US2439676A - Interlocking line-circuit railway traffic controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

INTERLOCKING LINE-CIRCUIT RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1945' s Sheets-Sheet 1 ESQ K55 \wmux w a g m A Q Q w 6, l3 w [w 0m Om .NN.

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F'iled Sept. 6, 1945 Na NMWE QQQGLW NNN NQQ NW5 g Z g @F. RN 7% g E Rm aw m 3% E 2 E H15 ATTOHNEY W. W. SEITZ April 13, 1948.

Filed Sept. 6, 1945 w Y Ww A i 3H; m n m LM ER a EB T l 5% v i 5 m w .I IFII i 1 L wmw flwww Ru Z 5N5 RM Q Ev Patented Apr. 13, 1948 CIRCUIT RAILWAY TR'AFFIC'GONTROLEINGFMPARAIEUS fiVarreni wivfgseiiz; Q

fi lfhe Union fiyvitch and Signa y, Swissacorporation.ofliennsylvaiiia rippii aaon'-septiater s, rang-serial Newman 9 Claims.

Myinvention'relates to railway :trafiic controlling apparatus, and more particularlyxtoctrafiic direction lockingiapparatus for the control of traffic :movements between :two blo'ckxstations or interlocking plants on 5-2, multiple 'tracktrailroad.

.One object of my invention is ttoiipreventithe operator at either of twot'stations .conn'ectedby a plurality of tracks from clearinganyxsignal which governs traffic movements into any route leading to the other "station unless the corresponding trafiic direction for traffic movements in that route has 'been setiupzby the joint :action of the operators at'the two "stations.

Another object of my invention is theprovision of:a unitary set of'trafficdirection lockingiiapparatus of this characterfor controlling the direc-.

tionoftrafiic movements over each of-a plurality ofstretches oitrack extending betweentwo-stations, which is controllable overasihgle pairpf line wires, such as atelephone linetconnecting thestations, by means of: distinctive codeisignals or impulses ofdifferent characters.

. In its specific embodiment as' shownfherein, the apparatus of myinvention a includesla :two

position tralfic lever, apush button, and: atraffic relay-of the stick polar rtype at each ofzthe two stations,=for each stretch of'itrack connecting the stations, togetherwith suitable selecting. -apparatus by means of which 'each" of the: traflic relays may be operated'toaip'ositi'on correspond- -ing to that of the associated trafiiclever by'a distinctive code signal transmittedaoverthe'sline wires, when the push button 'atthe othertstation for the corresponding stretch of track is operated.

Each 'trafiic relay in one position "designatesithe adjacent end of the corresponding-stretchasz'the entrance end, and closes a contactinzthe'circuits for the signals at that .end whichgovern trafiic movements into the stretch. "Ihecorresponding trafiic relay at'the-other end of that :stretchof .track in a similar position designates-its end as the exit end. of the stretch; and in thistposition the relay closes a contactinthe circuit govern-ed by the associated push button by means of which the first mentioned relay maybe operated: by: its

'lever under suitable trafiicmdirections in order to reversethe direction of traflic. g

I shall describe one form ofsapparatus embodyingmy invention and shall thenflpoint out the novel features thereof'in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figs. ylAuand 1B, 1 taken together, illustrate the trafiic locking 1 apparatusofmy inventi'on'as applied tothe conv:trol over apair ofeline wires Y andzofithe traf- (01346 .134) .fice;directionioneachcofr the four. tracks of. a :fourtra k 'r m c g U The-territory controlled by one set=of this apparatusrissito'be understo d to-bethat shown in i :5 the ra kin an whi -extend a ro s t p e portions of- 1?igs. 1A; and 1B,;eomprising the tracks 10f two 'interlockingplants at locations identified-as fstation N0. g l and fistation No; 2, respectively, .w etherj 'iwith the intervening .10 'stretch.i-;cornprising the nain gtraeks i IT, 2 2T, 3T, 'and'AT. The-twointerlocking plants are-assumed IO-be similar, -.ea c h .including :enseries of crossover switchesidentifiedibvfihgnumber 1,- 3, 5 '7, '9,-*and :11. to ether iwith;-,a- ;-plurality of signals r llimfor governingtraflic'movements in both directions overath-e E routes -,for ined by .the j switches.

Fig-i2 ShOWS CiI'GIHtS whichmay be employed atszea'chzinterlocking plantitogovern the mecha .nismsfor, the: s-ignals:-.at;that; plant; The signals ZO-Jare identified by the-tnu nbers re, 6, .8, and 10,

with-.a ,suflix R -or.=L to indicate that the direcxtiontofztrafiic movement governed thereby is to- 'Ward,therrightiori'left. i respeetively, while the operatingmechanisms;forithe signals are. identi- 25 =fied by the reference; character G following the gsignal'rdesignations. i'llhe circuitsl's'hown in Fig. 2 :are fad-apted'for use at an interlocking plant locatedpat a ."s tation where :the signals governing tnafliczmoyements in bothdirections are con- :30, trolled rby: .traflic locking -appa-ratus of the type -shown iniFigs. IA;BI1(1;1B. A U y *W-hen :but i 0118 5581, of trafliclocking apparatus liszto beyconsidered. this isarranged as shownby placin .Fig.,.-1Aat*the left of i Fig. 1B and by emi- :ployingcircuits shown;in Fig.2 at the stations "at'iboth ends ofythestretch. ln this arrangement, theflsignal circuits at. station No. -1, Fig. 1A, are 1 those :for vthe;signals R in, Fig.2, which include contacts gof atheztrafiic relays *IF R,4FR of Fig. .40 1A, while .the signal circuits at stationNo, 2, Fig. -1l3,uare\thoseifo r thetsignals L in-Fig. 2 vvhich include contacts 10f the tralfic relays IFL AFL eti -i B It-will-be understood that other sets of trafiic 4 locking apparatus similar to the one shown .in .-Figs. 1A and l-B may -be us ed to control trafiic .,moveinent s:in= thei stretches ,atthe left of station No.. 1 and at the; 'ght of station No, 2, in which case the; tramq loclging apparatus at each inter- 50 mediatestationiwifl includethat of both Figs. 1A and .il-B; controlled rover L line wires" extending in ,opposite directions, as ,vvell as .that of Fig. 2 in V henithelcircuits for the ,z i a ;f ri eih g t ei en i -e b ;5owtrclledrby trafiicrelays :l fRriandFL it is to be understood that these relays belong to different sets of the traffic locking apparatus of Figs. 1A and 13.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views, and to simplify the drawings, in lieu of showing the local sources of current for energizing the various relays, I have shown only their terminals, the reference character 3 identifying the positive or supply terminal and C the negative or common return terminal, in each instance.

Referring to Fig. 2, each station is assumed to contain an interlocking machineof the conventional locked lever type for the local control of the switches and signals at that station, suchforexample, as is shown and described'in the book' Electro-Pneumatic Interlocking, published November 1914, by The Union Switch and Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa. For an understanding of my invention it is deemed suincient to point out that the interlocking machine at each station includes a two position switch lever SW for each single switch or crossover, such as the lever ISW 'for the crossover switches I, for example, to

which is attached a multiple contact circuit controller. As indicated diagrammatically by a dotted line connection in Fig.2, contact a of the switch lever ISW controls circuits for governing the power operation of the crossover switches 1 so that the switches have assumed their normal position as shown when lever ISW occupies its normal or left-hand position, and have assumed their reverse position as required for a train movement from one main track-to'another when the switch lever is reversed.

switch controls the usual switch-indication relay such as the relay lWP, which reflects the position of both switches of the crossover and its contacts jointly with contacts of the associated switch lever such as the contacts I) and c of relay ISW' are included in route circuits 'over which the signals which govern traflic movements over that crossover are controlled. Each switch lever at station No. 1 has additional contacts such as the contacts e, 1 and g of lever ISW shownin Fig. 1A includedina locking circuit network for controlling the trafiic relays FR, while at station No. 2, other switch lever contacts, such as the contacts h, a, k, and 'm of the lever ISW at that station are included in a similar but oppositely directed locking circuit network for controlling the traffic relays FL. Each signal is provided with an operating mechanism shown 'in Figure 2am identified by the reference character G prefixed by the designation of the signal as marked on the track diagram, such as the mechanisms IBRAG and IEiLG for signals IDEA and IL, respectively, the clearing of each signal being effected by energizing its mechanism over a route circuit in Fig.

2 established by the switch levers SW and indication relays WP. Each route circuit for a signal which governs traffic movements toward another interlocking plant connected by the direction locking apparatus of my invention, also includes a contact d of a traffic relay FR or FL as shown. Each group of signals bearing the same numerical prefix is governed by a circuit controller atv tached to a correspondingly numbered three position signal lever SG. Each signal lever, such as lever IBSG, for example, normally standsin a center position as shown, from which it 'maybe operated to the right to energize the signal mechanism l I] RAG or IBRBG by completing a circuit over the right-:hand lever contact a, or it may be operated to the left to energize mechanism Each crossover IIJLG for the opposing signal IBL by completing IUSG.

The circuit for signal IGRA at station No. 1, for example, extends from terminal B at contact 01 of relay IFR over contact b of lever IUSG, normal contact 0 of lever ISW, the neutral and normal polar contacts of relays IWP and WP, normal contact 0 of lever l ISW, right hand contact a of lever IBSG, contact (1 of lever ll SW and a front contact of the track relay HTR for section HT and thence through the winding of mechanism IURAG to terminal 0.

Each signal lever at station No. 1 has additional contacts such as the contacts 0, d, e and f of lever IOSG, in the locking circuits for the relays FR in Fig. 1A, while at station No. 2, the corresponding signal lever has other contacts such as contacts g, h, :i and k of lever IUSG, shown in Fig. 1B, in the locking circuits for the relays FL.

It will be understood that the switch and signal levers are interlocked mechanically and also electrically, at times, by means of lock magnets in the conventional manner as described in the book referred to, and that the positions of the switches and signals are indicated by the positions of their respective levers. That is to say, the lock magnet for each switch lever prevents its movement to the full normal position as shown herein except when the switches controlled thereby are. locked in their normal position, and the lock magnet for each signal lever prevents its return to the normal position as shown except when all of'the signals controlled by such lever stand at stop.

Referring now to Figs. 1A and 1B, the trafiic locking apparatus at station No. 1 includes a line battery Bl, a code transmiter IBGCT for interrupting the current delivered by battery Bl at the rate of 180 times per minute, and a set of four push buttons IRE-4R3, one for each of the four tracks |T4T, by means of which current of one of four distinctive characters, positive or negative, steady or interrupted, may be supplied from battery Bl to the line wires Y and. Z to permit the corresponding one of the four traffic relays IFL4FL at station No. 2, at the right, to be operated to a position determined by that of the corresponding one of the four traffic levers lVIr-WL, provided first that the block telephones T which are normally connected to the line wires Y and Z are disconnected therefrom by the operation of keys KI and K2. StationNo, 2 is provided with a similar line battery B2 and code transmitter IBIJCT, and with a set of four push buttons |LB4LB for supplying positive or negative, steady or interrupted current from battery B2 to the line wires Y and Z extending to the left, to selectively control the traffic relays Im- 4FR at station No. 1, in accordance with the positions of levers IVE-WE. The decoding apparatus by which the traffic relays are rendered selectively responsive to the currents of different character is similar at the two stations, and by reference to Fig. 1A it will be seen that this includes a polar stick relay PI and a biased polar relay RI, which by the operation of key Kl, are connected in series across line wires Y and Z over the normally closed contacts of each of the push buttons IRE-4R3. These relays function like the similar relays shown in Letters Patent of the United States No.'2,324,200, issued July I3, 1943, to A. E. Dodd, that is, when wire Y is positive, relay Pl closes its lefthand contact a from left to right through relay RI and rectifier [2 to wire Z to f 'r ayRl'aridsu pliedjtoa codeedetectorrelay DI,

bohtidh. Rliy SDI 'i'emaifisiD itSTIEasedpO- sition when relay BI .is pperatedperiodicahy as bed,,and'therefo elisselectively responsive "toist "ady eurrentjre j ive overwires'y z.

er the relays I uit fificludinghontact a of the corresponding "lever I YVR' 4VR, and a distinctive combinl ationof the conta'c ofielay' l, CD! and SDI, layfli'Rjalso,includingfone as "shown 1 inQlHdsj contacts of the gnal'leversofFi i 2. Assuming that rje'Yf' gative, relay "ifl Risienergized'if inter. ed ur'reht is supplied and relayZFR'isenerady eur'rene' is. supplied from jstation Whenjewi'teQY isfpo's itive, relay fllli'. is i gized if interruptedburrent ,is supplied "and 1 r m e nN -a .n a n mu fais be seen tliat iw'hen one "of the ed with thetiafficievers 'is V s 'forfcohtrolling'the asso- "traifiic, reIaYsQare opened, and if the corresponding trafiio' relay andlever are both inthe'ir eiiitepositions'lthis being theleit h-andlposition n-Eig. 111A and T1 the right ha-nd position in Fig. 13)," ourifn t is supplied m me Wires ,Y-Z over ewhioh is ofjthie same character as that by which suchl relay is goyerned, to operate the corresponding relay FL or PR at the other station. In other words, thecode signals have different characters jfwhichjidentify the trafiic locking apparatus for the difierent tracks, and each setof apparatus ,e ploys code signals nof the character assigned theret'o, for both directions of transmission.

The -locking circuit networks shown in Figs 1A manually to stop by the operation of any lever fa out} onefsecon'd beiore it assumes its energized is controlled over it bertion ine; locking'circuit net hay energized if "steady current is 'sup- 75 1ad'ing' into section nan-5.;

l n t cuitbra rlay responsive to t p n ha en 1' i -is atTstopjthecircuit ior J ayjfFRfmaybe closed fo er th c rcuit lbianoh inchidingfon'tact .j of lever IS W and contact-c of lever] I HSG. Second, when" crossover l Iis re erse crossover I 'is'fnornial, allero ut jnqiii to section II are'bdtfoked, IeVer- I'QSG S A 4 tolthe'right-to' clea sign-e1 initiators Iihto section 2T, land! the circuit "if or" rela PER 30 maybeclosed'ioverlthe rc'uit contacts e of '1 v rsi'sjw and cros'soveri l' is "r evei's'edgafid c normal, signer an is th i'ente routei'includingse "ion II; V iiial and signal" 10m; is ""th filtering? signal if crossover-II is reverse In e1therfcasefif the A signal levers 8G and 10S, "in" their "normal orlleft h'an'd positions, "t frela'yllFR may be "closed evergth l: ir contact dlofl leveii, sswa ssor eiidfms'or. iFQuith, w en 3 are reversed, a iossov Vere l and I l Q9 rid 5 are normal, signal ERbcomesTtheefit fi lsignalflfor the route including section I T an if this signal is 'at stop and levers "6S 8 n'df'lflSGjare in theirnormal or lefti-ha d i" m y be energized ever q ing contact e of lever" 557W levers a se, SSGf'a'fid ave s l', 3 emigre 1 normal, signal dRj'beco the route including seen is at stop land levers 4S are allvinv thirhorrrial 55 relay IFER. may Ibefe v branch including contacts levers. .e p

The locking circuits'iorjeabhfif the relays 2FR, FR and amiiurfietier ggi tgenereuy similar 0 mannenland it 'istherefor emed'unneces- 3 sa ry zto trace "thesefcirolliits met ail. ;In each case the lookingv'vcircuits server place the traffic relay under thelcontr'o of theflever for the particular signal which f rns' tiafiic movements intothe route-leading toethat one of the sections IT"4T with which suchtrafiic-re1ay is associated. M I a v 1 l l In'Fig. 1B, equivalentlockfingj circuits are provided for each of the trlfilc relays lFL 'lI' L, hrranged for the opposite direction of 'traffio-movements as required forthe various'routes at station No. 2-w hich-le ad into section'sT'I J T. For example, when switches I and II are normaI, signal; I'OL is} the enterin {'si nalfior he 1 route "IT if the signal lever and: if this signal tsq'isso" and IUSGY litihan d "positions, ed over the f circuit 0" of "each of' these brevehtmgthe jree to; be, operated IHSG at station No. 2 is in its normal or righthand position indicating thatjthis signal is at stop, relay IFL may be energized over the circuit'branch including contact In of lever IISW and contact g of lever IIJSG. Each of the lockink circuits in Fig. 1A has its counterpart inrFig. 1B, the circuit branch just traced, for example, corresponding to the one in, Fig. 1A which includes contact 1 of lever ISW and contact of lever IIISG, and in view of the similarity of these circuits to those of Fig. 1A it is believed that they will be readily understood from the drawings without further description.

The purpose of the trafiic relays is to prevent either operator from clearing a signal for a route leading into anyone of the sections IT-flT in a'direction contrary to that agreed upon. Considering the lower main track, for example, the trafiic relays IFR and IFL normally both have their right-hand contacts closed designating the direction from left to right for movements over the stretch IT, this being indicated at station No. 1 by the lighting of a directional indicator lamp IRE over an obvious circuit, the corresponding lamp ILE at station No. 2 being dark. At station No. 1, contact d of relay FR, shown in Fig. 2, is closed to connect terminal B to the circuit for the signal 4R, 6R, 8R3 or 4RA, dependent upon the position of the track switches, which governs traflic movements into stretch IT. Thus with switch levers IISW and ISW normal, as shown, by moving lever IUSG to the right to close its right-hand contact a, a circuit is closed through mechanism IIIRAG to terminal C to clear signal IRA, as may readily be traced from the drawing.

opening of its contact a extinguishes station No. 1, after having operated relay At station No. 2, contact 11 of relay IFL is open. This prevents the clearing of that signal which governs trafiic movements in the againsttrafiic direction into stretch IT, if the operator at that station should inadvertently operate the signal lever therefor to its left-hand position. Thus, for example, if crossovers Nos. I and II at station No. 2 are normal, mechanism IOLG does not become energized in response to the closing of left-hand contact b of lever II'ISG because terminal B is disconnected from the circuit by contact (1 ofrelay IFL. When one or more of the crossovers is reversed, contact d of relay IFL opens the circuit for signal ALB, ELB or 8L according to the route which leads to stretch IT, as shown by Fig 2.

I shall now describe the operation of the traflic locking apparatus of my invention, starting with the assumption that the apparatus is in its normal condition as'shown and that it is desired to reverse traffic in stretch IT. The operators reverse the keys KI and K2 to establish a battery circuit over the line wires Y and Z.

The operator at station No. 1 then places lever IVR in its left-hand position while the operator at station No; 2 presses button ILB for a brief interval corresponding to several cycles of operation of relay IBUCT at that station, thereby supplying interrupted current of negative polarity to the line. The line circuit thereby established extends from the positive terminal of battery B2 over the contact of I80CT, Fig. 13, contacts 0 of relay IFL and of lever IVL, contacts of keys ILB and K2 to line Z, thence in Fig. 1A over contacts of keys KI, IRB, 2RB, 3RB, and IRB, rectifier I3, contact a and winding of relay PI, contacts of keys 4RB to IE3 and of lrey KI to line Y, thence in Fig. 13 over contacts of keys K2 and .ILB, contactsb of lever IVLand Relay PI is caused to relay IFL to the negative terminal of battery B2.- assume' its reverse position, whereupon relay RI responds periodicallyto ,ef-- feet the selective energizationof relay CDI, closing a circuitfrom' terminal 13 at the right-hand contact I; of relay PI over back contact I of relay SDI, contact d of relay CDI, contact of lever ISW, contact 0 of lever IOSG, the left-hand contact a' of lever IVR through the lower winding of relay IFR to terminal C, thereby causing relay IFR to operate its contacts to the left-f The lamp IRE and the opening ofits contact d, Fig; 2, disconnects terminal B from the circuits for the signals at station No. 1 which govern traflic movements into section IT. j V j Since contacts b and c of both the trailic relays IFR and IFL are now closed, either direction of traffic may now be established, as desired.

To restore the original direction, the operator at station No. 1 operates lever LVR to the right and the operator at station'No. 2 again presses button ILB to againsupply interrupted current of negative polarity to the line, whereupon relay IFR operates its contacts to the right and so assumes its original position corresponding to that of relay IFL.

To reverse the trafiic direction, the operator at to the left as above described, presses button IRB while the operator at station No. 2 operates lever IVL to the left. Interrupted current of negative polarity is now supplied'to the line from battery BI, Fig.'1A, over a circuit similar to that already traced, and distinctive code signal received over line wires Y and Z from station No. 1 causes relay P2 to i assume its reverse position, and relay R2 operates periodically to cause the selective energization of relay CD2. If the looking conditions at station No.2 are proper, the closing of conta'ct'd of relay CD2 completes a circuit for relay IFL, such as the one extending from terminal B at the right'hand lower contact of relay P2, back contact bof relay SD2 and front contact d of relay CD2, and includingcontact g of lever IIISG and contact is of lever IISW, for example, and the left-hand contact a of lever IVL, so that relay IFL closes its left-hand contacts and so assumes a position corresponding to that of relay IFR. The closing of contact a of relay IFL lights the directional indication lamp ILE, and the closing of its contact at, Fig. 2, prepares a circuit for the mechanism IIlLG for signal IUL, at station No.2for example, which governs traflic movements over the established route leading to section IT. The opening of fcontacts b and c of relay IFL maintains relay IFR deenergized in the corresponding left-hand position. V e 1 It will be noted that the traffic relays'being normally deenergized, are locked in their entrance positions as well as in their exit'positions, so that theoperator who has control of trafllc movements is able to change the position of his traific relay to give up that control only by cooperation with the operator at the other station under conditions such that his control may be reestablished, if desired. It follows that if due to a fault or to locking conditions at one of the stations, the operators are unable to'complete the operations for reversing the direction of traffic they will generally be able to restore the original direction and thereby avoid a locked condition rendering the stretch unavailable for trafiic movementsin eitherdirection I r a 1 IFR It will also be noted that the operation of reversing trafiic," conditions-ias 'described; involves, a check SdIL-th'e locking conditions oat; both stations; and that' theseloiieratio'rismn'st beiniti'atedby theparentthatthoseinvolving stretch 2'Ilare similar,

difiering'jonly, the" character. of line r'current,

steady negative current'being supplied to the line, by the cpration er 'button 'ZLB or; ZRB to selece tivly operate the sl'owpick-up relays'SD in place: on. Likewise. those.

of 'th'e co'd detector'jrelays involvi gtl'ie stretches3T a'nd 4T differv only'fin th" plied to thence so that r the lieir"norinal positions SD areoperatgus Nthugh I ha've herein only-6513mm of railway traiiiccontrolling 'ap-' paratus "einbodying 'n'iyfinvention," it is under s'too that" various changes and modifications relays P'lior P2 appended nsane *w'ithout'departing from the sbiiiitand'scop of ni'yinvention Tia-yin describedi 'm y "invention, What I 01a v o flc direction locking apparatus for a stretch of musty track having 'a'signal at each nd f r governing tranidmo ements' into said tr et; was

relayoff thestick-polar type at each end of the already established 'direction on traffic, in) each the; control intnuptedor steadypositive current is s'upwhen relays 'or.

shown and described may e made therein within the scope of the connectingl sa d statio s,--a-= cal; circuit non traffic lever and "a". tram-c n all yscl bsld said stretch, a two positig'n traffic lever, a push ton andiatraiil rela of thestick polar. type for each. oii-saidftr' at aminence: cl t ii xien nsi he n t i the stretch i ludirigFselectinginieansl aiidnort e s ises: P t i the selectingjnieans at each hen opeifatcd for completin of its; two. positions for" actuatingthe selecting means at the opposite end-of the stretch to com plate the circuits for the-trams relay for the, cor-;

responding track at -said iopbpsit en d f the stretch, and m ans controliedeach traflic re-i lay inthe other ot-itsitworpositions for. clearing 4; Traflic, directiqn, locking apparatus for the control 3 of trafiic movements lover, a, plurality of stretchfa circuit coritrolledbyeach'traffic lever for operating the associated ma between" its no mal "and reverse positions, the circuit for'one in tion be n a ontr l a o t othert fafiic relay closed in "its revrsepose a 'd' the circuitdor said other trafiic rel'a'y controlled afcontact of said: one traffi'c closed in itsho'rrn'al positionfa" circuit ear n g 'one -s igna l; controlled by 7 acdnttct of ne trailic clay "closed only" in its i 1" =velrse n, and a' circuit for clearing the other sig-f na qi tit ed rie ce ia fth t r am? lai 'c cs dcnlir. n tsn mel pb iiij nf "2 "Ijraflic" direction locking apparatus for a stretchfo f; ailwa'y track hayinig a signal "at each v mg traflic 'movementsdnto said Gite t pp it en ame v t' i ii sh ii t a traffiic r ayofthe, sticl; polar type at each of, the stretcl1;"l ine wires extending the thf'ofsaid ea hfa circuit controlled by tra fic relay between" its normal and reverse posi ti'o'nsi" means including "said linef wires for nergiz ing thejcircuit. foreach' traific relay in 'respon's'e to the "operation of the push button at control of trafiicmovem'ents e lf'traffi lever for, operating ll?)associated the opposite end of the stretch, the circuit for ciliii itro lled by a contact of the other trafiic relay stretchesofa railway trachextending: betweentwo" stations, comprising; an t twoaposition traific lever, a tractiic relayof- 'the stick-polan-type, and-t a' push;:button atxeach station;- two linewires,

trolled byreach-leverefonjoperating the associated relay between its-normal? and reverse positions, selecting; means} at "each station connected to said line wires overmnorm l yo ed co t c s ofr'eacli' otthe push buttons-"atxthat station, means .controlled. by said selec means fo selectively completing said: local; circuits only one at a time .each response to; a distinctive code signal received over; said line wires,'a1nd means at each-station for; supplying such code; signalsto the line wires in response to; the operation or the push buttons "at -:that station the operation cf ea'ch such"button .being'efiective only when the associated traific relayi and-- lever occupy a particular one: of their; two positions to supply that code signal to the line? wires by which; the

'trafficielay atthe other station for the same stretch of track isqselecteds 5; Traffic direction locking apparatus for the :oyera plurality of stretches of railway? track extending between two stationscomprising', 'a trafl'ic locking contact at each station'foreach' of saidstretches each of which is adapted to be locked in an open position in' which it prevents the movement-of traffic i into its stretch from the' adjacentend, a trafiic lever for each such contact for controlling its operation,- a push button for each lever, two line wires connecting said stationspselecting means at each station connected-"to said line wires. over normally closd 'contacts 'ofeachf'iof: the push buttons at at that station, rneans controlled by said selecting means for: selectively "rendering the trafiic looking contacts operable byf their: respective levers only one at a tim'eeachlin response to a; distinctiveco d e' signal 'received over said line wires, and meanest each". station Cfor-supplying such code signals to thel i'ne wires in response to the operation of the push "buttons at that station the epemuonfoieachpush button being effective to controlthe traffic locking contact at, the other station for a "given stretch of? track only when tli one i at the same .2 station for that stretch is its lopenipositionis: I

await eiidifthefstiietch; v

b ac er tiblf e a h' -bi li fi n the r the associated trafific relayioc'cupies alpariticular one ing a manually o-perable 6. Traffic directionlocking apparatus for the control of traff c movements over a plurality of stretches of railway track extending between two stations comprising, a traffic loc'ldng contact at each station for each otsaid stretches each of which is adapted lto be locked in an open position the movement of traffic into e adjacent end, a tr'aflic lever for each such contact for controlling its operation, a push button foreach lever, two linewires connecting said stations, means at each station for transmitting a different code signal over said line wires to the other station in response to the operation of each of said push buttons, each push button being efiective to transmit its signal only when the associated name looking contact is locked in its open position, and selecting means at each station responsive to each such codesignal transmitted from the other station for rendering the traflic locking contact for the corresponding one of said stretches of track free to be operated to its open or closed position by its lever.

'7. Traffic direction locking apparatus for a plurality of stretches of railway track extending between two stations, at each of which signals are provided for governing traffic movements over various routes, established by the operation Of track switches which include one or another of said stretches; comprising, a traffic locking contact at each station for each stretch, each of which is adapted to be locked in an open position in which it prevents the clearing of the signal at that station governing traffic movements over any route including its stretch, a manually operable lever for each traflic locking contact for controlling its operation, a push button for each lever, two line wires connecting said stations, means at each station for transmitting differently coded impulses over said line wires to the other station, each in response to the operation of a different one of said push buttons, each push button being effective to transmit its impulse only when the associated traffic locking contact is locked in its open position, selecting means at each station controlled over said line wires and over normally closed contacts of the push buttons at the same station in response to said impulses,

a trafiic locking circuitfor each stretch closed by said selecting means in response to an impulse identifying the corresponding stretch each such circuit when closed rendering the associated trafiic locking contact free to be operated to its open or closed position by its lever, and locking means at each station'effective to prevent the closing of the traffic locking circuit for any stretch by said selecting means when a signal at the same station has been cleared fora route which includes that stretch.

8. Traffic direction locking apparatus for a plurality of stretches of railway track extending between two stations, at each of which signals are provided for governing trafiic movements over different routes established by the operation of track switches, each. route including one or another of said stretches; comprising, a traflic lockingcontact at each station for each stretch havlever effective at times to operate the contact to its open or closed position, a push button associated therewith, a reversible line circuit connecting said stations connected normally to selecting means over normally closed contacts of the push buttons at each station, means at each station ently coded impulses over said line circuit in re- 12 sponse to the operation of said push buttons each push button being effective to transmit a distinctive impulse identifying the corresponding stretch of track only when the associated traf- 1'10 locking contact is in its open position, a local .traffic locking circuit at each station for each stretch closed by said selecting means in response to an impulse identifying the corresponding stretch of trackeach such circuit when closed rendering the associated traffic locking contact freeto be operated to its open or closed position by its lever, means controlled in accordance with the positions of the track switches at each station for preventing the closing of the traflic locking circuit for any stretch by said se lecting means when a signal at the same station has been cleared for a route which includes that stretch, and means controlled by each trafiic lockingcontact in accordance with the-position of the track switches for preventing the clearing of that signal which governs traffic movements over the routewhich includes the corresponding stretch except when such contact is closed.

9. Traffic direction locking apparatus for the control of traffic movements over a plurality of stretches of railway track extending between two stations; a traffic locking relay at each station for each stretch each such relay having an entrance and an exit position, a manually operable buttons at each end,

- trolled by each push lever and a push button for each trafiic locking relay, a reversible line circuit connecting said stations normally connected to a polarized line relay over normally closed contacts of the push means at each station including normally open contacts of the push buttons for transmitting difierently coded impulses over said line circuit to control the line relay at the other station, the transmitting circuit conbutton including a source of current and a contact of the associated trafiic locking relay closed in-its exit position, selecting means controlled by each line relay adapted to close different selecting contacts in response to impulses identifying the different push buttons at the other station, a circuit for operating-each traffic relay to its entrance or exit position in ac cordance with'the position of its lever including the corresponding selecting contacts and also in- 1 eluding locking contacts closed in accordance with trafilc conditions only when it is proper to direct trafiic toward the station over the corresponding stretch oftrack, means at each station for pre venting the movement of traffic from that station into any of said stretches except when the corresponding traffic relay occupies its exit position, and an indicator at each station for each stretch arranged to visually indicate the position, of the corresponding traflic relay.

. WARREN W. SEITZ.

nEFEnENcEs CITED The following references are of record in" the file of this patent:

for transmitting difier- UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 1,102,861 Bliss July '1, 1914 1,998,178 Wallace Apr. 16, 1935 2,121,785 Bushnell June 28, 1938 2,149,222 Langdon .Feb.'28, 1939 2,249,097 Vanhorn July 15,1 41

- 2,354,023 Ihrig July 18, 1944 .Failor 1 Jan. 9, 194,5

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