US1567801A

US1567801A - Railway signaling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1567801A
Application number: US40255A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert M Gilson
Original assignee: Union Switch and Signal Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Rail STS USA Inc
Priority date: 1925-06-29
Filing date: 1925-06-29
Publication date: 1925-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 1942-12-29

Description

Dec. 29, 1925" 1,567,801

R. M. GILSON RAILWAY S IGNALING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1925 w; INVENTOR aka-waif M a. ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

' UNITED STATES:

1,567,801 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. GILSON, OI PITTSBURGE; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR- TO THE UNION SWITCH 8; SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVAL'E, PENNSYLVANIA, A' CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNALING ArrARATU-s.

Application filed June29, 1925. Serial No. 40,255.

To aZZ whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, Roenn'r M. GiLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsy-lvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signaling ap ar-atus.

no object of my invention is the promsion, in railway signaling apparatus of the type comprising trackway signals eachnormal'ly controlled by energy received from a main source, of means for at times supplying energy to each such signal from an auxiliary source should the main source become ineffective to supply current to the signal.

I will describe one form of railway signaling apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form ofrailway signaling apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring-to the drawing, the reference characters'l and 1? designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track over which traffic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. These'track rails are divided, by means of insulated joints 2, into a plurality of successive track sections, AB, B-O, etc.

Each track section is provided with a track relay designated by the reference char acter R with an appropriate distinguishing exponent and connected across the rails adjacent the entrance end of the corresponding section. Each track section is also pro-' vided with a source of track circuit current, such as a track battery, designated by the reference character H with a suitable ex-' ponent. Associated with each track battery is an'auxi'liary relay, here designated by the reference character K with anappropriate.

exponent. Each track battery H. is connected in series with the associated auxiliary relay K across the rails adjacent the exit end of the corresponding section. A 'limiting impedance 6 is inserted in'seriesin each traek'battery H in accordance with the usual practice. each track section is provided with a track It will therefore be plain that rent supplied by battery H is sufiicient to.

energize the track relay R but is not sufficient to energize the auxiliary relay K. When a train-enters the section, however, the

track relay R isshunted by the wheels and axles of the train and that'relay becomes deenergized. The shunting effect of the train also increases the current supplied to the rails by battery H and this increased current is sufficient to energize the auxiliary relay K. When the train moves'out of the section the track relay again-becomes energized and the decreased current through relay K allows that relay to become de-energized.

Each track section is also provided with a trackway signal designated by the reference character S with an appropriate distinguishing exponent. As here shown each signal is located adjacent the entrance end of the corresponding section and comprises two light units 26 and 27 arranged when energized to indicate proceed and stop, respectively, but this particular location and arrangement of signals is not essential to my invention.

Under normal conditions each signal S is controlled by. alternating current supplied thereto from an associated line transformer designated by the reference character T with an exponent corresponding to the location." The primary 5 of each such line transformer T is constantly supplied with alternating current from some suitable 'for this contingency each track section is equipped with an auxlliary source of current here shown as a battery designated by the reference character G with an exponent corresponding to the location.

Associatedwith each track relay R is a relay which for purpose of explanation I will term a power selecting relay, and which is here designated by the reference character D with an exponent corresponding to the location.

Referring particularly to relay D this relay is provided with a circuit which passes from secondary 4 of transformer T through wires 7 and 8, winding of relay D wire 9, front contact 10 of auxiliary relay K and wires 11 and 12 back to transformer T This circuit is closed only when relay K is energized, and it follows that relay D is normally de-energized but is arranged to become energized when a train enters section A-B, provided transformer T is supplying current to the circuit just traced.

Signal S is provided with a proceed circuit which may be traced from secondary 4c of transformer T through wires 7 and 18, front contact 14: of relay D wire 15, front contact 16 of relay R wire 17, proceed unit 26 of signal S wire 18, front contact 19 of relay K wire 20, front contact 21 of relay D and wires 22 and 12 back to transformer T This circuit is closed only when relays R K and D are all energized. The stop circuit for signal S may be traced from secondary 4 of transformer T through wires 7 and 18, front contact 14 of relay D wire 15, back contact 16 of relay R wire 23, stop unit 27 of signal S wire 18, front contact 19 of relay K wire 20, front contact 21 of relay D and wires 22 and 12 back to transformer T This circuit is closed only when relays K and D are both energized, and relay B is de-energized. It will be plain from the foregoing that both the proceed circuit and the stop circuit for signal S include front contact 19 of relay K so that both units of this signal are normally extinguished. If, however, relay K is energized, as by the presence of a train in section AB, and if power selecting relay D is also energized, signal S will display a proceed indication or a stop indication according as track relay R is energized or de-energized, respectively. I will assume, however, that relay K is energized as by the presence of a train in section A-A, and that the supply of alternating current from transformer T is, for some reason, interrupted. Relay D will then be de-energized and its

back contacts

21 and 14 will be closed. As a result battery G is connected across wires and so that current is supplied by this battery to the proceed unit 26 or the stop unit 27 of signal S according as relay B is energized or de-energized. It will be plain therefore that when a train is approaching signal S current will be supplied to one or the other of the light units of the signal 5, depending upon trafiic conditions in section BC. It will also be plain that under normal conditions this current will be supplied from transformer T, but that should the supply of current from this transformer be interrupted, the consequent de-energization of relay D will connect battery G with the signal.

As shown in the drawing the section to the right of point C is occupied by a train indicated diagrammatically at V, and sections A-B and BC are unoccupied. Relay R is therefore tie-energized. Relay B is energized and relay K is de-energized. Relay D is de-energized, its circuit being open at front contact 10 of relay K Both circuits for signal S are open at front contact 19 of relay K and so neither unit of signal S is lighted. Similarly, relays K and D are de-energized and both units of signal S are extinguished. It will also be clear from the drawing that relay R is energized; relays K and D are Clo-energized and neither unit of signal S is lighted.

I will now assume that a train moving in the direction of the arrow enters section A-B. The shunting effect of this train causes relay K to become energized. Relay D therefore becomes energized, and since relay R is picked up, current is supplied to proceed unit 26 of signal S from transformer T so that signal S indicates proceed. If, however, the supply of current from transformer T should be interrupted this would have no effect upon relays K and R but relay D would become de-energized. Current would then be supplied from battery G to proceed unit 26 of signal S over the back contacts of relay D front contact 19 of relay K and front contact 16 of relay R As the train enters section BG relay R becomes de-energized thereby completing the circuit for stop unit 27 of signal S and this signal indicates stop. The entrance of the train into section BC also causes relay K to pick up. Current from transformer T therefore energizes relay D Back contact 16 of relay R is closed, and current from transformer T therefore energizes stop unit 27 of signal S so that signal S indicates stop. Should the supply of current from transformer T be interrupted the resulting de-energization of relay ID would connect battery G with the signal S so that current from battery G would then energize unit 27 of signal S to indicate stop. When the train moves out of section AB relay K becomes de-energized. The illuminated unit of signal S is therefore eXtingu'ished. When the train moves out of section-BC the energization of relay R and the de-energization of relay D restore the apparatus to its normal condition and ex tinguish the illuminated unit of signal S With apparatus embodying my invention,

therefore, it will be manifest that when a train enters a section, the si nal for the sec tion next in advance is supp ied with energy from the associated line transformer. If, however, the supply of energy from the transformer associated with such signal fails, the adjacent relay D opens and supplies energy to the signal from the corresponding battery G.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway signaling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and 1nodifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, a relay, means effective when a train approaches said section for supplying current from said main source to said relay, means for supplying current from said main source to said signal when said relay is energized, an auxiliary source of current, and means for supplying current to said signal from said auxiliary source when a train approaches said section if said relay is de-energized.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, a relay, means effective only when a train is approaching said signal for energizing said relay from said source, an auxiliary source of current, and means effective when a train is approaching said signal for supplying current to said signal from said main source or from said auxiliary source according as said relay is energized or de-energized.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, an auxiliary source of current, and means for supplying current from said main source to said signal but for supplying current to said signal from said auxiliary source should said main source fail, said means being effective only when a train is approaching said signal. 7

4:. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, an auxiliary source of current, and means responsive to current from said main source and effective only when a train is approaching said signal for selec tively connecting said signal with said main source or with said auxiliary source.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, an auxiliary source of current, a contact arranged to be operated when a train approaches said signal, and means controlled by said contact and responsive to current from said main source for selectively connecting said signal with said main source or with said auxiliary source.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal for said stretch, a main source of current, an auxiliary source of current, two normally open contacts arranged to be closed when a train approaches said signal, a relay, means effective when one of said contacts is closed for supplying current to said relay from said main source, and means effective when said other contact is closed for connecting said signal with said main source or with said auxiliary source according as said relay is energized or de-energized, respectively.

7. In combination, a forward and a rear section of railway track, a signal for said forward section, an auxiliary relay for said rear section arranged to be energized when said section is occupied by a train, a main source of current, an auxiliary source of current, a power selecting relay, a circuit for said power selecting relay including said main source and a front contact of said auxiliary relay; a first circuit for said signal including said main source, a front contact of said power selecting relay, and a front contact of said auxiliary relay; and a second circuit for said signal including said auxiliary source, a back contact of said power selecting relay, and a front contact of said auxiliary relay.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT M. GILSON.