the train T in block C. Thus instead of the resistance being con nected to the rail sections 3a and 3, the armature 98 will engage the contact 104:, and cut out the resistance 102 by connecting the conductor 1.05 to the conductor 103 beyond the resistance 102.

Thus With this construction, the semaphore circuit is not interferred with, yet a train within the block will produce the dan-Y ger condition to operate the piston 51 or pistons and 7G as heretofore set forth.

What is claimed is 1. ln a train `control system, the combination with a partial track circuitY including a pair ot' insulated traffic rails, a resistance between the rails, and a sub-rail connected to one trafc rail; of a normally closed tram carried circuit including a normally closed switch and a normally energized device for holding a ltrain stopping means in inoperative position; and a partial train carried circuit coperable with the partial 'track circuit and including a contact member at one end copcrable with the sub-rail, an electrically operated device. included in the partial train carried circuit for closing the circuit through the normally energized device whenthe normally closed switch is opened, and an electrically operated device for actuating a train stopping means and arranged to be operated only when the said resistance is cut out from the partial track circuit; the normally closed switch being operatively connected to the contact member whereby when the Contact member engages the sub-rail, the normally closed switclLwill vbe opened; and means for electrically connecting the other end of the partial train carried circuit and-the othertrailic rail.

2. In a train control system, the combination with a partial track circuit including a pair of insulated traffic rails, a resistance between the trailic rails, and a pair of subrails connected to the respective tral'hc rails; ot a normally closed train carried circuit including a pair ot' normally closed switches `and a7 normally energized device for holding.;` a train stopping means in inoperative pos-ition: and a partial train carried circuit copcrable with the partial track circuit and including a pair of contact members cooperahle' with the respective sub-rails, an electrically operated device included in the partial train carried circuit and operable to close the circuit through the normally energized device when the normally closed switches are opened. and an electrically operated device for actuating a train stopping means and arranged to be operated only when the said resistance is cut out from the partial track circuit; the normally closed switches beingoperatively connected to the contact members inorder that the normally closed switches will be opened when the contact members engage the sub-rails.

3. ln a train control system, the combination with a partial track circuit including a pair of insulated traflic rails, a resistance between the trallic rails, two sub-rails one of which is connected to one traffic rail., and a `resistance between the sub-rails; of a nornormally closed switch is opened, a second electrically operated device for operating a caution train stopping means when the first train stopping means when beth resistances vare cut out; the normally closed. switch being operatively connected to the contact member so that the normally closed switch is opened when the contact member* engages the .sub-rails; and means for electrically connecting' thefother end of the partial train carried circuit and the other traiic rail.

4. In a train control system, the combination with a partial track circuit including) a pair of insulated traic rails, a resistance e tween the traffic rails, two pairs of sub-rails, the subrails of one pair being connected to the respective traiflc rails, a resistance between one of the said sub-rails and one of the sub-rails of lthe other pair, and a connection between the other sub-rails of the two pairs ;,of a normally closed train carried circuit including a pair of normally closed switches and a, normally energized device for holding a train stopping means in inoperated device for operating a caution trainstopping means when the first mentioned resistance is cut out of the. partial track circuit, and a third velectrically operated device for operating an emergency train stop'- ping means when both resistances are cut out.; the normally closed switches being operatively connected to the contact members, whereby the said switches will be opened When the contact members engage the subrai s.-

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTONIO CASALE. I/Vitnesses: f

' Ivi' It. SIMPSON,

PHILQMENA A. ROCKELLI.

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