US1713493A - Operating means for circuit controllers - Google Patents

Description

y 14, 1929- I w. c. LOCKE 1,713,493

I OPERATING MEANS FOR CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS Filed March 16, 1925 Pic-1.1.

Patented May 14, 1929.

WILLIAM C. LOCKE, OF ROCHESTER, 'NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO 7 SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

PATENT OFFICE.

GENERAL RAILWAY OPERATING MEANS FOR CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS.

Application file d March 16, 1925. Serial x... 15,839.

This invention relates to circuit controllers, and more particularly to a latching means for the operating crank or handle ofa circuit controller for railway signals, switches, and intel-locking circuits.

At some locations on railway systems, it is found desirable to operate certain switches and signals from a remote point, such as a despatchers ofiice, passenger station, tower or the like. In such installations, where the switches, signals or other devices are electrically operated,fa small circuit controller,

commonly called a desk type of circuit con-' troller, is used, a complete description of this type otf circuit controller being given in the application of Richard C. Leake, Serial No. 602,042, filed November 20, 1922. In the operation of a circuit controller 01" this type, a small operating crank or handle is used to rotate a drum or other suitable contact arrangement, and it is essential that this crank be swung to and held. in a definite position until the operation of the switch, signal or other appliance has been completed.

\Vith the above and other considerations in mind, it is proposed in accordance with the presentinvention to provide anoperating handle for use in connection with a desk type circuit controller which incorporates a double latching mechanism designed to insure that the handle will'bestopped and latched ina definite position when swung by the operator. More specifically, it is proposed to provide an operating crank or handle having a movable knob which must be held in opposite positions for eachsuccessive step in the operation of the controller, and whichincludes mechanism 'for bringing the handle to a stop at a definite position. V r

Other objects, characteristics and advantageous features of the present invention will become apparent as the description thereof progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made tothe accompanying drawings in which I I i r Fig. 1 is a sectional side View of the operating handle, together with certain partsof a deskltype circuit controller with which it is to be used Figure 2 is a view of the operating handle taken along the line 22 of Fig. I, viewed in the direction of the arrows; and

"Fig. 3' is a front view of the operating handle.

the form of a bell crank lever 16.

Referring to Fig.1, a portion of a desk type circuitcontroller hasbeen shown, and

asthe construction of the controller,,apart beveled gear segment 7 is pinned to the innerend of the shaft 5, and meshes with a compound gear 8 comprising a beveled gearsector 9 on one side thereof and a spur gear sector 10 on the other side. The spu'r g ear sector 10 engages a second spur gear sector 11, pinned to the shaft 12 of a contact drum 13. The drum 13 carries suitable insulated contacts, and several stationaryinsulated contact fingers 14' are arranged to bear thereon,

. closing circuits at certain positions of the drum 13. 'The gear mech'anism described forms an operating connectionbetween the, shaft 5 and the circuit controlling drunr13, so that various definite positions of the shaft 5 correspond to the positions of the drum 13 at which various circuits are closed or opened.

As thecircuit controller shown is ordinarily used in connectionwith several other similar controllers. and as the operation of these controllers and the switches, signals or other devices whose operation they govern is usually interlocked, a simplified form of 'interlocking mechanisin' has been shown. A magnet '15 is secured to the support 6, and is provided with a pivotally supported armature in A locking dog17 is carriedin the guide 18 on the front wall 2 of the'casing, and is connected to the end of the lever 16. Directly beneath the locking dog 17 is a locking sector 19, inned to the shaft 5 as shown, and provide with notches or depressionsin the peripheral edge thereof, which are adapted to be engaged by the locking dog 17 when the magnet 15 is deenergized, thus limiting the movement of the operating shaft 5. It is to be understood that the energization of the magnet 15' is con-Y tion or the dynamic indication of certain signals orswitch machines, so that the operating shaft 5 may be moved only under certain conditions of the controlled apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the operating crank or handle which comprises the present invention, a crank arm 1s pinned to the portion of the shaft 5 which inner face, and has two studs or extensions 21 and 22 on its outer face. An operating knob 23 having a flanged portion 24 is pinned to a rod 25 which passes through a slot 26 inthe face of the crank arm 20. A reduced portion of the rod 25 passes througha hole in the latch guide 27 and is riveted to the stop member 28. The latch guide 27 coinprises a movably mounted .channel-like'nie'nn beriof substantially U-shaped cross section, and carries the heads 29 and 30 of two latch members L and L which are provided with inwardly extending latching pins 31 and 32 as shown. The heads 29 and 30 of the latch members L and L have vertically drilled holes therein through which a rod 33 is passed, the head 29 being securely pinned to the rod 33, and the head 30 being slidably mounted thereon. A spring 34 is suitably fixed, as by a washer and pin, at the lower end of the rod 33, and is compressed to exert an upward pressure upon the head 30 of the lower latching member L A cover plate 35,

' provided with a slot 36 forthe accommodation of the latching pins 31 and 32, is secured over the inner face of the crank arm 20, being fastened by the screws 37 An arcuate latching strip 38 is secured to the front wall 2 of the casing by means of the screws 39, passing into the raised por-l tions 40/ This strip 38 is provided with several notches 41 and 42 on its upper and lower edges respectively, these notches being of a suitable shape and size to retain the latching pins 31 and 32 snugly therein. The upper and lower notches in he strip38 are successively arranged on opposite edges thereof as shown in Fig. 2.

In operating the crank or handle from the position shown in Fig. 2, the operator first places his thumb on the knob 23 and his first finger beneath the stud or extension 21 and presses the knob 23- downward. The stop member'28 bears against the head 30 of the lower latching member L sliding this member downward on the rod 33, moving the inwardly extending latching pin32 out of the depression 42 in the strip 38 and compressing the spring 34:. The crank is now moved to the right or left until one of the upper notches all on the strip 38 is encountered, whereupon the upper latching pin 31 is quickly forced into this notch by the action of thespring 34 which is attached .the upper latch pin 31 out of the upper notch 41, whereupon the crank may again be moved in either direction. When theknob 23 is lifted, the spring as is compressed against the lower latching memberL through the rod 33, and the lower latching pin 32 is forced into the notch a2 when the crank is moved to its proper position.

Aftera careful consideration of the description given, it is seen that when the crank is moved from one'position toanother, the mechanism is stopped and held in a definite position by the latching means. This is very desirable where the control circuits for railway signals orswitch machines are governed by the circuit controller. If an ordinary type of crank or lever were used, and no definite stop or latch were provided, the crank might easily be swung a little past its proper operating point, thus causing a false indication of a signal, allowing the points of a track switch to remain in their mid-position, or otherwise improperly controlling certain signaling or switching devices. ln certain cases, if the crank is moved too far, the locking dog 17on the interlocking mechanism may engage a notch on the locking sector 19 and thus prevent the return of the shaft 5, together with the contact druln 13, to the desired position.v

The latching means of the present invention is constructed to provide a convenient form of operating handle which will be instinctively used in such a manner as to insure that the crank will be stopped and latched at thepositions at which circuits are closed by the drum contacts. The crank may be most easily operated by pressing theknob 23 and one of the extensions 21 or 22 together with the thumb and finger, the'kuob and the extensions being shaped to adapt them for such operation. When thus operated, it is impossible for the crank to be swung past the contact operating point without being stopped and held, it being necessary for the operator to change the position of'his hand before the crank may. be advanced beyond :such operating point. The crank may thus be swung quickly from one position to another without danger of over-running the operating point.

As the presentinvention has been disclosed by means of a rather specific form of apparatus, and in connectionwith a specific type of circuit controller, it should be clearly understood that the invention is not limited in its .scope to the exact details of construction shownand that certain changes and modifications may be made without departsaid plate and controllable to be separated by the joint action of said plate and said knob for locking said crank in definite positions for either direction of movement of said crank, said means being releasable if said knob is moved to difierent positions for each successive movement of said crank.

2. In a latching means for railway signalling and switching circuit controller's, an arcuate strip having notches on the opposite edges thereof and mounted on a stationary housing, a crank mounted to move in close proximity to said strip, pins on said crank for engaging said notches and .a movable knob for selectively removing said pins from said notches. V

3. In a controller for railway'signalling circuits, a. casing, a shaft journaled in said casing, circu t controlling means connected to said shaft Within said casing, an operating crank secured to sald shaft outside of said casing, an'arcuate strip secured to said casing adjacent said crankhaving notches in opposite edges thereof, and two movable pins carried by said crank for engagement with said notches.

4. In a railway signalling circuit controller, a housinghaving a shaft journaled therein, an operating crank secured to said shaft, an arcuate strip having alternate spaced notches in its upper and lower edges and secured to said housing, two latching pins slidably carried by said crank and mounted to engage said notches and the edges of saidstrip, and means carried by said crank for moving one of said latching pins away from the edge of said strip while biasing the other of said latching pins toward said strip.

5. In a railway signalling circuit controller, a housing having a shaft journaled therein, a circuit controller connected to said shaft by gear means, an operating crank secured to said shaft, an arcuate strip secured to said housing adjacent to said crank and provided with circumferentially spaced notches alternately arranged on the op its edges thereof, two latching pins s i ably mounted in said crank for engagement with said notches on said strip, means for biasing said pins toward each other, and a movable knob slidably mounted in a second slot in said crank for selectively moving either one of said pins out of one of said notches.

6. In a controller for railway signalling and switching circuits, a contact controlling 1 means in a casing, an operating shaft journaled in said casing and geared to said means, a crank secured to said shaft, an arcuate strip secured to said vcasing adjacent to said crank, spaced notches alternately arranged on opposite sides of said strip, two spaced pins carried by a rod in said crank and engaging opposite sides of said strip, one of said pins being fixed to said rod and the other of said pins being biased toward said fixed pin by a spring, means including a slidably mounted knob on said crank for moving said pins separately, and fixed extensions on said crank on either side of said knob and substantially in line with the path of motion thereof.

7. In a controller for railway signalling circuits, an operating crank, 'a circuit controlling element connected to said operating crank, a movable knob for said crank, a lockingplate for said crank, and separable means, spring blased against separation, carried by said crank to said plate and controllable jointly b said knob and locking plate to be 7 separate by movement of said knob for looking said crank in definite positions for either direction of movement of the crank, said means being releasable if said knob be moved to a different position for each successive movement of said crank.

8. In a controller for railway signalling circuits, anoperating crank, a circuit controlling element connected to said operating crank, a movable knob for said crank a lock element, and separable means carried by said crank and embracing the lock. element and controllable jointly by said knob and lockin element to be separated by movement of sai knob for locking said crank to said lock element in definite positions for either dirw tion of movement ofrthe crank, said means being releasable if said knob be moved to different positions for each successive'movement of'said-crank.

In testimony WILLIAM C. LOCKE.

whereof I afiixmy signature.

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