USRE19457E - Railway traffic controlling - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12, 1935.

` RAILWAY TRAFFIC coNTRLLING APPARATUS Original Filed OC'C. l5, 1929 `nuvENjrolR' l v j ff. C, Vnntasse,

H. c; vANTAs'sEL Re. 19,457

:s the provision of means for accomplishing ther necessary control and indication with a minimum Reissued Feb. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLIN G APPARATUS Harry C. Vantassel, Swiss'vale, Pa., -assignor to The Union Switch &

Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original No. 1,854,967,l dated April 19, 1932, Serial No. 399,776, October 15, 1922.9.v Renewed December'22, 1930. Application for reissue March 20, V1934, Serial No. 716,536

1 4 Claims.

My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus of the type involving switches and signals controlled by manually operable levers located at a remote point, and has for an object number of line wires between the control point and the controlled device.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character D designates a railway track which is provided with a switch A leading into 'another track E. 'I'he switch A is operated by a mechanism Mv of any suitabletype, and this mechanism is in' turn controlled by a switch control relay RA. As here shown, this relay is of the polarized type, that is, it is selectively responsive to the polarity of the current by which it is energized.

Traflic over the switch A is controlled by signals S1, S2, S3 and SA. These signals are controlled by a polarized signal control relay RS.

The' switch A operates a pole-changer P, which pole-changer in turn controls a switch repeating relay AR, so that this relay is energized in normal or reverse direction according as the switch A is in the normal or the reverse position.

The portions of tracks D and E associated with the switch A are provided with a track circuit comprising' the usual track battery 13 and the usual track relay T. n

Located at a remote point, such as an interlocking tower or a dispatchers oihce, is a switch 'control lever LA for the control of the switch A, and a signal control lever Ls for the control of the signals S. Associated with these levers are a switch indication relay IA and a signal indication relay IS, which relays control indication lamps F, G and OS, as will hereinafter appear. A battery C1 is located in the interlocking tower, and anotherbattery C2 is located adjacent the switch A. v

As shown in the drawing, the switch A is in its normal position, and `all of the signals S are in their Stop" positions. Relay RA is energized for reasons which will appear hereinafter, and relay RS is deenergized. I will assume that the operator desires to reverse the switch A. To do this, he will move the lever LA to reverse position, ,thereby supplying current of reverse'polarity to relay RA, the circuit being from the righthand terminal of battery C1, through switch lever contact 1, normal signal lever contact 3, line wire X, back point of contact 4 of relay Rs, the winding of relay RA, and a common wire O to the middle point of battery C1. The polar contacts of relay RA will then swing to the right, whereupon current of reverse polarity will be supplied to the switch operating mechanism M, the circuit being fromterminal B of a suitable source of current, through front neutral contact 5 oi relay RA, right-hand point of polar contact 6, operating mechanism M, and the right-hand point of polar contact 7 to terminal O. Current of this polarity will cause the mechanism M to operate in such manner as to move the' switch A to its reverse position. When this has been accomplished, pole-changer P will reverse, thereby supplying current of reverse polarity to the switch repeat- CII ing relay AR, with the result that the polar contact S of its relay will swing to the right. The switch indication relay IA will Vthen bey energized by current of reverse polarity, the circuit being from the lower terminal of battery C2, through polar contact 8 and front neutral contact 9 of relay AR, front contact l0 of track relay T, front point of contact 1l of relay RA, line wire Y, normal contact 12 of signal lever LS,'the winding of relay IA, and line wire O to the middle point of battery C2. This will cause polar contact 29 of relay IA to swing to the right, whereupon a reverse switch indication lamp FR will be lighted by virtue of a circuit which will be obvious from the drawing.

I will'now assume that the operator desires to restore the switchA to its normal position.` To do this, he will return lever LA to its normal position, thereby energizing switch control relay RA by a circuit which is the same as before, except that it includes the' left-hand half of b-attery C1 and contact 2 on lever LA. The polar contacts of relay RA will then return to their left-hand positions, whereupon current of normal polarity will be lsupplied to the switch mechanism M, which current will restore the switch A to its normal position. When this has been accomplished, pole-changer P will returnv to its normal position, thereby again energizing relay AR in its normal direction. Switch indication relay IA will then be energized by virtue of the same circuit as before, except that it will include the upper half of battery C2 and polar contact 8 of relay AR in its left-hand position. Current of normal polarity thus supplied to relay IA will cause polar contact 29 of this relay to return to its normal position, whereupon normal indication lamp FN will will swing the signal lever LS to the left, thereby closing contact l4 and opening contacts 12 and 3. The opening of contact 3 will*` result -in.deener.

gizingV the switch control relay RA, whereupon-v the signal control relay lts will become energized in the normal direction by virtue Aof-.a lcircuit Which passes from the rightfhandaterminal of battery C1, through contact Mon switch lever LS, line wire Y, back point ocontact 11 of,relay RA, winding of relay RS, andcommonyvirep to, the middle point of battery C1. This will cause,-

relay RS to become energized in such direction that the polar contacts 20 and 18 will remain-in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing. The operating mechanism, of signal" S2 will then be energized by a circuit .which passes from terminal B, through switch loperated contact 16, front neutral contact 1'7 ofrelayvRS, polar contact V18 of this relay in the left-hand position, and the operating mechanism of signal S2 to terminal O. Assuming that signal S2 does not move to the proceed position, signal indication relay IS will become energized in.V the normal direction by virtue of a circuit whichpasses from the upper terminal of battery C2, through front contact 21 of track relay T, contact v25 operated by signal S3, contact v24 operated by signal S1, contact 23 operated by signal S?, contact 22 operated by signal S1, front point of contact 4 of signalrcontrol relay R5, line wire X, contact 26 of signal lever LS, winding of relay IS, and line wire O to the middlerterminal of battery C2, A stop indication lampGS will then b e. lighted vby virtue of a circuit whichpasses fromthe lefthand terminal of battery C1, through Irontcontact 30 of relay 1S, polar contact 310i this relay in the left-hand position',` and lamp G5 to the middle terminal of battery` C1. The lighting of this lamp will indicateI to the operator that the signals are all in the stopposition, .01, in other words, it will indicatethat the desired Esignal has not responded by moving to the clearposition. On the other hand, ifl the signal S2 does respond by moving to the clear or vproceed position, .signal indication relay vIS will become energized in the reverse direction, the circultnbeingV from the lower vterminal of, batteryv C1, through wire. 28, contact 2.3 on rsignal 52 contact 22,011 signal S4, front pointlof contact `4,01' vrelay RS, line wireXsignal levercontact,26, relay IS: and'line wire O tothe middlegterminal of batteryC2. RelayIs will then Ybe ,energizedin such direction thatv its polar contact 31 will swing to the rightthereby causing aproceedlamp G C to become lighted by virtueV of' a circuit lwhich will be obvious from the drawing.A The ylighting of. this lamp will indicate` tosthe operator thatdsignal S2 has responded .byimoving to the proceed position.

If the operator desires ,toeclearlsignal-S1instead ofvsignal S2, he will movethe signallevver Ls to the right-,hand position, ,therebyl closing contact 15 yinstead of`contact-.14. Relaylls vwill 70 then become energized in the oppositedirection to the energizationoLthis relayca'used.V as zjust described when lever LS is movedfto the lefthand positiony forA clearing ,signal :,S'-fory the reason that the ciruitwill includej the left-hand half of battery 'C1 instead of the right-hand half Should switch A be in the reverse position when lever LS is moved to the left, signal S4 instead .of signal S1 will be moved to the proceed posi- -tion-y because of the change in position of the yswitchoperated contact 16, that is to say, the switch operating circuit will pass from terminal B, thrdugh contactr 16 in its upper position, front contact 1 9 of relay R5, polar, contact 20 in its left-handposition, and the mechanism of sigpal S4 to terminali). If signal lever LS is moved the-right-hand position while switch A is in its reverse position, signal S3 will be moved to the'proeeed-position, for reasons which will be observed from the foregoing` description.

The*v QSl lamp is rcontrolled by, both of lthe indication relay/ al11 andV ISv in suchv manner that thislamp Willbe lighted when either relay is.

energized, but will be extinguished when both relaysI are deenergized. That is Yto say, lamp OS is provided'witha circuit which includes contact 32 of -relay IA and contact 33 of relay I? in multiple. Assuming that all signals are at stop, and that a train enters the track section associated with the track relay T, this relay will open,

switch indicationrelay Il?, so that ccntact32 of the latter relay will open. Contact 33 of relay I5 already being open, the OS lamp will become extinguished to indicate to the operator that the track section is occupied. Assuming now that the signa-l` levernLs has been moved to either the right or the left position to clear one of the signals `governing traflic. over the switch A, the switch` indicationrelay IA will be deenergized, becausel its circuit will be open lat contact 12 of lever LS. Whena train enters Vthe track section it will cause the signal to` returnv` to the stop pos ition, because of the usual track relay control, which isy not shown in the drawing, and this will close the reverseindication `circuitor relay I at all pointsexcept front contact 21 of track relay T. Itfollowsthatrelay IS will remain in i125 Vdeenelfgized condition vuntilthe train passes out of the ,track sectionat which time track relayJIf will become -,energized and relay Is vwill become energized inthe reverse direction;` During theinterval which .relay IS is deenergized, both branches of the circuit forthe OS lamp will be opened,.s,o that this lamp, will be Vextinguished to .indicate tothe operator thata train has ,acceptedthe signal.y When.the train passesout of` the tracksection and track. relay 'I'.beccmes again energized, relayls will 'becomerenergized So. that the OS lamp, Will belighted.

It will be seenrom the `foregoing.y that AvI, have provided [means for controllingf and indicating the switch A and thesignals S by only threewires, of whichyJ-ire X is a. combined switch control and signal indication Wire, wire Y is a combined signal ,control and switch ,indication wire, and ,wire O isa` common-wire.: One ,important .feature of mydnventionlis that the indication relayslA. and IS. are continuouslyV controlled by the switchV and the signalsrespectively over the three `line wires 2;, Yl and 0so that any 'changeinthe condition i the switch.. 0r. .the signals.` is. immediately reectedbyjthe lampsjE. G. and OS..

,y .i Although.; Lhave hereinl shown and` .described only one form of apparatus embodyingmy inventhereby opening at contact'lO the circuit for theV tion, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch, signals governing traffic over said switch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switch control lever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, a signal indication relay, a track relay, a switch repeater relay, a combined switch control and signal indication wire X, a combined signal control and switch indication wire Y, a common wire O, a circuit for said switch control relay including a normal signal lever contact and a back contact of said signal control relay as Wellas said wires X and O, means operated by said switch lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch relay circuit, a circuit for said signal control relay including aback contact of said switch control relay and said wires Y and O, means operated by said signal lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal relay circuit, a circuit for said switch indication relay including a front contact of said switch repeater relay and a front contact of said track relay as well as a front contact of said switch control relay and a normal contact-of said signal lever and said wires Y and O, means operated by said switch repeater relay for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch indication relay circuit, a circuit for said signal indication relay including a front contact of said signal control relay and a right or a left contact on said signal lever, and said wires X and O, means for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal indication relay circuit according as all of said signals are at stop or one of them is clear, and indication devices controlled by said indication relays.

2. In combinatio-n, a railway switch, signals governing traiiic over said switch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switch control lever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, a signal indication relay, a track'relay, a switch repeater relay, acombined switch control and signal indication Wire X, a combined signal control and switch indication wire Y, a common wire O, a circuit for said switch control relay including a normal signal lever contact and a back contact of said signal control relay aswell as said wires X and O, means operated by said switch lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity tosaid switch relay circuit, a circuit for said signal control relay including a back contact of said switch control relay and said wires Y and O, means operated by said signal lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal relay circuit, a circuit for said switch indication relay including a front contact of said switch repeater relay and a front contact of said track relay as well as a front contact of said switch control relay and a normal contact of said signal lever and said wires Y and O, means operated by said switch repeater relay for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch indication relay circuit, a circuit for said signal indication relay including a front contact of said signal control relay and a right or a left contact on said signal lever and said wires X and O, means for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal indication relay circuit according as all of said signals are at stop or one of them is clear, a normal and a reverse switch indication lamp, means' for lighting said normal or said reverse lamp according as said switch indication relay is energized in normal or reverse direction, a stop and a proceed signal indication lamp, means for lighting said stop or said proceed lamp according as said signal indication relay is energized in normal or reverse direction, an OS indication lamp, and means for lighting said OS lamp when either said switch or said signal indication relay is energized.

3. In combination, a railwayl switch, signals governing traflic over said switch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switch control lever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, a signal indication relay, a combined switch control and signal indication wire X, a combined signal control and switch indication wire Y, a common wire O, a circuit for said switch control relay including a normal signal lever contact and. a back contact of said signal control relay as well as said wires X and O, means operated by said switch lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch relay circuit, a cirv cuit for said signal control relay including a back contact of said switch control relay and said wires Y and O, means operated by said signal lever for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal relay circuit, a circuit for said switch indication relay including a normal signal lever contact and said wires Y and O, means controlled by said switch for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch indication relayl circuit, a circuit for said signal indication relay including a right or a left contact on said signal lever and said wires X and O, means controlled by said signals for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said signal indication relay circuit, and indication devices controlled by said indication relays.

4. In combination, a section of railway 4track including a switch, a signal governing traiic over said switch, two control wires and a common wire, a circuit for controlling said switch including said common wire and the rst of said control wires, a circuit for controlling said signal including said common wirel and the second of said control wires, a track circuit for said section including a track relay,.a switch indication circuit controlled by said switch and by said track relay and including said common wire and said second control wire, a signal indication circuit controlled by said signal and by said track relay and including said common wire and said rst control wire, switch indication means controlled by said switch indication circuit, signal indication means controlled by said signal indication circuit, and track indication means controlled by both said switch indication circuit and said signal indication circuit.

5. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, a signal governing traffic over said switch, a track circuit for said section including a track relay, a switch indication circuit controlled by said switch and by said track relay, a signal indication circuit controlled by said signal and by said'track relay, switch indication means controlled by said switch indication circuit, signal indication means controlled by said signal indication circuit, and track indication means controlled by both said switch indication circuit and said signal indication circuit.

6. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, a signal governing trafc over said switch, a track circuit for said section including a track relay, a polarized switch indication relay Vcontrolled kby said track' relay andby a pole-changer operated by said switch, a signal indication'relay controlled by said track relay and by said signal, switch indication means controlled `by normal and reverse polar contacts 'of said switch indication relay, signal indication means controlled by said signal indication relay, and track indication means controlled by neutral vcontacts of both said vswitch indication relay and said signal indication relay.

7. In combination, a railwayl traino governing device, a remotely'located manually operable leverA for controlling said device, a pole-changer controlled by said device, a polarized relay controlled' by traffic conditions adjacent said device and repolar contacts of said relay, and traffic indication means adjacent said lever controlled by a` neutral contact of said relay. v

8. In combination, a railway trafiic governing device, a remotely located manually operable lever` for controlling said device, a polec'hanger com. trolled by said device, aV track relay controlled, by tra-flic conditions adjacent said device, a polar` ized indication relay, means for energizing said indication relay in one direction or the other in accordance with the position of said "polechanger provided the pole-changer'is in one extreme position or the other and said trackrelay is energized,'indication means for said device located adjacent said lever andgcontrolled by normal'and reverse polar contacts of said indication relay, and traic indication means adjacent said lever controlled by a neutral contact of said indication relay.

9. In combination with a railway track switch, a track relay controlled by trac conditions adjacent the switch, a polarized indication relay at a point remote from the switch, means for energizing said indication relay in one directlonor the other in accordance with the position ofthe switch provided the track relay is energized, switch indication means controlled by normal and reverse polar contacts lof said indication relay, and traffic indication means controlled by a neutral' contact-of said indication relay.

10. In combination, a railway trafc governing device, a remotely located manually operable lever for controlling said device, a poleechang'er con-Y trolled by said device, a track relay controlled by traiiic conditions adjacent said device, a`polar' ized indication relay at a point remote from said device a polarized ,line circuit including the contacts of said polefchanger, a front contact of said trackrelay, andthe winding of said indication relay, indication meansfor saidl device located adjacentsaid, lever and'controlled by the polar contacts of said indication relay, and traic indication meansadjacentsaid lever` controlled by a neutral contactofsaid indication relay.

' 11InA combination, ltwo associated railway trafiic governing devices, `a track relay controlled by traic.,conditionsadjaoent said devices, an indication relay'Afor each device, each 4controlled in accordancel with theconditionof the corresponding device and of said track relay, indication means for veachdevice controlled by the corresponding indication relay, and traino indication means controlledl by both said indication relays.V

12.V In combination, twok associated railway tralic governingdevices, means controlled by traino,conditionsadjacent s aid devices, an indication relayfor eachdevice, located at a point remotelfrom saidV device, va line circuit for each indication relay, each' including, contacts controlledby the corresponding device .and a contact controlledby said means, vindication means lfor each device controlled by thecorresponding indication relay,.and traiicindication means controlled by bothy said indication relays.

13. I n combination, a detector section of railway ,trackl including atrack switch, a switch indication relay located at a point remote `from the switch,n1ean.s including a rst line circuit for energizing said relay attir'nesy by current of one polarity when the switch is normal and by current oftheopposite Ypolarity when vthe lswitch is reversed, the detectorV section is unoccupied, a second vindication relay, controlledy over another line circuit and arranged. to be closed at times if the detector .track circuit is unoccupied, switch indication means controlled'by said switch indication relay toindicatethe position of the switch, and track indication means arranged to indicate the occupancy of ,saiddetefctor section when both said indication relays are deenergized.

714. In combination, a detector section of railway track including altrack switch, a track relay controlled by trajc" conditions adjacent, the switch, a switch indication relay at a-point remote' from the switch, controlled in accordance with the po'sition'of` the switch, a second indicar tion relay at saidfpoint controlled in accordance with theconditlionof traffic governing apparatus adjacent the switch, means'preventing the energizationof either 'indication relay kunless `said track relay`is`,er'1erg`ized,l and means controlled by bothsaid indication .relays for indicating the condition of said'track relay.

HARRY o. vANTAssEL.

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