US1696383A - System of eliminating automatic train-control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,383

. P. J. CLIFFORD SYSTEM OF ELIMINATING AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 10, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 N g r I bk E 5 Invnfar:

Raina J01?! 1 Clifford,

Ait ya Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,383 P. J. CLIFFORD SYSTEM OF ELIMINATING AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 10, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awn/nap.

Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,383

P. J. CLIFFORD SYSTEM OF ELIMINATING AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 10, 1923 :5 Sheets-Sheet s Pairz'ck Jd'yjord Petetated Dec 25, 1928.

PATBECIT. J. 'GLIEFQRI), Q FALLEL PEIlir PQRA--ON OE All DELAVFABE.

SYSTEBE OF ELIMINATEHG AUTGMATIC TR;

Substitute for abandoned application Serial No. 6 January 27, 1928.

In an application for Lotte United Statics filed by me lvl rch Z-lth, 1919, iberial lluniher 528e,?8l, I describe a train stop system in which an eliminating valve is en1- ploycd to prevent the operation the auto ll'laiilc mechanism and an automatic applicm tion of the biiikcs when the engi cor redr c speed by making a manual service appllcz e lion of the hrahca by )perating his autmnatic b 111% valve.

in air brake systems as generally con strucced there a valve khown as the (lead head valve which is loc ted in the train pipe under the engineers automatic brake valve. 'lhis valve. is closed when an engine cou pled onto a train as a second ei'igine the purose of closing the valve being that this engine, so far as the application oi thebralies concerned, is rendered deao and the operaion of applyin the brakes is entirely within the control of the engincnizn of the first on gin o. a

lt is one oi my present invention to n'ovide means whereby when an engine, having an automatic braking apparatus including' an oliini atio means mounted thereon coupleuto the l in as the first or sole engine, and by h'listake or otherwise, has its dead head velve closed the cliinii ing inaans which is intended. to prevent automatic braking will be nullified so that the engineer can not under these circumstances eliminate automatic braking but on the contrary, auton'iatic l raking will go on when the caution or danger board reached and the train will be brought to a stop i'lotifying the rs Patent of the I engineer that the dead headvalve been wr glj; set in closed positioi'h and thus lll'l pelling him to correc the fault.

, With p 'ior autom c systems it would be possible for the engineer, if he were disposed to disobey the rules, to eliminate automatic braking: without making a i'i'iancal SQlVlCG application of the brakes. To do this he would close his dead head valve, which would prevent him from inahi a train pipe reduction when he set hisautoinatic service valve H in service position. i The pla ingot his valve in service position would eliminate eutoniatic braking, so that we would then have a condition which would enable the engineer messes is I 'SYLV NIA ASE IGNOR T0 TRAIN CONTRGL ESE cIGJSl, G1? SCRPLNTGN, FENNSYLVANIA A CORTEORATION OE ume, filed Gctober 1c, 1923. This application s enial N0. 259,035.

to defeat automatic brakingwithout reducing the speed of his train. 'lhis contingency is one that would arise only from an exceptional condition, because this dead heed. valve is one that is intoded tobc manipulated only when an engine is coupled up a second engine. However, to extend the element oi? saitety'to its full limit 'it desirable toremove the possi ilitv this exceptional condition or circumstance ex] tin This application is filed a'suhstitute -for niv now lease valve.

Fig, 7 is a view of my improved dead head valve and associated parts.

8 is view of another form of tlieinvention. V

in these drawings I have shown the automatic braking system as operable from a ramp; through a contactroll l, butit will be uhderstood that the invention is not lllllr ited in this regard, as the automatic system may he operated from the electrical coii (lit-ion oi the traiiic rail system of the railway.

In this system the operation oftho contact roll 1 mo es a'valve shown generally a113,- which supplies equalizing reservoir air pressure through a pipe 8 and pipe 14 to a cylinde a of a trio'oer valve 19. This valve is thereby opened to supply equalizing reser-' VOliffill throu 'h branch pipe 13 and pipe 15' toan' automatic air release valve shown genorally at A so that when this valve is opened train line aiii will be discharged to atmosphere through port 445 for the automatic application of the brakes audithe stoppegeof 6' is a view of the automatic [air rcthe train. a As a part ofthis automatiosys-- tem there is also an engineers disabling valve B to which equalizing air pressure is supplied through the trigger valve 19 so that the engineer will be prevented from interfering with the automatic application of the brakes when the automatic action is to take place. This disabling valve receives its air pressure from pipe by way of a part of the valve organization A through a pipe 51, and when pressure exists in this last named pipe the valve B will be closed and prevent the access of air from the main reservoir X to the engineers big brake valve H, known in the estinghouse system as the engineers automatic brake valve. The engineer will therefore be prevented from obtaining a supply of air from the main reservoir for recharging the train line and. interfering with the automatic braking.

This disabling valve is located in the piping 50*, 50, extending from the main reservoir and connected up with the engineers brake valve H for supplying it with main reservoir pressure.

Eliminating cal re.

For eliminating the automatic braking mechanism when the engineer makes a service application of the brakes, an eliminating valve B is provided in the pipe 15 leading to the automatic air release valve A. This valve is normally open so that air pressure is free to pass through the pipe 15 to the automatic air release valve A when the trigger valve 19 is open. When, however, the engineer makes a. manual service brake application by placing his automiatic valve H in service position, a. supplemental air supply valve If is opened and air pressure goes through pipe 52 from the chamber above the rotary valve of the engineers automatic brake H to the up per side of the eliminating valve B, thus closing the same to shut the pipe 15 and pre vent air from going from the trigger valve 19 to the automatic service valve organization A, thus eliminating automatic braking during manual braking.

The dead head valve is shown at DH. The purpose of this valve when closed is to out out the engineers automatic brake valve H so that if the engine is to be used as a second engine in a train, its train braking mechanism; will be out out of operation and braking actions will then be under the sole control of the engineer of the, first engine.

Suppose, however, by accident or otherwise the dead head valve on the first engine is closed, and that this valve is of the usual construction, this would prevent the engine er from making a service application of the brakes by setting his valve H in service position, but it would not prevent the elimination of automatic braking.

In other words, supposing the valve DH to be of the usual known construction and accidentally closed on the first engine, then when the engineer sets his automatic brakevalve H in service position he would eliminate automatic braking by closing valve B, but he would not get a. service application of the brakes because the wrongly closed dead head valve DH would prevent-him from reducing train line air pressure. He would therefore go by a caution or danger board at full speed and an accident might result.

To prevent this I have provided means whereby the possibility of eliminating automatic braking will depend upon the normal or open position of the dead head valve, and therefore if this is closed for any reason, then the engineer cannot eliminate automatic braking by operating his valve H, and he would get an automatic stop, which of course would notify him that his dead head valve is wrongly set, i. e. closed. Or if for any reason the engineer attempted to defeat automatic braking without making av manual brake ap plication (which could be done by closing the ordinary dead head valve) he would be prevented from doing so by the present improven'lent.

This improvement consists in employing the dead head valve as a cut off in the pipe 52 which sup-plies air pressure from the engineefis brake valve H to the eliminating valve. For this purpose the casing (UL of the dead head valve is interposed in the pipe 52 and is provided with a passage 52 connecting the sections of this pipe This passage is controlled by the rotary plug member of the dead head valve DH, for which purpose said plug member is: provided with a supplemental port I which closes this passage when the dead head valve closes the train pipe. Therefore under this closed condition of the valve DH, even though the engineer sets his valve H in service position, there will not be any train pipe reduction, nor will there be an elimination of automatic braking take place, but on the contrary, the brakes will be auton'iatically applied. If. however, the dead head valve is open, then the. engineer can manually apply the brakes and his act in doing this will cause climina tion of the automatic action. He cannot eliminate without applyin the brakes.

Now it is of course necessary to eliminate the automatic. apparatus on the second engine. This is done by coupling up the trigger valve organizations 19 of the two engines. For this purpose a pipe 15 fer an extension of the pipe 15 is provided w the usual valved coupling 15 to connect witn the usual coupling member 15 and the latte connects with the piston chamber 35 of tl trigger valve on the second engine the. when this tri er valve is open the r pres sure will pass through pipes 15, 15" to the chamber 35 of the trigger valve of he second engine and the action of this will be nullified, despite the fact that the contact roll 1 of the second'engine Will strike the ramp and cause the valve to open.

The operation of the two trigger valves may be stated as follows: i

hen the valve 19 of first locomotive is opened, air will go through 15 and 15* and 15 to chamber 35 of the secondvalve, and will immediately set the piston in this chamber over and retract the dog 26. It will also let air go intochamber o of this valve. thus holding valve 19 of the second locomotive in closed position, so that when the second contact valve strikes the ramp the air let into chamber 0 of the second valve will have no effect in thrmving valve 19 (second) to locked position, because this is resisced by the pressure in chamber a and be ause the dog- 26 of the second valve will be retracted.

It may be noted, too, that there is a difference between the actions and course of air in holding the trigger valve of the second locomotive inactive or preventing it from being held open, and the action and course of air in resetting the first valve, for the follow ing reasons. In restoring the first valve to closed position, the air must build up in chambers 35 and a through the minute port 15. This takes time. In respect to the sec-- ond valve, however, the air ifor operating the piston in chamber 35 does not go through the small port 15 of the second valve, but it enters the chamber directly through the supplemental pipes 1? and 15 which are as large as the pipe 15. "This will quickly operate piston 36 and retract the bolt 26. Fun thermore, air in sufficient quantity will pass from chamber 35 through pipe 37 to chamher a of the second engine, thus opera-ting; upon piston 7) to hold the valve 19 in closed position. The small. port 15 does not enter into this action at all.

Indeed, actual tests prove that the second trigger valve will not go over at all because pressure will get into chamber a and it re quires but slight pressure here to counteract the pressure in chamber a, It requires but slight pressure in chamber o 01 the second valve, or, in fact, either valve, to hold the valve in closed position. because the pressure in cl lumber is that which results from only a momentary opening of the contact valve 3. whilethe pressure behind the piston Z). of chamber a of the second trigger valve is full and continued equalizing reservoir pressure say of pounds, so long as the first valve is open.

, The trigger valve mustremain open to prole the interval of. time that the air is supplied to the automatic mechanism. because the inlet port 22 thereof is small as compared with the diameter of the pipe 15 and the capacity of the chamber in the valve A and the length of pipe 51.

The valve will remain open until pres sure builds up beyond it inpipe 15, the chamber of valve Aand pipe115 suificientl'y, so that, passing back through the small" port 15, it'will operate the piston-36 and release the lock outrigger 26 of this valve,fso that the pressure passing ;fthrough pipe 3'? into chamber a can restore the valve to closed position. A similar action takes place when the elin'iinating valve B is closed, but; the time interval is not so long. In the latter case, say that it takes four seconds for this trigger valve to perform its cycle. .The engineer, knowing this, will hold his valve H in service position at least this, length of time, for he knows thati't he did not do so, the eliminating alve B "would openas soon as he returned valve H to release or running position, and he would know that he would get an automatic brake application because the trigger valve would still be open. In holding his valve H in service position long enough to elin'iinate the automatic brake mechanism, he would get a service application of the brakes long; enough to materially retard the train. .a He cannot therefore under any circumstances eliminate without slowing down the speed'of the train. If he places his valve H back in release or running position immediately after placing it in: service position, he would take air away from the eliminating valve and this would open, this being due to the fact-that the supplemental valve k would close, cutting oil theair supply, and air would escape from pipe 52 around the ball h.

Whathas been said regardingthe dead headvalve DH applies to all cut out valves of the system on the engine. They all may be connected up in the pipe leading to the eliminating valve so that elimination of antomatic braking can be accomplishedonly when all ofthese valves are open. I

' In Fig; 8 I show a connection for supply ingbrake pipe pressure to the under side of the eliminating valve when the out; out cock is closed to cut out the engineers valve, so that if pressureis introduced to the upper side of the eliminating, valve to close the same, this will be" resisted by the pressure below the valve and it will remain open. The cut out cock therefore has ports which will connect the train line with the under side of the eliminating valve when said out out valve is set to. make the engine dead, as to manual braking.

The engineers disabling valve ,may be placed in a position other than that shown, that is, it may be placed in the train pipe so that the engineer-cannot recharge the train pipe and release the brakes when this valve is closed. V

This disabling valve may be opened, when,

after a. prescribed lapse of time, the air is.

bled away therefrom through port 56 of the automatic airrelease valve A, consequent upon the restoration of this valve to closed position, when air is bled away therefrom through port 22" of the trigger valve when the latter is returned to closed position.

For opening this disabling valve air pres sure may be derived from any suitable source, under the control of the engineer, as for instance, through pipe 57 from the engineers independent brake valve S, which gets its supply, for restoring the disabling valve, from the application chamber of the distributing valve through the disabling valve release pipe m, the air finally exhaust-ing through port \V of the disabling valve, which then in effect becomes the exhaust port for the S valve instead of the usual exhaust port at said valve.

I claim:

1. In combination in automatic train stop systems, automatic train stop apparatus on the vehicle or engine, means for eliminating the function of said automatic apparatus as a consequence of the engineer setting his brake valve in service posit-ion and thus retarding the train, a cut out valve to render the engine dead so far as braking is concerned. so that said engine may be coupled up with a first engine to assist the same with its motive power, said eliminating means being nullified when said out out valve is closed, so that in case said valve is closed on the first engine, the automatic train stop means thereon will be effective, even though the engineer sets his automatic brake valve in braking position, substantially as described.

2. In combination in automatic train stop systems, automatic train stop apparatus on the vehicle or engine, means for eliminating the function of said automatic apparatus as a consequence of the engineer setting his brake valve in service position and thus retarding the train, a cut out valve to render the engine dead -so far as braking is concerned, so that said engine may be coupled up with a first engine to assist the same with its motive power, said eliminating means being nullified when said cut out valve is closed, so that in case said valve is closed on the first engine, the automatic train stop means thereon will be etl'ective, even though the engineer sets his automatic brake valve in braking position, said cut out valve when closed also closing the air passage leadin from the engineers automatic brake valve to the eliminating means to nullify the latter.

3. In combination in automatic. train stop systems, automatic train stop apparatus on the vehicle or engine, means for eliminating the function of said automatic apparatus as a consequence of the engineer setting his brake valve in service position and thus retarding the train, a cut out valve to render the engine dead so far as braking is coin corned, so that said engine may be coupled up with a first engine to assist the same with its motive power, said eliminating means being nullified when said cut out alve is closed, so that in case said valve is closed on the first engine, the automatic train stop means thereon will be ettective, even though the engineer sets his automatic brake uilve in braking position, a valve on the engine to supply air to the automatic apparatus, means for automaticilly operating saidvalve, means for supplying air from the valve of the first engine when open to the supply valve meelnmism of the second engine when this is coupled up with the first engine tor nullitying the second supply valve and thus preventing it from supplying air to the automatic system of the second engine for operating it, substantially as described.

4;. In combination in automatic train stop systems, automatic train stop apparatus on the vehicle or engine, means for eliminating the function of said autoi'natic apparatus as a consequence oi the engineer setting his b ake valve in service position and thus retar-ding the train, a cut out valve to render the engine dead so tar as braking is concerned, so that said engine may be coupled up with a first engine to assist the Sftl'l'ic with its motive power, said eliminating means being nullified when said cut out valve is closed, so that in case said valve is closed on the first engine, the automatic train stop means thereon will be eli'ective, even though the engineer sets his automatic brake valve in brakin position, a trigger valve on the engine to apply air to the automatic apparatus, means for automatically opening said valve, means for locking said valve in open position, means acted on by pressure built up between said trigger valve and the automatic apparatus for resetting said valve to closed position, said valve having a bleed port for the discharge of air from the automatic apparatus when said trigger valve closed, n'ieans tor supplying air from the trigger valve of the li st engine, when open, to the resetting means of the trigger valve oi the second engine for holding this closed, subs itially as describezjl.

p in testimony whereof, I allix my ilflllfliill't.

PATRICK J. Cl fi Eillll).

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