US1748910A - Railway signaling system - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1930. V P, E, CARTER 1,748,910

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed March 31, 1927 FIGQZ mmw M ATTORNEY fpos'ition dueto' a Patented Feb. 25, I930 I STATE-S fPA'uL' CARTER, or, BRoNXV LIQE, new YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY PATE Tfo'FFic v SIGNAL coMPANm'oF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK RAILWAY sienntme SYSTEM H Application filed March 31, 1927. Serial N0. 179,916.

i This invention relates to railway train control systems. in general, and has more particular reference to such systems for single track roads of the type known asiab'solute-permissive-blocksystems. a a In one'type of system for single track railroads certain signals are governed in one manner by trains moving in one direction and in a different mannerzby trains moving in the opposite direction, andthe means for changing from one manner of govermng to V the other comprises a stick relay energized by 7 trains traveling in one direction and not energiz'ed by'trains traveling in' the 'otherdirecti on, the energization of the stick relays removing a usual tumble-down operation of signals'and permitting operation of such signals n the manner usual in double track sig- I nal systems."

In this manner a train going in a given direction-prevents all train movement in the opposite directionwhile permit ting'following trains to-proceed under usual restrictions. x

In systems of the character referred to above, it sometimes happens thatva section of track becomes shorted out, due to a non-insulated hand car, or a crow bar,

I V or the like bridging acrossfthe track rails, soasto thus stances, the signalscontrolling trafiic in both directions will be put to stop, main in such stop positioin-even after the shorting influence has been removed, thus "making the-system inoperative and necessitating'manual adjustment of certain parts of the system'beforethe signals return'to their.

I: normally 'clearposition. In other'words, a

specifically,

characterized as a lock-up,

condition is brought'aboutwhich is-generally v and which amounts to signals being placed in a certain given track influence, and failing to return to their normal position vupon said'infiuencebeing removed.

7 'With the above-and ,otherconsiderations in mind, it is proposed, in accordance with this invention, to providerneans for preventing such. a lock-up asrreferred to 'above.

it is prop'osed'to employ stick 61 relays for performing"; the usual function,

More

when energized, of removing the tumble- In such circum;

and will p re-.

down operationof certain signalsi,,as is yvell':v

known to those skilled in this particular art,

such stick relays being cross-connected to each haveits pick-up circuit running through a back contact of a-neighboring stick relay, thereby to prevent simultaneous pick-upof ner prevent a lock-up of the system.

Further objects, purposes, and characteristic features of the invention will appear as the. description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, showing,

solely by way of illustration, and in an ensuch cross-connected relays and in this mantirely schematic manner, one'form of the in vention. In the drawings Fig. l is a schematic view of an interme- ,diate portion of a stretchof single track rail;-

wayequipped with the present invention;

and, p w I v Fig. 2 is aschematic fragmentary view'o'f passing sidings, constituted by track-rails 1, divided into blocks 13, C, D, and in the usual manner, by insulating joints 2, each block being provided With a usual track battery 2" and track relay TL Various corresponding parts in the different blocks are designated by similar reference characters with distinguishing subnumbers etc.-

, I/Vaysidesignals 3, 5, etc., are provided along'the trackway for governing traffic in an easterly direction while signals 4' etc. areprovided for governing traflic in a westerly direction, the signals being shownas color light signals giving the'usual'aspects for clear, caution, and danger, although the'se signals could equally well he of the position light or semap11 tyP arranged to govern the energization of the signal in "a well-knownmanner, (the control;

devices and circuits therefor not being Associatedwith each signal is I shown)'therelay'beingofthe polarizedItype '7 having contact fingers assuming a biased neutral' positioirwhen de-energized, and a" position to the right 'orlt'he left of the neutral,

depending on the polarity of energizing current, when the relay is energized.

stick relay associated with asignal for gov erning traffic in the opposite direction, whereby the two stick relays referred to, can not ly to the latter.

both pick up at the same time.

F or the purpose of explaining the present invention, it will be necessary to only very "briefly discuss the usual operation of an absolute-permissive-blocksystem of the character shown in Fig. 1, andhence the following description of such operation will not be completein all its details, and for further expla nation of its operation, reference should be had to Patents .1,29l,736 of February '18, 1919 to S. N. Wight, and 1,386,073 of August 2, 1921 to Neil D. Preston, and more particular- To simplify the wiring diagram and the explanation, positive, negative, and. common, wires from a suitable source of energy as for example a storage battery, have been indicated by the symbols, PB, NB, and C, respectively.

Assuming, for the purpose of illustration, that a train is traveling in an easterly direction, that is, from left to right, as viewed in the drawing, on the stretch of track shown, when it enters block B, relay T will be deenergiz ed to drop its contact fingers 7 and 8, dropping of the contact finger 7 operating to de-energize relay 4H governing signal 4, through a circuit which is obvious from the drawing. On de -energization' of relay 4H, relay 4-Z is deenergized through an obvious circuit, to thus put energy, on the signal 4: through contact finger 9 and back contact of relay 4Z, to put signal 4 to stop De-energization of relay l-Z takes energy off of the wire 11, at. contact finger 10, leading to control means for the nextsignal to the right which governs west bound trafiic to thereby putsuch signal to stop, and this well known tumble down effect carries through to the easterly entrance end of the single track stretch, to there} by prevent any westbound traflicfrom entering on the single track portion bet'weenthe two sidings until east bound traffic has left this stretch of track. v

Upon the train in question passing into block C, relay T is de-energized to drop its contact fingers 11', 12' and 13. Dropping 'away of contact'finger 12 de-energizesrelay I 3H to thereby set signal 3 at stop and protect the train in question from following trains.

Upon de-energization of relay 3H, relay 355 is de-energized at the polar contact finger 14 of relay 3H, but inasmuch as the relays 3Z, 4Z, etc. are made slow acting, in any de sired manner, the contactfinger 15 of relay 3Z does not drop away until after relay 38 has picked up its contact finger 16 through a pickup circuit which can be readily'traced from the drawing and which includes contact finger 15 and front contact of relay 3Z, contact finger 13 and-back contact of track relay T contact finger 17 and back contact of relay tZ, and contact finger 18 and back contact of relay 4S. Upon picking up the contact finger 16 of stick relay 38, a stick circuit is completed to maintain relayBS in energized condition, such stick-up circuit including contact finger 16 and front contact of relay 3S, and contact finger 19 and neutralcontact of relay 3H.

The function of stick relay 38, is to make inoperative the normal tumble-down connection between the various relays 5H, 3H etc, and a considerationof Fig. 1 shows that on energization of stick relay 3S, its contact finger 20 is picked up to thereby put reverse energy on a relay 1H (not shown in the drawing) which controls the next signal to the left Of' signal 3, for controlling tralfic in an easterly direction, such relay 1H being energized through a circuit which includes the contact finger 20 and front contact ofrelay 3S, wire 21, contact finger 22 and back contact of relay 3Z, wire 23, contact. finger S and front contact of relay T etc. lVere it not for the stick relay 38 being picked up, dropping away of contact finger 22 of relay 8Z would take allenergy off of relay 11-1, in a typical tumble-down circuit fashion. The arrangement as shown in the drawing is such that the stick relays are energized to prevent'the tumble-down feature from operating with regardto those signals in the rear ofa moving train and governing traffic in-the direction under consider? ation while those signals governing traffic in the opposite direction do not have theirstick relays so ener ized, so that the tumble-down feature is operative, as explained above,wit h regard to the operation, for example, of Sig nal 6 (not shown) through wire 11,- upon the setting of signald to danger. j c As the train progresses along the trackway, and entersblock D, track relay T is tactfinger 24. to maintain theabove referred its contact finger 25, to maintain de-energized the relay 3H, to thereby keep signal 3 at stop. 7 Uponthe train entering block E relay T is picked up, while relay T5 is de-energized to drop its contact fingers 26 and 27 In the same manner as for the relays asde energized and operates through its con a short: periodof time, during tact finger thus put I Also, with relay 3H now reenergized,-even tion, and, when so and- 4S, wherein a system, shown in Fig.

1 3,, t.o"a source-of energy C, as in v that'thepick-up circuit for relay'es includes forf example as by a hand car 'P Pe y" I .$1 1 t d,

sociated with si'gnal3, the relay 51-1 is deenergized thus putting its. signal 5 at stop and causing de-energization of relay 5Z' after whichv period of time the stick relay BS is picked up through a pickrup circuit including contact finger 28. and front contact of relay 5Z, con- 27 and-front contact of relay '1 etc, and is then maintained, picked-up by a stick circuitincluding its own contact finger 2 9 and front contact,andcontact finger 30 of relay 5H in Ide-energized position. With contact finger 31, picked up, negative energy is put 'on relay 3H, controllingsignal 3,

throngh acircuit includingcontact finger 31' andnfront contact of relay 5S, contact finger 32 and back contact of relay 5Z, contact fin.- ger 25 and front contact of relay T etc., to

signal 3 at caution as it should be.

though reversely, relay 3Z is energized and contact finger 22 reapplies positive energy to relay 1H, (*not shown), permitting the sig .nal l; -(not shown) i to clear.

It is seen from the above that the. stick relays, such for example, as 5Sare arranged to be, energized for traffic in but one direcenergized prevent the tumble-down operation between signal relays, such,for instance, as relays 5H and 3H,

and instead permit these relays to be govrn c n the. u al manne double track namely,jto permit the signals nal yst ms,

caution and clear lndlcations to assum s op,

in accordance with the trafiic conditions wire 33 of Fig; l, and a contact fin'ger,13'... to a second source 0 as in Fig. 2.. It now, track relayl'l is shunted out, inthe section G, other than by ,a train traveling over the rails,such which is not like, ibridgingacross the two rails, the relay T will dropfand' through its finger 11" and 12' will respectively de-energize signal con- 4H 7 and which in "turn will place signals 4 and 3 res'pectively to danger. Before dropping away of thecon-t'act fingers of the relays lZ'and 3Z'which, areyof course, d-energized on. deeenergiz'ation of: their con trol relays responding H relays,.the two, stickrelays 4S 7 for the moment, that the or'bya crow bar or the p and 38 will respectively be energized through v their pick-up circuits, which, in the modification of Fig. 2, assumed for-the include respectively contact; fingenla and back contact of relay T andcontact finger 13 and back contact of relayQTt When once energized through their pick-up cir-, cuits, the stick relays 4S, and 3S will remain stuck up throughtheir stick circuits which have been traced above. v. c p

The next-signal to the left of signal. 3,

goyerning-traflic in an easterly direction will go to caution, wlnlethe next signal to the right'ot signal 4, governing, west bound traf fic,,- t,will. likewise go "to'caution," upon the si 'nals'iiand 4 golng't-o danger.

Upon removal of theshort circuit between moment,

the track rails -l in the block G, relay T will be picked up, but the various signals at stop and caution will remain at stop and caution even though the condition which resulted, in

tions,'has been removed. I c y This is due to the fact that relay ZiI-I, con.- trolling signal 3, can not be energized unless stick relay 48 is de-energ-ized, and relay 4H, controlling signal l, can not be energized unlessfstickrelay 3S'be de-energizcd, since the energizing circuits for relays 3H and 4H include, respectively, contact fingers and back contacts 34: and 35, respectively,of stick their assuming their stopand caution posirelays/4S- and 3S, In other words, inorder that the signals set; at danger be restoredto clear, their control relays-must be energized,

and in order that such control relays be energ zed, it is necessary that stick relay-s be ,de-energized, and since'the stick relays in a question are energized and cannot be deenergized except by break ngthelr stlck circuits by GIIBI'glZZLtlOllOf the control relays H forthe signals, a locked-up condition exists which cannot be overcome except by manually breaking the stick circuit circuit for one of thestick relays. 8S .or lS.

It should be particularly noted thatthe stick circuit for; each ofthe stick relays, 3S and S-in'cludes a contact finger of the correspond ing H relay in de-energized position and the energizing circuit for each of'the; relays 3H and H1 includes, respectively, back point Of.

, 115' the other S relay, that '1s,of relay LS d 3S, .1 Z

respectively. Thus, energization of the relays depends on de-energization of the. S,

relays, and, in turn, de-energiZat-ion oi the i 1' g. a lockedsup COIldllJlOIl inca't-f relays depends on energizat-ion of the H relays, thus givin pablejof automatic restoration. v

In orderto overcome any possibility of the occurrence of a condition such as, lust described above,- the construct-ion shown in F ig.

l' is employed, wherein, as described above,

the stick relay 3S forexample hasa pick-up circuit passing through. the contact finger and V back contact of stick relay 4S. In like manner. stick. relaylSfhas a. pickup circuitiwhich tion, as shown in Fig. 2. Under the same conditions, with the constructionof Fig. 1, the relays 3H and 4H, as in the former case,will he tie-energized, ann will set their respective signals 3 and a at stop, and after an interval of time, will cause the dropping away of the contact fingers of the slow acting relays 3Z and 4Z. I p

' lt-will he noted that the pick-up circuit for relay 3Srequires ZZZ up and 455 down, whereas the pick-u; circuit for relays 43' requires 3Z down and lZ up, or, in other words the requirements for pick-up of the two stick relays are diametrically opposed and hence cannot simultaneously exist. Accordingly, depending upon which one of the two Z relays, :JZ or 4. 1, drops its contact finger 15 or 17 first, is dependent which one of the two stick relays, 3S and 43, picks up. If one stick relay is once picked up, the other stick relay cannot pick up, since each one has its pick-up circuit running through a back contact of the other one. I r 7 Assuming, for example, that relay 3Z drops its contact finger 15, before relay tZ drops its contact finger 17, the pick-up circuit for the' relay as will be completed, and the 4S relay will pick-up and thus prevent relay 38 from picking up, due to pick-up of contact finger 18 of relay is;

The condition that now exists is that sig na ls 3 and "I are stop, the relays 3H and 4H are de-energized, relay ls being picked up and stuck up, the relay 35 being de-energized, and relays 3Z and 42 both being (ls-energized. In such circumstances, upon'removal of the means causing de-energization of track relay 7 T4, such track relay will pick up its fingers 11 12 and 13. Picking up of finger 11 permits re-energization of relay 4H,since contact finger 35 of stick relay 3S is in'its detracted position. Energization of relay 4H breaks the stick circuit for stick relay 48 at Contact finger 36 of relay 4H, thus permitting contact finger 34 of stick relay 4S to assume its detracted position to thereby re-energize re lay 3H. 1

Thus the various relays are restored to their normal positions, as'likewise are the signals, upon removal of the condition which placed the signals at danger, so that the system automatically restores itself to normal operative condition. 7

From the connections andarrangements of parts as shown in Fig. 1, it is seen that a locked-up condition due to causes such as enumerated above, is quite impossible, whereas with the arrangement as depicted in Fig. 2, and which has heretofore beengenerally employed, such a locked-up condition necescausation such as enumerated above.

The above ratherspecific description of one form'of the invention, is shown solely by way oi example, and is not intended, in any man ner whatsoever, in a limiting sense. Obviously, the invention can assume many different physical forms, and is susceptible of numerous modifications, and it is intended to include, in this application, all suchforms and modifications as come within the appended claims. 7

' Having described my invention, I now claim 1. In a traffic control system for single track, signal control means for governing trafiic in one direction, signal control means for governing tratfic in the opposite direction, an energizing circuit for each of the signal control means, a trafiic responsive means controlling both of said energizing circuits, a first relay associated with, and con trolled by, each of the'signal control means, a second relay associatedwith each, of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit of the other signal control means, each of said second relays having an enrgizing circuit controlled by said tr'afiic responsive means.

sarily occurs upon every occurrence of a 2. In a trafiic' control system for single 7 track, signal control-means for governing tralficin one direction, signal control means opposite direction,

for governing trafiic in the an energizing circuit for each of the signal control means, a traflic responsive means controlling bothof said energizing circuits, a first relay associated with, and controlled by each of the signal control means, a second relay associated with each of the signal con trol means and controlling the energizing circuit of the other signal control means, each of said second relays having'an' energizing circuit controlled by said 'tratfic responsive means and by both'of the said first relays.

3. In a trafiic control system for single track, signal control means for governing tratfic in one direction, signal control means for governing traiiic in the opposite direction} -means and by the said first relay controlled by the other signal control means. 7 V

4. In a tralfic control system for single track, signal control means for governing tratiic in onedirectiom'signal control means for governing traiiic in the opposite direction, an'energizing circuit for each of the signal control means, a trafiic responsive means controlling both of said energizing circuits, a first relay associated with, and controlled by, each of the signal control means, a stick relay associated with each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit of the other signal control means, each of ,said stick relays having a pick-up circuit controlled by said traflic responsive means.

5. In a traffic control system for single track, signal control means for] governing trafiic in one direction, signal control means for governing traffic in the opposite direction, an, energizing circuit for each of the signal control means, a traffic responsive means controlling both of said energizing circuits, a first relay associatedwith, and controlled y, relay associated With each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit of the other signal control means, each of said stick relays having a pick-up circuit controlled by said traffic responsive means, and a stick circuit for each stick relay controlled by its respective signal control means.

6. In a traflic control system for single track, signal control means for governing traffic in one direction, signal control means for governing traffic in the opposite direction, an energizing circuit for each otthe signal control means, a traliic responsive means controlling both of said energizing circuits, a slow acting first relay'associated with, and controlled by, each of the signal control means, a stick relay'associated with each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit of the other signal control means, each of said stick .relays having a pick-up circuit controlled by said traflic responsive means.

, 7 In a single track trafiic control system, signal control means for tratiic in one direction, signal control'means for traffic in the opposite direction, a trafiic responsive means controlling the energizing circuits for said signal control means, a stick relay associated with each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit for the other signal control means, a pick up circuit for each ofthe stick relays, a relay associated with, and controlled by, each signal control means, said pick up circuit for each stick relay including a contact of its associated said relay, a contact of the traffic responsive means, a contact of the other said relay, and a contact'of the otherstick relay.

8. Ina single track traflic control system,

each of the signal control means, a stick tion,; signal controh means for traffic in the opposite direct-ion, a traiiicresponsive means controlling theenergizing circuits for said signal control means, a stick relay associated with each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit for the other signal control for. each of the stick relays, a relay associated with,- and controlled by, each signal control means, said pick up circuit for each stick relay including a front contact of the associated said relay, and a back contact of the other said relay.

9. In a single track traffic control system, signal controlmeans for traiiic in one direction, signal control means for. tratlic in the I a traflic responsive means controlling the ener izing circuits for said opposite direction,

6 signal control means, a stick relay associated with each of the signal control means for controlling an energizing circuit for the other signal control means, a pick up circuit for each of the stick relays completed through a back contact of the other stick relay, whereby toprevent completion of the pick up cir cuits of both stick relays at any one time.

10. In a single track tratlic control system, signal control means for traffic in one direction, opposite direction, a traffic responsive means controlling the energizing circuits for said signal control means,a stick relay associated with each of the signal control means and controlling the energizing circuit vfor theother signal control means, a pick up cir-.

cuit for each of the stick relays, the stick relays being cross connected to prevent simultaneous pick up of the same.

1.1. In a single track railway system, a signal governing traliic in one direction, another signal governing traliic in the other direction,

a stick relay associated with each of said sig i at one time. Y

12. In a single track railway system, a signal governing tra'tiic in one direction, another signal governing trafiic in the other direction,

': a stick relay associated with each of said signals which when energized permits the next signal in the rear to assume the caution posimeans, a pick up circuitsignal control means for trafiic in the signal control means for traffic in one direcnals which When energized permits the nexttion, a pick-up circuit for one stick relay ina eluding a back contact of the other stick relay, and a pick-up circuit for said other stick relay including a back contact of said one stick relay.

13. In a single track railway system, a sig nal governing traffic in one direction, another signal governing traffic in the other direction, a stick relay associated With each of said signals which when energized permits the next signal in the rear to assume the caution position, a pick-up circuit for one stick relay including a line Wire and a contact closed when the other stick relay is cle-energized, and a pick-up circuit for the other stick relay including the same line Wire and a contact closed when said one stick relay is de-energized. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

. PAUL E. CARTER.

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