US1102783A - Railway signaling system. - Google Patents

Description

W. V. MOAK.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1912. 1,102,783. Patented July 7, 1914.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES I 2- W M ATTORNEY 'IHE NORRIS PET HRS CG. PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. D. C.

I w. v. M0 AK. RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1912.

1,102,783. Patented July 7, 1914.

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W. V. MOAK.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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WILLIAM V. ll EOAK, 0F SCI-IENECTADY, NEVT YORK, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

RAILVTAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1%14.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM V. Moan, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic railway signaling systems in which the signals usually indicate danger or stop, and particularly to what is known in the art as three-position signaling systems.

I will describe a railway signaling system embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of a railway signaling system embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 8 are views similar to Fig. 1, but showing the positions of the parts of the system as affected by the presence of a car or train at two points in the system.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I here show a portion of a railway track comprising the first few block sections of a signaling system embodying my invention. It is understood that each succeeding block section of the system will be equipped as shown and described for the block sections C and D. The railway is divided into the block sections A, B, C and D, etc., in any suitable manner; as here shown, it is divided by means of insulation 5 in both lines of rails, although I do not wish to be limited to this specific means. For block sections B, C, D and each succeeding block section, I provide signals S, S, etc, each adapted to give danger, caution and clear indications. As here shown these signals are of the one-arm three-position type, but it is understood that two-arm, two-position signals may be equally well employed. Section A is not provided with a signal for the reason that it is a preliminary section andis employed only to operate signals S and S in advance of an approaching train.

F or each block section I provide a track circuit comprising as usual the two opposite rails of the block section (or portions of them), a source of current 6, and a relay 7. As here shown, the ource of current 6 is a direct current track circuits, since my in vention may be equally well applied to track circuits energized by alternating current, pulsating current, etc. It will be noticed that in each block section the source of current is located adjacent the entrance end of the section and the relay adjacent the exit end. For each track circuit after the first (track section A) I provide a pole-changer 14, 15 or 16 by means ofwhich the polarity of the current supplied to the track circuit may be controlled. As here shown, each of these pole-changers comprises armature contacts of the track relay for the track circuit in the rear, so that the polarity of the current in each track circuit is controlled by the track circuit in the rear. Each of the track relays 7 after the first (track section A) is provided with a polarized armature 20 or 21, which as usual is open or closed according to the polarity of the current in the corresponding track circuit.

For each signal I provide a signal relay 8, 9 or 10, etc, each of which relayscomprises a neutral armature 22, 24 or 26, and a polarized armature 23, 25 or 27. The circuit for the caution position of each signal is controlled by the neutral armature of the corresponding signal relay, and the circuit for the clear position of each signal is controlled by the polarized armature of the orresponding signal relay. These controlling circuits for the signals are also controlled by a back neutral contact and by the polarized armature of the track relay for the track circuitin the rear, in such manner that neither of the controlling circuits can be closed unless the track relay is either deenergized or it polarized armature closed. For example, the controlling circuit for the caution position of signal S is from battery 11 through wire 28, neutral contact 18 or polarized contact 20 of relay 7, wire 29, neutral contact 24 of relay 9, wire 80, signal S and wire 33 to battery 11. The circuit for the control of the clear position of this signal is the same as that just traced as far as and including wire 29, then through polarized contact 25, wire 82, signal S and wire 33 to battery 11.

Each signal relay is included in a circuit with a source of current, and as here shown this circuit is controlled by a neutral contact of the track relay for the corresponding block section and by a polechanger l, or P operated by the signal next in advance] For example, the circuit including relay 9 is as follows-from battery 11 at signal S through pole-changer P, wire 34:, relay 9, wires 35, 36 and 31, polechanger P,wire 37, armature contact 19 wire 28 to battery 11. It will be noted that this circuit will be open when contact 19 is open by the presence of a car or train in block section C or for other reasons. When the circuit just traced is closed, the neutral armature 24 of relay 9 will be closed; and the polarized armature 25 will be closed or open according to the polarity of the current in the circuit as determined by the polechanger P. The pole-changers P and P are so arranged that when the signal to which each isconnected is in the danger position the polarized contact of the preceding signal relay will be opened, but when the signal is in caution or clear position, the

I said polarized contact will be closed, provided of course that the neutral relay contact included in this circuit is closed. It will be noted that when no block section is occupied by a car or train, all signals will indicate danger, for the reason that all neutral relay armatures 17, 18 and 19 are closed, and the polarity of the track circuits'is such that polarized armatures 20 and 21 are open.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3,1 will explain the operation of the system as affected by thepresence of a car or train in sections A and B. In Fig. 2 I show a pair of wheels and axle W in section A. Relay 7 of this block section is short-circuited and its armature contacts 14; are opened, thereby reversing the polarity of current in the track circuit of block section B, so that the polarized armature contact 20 of relay 7 for that sees tion is closed. When this occurs, the caution circuit of signal S is closed as hereinbefore explained, armature 24 being already closed. Signal S therefore moves to caution position. The short-circuiting of relay 7 of block section A. by the wheels. WV also closes back contact 17 and the caution circuit for signal S is thereby closed, armature contact 22 being already closed. The movement of signal S to caution position reverses the pole-changer l and the current then flows through signal relay 8 in such direction as to close the polarized armature 23, thereby closing the clear position circuit of signal S, which then moves to clear position. The parts of the system will then be in the positions shown in Fig. 2. Referring now to Fig. 8, as the car or traln represented by wheels and axle W moves into block-- section B, it short-circuits relay 7 forthat block section, opening the front point of contact 18 of that relay and thereby opening the controlling circuit of signal relay 8.

The. armatures of this relay are thereby opened and signals moves to danger position behind the car or train. The polarized i armatures 28, 25 and 27' of'relays 8, 9 and 10 are preferably biased tothe open posi tion, so that when any one'of these'relays is deenergized after the polarized contact has been closed, the polarized contact will positively open. The closing of track relay 7 forsection A also opens the controlling circuits for this signal at contact 17. The

'short-circuiting of relay 7 also reverses polechanger 15, thereby closing the polarized armature contact 21 of relay 7- for block-section C. Contact 26 of relay 10 being already closed, the caution circuit of signal S is' then closed, and this signal assumes the caution pos1t1on. The operation of polecha nger P by signal S affects the circuit of signal relay 9 to cause the relay to close-its polarized armature 25, thereby closing the clear position circuit of signals, which signal then moves to clear position. The control of the circuits for signal S" also passes from polarized contact 20 to the back point of netural contact 18. The reason for includ ing the back point of contact 18 in the control circuits for signal Sis that when re.

lay 7 is d'eenergized after contact 20 is closed, even if contact "20 should remain closedit would not be certain that its pressure would be sufficient to provide a contact of sufiiciently low resistance to hold signal i S in clear position. The parts of the system will then be in the position shown in' Fig. 3. The operation of the'system due=to the progress of a car or train through the succeeding block sections would be similar to that hereinbefore explained, henceno furt-her explanation is necessary, 1

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of signaling system embodying my invention, it is understood that various modifications may be made,

therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: t l

1. In a railway signaling system, three successive block sections, a signal for the third section adapted to indicate danger and caution, a signal for the second section adapted to indicate danger and clear; a track circuit for each block section each including a source of current and a track relay, a pole-changer included in the second track circuit and'comprised in the relay of the first track circuit, a polarized armature included in the relay of the second track circuit and responsive to changes of polarity in the second track circuit, a signal relayfor the signal of the third block section, a cir-' cuit for said signal relay includinga source of current'and an'armature contact of thetrack relay for the third block. section, a caution indication circuit for the signal of the third block section, which circuit includes a. contact of the said signal relay and a contact of the said polarized armature of the track relay for the second track circuit, a signal relay for the signal of the second block section and including a polarized armature; a circuit for the last named relay including a source of current, a neutral armature contact of the track relay for the second track circuit and a pole-changer operated by the signal for the third block section; and a clear indication circuit for the signal of the second block section which circuit includes a contact of the said polarized armature of the corresponding signal relay and a back contact of the track relay for the first track circuit,

2. In a railway signaling system, a plurality of successive block sections, a track circuit for each section each including a source of signaling current and a track relay, each of said track relays comprising a neutral and a polarized armature, a polechanger included in each track circuit and comprised in the track relay for the track circuit in the rear, a signal for each block section each adapted to indicate danger, caution and clear; a pole-changer operated by each signal; a signal relay for each signal each comprising a neutral armature and a polarized armature; a. controlling circuit for the caution indication of each signal each including the neutral armature of the corresponding signal relay, and a polarized contact of the track relay for the block section in the rear; a controlling circuit for the clear indication of each signal each including the polarized armature of the corresponding signal relay and aback contact of the neutral armature of, the track relay for the block section in the rear; and a circuit for each signal relay each including a source of current, a neutral armature contact of the track relay for the corresponding block section, and the pole-changer of the signal next in advance.

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

WILLIAM V. MOAK. Witnesses:.

E; K. WHITE, W. H. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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