US1695678A - Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1928.

16. w. BAUGHMAN "RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed July 29, 1926 w WM Patented Dec. 18,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT: IoFFIcE.

GEORGE W. BAUGHMAN, OF EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, vIE'ENNSYL VAN IA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION. SWITCH 8c SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A 003- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed 111137 29, 1926, Serial No 125,675. Renewed May 15, 1928.-

My invention relatesto railway trafiic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus in which train carried governing means is controlled by energy received from the trackway. V

One object of my invention is to sup liy current to the track rails interrupted at ferent frequencies depending upontraflic conditions, and to provide train carried apparatus which is selectively responsive to the different frequencies of interruption.

I will describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point I acters land 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track'over which traflic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. The section of track AB here V shown, is insulated from the remainder of the track by means of insulated joints 2. Track circuit current is supplied to the section through a track transformer T having its secondary 3 connected to the track rails near over line wires 7 and 7. A plurality of interrupter discs 8, 9 and 10 are. mechanically and electrically connected by means of a shaft 16. The shaft 16is connected with the rotor of motor C, so that when this motor is rotating the discs 8, 9 and 10 'are also rotated. Referring particularly to interrupter disc 8, this disc comprises a central metallic conducting portion having a plurality of inse'rts (here shown as five) 14 of insulating material in the periphery thereof. A conducting brush 8 is held against the surface of this disc so that, as the disc rotates the circuit through the disc is periodically interrupted. The remaining discs 9 and 10 are constructed similarly except that disc 9 has ten inserts and disc 10 has fifteen inserts. The number of inserts is not material, and any desired number may be chosen.

The selector X comprises a movable contact arm 15 arranged to selectively engage a plurality of fixed contact members, one for each interrupter disc. Contact 8 is connected with brush 8, contact 9 with brush 9 and contact 10 with brush 10 The movable contact arm-15 of selector X may be operated in any desired manner as by traffic conditionsin advance, or manually.

As shown in the drawing the arm '15 of selector X engages contact 9", and a circuit is closed from the secondary 6 of transformer W, through wire 11, shaft-16, interrupter disc 9, brush 9, contact 9", arm 15 of selector X, primary 4 of track transformer T, and wire 13 back to secondary 6 of transformer W. Since the interrupter device I operates continuously, the circuit for primary 4 of transformer T is intermittently opened and closed as the brush 9 makes contact with an insulating or a conducting segment. of disc 9. When the arm 15 of selector X is moved to other positions, the circuit is the same except that other interrupter discs are substituted for disc 8 depending upon which contact is engaged by arm 15.

One form of train carried apparatus for governing traflic in response to the impulses supplied to the trackway is shown in Fig. 2. Mounted transversely with respect to the track rails 1 and I at some convenient point on the vehicle, as in front of the forward. axle- 17 of the vehicle V, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, are two magnetizable cores P and P. Core P is provided with a winding 18, and core I is provided with a similar winding 18. The two windings, which I shall refer to as the receiver'coil, are so a connected that the electromotive forces inducedthereln by currents flowing in opposite directions in the two track rails at a given instantare additive. The terminals 19 and tional current and has a front contact 23 and a back contact 24 for controlling the primary 26 of a transformer Z.

The primary 26 of transformer Z is energized from a battery 25 when relay R closes either its front or back contact, and its secondary 27 is connected in circuit with two alternating current relays E and F. When relay R is suppliedwith impulses of direct current, the pulsations of direct current in primary 26 of the transformer Z induce in the secondary 27 of transformer Z an alternating current of twice the frequency of the impulses of direct current supplied to the rela R.

The relay F is frequency selective and has three positions. rent of a higher frequency than that to which it is balanced it closes contact 28, and when supplied with current of a lower frequency than that to which it is balanced it closes contact 30, but when de-energized or supplied with current of the frequency to which it is balanced, it closes contact 29. One form of relay which will operate in this manner is shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to P. H. Thomas on Aug. 1, 1916, No. 1,193,083. The contacts 28, 29 and 30 control any suitable form of governin means here shown as lamps H, L and M. he relay E is not frequency. selective and when energized it closes contact 32 but when de-energized it closes contact 31. Con tact 31 controls a lam S, and contact 32 cooperates with relay so that none of the lamps controlled by relay F can be energized unless the contact 32.0f relay E is closed. The lamps H, L, M and S receive their energy from a battery ,33, and the circuits for these lamps will be obvious from the drawing.

,I n explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I will assume that arm 15 of selector X makes contact at 9", as shown in the drawing, and that motor C is being driven at such speed that the current supplied to the primary 4 of track transformer T is interrupted ten times a second. Impulses of direct current will, therefore, be supplied to relay R at the rate of ten impulses a second. The circuit through primary 26 of transformer Z will be interrupted twice for .each impulse of current supplied to the relay R, once when front contact 23 is opened upon de-energization and again when back contact 24 is opened on energization of the rela'y R. Alternating current of twice the fre- When supplied with cur-' quency of the interruptions of the track circuit current is therefore supplied to relays E and F and relay E holds its front contact 32 closed. p

I will assume that relay F is balanced and therefore remains in the de-energized position closing contact 29, when the track circuit current is interrupted ten times a second, that contact 28 is closed only when interruptions take place fifteen or more times a second, and

that contact 30 is closed only when the in terruptions take place five times or less per second. These values are given simply as examples, it being obvious that any suitable rates of interruption may be chosen in practice.

The impulses of current supplied to relay F due to the interruption of the track circuit current ten times a second cause this relay to assume the de-energized or balanced position, closing the contact 29 and lighting lamp L to give a low speed-indication. If relay E should become short-circuited or should fail to pick-up when the track circuit current is being interrupted ten times a second, back contact 31 of relay E would be closed and lamp S would be lighted to give an absolute stop indication. If arm.

15 of selector X engages contact 8", the track circuit current will-be interrupted five times a second, relay E will hold its front contact 32 closed, and frequency selective relay F will close contact 30 thus lighting lamp M to give a medium speed indication.-

Interruption of the track circuit current fifteen times a second with arm 15 of selector X on contact 10 will close contact 28 of relay F and light lamp H to give a high speed indication. If relay F should fail to operate when supplied with current, contact 29 would remain closed to light lamp L and give a low speed indication. Should relay R fail to operate, the absolute stop signal would be given since both relays E and F would be de-energized so that contact 31 of relay E would be closed to complete the circuit for the lamp S. I

With the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 a decrease in the frequency of interruption of the current supplied to the track rails might result in a high or medium speed indication being given when a low speed indication is desired. For example. if conditions were such as to require a low speed indication and the interrupter device I should interrupt the track circuit at seven times a second instead of ten times, the frequency selective relay F would tend to close its contact 30, and thus to give a medium speed indication when a low speed indication was desired. Such a possibility is remote but it may be avoided by the use of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 3 the governing apparatus is the same as that shown in Fig. .2 up to and including the transformer Z.

.In circuit with the secondary 27 of transformer Z are two frequency selective relays,

F and F The relay F is designed to close its front contact when the track circuit cur- 5 rent is interrupted either ten or fifteen times a second, but to remain de-energized when five interruptions a .second are made. The frequency responsive relay F? is the same as relay F of Fig. 2 except that it has two sets of contacts. When relay F is de-energized f or when the track circuit current is interrupted ten times asecond contacts 44 and 49 are closed. When the interruptions occur fifteen times a second, contacts 46 and 51 are closed and when the interruptions occur five times ,a second contacts 47 and 52 are closed.

The apparatus is shown as it would be with' the track apparatus of Fig. 1 in the position shown, that is, interrupting v the track circuit current ten times a second. The relay F is energized to close its contact 40, and contacts 44 and 49 of relay F are closed so, that lamp M is lighted togive a medium speed indication.

It will now be clear that if the track circuit current is interrupted fifteen times a second, contact 40 of relay F and contact 51 of relay F will be closed to light the lamp H and give a high speed indication. If. the

.30 rate of interruption is ten times a second, contact of relay F and contact 49 of relay F will be closed tolight the lamp M for a medium speed indication, and for a rate of interruption of fivetimes a second, contact 3 41 of relay F and contact 47 of relay F will be closed to light the lamp L and give a low speed indication. The contact 52 of relay F? is an additional contact which may be used to give an additional indica- 40 tion if desired. If track conditions are such that fifteen interruptions a second are desired and the rate falls slightly below that so that relay F does not closeits contact 51 it will tend to close contact 49 and give a medium speed indication. If the rate of interruption is ten times a'second and the frequency drops, relay F will close contact 41 and relay F will close its contact 47 and thus give a low speed indication. If the .5!) frequency is five times per second and decircuit of relay F will cause ei-ther a stopor' a low speed indication,.whatever the frequency of-interruption may be.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of railway traflic controlling apparatus embodying my inven-' tion, 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 my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: I

1. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with frequencies, a train carried frequency selective relay, and governing means controlled by the relay.

2. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a section of railway track, a source of track circuit current, means for interrupting the track circuit current at dif ferent frequencies depending upon trafiic conditions,' a ,train carried relay, a transformer having its primary circuit controlled by the relay, a frequency selective relay connected to the secondary of the transformer, and governing means controlled by the frequency selectlve relay.

. 3. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with alternating current interrupted at different frequencies, a train carried relay controlled by current received from the trackway, a.

transformer having 'its primary controlled by the relay, a plurality of other relays connected with the secondary of the transformer .alternating current interrupted at different" at least one of them being frequency selective,

and governing means controlled by the said other relays.

'4. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch withalternating current interruptedat different frequencies, atrain carried relay controlled by current received from the trackway, a tansformer having its primary controlled by the relay, :1 frequencyselective relay and another relay in circuit with the transformer secondary, the frequency responsive relay having a plurality 'of contacts and the other relay hav ng a front and a back contact, and governing means controlled by the frequency responsive relay and arranged to be energized'only when the front contact of the other relay is closed.

5. Railway trafiic controlling,apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with alternating current interrupted at different frequencies, a train carried relay controlled by the contacts of the train carried relay,

frequency selectivemeans connected to the secondary of the transformer, and governing means controlled by the frequency selective means.

6. The combination with a stretch .of railway track, of a train carried relay, means partly located in the trackway for at times supplying alternating current periodically interrupted at different frequencies to the relay, a transformer having its primary controlled by the train carried relay," a frequency selective relay and a non-frequency selective relay in circuit with the secondary of the transformer, the frequency selective relay having a plurality of contacts and the nonfrequency selective relay having a front and. a back contact, and governing means controlled by thecontacts of the frequency selective relay and by the contacts of the nonfrequency selective relay.

7. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch ofrailway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with alternating current interrupted at different 11 In combination, a train carried relay balanced at a given frequency but selectively responsive to currents above and below said given frequency, a second relay responsive to current of any frequency, means located partfrequencies, a 'train carried relay, controlled by current received from the trackway, a

transformer having its primary controlled by the relay, two relays in circuit with the secondary of the transformer, one of them being frequency selective, and the other being nonfrequency selective, and governing means controlled by said relays.

8. The combination with a stretch-0f railway track, of a train -carried relay, means partly located in'the trackway for at times supplying, alternating current periodically interrupted at different frequencies to the relay, a transformer having its primary controlled by the relay, a plurality of frequency -of the transformer, and governing means controlled by the frequen'cy selective relays in accordance with the frequency of the current supplied to the train carried relay.

10. In combination, a train carried relay balanced at a given frequency but selectively responsive to currents above and below said given frequency, means located partly in the trackway and partly on the train for supplying said relay with current of said "given frequency or with current above or below said given frequency, and governing means on the train'controlled by said relay.

ly in the trackway and partly-on the train for supplying the relays with current of said given requency or with current above or below said given frequency, and governing means on the train controlled by the relays.

12. In combination, a train carried relay balanced at a given frequency but selectively responsive to currents above and below said given frequency, means located partly in the trackway and partly on the train for supplying the relay with current of said given frequency or with current above or below said given frequency, a proceed signal energized when current of a frequency above said given frequency is supplied to the relay, a caution signal energized when current of a frequency below said given frequency is suppliedto the relay and 'a third signal energized when current of said given frequency is supplied to the relay. 1 y

balanced at a given frequency but selectively responsive to currents above and below said 13. In combination, a train carried relay given frequency, means located partly in the trackway and partly on the train for supplying the relay with current of said given'frequency or with current above or below said frequency, a second relay responsive to current of any frequency, a proceed. signal energized when current of a frequency above said given frequency is supplied to the relays, a caution signal energized when current of a frequency below said given frequency is supplied to the relays, a third signal energized when current of said iven frequency is supplied to the relays, ant? a stop signal energized when andonly when said second relay is dcenergized.

14. In combination, a train carried relay balanced at a given frequency but selectively responsive to currents above and below said given frequency, a second relay responsive to currents of said given frequency and to currents ofa frequency above said given frequency, means locatetf partly in the trackway and partly on the train for supplying the re lays'with currents of said given frequency or with current above or below said given fre-- quency and governing means on the train controlled by the relays.

15. Railway tratfic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying'the rails of the stretch with alternating current periodically varied at different frequencies, and governing means on .a train selectively responsive to the frequency of such variations.

16. Railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with alternating current periodically varied at different frequencies, a train carried relay controlled in accordance with energy received from the trackway and operating at afrequency which depends upon the frequency of different frequencies, a train carried relay controlled by said current and operating. at

the frequency of such variations, and governing means controlled by said relay in accordance with the frequency of such variations.

18. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a stretch of railway track, means for supplying the rails of the stretch with alternating current having its amplitude. varied periodically at different frequencies, and governing means responsive to the frequency of suchvariations in amplitude.

19. ailway traflic controlling apparatus comprising means for supplying the trackway with alternating current of periodically varying am litude, means for varying the fr uencyo such eriodic variations, means on he train for 'etecting such variations, and governing means selectively controlled by such detecting means in accordance with the frequency of such variations.

20. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising means for supplying the trackway with alternating current, means for periodically varying the amplitude of said current at different frequenc es, and a plu-' rality of devices on the train selectively responsive to the frequency of such variations in the amplitude of the current.

Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising means forsupplying the track-- way. with alternating current, means for periodically Varying thefiamplitude of said current at different frequencies, a first device on the train responsive to said current, and two other devices controlled by the first device and selectively responsive to the frequency of such variations in the amplitude of the current.

22. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising means for supplying the trackway with alternating current, means for periodically varying the amplitude of. said current at diflerent frequencies, a device on the trainresponsive to said current and governmg means controlled by sa1d device in accordance with the frequency of the variations in the amplitude of said current.

23. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising means for supplying the trackway with alternating. current, means for periodically varying the amplitude of said current at different frequencies, and traffic governing'means selectively res onsive to the frequency of the variations in -t e amplitude of the current but not responsive to the current itself.

24. Railway tra'lfic controlling apparatus comprising. means for supplying the track- Way with alternating current, means for at times periodically varying the amplitude of said current at one frequency, and for at other times periodically varying the amplitude of the current at a second frequency, a first relay responsive to such varlationsof one frequency but not of thesecond, and a secondrelay responsive to such variations of the sec-' ond frequency.

In testimony whereof aflix m signature.

GEORGE W. BAU HMAN.

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