US1615962A - Arrangement to protect running trains - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1927.

S. A. SPANNINGA ARRANGEMENT TO PROTECT RUNNING TRAINS- 2 Sheets -Sheeu l Filed Aug. 20. 1924 /NVENTOR SrofFE flSP/i/VMNG/i ,qrro/wg'm S. A. SPANNINGA ARRANGEMENT TO PROTECT RUNNING TRAINS Feb. 1, 1927.

ed Aug. 20. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 arromvgys Patented Feb 1, 1927.

U TE S T STOFFER ALLER SPANNINGA, OLE J'O'U'RE, NETHERLANDS.

ARRANGEMENT TO PROTECT RUNNING TRAINS.

Application filed. August 20, 1924, Serial No. 733,0?1, and in the Netherlands December 22, 1922.

This invention relates to improvements in train control systems, and has for one of its objects to provide an improved apparatus for automatically effecting the operation of a signal, the speed control throttle valve, or the braking mechanism of the train.

Another object is to successively cause the operation of either the signal and throttle valve, or of the signal, the throttle valve and braking mechanism, and to record the number and nature of the operations automatically effected.

The above and other objectswill appear more clearly from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the mechanism comprising the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the pressure control mechanism;

Figure 3 is a similar view through one of the bearings for the shaft which is associated with said control mechanism;

Figure 4 is a View partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a throttle valve and means for controlling the same respectively Figures 5, 6 and 7 are vertical longitudinal sections of a valve device forming a part of the means shown in Figure 4:, said device being illustrated in different positions of operation; and

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through the recording mechanism associated with the means of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, the numeral 1 indi cates the rails of a trackway, bar 2 constituting a contact element of a signal apparatus, said bar being hinged at 3, so that the same may be moved to a parallel or inoperative position relative to the rails, or to a diagonal or operative position with respect to said rails. A rod 4 is also connected to the bar 2 and controlled by a means (not shown) for moving the bar 2 to its operative and inoperative positions. Separate bars 2 are utilized for controlling the operation of a signal on the train, such as a whistle, the speed control throttle valve and the braking mechanism and each of these bars is of a different length, the bar 2 for controlling the throttle valve being preferably twice as long as that for the signal and the bar for controlling the braking mechanism preferably being as long as the first mentioned bar. If desired, the bar 2 for controlling the throttle valve so that the speed of the train will be reduced by the closing of said valve may be rigidly mounted between the rails 1 in an inclined position instead of being hinged as In this instance the closing of the throttle valve would be entirely automatically controlled instead of depending upon the engineer of atrain or the operation of a signal by a switchman.

Preferably forwardly of the front axle 5 of the locomotive is a non-rotatable shaft 6 arranged substantially parallel to said axle and having a longitudinal movement relative to its axis. The ends of the shaft 6 are mounted for sliding movement in the bearings 7 and 8 and also, intermediate its ends, is movable in the housing 9 of a pressure control mechanism, the ends of the shaft being provided with slots 10 in which lugs 11 of the bearings engage in order to prevent rotation of the shaft. The shaft fur ther carries a wheel 12 having a flange 13, said wheel and flangebeing capable of engagement with any of the bars 2 when the latter are in a diagonal or operative position, the engagement of said flange with either of the bars operatingto shift the shaft 6 to accomplish the control of said signal, throttle valve or braking mechanism in a manner which will presently appear. WVhen the shaft 6 is moved to the ieft, as viewed in Figure 1, the spring 1 coiled about said shaft between the bearing '2' and the housing 9 is compressed so that when the shaft is free to return to its normal position after disengagement of the wheel 12 from the bar 2 the same will do so under the influence of said spring.

It is desirable, in order to effectively accomplish the control of the signal, throttle valve or brakingmechanisin, that the return movement of the shaft be retarded and for this purpose there is provided a fluid pressure reservoir 15 which is connected to one end of the bearing 8 by means of a pipe 16. Disposed within he bearing adjacent the end of the pipe 16 mounted therein is a spring controlled valve 15' having a restricted opening 17 for admitting fluid pressure into the bearing behind one end of the shaft 6.

Then the shaft is operateda space between the same and the valve is filled with the fluid from the reservoir 15 which then forms a cushion. As the shaft 6 is returned toward its normal position the fluid is compressed in the bearing by reason of the restricted opening 17 in the valve 15, which is now closed, and which opening permits of the fluid slowly returning into the reservoir 15 as the shaft 6 is restored to normal. I

The housing 9 is connected to a source of air supply for the braking mechanism of the train by means of a pipe 18 so that air pressure may enter the passages 19. 20 and 21 extending transversely of said housing. These passages communicate, respectively, with pipes 22, 23 and 24. through which the air pressure passes to control the operation of the aforementioned cylinder signal, throttle valve and braking mechanism. The passages 19, 20 and 21 have portions thereof arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 6 and are normally closed by said shaft and also by a valve 25 connected to the shaft and slidable in the housing. In the portion of the shaft 6 slidable within the housing 9 said shaft is provided with three circumferential grooves 26. 27 and 28, the groove 28 being capable, when the shaft is moved to the left. of registering with either of the passages 19, 20 or 21 depending upon the extent of movement of the shaft, the groove 27 with either the passage 19 or 20 and the grooves 26 with the passage 19. Thus the groove 28 will successively register with said passages and at the same time the valve 25 will successively open said passages to admit of pressure from the pipe 18 passing therethrough and into the pipes 22, 23 and 24:.

When the shaft 6 is operated by contact of the wheel 12 with the shortest of the bars 2, said shaft will only move sufficiently to the left to register the groove 28 with the passage 19. Air pressure will then enter the pipe 22 which may be directly connected to a signal (not shown) such as a whistle of the locomotive, which will then be operated to warn the engineer of the train of impending danger. Should the wheel. 12 engage a bar 2 of the intermediate length the shaft 6 will be moved sufliciently to successively register the groove 28 with the passages 19 and 20 and also bring the groove 27 into registration with the passage 19. By this means the signal will be operated and pressure will enter the pipe 23 to automatically control the means illustrated in Figure 4 for closing the throttle valve and thereby reducing the speed of the train. In the event that the wheel 12 engages the longest of the bars 2 the shaft 16 is moved to the limit of its operative position whereupon the groove 28 will successively register with the passsages 19, 20 and 21, the groove 27 with the passages 19 and 20, and the groove 26 with the passage 19. In this manner the signal is operated, the throttle valve is closed, and pressure is admitted to the pipe 2st to automatically operate the brakes of the train. A controlling mechanism. such as illustrated in longitudinal section in Figure +1, may also be utilized in connection with the operation of the signal and braking mechanism and since this control mechanism may be of the same construction in each intsance the description thereof in connection with the control of the throttle valve will suffice for a complete understanding of the invention.

Referring now to Figure 41, a conventional form of throttle valve construction is shown wherein the handle or lever 29 of said valve has connected thereto one end of a piston rod 30 having a piston 31 thereon operable in the cylinder 32. The pipe 24 is connected to one end of the cylinder 32 and mounted interiorly of said cylinder adjacent said end is a valve casing 33 in which the valve 31 is slidable, said valve including a valve rod 35 projecting on opposite sides of the valve and having at one end a ball bearing 36 yieldingly held in engagement with the rod 30 by means of the coil spring 37 within the valve casing and engaging the valve 34;.

Then pressure enters the valve casing 33 beneath the valve 31, at which time the bars are in the position shown in Figures 4 and 6, said pressure will raise the valve against the tension of the spring 37 and in so doing the port 38 in the casing 33 will be passed by the valve to permit of said pressure entering the cylinder 32 and forcing the piston 31 therein to the left, as viewed in Figure 4. The valve mechanism is then in the position shown in Figure '7. As the piston 31 is thus moved it will be apparent that the handle 29 is operated and upon the piston reaching the limit of its movement at the opposite end of the cylinder 32 the same will then have been forced pasta signal 39 in the form of a whistle which is then sounded by the escape of air pressure from the cylinder. When the air pressure has entirely escaped from the cylinder the sounding of the whistle will cease, indicating to the engineer of the train that he may, desired, again open the throttle valve by a manual operation of the handle 29. After the piston 31 has reached the left-hand end of the cylinder 32 to permit of the escape of the air pressure through the signal 39 the shaft 6 will start its return movement with the result that the pressure will be shut off from the pipe 24 thus permitting the spring 37 to restore the valve 3st toward its normal position. At this time the r cess 10 in the rod '30 is directly beneath the valve with the result that the bearing 36 will enter said recess and the parts will assume the position shown in Figure 5. Any pressure remaining within the cylinder 32 the pawl 43 preventing return movement of the recording mechanism. the mechanism, no-rmally concealed, is uti-- lized'to restore the recording mechanism to A knob 44 of zero.

It will thus be seen that should the engineer of a train permit thesame to pass a caution or danger signal without operating his own signal, reducing the speed of the train, or applying the brakes thereof, an 'ZI-UtOIIHLtIC actuation of any one or all of the three mentioned operations will take place and such operations will he recorded.

In the event that the engineer effects any of these ope-rations, such as a manual actuation of the handle 29, it will be apparent that when the recess d0 of the notch 30 comes into vertical alignment with the valve rod 35 the latter will be forced dowwardly by the spring 37 to engage the lower end of the rod in said recess. Thus should air pressure enter the pipe 24, due to an actuation of the shaft 6, the valve 34 will be positioned below the inlet port of the valve casing, as shown in Figure 5, and consequently the air pressure will flow into the casing above said piston and escape through the ports 38 and 41 without raising said piston with the result that the recording mechanism 42 would not be operated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a train control system, the combination with a trackway contact element, a signal, a throttle valve and the braking mechanism bf the t am; of a train carried apparatus including a second contact element engageable with the first named contact element, a shaft movable in one direction longitudinally of its axis by the engagement of said contact elements, a pressure control mechanism connected to the pressure supply of said braking mechanism and through which said shaft extends, said control mechanism and shaft having cooperating means permitting the passage of pressure through said mechanism when the shaft is moved by the engagement of said contact elements, a plurality of pressure feed pipes extending from said control mechanism and successively supplied with pressuretherefrom, the entrance of pressure into said pipes depending upon the extent of movement of said shaft, and an operating mechanism for each of said signals, throttle valve and lira-king mechanism each connected to one of said pipes and controlled by the pressure therein.

2. In a t rain control systennthe combination with a trackw-ay con-tact element, a.

throttle valve and the braking mechanism of the train; of a train carried apparatus including a second contact element engageab-le with the first named contact element,

a shaft movable in one direction longitu dinally of its axis by the engagement of said contact elements, a pressure control mechanism connected to the pressure supply of said braking mechanism and through which said shaft extends, said control mechanism and shaft having cooperating means permitting the passage of pressure through said mechanism when the shaft is moved by'the' engagement of said contact elements, connections between said control mechanism and said throttle valve and braking mechanism for individually controlling the operations of the latter elements, the operation of each of which depends upon the extent of movement of said shaft,'springmeans for moving saic shaft in the other direction following the operation of said signal to render ineffective said cooperating means, and fluid pressure means for retarding the last named movement of said shaft.

3. In a. train control system, the combination with an operating lever; of pressure con trol means for effecting the automatic operation of said lever, said means including a cylinder, a piston therein, a valve casing in said cylinder, a valve therein for controlling the admission of pressure into said cylinder to operate said piston, a piston rod connection between said piston and lever, means for admitting pressure into said casing for operating said valve, and means actuated by the operation of said valve for recording each operation of said piston.

4. In a train control system, the combination with a manual and automatically controlled operating lever; of pressure control means for effecting the automatic operation of said lever, said means including a cylinder, a piston therein, a valve casing in said cylinder, a valve therein for controlling the admission of pressure into said cylinder to operate said piston, a piston rod connection between said piston and lever, means for admitting pressure into said casing for operating said valve, means actuated by the operation of said valve for recording each operation of said piston, and cooperating means between said valve and piston rod copnection for preventing the operation of said recording means when said lever is manually operated.

5. In a train control system, the combina tion with a trackway contact element, a throttle valve and the braking mechanism of the train; of a train carried apparatus including a second contact element engageable with the first named contact element, a shaft movable in one direction longitudinally of its axis by engagement of said contact elements, said shaft having a plurality of circumferential grooves therein, apressure control mechanism connected to the pressure supply of said braking mechanism and through which said shaft extends, said control mechanism having a plurality of passages therein with which certain of the grooves of said shaft successively register when said shaft is moved in said direction to permit the passage of pressure through said control mechanism, and a plurality of connections between said control mechanism and throttle valve and braking mechanism for individually controlling the operations of the latter elements, the operation of each of which depends upon the extent of movement of said shaft.

6. In a train control system, the combination with a trackway cont-act element, a throttle valve and the braking mechanism of the train; of a train carried apparatus including a second contact element engage able wit-h the first named contact element, a shaft movable in one direction longitudinally of its axis by en agement of said contact elements, said shaft having a plurality of circumferential grooves therein, a pressure control mechanisnr connected to the pressure supply of said braking mechanism and through which said shaft extends, said control mechanism having a plurality of passages therein with which certain of the grooves of said shaft successively register when said shaft is moved in said direction to permit the passage of pressure through said control mechanism, a valve carried by said shaft and operable thereby to control the passage of pressure through said passages, and a plurality of connections between said control mechanism and throttle valve and braking mechanism for individually controlling the operations of the latter elements, the operation. of each of which depends upon the extent of movement of said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

STOFFER ALLER SPANNINGA.-

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