US1742113A

US1742113A - Control means for switch machines

Info

Publication number: US1742113A
Application number: US210561A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter W Wenholz
Original assignee: General Railway Signal Co
Current assignee: SPX Corp
Priority date: 1927-08-04
Filing date: 1927-08-04
Publication date: 1929-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1946-12-31

Description

Dec. 31, 1929. w. w. WENHOLZ CONTROL MEANS FOR SWITCH MACHINES Filed Aug. 4, 1927 lwmo B Y M 4 ,ATTORNEY patented Dec. 31 1929 uuiraosirares rea'r WALTER W. WENHOLZ, OLE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'lO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK CONIBDL MEANS FOR SWITCH MACHINES Application filed. August 4:, 1927. Serial No; 210,561.

This invention relates to control apparatus, and more particularly to means for controlling a power operated switch machine on a railway system from a distant tower or ofhce.

In controlling railway traflic controlling apparatus, and this is especially true of a power operated switch machine, it is highly important that the apparatus should be suchas not to be operable accidentally. In pro- Viding means for controlling a switch machine there are three important requisites to be taken into consideration, namely, (1st) a switch machine should not be started unless it is safe to operate the same at the time, (2nd) if the operation of such switch ma chine is once initiated such operation should be permitted tocontinue until the machine has completed its operating stroke irrespec- 20, tive of traflic conditions ahead; and, (3rd) the device for controlling the same, which of necessity must have stick or maintaining operating characteristics, should be of such construction that after once operated to a certain position it cannotjbe accidentally displaced from such position. I

In view of the foregoing and other important considerations, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide electrically controlled circuit controlling mechanism which is mechanically con- 1 structed to have a tendencyto remain in its last operated position, and which is electrically constructed so that if slightly displaced from such last operated position it will be electrically returned to such position. A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of energy saving means which automatically cuts oif the electric current when the circuit controlling mechanism has assumed the operated posi-' tion.

Other objects purposes and characteristic features of the invention are 1n part f jpointed out in the specification hereinafter,

and are inpart apparent from the accompanying drawings.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to the accompanying single figure of the drawings in which an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the form of a control means and associated circuits for controlling a distant motor operated switch machine.

Structure.Referring to the drawings, a railway track having rails 3 and lhas been shown, from which diverges a siding having rails 5 and 6, including a track switch 18. The position of the railway track and siding shown is a part of a railway train dispatclr ing system, such as disclosed in the prior application of S. N. right, Ser. No. 120,428, filed J uly 3, 1926, and in which sufficient signals are provided at the end of each passing siding for controlling the entrance and departure of trafiic into and out of the main track and sidingv of such passing siding, respectively. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be applied to any switch machine controlled from a distant point. In the particular arrangement shown these signals have been conventionally illustrated as comprising semaphore signals, of which the signals2and2D are startingsignals, the signal 1 is the main track entering signal and the signal 1D is a take-siding signal. The portion of the track adjacent these signals is electrically segregated from the rest of the track by insulating joints 7, to form the usual detector track circuit, which includes the detector track relay DR conventionally illustrated by a dotted line and which includes the track battery B. The signals 1, 1D, 2 and 21) are in practice controlled by the control relay Z, and in accordance with tratfic conditions ahead, in any suitable manner, forinstance, as described in detail in the application above referred to.

This control relay Z is controlled through the medium of theline wire 10 from a distant train dispatchers oflice or tower DT in an; suitable manner. In the particular arrangement shown the control relay Z is a direct current polar-neutral relay which may be energized positively from the battery 11 when the lever L is moved in a clock-wise direction and may be energized into the reversed position trolled by a motor operated switch machine SM, including a motor preferably of the direct current series type having an armature A and a field winding F, although a direct or alternating current motor of any suitable construction may be used. This switch machine SM is of a construction so that if one of its control wires either the normal or the reverse wire is energized the motor will operate the switch points to that position, and when such operation is completed it will again open this operating circuit. This switch machine SM is preferably controlled by a circuit controller C0 of the mechanical stick type, in which the movable parts tend to remain in the position to which they have been last operated. This controller CO includes oppositely disposed

electromagnets having coils

15 and 16, disposed on yokes 17 and. 18, respectively. These electrovmagnetsare adapted to act on an armature (not specifically. shown) which in turn operates the contacts 20 and 21 toward the energized; electromagnet or solenoid. It is believed that the novel features of the invention are best understood byv considering the operations of theswitch machine from the normal extremeposition to the reverse position and back to its normal position.

Opcmti07a/.Let us first assume that the train dispatcher wishes to clear a certain signal, andin order to do so moves the lever L in a clock-wise direction so as to connect the lever contact to the positive side of the battery 11. This willcause the control relay Z to pick upv its neutral contact 24, the polar contact 22 remainingin the right hand position,

in which it is illustrated. By soenergizing.

the control, relay Z one or the other of the maintrack.v signal 1 or 2are permitted to assume the clear, position through suitablecontrol circuits and mechanism,.which for convenience havebeen omitted from the drawings. The lifting; of the neutral contact 24; will complete-the following circuit, in which nocurrent will flow because the coils 15 are shuntedout since both ends of this circuit are connected to the same pole of. a source of energy, such as a. battery :beg inning at the terminal B of such source, polar contact 22, wire 23, neutralcontact24of the control relay Z, wire 25, front contact 26 ofthe detector track relay DB, wire 27, contact 28 of the approach locking relay LR, wire 29, contacts 302031, wire 33, coils 15, back to the same terminal B.

The completion, of, the circuit just traced will have no material efi'ect since there is no The energ zation.

source of current therein. of the relay Z will, howeven,inpractice permit clearing of-a signal as, more clearly described in the prior application, above men.- tioned, from which it, appears that the opera; tor cilnclear signals con$istent withtheposition the Switch llltlChlllBzlS assuming,- without operating such switch machine.

Let us now assume that the operator or dis patcher wishes to operate the switch machine 6M to the reverse position, so as to permit a train to enter or leave the siding including track rails 5 and 6. The operator will move the level: L in the counterclock-wise direction, thereby connecting the lever contact to the negative terminal of the battery 11, which in turn will cause the control relay Z to be energized to the reverse dotted position. \Vith the relay Z energized to the reverse position the following circuit for operating the controller CO is completed :-beginning at the terminal B, polar contact of the control relay Z in the left hand dotted position, wire 23, neutral contact 2 ofthe same-relay, wire 25, contact 26, wire 27, contact 28,, wire 29, contacts 3,0.2031, wire 33, coils 15, to the terminal; 13+ of the samebattery. It is noted that this circuit is the same as the one previously traced except it includes the battery. lVih this circuit completed the electromagnet 151'('; will operate the contacts 20 21 to, their dotted position, which operation will open the circuit usttraced and complete another circuit which does not include any source of current, and therefore need not be considered at this time. Operation of the controller GO; to. the dotted position completes the following energizing circuit for the motor of the switch machine SM= beginning at the terminal B of a suitable battery, the wires 36 and 3'7, contacts38-21 of the con trollcr CO, reverse wire R, contacts 4O l1 of the switch machine SM,

wires

42 and 43, armature A, wire 44, cont-acts 45 @6, wire 47, field winding F, to the common return wire C connected to the other terminal of said battery. The completion of this circuit will cause the switch machine SM to operate the track switch 18 to the take-siding position,'and after this operating cyclehas been completed the circuit just traced is opened at the contacts 40-41 and 454(3. It is thus seen that the energy is cut off of the controller CO when its operating stroke is completed, andin the same way electrical energy is cut off of the switch machine SM when it has completed'its stroke. Let us now see how an electric circuit is completed when the contacts 2021 are accidentally moved slightly. away from their dotted position to which they were just operated. If this occurs, the fol l-owing circuit. is completed, which, operates the contacts 2021 to .the same extreme dotted position :beginning at the terminal B lcoils 15 of the electro-magnet 15-17,, wire 33, contacts 31.2032, wire 50, coils 16 of. the electroanagnet, 1618, totheother terminal B. ofsu'ch battery. Althoughthe completion of this circuit energized bothof the two opposing electro-magnets, the contacts will be attractedto the last operated position, because they are nearer that electro-magnet.

and itstractive force predominates. It will benoted thatthe circuit just traced is again opened as scenes the armature and contacts 2021 have been operated to the extreme position. In this connection it will further be noted that the circuit last traced is always available for returning the contacts 20 21 t the extreme position to which they were last operated, even though the control circuit including relaycontacts 24, 26 and 28 is open; or in other words, this circuit, conveniently called a retaining circuit, is always available for maintaining the operating contacts of the controller CO in the last operated position. Also, if the contact 20is accidentallymovcd to a position to contact with both stationary contacts 31 and 32 when the contacts 2 lof relay Z as well as contacts 26 and 28 are closed, the controller CO is operated to the correct position, because the coil for operating it to the other position is shunted out by the partial circuit including contacts 24, 26, and 28. If the operator now'wishes to return the switch machine SM back to the normal straight-track position, he will operate his control lever L in a clock-wise direction to connect the line wire to the positive side of battery 11, and will thereby energize the control relay Z to the normal position and complete the circuit for the control relay Z first traced, except that it will include the battery and the coils 1.6 instead of the coils 15, and the completion of this circuit will return the contacts 21 to the position in which they have been illustrated. WVith the controller CO returned to the normal position and with the switch machine SM in the rea verse position the following circuit for opi to the normal straight-track position. VlGW of the operation ust considered it readerating the switch machine to the normal position is completed :-beginning at the terminal B, wires 86 and 52,, contacts 5821,

normal wire N, contacts 4154l, wires and.

n, armature A or the switch machine motor, wire 43 contacts 5646, wire 57, field winding F, to the common return wire C connected to the other side of said battery.

It will be noted that the current flow in the armature A ofthe switch machine in the normal circuit, just traced, is in the reverse direction from that of the current flow in this armature in the reverse circuit, heretofore traced; so that the motor is operated in the reverse direction and thereby operates the switch points in the opposite direction bail:

This is extremely important, because itis.

considered better to complete the operating stroke of the switch points after once started than to leave the points in an intermediate position, in the event there is an approaching train coming within the zone which controls the lock relay LR. This zone in practice extends braking distance from the switch points, or at least extends over a distance so that as a train enters such zone there will be sufficient time for the switch machine to complete its cycle even though such cycle has ust been initiated. In this connection it is desired to point out that the lock relay LR is preferably controlled in the same way as is the relay GR in the above mentioned prior application, that is, the lock relay LR can only be energized when there is no train approaching the track switch 155 within a limited distance, or in the event there is a train approaching this must have accepted a caution signal and is preparing to stop before it reaches the track switch in question before conditions are proper for the lock relay LR to pick up. It should also be noted, that if the contacts 20-21 of the controller C0 are accidentally shifted from their extreme position due to any cause, such as vibration due to a passing train, these contacts will be returned to such extreme position as soon as the contact 20 is shifted far enough to engage the contacts 31 and 32.

Having thus shown only one embodiment of the present invention and having shown a rather specific circuit arrangement connecting the various devices shown conventionally, it is desired to be understood that this has been done for the purpose of disclosing the nature of the invention and the manner in which it may be applied to a specific problem, and that this showing has not been made to illustrate the scope of the invention or the exact construction preferably employed in practicing the same; and it is further desired to be understood that various changes, modifications and additions maybe made to adapt the invention to the particular problems encountered in practicing the same, allwithout departing from the scope or the invention of the idea of means underlying the same except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

W hat I claim is 1. In combination, a railway track having a track switch associated therewith, a power operated switch machine for operatingsaid track switch, a controller controlled by an operating circuit and for controlling the flow of current to said switch machine to operate the same, said controller including devices for cutting the operating current off of such controller when said controller has been operated to the last controlled position and for reapplying current to return such controller to such position if it has due to some other cause been moved from such position.

2. In combination, a railway track having a moved from such position due to foreign causes, said last mentioned means functioning even though said control circuit has been opened in the mean time.

3. In combination, a railway track having a track switch associatedtherewith, a power operated switch machine for operating said track switch, a controller for controlling said switch machine including two oppositely disposed electro-magnets adapted when alternately energized tomove control contacts in opposite directionin two extreme positions, and means for closing a circuit which energizes both of said solenoids when said contacts dueto foreign causes are moved from their last operated position, whereby said contacts are moved tothe nearest extreme position.

4:. In combination, a switch machine of the lnotor operated type, a circuit for said switch machine which it closed operates said switch machine from one extreme position to the other, a controller for controlling said circuit and switch machine, a circuit for said controller which it closed operates said controller to close said switch machine circuit and then open said last mentioned controller circuit, and means for closing said last mentionedcircuit.-

5.- In combination, a switch machine of the motor operated type, a normal and a reverse circuit for said switch machine, a controller for closing one or the otherof said normal or reverse circuits at one point, circuit controlling means for opening the closed circuit when the switch machine has been operated to the controlled position, a normal and a reverse circuit for the controller, switch means for closing one or the other of the normal and reverse circuits of said controller, and means for opening the last closed circuit of said controller when the controller has been operated to the last controlled position.

6. In combination, a switch machine of the motor operated type, a normal and a reverse circuit for said switch machine, a controller for closing one or the other of said normal or reverse circuits at one point, circuit controlling means for opening the closed circuit when the switch machine has been operated to the controlled position, a normal and a reverse circuit for saidcontroller, switch means for closing one or the other of thenormal and reverse circuits of said controller, and means for opening the last closed circuit of said controller when the controller has been said last mentioned means being of such construction that accidental displacement of the contacts of said controller will complete a circuit to return it to the last operated postion even though both the normal and the reverse circuit of said controller are open. 7. A controller comprising, two oppositely disposed electro-magnets adapted to magnetically act to move an armature in opposite directions if alternately energized, contacts and circuit wires for connecting the coils of said electro-magnet in series in a circuit with a source of current when said armature assumes any except either extreme position, and means for shunting the coils of either of said electromagnets out of said circuit.

I 8. A controller comprising, two oppositely disposed elect-ro-magnets adapted to magnetically act to move an armature in opposite directions if alternately energized, station-' ary contacts, a movable contact for connecting the coils of said electro-magnets in series through said stationary contacts, and means including a wire connected to a stationary contact for shunting the'coils of either of said electro-magnets.

9. Means for controlling a distant switch machine comprising, a controller having oppositely disposed coils for operating contacts in opposite directions when alternately energized, a circuit for connecting said coils in serieswith a source of electric current, a polar relay located near said switch machine which if in one energized position shunts one of said coils and when in the other energized position shunts the other of said coils, and a control circuit connecting a local tower and said polar relay for controlling the said polar relay.

10. Means for controlling a distant switch comprising, a switch machine having a normal and a reverse position, a controller for completing said normal or said reverse circuit, means for opening the completed circuit of said switch machine when it has completed its operating stroke, a normal and a reverse circuit for said controller, means for closing the normal or the reverse circuit of said controller, and means for opening the completed circuit of said controller when said controller has been operated to the position to which the completed circuit tends to operate it.

11. A circuit controller for operating switch machines comprising, two electro-magnets for operating circuit controlling means in opposite directions upon alternate energization of said electro-magnets, circuit selecting means for connecting one or the other of said electro-magnets to a line wire, and means for controlling the energization of the connected electro-magnet through the medium of said line wire.

12. A circuit controller for operating switch machines comprising, two electromagnets for operating circuit controlling means in opposite directions upon alternate energization of said electro-magnets, a source of current having one terminal connected to one of said electro-magnets and having the other termlnal connected to the other of sald electro-inagnets, a line Wire, circuit selecting,

means operated by said electro-magnets for connecting the free termlnal of the electromagnet which is capable of operating said circuit controlling means from the then operated extreme position to said line Wire, and means for connecting said line Wire to either of the terminals of said source of current, whereby said circuit controller is op'eh ated in response to the application 01": potential of one or the other polarity to said line Wire and the current flow is discontinued when the circuit controller has been operated in response to the application of such potential.

In testimony whereof I afli-X my signature.

WALTER W. VVENHOLZ.