US1883090A - Electric switching machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18; 1932. R. E. TAFEL. 1,383,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3.SheetS-.-Sheet 1 III III E087. E. TAFEL INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1932. R TAFEL 1,883,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

R087? ETAF'EL [N VENTOR ATTORNEY 6d. 18, 1932; R. E. TAFEL 1,883,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fim.

' Fig.5.

E067." E. 7/? F5 1.

IN VEN TOR.

BIZQIL-XM ATTORNEYS.

Patented Get. 18, 1232 UNITED STATES ROBERT E. TAFEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Application filed February 18, 1930. Serial No. 429,327.

This invention relates to improvements in an electric switching machine, 1n whlch the switch point, of switch points, of a railway track is thrownfrom one position to another by electric current being applied to solenoids forming a part of electro-magnets disposed in a metallic box placed adjacent the track and simultaneously with the completion of this operation actuate auxiliary electric switches of an electric signaling device; and, an object of my improvements is to provide an effective locking device between the switch point and the operating means, another object being to produce a device of this class that can be produced in a simpler mechanism and within a smaller compass than existing devices, being offered to produce similar results.

' These objects are attained by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which z- Figure 1 is a. plan View of the preferred form of the apparatus as it appears after the removal of the lid or cover, not shown, and disposed adjacent a railroad track in which a pair or" switch points are employed.

Fig. 2 is a simple section of Fig. 1 showing these parts at the end of their travel when the switch points are in one position or the other. I

Fig. 3 i an enlarged section of the auxiliary signal switches shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ground magnet structure operating and locking mechanism and its associated rod and spring box of the trackswitch.

Fig. 5 is an end view of spring box housing shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is fragmental cross-sectional view of the magnetic structure used in the operatng magnets.

1 The ground box or container 1 is placed in the ground adjacent rails 2, 2; co-operating therewith are points 3, 3, linked together with bars 4, 1a; the former may be of a yielding type as shown by 4b in Fig. l known as a spring box which is constructed in the usual way with the nuts 4d attached to the rod 4 with springs 40 lodged between same and the box housing in order that the force from the electric switch operating device be transmitted through the springs and the associated parts so that the tongues 3, 3 are locked in either position under spring pressure which is also exerted between the roller 10 and one or the other of the cam faces 9a, 90. Rod in Fig. 1 (andspring box 46 Fig. 4'), is pivotally attached to rod 5 which connects to cam arm 611 by link 7. Arm 6, known in the track switch art as an escapement lock, is pivoted to pin 8 mounted in box 1 and is fashioned with a throat 9 to receive roller 10 mounted in lever 11 which is pivoted to pin 12 rigidly secured to box 1. Cam arm 6 which is a locking device as well as a factor05 in the operation is fashioned with faces 9a, 9a and is so located and proportioned to lever arm 11 and its bearing 12 and also to roller 10, that in either the full line or dotted position shown in Fig. 2 an effective lock will 7 be formed at their end positions and thereby securely hold tongues .3, 3 in either position, making movement impossible, without breakage, by a switch iron or means other than through the action ofthe plunger 13 disposed for response to the energizationof solenoids disposed in magnetichousings 14, 14a, according to accepted practice of throwing switches electrically for electric railway systems. In other words arm 6 is an escapement crank, used to effect a switch and lock movement, by means of which a single stroke of a lever arm performs three operations: First moves arm or crank 6 and unlocks the switch; second moves the switch, third moves the arm and locks the switch. In this specific device,

as solenoid 140 in housing 14 is energized, plunger 13 and its co-ordinated parts are forcedto the full line position shown in Fig.

2 whereas when solenoid in 14a is energized it carries these parts to the dotted line position. Lever arm 11 carries a wrist pin 16 which is engaged by throat 15a of yoke 150, making it possible for plunger 15 to move all the parts associated with lever arm 11 without binding. To each end of the plunger 13, magnetic material in the form of a cylinder illustrated by'l3b is provided. Housings of magnetic material 14, 14a are located in saddles 1a, 1a, made integral with box 1 and further secured to same by straps 17, 17 and bolts 18, 18.

Special attention is directed to the structure employed for the far ends of housings 14:, 14a. Fig. 6 is given to bring out the details of same. It shows the magnetic structure without the solenoid. As both of these ends are identical, only one is described. Into the end of magnetic housing 14 is fitted and secured in any suitable way magnetic head 146, into which is threaded the usual non-magnetic tube or cylinder 14d which carries the magnetic plunger 136, the travel of which is so arranged that at the end of the stroke it engages auxiliary magnetic head 14 which is loosely mounted into cylinder 14d and is proportioned and so located that at the end of the stroke of plunger 13 there is an actual engagement which unseats this auxiliary head, the travel of same being limited by a cushion member 149, preferably of rubber, which in turn is lodged in contact with the end wall of ground box 1. This arrangement is for the purpose of establishing a dynamic magnetic break feature and to increase the effective magnetic lines of force for materially increasing the pull. It is at once apparent that the magnetic lines of force are directed to the plunger and that a shorter path is established during the pulling movement and at the end of the movement a substantially close magnetic circuit is established which in itself has a dampening or looking effect upon the plunger and serves to definitely locate and lock all of the moving parts associated therewith. The hole-shown in 14f and 14g is for the purpose of admitting rod 19 for actual contact with the end of plunger 13 for the manual operation as explained below.

To provide for manual operations, rods 19, 19 are provided, which enter openings in the back end ofeach housing 14, 14a through end walls of box 1 and are connected to pivoted links 20,20, attached to the box which links are fashioned with openings 20a, 20a for receiving an auxiliary lever, not shown.

Pivoted in the ends of box 1a is shaft 21 on to which are adjustably secured cam arms 22, 23, and lever 24:. Arms 25, 26 and 27 are fixed to sleeve 28 to form a unit which is loosely mounted on shaft 21. Arms 26 and 27 are so located that they will be positioned in the path of cam face 11a, a part of lever arm 11, and be raised when lever 11 is at the ends of its travel as shown in Fig. 2. WVhen arms 26 and 27 are out of engagement with cam face 11a they fall by gravity to a level permitted by the rod 25a attached to lever 25, the latter being adjustably secured to the sleeve 28 so that all of said arms will move simultaneously. Rod 25a is so positioned and disposed that it follows in the same line of travel as do arms 30, 31. The normal weights of the parts attached to sleeve 28 are such that rod 2542 will normally tend to hold arms 30 and 31 out of electrical contact with terminals 30, 306 which are fixed to insulated block 32. To hold these contacts open it is necessary for the parts, of which 25a is a member, to overcome springs 30a, 31a which are suitably placed so as to normally tend to maintain the electrical contacts between arm 30, terminal 30?), also arm 31, terminal 31?). The cam levers 22, 23 are so disposed that their faces 22a, 23a at certain periods, according to the rotation of shaft 21 will engage rollers 300, 310 and effect opening of the contact members associated therewith. It will be seen that the aforesaid contacts will be responsive to the camming action only when the rod 25a has been lifted off of arms 30, 31 and that when lever 11 is traveling from either of its rest positions the circuit contacts 30, 30?) and 31, 31?) will remain open.

This auxiliary mechanism just described is for use in connection with a signaling or indicating system to show the position of the switch points 3, 3 by any selected code and is connected to a signal circuit whereby the selected signals are actuated according to the position of said tongues.

Said auxiliary mechanism is mounted on plate A as a unit and may be removed without disturbing any other part of the apparatus.

The tongues 3, 3 are connected by rod 24a and lever 24 to shaft 21. It will be seen that shaft 21 undergoes apartial rotation or oscillation as the switch tongue passes from one position to another and effects opening and closing of contacts 30, 31 as explained above.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair of independent opposed solenoids encased in independent magnetic housings, having an integral magnetic plunger, a casing, a two position lock mechanism composed of an arm and an escapement crank mounted transversely of said casing in slidable relation to each other, means responsive to said solenoids for operating said lock linearly and means for preventing movement exceptthrough said operating means.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair of independent opposed solenoids encased in independent magnetic housings, having an integral magnetic plunger, a casing, a two position lock mechanism composed of an arm and an escapement crank mounted transversely of said casing in slidable rotation to each other, means responsive to said solenoids for operating said lock linearly, means for preventing movement except through said operating means and auxiliary switch shifting means connected to said lock.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a two position lock mechanism and a third lever at tached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said look only at the end of its travel. 4. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a third lever attached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said toggle only at the end of its travel, said third lever having associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electrical contacts.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a third lever attached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said toggle only at the end of its travel, said third lever having associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electrical contacts carried by arms mounted in said casing.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent levers attached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levers having associated therewith means for controlling a pair of auxiliary electrical contacts.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent levers attached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levers having associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electrical contacts carried by arms mounted in said casing.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent levers attached to said casing so located and disposed 5 as to contact a member of said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levers having associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electrical contacts normally operated by cam levers actuated through a mechanism connected to a switch point operated by said toggle mechanism.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT E. TAFEL.

Images