US1706832A - Continuous inductive train-control system - Google Patents

Description

W. W. WENHOLZ Filed June 12,

CONTINUOUS INDUCTIVE TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM March 26, 1929.

Patented Mar. 2,6, 1929.

Unirno STATES 1,706,832 PATENT OFFICE.

WLTER W. WENHOLZ, OFl ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR T0 GENERAL RAIIVAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF RCHEEIER, NEW YORK.

CONTINUOUS vINDUCIIVE Application filed June 12,

rhis in\fention relates to the Signaling; sind the automatic control of trziins, and more ijiziricuirirly concerns nn :arrangement ot' wayside c? and devicee for :i coinbined eysitein of this type.l

When :i .Ciyeteni oi" automatic trein conti-ol otf the three-position coniinuoiie inductive type ie :ipiiiied [zo n. rnilwiy eyetenitthe roadside equipment which must be provided Yie-i neceeeerily rather elaborate end expensive. n o. syeteni of this type, two distinct elter- :i'tingg cui-rei :ire cini'foyed for 'tr:ineiniiAN tizio; `influence eer-ireA onifiino' to traffic condition?l to :i moving' vehicle, one current, tei-ined the tinck phone current, lowinp; in the two track rails oi erich of the usual treclr bleek@ in series; and the other current, termed the line phone current` tlowingr in the y *A u two triicl relie in multiple. it is neceeenry to provide :i line `Wire ilor the return of the line phzieo current troni one end ot each block to the other, :md Where the blocks are 'very long und :ire divided into one or more outy nectione, to irn'oride for the return ot this; iine Wire to the tinck rails :1.15 certain pointe. The expe" ot Yin'o'r'idin`` this` line Wire quite cons lerzible and ie L distinct- 1 'e to the threeqios'ition continudif-asid inn' one inductive system.

lilith the above :ind other eoneidernzione in inind, it. is propoeed in accordance with ihe incitent: invention to provide n System o' rrnclrway circuit-.s sind devices for en .fiutoinntie trein control. :system olf the threepoeition con innone indrictive type in which the curr-en n 'tor the iine phoeetinin control ci cuity returned over the control. Wires of' the iis-Limi tihreeposition block Signaling' system. 'y y Y @ther specific objeete, advantages sind i -cliziniicterintic 'features of 'the .invention will d raiwin become apparent ne the description thereof" TnAIn-ooiirno. SYSTEM.

19.26. serial No. 115,548.

Referring; to the drawings, the truck rails 1 have been shown divided into the usuel bioele by the insulating `ioints 2, the block I sind the ends of the two adjacent blocks lH :ind J l` wing' been Shown. iS :ineilinod to be of such leniyjth that it has been divided into two cnt Sections, l :ind I, it, being' understood that this block or any otheebloclr inigrlit` be divided into ne ineny cut eectione of the desired length as might be `i'onnd advisable.

The system chosen for the purpoee ol il- .lueirsition is olI the zype employing' the Well known point B7 deriecribed in the application oil Howe :ind Buehnell., Ser. No. 653,898, tiled July QG, 1923. Between this pointI B end thefexit end of the block 'the line plume current is ont oil' from, the track reiin, when dangerous trzrliic conditione exist 'in the next. block in ndrzmce, the distance beiiiveen this point B :ind the entrance end ol the danger block cori'espondincy approximately toen :werden .Seite breaking dista-nce for zi' trein traveling ai; a restricted or speed. ln the System Shown in the application this E point is the point defined by the location ol. the resistance 57.

The Signaling' eyetcin shown is oil the well known alternating current. entonn'iticbloclc thine-position type, and ne i-hie system is Well known to those skilled in the art end ne .thieinyention does? notJ concern certain details of the signal Circ11itS,`deVice;-i sind `he operation thereof, only zi. Simplified showing; and :1 brief deecription of this; eyetein will be given herein.

Ae the various devices and the generel arrangement of the circuitsi in the Various blocks :ind cui; Sections :ire Substantially iidei'iticiii, like re'iference characters having distinctive exponente here been uned to des- .ignwiio the correspoiulinp; elements in the ini-ione blocks. `The letters B and C have been need to doei nite the poeitiveend negetive terminale o'lfn suitable Source of' direct current euch ue :i Storage or priinzny buttery. `/iltern:ding current izrecii relays 3 of the Weil known type are connected ecrofss the .track rails et the entrance end of @zich block and 'of esi-ch ont I:section es shown, the current for operating theee relays being' Supplied to the tinck renie et the/exit ende of euch block and cui; section by the transformers 1l, connected to the transmission line 5, suitable freactances 6 beingV included in these supply circuits. The track circuit current also acts as the track phase train Vcontrol current 'flowing in the two track V.rails in series. Y

Suitable Wayside signals ofthe semaphore,

color light or other type are preferably used Y in connection with the system of the present invention, and the Wel y type of wayside signals have been illustrated K' known semaphore in the drawing in a conventional manner at Z. Q These signals are controlled by the operation of two' alternating current relays, the Atrack Yrelay 3 at the entrance endet each block and the home and distant relayHD.

Q The energization of the track relay 3 through'the track rails of the. transformer et 'tactftinger 15 which completes an'energizingtciicuit for thedirect current line relay Altivhen in either of its energized positions as shown,the circuit for energizing this vline relay; 16 ,being traceable as folloWs:-froni the ttery terminal B, through the signaloperated contactlinger.17v and its statiouarv contact 18, wires l9 and'20, stationary con.

,I tacty andcontact finger of the home and.

distant'relay HD, and wire 21o through-thc 'Vlndngofth'line relay 16 to the battery V.terminal "Q 1` AlthoughV the 'devices for operating the wayside signalsV in accordance with the enerV gization'rand de-eneigization of the track relay `3 and the home and distant relay HD have not, been shown, it'shouldrbe understood that when'` the track relay .3 is ener- Y 'gizedandthe home and distantl relay is energizedwithcurrentot normal polarity, the

`.wayside 4signal Zvlqiv'es a clear orl proceed Aindication; that Whenthetrack relay Y energized andthe home and distant relay f yis energized withk a` current ot' reverse frpoliaij'ity, the wayside 'signal Z gives a cann Y. ,tion or medium :speed indication; andjthat.

l Y r,v'vitlithe track relay 3de-energized,- the homeVV andfdistantprelav .HD Vis cle-energized, or

both'ot-` tliese. relaysV in the defenergized con. f

" dition,y the wayside signal .gives al danger jorrstop,indication.

A: railway Avehicle hasbeen conventionally represented infthe yblockltlmby the wheels and 'axles 23,1the' normaldirection of trali'icI being indicated by theV arrow. n It should oi Y I course Ybe understood that any suitable type et .receiving and control apparatus 4may te employed in' connection with this vehicle.

VYIn thefdiawindaan extremely simplilied sinned thatfthis system may be expanded and changed in various ways without dcparting' trom the spirit of the invention. T i "i -`l`21l wo sets of inductne ieceiving coi s an( arepprovided on the vehicle, being carried in inductive relation to the track rails l. The receiving` coils 24 are carried in iront of the leading axle of the vehicle and are connected in such a manner that voltages induced therein by alternating currents llowing; in opposite directions iii the two truck rails are additive. .The receiving),` coils 25 are carried behind one or inoie ot the wheels and axles ot the vehicle, preferably iii the rear of the iirst vehicle ot a train, and are connected in such a manner that voltages induced therein by alternating' currents flowingr in the same direction in the two track 1ails are additive. rlhe receiving coils 2l and 25 are connected to suitable amplifyingr devices 26 and 27, preferably of the well known audion tube type, whose out put circuits are connected respectively to the two iliase windings 28 and 2S) oi? a polyphasc al* tcinati'ng' current engine relay ER. The relayV ER is of the type wcll known in tiiiiii control and signalingr practice and is provided with any suitable number of movable and stationary contacts connected in the vurious vehicle control circuits. In the sinipliiicd system shown, the engine rchiy VICR is provided with two movable contact lingers 30 and 31 which operate to control thc encrgization of suitable brake control devices.

The vehicle brakes may be controlled iii any suitable manner and by means of any one of a number of well known devices yadapted for this purpose. As the initiation of an automatic brake application is usually effected bythe de-eiiergization of some suitable eectro-inagiictic device. two bizikx` con brake application which enforces a low speed. d

Operation.

i All of theV devices and circuits in tho drawings have been shown in their normal operating,- positions, that is, with clear traflic conditions existingin all of the blocks shown, and vith'ithe vehicle proceeding -withoiit automatic restriction in the block H. The engine relay ER is thus in its normalv energized position, the medium speed brake control device M and the low speed brake control device L beiniir energized through circuits which are obvious from the drawings.

Consideringr first the operation oi thc system with a train proceeding; under clear tralic conditions, assume that the vchicle 23 is proceeding in the block H with no train,

Cil

track railsof this block'and suppliedifroin the reverse lline phase current flowing in the taining the control device L energized. Thev vde-'energa/ation of the controlV device My enthe transformers 4 Athrough obvious circuits. The receiving coils however, have voltages of reverse vpolarity inducedtherein by tivo. track. rails iii inultiplethrough the circuit. traced' above.Y The line phase Winding 29, ofthe engine relay ER is therefore energized by a current of reverse polarity, and

this' relay swings to its reverse position, deenergizing the control devicev M but inainforces a nocdiuin speed by suitable Vautomatic means, which inediuni speed inust be niaintained by the vehicle as it proceeds in 'the ',blocl'I if'an automatic brake application is vto be avoided. vWhen'the vehicle reaches the point'B in the 'block-l, the line phase train control current no longer flows in .the

track'v rails, the circuit for 'this line phase currentlfhaviiig been traced above. and the receiving coils 25 do not liavervoltages inkduced therein. This causes the de-,eiiei'ginag tionof the line phase ivindng 29 of the en-k the section I" in multiple, balance resistance relay vER and `this relay therefore assuin'es its `de-en'ergizedV position, causing` the 'e de-energization ofbotli of thel control devices. M and L. The train inust noiv proceed at a low speed toavoid van automatic `brake application, this low speed being such that the traineau be brought toa vstop .bc-

' foreitlieeXit end of the block I is reached.V

As 'the train'now proceeds into the block J in which anothertrainislocated, the line Yphase' train control currentsfagain flow in the twotraclcrails in Vi'niilti'ple and induce Y voltages .in 'thelreceivingcoils25. The track "plias'ctrain control currentl however isshuntx ed frein the trackrails in tliebioclrfil by the ,Wheels and ailes vofthe trainer vehicle in advance, 'andtheengine relay ER therefore vremainsV fdc-energized, enforcing'the low 'speed control. l As soonas the train inV adA ffvanceleai'ies the" blockfJ, the track phase Atrain control c'urrentagain fic-Ws .in the track Arails,of-this block aiijd 'the ,following train'is' suppliediivithiytrack phase current andivith vline phase current ofvreverse polarity and niay proceed attire inediuni sneed the inan-.

nerldescribed in connection Vi'vi'th the operation ya Acaution block. l, I Considering now. the Yoperation of the cirused,'a'ss'uine that' a train is' located in thecuits and .devicesfivihere cut"seeti'ons are exit-section -lll of theblock'Under these conditions, the track phase and ,track circuit vcurrent isshunt-edY from Vthe rails of this sec-v j tion I? by the Wheels and axles ofthe train.

' ijroassa 'v rsing the line phase train control current in' the. block H, making this a caution block as described above. rl`he dc-energization of the track relay 3 also breaks the circuit for the line phase train control current in the rst section l. of the block I, this circuit lhaving been traced above, thus causing the yde-energization of the engine relay of any vehicle which inight be located in this sec tion lf2 It is, of course, necessery that line phase control current be supplied to the train located in a section I provided clear tra'fiic conditions'exist ahead, and this line phase current is supplied through a circuit which. inay be traced as follows 1-froiii the secondary Winding of the transformer 14, Wires a9, contact linger a8 and front contact `of the line reialy 1G, ivircs lzi, (i2 and i2, balance resistance eil, the tivo track rails of Lith-Wire 39, front contact and contact linger of the line relay 1G, wire B7, front contact and contact finger 3G of the line relay 1G and Wire of the secondary Winding of the transformer lll. It is of course to be understood that the presence of a. train or vehicle in the iirst section l of the block I will shuntthe track circuit and track phase train control current froin the track relay 3, causing itsV Cle-energization, giving a danger signal indication and providing caution train control and signa-l conditions in the block H as described above.

Suini'narizing the operation of the circuits and devices in connection with blocks and cutI sections, it is cleai that a train located in any of the cut sections of a given block will cause danger traflic conditions to be transmitted by the traincontrol currents and to be `indicated by tlie'signal indications of that block and caution conditions to be transniitted and indicated in the first block to the rear thereof.

Referring to Figure 2, a slight modification ofthe trackivay circuits has been shown, the various circuits and devices being designated by the saine reference characters as those used in Figure l.

In thc modification shoivn in Figure 2, the linephase ycircuit in the track rails is connected to the line Wires 9 and 12 of the si gnal control line through back contacts (Si) and (il associated with the contact fingers 55 and 47 of the track relays 3 and 3l located at the entrance ends et each block and each cut section respccti vely.

The operation of the modification shown in Figure 2 is the same as that described above in connection with Figure Q except for the tact that the line phase circuiti-is normal-` ly cle-energized, this circuit beingr broken at the contacts t3() and (3l when the track relays 3 and 3" are energiaccd. lhen a vehicle enters the block I, the track re lay 3 is cle-energized, its contact finger 55 energizing the back contact (30 and completing the line phase circuit for the entrance portion of this block, this circuit being traccablc as 'ollewsz--troin the secondary wind! ingr et the transformer 14, wire 35, contact linger 36 and front contact oi the linerelay 16 wire 37, contact linger 38 and trent contact et relay 1G, wire 39, balance resistance 40, the track rails l, balance resistances 4l and 44, the track rails l, balance resisance ei-, wire a6, back contact G0 and contact .tingcr 55 et the track relay 3, wire 9, front contact and contact finger t7 ol track relay 3, wire l2, trent contact and contact finger t8 of line relay 1G, and wire titte the transformer let. In a like manner, when the Yvehicle passes the insulating joints at the iniddle of the bleek and enters the second section thereof, the track relay 3" cle-energized and the line phase circuit for the exit section is completed through wire 62 back contact 6l 'and contact linger i7 oit relay 3".

-t will be readily apparent that the op-` eration ot the system shown in Figure 2 is identical with that of Figure l as regards the control et trains. The modification of Figure 2, however, has certain advantages over that of Figure l. In the moditication, no energy consumed by the line phase circuit unless a train or vchiele is in the block, and for this reason a substantial savingl in energy etliected. Also, when the relay III) is energized, only one wire of its control circuit is grounded through a balance resistance at a time. In the stem ot' Figure l, under normal clear `conditions, bothV line wires which carry the control current tor the relay HD are connected to balance resistance, and` a small annount o energy is thereby lost through the ground. Thus the system et Figure 2 effects a considerable saving in wayside energy consiunption, which is a distinctadvantage in a system et this type.

It is seen that a system has been provided by the present invention in which an economy in line wires has been eiifected by employing" the usual line wires of an automatic. block signaling system for the return of the line phase train control current et the automatic train cont-rol system, thus using only two line wires te take care of the two systems. This is of particular advantage is reducing the en pense of wayside installations. The simplicity of the wayside circuits is also et advantage where it becomes necessary to break the line wires through switch box contacts in the well known manner tol protect train travel on the main line against an open switch: there being only tivo line wires to be controlled te give the proper signal and train control operation, the switch box contacts may be very simple and Yfew `in number.

The present invention has been described in a rather specific manner and in connection with an extremely simplified and more or less diagramnnitic system of car carried train control apparatus. It should therefore be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to the particular showing' used to illustrate its natm'e. and that various changes,v

additions and moditications might be made .in this apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, apparatus might be provided on the vehicle and on the trackway for placing the car-carried devices in an inactive condition for train travel over sectionsI et trackway unequipped for automatic train control,A means for reversing; the connections to the receiving coils ior vehicle travel with the tender leading might be provided and many other modifications or changes might be made.

That it is desired to secure by Letters `Patent is l. In an automatic train control system, `in combination with track rails divided `into blocks, signal control relays at the entrance end oitl each oi said blocks, control `wires for said relays extending from the entrance to the exit end ot said blocks, and means for transmitting intluences corresponding to traliic conditions to moving` vehicles includinn` an alternating train control current iiowing in the two track rails in multiple and controlled in accordance with trailic conditions in advanceone et said cent-rol wires ttor said signalcontrol relays being connected to term a return path for said alternating train control current.

2. In an automatic t ain control system ot the type in which control influences correspending` to tratiic conditions ahead are continuously transmitted from the traekway to a mevinaa vehicle by means o't a train eontrol current flowingl in the two track rails in multiple, two line wires extending along the trackway, one et said line wires carryingv current to control wayside signal control devices and the other line wire 'forming a return path for said signal control current and said train control current.

3. In coinbinationwith a section of rail.- way trackway divided; into blocks, wayside signals and polarized signal control relays at the entrance end of each block, means for controllingy the polarization and energica llt) - 'nieansfor transmitting influences corre tionofl said relays throughline wires in ac-j coi-dance with trafiicvconditions inthe said block and Y iii-the first block in advance, and

sl'ionding l'toti-ailic conditions to a moving `vehicle onthe trackway including an alter- 4nating 'control current flowing in the two track rails i'ii'niultiple, one of said line wires vfor saidfsignal control. relaysy also forming a return wire for' said alternating control current'. f l Y t. lI'n'a system of railway signaling and automatic train control, in combination with Y a trackway dividedinto blocksand having certain `ofjsaidv blocks divided into cut sections, track relays at the entrance end of' each of said blocks and of yeach ol said sections, Wayside signals and signal Acontrol relays aft theientrance end ojfeach 'of' saidblocks, line Wires extending the entire length of said blocks, means for controlling thepolarity lof energization of said signal x control ,relay'sgthrough said line wires in accordance with tra'llicconditionsin the first advance block, contacts on said t-iack relays Vjior openingsaid line wires when any one of said track rela-ysY is cle-energized, and means for transmitting influences corresponding to traffic conditions toa moving vehicle comprising an alternating control current flowing in thetwo track -rails in mull,tiple-Hand through! one of said line Wires,

said ,means for controlling the polarity ot' energization of said signal control relays .also controlling thepolarity of vsaid alternat- Y ing vcontrol current.

` 5. 'In an automatic train `control system,

Vmeans for ytransniitting inflijiences corre- Sponding to Y'traffic Vconditions troni the trackway to'a moving vehicle comprisingfinductivereceiving devices on the vehicle,

analternating control current flowing in the vtwotrack rails in series and an alternating control currentfloaing inthe twotrack rails rv,in multiple, and means for returning said algternatin'g .current flowing inthe two track .rails inliniiltiple from one vend ot an insulated `blockfo'it trackwayV to the other coinpi'ising aline wire, said line Wire alsoacte signal ,cont-rol' devices.

4automatic train-control, in combinationY withV track rails divided into blocks, trackivay i `Ycircuits comprising la track circuit 'currentv` Ving to control the energiz'at-ion ofwayside Iii-'a rsystem of Vrailway signaling and Y flowingi'n'v the'tvvo 'track rails of` each block l. inseries, a" track relay fat the entrance' end Y of eac'li block energized by said track 'circuit current, a. polarized relay energized througha circuit `controlled by said track relay, a line relay having an Venergizing circuit controlled by said polarized relay, said line relay controllingr pole changing contacts in the energizing circuit for the polarized relay in the next block in the rear, and an alternating train control current flowing in the track rails of each block in multiple, the polarity of said train control current. being controlled by said line relay and the return path ot' sai-1l train control current being through part of the energizing circuit for said polarized relay.

7. Trackway apparatus tor automatic Vtrain control and wayside signal control purposes comprising, a trackway divided into blocks each having a plurality ot track sections, a track relay for each track scc- 'tion, a signal control relay at the entrance to each block controlled through a line circuit in accordance with the conditions of 1 the track relays of said block and the signal control relay at the entrance ot the next block, in advance, and a circuit for transmitting train 'control current consisting ot two track rails in multiple of said block and said line circuit in series.

8. Trackwayv apparatus for automatic train control and wayside signal control purposes comprising, a trackway divided into blocks, a signal atv the entrance to each block, a track relay at the entrance end of each block, a signal control relay associated with each signal, a line wire for controllingr said signal control relay in accordance with ciated with each signal, a line wire including in series therewith a front Contact of the track relay of a block for energizing the polar signal control relay with a current of relative polarity depending on trailic conditionsiin the next block in advance, and means for completing a circuit upon dcenergization of said track relay iin-hiding said line wire and a track rail in series having current flowing therein of a relative polarity depending on tratlic conditions in the next block in advance.

In testimony whereof I affix my si gnature.

WALTER lV. VVENHOLZ.

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