US821385A - Railway switching and signaling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. D. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SWITCHING AND SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10.1903.

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m E x N hm v E R m T A m w J, U. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SWITCHING AND SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1903 ,To all whom it may concern:

Unrrnn srar ns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. TAYLOR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. A

RAILWAY.SWITCHING AND SIGNALING APPARATUS.

9 Be it known that I,JOI-IN D. TAYLOR, a Liti" zen of theUnited States, residing at Buffalo, New York, have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in Railway Switching and Signa in A paratus, of which the following is a fu 1, c ear, and exact description.

This improvement relates to that class of shown in the accompanying diagram.

Thegconstruction and operation of the interlocking machine referred to is fully illustrated {and described in my Patent, No. 605,359,;Tu'ne 7, 1898, and the reissue thereof, N0. 707,-181,August 19, 1902, and in my ending applications, Serial No. 42,994, filed J an- .uary 12, @1901, and Serial No. 95,460, filed February '24, @1902. The signal-operating mechanism is fully set forth in my Patents No; 516,903,: March 20, 1894; No. 707,180, August 19, 1902; No. 707,182, August 19', 1902. The switch-o erat-ing'mechanism is fully illustrated and escribed in my Patents him-554,097, February 4, 1896; No. 681,589, August 27, 1901; N0. 707,181, August 19, 1902.

Figure 1 is a diagramof the circuits, showing a single. switch or cut-out placed in the operating common. Fig. 2 is a similardiagram showing a double switch for breaking both the operating common and the indication common. As illustrating typical means for carrying out my invention I have shown in the-diagram at 36 a source of energy; at 1, 1 and 1 electric motors for operating signals and switches, as described 1n] the above-named patents. The parts having the suffix a are those connecting with the signal Aand theparts having the suffixes b and c. are those connecting-with the switches Band C, res ectively. The brushes 13, 19, and 20 and t eir respective contacts constitute the manually-operated controllers for the signal Specification of Letters, Patent. Application filed February 10,1903. berial lic- 142.729.

ratenteu may 22, 1906.

and switches. The brush 5 and the arms 3 and 4, with their res ective contacts, constitute the automatica ly-operated controllers;

29 represents indication-magnets, and 30 represents safety-magnets operating as described in said aforementioned patents.

39 40 41 42 are parts of a two-pole electric switch. The parts 39 40 are held in contact with the parts 41 42, respectively, by the electromagnet '51, which is in a circuit capable of being closed with a battery.

47 represents polarized relays which control the circuit of the magnet 51. l p

The brush 13 is connected to the signaloperating bar or lever and together with the contacts 10, 11, and 12 form a controller for the o crating and indication circuits of the signa The brushes 19 and 20, 'connected to a switch-operating baror lever, together with the contacts 16 17 b 18 21 22 23*, form a controller for the operating and indication circuits of switch B. The brushes and contacts of similar numerals, with the suffix c,form:a controller for the operating and indication circuits of switch C. The

'magnet 29* is indication-magnet for signal A. The magnet 29 is indication-magnet for switch B. The magnet 30 is a safetymagnet corresponding to magnet designated 21 in my said former application, Serial No.

- 42,994. The magnets 29 and 30, respectively, perform similar functions with reference to switch C. The magnet 20 is the brake-rnagnet holding the signalclear when the signal-lever stands reversed. I

. Th1s inventlon 1s, furthermore, an improvement upon the invention shown anddisclosed in my Patent No. 759,327, issued May 10, 1904. a

H As set forth in the above-named patents,

the switches and signals are operated by electric motors suitably geared to them and supplied with current from a battery or other generator located in the cabin or a suitablylocated power-house, and the locking between the controlling-levers is governed by what are generally known as indicatiom magnets, which magnets are operated by currents generated by the switch or signal operating motors themselves,.which are for the purpose and for thetime being converted into generators. i

, a 5' In the diagram two swltch and on'e signal operating j mechanisms are illustrated. It will be seen that one wire (designated as common wire) connects all the'operatingmotors with one pole of the battery, which for convenience I will call the negative pole. This Wire is common to all indicationcircuits, as well as all operating-circuits. In addition to this wire one wire leads from the interlocking machine to the signal1notor,' which serves as operating-wire when the signal is reversed or put in clear position and asindication-wire when the signal is returned to normal. or danger position by the ,coun terweight, and two wires lead from the'interlocking machine to each switch-motor, of which one is operating and the other indication Wire; but these functions are reversed for opposite movements of the switchthat is, the wire that is operating-wire for reverse movements of the switch becomes in' dication-wire for normal movements, and the wire that is'indication-wire on reverse movements becomes operating-wire on normal movements. From this it is clear that each 2 5 indication-wire becomes operating-wire on the next movement of its corresponding mechanism and for this reason must be in connection with its corresponding -motor to enable. the operator to control it at will. For the same reason each operating-motor must be at-all times in connection'with the common wire. From this it is clear that if one of these indication-wiresis crossed with any active wire current will be supplied to its corresponding motor, and the switch or signal operated by it will be moved, and this would be equally true whether the wire is used for indication purposes or not. I prevent this occurrence in the following manner and by the means hereinafter described.

I'construct the controller connected to and operated by the controlling-lever so that the indication-wiresremain normally in connection with the common wire-that is, so that 5the indication-circuit is not broken by the final movement of theleverafter indication.

It is immaterial to the operation of this invention whether the controller is constructed to open the operating-circuit on the final movement ofthe lever after indication, as shown in the diagram of this application, or leaves it normally in connection with the battery,.as shown in my said pending appli 'struction of Fig, 2,

stress understood from a description of the con-.-

wherein switches are placed in both wires. I control this magnetic cut-out by means of polarized relays,

one for each switch and signal to be operated.

The coils of these relays are placed, respec tively, in the indication-circuits of the corresponding switches or signals, and consequently form part of the; connections between the indication-wires and the commonwire, so that any current supplied to anindi-. cation-wire from the positive of the battery will find its way;back to the negative of the battery through the corresponding relay. The circuit of the magnet which holds the cut-out switches in place is taken inseries through the relay-tongues, so that if any relay-tongue is thrown away from its contactpiece the magnet-circuit is opened and the switches are withdrawn from their res ective contacts by a spring. These polarize relays may be of any of the well-known types and, as is well known, may be adjusted so that the tongue will remain against either the for ward or back stop even after the current which put it there has subsided. For the purposes herein mentioned they should be so adjusted.

The current which drives the signal-motor on reversing the signal turns the armature in such direction as to lift the counterweight; When the signal lever is put normal, thereby cutting off the connection with the battery and connecting the operatin -wire to the common wire through the in icationmagnet and one of the polarized relays, the motor is on a closed circuit independent of the battery. The counterweight thendrives the armature in a reverse direction, and the electromotive force induced by the fieldmagnets is reversed, thus causing a currentt-o flow in the same direction through the field magnet coils and through the common wire as that in which the battery current previously fiowed that is,-the current flows from the signal-motor through the common wire, the wire 49, switch-arm 40, contact 42, wires 56 57 48 coils of the relay 47", wire i6", indication-magnet Zilflwire 24., contact 12 brush 13, contact 10 wire 6 back to the signal-motor.

Assuming that the brushes and controllers are standing in the normal position to re-. verse the switch Bin other words, to set the railswitchfor the crossover-the brush 1.9 is put into contact with the contacts 16 and 17, the brush 20 being at the same time putin connection with the contacts 22 and 23 This movement of the controller establishes a circuit ot the battery 36, so that the current wire 14! contact 7 switch-arm at, 9'

W Li c Y none of the levers is being moved.

" back through the common wire to the battery;

but since the resistance of the ndicat on-mag net and polarized relay combined i s less than that. of the switch-operat 11g motor and ther combined inductance is very much less by far the larger part of the current will return through the polarized-relay coi ls. Now i f the polarized relay is so adjusted that a smaller amount of current is required to. throw the to tongue away from its forward stop than is required to move a swtch or signal operat ng motor the arrangement w. llbe perfectly safe, as the relay and magnetic cut-out are both, practicallyinstantaneous n the r action. If,

I 5 instead of the sf gnal-lever, the lever of sw, tch B had beenreversed, the crcui t would have been from battery 36, through wires 37 38, sw tch 39, contact 41, wires 43 44, magnet w're 28*, wire 26 contact 17 brush 19", contact 20 16', wire 14, through the cross connect on to wire 6 to contact 10, brush. 123 contact 12 wire 24*, indicationunagnet 29, wre 46,relay=co.'ls 47f, wires 48 57 56, contact 42, switch 40, wire 49, back to battery 36.

2 5 This throws the relay-tongue 54 away from the stop 53 and opens the c'rcu t of the magnet 51, as before, but in another place.

The reading of the circuits upon the diagram of Fig. 1 will be exactly the same as 3o above described, with the except on that currents flowing from the wire 56 back to battery through the contact 42, arm 40, and wires 46 49,, as in Fig. 2, the w re 56 iscontfnued to and connects directly with the. battery 36.

3 5 It is also to be noted that wh'le I have shown a relay to each switch or s gnal t not necessary to employ as'ngle relay for each separate switch or signal in all cases, since a number of switches or sgnals or sw'tc'hesand to signals may be grouped together and be controlled through a sngle relay. 'By th s constructi on we would slnply have two or more mechanisms connected with a single relay and two or more mechanismsconnected with 4. 5 another relay, thus groupng'the mechanisms and reducing the number of relays, but in no wise departing from the spirit of myinvent on,

' since this would reduce the current by dvsion of paths, so that the end sought would be 5'0 atta ned.

When the cutout opens simultaneously with the movement of a lever, it is evident that the wire connected'to that lever is one of the wires in trouble, and an inspection oi the line of relays will show "the other one, as it will be one corresponding to the relay found open. When a switch-lever is concerned in the trouble, the position oi the lever deter- 'mines which of the two'wires leading to that 60 switch is' crossed. The cut-out might be opened by the grounding oi two wires on the frame of the interlocking machine and when In that case the relay will indicate one of the points of trouble and the other will have to be i senses with the negative end of the battery-the signal-operating current will return through the switch-motors, through the switch indica tion wires, and polarized relays back to the battery. between two or more paths, depending on the number of other switches and signals in con which the signal being operated is connected,

open the relays through which it passes; but since these relays are adjusted to open on a strong enough to open the relays it isnot strong enough to move the corresponding motors and no harm. will be done. In fact, a large plant might be operated with a brokenhowever, the return-paths are so few in number that the current through the relays is strong enough to open them, the cut-out Will be open in the same manner as described for opened simultaneously would indicate that such condition might be caused by a number termine which of these conditions actually exists, an ammeter could be placed in the com the wire 49.

Since opening an electric circuit is equivainfinite, an" since the fall in potential in any As thisreturn-current is divided 'nection with the piece of the common wire to common wire and with perfect safety. If,

crossed wires. Two or more relays beingthe common wire might be broken, although through them and their respective relays this current may or may not be enough to Q smaller current than'is suflicient to move a switch or signal motor it the current 18 not of wires being crossed or grounded. To de mon wire just outside of its connection with lent to introducing an infinite resistance into i the circuit, the breaking of the common W1I6. would be e uivalent to making 1ts resistance wire due to any given current is proportional i to the resistance the tallol potential in the common wire due to the operation of a switch or a number ofswitches would tend to send a current back through the indication wires 05 the other switches and would act on their corresponding polarized relays in a similar man-- ner to but to a much less ententthan a broken common wire.

were used for the entire plant, the entire volulne oi current returning through the aboveli only one relay named paths might easily be sufficient to i cause it to open the magnetic cut-out; By

the. use of a separate relay for each separate switch and signal the return current due to i the, movement is completed and the railswitch locked, the switch-arms 3 and 4 are shifted from the contacts 8 7*, respectively, to the contacts *"6", respectively thus-o ening the circuit just described an e a new one, including the motor 1*, the indication-magnet 29 and the polarized relay 47 so that the-current generated by the continued rotation of the armature flows from thearinature 1", through wire 9 switch-arm 4*, contact 6 wire 11', field-coils 2 WII'BS,

13 34 35 49 46, switch-arm 40, contact 42, wires 56 48 coils of relay 47", wire 46 indication-magnet 29*, wire 27", contact 23 brush 20*, contact 22", wire 15", contact 5", switch-arm 3 wire 10 back to the armature 1 This current energizes the indicatioh-magnet 29 to permit final movement of the switch-operating bar. This current flows through the coils of the relay 47 in such direction as to tend to hold the tongue 54 against the active stop 53 To .put the switch B normal--in other words, to set the switch-rail for the main track-the operating-bar is moved so as to cause the brush 19 to make connection with the contacts 16 and 18 and the brush 20 makes connection with the contacts 22 and 21". This causes a current of the battery to flow through the wires 37 38, switch-arm 39, contact 41, wires 43 44, fuse 31 safety-magnet 30, wire 28 ,wire 25", contact 21 ,brush '20", contact 22, wire 15", contact 5", switcharm 3*, wire 10*, armature of switch-operating motor 1", wire 9 switch-arm 4", contact 6", wire 11, field-coils of motor 2 wires 13' 34 35 back to the battery 36. This energizes the motor and returns the rail-switch to normal. The final movement-of the lock-bolt moves the switch-arms 3 4 so as to sepa-' rate them from the contacts 5 and 6", respectively, and put them into connection with the contacts 8 and 7 respectively; This breaks the battery-circuit last named and establi'shes a newone,'including the motor, indi cation-magnet, and relay, so that the current enerated in the switch motor armature ows from the. armature l through the wire 10, switch-arm 3 contact'8 ,'wires 12 11 field-coils 2*, wires 13 '34 35 49 46, switcharm 40, contact 42, wires 56 48 coils of relay 47*, I wire 46, indication-magnet 29 wires- 27924 contact 18 brushl contact 16", wire 14", contact 7 switch-arm 4 wire 9 back to the armature 1. rent energizes the indication-magnet 29", as before, to permit final movement of the '0 erating-bar. It also flows through the coi s of stablis 'ng,

This our-- first-described indication-current-that is, in such direction as to tend to hold the tongue 54 against the active stop 53 I have merely traced enough of the circuits in the above to show the direction of the indication currents, that it is the same for switches and signals, and that the flow through the common wire is in the same direction as the battery-currents and through the indication- Wires in the same direction as the batterycurrent -flows through them when they are operating-wires.

The switch-arms 39 and 40 are held normally aga'nst their respective stops 41 42 by the electromagnet 51. The circuit of this magnet is such that the current from the battery 36 flows through the Wires 37, 50, magnet 51, wire 55, relay-tongue 54, stop'53 wire 52, relay-tongue54 stop 53, wre 58, relay-tongue 54 stop 53*, wires 59 57 .56, contact 42, switch-arm 40, wire 49 back to battery 36. The relay-tongues 54 are held normally against stops 53by the permanent magnets, so long as no current is flowing in the coils 47. Current in the cells 47 in the direction of the indicatiomcurrents noted above also tends to holdthe tongues 54 against the stops 53. Consegluentl so long as no current is flowin in t e .coi s 47 or current is flowing in the irection of the indicatiorhcurrents the circuit of the magnet 51 WT ll remain unbroken, and the switches 39 and 40 well be held aga nst the stops 41 and 42. Now sup pose the wires 6*, in operative connection with a s gnal-motor, and the wire 14", in operative connection with a switch-motor, should be connected or crossed, as'shown by the dotted'line, and the sgnal-lever is reversed, putting the brush 13 into connection with contacts 10 and 11". Current from the battery 36 would then flow through the wires 3738, switch 39, contact 41, wires 43 44 45, fuse 19, contact ll brush 13*, contact 10, wire 6*, through the cross-connection, to wire 14, contact 16*, brush 19", contact 18*, wires 24 27?, indication-magnet 29, wire 46 relaycof ls 47*, wire 48 wire 56, contact-42, switch 40, wire 49 back to battery 36. It will be noticed that th s current flows through the relay-coils 47 in the opposite direction to that of the indication-current mentioned above. It therefore has the efiect of throwing the tongue 54 away from the stop 53 and against the back stop, where it remains unt I put back by the operator. The separation of tongue 54 and stop 53 opens the circuit of the magnet 51,.which allows the switches 39 and 40 to be drawn away from their contacts 41 and 42, thus opening the operating and indication circuits, cutting off the supply of current from the wIre 14 and thus preventing the switch B from being moved. Of

course a part of the current which reaches the wire 14 through the cross connection passes out through the switch-motor and fall inpotential isdivided between as many relays as there are return-paths, and the cur rent through any one of the relays will not be sufficient to open it, and still the common wire need not be larger than required to carry the v ofierating-cur'rents with the efiiciency usually switch and one owed in such work.

Having thus described my invention and. its method of operation, whatI claim is- 1. In combination with controllers, switch and signal apparatus, operating andindication c1rcuits,a conductor common to all operating and indication circuits, common to all 0 crating-circuits, a conductor commonto all indication-circuits, a magnetic cut-out for breaking the operating common or the indication common, a circuit for said cut-out, olarized relays, one for each or each signal, or groups of switchesor signals, having their coils in the indication-circuits of their respective switches and signals, the circuit of the magnetic cutout taken in series throughthe tongue of-said relays, whereby across-between any operat- 1ng-w1re and any indication-wire will cause a reverse current to flow through the coil of the relay of the indication-wireinvolved to open" the cut-out circuit and thus break the circuit 'sourceof ener y, 1 otherpole of t e source of energy, aswitch in involved in the cross, substantially as and'for the, purposes set forth.

2. A source of electric energy, a pluralit of motors, a plurality of controllers, a plum ity of polarized relays, conductors connecting each of saidmotors through the energizingcoil of a polarized relay to one pole of the and a wire connected totne said wire, a circuit governed by said'relay, a

magnet and a source of energy in said circuit governing said switch, whereby a cross be "tween saidlast-named conductors will cause a current to flow through the coils of the relay in circuitwith the wire crossed in the direction to cause the relay to open the circuit of said magnet, and thereby causing said switch to open, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3- In combination with controllers, switch and signal apparatus, operating and indication circuits, a conductor common to all circuits, a conductor common to all 0 crating circuits, a conductor common to al indication-circults, a double-pole magnetic cut-out for breaking both operating and indication circuits, a clrcuit for said cut-out, polarized relays, one for each switch and signal, having their coils in the indication-circuits of their respective switches and signals, the circuit of q the magnetic cut-out taking in series through the tongues of said relays, all so arranged that a cross between any operat1ng-w1re and any indication-wire will cause a reverse ourrent to flow tnrough the cell the 1nd1eat1on-w1re involved to open the cutof the relay of out circuit and thus break all operating and indication circuits involved,

a conductor in the indication-circuits of their switches and signals, the circuit of the magsubstantially as and for the gur'poses set forth.

'4. In com ination with controllers, switch and signal apparatus, operating and indication circuits, a magnetic cut-out for breaking all operating-circuits, polarized relays, a on- -cuit including the. tongues of said relays for.

energizing the magnet of said cut-out to hold the same normally closed, polarized relays corresponding to each switch and signal with their coils in circuit with their respectiveindicatiomcircuita'and each relay arranged so that in the event of a cross of its circuit with any operating-circuit, a reverse current will flow through the coil of the relay of the indication-wire involved and cause it to open said magnetic cut-out, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with controllers, switch and signal apparatus, operating and indicae tion circuits, a conductor common to all operating and indication circuits, 'a conductor common to all 0 eratingcircuits, a conductor common to a l indication-circuits, polarized relays in the indication-circuits, adouble-pole magnetic cut-out for breaking both operating and indication circuits, a circuit including the tongues of the polarized relays governmg said cut-out, all so arran ed that currents flowing normally all ow through the magnets of said re direction, and the direction to hold said relays closed, and so that any current due to 9s ays in one cross or ground flowing therethrough will flow 1n reverse direction, and thus break the circuit of said magnet of said. cut-out,. sub-' stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination with switch and signal apparatus, operating and indication circuits, a controller normally in connection with the common wire, a conductor common to all operating and indication circuits, a conductor common to all operating-circuits, a convductor common to all indicationcircuits, a double-pole magnetic cut-out for breaking both operatingand indication circuits, a circuit for said cut-out, polarized relays, one for each switch and signal, having their coils respective tion circuits, a conductor common toall operating-circuits, a conductor common to all indication-circuits, a double-pole magnetic cut-out for breaking both operating and indication circuits, a circuit including the tongues of the polarized relays governing said cut-out, all soarranged that currents flowing normally all flow through the magnets of said relays in one direction, and the direction to hold such relays closed, and so that any current due to cross or ground flowing therethroughwill flow in reverse direction, and thus break t-he'circuit ofsaicl ma net of said cutout, substantially as and for the purposes set forth, y

8. In combination with switch and signal apparatus, controllers normally connecting the indicationires with their respective relays, a conductor common to all circuits, a

conductor common to all operating-circuits,

a conductor of on to all indication-ciremits, a double-pole magnetic cut out for breaking cot-hoperating" and indication circuits, a circuit including the tongues oi the relays governin said cut-cut, olarized relays in theinnlication-circuits,al so arranged that the currents flowing normally all flow tnrougli the magnets of said relays in one'direction and" ne 7 hat any current due to cross ing tnerethrough will flow in on, and tons break the circuit of sairl magnet of said cut-out, substantially as and for ti purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have nereun to set my hand in the presencs oi two Witnesses.

' 5ND. D. TAYLOR.

flitn esses:

EDWARD C. Ersornsan, A. W. laLiCOMI rlirectionto hold saitl relays

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