US1344699A - Relay - Google Patents

Description

R. C. LEAKE.

RELAY. l APPucAHoN man APR.25. 1918.`

R. C. LEAKE.

RELAY.

` AvvucAnoN-men APR.25. 191B.

Patented June 29, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

...u j a l-- ma WJ .N OA| d j /f/m a/f T1-- l h Z L n .n.lmxV 2 1 I -------itil w l 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD C. LEAKE, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RELAY.

Application filed April 25,

To all fav/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD C. LEAKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Relay, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to relays, and par` ticularly to relays of the polarized type used in vrailway signaling systems.

In railway signaling systems there are many instances where it is desirable to transmit from one point to a distant point three different and distinctive indications. For example, in interlocking systems, it is desirable to indicate whether the switch points of a switch are in the normal position, or in the reversek position, or in some intermediate position. In transmitting these three different indications electrically there are certain well known advantages in using a so called polarized circuit, that is, a circuit in which the polarity of the curV rent liowing as well as the making and breaking of the circuit is used to distinguish between the indications. Among other things, such polarized circuits have the advantage that improper breaking and crossings of the wires will not cause a false operation to occur, except in very remote instances, which are very unlikely to occur. ln constructing electromagnetic devices or relays for use in connection with such polarized circuits, it is found that the tractive type has valuable features, of simplicity,- cheapness of construction, and economy in operation; but such polarized relays as at present constructed are not readily adapted to control groups of a number of circuits, since the polarized armature cannot readily be provided with the necessary number of contact fingers needed to control such number of circuits.

Tit-h these considerations in view, one of the principal objects of this invention is to.

devise a polarized direct current/relay of the tractive type which will respond to the polarity of current supplied to it as well. as to the presence or absence of such current, and which can be used to control selectively different groups of a number of circuits.

A. further object of this invention is to provide a relay of the tractive type which will control one group of circuits when energized by direct current of a certain po- Speciiication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

191s. serial No, 230,675.

larity, a different group of circuits when energized by directv current of an opposite polarity, and which will not control either of said groups when current is cut off.

A further object of my invention is to design and construct a direct current polarized relay which 4will have the desired capacity for controlling circuits and which which like reference characters refer to cor-pV responding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view showing the under side of a relay embodying my invention, the base portion of the casing being omitted in order that the operating parts of the relay may be clearly shown;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the relay, showing yin elevation the polary armature and other operating parts of the relay;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the polar armature, its coperating pole pieces and contacts controlled thereby;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, showing in perspective the operating parts of the relay, and also the circuits for controlling the operation of the same; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified construction of the permanent magnets of the polar armature.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the preferred form of my invention illustrated comprises two separate pairs of coils D and E arranged side by side. Each pair of relay coils is provided with the usual back strap 2 and cores 3 and 4, which are Jfastened t0 a common coil support 5 secured to a top plate 6 of a relay casing, best shown in Fig. 2. The casing com# prises a base plate 7, the carrying or top plate 6, and glass walls or sidesv8. These glass wallsS consist ot separate plates of glass he.1 d together at the corners by spring clips 9, as shown in Fig'. l. The glass walls 8 are seated within flanges on the plates n and 7, which are clamped together by screws l0; and with gaskets` 1l between the walls 8 and top and bottom plates 6 and 7 respectively, the housing 'forms a damp proof chamber for the working parts of the relay.

An armature l2 is provided for each pair of coils l) and l; and is pivotally secured to lugs 13 integral with the coil support 5. Carried by but insulated trom the armatures l2 are contact fingers lil, which are provided at one end with a pair oil'A resilient contact pieces 'l5 and i6. These contact pieces 1.5 and 1G are adapted to cooperate with ,Fixed back contacts and front contacts F, respectively. The opposite ends of the contact lingers le are electrically connected by flexible connections 17 to binding posts A, which are secured to and insulated from the carrying plate 6. The front and back contacts F and B are secured to and insulated from the carrying plate G in, a manner well known to those skilled in the art of relay construction, and since this construction is fully shown in Fig. 2 et the drawings, further detailed description is unnecessary. The contacts of the relay may be arranged in groups et any desired number of contacts, and may be either front or back contacts, or both, as required.

Pivotally supported between the two pairs oli coils D and l is a polar armature l which is adapted to cooperate with a. pole piece ot each ot said pairs ot coils, in a manner hereinafter more fully described. Referring to Figs l, 2 and 3, the polar armature P as shown comprises a nonmagnetic arm 1S pivotally mounted at the to) and bottom on the pivot pins 19 and 20, so to rock on a vertical axis. The pivot pin l() is secured in the upper side of the arm i8 and is iournaled in a screw 2l which is threaded in the coil support 5; and the pivot pin 2O is secured in the bottom side oi" the arm 1S and is adapted to rest in a non-magnetic bearing plate 22 which is secured at its ends in recesses formed in the bottom iaces ot the pole pieces 4l and 3loi' the coils D and E, respectively, as shown in Fig. l. lPermanent magnets 23 and Q/i are secured to opposite sides oi the arm 18 in any suitable manner, as by a bolt ln the particular construction shown, these permanent magnets are U-shaped; the inner sides ot the legs div ge, making the space between the legs slightly farther apart 'than the thickness of the pole pieces, to permit a limited rotation ot the polar armature in a horizontal plane. lt is not intended, howev r, vto limit this invention to any particular construction ci permanent magnets, as it is appreciated that other constructions may be used. For example, the right hand. legs of the permanent magnets 23 and 24, as viewed in Fig. 3, could be vmade one permanent magiiet, and thev left hand legs ol these magnets as another permanent magnet, with a suitable connection between them, as shown in Fig'. idurch a modified construction has the advantage that the combined force tending to rotate the polar armature on its axis would be the same, regardless ot which oi' the pole pieces was encrgized to produce the required selection, ven though the magnetization oli the permanent magnets should not be exactly the saine.

The arm 18 carries at one end an insulating block QG which is secured thereto in any convenient manner, as by a bolt 3l; andv to this block 26 a contact support 2T is 'fastened by screws 32, best shown in F l. The contact support 27 carries resilient contact members 33 and 34: which are adapted to make Contact, in the different positions ot the polar armature, with fixed contact posts G and H, respectively. The arm 18 also carries at its opposite end a counterweight 3G which is secured thereto in any convenient manner, as by rivets, and which is of suti'icient weight to counterlnilance the contact members on the opposite end ot the arm l?) and to keep the armature balanced on its pivot points. The contact support 27 is electrically connected by a 'flexible connection 30 to a binding post J which is secured to and insulated from the carrying plate 6.

The coils D and E are so wound, and the legs oi" the cooperating permanent magnets are so magnetized, that when current oit a certain polarity is caused to flow through either pair of coils, the cooperating permanent magnet will be attracted in one direction, thus causing the polar armature to be rotated on its axis in a corresponding direction; and when current of an opposite polarity is caused to flow through the same pair of coils, the permanent magnet will be attracted in an opposite direction, causing the polar armature to rotate correspondingly.

The other electrical connections between the coils and contacts are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, but since the various circuits will be traced hereinafter in the description of the operation, these farious wires and connections will not be described in detail. The polarity and continuity of the circuit controlling the polarized relay embodying this invention may be governed in various ways, but for simplicity a simple pole changing switch S is illustrated in Fig. 4, it being understood that this switch is illustrative olI any suitable circuit controlling device operated manually or automatically.

Operation: Referring to Fig. li, a pole ioo f changing switch Sis shown in its middle or' neutral position, so that all current is cut off from the coils of the relay; and consequently the neutral armatures12 and 121 are both in the lowerv or denergized position. The polar armature P is assumed to have been left in its righthand position, as shown, by a previous operation of the relay. Vith the parts in the positions shown, when the pole changing switch S is moved to its lefthand position, there is established a circuit for 4energizing the coils E which may be traced as follows: commencing at the side of the battery K marked plus, wires 37 and 38, switch S, wire 39, contact member 27 of the polar armature, wire 40, coils E, wires 41fand 42, switch S, and wire 43 to thefother Side of battery K.

Assume that the direction of the flow of current in the circuit just traced is such as to cause the pole piece 31 to become a south pole (as indicated by the full-face letter S in Fig. 3), and that the front leg of the permanent magnet 24 is a north pole, as indicated in Fig. 3, then this leg is attracted by the pole piece y31, and consequently the polar armature will remain in its righthand position, as shown in the drawing. The neutral armature 121,y however, is picked up and will remain, picked up as long as the switch S remains in its lefthand position and current flows. Y

Vhen the pole changing switch S is moved to its righthand position, the circuit just traced is interrupted and a circuit of opposite polarity is established which may be traced as follows: commencing at the side of the battery K marked minus, wire 43, switch S, wire 39, contact member 27 on the polarized armature, wire '40, coils E, wires 4l and 42, switch S, and wires 44 and 37 tothe' other side of the battery K.

The circuit just traced causes the coils E to be againl energized, but the current flowing is of an opposite polarity. Consequently, the pole piece 31 will now be a north pole instead of a south pole (as indicated by the dotted letter N in Fig. 3), with the result that the back leg of the permanent magnet 24, as viewed in Fig. 4, will be attracted to it, causing the polar armature P to be rotated to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby interrupting the circuit just traced at the Contact member 27. The polar armature P will respond much quicker to the action of current than the neutral armature 121; and' therefore, although the coils E are energized by the circuit last traced, ythe circuit will be interrupted by the movement of the polar armature P before the neutral armature 121 can pick up.

The shifting of the polar armature P to the left establishes a circuitv which will energize the Vcoils: D and cause the armature V12 to pick up. Said circuit ymay be traced as follows: commencing at the side of battery through them in the circuit last traced causesA the pole piece 4 to become a south pole (as indicatedk by the dotted letter S in Fig. 3),

then if the front leg of the permanent magnet 23, as viewed in Fig. 4, is a north pole it will be attracted by the pole piece 4 and consequently the polar armature P will be held in its moved position as long the pole piece 4 remains a south pole.

When the pole changing switch S is again moved to its lefthand position the circuit last traced for energizing the coils D is interrupted and the armature 12 dropped; a new circuit of opposite polarity is established, however, which may be traced as follows: commencing at the side of battery K marked plus, wires 37 and 38, switch S,

wire 39, contact' member 27 on the polarl armature, wire 45, coils D, wires 46 and 42, switch S, and wire 43 to the other side of battery K.

The change in the direction of the flow of current in the circuit just traced will cause the pole piece 4 to change from a south pole to a north pole, thus causing the back leg of the permanent magnet 23, as viewed in Fig. 4, to be attracted to it. This action of the permanent magnet 23 causes the polar armature P to rotate to the right thereby reestablishing the circuit irsttraced, for holding the polar armature in its righthand position and for picking up the neutral armature 121.

From the above description of the cycle of operations of a relay embodying. my invention, it can be seen that the relay rresponds to three distinct conditions of current, namely, if current is supplied of one polarity, the armature 12 will be picked up; if current of an opposite polarity is supplied the armature 121 will be picked up; and if current is entirely cut off from the relay, bothv of these armatures will be dropped. The relay, therefore, may be termed a three condition device, and it will be obvious that with a device of this type, constructed and arranged as herein shown and described, diiferent groups of circuits may be selectively controlled through a sin-` circuit can be established only when the proper neutral armature is up and the other down.

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

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

l. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils, each having a neutral armature, oi' means adapted to respond to the polarity of current flowing in said. coils, 'for selectively determining which neutral armature will be attracted, and circuit controlling means operated by said neutral armatures.

2. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils each having a separately movable neutral armature, of circuit controlling means operated by each armature, and means including movable permanent magnets responsive to the flux produced by current in either of said coils ttor selectively determining which neutral armature will be attracted.

3. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils each having a neutral armature, of a polarized armature magnetically associated with said coils and adapted to respond to the polarity of current flowing in either pair, circuits for said pairs of coils, and means for controlling said circuits selectively in accordance with the position of said polarized armature.

el. In a polarized relay, the combination with two separate pairs of coils each having a separately movable neutral armature, of a polarized armature associated with the pole pieces of each pair ot coils and adapted to respond to the polarity of current flowing in either pair, circuit connections for energizing each pair of coils, means controlled by the polarized armature for selectively governing said circuit connections, and circuit controlling means operated. by each neutral armature.

5. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils, each having a ncutral armature, of circuit controlling means operated by each armature, an energizing circuit for each pair of coils, and means responsive to the polarity of current flowing in either pair of coils for selectively controlling said energizing circuits, whereby current of one polarity will cause one neutral armature to pick up, current of the opposite polarity will cause the other neutral armature to pick up, and a cessation of current 'will cause both neutral armatures to drop.

6. A polarized relay comprising two pairs ol' coils, a movable neutral armature governed separately by each pair of coils, a polarized armature disposed in position to be attracted by either of said pairs of coils in accordance with the polarity of the eurrentflowing, and means governed by said polarized armature for selectively controlling the flow of current through said pairs of coils.

7. A relay of the tractive type responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence or absence of its energizing current, comprising in combination, two neutral relays having separately movable armatures and a common polarized armature, and means controlled by the polar armature for selectively determining which neutral armature shall be attracted, whereby one or the other of the neutral armatures will be individually picked up according to the polarity of the energizing current, and both neutral armatures will drop upon cessation of the energizing current.

8. A relay of the traetive type responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence or absence of its energizing current, comprising in combination', two neutral relays having separately movable armatures and a common polarized armature, and circuit controlling means operated by the polarized armature for selectively controlling the energizing circuits of the neutral relays, whereby one or the other of the neutral armatures will be individually picked up aecoi'ding to the polarity of the energizing current, and both neutral armatures will drop upon cessation of the energizing current.

9. A relay responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence or absence of energizing current, comprising, two biased neutral armatures each provided with circuit controlling contacts, coils for attracting said armatures independently, separate energizing circuits for said coils, and a deadbeat polarized armature responsive to the polarity of current in either' circuit for selectively controlling said circuits, whereby one or the other ot' the neutral armatures will be individually picked up according to the polarity oi the energizing current, and both neutral armatures will drop upon cessation of the energizing current.

l0. A polarized relay comprising two separately movable biased neutral armatures, coils for attracting said armatures separately, and means includingr two permanent magnets responsive to the flux produced by said coils for selectively controlling the energizing circuits of said coils.

11. An electromagnetic device responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence or absence of energizing current, comprising two biased neutral armatures each provided with a plurality of contact ngers, coils for operating said armatures separately, and means includingy a polarized armature under the influence of said coils for causing said neutral armatures to alternately pick up and drop away according to .the polarity of the energizing current for said device, both armatures dropping upon cessation of said energizing current.

12. A unitary electromagnetic device responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence 0r absence of energizing current,

comprising two neutral relays supported side by side on a common supporting panel. and each provided with a neutral armature carrying a plurality of Contact fingers, a polarized armature common `to the two relays and including two permanent magnets co-acting with the adjacent pole pieces of said relays, said permanent magnets presenting opposite poles to the corresponding pole pieces, and circuit controlling means operated by the polar armature for selectively controlling the energizing circuits of said relays.

RICHARD o. LEAKE.

Images