US2216626A - Railway traffic controlling - Google Patents

Description

repeater. relay ZLGPR. The operating circuit for signal ZLA, only aportion ofwhichis shown, includes contacts IWR.38, lW'R.-39, ZHR-JU, contact 2HR4I closed in the. right-hand position, winding42 of signal 2LA,.and conductorC.

55 of relay ZHR, and the winding of. relay 2HF to.

conductor C.

It follows that with the. apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, signal indication lamp 2K will first become lighted on account of the energization of relay 2I-IKR. when the circuit for relay .2I-IR. is closed,

and may then be extinguished during the interval of time between the opening of contact 5| of relay 21H, on account of relay ZHR opening coni'tact 55 at the back point, and-the subsequent closing of contact 5| of relay ZHF when contact 2LGPR53 completesthe second circuit traced for relay. ZI-IF. If, for some reason, signal ZLA should not at once clear, contact. of relay ZI-IR.

afiwould open at its front point, and would then complete, at its backpoint, the circuit first traced for relay ZHF. Relay ZI-IF would thusbe periodically energized and deenergized until signal ZLA cleared, or until the leverman moved lever 2V away from the r position. Signal indication lamp 2K would thus display a flashing indication.

I shall now assume that with the apparatus modified as shown in Fig. 2, the leverman desires to clear signal 2LA. He will therefore move lever 2V to its r position, causing relay ZHR to become energized by current of reverse polarity passing from battery 2Q, through conductor C, Winding of relay 2I-IR, contact 3| of relay 2HF, conductor 30, winding of relay ZHKR, and contact 29 of lever 2V in the right-hand position to terminal N. With relay ZHR energized by current of reverse polarity, a circuit will be completed for periodically energizing relay ZHF by current passing from terminal B, through contact 32 of coder D, contact ZLGPRr-34, contact 35 of relay ZHR closed in the right-hand position, contact 36 of relay ZI-IR, and the Winding of relay ZHF to conductor 0. Relay ZHF, being periodically energized, will periodically open its contact 3| in the circuit previously traced for relays 2HKR and ZHR, causing contact 31 of relay ZHKR to be periodically opened. Lamp 2K will therefore display a flashing indication until signal ZLA clears and causes contact 2LGPR-34 to open.

Upon the operation of signal 2LA to its G or Y position, selected in accordance with traflic conditions-in advance, contact 22 or contact 23, respectively, of signal ZLA will open, causing relay ZLGPR to become deenergized. With relay 'ZLGPR deenergized, contact 2LGPR,34, operated by this relay, will open the circuit previously traced for relay ZI-IF, and hence contact 3| of relay ZHF will be constantly closed, causing relay 2HKR to be constantly energized, which in turn causes lamp 2K to be constantly energized.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it follows that in apparatus embodying my invention, operations of a track switch may be governed by switch control circuits including a switch control conductor and a common conductor, and signal control circuits including a signal control conductor and the same common conductor as is used in the switch control circuits, govern the clearing of one or more signals. A signal indication device is controlled-by indication circuitswhich include the signal control conductor and the. common conductor. In one form of apparatus embodying my invention, there may be a. single interruption of the signal indication device when a si nal is being cleared in normal operation. If, however, a signal. should. fail to clear properly, there would be repeatedinterruptions of the signalv indication device. The signal indication device: isoperated constantly as soon as the signal corresponds to the condition of energization of the signal control relay. In a second form of apparatus embodying. my invention, the signal indication-device. is periodically operated from the time the signal. control relay is energized until the signal corresponds to the condition of energization of the signal control relay.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus embodying my said indication relay closed when said electricallycontrollable device responds to energization of said control relay, a second indication relay, a manually controllable circuit including the windings of said control relay and of said second indication relay as well as a front contact of said first indication relay and a source of current, and indication means controlled by said second indication relay.

2. In combination, an electrically controllable 5 device, a control relay, means controlled by said control relay when energized for operating said electrically controllable device, an indication relay, a circuit controlled by a back contact of said control relay for energizing said indication relay, a second circuit for energizing said indication relay controlled by a front contact of said control relay and closed when said electrically controllable device responds to energization of said control relay, a second indication relay, a manually controllable circuit including the windings of said control relay and of said second indication relay as well as a front contact of said first indication relay and a source of current, and indication means controlled by said second indication relay.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a first and a second signal each operable for governing trafiic movements into said stretch, a polarized control relay, means controlled by a front neutral and a normal polar contact of said control relay for operating said first signal, means controlled by a front neutral and a reverse polar contact of said control relay for operating said second signal, an indication relay, means controlled by said control relay when said control relay becomes energized by current of normal polarity for periodically energizing said indication relay until said first signal responds to such energization of said control relay, means controlled by said control relay when said control relay becomes energized by: current of reverse polarity for periodically energizing said indication relay until said second signalresponds to reverse energization of said control relay, manually controllable normal and reverse energizing circuits for said control relay, and indication means controlled over said normal and reverse energizing circits by said indication relay.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a first and a second signal each operable for governing traffic movements into said stretch, a polarized control relay, means controlled by a front neutral and a normal polar contact of said control relay foroperating said first signal, means controlled by a front neutral and a reverse polar contact of said control relay for operating said second signal, an indication relay, means controlled by said control relay when said control relay becomes energized by current of normal polarity for periodically energizing s'aid indication relay until said first signal responds to such energization of said control relay, means controlled by said control relaywhen said control relay becomes energized by current of reverse polarity for periodically energizing said indication relay until said second signal responds to reverse energization of said control relay, manually controllablenormal and reverse energizing circuits for said control relay, and indication means controlled by said indication relay.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a first and a second signal each operable for governing traific movements into said stretch, a pair of conductors, manually controllable means controlled over said pair of conductors for effecting operation of said first signal, other manually controllable means controlled over said pair of conductors of said second signal, an indication relay, means controlled by said first manually controllable means when put in condition for effecting operation of said first signal to periodically energize said indication relay until said first signal becomes operated, means controlled by said other manually controllable means when put in condition for effecting operation of said second signal to periodically energize said indication relay. until said second signal becomes operated, and indication means controlled over said pair of conductors by said indication relay.

J OHN M. PELIKAN.

for effecting operation 1 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED STATES RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS John M. Pelikan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application March 20, 1937, Serial No. 132,06'7.- Divided and this application June 9,

1939, Serial No. 278,311

Claims.

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling'apparatus of the type involving switches and signals controlled by manually operable means, such for example as levers located at a control point, and has for an object the provision of means for accomplishing the control and indication for signals with a minimum number of line wires between the control point and the controlled device. The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 132,067, filed March 20, 1937, for Railway trafiic controlling apparatus. r

I shall describe several forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view. showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention for controlling and indicating one or more signals over a pair of conductorscomprising a signal control conductor and a common conductor. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing a modification of the control and indi-' cationcircuits. shown in Fig. l. 7

Similar reference characters refer to 3 similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference characters 3 and 3a designate the track rails of a track section E F which is separated by means of insulated joints 4 from adjacent portions of a stretch of' railway track. Track section E -F is provided with a track circuit including a battery 5 connected across the rails adjacent one end of the section, and a track relay TR con- 35 nected across therails adjacent the opposite end of: the section.

Located in section E-F, is a track switch I. This switch is operated by a mechanism M which is controlled by a slow release polarized switch control relay IWR.

Adjacent the point E, signals ZRA and 2R3 are located for governing trafific movements over switch I from left to right as shownin the drawing, which I shall assume is the eastbound direction. Signal ZLA, adjacent point F, is for governing westbound traflic movements over switch I in the normal position in which it is shown in the drawing. The signals are controlled in part by a slow release polarized signal control relay 21-112..

In each of the views, the contacts operated by the various relays or other devices are identified by numbers, such numbers having distinguishing prefixes from which they are separated by a-dashwhen the contacts are shown apart from the relay 55 brother device by which they are operated. The

(c1. 24e 219) a Y prefix for each of these contact numbers comprises the reference character for the respective relay or other device.- For example, contact lWR-I2, shown in the operating circuits for switch mechanism M, is identified-by the-number l2 separated by a dash from the prefix IWR which is the reference character for relay IWR. by which this contact is operated. Similarly, contact ZHR-M, shown in the operating circuits for signals ZRA and 2LA, is identified by the number 4| separated by a dash from the prefix 2I-IR which is the reference character for relay 2I-IR by which this contact is operated.

Switch control relay IWR and signal control relay ZHR are manually controllable by devices, such for exampleas levers IV and 2V, respectively, located at a control point which may be an interlocking tower or. dispatchers ofiice. Each of these levers has a normal position n, in which it is shown in the drawing, and a reverse position r to the right. Lever 2V has also a reverse position 7 to the left. l

' The normal and. reverse energizing circuits for relay IWR include a switch control conductors and a common conductor C. The normal and reverse energizing circuits for relay ZHR include a signal control conductor 30 and the common conductor C.

The circuits for relays IWR and ZI-IR are supplied with current for energizing these relays from a suitable source, such for example as bat-fteries IQ and 2Q located at thecontrol point. The positive terminal of battery 2Q and the negative terminal of battery IQ are connected together and with common conductor C. Battery- !Q has a positive terminal B, and battery 2Q has a negative terminal N.

The switch control circuits for energizing relay IWR include a contact [I] of a lock relay ILRQ Relay lLR-may be controlled by track relay TR. and by an approach locking relay, or by any other means desired. The approach locking relay for controlling relay ILR may be controlled in any suitable manner, such for example as shown for relay L in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,956,851, granted May 1, .1934 to C. A Brooks and J. M. Pelikan for Railway traflic controlling apparatus.

A signal indication relay ZI-IF, as here shown, is of a slow release type. Relay ZHF is energized by current from terminal 13 of battery IQ. Two cir'- cuits for energizing relay ZHF are controlled by signal repeater relays ZLGPR and,.2RGPR, 're,- spectively, in conjunction. with a front. neutral.

contact and a polar contact of relay 2BR. A

third circuit is provided for relay ZHF, controlled bya back contact of relay 2HR.

The signal control circuits for energizing relay 2I-IR include the Winding of a second signal indication relay ZI-IKR in series with the Winding of relay ZHR, and also include front contact 5i of the first signal indication relay ZHF. A signal indication device, such for example as a lamp 2K, is controlled by the second signal indication relay ZHKR.

As here shown, signals ERA, 2RB and ZLA are of the Searchlight type, but may be of any other suitable design. As shown in the drawing, each of these signals comprises a member 43 mounted to oscillate between two extreme positions, and controlled by a Winding 42, and by a permanent magnet or an electrcmagnetfnot shown, so that when winding 42 is energized, member 43 will move to one of its extreme positions or the other, according as winding 42 is energized by current of normal or reverse polarity. Member 43 is biased to a middle position, in which it is shown in the drawing, and which it occupies when winding 42 is deenergized. Member 43 carries three roundels G, R and Y arranged to cooperate with an electric lamp 2 in such manner that when memroundel G, respectively, is placed in front of lamp As shown in the drawing, lamp 1' is above the roundels, but the lamp is placed in this location for purposes of illustration, and it is to be understood that in actual practice the lamp is directly behind the roundels. Each lamp 2' is connected directly with terminals x and 0 of a suitable source of current, and is therefore constantly lighted. A signal of this type is disclosed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,864,224, granted to Wesley is energized only when signal 2LA is indicating stop. Relay ZRGPR is similarly controlled by signals ZRA and ZRB.

As shown in Fig. 2, periodically interrupted current is provided by passing current from terminal B through contact 32 of a coding device D. Coding device D may be of an oscillatory type operating at a low frequency of the order of cycles per minute, and provided with a self-control contact 6 as well as with contact 32 for periodically interrupting the current supplied from terminal B, and also having a winding designated by the numeral I20 corresponding tothe frequency of operation of coding device D. The contacts of coder D are biased by a coil spring I to the position shown in the drawing, when the coder is deenergized. Coder D is connected directly with conductor C and, through its contact 6, is connected with terminal B, and is therefore constantly in operation.

In Fig. 2, signal indication relay 2I-IF, instead of being of the slow release type as shown in Fig. 1, is quick enough acting to respond to the periodically interrupted current supplied from contact 32 of coder D to circuits controlled by signal control relay 2I-IR and by signal repeater relays ZRGPR and ZLGPR. Relay 2HR is here controlled by a back contact 3| of relay 2I-IF instead of by a front contact as in Fig. 1.

Having described, in general, each of the forms of apparatus shown embodying my invention, I shall now trace in detail the operation of these forms of apparatus. I I

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in the normal condition, that is, the switch and signal control levers IV and 2V, respectively, are in their normal position n; switch I is in its normal position; signals ZRA, ZRB and 2LA are indicating stop; coding device D is operating; relays TR, ZRGPR, 2LGPR, IWR and ILR are energized; relay ZHF of Fig. l is also energized; relays 2HR and ZHKR of both figures, and relay 2HF of Fig. 2' are deenergized; lamps -i of signals 2RA, ZRB and 2LA are lighted, and signal indication lamp 2K is unlighted.

I shall first trace the operation of the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

With switch control lever IV in its 11 position, switch control relay IWR is energized by current of normal polarity passing from terminal B, through contact 8 of lever IV in the left-hand position, switch control conductor 9, contact In of relay ILR, and the winding of relay IWR to common conductor C. With relay I WR thus energized by current of normal polarity, the normal operating circuit for switch mechanism M is arranged, passing from terminal B, through contact IWR-l 2, contact IWRI3 closed in the left-hand position, mechanism M, and contact. I WRI4 closed, in the left-hand position to conductor C.

With signals ZRA and 2RB indicating stop, signal repeater relay 2RGPR is energized by its circuit passing from terminal B, through contacts 22 and 23 of signal ZRA, contact 22 of signal 2RB, and the winding of relay 2RGPR to conductor C. With signal 2LA indicating stop, signal repeater relay ZLGPR is also energized by its circuit passing from terminal B, through contacts 22 and 23 of signal 2LA, and the winding of relay ZLGPR to conductor C.

With relay 2HR deenergized, relay 2I-IF is energized by its circuit passing from terminal B, through the back point of contact 55 of relay ZHR, and the winding of relay 2HIF to conductor rent of reverse polarity passing from battery 2Q,

through conductor C, Winding of relay 2HR, contact 5| of relay ZI-lF, conductor 30, winding of relay ZI-LKR, and contact 29 of lever 2V in its right-hand position to terminal N. Completion of this circuit causes relay 2I-IKR to close its contact 31, thereby completing a circuit passing from terminal B, through contact 31, for lighting signal indication lamp 2K.

Relay 2I-IR, upon becoming energized, opens its contact 55 at the back point, deenergizing relay ZHF, and then closes this contact at the front point, and closes its polar contacts in the reverse position. Upon the lapse of a brief period of time required because relay ZHF is slow releasing, contact 5| of relay 2I-IF may open the circuit traced for relay 2HR. Since relay 2HR is also slow releasing, the front contact of this relay will not open immediately. Before the front contact of relay 2HR has had time to open, signal 211A will have cleared and opened the circuit for signal

Images