US1263541A

US1263541A - Automatic train-control system.

Info

Publication number: US1263541A
Application number: US8837016A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles F Estwick
Original assignee: General Railway Signal Co
Current assignee: SPX Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1916-04-01
Filing date: 1916-04-01
Publication date: 1918-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1935-04-23

Description

C. F. ESTWICK.

A UTOMATIGTRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM. 7

APPLICATION FILED APR- 1. 1916.

- mmmm Patented Api 23, 1918.

. V\ w R w h m 2 9% m F V.@ w 1 M w ww in n CHARLES E. ESTWICK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, 015 GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ll, CHARLEs F. EsTWIoK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Control Systems, of which the following is a specification. This invention relatesto systems for automatically' controlling railway trafiic, and more particularly to such systems in which the movements of trains are automatically controlled according to traffic conditions by suitable train control apparatus carried by the train and responsive to the operation of a control relay, said control relay being automaticallyenergized or denergized at certain control points along the track in accordance withtraflic conditions, and in which the necessary communication between the track and the train is preferably accomplished by means of the cooperation of contact shoes on the train with contact rails located at said control points.

When provision is made for automatically controlling railway trains, it isdesirable to include in the same train two or more cars each equipped with automatic train control apparatus and each capable of controlling the movement of the train as a whole, it being apparent that when anyone of several train control apparatus is capable of controlling the movement of the train as a whole the failure of one or more of these apparatus does not deprive the train entirely of its protection. The cars which are so equipped with the train control apparatus may be locomotives, mot-or cars, or other cars in the train; but hereinafter in the de scription of this invention it will be assumed that the train is of the electrically operated type commonly used on elevated railroads and on subways. The train for this class of traiiic ordinarily comprises a number of electrically operated cars, commonly termed motor cars, either with or without additional cars which are not electrically operated. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to, this type of train, and may be used in connection with trains drawn by steam locomotives, or with trains Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1,

Patented Apr. as, rare. 1916. Serial No. 88,370.

moved by other types of locomotives to v\ hich this invention may be advantageously applied.

Where the train includes a number of cars each equipped with a train control apparatus, it is desirable, in order that the movement of the train as a whole may not be unnecessarily delayed, to make provision whereby the train control apparatus on the several cars of the train may be controlled v simultaneously or at least simultaneously released. This simultaneous control may be readily obtained by using some form of connection between the several cars of the train so equipped; and according to the system to which it is contemplated that this invention is particularly applicable, this connection is made electrically by means of a continuous conductor or bus line extending between these several cars. As indicated above, it is contemplated that the train control apparatus on the several cars is governed by control relays on said cars; and in the particular arrangement contemplated, each of these.

a system such as outlined above, difiiculties a re encountered where a train is lon ,er than a block, or longer than the distance etween two successive ramps or contact rails, so that the contact shoes of two separate cars may at the same time come into contact with two separate ramps, for the reason that the partial circuits along the track associated with said ramps include sources of current of different voltage, and inthis way circuits are set up which permit an excessive and improper flow of current.

One of the objects of this invention is to devise a system for automatically controlling railway trains of substantially the character specified in which a number of cars, each equipped with automatic train control apparatus, may be included in the same train and in which the control relays and train control apparatus on these several cars may be simultaneously governed efliciently and reliably regardless of the number of these cars included in the train, or their position in the train, or of the length of the blocks, or of the length of the train.

Other objects and advantages williappear as the description of the invention progrosses and'the nov el'features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended felaims. i

In general the invention consists in the parts, and in the controlling circuits therefor, and in the arrangements and combinations of parts, which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which isillustrated the preferred physical embodiment of the invention, and in which the single figure is a diagrammatic View of a railway train and a track therefor and shows the parts of an automatic train control system of the type to which the invention is particularly pplicable, to gether with the parts and controlling cir; cuits embodying the preferre orm of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, one rail 1 of the track is electrically continuous, the separate rail sections thereof being suitably bonded together; and the other track rail 2 is divided into electrically isolated blocks by insulating joints 3, there being illustrated in the drawing one complete block designated B and the ends of the two adjacent blocks designated A and The blocks A, B and C may be of any suitable lcngth necessary to obtain the desired spacing of the trains; but. in practice these blocks will vary in length and in some cases there may be a blockwhich is shorter than the length of the train.

The parts and electrical connections associated with each block are the same, and these parts and connections for the block C will be given the same reference characters as the corresponding parts and connections associated with the block B, with the distinctive exponent 1 added thereto. The normal direction of trallic is indicated by the arrow marked Traflic.

Associated with each block and located preferably at the entrance end thereof is a ramp It of suitable construction. The current for the circuits along the track is preferably supplied from an alternating current generator 4 along

line wires

5 and 6; and located adjacent to the entrance of each block is a transformer 7 the primary of which is connected by conductors S and 9 to said

line wir s

5 and 6. At one end of each block, preferabl; he exit end, a portion 10 of the secondary of the correspondmg transformer 7 is connected by conductors 11 and 12 across the track rails l and 2; and at the other, or entrance end, of each block a track relay 13 of suitable construction is connected by conductors l-l and 15 across the track rails 1 and 2, said track relay 13 being responsive to alternating current and having two armatures l6 and 17. The difference of potential between each ramp R and the track rail 1 hereinbefore referred to, is derived from a portion 18 of the secondary of the corresponding transformer 7; and one terminal of this secondary portion 18 is connected by a conductor 19 to the track rail 1, this secondary port ion 18 being provided with

taps

20 and 21 by means of which suitable voltages necessary for the proper operation of the system may be obtained.

The conductors and electrical connections between the different parts of the system located along the track will not be described in detail since these electrical connections, together with the operating circuits necessary for the clear understanding of this invention, will be fully described hereinafter in the description of the operation.

In the diagrammatic illustration shown in the accompanying drawing, two motor cars are shown,'one at the head end of a train and the other at or near the rear end of said train; but it is to be understood that several motor cars may be included between those shown in the drawing, and also the motor cars shown may be preceded or followed by others. The front motor car is illustrated diagrammatically as comprising a pair of wheels 22-22 connected by the usual axle 23, and the rear motor car is illustrated as comprising a pair of wheels 2424 connected by an axle 25; and the axles 23 and 25 are shown connected by a bar 26 which is intended to repre nt the frames of these motor cars and the intermediate cars. The train control apparatus and electrical connections associated with each motor car is constructed the same, and a description of one will sutliee for both, the parts and connections for the front motor car being given the same reference characters as the corresponding parts of the rear motor car, with the exponent 1 added thereto.

Each motorcar is equipped with a contact shoe of suitable construction which is shown diagrammatically as consisting of a vertically movable plunger 28 supported in a bracket 27, assumed to he of insulated material and supported by a journal box of the corresponding motor car. The shoe or plunger 28 is pressed downwardly by a compression spring 29 interposed between a collar fixed to said shoe and the under face of the bracket 27 and secured to the upper The rod 30 is made larger than the'shoe 28 to form a shoulder adapted to strike the upper face of the bracket 27 and limit the downward movement of said shoe. The shoes 28 are arranged in the same plane as the ramps R, and as each,motor car passes a ramp, the shoe 28 carried thereby 1s ralsed to the position shown in the drawing.

The automatic control of the train is obtained by. the operation of a suitable train control apparatus which is illustrated conventionally inthe drawing and designated -K. This apparatus K may be of any suit able construction, and since its particular construction. forms no part of this invention, and since various devices Well known in the art possess its necessary functions and characteristics, the construction of the apparatus K is not illustrated and de scribed in detail.

upon the whole train immediately upon its operation, or after a certain interval; and in some cases the operation of the apparatus K may be made dependent in some appropriate manner upon the speed of the train, or upon the combined speed of the train and its distance from a certain point. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the ap paratusK is assumed to be-constructed so that it will be set into operation when the electric current normally supplied to it is cut off, and that the apparatus K will be restored to its idle condition when the current is re-applied to it. The apparatus K is controlled by a control relay 33 having two armatures 34 and 35; and when the control. relay 33 1s energlzed and its armature 35- is in its upper position, current is supplied from a battery 36 to the apparatus K along a circuit which can be easily traced in the drawing. When the contact shoe 28 is not in engagement with a ramp and is in its lower position, and when the control relay 33 is energized, said. control relay 33 is maintained energized by current derived from a local source of current on the motor car, such as a battery 37, along a circuit which may be traced as follows:

Circuit member one.

Commencing at the battery 37, conductor 38, control relay 33,

conductors

39 and 40, armature 34 of the control relay 33 in its upper position, conductor 41, contact finger 3:2 of the shoe 28 in its lower or closed position, and

conductors

42 and 43, back to the battery 37.

The control relay 33 is also governed by The apparatus K may be so constructed so as to apply the brakes tilt another relay 44, and is supplied with current from the battery 37 when said other relay 44 is energized along a circuit which may be traced as folloyvs:

Circuit number two.

Commencing at the battery 37, conductor 38, relay 33,

conductors

39 and 46, armature 45 of the relay 44 in its upper position, and

conductors

47 and 43, back to the battery 37. The relay 44 is connected by

conductors

48 and 49 to the secondary of a transformer T carried on the motor car; and one terminal of the primary of the said transformer is connected by a conductor 51 to a continuous conductor or bus line 50 extending between the several motor cars included in the train, the other terminal of the primary of said transformer being connected by a conductor 52 to the frame or wheels of the correspond ing motor car. 1

Associated with each motor car is a pair of cooperating contacts designated 60, and. these contacts 60 are preferably operatively connected to the master controller or other device used. for controlling the movements of the train in a suitable manner, Which Will vary according to the particular type of controller used, so that this pair of contacts will .be closed when the motorman applies his handle to this controller or makes such other preparations as are necessary to enable him to run the train from this motorcar. Ordinarily, a train is controlled from the front motor car, and from this motor car only, so that in practice the pair of contacts 60 on the front motorcar will be closed, While the similar pairs of contacts on the other motor cars of the train will be open.

In general the operation of the automatic train control system is substantially the 1915;v and. only as much. of the description andsame as that shown and described in the the block B n0r the block is occupied by another train. Under these conditions when the contact shoe 28 of the front motor car of the train engages the ramp B, it is raised,

and contact finger 32 interrupts the circuit through the control relay 33 analogous to the circuit number one hereinbefore traced, In this way, each time a motor car passes a ramp, the current normally supplied to the control relay 33 on that motor car is cut off and unless a substitute. current is supplied to said control relay along some other cireuit, the armatures of said control relay will drop 'and set the apparatus K into operation. This substitute current is supplied along a circuit analogous to circuit number two by ener'gizin the relay 44 Before the front pair of W eels 22-22 of the train actually enters the block B, a difference of potential, derived from the secondary portion 18 of the transformer 7, will be applied across the bus line 50 on the train and the track rail 1 according to a circuit which may be traced as follows:

Commencing at the track rail 1, conductor 19, secondary portion 18 of the transformer 7 tap '21, conductor 53, armature 16 of the track relay 13 in its upper position, conductor 54, ramp R, contact shoe 28 conductor 55 contact finger 31 in its upper position, conductor 56 contacts 60 and coliductor 57 This difference of potential established by the last traced circuit causes current to flow through the primary of the transformer '1 oneach of the motor cars of'the train along

conductors

51 and 52, as is obvious; and the current induced in the secondary of each transformer energizes the corresponding rclay 44 and causes the closing of circuit number two.

After the first pair of wheels 22 of the train actually enters the block B, the track relay 13 is denergized andthe ramp R instead of being connected to the secondary of the transformer 7 is connected by conductor 54, armature 16 of track relay 13 in its lower position, conductor 59, armature 17 of the track relay 13 in its upper positionan'd cond .ctor 61 to the tap 20 of the secondary portion 18 of the transformer 7 providing the block C is not occupied by another train. In case the block C is occupied at the time the first mentioned train enter the block B, the armature 17 of the track relay 13 will be in its lower position, thereby disconnecting the ramp R- from the secondaries of both of the

transformers

7 and 7 In the first case, when the block 0 is not occupied, current isdirectly supplied to the relays H on the several motor cars of the trains, and

these relays are so designed that if their armatures 45 are in their upper position at this time, they will remain in their upper position, thereby maintaining the circuit number two and keeping the control relays 33 energized until the entire train has passed the ramp R. On the other hand, if the block C is occupied at the time the train en- 'ters the block B, the relays 41 on the several motor cars of the train will be deenergized, and sine, the circuit number one associated with each control relay 33 is interrupted while the corresponding motor car passes the ramp R, these control relays 33 will be denergized in succession so as to set the apparatus K into operation on the several motor cars successively. In this connection it is noted that the train control apparatus K on each of the motor cars is preferably made effective to control the movement of the train as a whole, and it is preferable to have all of these train control apparatus capable of acting so as to obtain the benefit of the operation of the several train control appar'atus- To explain the features and characteristics of this invention, assume that the block B is shorter than the train under consideration, and assume'that two motor cars' of this train occupy substantially the position shown in the drawing, that is. the contact shoe of the front motor car being in contact with the ramp ll and the contact shoe of the other motor car being in contact with the ramp R. Disregarding for the moment the improvement embodying this invention and assuming that the bus line 50 is directly connected to the contact shoes '28 of the motor cars, it can be seen that under these conditions a portion of the secondary of the transformer 7 is closed upon itself through a path of comparatively low resistance as follows: commencing at the tap 21 of said secondary, conductor 53 armature 16 of the track relay 13 in its upper position, conductor 51, ramp R shoe 28 bus line 50, shoe 28. ramp R, conductor 54, armature 16 of track relay 13 in its lower position, conductor 59, armature 17 of track relay 13 and conductor 61 to tap 20 of said secondary. It is undesirable to have this path for current set up because of the excessive flow of current which may damage the conductors and transformer, and also because of the effect produced on the proper operation of the relays 11; and an important feature of this invention is that such a path is not established.

Referring now to the improvement embodying this invention, it can be seen that the front contact shoe 28 is connected by conductor 55 contact finger 31 in its upper position, conductor 56 contact 60 and conductor 57 to the bus line 50. On the contrary, the other contact shoe 28 is not connected to the bus line 50, since the contacts 60 on this motorcar are open, and since the conductor 62 is disconnected from the conductor 56 by reason of the fact that the contact finger 31 is in its upper position. In the same way the contact shoes of the motor cars between the motor cars shown and of the motor cars in the rear are all disconnected from the bus line 50; and any curfinger '31 of said contact shoe returns to its lower position thereby connecting the bus line 50 along conductors 62 and 56 to the contact finger 31 of the contact shoe of the neXt motor car in the rear; and since the contact shoe of this next motor car in the rear is in contact with the ramp R the bus line is connected to said contact shoe. The contact finger 32 of this next motor car in the rear, now opposite the ramp R being in its upper position, the contact shoes of all of the motor cars in the rear of said. motor car are disconnected-froin the bus line 50.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that the contact shoe of each motor car is connected to the bus line 50 by means of conductors 56 and 62 extending to Contact shoe of the next motor car in advance, and so on, to the front motor car of the train. It is also apparent that as each contact shoe is operated it disconnects all of the contact shoes in the rear of it from the bus line. In short, each contact shoe as it engages a ramp, disconnects or renders inefl'cctive all the con tact shoes of the train in the rear of it so that regardless oi th length of the train. the. length of the blocks, or the number of diflerent contact shoes in contact with the different ramps at the same time, only the foremost contact shoe of the train. which is in ei'igagement with a ramp, is effective to control the movement of the train.

Although I have particularly described the construction. of one physical embodin'ieut of my invention, and explained the operation and principle thereof; nevertheless, I. desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

- What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

'1. In a system for automatically protecting railway tratfic, in combination: a train including a number of vehicles; trallic pro- ,tccting apparatus carried by each vehicle;

means for simultaneously governing said apparatus on the several vehicles; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle for governing said means; and means controlled by each contact shoe and eli'ective when it operated for rendering the contact shoes of the Vehicles in the rear thereof inefi'cctivc to control said. first mentioned means.

2. in a system for automatically protecting railway tratlic, in combination: a train inchiding a number of Vehicles; a bus line. extending between said vehicles; a partial circuit on each vehicle terminating at said bus line; traific protecting apparatus on each vehicle governed by the correspmiding partial circuit; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle; a second normally continuous bus line extendingbetween said contact shoes;

a connection. between said first bus line and said second bus line near the front end of the train; and means governed by each contact shoe for interrupting said second bus line at that contact shoe and for simultaneously connecting that contact shoe electrically to the portion of said second .bus line extending towaldthe front end of the train.

3. In a system for automatically protecting railway traiiic, in combination: a track; a train adapted to travel over said track and including a number of vehicles; trafiie protecting apparatus on each vehicle; a. bus line extending between said vehicles; a partial circuit on each vehicle terminating at said bus line andat the wheels of said vehic'le for governing the corresponding traiiic protecting apparatus; a contact shoe carried on each vehicle; means for connecting each contact shoe to said bus line which is dependent upon the contact shoes ahead of that contact shoe being in their normal position; and means along the track for establishing a di'tlerence of potential between a track rail and said contact shoes successively as they pass a predetermined point along said track.

l. in a system to" automatically protect ing railway trallic, in combination: a train n luding a number of vehicles: traliic prote'cting apparatus carried by each vehicle; a relay carried by each ve icle for controlling said apparatus which is responsive to alte ating current; means for simultaneously governing said relays; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle for governing said means; and means controlled by each contact shoe and effective when it is operated for rendering the contact shoes of the vehicles in the rear thereof ineffective to control said first mentioned means.

5. In a system for automatically protecting railway traflic, in combination: a train including a number of vehicles; a bus line extending between said vehicles; a partial circuit on each vehicle terminating at said bus line; tra'liie protecting apparatus On each vehicle governed by the corresponding partial circuit; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle; a second normally continuous bus line extending between said contact shoes; a connection between said first bus line and said second bus line near the front of each vehicle; circuit controlling means included in each of said connections for governing the movements of said train; and means governed by each contact shoe for interrupting said second bus line at that contact shoe and for simultaneously connecting that shoe electrically to the portion of said second bus line extending toward the front end of the train.

6. Tu a system for automatically protecting railway trallic, in combination: a track divided into track circuit bloc ts; a train adapted to travel over said track and lIlClllCl-r ing a number of vehicles; traffic protecting apparatus on said vehicles; a bus line extending between said vehicles; a partial circuit on each vehicle terminating at said bus line and at the Wheels of said vehicles for governing the trafiic protecting apparatus; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle for establishing electrical communication between the vehicle and the track; contact rails associated with each block and arranged in position to be engaged by said shoe; partial circuits along the track terminating at saidcontact rails and said track rails; said partial circuits including sources of current of difierent voltages and being governed by the track circuit section of the corresponding block; and means for connecting each contact shoe to said bus line which is dependent upon the contact shoes ahead of that contact shoe being in their normal position.

7. In a system for automatically protectin railway trafiic, in combination: a track divided into track circuit blocksg-a train including a number of vehicles adapted to travel oversaid track; a relay carried by each vehicle; means for simultaneously ovshoe; trafiic protecting apparatus governed by said second mentioned relay; and means controlled by each contact shoe and effective when it is operated for rendering the contact shoes of the vehicles in the rear thereof ineffective to control said first mentioned means.

8. In a system for automatically protecting railway traffic in combination: a train includin a number of vehicles; trafiic protecting'apparatus on each vehicle; means for simultaneously governing said apparatus on the several vehicles; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle for governing said means; and means controlled by each contact shoe and effective when it is operated for successively rendering the contact shoes in the rear thereof inefiective to control said first mentioned means.

9. In a system for automatically protecting railway traflic, in combination; a track divided into track circuit blocks; a train including a number of vehicles; a contact shoe carried by each vehicle; traflic protecting ap aratus carriedyby each of said vehicles an governed by the corresponding contact shoe; ramps located at intervals along the track in position to be engaged by said shoes; circuit controlling means on each of said shoes; a circuit including in series each of said circuit controlling means on the several shoes; and means included in each of said shoes and operated when said shoes successively engage said ramps for successively interrupting said circuit at that contact shoe and for simultaneously connecting that contact shoe electrically with the contact ,shoe on the first vehicle in the train.

10. A system for automatically protecting railway traflic, of the class described comprising, a means for simultaneously controlling a plurality of traffic protecting apparatus, a plurality of contact shoes carried on a plurality of moving vehicles and means controlled by each contact shoe and effective when it is operated for renderin the contact shoes of the vehicles in the rear thereof ineffective to control said first mentioned CHARLES F. ESTVVICK.

1 means.