US1758765A - Automatic train control - Google Patents

Description

3 1930; D. H SCHWEYER' 1,758,765

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL Filed Feb. 27, 1928 Patented May 13, 1930 PATENT OFFICE DANIEL HERBERT SOHWEYER, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,345.

The present invention relates to train control apparatus, and aims to provide a simple,

practical and reliable apparatus for obtaining three condition control, such as for danger, caution and clear conditions when pass= ing control locations of the track.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such an apparatus which will obtain three-condition control by the use of two pairs of inductors on the train and track, and which inductors may be of simple construction,

without requiring trackside energy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein the figure is a diagram of the apparatus.

The train equipment, which may be carried by the locomotive, car or other vehicle, includes electro-pneumatic valves 1 and 2, or other suitable translating or controlling devices, for controlling the brakes of the train, the electro-pneumatic valve 1 being energized for clear conditions, the electro-pneumatic valve 2 being energized for caution conditions with the valve 1 deenergized, and both valves being deenergized for danger conditions.

Any suitable air brake equipment may be employed, for example, as disclosed in my Patents Nos. 1,279,454 and 1,389,602, granted September 17, 1918 and September 6, 1921, or

in my copending application Serial No.

698,533, filed March 11, 1924.

The valve 1 is disposed in a normally closed electrical circuit including the battery 3 or other source of electrical energy, conductor 4, valve 1, conductor 5, switch 6, contact 7, conductor 8, contact 9, switch 10 and conductor 11. The valve 2 is similarly included in a normally closed circuit under both clear and caution conditions, and such circuit includes the battery 3, conductor 4, valve 2, conductor 12, contact 13, switch 14, conductor 15, contact 16, switch 17 and conductor 11.

The switches 6 and 14 are controlled by electro- magnets 18 and 19, respectively, connected between the conductor 4 and the conductors 5 and 12, respectively, whereby said magnets 18 and 19 are connected in parallel or multiple with the valves 1 and 2, respectively. Similarly, clear and caution electric lamps 20 and 21 are connected between the conductor 4 and the conductors 5 and 12, respectively, in parallel or multiple with the respective magnets 18, 19 and valves 1, 2. Consequently, the valve 1, magnet 18 and lamp 20 are simultaneously energized, and the valve 2, magnet 19 and lamp 21 are simultaneously energized. .The magnets 18 and 19 with their switches 6 and 13, respectively, provide stick relays in order that when said magnets are deenergized, the switches thereof remain open, to break the circuits and said circuits can only be restored by returning the switches to raised positions. Said relays may be under lock and key, in order that they may only be restored by the authorized person, such as the conductor of the train.

A danger electric lamp 22 is connected between the conductor 4 and a conductor leading to a contact 24 onto which the switch 13 drops when the magnet 19 is deenergized.

The switches 10 and 17 are controlled by the electromagnets 25 and 26, respectively, a

is an exciting coil or electromagnet, while the coil 28 is an impulse coil,being energized with weaker current from the battery 29. A U- shaped core 33 is mounted on the trackside at each control location, and has a choke coil 34 thereon disposed in the circuit 35 'including a switch 36 controlled by a signal electromagnet 37 which magnet is energized for clear track conditions and is deenergized for caution and danger track conditions. When the switch 36 is open, the choke coil 34 isiniii) effective, so that the core 33 is efiective to influence the vehicle-carried inductor. Gonsequently, when the core 30 passes over the core 33 in inductive relation therewith, the core 33 completes the magnetic circuit of the core 30, with short air gaps between the ends of the cores, and the reluctance of the magnetic circuit of the vehicle inductor is therefore momentarily decreased, inasmuch as the reluctance of the core 33 is less than that of the normal long air gap between the ends of the core 30. Consequently, there is a surge of magnetic flux from the core 30 through the core 33, in the magnetic circuit thereof, which induces a single wave of alternating current in the coil 28, and one-half of the wave opposes the battery 29, thereby deenergizing the magnet 25 and releasing the switch 10.

This action will not take place if the switch 36 is closed, on account of the fact that the choke coil 34 impedes the flow of magnetic flux through the core 33.

The electromagnet 26 is controlled in substantially the same manner as the electromagnet 25, bein disposed in a circuit 38 with the impulse coir 33 and battery 40, and said impulse coil 39 is disposed on a core 41 with an exciting coil or electromagnet 42 energized by the stronger battery 43. A core 44 is mounted on the trackside at each control location, being a companion for the core 33, and has a choke coil 45 thereon disposed in a circuit 46 with the switch 47 controlled by the signal electromagnet 48. In the arrangement shown the magnet 48 is energized for both clear and caution conditions, and is de energized for danger conditions. The magnets 37 and 48 may be located in the wayside signal circuits or may be controlled in any suitable manner, or the switches 36 and 47 may be controlled electrically, manually, mechanically or otherwise, the control of said switches forming no part of the present invention.

lVhen the train is proceeding under clear conditions, the valves 1 and 2, and magnets 18, 19, 25 and 26 are energized, to complete the circuits of the vehicle equipment, as above described, and the lamps 20 and 21 are lighted, to indicate that both the clear and caution means are in order, but clear condi tions prevail as long as the lamp 20 is lighted and the valve 1 is energized. WVith the choke coil circuits on the track closed, the vehicle inductors pass the trackside inductors without any efiect being obtained.

Under caution conditions, the switch 36 is open, and the switch 47 closed, so that when the vehicle inductors pass over the trackside inductors, the electromagnet 25 is momentarily deenergized, thereby dropping the switch 10, while the switch 17 remains closed. The magnet 18 is therefore deenergized to release the switch 6, which remains down even after the switch 10 is restored by the reenergization of the magnet 25, and the circuits of the valve 1, magnet 18 and lamp 20 are therefore interrupted. The caution lamp 21 remains lighted, to indicate caution conditions, and the valve 1 being deenergized, with the valve 2 energized, will permit the train to proceed below a predetermined caution speed limit.

If the train passes the trackside inductors, with both switches 36 and 47 open, both magnets 25 and 26 are deenergized, and the opening of the switches 10 and 17 will deenergize the stick relay magnets 18 and 19, thereby resulting in the switches 6 and 14 being released and remaining in their lower positions. The lamps 20 and 21 are therefore extinguished, and the valves 1 and 2 are deenergized, requiring the stopping of the train. The lamp 22 is lighted, following the restoration of the switch 17 after the vehicle inductors have passed beyond the trackside inductors, its circuit including the battery 3, conductor 4, lamp 22, conductor 23, contact 24, switch 14, conductor 15, contact 16, switch 17 and conductor 11. This will indicate danger conditions to the engineer.

Clear and caution conditions can only be restored, after being interrupted, by the restoration of the switches 6 and 14, respectively, which may be under lock and key to require resetting by the authorized person, such as the conductor of the train.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Train control apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical stick circuits each including a stick relay, control devices controlled by said relays, a plurality of vehiclecarried inductors each including a core with exciting and impulse coils thereon both energized by direct current, normally energized relays connected to the impulse coils and having normally closed switches in said stick circuits, and trackside inductors for influencing the vehicle-carried inductors to deenergize the last named relays.

2. Train control apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical stick circuits each including a stick. relay, control devices controlled by said relays, vehicle-carried inductors, normally energized relays cont-rolled by said inductors and having normally closed switches in said stick circuits, magnetic trackside elements for influencing the vehicle-carried inductors to deenergize said normally energized relays, choke coils on said elements, and means controlling the circuits of said choke coils.

3. Train control apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical stick circuits each including a stick relay, control devices controlled by said relays, a plurality of vehiclecarried inductors each including a core with exciting and impulse coils thereon both energized by direct current, normally energized relays connected to the impulse coils and having normally closed switches in said stick circuits, magnetic trackside elements for influencing the vehicle-carried inductors to de energize the lastnamed relays, choke coils on said trackside elements, and means controlling the circuits of said choke coils.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

DANIEL HERBERT SCHWEYER.

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