US1976822A

US1976822A - Railway traffic controlling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1976822A
Application number: US577058A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry S Young
Original assignee: Union Switch and Signal Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Rail STS USA Inc
Priority date: 1931-11-24
Filing date: 1931-11-24
Publication date: 1934-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1951-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1934.

H. s. YOUNG 1,976,822

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 24. .1951

Demodinq UiPc'uii ('ozziavf IN VENTOR. Henry 5. Young,

IQ/RW HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 16, l34

entree stares RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATU Henry 5'. Young, Wilkinsburg, .Pa., assignor' 1:6 The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swiss vale, Pa a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 24,- 1931, Serial No. 577,0 58 BenewedFebruary 27, 1933 I4 Claims.

My invention relates to railway traffic control ling apparatus, and more specifically to apparatus for deenergizing a switch motor in the event that the switch fails to complete its stroke within a predetermined time interval.

One object of my invention is to employ a time element approach locking release relay to perform the additional function of providing overload protection for the switch motor. Other objects and advantages Will appear from the description which follows.

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 of one form of apparatus embodying my invention, in which is shown a stretch of railway track containing a switch, and control relays and apparatus for releasing the approach locking, effecting movements of the switch, and deenergizing the switch motor automatically after a definite time interval should the switch become obstructed.

In providing protection to a switch motor against heavy currents applied for prolonged intervals such as result when a switch is obstructed it has been the practice to employ overload devices usually comprising some form of thermosensitive element. A thermal relay operating upon the thermostat principle is a common form of such device, and a normally balanced circuit breaker in which an unbalance of forces is created under overload conditions due to the change in resistance of a material having a temperatureresistance coefficient is another form.

In the thermostat type of protection; apart from the frail construction which is generally necessary for sensitive response, there is also the disadvantage that a time lag is introducedfor permitting the thermal element to cool previous to a repeated application of power in the same direction as caused tripping of theoverload apparatus. The balanced circuit breaker arrangement requires accurate adjustment, also involves a time interval for cooling although this interval is usually shorter than that required by the thermostat type of breaker, and is relatively expensive because it generally requires a somewhat complicated mechanism.

In approach locking systems wherein a time element device is used to efiect the automatic release of the approach locking, it becomes possible to eliminate the usual thermal overload apparatus by employing a contact on the time ele ment device to deenergize the switch motor at the expiration of a predetermined time interval in the event that the switch fails to complete its stroke within the required time as determined by normal operating conditions. My invention is directed to the elimination of the thermal overload protection through the use of a time interval of the time element approach locking release relay. This method is of particular advantage in applications of centralized traffic control to the operation of remotely located switches where frequent adjustment and maintenance of overload apparatus become undesirable because of the comparatively large distances between the operated functions and the central control point.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a stretch of railway track divided into sections A--B, BC and 0-D, each having the usual source of energy 2, and a track relay designated by the reference character T with a distinguishing exponent. Section -B--C contains the switch 1Y5v E operated by the motor M. Switch E in turn operates the circuit controller F and the controllers G and G The cut-out controller F is operated by the switch E in such manner that contact 4445 is closed at all times except when the switch occupies its extreme reverse position, and contact 44-47 is closed at all times except when the switch occupies its extreme normal position. The indication circuit controllers G and G are operated by the switch in such manner that both controllers are in the upper position which results in short-circuiting the indication relays NK and RK at'all times except when the switch occupies its extreme normal or extreme reverse position, whereupon. controller G or G respectively, becomes moved to the lower position.

Signals S and S control trafiic entering sections B-C and 0-3 respectively, and may be manually governed from the despatchers office as well as being controlled by the home relays H and H in the usual manner. Relays L 'and L are approach locking relays, one for each direction of traffic, and relay TE is a time element approach locking release relay. The approach 100 locking circuit involving the home relays H and H track relays T, T and T approach locking relays L and L and approach locking release relay TE is of the usual form and it is believed that no detailed explanation of the 105 operation of this circuit is necessary, it being well known in the art.

I Relay W is a polarized switch control relay and relays NK" and RK are the usual normal and reverse switch indication relays, respectively. 0

7 is adjusted.

Relay Z is an auxiliary switch control relay, cooperating with relay W to effect operation of the switch E and having additional functions which will become apparent when the circuit diagram, presently to be described, is traced. Relays NW and RW are normal and reverse switch control relays, respectively, which becomeenergized, one at a time, following the transmission ofsuitable code impulses from any control point such as a despatchers OffiCE. Relay TEP repeats certain contacts on the time element approach locking release relay TE, and its purpose and manner .of operation will be explained hereinafter.

With switch E in the normal position and the control apparatus in the condition illustrated, let it be assumed that the operator wishes to reverse switch E. To do this, he will send out a code to pick up relay RW, and relay NW will become deenerg'med. In place of the relays NW andRW, any suitable manually controlled selector for polechanging the relay ,Wcan be used. The control for relays NW andRW is not shown in detail but it will be, sufficientfor thepurpose of my present invention to indicate that when one of the relays NW or RW is energized, the other relay becomes deenergized. The deenergization of relay ,NW will cause relay NK tobecome deenergized at front contact 3-4 of relay; NW. If now track relay T and approach locking relays .L and L are all energized, as shown, the 'deenergization of relay NW and energization of relay RW will complete a circuit for pole-changing. relay W to the reverse position, which circuit may be traced fromjone terminal X of a suitable source, wire 5, front contact 6-7 of relay RW, wire 8, relay W, wire 9, front'contactloof relayL wirell, front contact. 12 of relay T wire l3,fr0nt contact 14 of relay L wire 15, back contact l6- -l7 of relay NW, and wire 18 to the other terminal 0 of the same source.

Also, if the time element relay TE is deen-.-. ergized as shown, and has returned to its fully deenergized position in which'checking contact 19-20 (which contact checks the fully deenergized'position of this relay to insure that the full time interval will be initiated each time relay TE becomes energized) is closed, relay TEP will become energized over a circuit starting from one terminal X of a suitable: source,.back contact 21 and checkingicontact' 19-.e20 of relay TE, wire 22, and relay TEP to'the other terminal 0 of the source. It-will be understood that the checking contact 19-20 remains closed, only when relay TE is in its fully deenergized position, and opens immediately after-this relay-begins topick up and the time element is set into motion, theother back contacts of relay TE being of such character that they remain closed until just prior to the expiration of the time interval for which this relay The energization of relay LTEP will complete the following circuit for energizing relay Z, -starting-at one terminal X of a suitable source, front contact 23 of relay W, wire 24, back contact 25 .of

relay RK, wire 26, back contact 2'7 of relay NK,

wire 28, wire 29, front contact 30 of relay TEP,

wires

31 and 32, and relayZ to the other terminal 0 of the source; Relay W having'become polechanged as previously explained, the energization of relay Z closes the following circuit for operating switch motor M to reverse switch E, starting at one terminal X, front contact 23 of relay W, wire'24, wire 33, front'conta'ct 34 of relay Z, wire 35, conta-ct'3637 of relay W, .wire 38,.armatu're 39 of motor-M, wire 4o,- contact4l- '42 of relay W,

wire 43, contact 44-45 of controller F, and field winding 46 of motor M to the other terminal 0 of the source. Motor M will now begin to move switch E toward the reverse position.

It will be noted that the energizing circuit for relays NW and RW comprises two branch paths, the first of which includes wire 48, and back contact-49 of relay Z, and the second of which includes wire 50, and back contact 51 of relay TE.

The energization of relay Z opens the first of said two branch paths and also completes a circuit for energizing relay TE, which may be traced by starting at one terminal X, front contact 52 of relay'Z, wire 53, front contact 54 of relay L wire 55, front contact 56 of relay L wire 57, front contact 58 of relay T wire 59, and relay TE to the other terminal 0 of the source.

As soon as relay TE begins to pick up, check- 11 3 Contact l920 will open, deenergizing relay TEP, but the opening of front contact 30 of relay TEP will not release relay Z because once relay Z will have becomepicked up, it wlll remain energized by virtue of a stick circuit which short-circuits contact 30 of relay TEP, and which includes wire 60, front contact 61 of relay Z, and wire 62.

-From the descriptionso far given it will be apparent that the energization of relay Z causes the motor'M and the time element relay TE to begin operating at the same time. If the switch completes its stroke before the expiration of the time interval of relay TE, relay RK will become energized over a circuit starting atone terminal X, wire 63, contact 6=l65'of controller G wire 66, contact 6768 of relay W, wire 69, front con- 1 tact 7071 of relay RW, wire 72, relay RK, wire 73, wire '74, back contact of relay NK, wire '76, contact TL-'78 of controller G and wire '79 to the other terminal Oof the source. As soon as relay RK becomes energized, it will deenergize relay Z at back contact 25 of relay RK'and the release of relay Z will, in turn, open the circuit for motor M as well as the circuit for relay TE, permitting the time element mechanism of this relay to be restored to its initial position.

When this occurs, all of the apparatus will be in proper condition for effecting another switch operation to restore switch E from the reverse to the normal position in which it is illustrated. That is, the operator. can send out a code, to energize relay NW, deenergizing relay RW, as a result of which relay W will be pole-changed to its normal position, relay TEP will be picked up to energize. relay Z, which in turn will close the circuit for motor M and will start the time element for relay TE at the same instant. The se- 'quence of operation of the apparatus for restoring the switch to its normal position will therefore be thesame as that already described in connection with a movement of the switch from normal to reverse. r a

should the switch become obstructed during its movement from the normal 'tothe reverse position, the time element mechanism of relay TE will continue to function meanwhile, until the time interval for which this relay has been ad justed will have expiredi When this occurs, 're-' lay RW will release because the second branch path for energizing relay-RWwill be open at back contact 5l-of relay TE, the firstbranch path having been opened previously at back contact- 49 of relay Z. The release-of relay RW-will deenergize relay' W, opening the motor circuit and; the circuit for relay Z-at front contact 23 of;

relayW.

1 device.

'The description just given shows that when the switch becomes obstructed, the motor circuit will become deenergized automatically at the end of a predetermined time interval which begins at the instant power is applied to the motor. Should it appear desirable to establish a time interval for deenergizing the motor circuit which will be of shorter duration than the time interval established for the automatic release of approach locking, relay TE can be designed in such manner that the time interval required to open back contact 51 will be independently adjustable. That is, relay TE can be provided with two adjustable time intervals, as for example, a longer interval for the release of approach locking and a shorter interval for the switch motor overload protection. In this manner, high speed switch movements can be adequately protected against overload conditions. I

After relay W and relay Z become deenergized following an overload, they cannot again be energized to move the switch until the operator sends out a code to pick up the NW or the RW relay and also until relay TE reaches its fully deenergized position for picking up relay TEP. Should the operator decide to reverse the switch control while the switch is in transit or is blocked, he can do this without waiting for the expiration of the time interval of relay TE, but in all cases no switch operation will result until relay TEwill have returned to its normal, fully deenergized position, which insures that the full time interval required for a switch operation will be available under all conditions, before the switch begins to operate.

The description given in connection with relay TE concerns chiefly its function of providing overload protection. It will be apparent, however, that should a train enter section A--B with signal S indicating proceed, and shortly thereafter the 'despatcher should deenergize relay H to cause signal S to assume its"stop indication, approach locking relay L wil become deenergized and will close a pick-up circuit for relay TE starting at one terminal X, back contact 80 of relay H wires 81,82 and83, back contact 84 of relay L ,'wire 55, front contact 56 of relay L wire 57-, front contact 58 of relay T wire 59, and

' relay TE to the other terminal 0 of the same source. Therefore, relay IE will become energized and after a predetermined time interval will energize'relay L over a circuit starting at one terminal X, back contact 80 of relay H wires 81,182 and '85,'front contact 86 of relay TE, wires 8'7, 88 and 89, and relay L to the other terminal 0 ofthe same source.

The energization of relay TE following a release of relays L and H as explained above will occur automatically and will release the approach locking. The pick-up of relay L will deenergize relay TE and as soon as this relay reaches its fully deenergized position, the operator may attempt to move the switch in the manner already described. Therefore, it will be apparent thatrelay TE is capable of performing an automatic time interval release of the approach locking, and upon subsequent energization, relay TE will provide overload protection for the switch motor, thus combining both functions in the one Since relay 'I'EP serves merely to repeat the back contact 21 and checking contact 19--20 of relay TE, it does not form an essential element of my'invention, because the series contacts 21 v and 19+-20 can be substituted for front contact 30 of relay TEFWithoiit afiectingthe operation of the circuit as disclosed. However, in practice, it may prove desirable to pass signal circuits through the checking contact 1920 in order to check the integrity of the time element mechanism as a precaution against the premature release of the approach locking. Therefore, since the checking 'contact'is used forv the overload protection, front contacts on relay TEP, which repeat this checking contact, become available for the signal circuits.

Although I have shoWn th'e time element relay applied to a particular form of approach lock: ing'circ'uit and to a particular form of switch operating'circuit', it will be apparent that this relay can be readily appliedto any suitable approach locking and switch operating circuit for performing thecombined function of time element approach locking release and switch motor overload protection.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my inven tion, it is understood that various changes and modifications maybe made therein within the scope of they 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 main section of railway track containing a switch, an approach section, a signal for governing trafiic into said main section, an approach locking relay for preventing movement of said switch if said approach section becomes occupied when said signal indicates proceed, a releaseielay controlled in part by said approachllocking relay and in part by a manually controlled device for at times nullifying the effect of said approach locking relay, a circuit for operating said switch governed by said manually controlled device, and means controlled by said release relay for atother times disabling said circuit if the switch fails to complete its stroke within a predetermined time interval.

2. In combination, a main section of railway track containing a switch, an approach section, a signal for governing tralfiic into said main section, an approach locking relay for preventing movement of said switch if said approach section becomes occupied when said signal indicates proceed, a time element device controlled in part by said'approach locking relay and in part by a manually controlled device for at times nullifying the effect of said approach looking relay, a circuit for operating said switch governed by said manually controlled device, and means controlled by said time element device for at other times disabling said operating circuit if the switch fails to complete its stroke within a predetermined time interval.

3. In combination, a section of railway track containinga switch, an approach locking relay governed in the usual manner by trafiic conditions adjacent said section for at times preventing movement of said switch, a slow acting device controlled in part bysaid approach'locking relay and in part by manually controlled means and capable of rendering said approach locking relay ineilective to prevent movement of .said switch at the expiration of a predetermined time interval following actuation of said slow acting device, a

a circuit for operating said switch governed by said manually controlled means, and means controlled by said slow acting device effective after subsequent actuation of said device for interruptingsaid circuit if the switch fails to complete its stroke within predetermined time interval.

4. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch, anxapproach locking relay governed in the usualmannerjby. traflic: condi tions adjacent said section-forat times preventi movement of said switch, a time element mecha* nism having afirst'and a second time interval and controlled in: part by. said approach locking relay and in part by a manually controlled device, means governed by said time element mechanism for nullifying the effect of said approach locking relay'at the expiration of said first time intervaL-a circuit for operating, said switch governed by said manually controlled device, and other means governed by said time element mechanism eifective after subsequent actuation of saidmechanism following the expiration of said first timeinterval for interrupting said operating circuit if the switch fails to complete its stroke within said second. time interval.

5. Incombination, a section of.-railway track containing a switch, an approach locking relay governed in the usual .manner bytrafiit: .conditions adjacent said section for at times'preventing movement ofisaid switch, a manually controlled release relay for at times nullifying the effect of said approach locking relay, a circuit'for operating said switch, manually controlled means for energizing said circuit and said release "relay simultaneously at such times as said approach locking relay is inefiective to prevent movement of said switch, and means'governed by said release relay for disabling said'circuit if the switch fails to complete its stroke within a predeter= mined time interval.

6. In combinationya railwayswitch, an approach locking relay acting when deenergized to prevent movement of said switch, a time-measur ing device normally occupying a firstposition and arranged when operated to assume a second position after a measured time interval, means effective if said relay becomes deenergized, under certain traffic. conditions to set said device into operation whereby'a pick-up circuit for said relay will become closed when said device attains its secondpositiommeans for restoring said device to its first position after; said pick-up circuit be comes closed, a circuit for-operating said switch,

manually controlled means for energizing said operating circuit after said devicehas reached its first position and said relay is energized, other means for setting said device into operation when 5 said operating circuit becomes energized, and

means governed by said device for interrupting said operating circuit if said switch failsto complete its stroke within said measuredtimeintervaL '7. In combination, a railway switch, a locking relay controlled-at times in accordance with traffic conditions for preventing movementof said switch, a manually controlled stick circuit for said locking relay, 2. time element relay having an initially closed contact which is closed only when the relay is fullydeenergized and a time-interval contact which opens at the expiration of a predetermined time interval, a pick-up circuit for said locking .relaycontrolledby said-time element relay, a circuit for operating :said switch, a switch control relay for energizing-said operating circuit,- amanually controlled selector; a pick-up circuit for said switch control relay including said manually controlled selector, a front contact of said locking relay, and said initially :closed contact of I the time element relay; 2. stick circuitfor said switch control relay including said manually controlled selector, a front contact of said locking relay, and a front contact of said switch control relay; a first pick-up circuit for said time element relay-including aback contact of said locking relay,a second pick-up circuit for said time element relay including a front contact of said locking relay and a-front contact of said switch control relay, and means governed bysaid time element relay for deenergizing said stick circuit for the switch control relay if the switch fails to complete its, stroke within the time interval required for said time interval contact to open.

8. In combination with a two position track switch, a switch control relay having two energized positions corresponding to the two positions of the switch, manually operable means operable from a remote point for energizing said relay to one position or the other, a stick relay, a time element device, a pickup circuit and a stick circuitfor the stick relay closed only when the switch control relay is energized to a position out of correspondence with the position of the switch, the stick circuit including a front contact of the stick relay and the pickup circuit ineluding a contact closed only when the time ele ment deviceoccupies its normal deenergized position, a motor circuit, means for-closing said'circuit when the stick relay becomes energized to operate the switch to a position corresponding to that of the switch control relay, a second circuit closed when the stick relay becomes energized for actuating the time elementdevice, means for opening themotor circuit when the operation of the switch is completed, and means controlled by the time element device for opening the motor circuit if the switch fails to complete its operation within a predetermined time interval.

9. In combination with a two'position track switch, switch control means having two energized positions corresponding to the two positions of the. switch; manually operable means operable froma remote point for energizing said means; an auxiliary relay; means for energizing said auxiliary relay when the switch control means is energized to a position out of correspondence with the position of the switch; a motor circuit, means including a front contact of the auxiliary relay for closing said circuit to operate the switch to a position corresponding to that of the switch control means; means controlled by the switch for opening said circuit when the operation of the switch is completed, and time measuring means controlled by the auxiliary relay for opening said circuit if the switch fails to complete its operation within a predetermined time interval.

10. In'combination with a two position track switch, switch control means having two energized positions corresponding tothe two positions of theswitch; manually operable means operable from a remote point for energiz-. ing said means; an auxiliary relay; means for energizing said auxiliary relay when the switch control means is, energized to a position out of correspondence with the position of the switch{ a motor circuit, means including a front contact of the auxiliary relay for closing said circuit to operate the switchto a-position corresponding to that of the switch control.

means; means controlled by the switch for opening said circuit when the operation of the switch is completed, and means controlled by the auxiliary relay for deenergizing the switch control meansif said auxiliary relay remains energized for more than a predetermined time interval, whereby the motor circuit will be opened. if the switch fails to complete its operation within said time interval.

11. In combination with a two position track switch, switch control means having two energized positions corresponding to the two positions of the switch; manually operable means operable by a momentary impulse from a remote point for energizing said switch control means; a time element relay; operating circuits for the switch, and a circuit for energizing the time element relay; means for closing one or the other of the switch operating circuits and the circuit for the time element relay when the switch control means is energized to a position out of correspondence with the position of the switch, and means effective if the time element relay remains energized for more than a predetermined time interval for releasing said manually operable means to thereby deenergize said switch control means to open said circuits if the switch fails to complete its operation within said time interval.

12. In combination with a two position track switch, manually operable switch control means having two energized positions, a time element relay arranged to move from a normal deenergized position to a reverse position when energized for a predetermined time interval, operating circuits for the switch, means for closing one of said circuits when the time element relay is in its normal deenergized position and the control means is energized to a position out of correspondence with the position of the switch, the closed circuit being opened when the position of the switch and its control means correspond; a

circuit for energizing the time element relay closed when either switch operating circuit is closed, and means controlled by the time element relay when in its reverse position for disabling said manually operable means to thereby open said circuits.

13. In combination with a two position track switch, manually operable switch control means having two energized positions, switch indication means arranged to be energized to indicate correspondence in position between the swtich and its control means, an auxiliary relay, operating circuits for the switch, means for closing one or the other of said circuits in accordance with the position of the control means when said auxiliary relay is energized, and means for energizing said auxiliary relay for a predetermined time interval only when the switch control means is energized and the switch indication means is deenergized.

14. In combination with a two-position track switch, manually operable switch control means having two energized positions, switch indication means arranged to be energized when the switch and its control means occupy corresponding positions, an auxiliary relay, operating circuits for the switch, means including a contact closed when said auxiliary relay is energized for closing one or the other of said circuits in accordance with the position of the control means, and means for energizing said auxiliary relay for a predetermined time interval only when the switch control means is energized and the switch indication means is deenergized.

HENRY S. YOUNG.