US1133819A - Railway switching and indicating circuits. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 30

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APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1910,

RAILWAY SWITGHING AND INDIOATING cmcms.

Wzlzzessas 7HE NORRIS PETERS co, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WAD-E I-I. REIoHARD, 0E TROY, NEW YoRK, ASSIGNOR To EEDERAL sIGNAL COMPANY, oE ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

RAILWAY SWITCHING AND INDIGATIN G CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed August 17, 1910. Serial No. 577,666.

elements and combinations as are hereinafter more particularly described and clalmed. Q

Although the circuits herein described are designed especially for use in connection with railway switch moving devices, they are adaptable to use with other devices wherein control-and indication circuits are required. I therefore do not wish to be limited in the use of this scheme to railway apparatus.

This improvement relates to that class of electrically controlled apparatus which requires that the operator be positively in formed that the devices controlled have properly responded to the movement of the controlling devices. As an example, we will consider that a railway switch point is in its normal position and it is desired to move the same to the reverse position. The operator will move the controlling device, energizing the operating circuit to move the switch. After the switch is moved and locked the operator should in some way be notified that the switch has moved to the full reverse and has been positively locked in that position. Such information to the operator is called in railway switching and signaling practice the indication.

The means employed to give the indication may be one of several methods, but invariably consists in the energization of a suitable magnet which will effect the release of some part of the controlling apparatus. This energization of the releasing magnet moreover is usually accomplished through or by the action of the switch point locking mechanism. In this system I prefer to use a suitable magnet as a means of release and also prefer to supply the circuit of this release magnet with electrical energy by the aotlon of the swltch locking device and only after the said switch has been fully and properly moved and locked in the position to which it has been moved.

Among the methods now in use for energizing the indication circuit are the following: Current from the operating source of energy is employed directly. The momentum of the armature of the motor of the device moved is employed to generate elec tric current after the load is removed and this current so generated may be employed. The motor of the device moved may drive a generator which will deliver either alternating current or direct current, which current may be employed, or a transforming device may be used which may be energized inductively by the operating source of energy or bv the rupture of the field current of the motor of the moving device.

The use of the operating source. of energy is not considered absolutely reliable by railway signaling engineers owing to the fact that the releasing magnet is designed to operate on the electromotive force of the battery, and if certain wires become crossed a false indication may result as the indicating magnet is located in the tower and current from the battery must flow from the source of energy, which is also located at the tower, out to the device operated and back again through the indication magnet. It is therefore obvious that a cross occurring. in the indicating circuit at the tower or at any point between the tower and the device operated might produce a false indication. In the other systems referred to where secondary current is employed to energize the induction magnet the same fault exists to some extent, 2'. a, if the indication magnet is designed to operate on an electromotive force equal to or less than that of the operating source, a cross between certain wires might result in connecting the operating source with the indication magnet which connection would probably energize the said magnet and consequently produce a false indication. To overcome this fault, I have in the system herein described arranged to use the operating source of energyof, say 120 volts, and also an induced electromotive force of, 'say 120'volts or more.

These two electromotive forces added to-' gether will give a combined electromotive force of 240 or more volts, which electromotive force is used to energizethe indication magnet which is so designed that it will not operate on either of the said elec tromotive forces singly, but requires at least more than twice the electromotive force of the operating source. A full and clearde scription of such a system supplemented by suitable drawings is here given, although the devices illustrated may be only'diagrammaticaL.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts ward. In the plate, 5, is a recess, 6, which incloses a disk, 7, which is attached to the core=or plunger, 8, of a solenoid magnet, 9. Inra hole in theslide bar, 4, is arranged a locking dog, 10, which is adapted to be moved downwardand upwardas will be presently explained. This dog, 10, is provided withalower V-shaped notch, 11, and an upper V-shaped notch, 12. A suitably arranged spring, 13, is adapted to engage the .said notches, 11, and 12, at different times and retain the' dog, --10, either in the upper or lower position to which it may be moved.

Directly above the slide, 4, and over the center of the magnet, 9, is located a lug, 14, with agbeveled projection on its under side, whose-function is to force down the dog, 10,

when thesaid'slide, 4, is moved forward or backward. The'slide bar, 4., isalso provided with arecess,15, which is formed in its under edge. This :recess is of a length equal to twice the diameter of the disk, 7, plus the width of the dog, 10, for the following reason: 7 V V .If the magnet, 9, should for 'any'reason become energized while the slide bar, 4, is in'the position shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2-the core, 8, with its disk head, 7, will lift and the head, 7, willenter the recess, 15, ahead f or'behind-thedog, 10, and lock'the slide bar,

4,'thus preventing a movement of the lever, 1, in either direction.

To the lower end, 16, of lever, -1,-is pivoted a rod, 17, the other end of which connects with a motion plate,'18. In the plate, 18, is cut an inclined slot, 19. This slot, "19,

carries a roller, 20, which "is suitably arranged in the upper end or the controller rod, 21, of controller, ttached to and insulated from thegrod, 21, arethew-ipers, 23,24and 25,-wh1chare arranged to engage and slide between the contacts, 26 and 27,

7 7O 28 and 29,30 and 31, 32 and 33, and 34, and 35. When the controller is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the wiper, 23, engages con- V tacts 26 and 27, the wiper, 24, engages contacts 30 and 31, and the wiper, 25, is above the contacts, 34 and The contacts, 26 and '32, are connected together by wire, 36; the contacts, 28 and 30, are. connected together by-wire, 3-7 5 the contacts, 27-and 29,

are connected together by wire, 38, and the contacts, 31and 33,-are connected together by wire, 39.

lhe source of energy is shown as a battery of storage cells, 40. From the positive terminal'of the battery, 46,a wire, 41, connects withga fuse, 42, of proper-capacity for the protection of the operating circuit. From the other terminal ofthe fuse, 42, a'wire, 43, connects with the contact, 27, of the controller, 22; from the negative terminal of the battery, 40, axw'ire, 44, connects with the controller terminal, 33. Th magnet 9 is provided with-a high resistance winding, 45. This winding is connected respectively with the controller contacts, 3.3 and 35, by wires, 46 and 47." i

A. pair of railway switch points, 48, are shown-at the-leftof Fig. '1, and are adapted to be moved by suitable means from and to the position shown. A motor, 49, has attached thereto a worm, '50, which meshes witlrand is adapted to revolve the worm wheel; 51. Attached to the worm wheel, 51,

is the arm, 52, which is connected with the switch points, 48, by a-suita'ble rod, 53. An other rod, 54, is also attached" to the switch points,48, and, by means of aprojection, 55, which-is formed thereon, is adapted to operate the motor control and switch indicating device, 56. Thisdevice is composed of a pair or' rods, 57 and '58, which maybe mounted suitably on a base plate and which are adapted to-bemoved by the cranks, 59 and 60. The switch '1-od, 54, when moved will by means of the said projection, 55,

shift the said cranks, 59 and 60, and thus move the'rods, 57 and 58. The rod, 57, has mounted thereon and insulated therefrom the wipers, 61, 62, 63 and 64, which are arranged to engage at proper intervals the contacts,'65 and 66, 67 and68, 69-and70, and 71 and 72. Therod, 58, has mounted thereon similar wipers, 7 3, 74,7 5 and 76, which are arranged to engage at suitable intervals it the contacts, 77 and 78, 79 and 80, 81 and 82, and 83 and84e t A -spr1ng,85, presses against the end of rod, 57, and 'tends tohold, or return the dynamic braker, 93.

said rod to the'position shown. A similar spring, 86, presses against the end of rod, 58, for the same reason as described, but is shown compressed or under tension, owing to the fact that the crank, 60, is being held 7 out of its normal position by the action of the rod, 54, the normalposition being indicated by the dotted line.

. The contacts, and 69, are connected togetherby wire, 87; contacts, 78 and 82, are connected together by wire, 88; contacts 66 and 84, are connectedtogether by wire, 89; contacts 71 and 77, are connected together by wire, 90; contacts 68 and 79, are connected together by wire, 91, and contacts 72 and 83, are connected together by wire, 92.

Another device which forms a part of the railway switch operating mechanism is the The device is composed of a magnet of the horseshoe type, 94 and 95, being the cores on which-are the windings, 96, 97, 98 and 99. These cores are" connected together by the yoke, 100, and the said cores are provided with the pole pieces, 101 and 102. An armature, 103, is pivoted between the cores, 94 and 95, at point, 104, and is arranged to swing freely between the pole pieces, 101 and 102. The springs, 105

and 106, are adapted to hold the said armature, 103, midway between the said pole piecesexcept when either of the windings, 96 or 97, are energized. .On the upper end of the armature, 103, and insulated from it are mounted the contact fingers, 107 and 108, which when either leg of the magnet, 93, is energized are adapted to engage one of contacts, 109, or 110, respectively. A wire, 111, connects the contact fingers, 107, with the terminal, 112, of the winding, 97, and a wire, 114, connects the contact fingers, 108,

with the terminal, 115, of the winding, 96.

The windings, 98 and 99, are what are known as closedwindings and are for causinga slow release ofv the armature, 103, as will be presently described.

The switch pointmotor, 49, is provided with an armature, 117, and brushes, 118 and 120; also two oppositely wound field coils, 123 and124. The two inner leads of the said field coils are brought together at a terminal, 122, thence by wire, 127', to terminal 121, of brush, 120. The other terminal, 125, of field coil, 123, is connected to the terminal, 115, of the dynamic braker winding, 96, by wire, 128, and the other terminal, 126, of field coil, 124, is connected to the terminal, 112, of dynamic braker winding, 97, by, wire, 129; the other terminal of winding, 96, is connected by wire, 130, to contact, 81, of the motor controller, 56, and the other terminal, 113, of the winding, 97 is connected by wire, 131, to contact of the motor controller, 56. Other connections are as follows :From braker contact, 109, a wire, 132, connects about 200 volts.

with motor controller contact, 80, and from braker contact, 110, a wire, 133, connects with motor controller contact, 67. Wire, 134, connects motor contact, 69, with contact, 28, of the operating controller, and wire, 135, connects motor controller contact, 82, with the contact, 26, of the operating controller. A wire, 136, connects the switch motor brush terminal, 119, with the negative pole of the battery, 40. A wire, 137 ,connects motor controller contact, 68, with the primary winding, 138, of a transformer or induction coil and from the other side of this winding, 138, a wire, 139, connects with the wire, 136, and thence to negative pole of battery, 40. A wire, 140, connects wire, 92, of the motor controller, 56, with the secondary winding, 141, of the said transformer or induction coil; and from the other side of this winding, 141, a wire, 142, connects with the contact, 34, of the controller, 22.

Assuming that the electromotive force of the battery, 40, to be 110 volts, 1 have arranged the ratio of the windings, 138, and 141, so that the electromotive force of the secondary winding, 141, when energized is 1 have also made the winding, 45, of the indication coil, 9, of such resistance and ampere turns that neither the current from battery, 40, at 110 volts or current from the secondary winding, 141, at 200 volts will be sutlicient to energize the magnet, 9, powerfully enough to cause its core, 8, to lift, but only the combined electromotive forces of the battery, 40, and the secondary, 141, will operate this magnet, 9. This is the most important feature of this improvement and should be very clearly understood for the following reasons.

Frequently indication wires become crossed with operating wires and if the magnet, 9, was susceptible to the current from the crossed wires a false indication might rcsuit. The same fault would exist if the primary wires became crossed as the secondary in such instance might energize the magnet, 9, and again if the magnet, 9, was susceptible to such energization a false indication might result. In other words, the winding, 45, of the indication magnet is of such resistance and ampere turns that an electromotive force greater than twice that of the operating battery is required to sufliciently energize the said indication magnet, 9, to cause its core, 8, to lift.

In this system the indication magnet is energized partially by the current from the battery, 40, and partially by the current induced in the secondary winding, 141. This current is induced in secondary, 141, by the switch point motor, 49. This motor upon being disconnected from the operating battery, 40, after moving the switch points, 48,

. is .short :circuited upon itself and the :cur-

a magnet, 9.

rent gencratedacts as a brake which stops the saidmotor almost instantly. This braking current. :passes through the primary winding, 138,:and lasts only for an instant but during this interval. induces in the secondary winding, 141 an extremely high electromotive force which added to the electro-' motive force of the battery, 40, is of suflieient intensity to operate the indication I am aware that the current froma switch motor when running without load has been used directly to operate an indication magnet, but the electromotive force so generated is of necessity much less thanthe electromotive force required to run themotor; therefore the indication magnet must be wound to operate with a current of lessvolta-ge than that of the operating battery, hence the faultsalreadyreferred to from crossed wires exist in such a system to a great extent requiring complicated and expensive devioes to render such a system even partially safe.

Another feature of importance in this system is that should the winding, 45, of the indication magnet, 9, become partially short circuitechi. 6., some of the turnshecome cut.

out, resulting in the magnet requiring a lowerelectromotive force to operate it, and at the same time a cross should occur the core, 8, .would lift andlforcethe disk, 7, up into the recess, 15, ahead or in the rear of the dog, 10, as the case might be, and hold the slide .bar,4, positively locked thus preventingany movementot the lever, 1, from its normal or reverse position.

Having described in the foregoing the dillferent devices comprising this system and the salient features pertaining to them, I will explain the operation of the system describing a movement of the lever, 1 from its normal position as shown to a reverse position which is indicated by the dotted line, 1.43, at the same time describing the operation of the different devices in their proper sequence during the movement of the switch points, 48, from the position shown to a position which would permit a train to take the curve track. Supposing the operating lever, 1, and all other devices to be in their normal position as shown, it will he observed in tracing out the circuits that all circuits are deenergized. It now it is desired to reverse the switch points, 48, thelever, 1, should be pulled forward toward the dotted line, 143. In so doing the slide bar, 4, is also moved forward and the dog, 10, in the slide bar, 4, willhe forced down into the re cess, 6, by the beveled projection on the under side oi the lug, 14. The dog, 10, will now come in contact with the forward end of the recess, 6, and temporarily stop the slide bar, 4,, from further movement in .the

forward direction :and will-likewise stop the lever, 1, from furthermovement. The lever,

1, however, can bQ'IX-IOVBCl backward i desired until the dog, 10, engages the rear endiof'therecess, a

. When the lever, 1, is moved forward as just described, =current from the positive terminal'of the battery, 40, will flow over wire, 41, fuse, 42,.wire 43, to contact, 27, of the controller, 22. 'Owingto the connections from the lower end of the lever, 1, the controller rod, 21, will be moved downward through .wiper, 63, of the said, controller,

contact, 70, wire, 131, to terminal, 113 of the coil, 97, of the dynamic loraker,-'9 3, energizing the said magnet and causing the armature, 103, to swing to the left until the contact finger, 108, engages contact, 110.

Current after passing through the saidcoil, 97, will flow over wire, 129, to terminal, 126, of field winding, 124, through winding, 124,

to terminal, 122, through the wire, 127, to vbrush terminal, 121, brush, 120, armature, 117, brush, 118, terminal, 119, and thence by wire, 136, to the negative terminal of cattery, 40'. The energization of the motor, 49, V

will cause its-armature'to revolve the worm,

50, and the worm wheel,51, which willmove the arm, 52, and the mass, which is connected with the switch points,48, and. throw the said points, 48, to the reverse position. The points in moving will operate the rod,

55, move the bell crank, 59, and shift the controller rod,57, andthewipers, 61, 62, 63, and 64, to the right, at the' same time the controller rod, 58, and the wipers, 7 3, 74, 7 5 and 76, will be moved to the left by the action .01 the compressed helical spring, 86.

'54, which will by means of ,theprojection,

As the rod, 57, moves to the right the wiper,

63, will disengage the contacts, 69 and 70,

'(thus cutting off current from the motor,

49). The wiper, 62, will engage the contacts,-67 and 68, and thewiper,

shiftingof the wipers, 7 3,74, 75 and 76 ha already taken place with the movement of the rod, 58, 2'. 6., the wipers 73 and 74, have disengaged the contacts, 77. and 78, and 79 61, will en gage the contacts, 65 and 66. A similar and 80, respectively, and the wipers, 75 and r 76, have engaged the contacts, 81 and '82,

and r83=and 84, respectively. As current is! cut off from the motor, 49, by the movement of the Wiper, 63, a circuit is closed through the armature, 117, field winding, 123, and primary coil, 138, and the current which is generated by the momentum of the said armature, 117, will flow through the following circuit for an instant acting as a brake 011 the said armature. From the armature, 117, brush, 120, wire, 127, field winding, 123, wire, 128, terminal, 115, Wire, 114, contact finger, 108, contact, 110, wire, 133, contact, 67, Wiper, 62, of motor controller, 56, contact, 68, wire, 137, primary coil, 138, wire, 139, wire, 136, armature brush, 118, to armature, 117. This current while stopping the motor also energizes for an instant the primary Winding, 138, which winding will by induction energize the secondary winding, 141, momentarily at a high electro-motive force producing current for energizing the indication magnet, 9.

It will be observed that as the wiper, 61, engages the contacts, and 66, (wiper, 7 6, having previously engaged the contacts, 83 and 84) that current from wire, 134 (which is now energized) will flow from wire, 134, wire, 87, contact, 65, wiper, 61, contact, 66, Wire, 89, contact, 84, wiper, 76, contact, 83, wire 92, wire, 140, through secondary coil, 141, and thence by wire, 142, to contact, 34, of the controller, 22, Wiper, 25, contact, 35, Wire, 47, winding, 45, of magnet, 9, Wire, 46, to contact, 33, and thence by Wire, 44, to battery, 40. The electromotive force of this current is only equal to the potential of the battery and is not sufficient, as before stated, to cause the coil, 8, of the magnet, 9, to lift. There is, however, in addition to the current just described the current generated in the secondary coil, 141, being induced therein by the instantaneous energization of the primary coil, 138. This current so generated flows from the coil, 141, over the wires and in the same direction as the current just described to the negative pole of the battery, 40, thence through the said battery to positive terminal wire, 41, fuse, 42, wire, 43, contact, 27, wire, 38, contact, 29, wiper 23, contact, 28, wire, 134, wire, 87, contact, 65, wiper, 61, contact, 66, wire, 89, contact, 84, wiper, 76, contact, 83, wire, 92, wire, 140, to coil, 141. This electromotive force just described in addition to the electromotive force of the battery, 40, is of sufficient strength to powerfully energize the indication magnet, 9, and cause it to lift its core, 8, with the disk head, 7, and force up the dog, 10, out of the recess, 6, (the upper end of said dog, 10, will then project above the top of slide bar, 4,) ahead of the beveled projection on the under side of the lug, 14. The lever, 1, may now be moved farther forward to the position indicated by the dotted line 143 and in so doing will move the slide bar, 4, to a point where the dog, 10, will rest on the bed plate, 5, just ahead of the recess, 6, which is considered the full reverse position. The controller rod, 21, with the wipers, 23, 24 and 25, will have also moved farther downword to such a position that the wiper, 24, will engage contacts, 32 and 33, and the wiper, 25, will have disengaged the contacts, 34 and 35, thus opening the indication circuit at contacts, 34 and 35, and closing the safety circuit at contacts, 32 and 33.

When the lever, 1, is in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, the safety circuit is closed by wiper, 24. As shown by the safety circuit, the neXt operating wire, which is in this case wire, 134, is connected to the negative pole of the battery, 40, so that if a positive cross should occur on the wire, 134, at any point between the controller, 22, and the switch point motor, 49, the current flowing in the crossed wires will return over wire, 134, directly back to the negative pole of battery, 40, instead of operating the motor, 49.

The function of the closed windings, 98 and 99, of the dynamic breaker, 93, is as follows :When the current from the battery, 40, as described is operating the motor, 49, the coil, 96 or 97, is energized to cause the armature, 103, to engage contact, 109 or 110, as the case may be, and when the said current is cut off from the said motor these coils become deenergized, but the magnet flux set up by the disrupting of the circuit through either of these coils will by induction generate suflicient current in either of the said closed coils to retain this magnetism for an appreciable interval or until the current generated in the breaking circuit has ceased to flow in this said breaking current, when the armature, 103, will be released due to the dying out of the induced magnetism. This feature, although old, is applicable to this system, as it prevents arcing due to a temporary short circuit which would otherwise exist at either of the points of conceased to flow in this said breaking current, was supplied to one of the wires, 134, or 135. If it is now desired to again return the Le ver, 1, to its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, all the devices will act and operate in the same sequence as just described for moving the lever, 1, reverse, but in a reverse direction.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a railway switching and indicating system, the combination of a source of electric energy and electric motors for setting the railway switches; control circuits for causing the said motors to set the switches in the manner desired; an inductive device having two windings; an indication circuit ar ranged to include thesaid source of electric an intensity sufficient to actuate the said in- 10 energy in series with one Winding of the dica-tion magnet. said inductive device; and an indication In testimony whereof I have affixed my magnet ?rrenged%to1 operate-at a potential in signature in presence of two Witnesses.

excess 0 that 0 tie said source When the other Winding of the said inductive device is WADE REICHARD' being momentarily connected in circuit With Witnesses:

the said motors for the purpose of increasing FREDERICK W. CAMERON,

the current in the said indication circuit: to LOTTIE PRIOR.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner' of Patents.

Washingtomfl. 0."

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0. 1,133,819, granted March 30, 1915,

upon the application of Wade H. Reichard, of Troy, New York, for an improve ment in Railway Switching and Indicating Circuits, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 5, lines 104. and 105, for the Word breaking read braking; same page, strike out line 112, and insert the syllable and Words tacts, when current; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Ofice.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of May, A. D. 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. "WHITEHEAD,

Acting Gammz'ssz'oner of Patents.

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