US1177773A - Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

0.0. HARRINGTON. RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1ULY2I 19H. 1 177773. Patented Apr. 4,1916.

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C. 0. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

w APPLICATION FILED JULYYZ, 19M.

1,177,773. Patented Apr. 4,1916.

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N 0 0 KQ n Q 1 L WITNESSES INVENTOR' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON 0. HARRINGTON, F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed July 2, 1914. Serial No. 848,558.

To all lo/1 0m it may concern.

Be it known that I, CLINTON O. I-IARBING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Traitic-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for indicating the position of railway traffic controlling devices.

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

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of indication apparatus embodying my invention applied to two switches of a railway crossover. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, are views showing the positions assumed by parts of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 under various conditions.

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

Referring first to Fig. l, T and T are two railway tracks, which are connected by a crossover comprising rails T and two switches A and B. Each of these switches is provided with a motor M or M, each of which motors operates a switch-actuating mechanism F or F. As here shown, each motor M and M comprises two solenoids l0 and 11 which control a reciprocating plunger 12, which latter is Operatively connected with a cam plate 37. Each plate 37 is provided with a cam slot 88, which actuates a roller 39 Operatively connected with the switch rails by means of a rod 40. It will be seen, therefore, that reciprocation of the plungers will cause reverse movements of switches A and B. Operatively connected withthe plates 37 are pole changers P and P respectively for a purpose which I will hereinafter explain. Although I have herein shown one particular type of motor device and switch actuating mechanism, it is understood that I do not limit myself to this particular type, but that any suitable motor and switch actuating mechanism may be employed,

.circuits for the solenoids of motors M and M. The control circuits for these solenoids are herein shown in dash lines for the purposes of distinction, the circuits pertaining to the indication apparatus being shown in solid lines.

As herein shown a direct cur-.

rent generator 19 supplies current to the V motors M and M, and also to the indication apparatus. In the arrangement of motor control circuits herein shown, one pair or the other of solenoids 11 or 10 is connected with the source 19 according as contact finger 18 engages with contact 44: or 45. It is understood, however, that this arrangement of control of the motor device M and M by the lever C is merely illustrative and that I do not wish to limit myself to this particular arrangement. The circuits for these motor devices will be readily understood from the drawing, and one of these circuits will be traced hereinafter in eX- plaining the operation of the apparatus.

The movements of the shaft 13 are as usual controlled by indication apparatus, which as here shown comprises two indication devices K and K3, one for each direction of movement. Each of these devices comprises a segment 27 fixed to the shaft 13 and provided with a dog 28 adapted to engage with a latch 29, which latches are controlled bv electromagnets-N and R respectively. Each of these electromagnets N and R is provided with a circuit, which circuits 7 are controlled by a contact device E, as heretacts .25 and .26 operated by the shaft 13.-

These latter contacts are not moved during the first portion of the movement of the shaft 13 upto the point at which it is stopped by the dog 28 of one or the other of the'indication devices, but during'the remainder of the movement of the shaft, the contacts 25 and 26 are reversed in position.

- This operation of contacts 25 and 26 is, as

here shown, accomplished by mounting the contact fingers loosely on the shaft 13 and moving them by pins 31, 32, 33 and 34 carried by collars 35 and 36 fixed on the shaft 13. It is understood, however, that the means herein shown for operating the contacts 25 and 26 is merely illustrative, and that I do not limit myself'to this particular means.

The contact device E comprises a yoke 63 pivotally mounted at and biased to a middle position by a spring 64. The yoke is provided with an extension or tongue 63 which carries insulation studs 77 on which are mounted contact fingers 66 and 67. These fingers coact with fixed contacts 68 and 69 in such manner that when yoke 63 occupies its middle position, both contact fingers are out of engagement with the fixed contacts, when the yoke is swung in clockwise direction contact 6668 is closed, and when the yoke is swung in the other direction contact 67-69 is closed.

Contact device E is controlled by two electromagnetic devices D and D which are in turn controlled by the pole-changers P and P respectively of the switches A and B. Each of these devices comprises a magnetizable core 78 having two pairs of inwardly-projecting pole pieces 41-42, and 20 21. Each core is provided with an en ergizing winding 14, which windings are supplied with current as hereinafter ex plained. Each device comprises a soft iron armature 43 pivotally mounted at point 55 and adapted to oscillate between the polepieces of the corresponding core 78. Each armature is polarized by a permanent magnet 15 fixed with relation to the core 78, the poles of the permanent magnet lying in close proximity to the ends of the armature 43. Fixed to each armature is an arm-22, which arms terminate in eyes 56 and 56 respec tively. Passing through these eyes is a rod 62 which also passes through the yoke 63, and which rod serves to swing the yoke in one direction or the other accordingto the relative positions of armatures 43 as will be hereinafter explained.

The winding 14' of electromagnetic device D is reversibly connected with wires 7479, and thereby withgenerator 19, by the pole-changer P of switch A, and, similarly, the winding 14. of electromagnetic device D is reversibly connected with wires 7479 by pole-changer P of switch B. These windings and their circuits are so arranged that when both switches A and B are in normal position.v that is, are set for traffic along the straight tracks T and T, th armatures 43 will be swung in opposite directions, that is, the armature of device D is in its extreme counter-clockwiseposition and the armature for device D is in its extreme clockwise position. As here shown,

this reverse position of the armatures is accomplished by reversely winding the coils disconnected from the generator 19 and 'engage contacts 46 and 47 respectively, which contacts are electrically connected by a wire 51, so that each winding 14 is then placed on the following short circuit: from winding 14 through wire 23, contact finger 17 contact point 47, wire 51, contact point 46, contact finger 16, wire 24 to winding 14. Each armature 43 is then drawn to its middle position by its magnet 15, and rod 62 then allows the spring 64 to return yoke 63 to its middle position, so that contacts 66-6S and 6769 are then both open. The purpose of contacts 46 and 47 and wires '51 is to shunt from the windings 14 all currents which might leak into them from outside sources.

In Fig. l, the parts of the apparatus are shown in the positions which they occupy when th switches A and B occupy their normal positions. Vhen it is desired to move the switches A and B from their normal positions to their opposite or reverse positions the shaft 13 of control lever C is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow until the dog 28 of indication device K engages the latch 29. In this position contact finger 18 has been disengaged from contact 44 and has engaged cont-act 45 so that both solenoids 10 are energized through the following circuitfrom generator 19, through wires 70, 71. and 52, contact finger 18, contact 45, wire 53, solenoid 10 of motor M,

wire 54, solenoid 10 of motor M, wires 72, 73, 74 and 75 to generator 19. This causes solenoids 10 to draw the plungers 12, thereby shifting the plates 37 so thatthe rollers 39' are moved by the cam slots 38 and the switches A and B are reversed. As soon as the movement begins and while the right hand longitudinal portions of the slots 38 are moving past the rollers 39, the polechangers are operated so that their contact fingers 16 and 17 disengage from contact points 48 and 50 and engage with contact points 46 and 47, thereby placing windings 14 of relays D and D on short circuit; 1.15

armatures 43 then assume their middle positions, thereby opening contacts 66-68 and 6769. The fingers 16 and 17 of the polechangers continue to engage the contact points 46 and 47 while the switches A and B are being moved by the inclined portion of the slots 38, and when the movement of the switches A and B is complete and the lefthand longitudinal portions of the slots 38 are moving past the rollers 39 the contact fingers 16 and 17 are moved to engage with contact points 50 and a9, thereby connecting windings 14 with generator 19 in the directions opposite to the directions shown in the drawing. Electromagnetic devices D and D are now energized in such directions that armature 43 of the electromagnetic device D will now assume its extreme clockwise position, while armature 43 of the electromagnetic device D will assume its extreme counter-clockwise position, so that arm 22 of the electromagnetic device D will be inclined upward and arm 22 of the electromagnetic device D will be inclined downward, thus forcing rod 62 against the lower side of yoke 63, which will in turn be forced down, thereby opening contact 6668 and closing contact 67-69. The reverse indication magnet R is then energized by the following circuit-from generator 19 through wires 70, 71 and 76, contact 69, contact finger 67, wire 57, contact finger 25, wire 58, magnet R, wires 59, 74; and 75 to generator 19. Magnet R then raises its armature, thereby raising th latch 29 out of the path of dog 28 of indication device K so that the movement of shaft 13 can be continued to the end of the stroke. During this last portion of the movement, contact 25 is opened, thereby opening at that point the circuit for magnet R, and contact 26 is closed, thereby closing at that point the circuit for magnet N.

The operation of the apparatus for the movement of the switches A and B from the reverse to the normal positions would be similar to that just explained.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a vertical plane through eyes 56 and 56 and yoke 63, showing the red 62 in elevation. This view shows the positions of these parts when both armatures 43 are in their middle positions so that eyes 56 and 56 are also in their intermediate positions. Yoke 63 is now held in its middle position by the biasing spring 64, hence contacts 6668 and 6'T69 are both open.

Assume now that the lever C has been moved toward its reverse position until stopped by indication device K and that only one switch, for example, switch A, has moved from its normal position to its reverse position, and that switch B has remained in its normal position. Both armatures *3 would then occupy their extreme clockwise position, and the positions of the rod '62, the eyes 56 and 56, and yoke 63 would then be as shown by Fig. 3. The rod 62 is moved in an upward direction by the eyes 56 and 56 and as the rod 62 engages the upper side of yoke 63 the rod swings around the yoke as a center and its other end rises from the lower edge of eye 56. The eyes are of considerably greater diameter than the rod, however. and the rod is also smaller than the yoke, so that the end of the rod not engaging with yoke 63 will not strike the upper side of the eye 56 before the armatures come to rest against their pole-pieces, hence the yoke 63 will not be moved out of its middle position and neither of the contacts controlled thereby will be closed. Under these conditions it will be seen that neither of the indication magnets N or R could be energized, hence the stroke of lever C could not be completed.

Assume now that lever. C has been moved toward the reverse position until stopped by indication device K and that switch 13 has moved to its reverse position but that switch A has failed to move. The positions of rod 62, yoke 63, and eyes 56 and 56 would then be as shown in Fig. 4, from which it will be seen that owing to the clearance between the rod and the eyes, and betweenthe rod and the yoke, the rod does not engage the lower edge of eye 56 before the armatures come to rest against their pole-pieces, hence the yoke 63 is not moved out of its middle position. As explained in connection with Fig. 3, neither indication device would be energized and the stroke of the lever could not be completed. In Fig. 5, the rod 62, eyes 56 and 56 and yoke 63 are shown in the positions theyassume when both switches A and B occupy their normal positions; This view therefore corresponds to Fig. 1. Yoke 63 is raised so that contact 66-68 is closed as ex-- plained hereinbefore.

Assume now that .in response to a move.-

ment of lever C toward its reverse position,

switch A has made a complete movement to reverse position and switch B has stopped intermediate the normal and reverse positions. The rod 62, eyes 56 and 56 and-yoke 63 will then occupy the positions shown in Fig. 6. Armature 43 of device D has swung to its extreme clockwise position, but since pole-changer P is between its two extreme positions device D is de'elnergized so that the armature as of the latter device occupies its intermediate position. Owing, however. to the clearance between the rod and the eyes, and between the rod and the yoke, the movement of eye 56 is not suflicient to cause the rod to move the yoke out of its middle position, hence neither indication magnet could be energized and the movement of the lever C could not be completed.

Although I have herein described only one form of indication apparatus embodying my invention, 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 crossover comprising two switches, a lever for the control oi": said switches, indication means for controlling said lever, circuits for said inclication means, a contact device for control ling said circuits, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device comprising a movable member responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, said movable members being swung in opposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, and mechanical means controlled by said movable members for causing operation of said contact device when said members are swung in opposite directions but not when they are swung in the same direction.

In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device comprising a movable member responsive to re versals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, said movable members being swung in 0pposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, indication means for said switches, circuits for said indication means, a contact device for controlling said circuits, and mechanical means controlled by said movable members for causing operation of said Scontact device when said members are swung in opposite directions but not when they are swung in the same direction.

3. In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device comprising a movable member responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other and for de'energizing the corresponding electromagnetic device when the switch occupies an intermediate position, said movable members being swung in opposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, indication means for said switches, circuits for said indication means, a contact device for controlling said circuits, and mechanical means controlled by said movable members for causing operation of said contact device when said members are swung in opposite directions but not when they are swung in the same direction or when one member occupies an intermediate position. 1

4:. In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device comprising a movable member responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one p'o larity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, and for deenergizing the electromagnetic device and placing the latter on short circuit when the switch occupies an intermediate position, said movable members being swung in opposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, indication means for said switches, circuits for controlling said indication means, a contact device for controlling said circuits, and mechanical means controlled by said movable members for causing the operation of said contact device when said members are swung in opposite directions but not when they are" swung in the same direction or when-one member occupies an intermediate position.

5. In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch,'each device compris ing a movable momber responsive to rever sals of curent, an eye for each movable mem ber operatively connected with the member, a yoke, a rod passing through said eyes and said yoke, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electro- V magnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, said eyes being swung in opposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, said yoke being swungv in one direction or the other by said rod when the said eyes are swung in opposite directions, the rod being smaller than the eyes and the yoke so that said yoke is not moved from its middle position when the eyes are swung in the same direction, and indication means for said switches controlled by said yoke.

6. In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch each device compris; ing an armature responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current oii one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, said armatures being swung in opposite directions when the switches occupy corresponding positions, a member biased to a middle posi tion, means controlled by said armatures for moving said member in one direction orthe other from its m ddle position when the armatures are swung in opposite directions and for allowing said member to occupy its middle position when said armatures are swung in the same relative directions,,and

indication means for said switches controlled by said member.

7. In combination, a railway crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device comprising a movable member responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, indication means for said switches, circuits for controlling said indication means, a contact device for controlling said circuits, and mechanical means controlled by said movable members for causing operation of said contact device when said members are swung in predetermined relative directions, but not when they are swung in other relative directions.

8. In combination, a. railroad crossover comprising two switches, an electromagnetic device for each switch, each device compris- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

ing an armature responsive to reversals of current, means controlled by each switch for supplying to the corresponding electromagnetic device current of one polarity or the other according as the switch occupies one extreme position or the other, a member biased to a middle position, means controlled by said armatures for moving said member in one direction or the other from its middle position when the armatures are swung in predetermined relative directions and for allowing said member to occupy its middle position when said armatures are swung in other relative directions, and indication means for said switches controlled by said member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON O. HARRINGTQN.

lVitnesses A. HERMAN WEGNER R. L. KISTLER.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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