US1653379A - Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1927.

H. A. THOMPSON ET AL RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1'1, 192s ENTORS Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,653,379 PATENT OFFICE.

etowrinn A. rzeiorarsonyor EUR-917G1 1, Ann CHARLES w. FAILOR, or rrrrsenn PnNnsYLvArtrA, A'ssrsnons TO THE Union 'swIr'cH & sIGNAI. COMPANY, or swIssvALn, PENNS-:"LVAE=IEA, A con'PonATIoN OF PENNSYLVANIA.

nAILW Y-rnArrro-oonrnoLLnve APPARATUS.

Application filed December 11, 1926. Serial No. 154,093.

Our invention relates to railway traliic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising train carried governing means cooperating with train controlling devices located at intervals along the trackway and controlled in accordance with traffic conditions. More particularly our present invention relates to the track'way portion of such apparatus.

Vi e will describe one form of trackway apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of trackway'apparatus embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track over which traflic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. These rails are divided, by means of insulated joints 2, into a plurality of successive track sections AB, B-C, etc. Each such track section is provided with a source of track circuit current here shown as a track battery designated by the reference character F with an exponent corresponding to the location and connected across the rails adjacent thee'xit end of the section through the usual impedance 9. Each track section is also provided with a track relay designated by the reference, character R with an exponent corresponding to the location and connected across the rails adjacent the entrance end of the corresponding section. Associated with each track relay R are a home relay and a distant relay designated by the reference characters H and. D, respec tively, with exponents corresponding to the location. Under normal conditions, relay H is held in its energized condition by virtue of a stick circuit including its own front contact and a front contact of an adjacent track relay R. Referring particularly to the apparatus located at point A, the stick circuit for relay H may be traced from a suitable source of energy such as a battery E", through wire 11, front contact 12 of re lay R wires 13 and 14, front contact 15 of relay H wire 16, winding of relay H and wires 17 and 18, back to battery E Each section is also provided with aslow acting checking relay designated by the reference character G with an appropriate exponent and controlled in a manner which will be explained hereinafter.

The circuit for relay D may be traced from battery E through wire'll, front contact 12 ofrelay R wires l3, l4 and 19, front contact 20 of relay H wire 21, winding of relay D wire 22, backcontact- 23 of checking relay G Wire 24, front contact 25 of relay H fandwires 26 and 18, back to battery E Relay D is therefore energized only when relays R H and H are energized and when relay G is deenergized.

The control of each of the remaining di tant relays D is similar to that just described for relay D Each track section is also provided with a trackway signal designated by the reference character S with an exponent corresponding to the location. These signals may be of any suitable type and are here illustrated as threeindication light signals each comprising three light units 6, 7 "and 8, arranged when energized to indicate stop, caution and proceed, respectively. Each signal S is controlled by the associated relays R, H and D, over circuits which will nowbe described.

Referring particularly to signal S when relays R H and D are all energized, a circuit is closed from secondary 37 oftransformer T through wire 41, front contact 42 of relay 3*, wire 43, front contact 44 of relay H wire 45, front contact 46 of relay D wire 47, unit 8 of signal S and wire 52, back to secondary 37 of transformer T. The primary 38 of transformer T is supplied with alternating current from secondary 39 of a transformer Qflthe primary 40 of which is constantly supplied with alternating current from a suitable source such as an alternator M over line wires 10 and 10 WVhen the circuit .just traced is closed, therefore, unit 8 of signal S is lighted to indicate proceed. The signal S is also provided with a caution circuit passing from secondary 37 of transformer T through wire 41, front contact 42 of relay R wire 43, front contact 44 of relay H wire 45, back Contact 46 of relay D5, wire 48, unit 7 of signal S and wire 52 back to secondary 3 7'of transformer T NVhen this circuit is closed, unit 7 of signal S is lighted to indicate caution. The stop unit 6 of signal S is provided withone circuit which passes from secondary '37 of transformer T through wire 41, front contact 42 of relay R wire 43, back contact 14; of relay I'I wires 49 and 50 unit 6 of signal S", and wire 52 back to secondary 37 of ponent and located a short distance in rear lit of the entrance end of the corresponding section. In the present embodiment of our invent-ion each inductor K comprises a magnetizable core provided with means responsive to trafiic conditions for varying the effective reluctance of the core.- The inductors K are suitable for co-operation with train carried governing means which is responsive to the effective reluctance of the cores of the inductors. In systems of this character it is customary to arrange the train governing means to give a proceed indication when passing an inductor having a comparatively high effective reluctance and to give a stop indication on board the train when the train passes an inductor having a comparatively low effective reluctance.

The variation in the effective reluctance of the inductor cores is accomplished by providing each inductor with one or more windings which are at times shunted in re-' sponse to traffic conditions. Since the operation of the train governing means depends upon the change in inductor reluctance due to the shunting effects of these windings, it is desirable to afford a check against short circuits or open circuits in the inductor windings or in the circuits associated therewith. In our present: invention we accomplish this result by providing the core 5 of each inductor K with. two windings 3 and 4, both of which windings are shunted when it is desirable to give a proceed indica tion on board the train. The windings 3 and 4 of each device K are inductively related and we utilize the transformer action between these windings to check the integrity of the circuits.

As shown in. the drawing, the section to the right of point C is occupied by a train V so that track relay It is de-energized thereby tie-energizing relays H" and 1). Signal S" therefore indicates stop. Relays R and H are energized but relay D is de energized, the circuit for the latter relay being" open at front contact of relay H and signal S therefore indicates caution. Relays It", H and D are all energized and signal S therefore indicates proceed., Considering now the shunting Cll'. cuits for the inductors K, it will be seen from the drawing that both windings of inductor K are shunted by front contacts of distant relay D, the shunting circuit for winding 4 passing from the right-hand terminal of this winding, through wires 27 and 28, front contact 29 of relay D and wires 30 and 31, back to winding The shunting circuit for winding 3 passing from the right-hand terminal of this winding, through wires 32 and 33, front contact .34 ofrelay D and wires 35 and 36 back to the stick circuit for relay H is open at its own front contact 15. V p

Vith relay H de-energized and relayIi.

energized, alternating current is supplied to winding 4; of inductor K from secondary 53 of transformer P the primary 54 of i which is constantly supplied with alternating current from secondary 39 of transformer Q the circuit for suchcurrent passing from secondary 53 of transformer P? through wire .35, front contact 56 or relay B wires 57 and 27, *inding f of inductor 1 wires 31 and 58, back contact of relay II" 4 iii? and wire 60 back to secondary 53 of trans" former P. At the same time the checking relay G is connected with winding 3 of inductor K the circuitpassing from one terminal of winding 3, through wires 32 and 61, back contact 62 of relay H wire (33, winding of relay G and wires 64 and 36 back to winding 3 of inductor K The current supplied to winding st of inductor K induces in winding 3 an electromotive force which supplies current to relay G thereby energizing that relay. As soon as front contact 66 of relay G" closes, current from battery E flows through wire 11, front contact 12 of relay R wires B and (i5, front contact ($6 of relay ti. wire 67, winding of relay H, and wires 17 and 18 back to battery It". Relay H therefore becomes energized, opening its back contacts and con ipleting, at front contact 15 thereon.

the stick circuit for relay H" by means of which the relay is subsequently maintained in its energized condition irrespective of the condition of relay G". The opening of back cont-act 62 of relay H interrupts the circuit for relay CT so that the latter relay again becomes tie-energized. Furthermore the opening of back contact-'59 of relay H dis connects secondary of transformer P from winding st-of inductor K so that as soon as relay H lJG'ZOIHBS energized,-the inductor K is deprived of alternatingcurrent and relay G becomes de-energized, thereby restoring the apparatus to its normal con dition. Relay G therefore remains -de-energized until. the next time a train moves out of the section to the right of point C. It follows that when the home relay H for the section next in advance becomes energized, relay D may be energized over back cont-act 2S of relay G It should be particularly pointed out'that by requiring the energization of relay G to pick up the associated home relay H when a train leaves the associated section, a posit ve check is made upon the windings of theadjacent inductor K, and that this check insuresnot'only that there are no breaks in the inductor windings or their associated circuit-s but also that there are no short circuits 1n the shunting circuits for either of the windings of the adjacent inductor K.

Such short circuit would prevent the energization of relay G and, consequently, would prevent the closing of the pick-up circuit for relay H when the train leaves the section. It will be manifest, therefore, that with apparatus embodying our invention, a dangerous condition cannot arise due to a break or a short circuit in the windings of the inductor or in the circuits associated therewith, because any such defect would prevent the energization of the adjacenthome relay and would therefore hold at stop the signal controlled by such home relay, and would hold at caution the signal next in rear.

'Althongh we have herein shown and described only one form of railway trafific controlling apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, with a section of rail way track, a first relay, a signal controlled by the first relay, a checking relay, a trackway device comprising a winding, means for energizing the checking relay if and only if the winding is intact, a circuit for the first relay including a front contact of the checking relay, and means including a front contact of the first relay for removing the checking relay from the control of the first relay.

2. In combination, a section of railway track, a relay, a signal for the section controlled by the relay, a trackway device com prising two inductively related windings, means for at times shunting both said windleaves the section to energize the relay,

ings, means controlled by said windings and effective for a brief interval. after a train and other ,means for subsequently maintaining the relay in .itsenergized condition.

3. In combination, a section of railway track,.a relay, a signal for the section controlled by the relay, atrackway device co1nprising two inductively related windings, means for shunting both said windings when the relay is energized, means effective for a. brief interval oftime after a train leaves the stretch to supply alternating current to one said winding, means controlled by the elect-romotive force induced in the other winding by suchcurrent for energizing the relay, and means forsubsesucntly maintaining the relay in its energized condition after the windings are shunted.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, a first relay, a signal controlled by the first relay, a second relay, means effective when the first relay is tie-energized and operating when a train leaves the section to energize the second relay, means including a front contact of the second relay for energizing the first relay, and means for subsequently maintaining the first relay in its energized condition as long as the section is unoccupied.

5; In combination, a section of railway track, a first relay, a signal for the section controlled by the first relay, a trackway de vice comprising two inductively related windings, means controlled by the first relay for supplying alternating current to one of said windings, a second relay at times connected with the other winding, means controlled by said second relay for energizing the first relay, means for subsequently removing the second relay from the control of the first relay, and means controlled by the first relay for at times shunting both said windings.

6. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for such section, a home relay, a checking relay, a trackway device comprising two inductively related windings, means including a front contact of the track relay and a back contact of the home relay for supplying alternating current to one of said windings, means including a back contact of the home relay for connecting the checking relay with the other said winding, a pick-up circuit for the home relay including a front contact of said checking relay and a front contact of the track relay, a stick circuit for the home relay including its own front contact and a front contact of the track relay, and a signal for said section controlled by the home relay.

7. In combination, a plurality of successive sections of railway track, a track relay for each section, a home relay and a distant relay for each section, a signal for each section controlled by the associated home relay and distant relay, a trackway device for each section comprising two inductively related windings, a checking relay for each section, means for supplying alternating current to one winding of each track way device when the adjacent track relay is energized and when the adjacent home relay is de-energized, means for connecting each checking relay with the remaining winding of the adjacent trackway device when the home relay associated with such checking relay is de-energized, a pick-up circuit for each home relay including a front contact of the associated checking relay and a front contact of the associated track relay, a stick circuit for each home relay including its own front contact and a front contact of the associated track relay, a circuit for each distant relay including front contacts of the associated home relay and the home relay for the section next in advance and a back contact of the associated checking relay, and means controlled by each distant relay for shunting both windings of the associated tr'ackway device.

8. In combination with a section of railway track, a first relay, a signal controlled by the first relay, a second relay, means for at times closing the second relay for a brief interval of time, a pickup circuit for the first relay controlled by the second relay,

and a stick circuit for the first relay.

9. In combination with a section of railway track, a first relay, a signal controlled by the first relay, a second relay, means for at times closing the second relay for a brief interval of time, a pickup circuit for the first relay controlled by the second relay, and means for subsequently maintaining the first relay in its energized condition irrespective of the condition of the first relay.

10. In combination, a section of railway tr'ack, a first relay, a signal controlled by the first relay, a second relay, a trackway device comprising a winding, means for at times energizing the second relay if and only if the winding is intact, a pickup circuit for the first relay controlled by the second relay, and a stick circuit for the first relay.

11. In combination, a section of railway track, a home relay arranged to be de-energized when the section is occupied, a signal controlled by the home relay, a checking relay, a trackway device comprising a winding, means including a back contact of the home relay for energizing the checking relay when a train leaves the section if and only if said winding is intact, a pickup circuit for said home relay including a front contact of the checking relay, and a stick circuit for the home relay.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures. V

HOWARD A. THOMPSON. CHARLES W. FAILOR.

DISCLAIMER 1,653,379.H0ward A. Thompson, Edgewood Borough, and Charles W. Failor, Pittsburgh, Pa. RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS. Patent dated December 20, 1927. Disclaimer field June 22, 1933, by the assignee, The Union Switch d2: Signal Company.

Hereby enters the following disclaimer, to wit: Your petitioner hereby disclaims the subject matter of claims 8 and 10.

[Ofllcial Gazette July 18, 1933.]

Images