US1624520A

US1624520A - Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1624520A
Application number: US50607A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert A Wallace
Original assignee: Union Switch and Signal Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Rail STS USA Inc
Priority date: 1925-08-17
Filing date: 1925-08-17
Publication date: 1927-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1944-04-12

Description

y 1,624, 20 .Aprll 12, 1927- H A WALLACE 5 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 'Filed Angl?. 1925 Sufyf-eesiny y "('g l417561@71171 fe 7 ii Convlledby VzlVe r ofnlad 8 "I" Thaffc Conditions u 0 Pressure Z 1 I Applieslkes when Pleasure in Reduced.

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Engineman Acknowledgng vVall/e 55 fag?.

fZlr-emazzs Acknowledgz I/zlVe y cknowledgzg l ReseI-Voir INVENTOR f4. @../zffeew-,

Patented Apr. l12,` 1927. v

nirso STATES HERBERT A. WALLACE, OF EDGEVGGD; l2() UNON SVITCH @c SIGNALCOMPANY, O v TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BQUGE, FENNS'SZLVA'N .ASSIGNOR TO TEE E SVVISSVALE, PENNSYLVAIA, ACDRE'GRA- RAILWAYfTRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APARATS.

Application filed August My invention relates' to railway traiiic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus oil the type comprising train carried governing means controlled in ac cordance with traiiic conditions in vadvance ot the train. f

More specifically, my'finvention relates to apparatus of the type comprising automatic mechanism onV the train for causing an automatic application of the brakes under unsate traiiic conditions. @ne -feature of my invention is the provision in a system of'this type of means for rendering the automatic brake applying mechanism-ineffective under` unsafe traffic conditions provided both the fireman and the engineman take suitableY action.

I will describe two forms otrailwaytratlic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then poiii'tout'the novel feav tures thereof in claims.

ln thel accompanying drawing, Fig; '.1 is a view, partly diagrammatic, showing one form of railway traffic controlling apparat-us embodying my invention. Fig. 12 `is a View showing a modified form of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 and also embodying my invention.

'Similar similar parts in both views.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference character A designates abrake valve comreiferencecharacters refer to prising a valve body 4 containing two cham* bers 5 and 6. Chamber 5 is` constantly cennectedv with atmosphere. inunicates with a pipe l which is normally supplied with fluid pressure and which is arranged. to apply the brakes whenpressure in this pipe is reduced.v Valve A also comprises a plunger 2 provided with an armature 7. Associated with this1 plunger is awinding 8;.. This winding is Lcontrolled in accorda-nce with traffic conditions in advance bymeans which form nopart :of my present invention andv which `are omitted from*I the drawing for the` sake of simplicity. For' present purposes it is suiiicient to state that under sate, or proceed, traffic conditions winding 8 is energized, but that under unsate, or stop, tratlic. conditions wind-ingvS. is

de-energized. The plunger 2 is constantly'- urged upwardly by a spring Sand when` plunger Qis in its4 upper position. pipe 9 is connected. with chamber-6; When winding,

Chamber 6 coin--j i7, 19:25. seria; no. 50,607.

application of the brakes.

The suppressing valve B comprises a chamber 1l and a iiexible diaphragm 12V which is subjected to the iiuid pressure inA this chamber; A plunger 13 is controlled by the diaphragm l2 and this plunger in turn carries a piston 14 and ya piny valve 40. They plunger i8 is normally biased, by; a spring l0, to a lower position wherein pipe 9 is connected with reservoir l5 and valve 40 is closed. -l'lill'ien luid'pressureis supplied to chamber il., diaphragmA l2 isA moved up-` wardly, lifting piston lei and valve 40. to their upper positions. Reservoir 15 is then disconnected from pipe 9 and luid'pressure is supplied to this reservoir from a source not shown in the drawing through pipe 4l and valve 40. it under these lcoi'iditions winding 5B of valve A becomesv cle-energized an automatic applicationv of `thebrakes cannot result because pipe 9 is blanked by piston ill. 'Y i rlie suppressing' valve B is controlled by twol acknowledging valves C and Dwhich through pipe 9, thereby decreasing the pres- Y sure in vpipe l and causing an automatic arev locatedy in such-positions in the locomo" tive cab that they may be conveniently 0perated by the engineman and fireman, respectively. rilhe enginemans acknowledging valve comprises a valve body C2 and a movabie valve member C Similarly', the tirenians `acknowledging valve D comprises a valve bodyv D2 Vand a-.inovable valve member D. .'As shown in the drawing both the enginemans acknowledging valve C'and the firemans acknowledging valve D are in their normal' positions. With the apparatus in a suitable'source not shownin-tlie drawing throughgpipe 20, valve C, pipes` 19 and 19a,

this conditionffluid pressure is supplied from check valve 21, pipe 22, valve D and pipe 23 to an acknowledging reservoir 24. The acknowledging reservoir is therefore charged with fluid pressure. If it is desired 1o operate the suppressing valve B to prevent an automatic application of the brakes, the engineman reverses valve C and the fire man reverses valve D. The reversal of valve C disconnects pipe 19 from pipe 20 and connects pipe 19 with pipe 17. The reversal of valve D disconnects pipe 23 from pipe 22 and connects pipe 23 with pipe 25. Fluid pressure is therefore supplied from the acknowledging reservoir 24, through pipe 23. valve D, pipe 25. check valve 26, pipes 2T and 19, valve C and pipe 17 to chamber 11 of suppressingr valve B. The pressure thus supplied to chamber 11 lifts the diaphragm 12 to close the suppressing valve B. thereby disconnecting' reservoir 15 from pipe 9 and charging this reservoir with fluid pressure. With the apparatus in this condition an automatic application ot the brakes is prevented even though winding 8 of valve A should become de-energized- The pressure in reservoir 24 and chamber 11 is gradually dissipated to atmosphere through a restricted orifice 16 in valve B, so that after a time interval the pressure in chamber 11 is reduced sufiicientlv to permit spring 10 to restore plunger 13 to its lower position.

Pipe 1 will then be connected with reservoir 15 through pipe 9, but reservoir 15 has been previousl)7 charged with fluid pressure and therefore this operation of valve `B does not cause a reduction in the pressure in pipe 1. It, therefore, the suppressing valve B is operated prior to the deenergi nation of valve A. an automatic application of the brakes is prevented even though valve B subsequeutlv returns to its original position and even though valve A remains in its dernergized condition.

It valve C is in its normal position and valve D is in its reverse position. check valve 26 prevents the supplv of fluid pressure to reservoir 24 and valve C prevents fluid pressure which mav exist in reservoir 24 from being supplied to chamber 11. of valve B. On the other hand. if valve C is in the reverse position and valve D is in the normal position valve C prevents the supplv of fluid pressure to the reservoir 24 and check valve 21 prevents the supplv of fluid pressure from acknowledging reservoir 24 to chamber 11 of valve B. -It will therefore be plain that in order to charge acknowledginer reservoir 24. both valves C and D must be in their normal positions` and in order to operate valve B by pressure in the acknowledging reservoir, both valves C and D must occupy their reverse positions. The apparatus therefore insures that both the engineman and the fireman are alert because it either fails to operate his acknowledging valve at the proper time, the suppressing valve B cannot be operated to prevent an automatic brake application should valve A become open.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the brake valve A and the suppressing valve B are similar to the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 1 with the single exception that the restricted port 16 is omitted from valve B. The acknowledging valves C and D are illustrated in their normal positions. wherein chamber 11 of valve B is connected with atmosphere through pipe 17, port 32 of valve C. and a restricted orifice 33. so that valve B is open. Under theseconditions also. Huid pressure is supplied from pipe 20. through port 28 of valve C, pipe 29. port 30 of valve D and

pipes

31 and 23 to acknowledging reservoir 24. This reservoir is therefore charged with fiuid pressure. I will now assume that valves C and D are moved to their reverse positions. Pipe is then disconnected from pipe 29 and pipe 29 is connected with port 33. .At the same time pipe 35 is con nected with pipe 17 bv means of port 34 of valve C. The reversal of valve D connects pipe 31 with a restricted orifice 36 bv means of port of valve D. and connects pipe 23 with pipe b v port 38 of valve D. Pressure in acknowledging "reservoir 24 then flows through pipes 23 and 2Bfjport 3R of valve D. pipe 35. port 34 of valve C and pipe 17 to chamber ll of suppressing valve B. Diaphragm 12 is therefore. lifted. moving plunger 13 upwardly to disconnect pipe S) from reservoir 15 and charge this rescrvoirwith fluid pressure. The pressure in reservoir 24- also Hows through

pipes

23 and 31. port 30 of valve D and restricted orifice 36 to atmosphere. Af

ter a time interval. therefore. the pressure in reservoir 24 and chamber 11 is so reduced bv dissipation to atmosphere through port fifi that spring 10 restores plunger 12% to its lower position and again connects pipe 9 with reservoir 15.

I will assume that valves C and D both occupv their normal positions so that reservoir 24 is charged with fluid pressure. and that the engineman reverses his acltnowl edging valve C. but that the fireman leaves the valve D in its normal position. The reversal ot valve C connects pipe 17 with pipe 35. but pipe 35 is connected with atmosphere at orifice 36 bv means ot port 37 in valve D and therefore no pressure is supplied to chamber 11 of valve B. The re versal of valve C also connects pipe 29 with restricted orifice 33 and pressure from reservoir 24 therefore flows through

pipes

23 and 31. port 3() of valve D. pipe 29. port 28 of valve C and restricted orifice 33 to atmosphere` The pressure in acknowledging reservoir 24 is therefore slowly dissipated to necting said reservoir with said chamber when both said valves are in their reverse positions..

7'. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traflic conditions in advance of the train, a suppressing valve comprising a chamber and means for rendering said automatic mechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fiuid pressure, a pipe, a source of fluid pressure, a first manually operable valve for connecting said pipe with said chamber or with said source depending upon the position of such valve, a reservoir, a second manually operable valve capable of a normal or a reverse position, a first check valve for permitting the fiow of fluid pressure from said pipe to said reservoir when said second manually operable valve is in its normal position, and a second check valve :tor permitting the flow ci fluid pressure from said reservoir to said pipe when said second manually operable valve is in the reverse ].)osition.

8. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to tafiic conditions in advance of the train, suppressing means including a chamber and arranged to render said automatic mechanism ineflective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fluid pressure, a reservoir, two separate manually operable valves each capable of a normal or a reverse position, means effective when both said valves are in their normal positions for charging said reservoir with fluid pressure, means effective when either said valve is in its reverse position for connecting said reservoir with atmosphere through a restricted orifice, and means effective when both said valves are in their reverse positions for connecting said reservoir with said chamber.

9. In combination, on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, suppressing means includingr a chamber and arranged to render said automatic mechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fiuid pressure, a reservoir, two separate manually operable valves each capable of a normal or a reverse position, means effective only when both said valves are in their normal positions for charging said reservoir with fluid pressure, means efl'ective when either said valve is in its normal position 'for connecting said chamber with atmosphere, means effective when either said valve is in its `reverse position for connecting said reservoir with atmosphere through a restricted orifice, and

means effective when said valves are both in their reverse positions for connecting said reservoir with said chamber.

l0. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, suliipressing means including a chamber and arranged to render said automatic mechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fluid ressure, two separate manually operable va ves and means efi'ective when both said valves are operated for actuating said suppressing means f'or a time interval, said time interval commencing when either of said valves is operated.

ll. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive t0 traflic conditions in advance of the train, two separate manually operable acknowledging valves, and means effective only" upon operation of' both said valves for rendering said automatic mechanism ineffective for a time interval which commences when either` one of' said valves is operated.

l2. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traf-lic conditions in advance of the train, a suppressing valve comprising a chamber connected with atmosphere through a restricted orifice and means for rendering said automatic mechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fluid pressure, two separate manually operable valves, a reservoir, means effective when both said valves are in their normal positions for charging said reservoir with fluid pressure, and means effective when both said valves are in their reverse positions for connecting said reservoir with said chamber.

3. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, two separate manually operable acknowledging valves, and means effective upon operation of both said valves within a time interval which commences when either such valve is operated for rendering said automatic appaatus ineffective to apply the brakes.

M. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanism responsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, two separate manuallyoperable acknowledging valves, and meanseflective upon operation oit' both said valves within a time interval which commences when either such valve is operated for rendering said automatic apparatus ineffective to apply the brakes until saidinterval has elapsed.

In testimony whereof `I afiix my signature.

HERBERT A. WALLACE.