US903414A - Combined signal and speed-controlling mechanism for railway-trains. - Google Patents

Description

J. G. SGHREUDER & V. K. SPIGER. COMBINED SIGNAL AND SPEED CONTROLLING MEGHANISM FOB. RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1907.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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WiTNESSES M J. G. SGHREUDER & V. K. SPIGER.

COMBINED SIGNAL AND SPEED CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR. RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLIOATION PILEIAAUG. 3, 1907. NOV. 10

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W S AM Y M A A s m H MA mm W A. b N f SA 0 TWNNMMQJMI L Mafi (I I s5 4 1 AN ip A hfim A v r 1 N IN m WM JENS G. SCHREUDE R, OF EDGEWOODPARK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND VIBE K. SPIOER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED SIGNAL AND SPEED-CONTROLLING: MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed August 3, I907. Beriel No. 386,937.

and useful Combined Signal and Speed- Con'trolling'Mechanism for. Railway-Trains, of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thlsspecification, in which- Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating our invention, Fig. 1 showing the con.

dition of the apparatus when the parts are all at-safety or clear position; and Figs. 2 and 3 showing the condition of the apparatus with a train in different blocks.

In our application SerialNo. 386,932, filed of even date herewith, we have described and claimed trip-actuated mechanisms for the purpose of automatically bringing a train to a stop, orof reducing its speed to a predetermined limit, under certain conditions. In such mechanisms, the engine or train is provided with two different trip arms or devices, bne of which is arranged to engage a track trip or stop to he thereby actuated to cause an emergency application of the brakes, while the other arm or device is arranged to engage a track trip or stop to cause the service, or partial, application of the 'akes.

Our present invention is designed to provide means for automatically controlling the positions of the track trips or stops,'and also signal mechanism actuated in connection with the track trips or stops.

In accordance with our invention, we provide home and distant signals, together with track trips or stops for each signal, and preferably so arranged that'their automatic operation shall effect the movement of the signal arms to corresponding positions.

The object of the invention is to provide means for use in connection withsuitable trip-operated mechanism on the engine or train, such as described and claimed in our said applications, whereby it will be impossible for an engineer to run by a home sigthe train will be automatical y reduced, in

case it is abovea certain speed, in passing a distant signal set at caution.

Our invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is diagrammatically illustrated,

and which will now be described, promising however, that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art w1thout departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

In these drawings, the letters A, B and C designate three adjacent insulated. blocks or sections of a railway track. I) is a distant signal at the entrance to the block A; D a similar signal at the entrance to the block B; H a home signal at the entrance to the block 3, and H a home signal at the entrance to the block 0. DM indicatesthe magnet of a controller for actuating the distant signal D, DM a similar controller for actuating the distant signal D, Hh/Ithe magnet of a controller for actuating the home signal H, and HM the magnet of a controller for actuating the homes; a1 H. DS indicates a track trip or sto p aced in advance of the distant signal and arranged to be moved into and out of operative osition by a controller D0, which may be 0? any suitable character such as ordinary electropneumatic cylinder. DC is a similar controller for actuating the track trip or stop IDS, which is placed in advance of the distant signal D. H0 is a controller for actuating a track trip or stop HS, placedin advance of the home signal H, and HC is a controller for operating a track trip or stop HS placed in advance of the home signal H. track batteries" for the respective clocks, and B,-B are the signal and train sto batteries for the respective blocks B and R, R, R are relays which are connected across the rails of the respective blocks. or track sections. a, b, c is a switch which controls in part the circuit of the magnetDM, and which is actuated by the movement of the track stop DS. a, b, c is a similar switch which controls in part the circuit of the magnet DM, and which is actuated by the distant signal track stopDS. d, e, f is a switch actuated by the movement of the home signal arm H, and in series with the T, T, T designate the switch a, the as magnet DM'. I m, n, 0 is a switch also actuate by the homesignal arm H controlling in part the circuit of the magnet DM, said circuit being also controlled by the switch a, b, 0 before referred to. j, i, his aiswitch actuated by the track trip or stop HS controlling in part the circuit of the magnet DC.

'23, u, 'v is a'switch also actuatedby the track stop HS, and controlling the connection of the battery B to the magnet HM. t', u 'v' is a switch actuated by the track stop HS and controlling the connection of the battery B to-themagnet HM. d, e, j" is a switch I actuated by a suitable connection with the home signalwarm H" and. controlling in part the circuitof the magnet HM t The system as shown is designed for th normal clear position, all stop arms and signals being arranged to takethe safety or proceed position, as soon as a train has cleared the controlling track section, provided the apparatus is in good; working order. Any derangement of the'app'aratus will result in the stops or signals,ior both assuming danger positions, To this end, the

'controlle'rsfor the stop and signal blades are clear positions, on closed circuits, and

are arranged to voperate to move the corre-i, sponding stops and si nal blades to danger position by; the breaking of their circuits.

The ,condition' shown by Fig. '1' is that wherein the blocks are all unoccupied and the stops and signals are clear.. When a train enters the block A at the left hand end,

therelayR is at once short-circuited, causing its armature to drop, and thereby opening the circuit ofthe magnet DC. This moves the trackstop DS into engaging posi- 40 tion, and also actuates the switcha, b, 0 to open the circuit of the magnet DM at I) The distant signal blade to caution position.

. Fig. 2 shows thecondition' of the appara- D thereforev moves tuswith a train inthe blockB. As soon as a .train enters'this block, the track relay R is short-circuited, its coils being thereby deenergized sufliciently. to permit its armature to fall away from its pole piece, and thereby break the circuit of the controller magnet HG. This moves the track stop HS. to engaging position, and its movement shifts the switches j, i, and t, u, 0 from the position shown in. Fig.1 to the positionshown in Fi 2. A current now flows from the battery 1%" through the back contact of the relay R and through the switch arm 7', k to and through the controller magnet DC of the track stop DS'. his holds the track stop 'DS in clear position. v I

Another circuit flows from the battery B through thefi'ont contact of the'relav' R? to the switch If, u, o, and thence thro h switch d, e, back to the controller D also holding t e distant stop arm DS clear.

\ The falling of the armature of the relay R also breaks the circuit of the home signal magnet HM andthe switches 03, e, f and m,

n, 0' go to the position shown in Fig. 2. This opens the circuit of the distant signal blade 'D at the point 0, the switch m, n, 0 being closed only when the home signal blade H is at clear. As the train proceeds, clearing the block B and enteringthe block 0, theapparatus will assume the condition shown in Fig. 3-, As soon as the train passes comagainpicks up, while the relay R is shortcircuit'ed', and its armature drops. The dropping of this armatureopens the circuit of the controller HC, and the track. stop .pletely butbf the block B, the relay R HS. goes, to operative position. a This actu v switch If, a, o to close the circuit of the magnetHM. "When the stop arm HS clears,'the stop arm DSf shifts ,tothe engaging position ready to apply the service stop to any train. attempting to pass at a greaterspeed' than that prescribed by thesystem. This is due to the fact thatthe magnet DSf is deenergized when the circuit in the battery'B is broken at the point e, as the arm H goes to stop, and also when the battery gis cut off at-the time the relay R picksrup and the controller 3', 2', 7c shifts iron 1 the contact jzf As the train passes out of the limits of the block C the apparatus will assume. the position of all clear, as shown in Fig.1. It" will alsobe understood that the'present invention ion maybe used in connectionwith any suitable controlling apparatus on the thains, as well as with the apparatus described incur said application. I x 4 I It will be noted from the foregoing, and from an examination of the diagram, that the distant signal blade D must remain'at its danger position until I the home signal blade H has moved to cleari'fv Also that the distant si ger position 'untilboth "home blades-jHHf have cleared. "Alsothat' by reasonfofthe fact that the circuits of the ,controllers for al blade I) must remain at dan-' the'blades D HH are controlled by switches actuated by the track stops DS, "HS and HS, that the signals cannot go t their clear positions except Whenthe corre pondi track stopsare 1n clearposition. I

ile weha'veshown our invention as applied for a normal clear position, in which all' stop arms and signals will take the proceed posltion when the track is clear and the parts;

stops, and also the signal hla des, such devices and distant sigirls, a movable track trip in said tracl: trips for moving them from opera.-

are all in Working order, it will he ohvious that the invention is equally applicable to a system in which the partsv are normally at stop position and are cleared by the train movements.

The advantages of our invention will he understood by those skilled in the art.

We provide simple means of automatic character whereby the speed of the train may be automatically reduced in passing a distant signal set at caution, and whereby trsin may be automatically stopped by a home sip nal at stop. This is so connected with the signal mechanism that the home and distant blades are controlled by the track stops in a simple and eflicient manner, the signals being held in their respective positions until the respective track stops have been moved.

Any suitable or usual controlling mechan isin may be employed for actuating the track being Well known in the art W hat We claim is 1. In apparatus for train control, a stop signal, a caution signal, av separate track stop for each signal, actuators for shifting said stops into and out of operative posi- 'tions, track circuits for controlling said notuat-ors, actuators for moving the signals, and circuits controlledhy the movement of the track stops for controlling; the last nained actuators; substantially as described.

2. In train controlling apparatns,-hon1e connection. with each signal, controllers for tive to inoperative positions, circuits for said controllers, and switch devices operated by the movements of the home signals, by the movement of the controllers, and by passing trains, to control the positions of the track trips and of the signals; substantially as described.

in train controlling apparatus, home and distant signals, movable track trips,.actuat-ing devices for the signals and trips, said trips each having an operative and an inoperative position, switches controlled by the trolled icy the movement of the signnls, track controlled relays, and electrical circuits controlled hy the switches and relays and controlling the operation of the signals and trips, whereby the signals go to danger when the corresponding; trips are moved to operative position, and will remain at danger until the corresponding trips have moved to inoperative positions; substantially as described. 4, In train controlling a 'paratus, track trips, home and distant signs s, the trips having diilerent positions corresponding to different positions of the signals, actuating devices for the trips and signals, and inter-related electric circuits for said. actuating devices controlled by the passage of trains and causing, correlated cperations of the signals and trips, substantially as described.

' 5. In train controlling apparatus, home and distant signals, track trips movable to different positions corresponding respectively to diilerent positions of the signals, actuatiing devices tor the signals and for the trips, and interrelated electrical c1rcu1tscontroling the operation of said actuating devices and controlled by the passage of trains, substantially as described.

e. in train controlling apparatus, home and distant signals, track trips movable to different positions corresponding respectively to dillerent positions of the signals, actuating devices for the signals and for the trips, and interrelated electrical circuits con-' trolling the operation of said actuating devices and controlled by the passa e of trains, whereby shifting oi the trips e ects a correlated etl'ect on the signals, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands,

' JEN-S G. SCHREUDER.

. VEBE K. SPICER.

l litnesses as to J ens G. Schreuder:

Jes. Johnson, C. G, 'Wnrrn.

. Witnesses as to Vibe K. Spicer:

E. T. BARNES,

movement of the trips, other switches con- W. M. VANoErsLms.

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