US1702552A - Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD A. THOMPSON, 0F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENN SYLVANIA.

nAILwAY- rnurIo-conmoLmNG arrana'rus.

Application filed March 20, 1928. Serial No. 263,118.

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising train-carried governing means controlled by train governing energy received from the track rails. More particularly my present invention relates to the track'way portion of such apparatus.

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

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of trackway apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a dia rammatic View showing a modification o a portion of the ap paratus shown in Fig. 1 and also embodying my invention.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference characters 1 and l designate the track rails of a railway track over which traffic moves at times in both directions. These rails are divided by insulated joints 2 into blocks which are made up of main track sections and reset track sections. In the drawing I have illustrated only one block, which block comprises a main section, AB, a reset section A -A at one end, of the main section, and a second reset section B 'B at the other end of the main section. The first of these reset sections may be termed the westbound reset section, and the second may be termed the eastbound reset section. Each reset section is comparatively short, and may, for example, be 100 feet to 200 feet in length. is a westbound signal S and an eastbound signal S Located adjacent the .point B 1s a westbound signal S and an eastbound signal S". Each signal is provided with a signal relay or line relay which is designated by the reference character H with the same exponent as that applied to the associated signal.

The signals are controlled in accordance with what is known in the railway signaling art as absolute permissive block signaling. That is to say, when an eastbound train leaves the tirstpassing siding to the west of point A it opens relays H and H so that si nals S and S both change to the stop in imtion. When the train passes signal S this signal, of course, assumes the stop indication, and when the'train passes signal S, thelatter signal also assumes the stop indication. :When a westbound train leaves the next passing s ding to the east of point B, it deenergizes relays H and H*, but relay H remains energized until the train passes signal S and relay H remains energized until the train passes signal S". The apparatus for controlling relays H in the manner specified, is omitted from the drawing, because the control of these relays has nothing to do with my present invention.

The reset section A -A is constantly supplied with alternating current from a transformer T the primary 3 of which is connected with a transmission line L which in turn is connected with a generator G. The current thus supplied to reset section A -A 1s converted into unidirectional current by a rectifier R and this unidirectional current is supplied to the rails of the main sect1on A-'B' from which it is taken through a rectifier R and supplied to the rails of section B-B and so to a track relay C for the block between points A and B The cir-' cuit for the secondary of transformer T is from the left-hand terminal of this secondary, through wire 5, rail 1-of reset section.

A A, wire 6, reactance 7, rectifier R wires 8 and 9, rail 1 of the main section A-B, wire 54;, rectifier R wire 10, rail 1 of reset section 13-13 wires 11 and 12, winding of track relay C, wires 13 and 14, rail 1 of reset section B-B wire 15, reactance l6, rectifier R reactance 17, rail 1 of main section AB, wire '18, reactance 19, rectifier R wire 20, rail 1 of section A1'A, wire 21, and reactance 22 to the right-hand terminal of the secondary 4 of transformer T It will be seen, therefore, that the terminals of secondary 4 are connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail of section A -A, whereas the input terminals of rectifier R are connected with the free ends respectively of the two rails of this section. The output terminals of rectifier R are connected with the two rails of section A-B respectively at the west end of this section.

The input terminals of rectifier R are connected with the two rails respectively of section AB adjacent the east end of this sec- 7 tion, whereas the output terminals of rectifier R are connected with one end of one rail and the other. end of the other rail of section B-B. Track relay C is connected with the free ends respectively of the rails of section B-B It follows that alternating current always flows in one rail of reset section A A even when this section is occupied by a train, and that track relay C, which is of the direct current type, receives unidirectional current when there is no-train between signals S and S When, a westbound train is approaching signal S relay H is, of course, de-energized, whereupon alternating train governing current is supplied to the rails of section A-B by a transformer T if relay H is energized. The circuit for the primary 55 of this transformer is from the lower line wire L, through wires 23 and 24, back contact 25 of relay H front contact 26 of relay H wire 27, primary 55, and \fii'es 2 8 and 29 to the upper line wire The left-hand terminal of secondary 56 of transformer T is connected with rail 1 by wires 30 and 18, whereas the right-hand terminal of this secondary is connected with rail 1 through a resistance 31 and wires 32 and 9.

When either relay H or H is de-energized, alternating train governing current is supplied to the rimary 57 of a transformer T When relay $1 is de-energized, the primary circuit for transformer T is from the lower line wire L, through wire 33, back contact 42 of relay H wires 43 and 36, primary 57 and wire 37 to the upper line wire L. When relay H is de-energized, the circuit is the sameexcept that it includes wire 34 and back contact 35 of relay H The left-hand terminal of secondary 58 of transformer T is connected with rail 1" at the left-hand end of section BB, through wires 38 and 11; the righthand terminal of secondary 58 is connected with rail 1 at the right-hand end of section B-B ,'through a resistance 40 and wires 39 and 14.

The reference character T designates a transformer for supplying train governing current to the main section AB while an eastbound train is proceeding through this section. The primary circuit for transformer T is closed when and only when track relay C is de-energized and relay H is energized, the circuit then being from secondary 58 of transformer T through wires 38 and 11, track rail 1", wires 10 and 44, primary of transformer T wire46, back contact 47 of relay C, wire 48, front contact 49 of relay H wire 50, resistance 51, wire 15, rail 1, wires 14; and 39 and resistance 40 to secondary 58 of transformer T The secondary 52 of transformer T is connected across the rails of section A.-B, a resistance 53 being interposed erning current to at least one of the track rails to prevent a stop indication of any suitable kind, such as an automatic application of the brakes. If the supply of such current is discontinued, a stop indication will result unless the engineman takes proper action to acknowledge the chan e in traffic conditions. If he does acknowledge, the train may proceed without incurring a stop indication, but if alternating current is again supplied to the rails occupied by the train and this current is subsequently discontinued, the engineman must again acknowledge to prevent a stop indication. One form of train-carried governing means suitable for co-operationwith the trackway apparatus herein disclosed is shown and described in United States Letters Patent, Reissue No. 16,502, granted on December 7, 1926, to Ronald A. McCann, for railway traiiic controlling apparatus. In apparatus of the type described in that patent, the train-carried governing means is controlled by alternating current in the track rails through the medium of an inductive receiver mounted on the train in advance of the forward axle, so that it is necessary for the alternating train governing current to flow through at least one track rail in advance of the train in order to prevent an automatic application of the brakes.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, is as follows: I will first assume that an eastbound train passes along the track and that trafiic conditions to the east of point B are clear, so that relay H is energized. As the train leaves the first passing siding to the west of signal S, relays H and H both become de-en'ergized. Relay H has no effeet on the parts of the apparatus shown in the drawing, but the opening of relay H causes train governing current to be supplied to transformerT and so to: the rails of resetsection BB As the train enters reset section A A it receives alternating current through rail 1 and so a clear indication is given aboard the train. Alternating current is now shunted away from rectifier R however, so that track relay C opens. Relay H and track relay C both being open, and relay H being energized, train governing current is supplied from transformer '1 to transformer T and so to the rails of section AB, with the result that when the train enters this section it will receive train governing current from both of the track rails and so the proceed indication aboard the train will be continued. When the train enters the reset section 13-48 it will receive train governing current from rail 1 of this section due to the fact that relay H is still open, and so the proceed indication aboard the train will be continued.

Assuming now that a westbound train passes along the track, relays H and H will be opened as soon as such train leaves the first passing siding to'the east of point B. As

suming that traflic conditions to the west of signal S are clear, relay 1-1 will be energized, and since relay H is open, alternating train governing current will be supplied to the primary of transformer T and so to the rails of section AB. Alternating current is also supplied to the primary of transformer T3, because relay His open, and so this current is supplied to the rails of reset section 13-13 The train will therefore receive a proceed indication "throughout the entire block bet-ween signals S and S Reverting now to the movement of an eastbound train, I will assume that as this train approaches signal S relay H is open, so that signal S indicates stop and signal S indicates caution. The eastbound train will then receive a proceed indication until it passes point A, but upon entering section A-B it will receive a stop indication, because the primary circuit for transformer T is now open at front contact 49 of relay H". The engineer must therefore acknowledge the caution indication of signal S in order to' avoid an automatic application of the brakes at point A. Upon entering reset section B-B the train Will receive alternating current from rail 1, due to the fact that the primary circuit for transformer T is closed at both contacts 42 and 35 of relays H and H. Upon passing signal S the supply of alternating current will cease, because of the occupied condition of the track to the east of this signal, with the result that the engineer mustagain acknowledge in order to avoid an automatic application of the brakes. Assuming now that the main section A-B is occupied, and that an eastbound train asses over the track. Upon passing signal 2 the train will receive alternating current from rail 1 of section A A-, but the supply of alternating current will cease as soon as the train enters section AB, with the result that the engineer must acknowledge in order to avoid an automatic application of the brakes.

Assuming now that signal S is at stop and that a westbound train passes signal S the supply of alternating current will be discontinued at point B, because the primary circuit for transformer T is open at contact 26 of relay Consequently, the engineer must acknowledge the caution indication given by signal S in order to avoid a brake application. Upon entering reset section A A, the apparatus on the train will be reset, because of the fact that the train re ceives alternating current from rail 1, but the supply of alternating current will cease upon passing signal S and so the engineer must acknowledge the stop indication of this signal in order to avoid a brake application.

It will be observed that alternating current is fed to the reset section A A and 1s then converted into unidirectional current to any reason, so that thisse'ction would be ineffective to reset the locomotive equipment,

the defect will cause the track relay C to become de-energized, with the result' that signal "S willassume the stop indication and the nextwestbound signal in the rear will, of course, indicate caution. Similarly, should anything occur to prevent the supply of alter nating current from transformer T to the rails ,of reset section BB the supply of train governing current to transformer T would, ncessarily, cease, with the result that an eastbound train entering section AB would receive a stop indication.

Reactance 22 is interposed between transformer T and the track rail 1 to limit the amount of alternating current flowing from the secondary of this transformer when a train stands in section A A. Reaetance 7 is used to limit the amount of alternating current supplied through rectifier R to the remaining portion of the track circuit, so that when the track circuit is not occupied transformer T will furnish only the amount of current necessary to operate track relay C. Reactance 19 is inserted in the output circuit of rectifier R to smooth out the rectified currentsupp'lied to the rails of section A-B and to prevent the secondary 56 of transformer T from being short circuited by rectifier R Resistance 31 is included in the secondary circuit for transformer T for the usual purpose of limiting the amount of current supplied by this transformer to the track rails when a train occupies section AB. The purpose of resistance 53 is the same as that of resistance 31. The purpose of reactance 17 is the same as that of reactance 19, and the purpose of reactance 16 is the same as that of reactance 7. The purpose of resistance 51 is to limit the amount of current supplied to'the primary of transformer T when a train occupies section I\B, and also to prevent shunting rails 1 and 1 of section B-B at times. Suppose an eastbound train enters section AB with signal H at clear and then backs out of the section or leaves by a siding switch. Relay C would not be energized due to shunt 15--5t)-48-4G-44-10. Resistance 40 is used to limit the output current of trans former T" when a train occupies section Referring now to Fig. 2, I have herein llr lustrated a modification of the apparatus shown at location A in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the output circuit for rectifier R passes through the secondary 56 of transformer T so that one output terminal of the rectifier is connected with rail 1* through wire 59, and the other output terminal is connected with rail 1 through secondary 56 and wire 60. Rectifier R transforms the alternating current into unidirectional current as before, but this rectifier also functions as a single wave rectifier for the train governing current supplied by transformer T It follows that the train governing current supplied to section AB from this transformer will be half waves only, so that the amplitude of this current must be increased to compensate for the fact that one-half of each wave is eliminated. The advantage of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, is that a failure of the secondary circuit of transformer T will result in failure to energize track relay C, with the result that signaLS will indicate stop, and the westbound signal next in the rear will indicate caution.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may bemade 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 z,

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a main section and a relatively short reset section at each end of the main section, a source of alternating current having its terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail respectively of the first reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of the rails of said first reset section, the output terminals of said rectifier being connected with the rails of said main section, a second rectifier terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail of the second reset section, and a direct current track relay having its terminals connected with the free ends respectively of the rails of said second reset section and operated by the rectified current supplied from said alternating current source.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a main section and a relatively short reset section at each end of the main section, a source of alternating current having its terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail respectively of the first reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of the rails of said first reset section, the output terminals of said rectifier being connected with the rails of said main section, a second rectifier having its input terminals connected with the rails of said main section and its output terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail of the second reset section, and a direct current track relay having its terminals connected having its terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail respectively of the first reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of the rails of said first reset section, the output terminals of said rectifier being connected with the rails of said main section, a second rectifier ha ing its input terminals connected with the ails of said main section and its output terminals connected with one end'of one rail and the other end of the other rail of the second reset section, and a direct current trac'k relay having its terminals connected with the free ends respectively of the rails of said second reset section and operated by the rectified current supplied from said alternating current source, and means operating when a train occupies or is approaching said second reset section to connect the terminals of a second source of alternating current with the said free ends respectively of said second reset section.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a main section and a relatively short reset section at each end of the main section, a source of. alternating current having its terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail respectively of the first reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of the rails of said first reset section, the output terminals of said rectifier being connected with the rails of said main section, a second rectifier having its input terminals connected with the rails of said main section and its output terminals connected with one endof one rail and the other end of the other rail of the second reset section, and a direct current track relay having its terminals connected with the free ends respectively of the rails ofsaid second reset section and operated by the rectified current supplied from said alternating current source, means operating when a train occupies or is approaching said second reset section to connect the terminals of a second source of alternating current with the said free ends respectively of said second reset section, means operating when said track relay is open and traffic conditions beyond said secnd reset sections are safe to supply alternating current from the first mentioned ends of said second reset section to the rails-of said main section, and means controlled by traffic conditions beyond said first reset section for supplying alternating train governing current to the rails of said main section when the main section is occupied. I

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a main section and a relatively short reset section, a source of alternating current having its terminals connected with one end of one rail and the other end of the other rail respectively of said reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of I the rails of said reset section and having its output terminals connected with the rails of said main section, and a direct current track relay receiving. current from the rails'of said main section and responsive to the unidirectional current furnished from said'source by said rectifier.

-6. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a mainsection and arelatively short reset section, a source of alternating current haying its terminals connectof the other .rail respectively of said reset section, a rectifier having its input terminals connected respectively with the free ends of the rails of said reset section and having its output terminals connected with the rails of said main section, a direct current track relay receiving current from the rails of said main section and responsive to the unidirectional current furnished from said source by said rectifier, and means controlled by trafiic conditions for supplying alternating train governing current to the rails of said main section.

7. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a main section and a relatively short reset section, 'a source of alternating current connected With the rails of said reset section, arectifier having its input terminals connected with the rails of said reset section and its output terminalsconnected with the rails of said main section, and a direct current track relay receiving current from the rails of said main section and re.- sponsive to the unidirectional current furnished from said source by said rectifier.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' HOWARD A. THOMPSON.

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