US1778543A - Railway-switch-controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. ,14; 1930. w. A. WOOD RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 31, 1929 INVENTOR: Maul food, I KZQ'BZ-W ing as the lever C is in its normal or its re- Patented Oct. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD A. WOOD, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWI SSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY-SWITCI-I-CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application filed January 31, 1929. Serial No. 336,459.

My invention relates to apparatus for the control of railway switches, and has for an object the provision of a switch control and detector locking system employing a min imum number of line wires between the switch and its controlling lever.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. 7

Referring to the drawing, the reference character A designates a railway switch provided with an operating mechanism B having a normal magnet M and a reverse magnet B. This mechanism B may be of the direct acting electropneumatic type such as that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,392,737, granted to C. R. Beall on October 4, 1921. The structure of the operating mechanism forms no part of my present invention, and for purposes of present description it is sufficient to say that the switch is moved to its normal or its reverse position accordlng as the normal magnet M v or the reverse magnet R is'energized.

The switch is controlled by a manually operable lever C having a normal position wherein a contact 3 is swung to the left, and a reverse position wherein this contact is swung to the right. The switch is also controlled in part by a track circuit which is associated with the switch in the usual manner, and which comprises a track battery 2 and a track relay D. The control of the switch by the lever C and the track relay D is accomplished through the medium of a polarized relay E having a normal position wherein its contact 4 is swung to the left, and a reverse position wherein this contact is swung to the right. This relay is so constructed that when it becomes de-energized, the polar contact 4 remains in the position corresponding to the polarity of the current which was last supplied to the relay.

Assuming that the track relay D is energized, the polarized relay E is supplied with current of normal or reverse polarity accordtact l in i verse position. As shown inthe drawing, this lever is in its normal position, so that current flows from the left-hand terminal of battery F, through contact 3 in its left'hand position, front contact 5 of relay D, and the inding of relay E to the middle point of battery F. This current is of normal polarity, so that contact 4 of relay E is swung to the left. If lever C moved to its reverse position wherein contact 3 is swung to the right, the circuit will be the same as before except that left-hand terminal of relay E will be connected with the right-hand terminal of battery F so that current of reverse p0- larity will be supplied to relay E and contact a of this relay will be swung to its right-hand position. 7

The magnets N and R of the switch operating mechanism are connected in multiple in a circuit which is controlled by contact 4 of relay E. Y'Vhen this contact is in its normal position. current flows from the left-hand terminal of battery F, through contact 4 of relay E, a rectifier R and normal magnet N to the middle point of battery F. Rectifier R is so connected as to permit current of normal polarity but not of reverse polarity to flow through magnet N. A similar rectifier E is connected in series with magnet R in such direction as to permit current of reverse polarity but not of normal polarity to flow through this magnet. It follows that when r *y E is energized in the normal direction,

et N is energized and magnet R is deenergized. Assuming now that relay E is energized in the reverse direction, current will flow from the middle point of battery F through magnet B, recti ier R and cona "non to the right- Magnet B will hand terminal then be ener r- As shown in th drawing, the switch A is in its normal position, and the track circuit associated wi h this switch is unoccupied so that relay D is energized. Lever C is in its normal position, and relay E is energized in its normal direction. If, now, lever C is reversed, relay E will become energized inthe reverse direction, thereby causing magnet N to become derenergized and magnetR to, be-

come energized. Switch A will therefore be moved to its reverse posit-ion. In similar manner, it lever C restor d to its normal position. switch A. will be moved to its norllltli position.

When a train enters the track circuit associated with switch A, relay D will become decnergized, thereby opening the circuit for relay l) and prevent reversal ot the latter relay. Contact l, however, will remain in the position to which it was last moved, so that switch A will remain in the position to which it was last moved but cannot be operated while the track section occupied by the train.

One feature of my invention is the fact that I have provided for switch operation and detector locking by only two wires between the controlling apparatus and the switch mechanism.

Although I have herein shovn and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood thatvarious changes and. modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch, mechanism for operating said switch comprising a normal and a reverse magnet, a manually operable lever having normal and reverse positions, a polarized relay, a track circuit including a tr ck relay associated with said switch, means for energizing said polarized relay in normal or reverse direction according as said lever is in normal or reverse position it and only it said track relay is energized, means for supplying said magnets with current of normal or revers polarity according said polarized relay is energized in normal or reverse direction, and rectifiers associated with said magnets for permitting current of normal polarity but not of reverse polarity to flow through the normal magnet and for permitting cu rrent of reverse polarity but not of normal polarity to flow through said reverse magnet.

2. In combination, a. railway switch, mechanism for operating said switch con'zprising normal and a reverse magnet, a manually operable lever liav-.ig normal and reverse positions, a polarized relay. a tracl: circuit including a track relay associated vith switch, a circuit for said pole. 'ized relay in cludinr a front contact of said track relay, means ror supplying said circuit with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said lever is in normal or reverse position, a circuit including said two magnets connected in multiple, means for supplying said magnet circuit with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said polarized relay is energized in the normal or the reverse direc- XVILLARD A. lVOOD.

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