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US916220A - Railway switching apparatus. - Google Patents

Railway switching apparatus. Download PDF

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Publication number
US916220A
US916220A US20364504A US1904203645A US916220A US 916220 A US916220 A US 916220A US 20364504 A US20364504 A US 20364504A US 1904203645 A US1904203645 A US 1904203645A US 916220 A US916220 A US 916220A
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Prior art keywords
wire
current
magnet
coil
brush
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US20364504A
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John D Taylor
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Hitachi Rail STS USA Inc
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Union Switch and Signal Inc
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Priority to US20364504A priority Critical patent/US916220A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L5/00—Local operating mechanisms for points or track-mounted scotch-blocks; Visible or audible signals; Local operating mechanisms for visible or audible signals
    • B61L5/06—Electric devices for operating points or scotch-blocks, e.g. using electromotive driving means
    • B61L5/062—Wiring diagrams

Definitions

  • My invention relates to that class of appa ratus in which an electric motor is employed for operating the switch and lock movement.
  • the so ply of current to the electric motor in this 0 ass of apparatus is generally controlled from what is termed an interlocking machine which is located in a cabin or tower.
  • an interlocking machine which is located in a cabin or tower.
  • levers some or all of which control the supply of current to the electric motors comprised in the switching apparatus.
  • Such levers are generally providec. with mechanism, known in the art as indicating mechanism, which mechanism is actuated to release its lever upon a complete operation of the apparatus controlled thereby to move and lock the switch rails, thus permitting the lever to be moved to its final position and release or look, through what is known as mechanical interlocking, other levers which may control other apparatus for operating signals or other switch rails.
  • An object of my invention is to provide a strong and reliable current for actuating an electro-magnet or other analogous form of motor comprised in the indication mechanism under all conditions.
  • Another and especial object is to so construct and arrange the indication mechanism that it cannot be affected by currents from the rime source of energy no matter what cont ition of crossed or grounded wires may exist.
  • Still another object of my invention is to provide means for preventing false movements of switches by stray currents due to crossed wires, and to accomplish this without interfering with the proper operation of other switches of the system not involved with the crossed wires.
  • I preferably attain the first mentioned object by so constructing the operating motor of the switching apparatus that it may be driven by current from the prime source of energy at the same time that it is generating current for the indication mechanism the second object preferably by so arranging the circuits that a terminal of the motor, while generating the current for the indication mechanism is raised to a higher potential than the highest point of the prime source of energy, also by constructing the electromagnet of the indication mechanism and arranging its circuits so that it is in connection with the high potential point of the source of energy throughout the operation of the switching apparatus and throughout the generation of the current for the indication mechanism, and so that it is not susceptible to current flowing from the high potential point of prime source of energy but is sus ceptible to current flowing toward it from a point of still higher potential.
  • I preferably attain the last mentioned object by arranging and constructing the controlling apparatus at the switch. so that current is required to flow through both operating wires for effecting either movement, normal or reverse. Through one wire the current is limited by resistance which may be the coils of the electro-magnet of the indication mechanism, while through the other the full operating current flows.
  • My invention is equally applicable to a signal operated by an electric motor and a lever for controlling the operation of the motor, which lever is provided with an indicating mechanism comprising an electromagnet or other analogous form of motor.
  • Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a portion of an interlocking machine showing a control for the supply of current to a motor comprised in a switching apparatus, and an indicating mechanism embodying my invention.
  • the vertical section is taken in three different planes indicated by the lines 1, 2, and 3, 9.
  • Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of a controlling lever.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a circuit controller embodied in the interlocking machine.
  • Figs. 5, 6, and 7, are each detail views partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing different positions of; the control means for the supply of current to the motor.
  • Fig. 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the control means shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7.
  • FIG. 9 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of an interlocking machine.
  • Fig. 10 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a clutch device embodied in the switching apparatus.
  • Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively a top plan view and a vertica and longitudinal sectional view of a circuit controller which is provided adjacent the switching apparatus.
  • Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic-a1 view of an armature of an electric motor embodied in my invention.
  • Fig. 14 is a detail view in side elevation of a part of the clutch shown in Fig. 10.
  • FIG. 15 is a diagrammatical view of a railway, a cross-over and switch rails, switch apparatus for moving the switch rails, control levers and their related parts and an arrangement of circuits between the control levers and motors of switching apparatus.
  • Fig. 16 is a top plan view of a switching apparatus and a circuit controller.
  • Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a relay embodied in my invention.
  • 18 is a top plan view of another switching apparatus.
  • Figs. 19 and 20 are views of an electric clutch embodied in the apparatus shown in Fig. 18.
  • 21 is a detail view showing an arrangement of circuits to include the electric clutch.
  • Fig. 22 is a front elevation of a modified form of indicating mechanism embodying my invention.
  • Fig. 23 is a side elevation thereof.
  • Figs. 24, 25 and 26 are views similar to Fig. 15, but showing different conditions of the circuits and positions of the apparatus.
  • I will first describe a switch and lock movement for operating a switch rail or rails; second, a form of motor which may be employed for operating the switch and lock movement; third, a circular-controller for the supply of current to the motor fourth, an indicating mechanism, and fifth, an arrangement of circuits which may advantageously be employed.
  • Figs. 16, 10 and 14, 200 designates one of the two opposite lines of track rails of a railroad and 201 one of a pair of switch rails or points, or it may be a derail.
  • Adjacent the switch rail 2-01 is an apparatus for moving the switch rail from one position to a second position and from the second position to the first position. fine position is generally termed normal and the other reverse.
  • the railway switching apparatus as here shown, comprises an electric motor 120, the armature of which rotates in opposite or reverse directions, a switch and lock movement and a clutch mechanism between the armature of the motor and the switch and lock movement.
  • the switch and lock movement and the clutch mechanism of the apparatus are preferably in closed in a two part casing 202, one of which parts may be mounted on a base 203, which is secured to the ties and the other of which parts may be employed as a cover.
  • the switch and loci: movement as here shown comprises an alligator j aw 121 and a motion car 112 which also acts to look a rod 123 connected with the switch rail in each of the two positions of the switch rails.
  • the alligator j aw is connected by a link with a rod 122 which rod is connected with a bridle rod connecting the two switch rails. In case there is only one switch rail (a derail) the rod 122 may be connected directly to it.
  • the alligator jaw is rocked on its pivot by a roller carried by the motion 112.
  • the motion bar is reciprocated longitudinally in this form of the invention through the clutch mechanism.
  • he armature of the motor is connected by a universal coupling 120'" with a shaft 120 suitably journaled in the lower half of the casing 202.
  • the shaft 12G is provided with a longitudinal opening which receives a pin or feather provided on a pinion 119.
  • the pinion 119 is provided with annular flanges between which extends the peripheral portion of a spur gear 101.
  • the pinion 119 also meshes with the spur gear 101 and upon a lateral movement of the spurgear 101 the pinion is made to travel with it.
  • the spur gear 101 is co iprised in the clutch mechanism which will now be described.
  • FIG. 10 designates a shaft, one end portion thereof being provided with a left hand screw 97, and its, other end portion with a right hand screw 98.
  • a third screw thread 116 is provided at about the middle ofthe shaft B .
  • portions I), 6 each of which is provided with a screw thread to receive locking nuts 117, 118.
  • disks 99, 100 Keyed on the portions 1), b, are disks 99, 100, each of which is provided with an inclined or cone-shaped flange.
  • the locking nuts 117, 118, are held on the screw threads of the portions 1), 6 by means of screws 6 b shaft B works in and out of a nut 108, which is firmly fixed in the casin 202 and into and The screw thread 98 of the the casing 202, which cap is intended to protect the screw thread 98 when it projects beyond the casing 202.
  • the screw thread 97 of the shaft 13 works in a nut 107 whicl is suitably secured in the motion bar 112.
  • the 102 designates a sheave which works on the screw thread 116.
  • the sheave 102 is provided with a circumferential groove to receive an internal flange 101 provided on the spur gear 101.
  • the spur gear 101 is also provided with flanges 101 and 101, the interior surfaces of which are beveled or cone-shaped. These flanges 101 and 101 are adapted to alternately co-act with the cone-shaped flanges of the disks 99 and 100.
  • 103 and 104i designate arms which are loosely mounted on the portion I), b of the shaft B. These arms are formed to project through segmentally shaped openings 105, 106, which openings are provided in the disks 99 and 100. The shape of these openings is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.4.
  • this form of clutch mechanism is as follows: Upon the rotation of the spur gear 101 by the pinion 1 19, the sheave 102 is made to rotate with it. This is due to the fact that the surface of contact between the spur gear 101 and the sheave 102 is at a greater radial distance from the center of rotation than the bearing between the sheave 102' and the shaft B. The rotation of the sheave 102 causes it to travel to the right or left on the thread 116 according to the direction of rotation of the spur gear 10] Assunn ing now that the rotation of the sheave 102 is such as to cause it to travel. to the left of Fig. 10, it carries with it the spur gear 101 and causes its flange 101 to engage with the flange of the disk 99.
  • the spur gear 101 continues to rotate, it slipping in the circumferential groove of the sheave 102, and this continued rotation tends to move the shaft B and the disk 99 in a longitudinal direction toward the left.
  • the pitch of the screw 116 is such that the shaft B and the disk 99 will travel longitudinally to the left at a speed faster than the longitudinal travel of the spur gear 101, and it will thus be seen that the flange 1.01. of the spur gear v101 will become disengaged from the flange of the disk 99 to prevent any further longitudinal movement of the shaft B.
  • the disengagement of the spur gear from the disk 99 does not take place until after a complete movement of the switch rails and until after they have been locked in the position to which they have been moved.
  • the disengagement of the spur gear 101 from the disk 1.00 is accomplished in the same manner as described in connection with the spur gear 101 and the disk 99 through the engagement of the arm 104 with the lug 11.0 and the engagement of the lug 115 carried by the sheave 102 with the arm 104.
  • the armature of the switch operating motor is of special construction. This is illustrated in Fig. 13.
  • the armature has two sets of coils, two commutators and two sets of crushes.
  • the operating current passes through the two windings in series and the action is the same as though there were but a single winding of the same number of turns as contained in hoth windings, that is, the current enters at say the brush 92, passes through the winding 12 1, leaves at the brush 93, passes through the wire 95 to the brush 94, passes through the winding 125 and leaves at the brush 96.
  • the brush 96 is connected by a wire (a common return) to one pole, herein termed the low potential pole, of a battery or other source of current supply located in the tower or cabin, and two other wires (operating wires) lead from the tower or cabin and are throughout the entire movement of the switch rail or rails, except near the end of the movement of the switch rail or rails, hoth electrically connected to the brush 92.
  • One of the two operating wires is connected in the tower or cabin, when a movement of the switch rail or rails is to he made, through a low resistance winding of an electro-magnet of the indication mechanism, hereinafter referred to as the direction coil, to the other pole, herein termed the high potential pole, of the battery or other source of current supply, and the operating other wire is connected to the same pole of the battery through high resistance windings of electro-magnets in the indicating mechanism to be hereinafter referred to as neutralizing and indication coils.
  • the motor is dr ven by current from the battery flowing through the single winding 125, while the winding 124, itself a source of electro-motive force, is inserted between the two wires above mentioned including the coils of the indication mechanism, consequently a current flows from the brush 92 through the wire connected to it, through the windings of the electro-magnets of the indicating mechanism and through the other operating wire to brush 94, thence through wire 95, brush 93 and winding 124 to brush 92.
  • a motorwhen running, driven by an electro-motive force will develop a oounter-electro-motive force almost equal to the driving electro-motive force.
  • one source is the battery acting on a circuit including the winding 125 and the direction coil of the indication apparatus; the other source is the winding 12 1, producing current in a circuit including all the coils of the indication apparatus.
  • the direction coil and one of the two above mentioned wires is common to both circuits.
  • the current from the winding 1:21 lows through the indication and neutralizing coils in a direction opposite to that in which it would be possible for a battery current to flow.
  • he wire (common return) joining the brush 96 to the low potential pole of the battery may be common to any number of motors. It is plain that the battery may be reversed without affecting the result. It is also a matter of indifference as to which of the brushes 92 or 96 is joined to the common wire.
  • the reversal of rotation of the armature is effected by having two windings on the field magnet of the motor. One of the two wires above mentioned is connected to a brush of the armature through one of the field windings while the other wire is connected to a brush of the armature through the other field winding.
  • the polarity of the field magnet is of one or the opposite sign as the main operating current flows through one or the other field winding. It will be seen, therefore, that the motor employed is in the form of a dynamotor.
  • a circuit controller which may be employed to shift the operating current from the brush 92 to the brush 91 is shown in Figs. 11 and 12.
  • the circuit controller comprises brushes 81 and 82, which are carried by a block 89 attached to a movable part of the apparatus, for example the bar 112, but are insulated therefrom and from one another.
  • the brush 81 carries two contacts and 88.
  • the contact 88 throughout the entire movement of the switch presses on a metallic strip 90
  • the contact 80 throughout the whole movement except a small part near say the normal position of the switch and lock movement presses on a strip 79. Near the end of the normal movement it passes from the strip '79 to the short strip 78. Shortly after beginning the reverse movement it passes back to the long strip 79.
  • the said wire is shifted from brush 92 to brush 94, the said normal operating wire being connected to the strip 90, the brush 92 to the strip 79 and the brush to the strip 78.
  • the space between the strips 78 and 79 need be wide enough only to prevent actual short circuitof the winding 12 1. An are can not be drawn across because when brush 81 is leaving the strip 79 the potential of the brush is higher than the strip 79 but immediately it makes contact with 78 the potential of 79 is raised above that of the brushSi. The are will therefore be immediately destroyed.
  • the block 77 is used only to prevent the contact 8O dropping too deep and catching on the end of the strip to which it is passing.
  • the brush 82 is exactly like 81 and presses on similar contact strips, the short strip 85, corresponding to 78 being at the reverse end.
  • the contact strips are supported on slabs of insulating material 76 and 87.
  • the contact strips and brushes are diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 15. I
  • Fig. 1 is aview of an interlocking machine showing a front elevation of two of the controlling levers and sections at various planes to show the working parts
  • .1 designates a lever projecting upwardly, the full lines showing its normal posi tion and the dotted lines its'reversed position.
  • 2 designates a lever projecting downwardly, its reverse position being shown in "At 3and 4 are shown the drivers which move the locking bars.
  • At 5 is shown a bearing of the operating shaft.
  • At 6 is shown the circuit controller for making and breaking the circuits of the switch or signal operating motor at the machine.
  • the circuit controller is shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8.
  • a circuit controller for cont-rolling the circuits of the electro-magnet of the indicating mechanism This circuit controller is shown more in detail in the perspective view of Fig. 4.
  • another bearing for the operating shaft At 8 is shown another bearing for the operating shaft.
  • the indicating mechanism in normal position and at 10 the same just before the normal indication is received. The corresponding reversed positions are similar but opposite to these.
  • Fig. 9 is a transverse s .ction oi the interlocking machine showing the distribution of the Working parts along the operating shaft 11. As all the lovers in a machine are equipped alike the various sections shown in Fig.
  • 1 may be considered as sections on different levers or of the same lever at difierent planes.
  • he circuit controller shown at 6 and the indication mechanism are arranged on the shafts 11 in a manner commonly known as staggered, as shown in Fig. 9, to economize space between levers.
  • the operating lever has an angular movement only and for convenience of description movement from either extreme position until it is stopped by the indication mechanism is 40 degrees. It can, therefore, play through an arc of 20 degrees between indication points. This play of 20 e rees permits shifting the circuit controllers from one side to the other and thus of changing the direction of movement of the switch at will.
  • the lever is locked in either of its extreme positions against accidental movement by a latch 71, shown in detail in igs. 2 and 3. WlliChlS caused to drop into a notch 69 or in the segment 68 by a spring 75.
  • the latch can be Withdrawn from the notch by turning a handle 74 either to right or left, the said handle being connected With a cam 72 by a bolt 7 3.
  • the indication mechanism as here shown (see Fig. 1) comprises an arc clamped to the shaft 11 and passing through a slot in a guide 59 bolted to the frame of the machine, a slotted lock 57 which is held in a slot in the guide 59 at right angles to the first mentioned slot, and electro-magnetic means comprising electro-magnets 62 and 64, a common armature 6] and a rod 58 connecting the said lock 57 with the armature 61.
  • the arc 53 passes through the slot in the lock 57 and has a re cess formed in its upper side forming shoulders and 56, which are engaged by the upper arm of the lock 57.
  • the armature 61 rests on the poles of the magnet (is.
  • the magnet 64 has two windings, one a few turns of large wire through which the operating current flows and the other a large number of turns of small wire.
  • the magnet 62 has one coil of large number of turns. The indication current flows through this coil and the fine wire coil of the magnet 64 in series. For convenience I will style the coil of the magnet 62 the indication coil, the line wire coil of the magnet 64 the neutralizing coil and the heavy wire coil of the magnet 64 the direction coil.
  • the operation 01' the indicating mechaln ism hereinbefore described is as follows: When a lever is moved, the are 53 moves with it to bring the recess therein beneath the lock 57. In moving to this position the projection forces the loci; downward into the recess and between the shoulders 55 and 56. ⁇ "i'hen the lock 57 is between the shoulders 55 and 56, the lever is prevented, by the lock engaging with either of the shoulders, from being moved to either of its iinal positions, and when the lock is removed from between z the shoulders, the lever is free to be moved to either 0.1 its final positions.
  • the lock therefore, is rendered eil'ective by the movement of the lever, and in this form 01' the invention, it is rendered ineilective to prevent complete movement of the lever upon the energization of the magnet or indication coil 62.
  • the operating circuit that is, the circuit in v-Jhich current 'lltY-EIS to energize the snitch operating motor, includes the direction coil of magnet 6* This is true whether the track sv. itch is being moved from its normal to its reverse, or from its reverse to its normal position so that the operating current always flows through the direction coil.
  • the indication coil on magnet 62 and the neutralizing coil on the magnet (34 are joined in series ith each other and are located in a shunt to part of the operating current.
  • the indication current is generated, and this current flows through the fine wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet or indication coil 2 in the opposite direc tion, and after a time, the indication current passing through the fine wire winding of the magnet 64, will neut l iize the ma netic eifect produced by the current from the bat-- tery 143 flowin through the large wire winding of the magnet 64, so that the magnet or indication coil will attract the armature 61 and thus render the lock inetlective by lifting the lock 57 from between the shoulders 55 and 56.
  • the arrangement of these coils as will hereinaft r a mean is such that the operating current will low through the large wire winding 01' the magnet 64 in one direction through one path, and that current will flow through the winding of the ma net 62 and the fine wire winning oi' the in iet 64 in series, in the same direction as the operating current through the coarse wire winding of the magnet 64 and through another path.
  • the indication current which is generated alter the switch rails have be moved and. locked flows through the fine wire Winding of the magnet 64 and the wii ing or the magnet in series but in a den tion opposite to the flow of the current during the movement of the switch rails by the switchin apparatus.
  • the indication current is designed to neutralize, by flowing through the line wire winding of the magnet 64, the magnetic effect produced by the operating current flowing through the large wire winding 01' the same magnet.
  • This neutralization takes place the magnetic effect produced by the current in the winding of the magnet 62 will attract the armature 61 and thus remove the lock 57 from between the shoulder 55 and 56.
  • the function of the two windings of the magnet is to insure the flow oi' the indicating current through the line Wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet 62 in the proper direction to render the lock ineiiectivc, and these windings respond to release the lever by current flowing through them in one direction only.
  • the function of the two windings of the magnet is to insure the flow or" the indicating current through the line wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet 62 in the proper direction to render the lock ineilective, and these windin s respond to release the lever by current'ilowing through them in one direction only.
  • the first 20 de grees of movement 01' the lever effects the locking oi other levers whose movement would con ict with the new position oi the said lever, the iinal 20 degree movement which can only be made after the are 53 is released from the lock 57 releases other levers whose movement is c mpatible with the new position of the said lever while the mid dle 20 degrees of movement does not affect the locking.
  • Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 I have illustrated a form of circuit controller which may advantageously be employed, the functions of which are to connect either the normal or reverse operating wire with the source of current supply as may be required to eilect the proper movement of the switch, and to disconnect the said wire from the battery after indication has been received.
  • the term source of current supply is herein employed in its broadest sense, and is illustrated in the drawings as a battery, which term will be hereinafter used except in the claims.
  • T he said circuit controller comprises a swing ing contact carrier 23 pivoted at 25, as shown, to the frame of the machine and carrying a contact strip 2d; and two pairs of brushes 28 and 32 and 29 and 31. .he brush 32 does not show in any of the views except Fig. 15.
  • Figs. 15 In Figs.
  • the mechanism for efiiecting the movements of the controller may comprise a driver 12 carrying a pin 14 for engaging a tongue 15 or 16, the said driver 12 being clamped to the shal't 11, while the tongues 15 and 16 are pivoted to the carrier 23 at 26 and 27 respectively, and links 19 and 20 pivoted to the driver 12 at 33 and 34 respectively.
  • FIG. 5 shows the relative position of the parts when the lever is at the middle point of its movement.
  • the pin 14 lies between the tongues 15 and 16. If moved to the left it will press against the tongue 15 and cause the contactstrip to move toward the brush 28. it moved to the right it will press against the tongue 18 and cause the contact strip 24 to move toward the brush 29.
  • the tongues 15 and 16 are pressed downwardly by the springs 17-and 18, respectively, but are prevented from goin shoril in which slots they are pivoted.
  • the upper portions of the links 19 and 20 are slotted and pins 35 and 36 project from the carrier 23 and through these slots respectively.
  • Fig. 6 shows the relative position of the partswhen the lever is at the normal indication point.
  • the contact 24 connects the brushes 28 and 32 in this position.
  • Fig. 7 shows theposition of the parts when the lever is in.
  • the carrier 23 is revented from swinging far enough past t as middle to cause the contact 24 connecting the brushes 29 and 31 by the carrier 12 which has moved so as to lie in the path of the lug 21 projecting from the carrier 23.
  • the reverse movements are exactly similar as can, be seen from the symmetry of the parts. It will thus be seen that the circuit controller hereinbeiore described will close an operating circuit to supply power to a motor upon an initial movement of the lever in either direction, and upon a 'linal movement of the lever, the circuit controller will open or break the operating circuit and will not again close the same operating circuit upon amovement of the lever from its ilnal position.
  • the relay shown in Fig. 17 is used in connection with the operating motor to prevent stray currents from crossed wires or other eausesfrom moving the switch.
  • the lever 129 is weighted to stand in contact with the post .127 when the magnet 126 is not energized.
  • the lever carries at the end opposite the Weight a spring 132 reinforced by the adjustable spring 131.
  • the spring 13L projects beyond the end of the lever 129 to engage with the stop 130.
  • the stop 130 is so adjusted that the lever 129 can be withdrawn from the stop 127 Without bending the spring but for the lever to contact with the stop 128 the spring 132 must be bent and 131 compressed.
  • the spring 131 is so adjusted that a current of one strength, say two amperes in the coil of the magnet 126 will withdraw the lever 129 from the contact 127 but will not put it into contact with 128 while another current of greaterstrength will draw the lever down to any further down than shown by ders ad acent the slots in the carrier 23 y contact with 128.
  • Two of these relays are constitutes an electro-magnetic means for T controlling a shunt circuit around the motor. 1
  • the magnet 126 has two windings one of few turns of large wire which 1 will style the series coil and one having a large number of turns 01 small wire which I will name the shunt coil, the uses of which will appear in describing the circuits.
  • the functions of the circuit controller shown at Fig. 4 are to connect the two operating wires together when the lever is in either of its extreme positions and for connecting the indicating and neutralizing coils in series across from one operating wire to the other when the lever is at either of the indicating positions.
  • the connections of the coils to the operating wires at one indicating position must be the reverse of that at the other indicating position since the functions of the wires themselves are reversed. This reversal is also eilected by the controller shown in Fig. 4. Its operation can be better described in connection with the circuit diagrams shown in Figs. 15, 24, 25 and 26.
  • magnets by passing through the field coil 137, energizes the magnet 126, by passing through the series coil wound thereon and causes the motor armature to rotate by passing through the windings 124 and 125 thereon.
  • This current in the series coil or" magnet 126 is strong enough to draw the lever 129 down against the stop 128.
  • the current in the shunt pat-h traced above passes through the indication coil but has no eifect on the armature because it passes also through the neutralizing coil of magnet 64 in a direction to assist the current in the direction coil to energize the magnet 64. It passes through the field coil 138 in a direction to decrease the magnetism produced by the current in the coil 137, but its effect is slight because the current in this shunt path is limited to a small amount by the resistance of the indication and neutralizing coils. 1n passing through the series coil of the magnet 133 it energizes the said magnet sufliciently to withdraw the lever 135 from the stop 134, but not sufficiently to make the said'lever contact with the stop 136.
  • the brush 82 is shifted from the contact 84 to the contact 85 and the circuit first above named is altered so that the current enters the switch motor armature through the contact 85 and wire 157 instead of through the contact 84 and wires 151, 152 and 153 so that it passes through the winding 125 only (s e Fig. 25).
  • the shifting of the brush 82 from the contact 84 to the contact 85 is efiiected at about the same time that the armature is disengage-d from the switch and lock movement by means of the clutch, preferably a little before this but not afterward.
  • the operating current passing through the winding 125 only, drives the motor while the current due to the electromotive force of the winding 124, flows from the brush 92 through wire 153, contact 79, brush 81, contact 90, wire 158, series coil of magnet 133, wire 159, field coil 138, operating wire 160, wire 161, brush 45, contact 50, brush 41, wires 162, 163, neutralizing coil of magnet 64, wire 164, indication coil of magnet 62, wires 165, 166, brush 40, contact 49, brush 44, wire 167, operating wire 148, field coil 137, wire 149, series coil of magnet 126, contact 9]., brush 82, contact 85, wires 157, winding 124 to brush 92.
  • This current passes through the neutralizing and indication coils in a direction opposite to that before traced from the battery through them.
  • the current in the neutralizing coil of magnet 64 therefore opposes that in the direction coil and as the indication current rises gradually from zero it will reach a point when its effect in the neutralizing coil exactly balances the effect of the operating current in the direction coil.
  • the magnet 64 becomes deenergized and the magnet 62 which is energized by the indication current flowing in the indication coil, lifts the armature 61, and with it the lock, and thereby releases the lever to complete its movement. The final part of this movement withdraws the contact 24 from the brushes 29 and 31 and thus cuts off all on rent from the battery.
  • the final movement also withdraws the contacts 49 and 50 from the brushes 44 and 45, respectively, and places the contact 52 so as to connect the brushes and 45 (see Fig. 26).
  • a movement in the opposite direction is exactly like that just described so that it will be unnecessary to follow it in detail.
  • the wire 148 would be the next operative wire, that is the next wire to be connected with the battery 143 when the switch 186 is to be moved.
  • a live wire that is a wire connected with the high potential point of the battery 143 and to the motor of switching apparatus about to be operated, should become crossed with the wire 148, current would flow from said live wire through thecross to wire 148, thence through.
  • Current would. also flow from operating wire 148 through brush 39, contact 51, brush 38, wires 168, 161, operating wire 160, field coil 138, wire 159, series coil of the magnet 133, wire 158, contact 90, brush 81, contact 78, wires 169, 157, winding 125, and wires 154, 155, 156.
  • windings 124 and 125 and send it from wire 151 through contact 128, lever 1.29, wire 172, lever 135, sto 136 and wire 174 to wire 155.
  • the current a ove mentioned which reached the winding 125 through the wire 157 is now divided, one half going by the winding 125, Wires 154, 155 to the common wire, the other half going by way of the wire 95, winding 124, wires 153, 152, stop 128, lever 129, wire 172,lever135, stop 136, wires 174, and 155 to the common wire.
  • the current drawn from the live wire crossed with the operating wire 148 would be so heavy as to blow the fuse in the said live wire, if properly protected by a fuse, but if not it could not cause the armature to rotate on account of igs f the wire148 should be broken between the point atwhich it is crossed and the switch operating motor, or if the said live wire should be crossed with the operating wire 160 it is plain that no eflect would be produced on the switch movement regardless of the relays, since the operating current passed through the operating wire 160 to move the switch and its operating mechanism in the positions shown.
  • a shunt coil is put on each of the magnets 126 and 133 connected in series with one another and the terminals of the series connected to the terminals of the motor armature winding 125.
  • the counter electro-motive force of a motor when running is nearly equal to the electro-motive force of the battery or other source driving it.
  • the motor is driven, to move the switch rails, through both windings 124 and 125 in series, the counter electro-motive force of both windings together is nearly equal to, but a little less than, that of the battery, so that each wind.- ing has nearly half the electro-motive force of the battery. But when the motor is driven by current through the winding 125

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Description

J. D. TAYLOR. RAILWAY SWITCHING APPARATUS.
APPLICATION FILED APR-18. 1904.
Patented Mar. 23, 1909. A
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APPLICATION FILED APR.18, 1904.
Patented Mar. 23, 1909.
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Patented Mar. 23, 1909.
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RAILWAY SWITCHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR.18, 1904.
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APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1904.
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UNITED STATES PATENT Fiditllrl.
JOHN D. TAYLOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWIS$VALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.
RAILWAY SWITCHING APPARATUS.
Specification of Letters Patent.
Patented March 23, 1909.
Application filed April 18, 1904. Serial No. 203,645.
T 0 all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, JOHN D. TAYLOR, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Switching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.
My invention relates to that class of appa ratus in which an electric motor is employed for operating the switch and lock movement.
The so ply of current to the electric motor in this 0 ass of apparatus is generally controlled from what is termed an interlocking machine which is located in a cabin or tower. In these machines there are a number of levers some or all of which control the supply of current to the electric motors comprised in the switching apparatus. Such levers are generally providec. with mechanism, known in the art as indicating mechanism, which mechanism is actuated to release its lever upon a complete operation of the apparatus controlled thereby to move and lock the switch rails, thus permitting the lever to be moved to its final position and release or look, through what is known as mechanical interlocking, other levers which may control other apparatus for operating signals or other switch rails.
An object of my invention is to provide a strong and reliable current for actuating an electro-magnet or other analogous form of motor comprised in the indication mechanism under all conditions.
Another and especial object is to so construct and arrange the indication mechanism that it cannot be affected by currents from the rime source of energy no matter what cont ition of crossed or grounded wires may exist.
Still another object of my invention is to provide means for preventing false movements of switches by stray currents due to crossed wires, and to accomplish this without interfering with the proper operation of other switches of the system not involved with the crossed wires.
I preferably attain the first mentioned object by so constructing the operating motor of the switching apparatus that it may be driven by current from the prime source of energy at the same time that it is generating current for the indication mechanism the second object preferably by so arranging the circuits that a terminal of the motor, while generating the current for the indication mechanism is raised to a higher potential than the highest point of the prime source of energy, also by constructing the electromagnet of the indication mechanism and arranging its circuits so that it is in connection with the high potential point of the source of energy throughout the operation of the switching apparatus and throughout the generation of the current for the indication mechanism, and so that it is not susceptible to current flowing from the high potential point of prime source of energy but is sus ceptible to current flowing toward it from a point of still higher potential. This accomplished it is evident that a false indication can not be given no matter how many wires may be crossed or grounded. I preferably attain the last mentioned object by arranging and constructing the controlling apparatus at the switch. so that current is required to flow through both operating wires for effecting either movement, normal or reverse. Through one wire the current is limited by resistance which may be the coils of the electro-magnet of the indication mechanism, while through the other the full operating current flows. Therefore, for a switch to be moved as a result of a cross with a live wire, it is necessary that both its operating wires should be crossed with the said live wire and that the connection between a certain one of the said operating wires and the said live wire should have a suitable resistance while the connection between the other of said operating wires and the said live wire should be good enough to permit a strong enough current to flow to effect the movement, a condition next to impossible of accidental occurrence.
My invention is equally applicable to a signal operated by an electric motor and a lever for controlling the operation of the motor, which lever is provided with an indicating mechanism comprising an electromagnet or other analogous form of motor.
I will describe a railway switching apparatus comprising an electric motor, a lever for controlling the supply of current to the motor, an indicating mechanism for the lever and an arrangement of circuits embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a portion of an interlocking machine showing a control for the supply of current to a motor comprised in a switching apparatus, and an indicating mechanism embodying my invention. The vertical section is taken in three different planes indicated by the lines 1, 2, and 3, 9. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of a controlling lever. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a circuit controller embodied in the interlocking machine. Figs. 5, 6, and 7, are each detail views partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing different positions of; the control means for the supply of current to the motor. Fig. 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the control means shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. Fig. 9 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of an interlocking machine. Fig. 10 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a clutch device embodied in the switching apparatus. Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively a top plan view and a vertica and longitudinal sectional view of a circuit controller which is provided adjacent the switching apparatus. Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic-a1 view of an armature of an electric motor embodied in my invention. Fig. 14 is a detail view in side elevation of a part of the clutch shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 15 is a diagrammatical view of a railway, a cross-over and switch rails, switch apparatus for moving the switch rails, control levers and their related parts and an arrangement of circuits between the control levers and motors of switching apparatus. Fig. 16 is a top plan view of a switching apparatus and a circuit controller. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a relay embodied in my invention. 18 is a top plan view of another switching apparatus. Figs. 19 and 20 are views of an electric clutch embodied in the apparatus shown in Fig. 18. 21 is a detail view showing an arrangement of circuits to include the electric clutch. Fig. 22 is a front elevation of a modified form of indicating mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 23 is a side elevation thereof. Figs. 24, 25 and 26 are views similar to Fig. 15, but showing different conditions of the circuits and positions of the apparatus.
Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.
I will first describe a switch and lock movement for operating a switch rail or rails; second, a form of motor which may be employed for operating the switch and lock movement; third, a circular-controller for the supply of current to the motor fourth, an indicating mechanism, and fifth, an arrangement of circuits which may advantageously be employed.
Referring now to Figs. 16, 10 and 14, 200 designates one of the two opposite lines of track rails of a railroad and 201 one of a pair of switch rails or points, or it may be a derail. Adjacent the switch rail 2-01 is an apparatus for moving the switch rail from one position to a second position and from the second position to the first position. fine position is generally termed normal and the other reverse. The railway switching apparatus as here shown, comprises an electric motor 120, the armature of which rotates in opposite or reverse directions, a switch and lock movement and a clutch mechanism between the armature of the motor and the switch and lock movement. The switch and lock movement and the clutch mechanism of the apparatus are preferably in closed in a two part casing 202, one of which parts may be mounted on a base 203, which is secured to the ties and the other of which parts may be employed as a cover. The switch and loci: movement as here shown comprises an alligator j aw 121 and a motion car 112 which also acts to look a rod 123 connected with the switch rail in each of the two positions of the switch rails. The alligator j aw is connected by a link with a rod 122 which rod is connected with a bridle rod connecting the two switch rails. In case there is only one switch rail (a derail) the rod 122 may be connected directly to it. The alligator jaw is rocked on its pivot by a roller carried by the motion 112. The motion bar is reciprocated longitudinally in this form of the invention through the clutch mechanism. he armature of the motor is connected by a universal coupling 120'" with a shaft 120 suitably journaled in the lower half of the casing 202. The shaft 12G is provided with a longitudinal opening which receives a pin or feather provided on a pinion 119. The pinion 119 is provided with annular flanges between which extends the peripheral portion of a spur gear 101. The pinion 119 also meshes with the spur gear 101 and upon a lateral movement of the spurgear 101 the pinion is made to travel with it.
The spur gear 101 is co iprised in the clutch mechanism which will now be described.
B (Fig. 10) designates a shaft, one end portion thereof being provided with a left hand screw 97, and its, other end portion with a right hand screw 98. At about the middle ofthe shaft B a third screw thread 116, is provided. Cm each side of the thread 116 are portions I), 6 each of which is provided with a screw thread to receive locking nuts 117, 118. Keyed on the portions 1), b, are disks 99, 100, each of which is provided with an inclined or cone-shaped flange. The locking nuts 117, 118, are held on the screw threads of the portions 1), 6 by means of screws 6 b shaft B works in and out of a nut 108, which is firmly fixed in the casin 202 and into and The screw thread 98 of the the casing 202, which cap is intended to protect the screw thread 98 when it projects beyond the casing 202. The screw thread 97 of the shaft 13 works in a nut 107 whicl is suitably secured in the motion bar 112.
102 designates a sheave which works on the screw thread 116. The sheave 102 is provided with a circumferential groove to receive an internal flange 101 provided on the spur gear 101. The spur gear 101 is also provided with flanges 101 and 101, the interior surfaces of which are beveled or cone-shaped. These flanges 101 and 101 are adapted to alternately co-act with the cone-shaped flanges of the disks 99 and 100.
103 and 104i designate arms which are loosely mounted on the portion I), b of the shaft B. These arms are formed to project through segmentally shaped openings 105, 106, which openings are provided in the disks 99 and 100. The shape of these openings is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.4.
The operation of this form of clutch mechanism is as follows: Upon the rotation of the spur gear 101 by the pinion 1 19, the sheave 102 is made to rotate with it. This is due to the fact that the surface of contact between the spur gear 101 and the sheave 102 is at a greater radial distance from the center of rotation than the bearing between the sheave 102' and the shaft B. The rotation of the sheave 102 causes it to travel to the right or left on the thread 116 according to the direction of rotation of the spur gear 10] Assunn ing now that the rotation of the sheave 102 is such as to cause it to travel. to the left of Fig. 10, it carries with it the spur gear 101 and causes its flange 101 to engage with the flange of the disk 99. This frictional engagement causes the disk 99 to rotate with the spur gear 101, and the rotation of the disk 99 with the spur gear 101 will cause the shaft B to rotate and to have a longitudinal movement due to its working out of the fixed nut 108. The longitudinal movement of the motion bar 11.2 is twice the longitudinal travel of the said shaft B, due to the joint action of the threads 97 and 98 moving out of their respective nuts. As the shaft B reaches the end of its longitudinal movement toward the left, the arm 103 will engage a lug or projcction 109 in the casing 202 and when this ongagement occurs the sheave 102 is stopped from rotation, this stoppage being due to a projection 11. 1 carried by the sheave engaging the arm 103. After the sheave 102 is stopped from rotating, the spur gear 101 continues to rotate, it slipping in the circumferential groove of the sheave 102, and this continued rotation tends to move the shaft B and the disk 99 in a longitudinal direction toward the left. The pitch of the screw 116 is such that the shaft B and the disk 99 will travel longitudinally to the left at a speed faster than the longitudinal travel of the spur gear 101, and it will thus be seen that the flange 1.01. of the spur gear v101 will become disengaged from the flange of the disk 99 to prevent any further longitudinal movement of the shaft B. The disengagement of the spur gear from the disk 99 does not take place until after a complete movement of the switch rails and until after they have been locked in the position to which they have been moved. Upon a reversal of the motor a reverse rotation is given the spur gear 101. and through it a reverse rotation of the sheave 102 to cause the sheave and spur gear to move into engagement with the disk 100. After this last engagement takes place the shaft B will be rotated in a reverse direction to cause a longitudinal movement of the shaft B toward the right. This longitudinal movement of the shaft is due to the screw thread 98 working in the fixed nut 108. The longitudinal movement of the motion bar 112 to the right is accomplished at the same speed as toward the left due to the shaft working in-the nut 108 and in the nut 107. The disengagement of the spur gear 101 from the disk 1.00 is accomplished in the same manner as described in connection with the spur gear 101 and the disk 99 through the engagement of the arm 104 with the lug 11.0 and the engagement of the lug 115 carried by the sheave 102 with the arm 104.
The armature of the switch operating motor is of special construction. This is illustrated in Fig. 13. The armature has two sets of coils, two commutators and two sets of crushes. During the time of movement of the switch rail, the operating current passes through the two windings in series and the action is the same as though there were but a single winding of the same number of turns as contained in hoth windings, that is, the current enters at say the brush 92, passes through the winding 12 1, leaves at the brush 93, passes through the wire 95 to the brush 94, passes through the winding 125 and leaves at the brush 96. (See also the diagrainmatical views, Figs. 15, 24, 25 and 26.) The brush 96 is connected by a wire (a common return) to one pole, herein termed the low potential pole, of a battery or other source of current supply located in the tower or cabin, and two other wires (operating wires) lead from the tower or cabin and are throughout the entire movement of the switch rail or rails, except near the end of the movement of the switch rail or rails, hoth electrically connected to the brush 92. One of the two operating wires is connected in the tower or cabin, when a movement of the switch rail or rails is to he made, through a low resistance winding of an electro-magnet of the indication mechanism, hereinafter referred to as the direction coil, to the other pole, herein termed the high potential pole, of the battery or other source of current supply, and the operating other wire is connected to the same pole of the battery through high resistance windings of electro-magnets in the indicating mechanism to be hereinafter referred to as neutralizing and indication coils. At the end of the switch rail s movement in either direction the first named connection to the high potential pole or the battery is shifted from the brush 92 to the brush 94, through a circuit controller located preterably at the switch rails, the clutch being disengaged at this time. By this change of circuits, the motor is dr ven by current from the battery flowing through the single winding 125, while the winding 124, itself a source of electro-motive force, is inserted between the two wires above mentioned including the coils of the indication mechanism, consequently a current flows from the brush 92 through the wire connected to it, through the windings of the electro-magnets of the indicating mechanism and through the other operating wire to brush 94, thence through wire 95, brush 93 and winding 124 to brush 92. As is well known, a motorwhen running, driven by an electro-motive force, will develop a oounter-electro-motive force almost equal to the driving electro-motive force. Just enough difference subsists to force the current against the ohmic resistance. W hen the motor, therefore, is driven by current in the winding 125, the counter electro-motive force of this winding is nearly equal to, and opposed to the battery electroanotive force. T e winding 124-, because it has an equal number of turns rotating at the same speed, and in the same magnetic field as the winding 125, will have an equal electro-motive force and in the same direction, developed in it. During indication there are, therefore, two sources of electro-motive force, producing current in two circuits; one source is the battery acting on a circuit including the winding 125 and the direction coil of the indication apparatus; the other source is the winding 12 1, producing current in a circuit including all the coils of the indication apparatus. The direction coil and one of the two above mentioned wires is common to both circuits. The current from the winding 1:21 lows through the indication and neutralizing coils in a direction opposite to that in which it would be possible for a battery current to flow.
he wire (common return) joining the brush 96 to the low potential pole of the battery may be common to any number of motors. It is plain that the battery may be reversed without affecting the result. It is also a matter of indifference as to which of the brushes 92 or 96 is joined to the common wire. The reversal of rotation of the armature is effected by having two windings on the field magnet of the motor. One of the two wires above mentioned is connected to a brush of the armature through one of the field windings while the other wire is connected to a brush of the armature through the other field winding. The polarity of the field magnet is of one or the opposite sign as the main operating current flows through one or the other field winding. It will be seen, therefore, that the motor employed is in the form of a dynamotor.
A circuit controller which may be employed to shift the operating current from the brush 92 to the brush 91 is shown in Figs. 11 and 12. As here shown the circuit controller comprises brushes 81 and 82, which are carried by a block 89 attached to a movable part of the apparatus, for example the bar 112, but are insulated therefrom and from one another. The brush 81 carries two contacts and 88. The contact 88 throughout the entire movement of the switch presses on a metallic strip 90, and the contact 80 throughout the whole movement except a small part near say the normal position of the switch and lock movement presses on a strip 79. Near the end of the normal movement it passes from the strip '79 to the short strip 78. Shortly after beginning the reverse movement it passes back to the long strip 79. While the brush 81 is connecting the strips 79 and 90 the normal operating wire remains in connection with the brush 92. When the brush 81 passes from strip 79 to strip 78, the said wire is shifted from brush 92 to brush 94, the said normal operating wire being connected to the strip 90, the brush 92 to the strip 79 and the brush to the strip 78. The space between the strips 78 and 79 need be wide enough only to prevent actual short circuitof the winding 12 1. An are can not be drawn across because when brush 81 is leaving the strip 79 the potential of the brush is higher than the strip 79 but immediately it makes contact with 78 the potential of 79 is raised above that of the brushSi. The are will therefore be immediately destroyed. The block 77 is used only to prevent the contact 8O dropping too deep and catching on the end of the strip to which it is passing. The brush 82 is exactly like 81 and presses on similar contact strips, the short strip 85, corresponding to 78 being at the reverse end. The contact strips are supported on slabs of insulating material 76 and 87. The contact strips and brushes are diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 15. I
Referring now to Fig. 1 which is aview of an interlocking machine showing a front elevation of two of the controlling levers and sections at various planes to show the working parts, .1 designates a lever projecting upwardly, the full lines showing its normal posi tion and the dotted lines its'reversed position. 2 designates a lever projecting downwardly, its reverse position being shown in "At 3and 4 are shown the drivers which move the locking bars. As these are WCll known. and the mechanical locking may he the well known. Saxby and Farmer mechanical lock.- ingno further description is necessary. at 5 is shown a bearing of the operating shaft. At 6 is shown the circuit controller for making and breaking the circuits of the switch or signal operating motor at the machine.
The circuit controller is shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. At 7 shown a circuit controller for cont-rolling the circuits of the electro-magnet of the indicating mechanism. This circuit controller is shown more in detail in the perspective view of Fig. 4. At 8 is shown another bearing for the operating shaft. As 9 is shown the indicating mechanism in normal position and at 10 the same just before the normal indication is received. The corresponding reversed positions are similar but opposite to these. These parts are all shown in side elevation in Fig. 9, which is a transverse s .ction oi the interlocking machine showing the distribution of the Working parts along the operating shaft 11. As all the lovers in a machine are equipped alike the various sections shown in Fig. 1 may be considered as sections on different levers or of the same lever at difierent planes. he circuit controller shown at 6 and the indication mechanism are arranged on the shafts 11 in a manner commonly known as staggered, as shown in Fig. 9, to economize space between levers.
The operating lever has an angular movement only and for convenience of description movement from either extreme position until it is stopped by the indication mechanism is 40 degrees. It can, therefore, play through an arc of 20 degrees between indication points. This play of 20 e rees permits shifting the circuit controllers from one side to the other and thus of changing the direction of movement of the switch at will. The lever is locked in either of its extreme positions against accidental movement by a latch 71, shown in detail in igs. 2 and 3. WlliChlS caused to drop into a notch 69 or in the segment 68 by a spring 75. The latch can be Withdrawn from the notch by turning a handle 74 either to right or left, the said handle being connected With a cam 72 by a bolt 7 3.
The indication mechanism as here shown (see Fig. 1) comprises an arc clamped to the shaft 11 and passing through a slot in a guide 59 bolted to the frame of the machine, a slotted lock 57 which is held in a slot in the guide 59 at right angles to the first mentioned slot, and electro-magnetic means comprising electro- magnets 62 and 64, a common armature 6] and a rod 58 connecting the said lock 57 with the armature 61. The arc 53 passes through the slot in the lock 57 and has a re cess formed in its upper side forming shoulders and 56, which are engaged by the upper arm of the lock 57. it also has a projection on its under side at about the middle 01 said recess which acts to depress the lock 57 so as to insure its engaging with the shoulders or 56. The shoulders 55 and 56 are far enough apart to permit the arc and consequently the shaft 11 to move through an arc of 20 degrees without the lock 57 being operated to permit this movement. The armature 61 rests on the poles of the magnet (is. The magnet 64 has two windings, one a few turns of large wire through which the operating current flows and the other a large number of turns of small wire. The magnet 62 has one coil of large number of turns. The indication current flows through this coil and the fine wire coil of the magnet 64 in series. For convenience I will style the coil of the magnet 62 the indication coil, the line wire coil of the magnet 64 the neutralizing coil and the heavy wire coil of the magnet 64 the direction coil.
The operation 01' the indicating mechaln ism hereinbefore described is as follows: When a lever is moved, the are 53 moves with it to bring the recess therein beneath the lock 57. In moving to this position the projection forces the loci; downward into the recess and between the shoulders 55 and 56. \"i'hen the lock 57 is between the shoulders 55 and 56, the lever is prevented, by the lock engaging with either of the shoulders, from being moved to either of its iinal positions, and when the lock is removed from between z the shoulders, the lever is free to be moved to either 0.1 its final positions.
The lock, therefore, is rendered eil'ective by the movement of the lever, and in this form 01' the invention, it is rendered ineilective to prevent complete movement of the lever upon the energization of the magnet or indication coil 62. The operating circuit, that is, the circuit in v-Jhich current 'lltY-EIS to energize the snitch operating motor, includes the direction coil of magnet 6* This is true whether the track sv. itch is being moved from its normal to its reverse, or from its reverse to its normal position so that the operating current always flows through the direction coil. The indication coil on magnet 62 and the neutralizing coil on the magnet (34 are joined in series ith each other and are located in a shunt to part of the operating current. During the movement of the switch rails in either direction current from the battery lloys through the shunt path and consequently through the indication and neutralizing coils, but the connections are such that it flows through the neutralizing coil in such direction as to increase the magnetism produced by the operating current flowing through the direction coil. After the switch rails have been moved from one of their two positions to the other, the indication current is generated, and this current flows through the fine wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet or indication coil 2 in the opposite direc tion, and after a time, the indication current passing through the fine wire winding of the magnet 64, will neut l iize the ma netic eifect produced by the current from the bat-- tery 143 flowin through the large wire winding of the magnet 64, so that the magnet or indication coil will attract the armature 61 and thus render the lock inetlective by lifting the lock 57 from between the shoulders 55 and 56. The arrangement of these coils as will hereinaft r a mean is such that the operating current will low through the large wire winding 01' the magnet 64 in one direction through one path, and that current will flow through the winding of the ma net 62 and the fine wire winning oi' the in iet 64 in series, in the same direction as the operating current through the coarse wire winding of the magnet 64 and through another path. The indication current which is generated alter the switch rails have be moved and. locked flows through the fine wire Winding of the magnet 64 and the wii ing or the magnet in series but in a den tion opposite to the flow of the current during the movement of the switch rails by the switchin apparatus. The indication current is designed to neutralize, by flowing through the line wire winding of the magnet 64, the magnetic effect produced by the operating current flowing through the large wire winding 01' the same magnet. When this neutralization takes place the magnetic effect produced by the current in the winding of the magnet 62 will attract the armature 61 and thus remove the lock 57 from between the shoulder 55 and 56. It will be seen, therefore, that the function of the two windings of the magnet is to insure the flow oi' the indicating current through the line Wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet 62 in the proper direction to render the lock ineiiectivc, and these windings respond to release the lever by current flowing through them in one direction only.
A current in the neutralizing coil of opposite sign to that of the indication current would tend to strengthen the magnet 64 and s0 prevent the armature being lifted, or the absence of current in the direction coil would also prevent the armature being lifted as in that case the magnet 6% would be energized and retain the armature. l hen, however, the proper currents circulate in the coils the armature 61 will be lifted and through the connecting rod 58 will lift the lock 57 clear of the recess in the are 53 and permit the lever to be moved to its iinel position. it will be seen, therefore, that the function of the two windings of the magnet is to insure the flow or" the indicating current through the line wire winding of the magnet 64 and the winding of the magnet 62 in the proper direction to render the lock ineilective, and these windin s respond to release the lever by current'ilowing through them in one direction only. The first 20 de grees of movement 01' the lever effects the locking oi other levers whose movement would con ict with the new position oi the said lever, the iinal 20 degree movement which can only be made after the are 53 is released from the lock 57 releases other levers whose movement is c mpatible with the new position of the said lever while the mid dle 20 degrees of movement does not affect the locking.
In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, I have illustrated a form of circuit controller which may advantageously be employed, the functions of which are to connect either the normal or reverse operating wire with the source of current supply as may be required to eilect the proper movement of the switch, and to disconnect the said wire from the battery after indication has been received. The term source of current supply is herein employed in its broadest sense, and is illustrated in the drawings as a battery, which term will be hereinafter used except in the claims. T he said circuit controller comprises a swing ing contact carrier 23 pivoted at 25, as shown, to the frame of the machine and carrying a contact strip 2d; and two pairs of brushes 28 and 32 and 29 and 31. .he brush 32 does not show in any of the views except Fig. 15. In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it is directly back of the brush and in 8 back of the brush 31. In its normal contacting position the contact strip 24 connects the brushes 2-8 and 32, and in its reverse contacting position it connects the brushes 29 and 31. The parts are so proportioned that its engagement with one or the other pair of brushes is fully made when the lever is stopped by either of the shoulders of the are 53 of its indicating mechanism. The mechanism for efiiecting the movements of the controller may comprise a driver 12 carrying a pin 14 for engaging a tongue 15 or 16, the said driver 12 being clamped to the shal't 11, while the tongues 15 and 16 are pivoted to the carrier 23 at 26 and 27 respectively, and links 19 and 20 pivoted to the driver 12 at 33 and 34 respectively. Fig. 5 shows the relative position of the parts when the lever is at the middle point of its movement. The pin 14 lies between the tongues 15 and 16. If moved to the left it will press against the tongue 15 and cause the contactstrip to move toward the brush 28. it moved to the right it will press against the tongue 18 and cause the contact strip 24 to move toward the brush 29. The tongues 15 and 16 are pressed downwardly by the springs 17-and 18, respectively, but are prevented from goin shoril in which slots they are pivoted. The upper portions of the links 19 and 20 are slotted and pins 35 and 36 project from the carrier 23 and through these slots respectively. Fig. 6 shows the relative position of the partswhen the lever is at the normal indication point. The contact 24 connects the brushes 28 and 32 in this position. A slight further movement of the driver 12 to the left which can take place after indication has been received will cause the tongue 15 to slip oil". the in 14 and will cause the link 19 to engage the pin 35 and still further move ment will, through the link 19, move the carrier so as to withdraw the contact 24 from the brushes 28 and 32. Fig. 7 shows theposition of the parts when the lever is in.
the complete normal position. The carrier 23 is revented from swinging far enough past t as middle to cause the contact 24 connecting the brushes 29 and 31 by the carrier 12 which has moved so as to lie in the path of the lug 21 projecting from the carrier 23. The reverse movements are exactly similar as can, be seen from the symmetry of the parts. It will thus be seen that the circuit controller hereinbeiore described will close an operating circuit to supply power to a motor upon an initial movement of the lever in either direction, and upon a 'linal movement of the lever, the circuit controller will open or break the operating circuit and will not again close the same operating circuit upon amovement of the lever from its ilnal position.
The relay shown in Fig. 17 is used in connection with the operating motor to prevent stray currents from crossed wires or other eausesfrom moving the switch. The lever 129 is weighted to stand in contact with the post .127 when the magnet 126 is not energized. The lever carries at the end opposite the Weight a spring 132 reinforced by the adjustable spring 131. The spring 13L projects beyond the end of the lever 129 to engage with the stop 130. The stop 130is so adjusted that the lever 129 can be withdrawn from the stop 127 Without bending the spring but for the lever to contact with the stop 128 the spring 132 must be bent and 131 compressed. The spring 131 is so adjusted that a current of one strength, say two amperes in the coil of the magnet 126 will withdraw the lever 129 from the contact 127 but will not put it into contact with 128 while another current of greaterstrength will draw the lever down to any further down than shown by ders ad acent the slots in the carrier 23 y contact with 128. Two of these relays are constitutes an electro-magnetic means for T controlling a shunt circuit around the motor. 1 The magnet 126 has two windings one of few turns of large wire which 1 will style the series coil and one having a large number of turns 01 small wire which I will name the shunt coil, the uses of which will appear in describing the circuits.
The functions of the circuit controller shown at Fig. 4 are to connect the two operating wires together when the lever is in either of its extreme positions and for connecting the indicating and neutralizing coils in series across from one operating wire to the other when the lever is at either of the indicating positions. The connections of the coils to the operating wires at one indicating position must be the reverse of that at the other indicating position since the functions of the wires themselves are reversed. This reversal is also eilected by the controller shown in Fig. 4. Its operation can be better described in connection with the circuit diagrams shown in Figs. 15, 24, 25 and 26.
In Fig. 15 all the parts are shown in normal position; in Fig. 24 the circuit controllers operated by the lovers are shown at the reverse indicating position, the switch 188 at full reverse position, and the switches 186 and 187 just at the beginning of their reverse movement; in Fig. 25 the circuit controllers operated by the levers and all the switches are shown at reverse indicating position; in Fig. 26 all parts are shown at full reverse position. To reverse the switch 186 its corresponding lever is moved until stopped by the lock 57 of its indication mechanism. This movement causes the contact strip 24 to connect the brushes 29 and 31., the contact strip 49 to connect the brushes 40 and 44 and the contact strip 50 to connect the brushes 41 and 45 (see Fig. 24). Circuits of the battery 143 are thereby closed as follows (see Fig. 24): from battery 143 through wire 144, direction coil of magnet 64, wire 145, brush 29, contact 24, brush 3]., wire 147, operating wire 148, field coil 137, wire 149, series coil of magnet 126, wire 150, contact 91, brush 82, contact 84, wires 151, 152, 153, windings 124 and 125 of switch operating armature, wires 154, 155 and common wire 156 back to the battery 143. A shunt path to part of this circuit is from wire 147 through wire 1. 67, brush 44, contact 49, brush 40, wires 166, 165, indication coil of magnet 62, wire 164, neutralizing coil of magnet 64, wires 163, 162, brush- 41, contact 50, brush 45, wire 161, operating wire 160, i ield coil 138, wire 15;), series coil of magnet 133, wire 158, contact 90, brush 81, contact 78, wires 169, 157 to winding 125, where it joins the previous named circuit. The current in the first named circuit energizes the magnet 64 by passing through the direction coil wound thereon,
energizes the switch operating motor iield wire 150,
magnets by passing through the field coil 137, energizes the magnet 126, by passing through the series coil wound thereon and causes the motor armature to rotate by passing through the windings 124 and 125 thereon. This current in the series coil or" magnet 126 is strong enough to draw the lever 129 down against the stop 128.
The current in the shunt pat-h traced above passes through the indication coil but has no eifect on the armature because it passes also through the neutralizing coil of magnet 64 in a direction to assist the current in the direction coil to energize the magnet 64. it passes through the field coil 138 in a direction to decrease the magnetism produced by the current in the coil 137, but its effect is slight because the current in this shunt path is limited to a small amount by the resistance of the indication and neutralizing coils. 1n passing through the series coil of the magnet 133 it energizes the said magnet sufliciently to withdraw the lever 135 from the stop 134, but not sufficiently to make the said'lever contact with the stop 136. In passing through thewinding 125 it assists in rotating the switch motor armature. The rotation of the switch motor armature through the mechanism previously described causes a longitudinal movement of the bar 112 and throu h it the movement of the rail switch. The crushes 81 and 82 also move in conjunction with the bar 112 being carried thereby. Immediately after the movement commences the brush 81 is shifted from the contact 78 to the contact 7 9. This, however, does not alter the status of the shunt path except to make the current pass through the winding 124 in addition. Near the end of the movement the brush 82 is shifted from the contact 84 to the contact 85 and the circuit first above named is altered so that the current enters the switch motor armature through the contact 85 and wire 157 instead of through the contact 84 and wires 151, 152 and 153 so that it passes through the winding 125 only (s e Fig. 25). The shifting of the brush 82 from the contact 84 to the contact 85 is efiiected at about the same time that the armature is disengage-d from the switch and lock movement by means of the clutch, preferably a little before this but not afterward. The operating current passing through the winding 125 only, drives the motor while the current due to the electromotive force of the winding 124, flows from the brush 92 through wire 153, contact 79, brush 81, contact 90, wire 158, series coil of magnet 133, wire 159, field coil 138, operating wire 160, wire 161, brush 45, contact 50, brush 41, wires 162, 163, neutralizing coil of magnet 64, wire 164, indication coil of magnet 62, wires 165, 166, brush 40, contact 49, brush 44, wire 167, operating wire 148, field coil 137, wire 149, series coil of magnet 126, contact 9]., brush 82, contact 85, wires 157, winding 124 to brush 92. This current passes through the neutralizing and indication coils in a direction opposite to that before traced from the battery through them. The current in the neutralizing coil of magnet 64 therefore opposes that in the direction coil and as the indication current rises gradually from zero it will reach a point when its effect in the neutralizing coil exactly balances the effect of the operating current in the direction coil. When these effects are balanced the magnet 64 becomes deenergized and the magnet 62 which is energized by the indication current flowing in the indication coil, lifts the armature 61, and with it the lock, and thereby releases the lever to complete its movement. The final part of this movement withdraws the contact 24 from the brushes 29 and 31 and thus cuts off all on rent from the battery. The final movement also withdraws the contacts 49 and 50 from the brushes 44 and 45, respectively, and places the contact 52 so as to connect the brushes and 45 (see Fig. 26). A movement in the opposite direction is exactly like that just described so that it will be unnecessary to follow it in detail.
To explain the use of the relay shown in Fig. 17 Suppose the switch 186 and its controlling apparatus to be in the normal position as shown in Fig. 15, the wire 148 would be the next operative wire, that is the next wire to be connected with the battery 143 when the switch 186 is to be moved. Now if a live wire, that is a wire connected with the high potential point of the battery 143 and to the motor of switching apparatus about to be operated, should become crossed with the wire 148, current would flow from said live wire through thecross to wire 148, thence through. field coil 137, wire 149, series coil of magnet 126, wire 150, contact 91, brush 82, contact 84, wires 151, 152, 153, winnings 124 and 125 of the switch motor armature, wires 154, 155,, and 156 back to battery. Current would. also flow from operating wire 148 through brush 39, contact 51, brush 38, wires 168, 161, operating wire 160, field coil 138, wire 159, series coil of the magnet 133, wire 158, contact 90, brush 81, contact 78, wires 169, 157, winding 125, and wires 154, 155, 156. On account of the connection between the operating wires 148 and 160 having no appreciable resistance, the current in the two paths last above named will be nearly equal and will energize both magnets 126 and 133 sufficiently to cause them to draw the lovers 129 and 135 against the stop 128 and 136 respectively, which will shunt the current away from the armature being shunted by a path of no resistance.
windings 124 and 125 and send it from wire 151 through contact 128, lever 1.29, wire 172, lever 135, sto 136 and wire 174 to wire 155. The current a ove mentioned which reached the winding 125 through the wire 157 is now divided, one half going by the winding 125, Wires 154, 155 to the common wire, the other half going by way of the wire 95, winding 124, wires 153, 152, stop 128, lever 129, wire 172,lever135, stop 136, wires 174, and 155 to the common wire. Thus it is seen that the path of the stray current that flowed through the two armature windings in series has been shunted entirely from them by the action of the relays, While that which passed through the winding 125 only has been divided so as to flow equally through the windings 124 and 125 in opposition, and consequently can have no effect to rotate the armature. The short circuitings of the armature windings will cause a very heavy current to flow from the live wire which is crossed with the operating wire 148, and will result in blowing the fuse in the said live wire but will have no other effect on any other part of the apparatus. If the current which reaches the motor from the crossed wire should pass to it in equal quantities through the operating wires 148 and 160 the effect toward rotating the armature would be m'Z, even without the relays, because the current in one of the field coils would neutralize the effect of that in the other, but the current in these two paths would seldom be equal or near enough to equality to depend on this for safety, on account of the resistance of the operating wires 148 and 160 themselves. Again suppose a live wire to l;e crossed with the operating wire 148 and that the operating wire 148 is broken at some point between the cross and the cabin, or that the operating wire 160 is broken at any point, current would then pass from the live wire to the operating wire 148 thence through the field coil 137, series coil of magnet 126, armature windings 124, and 125, thence to common return as in the preceding case. This would energize the magnet 126 causing its lever 129 to make contact with its stop 128 but since no current is flowing in the coils of the magnet 133 its lever .135 remains in contact with the stop 134 and the current is again shunted away from the armature windings flowing from the wire 151, through stop 128, lever 129, wire 172, lever 135, stop 134, wires 174 and 155 back to the common wire. In this case also the current drawn from the live wire crossed with the operating wire 148 would be so heavy as to blow the fuse in the said live wire, if properly protected by a fuse, but if not it could not cause the armature to rotate on account of igs f the wire148 should be broken between the point atwhich it is crossed and the switch operating motor, or if the said live wire should be crossed with the operating wire 160 it is plain that no eflect would be produced on the switch movement regardless of the relays, since the operating current passed through the operating wire 160 to move the switch and its operating mechanism in the positions shown.
Near the commencement of the generation of the indication current the series coil of one of the magnets 126 or 133 will have no current flowing in it, because the current in this circuit changes sign and must pass through zero to do so. To prevent its lever 129 or 135 as the case may be falling back against its stop 127 or 134 and so short circuiting the armature of the motor, a shunt coil is put on each of the magnets 126 and 133 connected in series with one another and the terminals of the series connected to the terminals of the motor armature winding 125. W' hen the armature is in rotationa difference of potential is produced at the terminal of the winding 125 which causes part of the current from the battery to be diverted from the said winding 125 so as to flow from the wire 157 through wire 170, shunt coil of magnet 126, wire 173, shunt coil of magnet 133, and wire 174 to wire 155 where it joins the part flowing through the winding 125 thence through wires 155 and 1.56 back to battery. The current in these shunt coils thus produced holds the lever 129 or 135 while the current in the indication circuit is changing sign. It will also be observed that the current in the series coil of the magnet which has the indication and neutralizing coils in series with it rapidly decreases as the motor armature speeds up, due to the rise of potential at the brush 92, but the current in the shunt coils increases just as rapidly as the electro-motive force of the motor armature increases, so that the magnetic effect of the combined shunt and series coils remains nearly constant. W hen the indication current is being produced, the current in the series coil opposes that in the shunt coil, but as the armature potential must be greatly increased to produce the indication current, the current in the shunt coil is thereby greatly increased also, so that the combined effects of the two coils still remain about as before. To make the above statements clearer, I will say that, as above noted, the counter electro-motive force of a motor when running, is nearly equal to the electro-motive force of the battery or other source driving it. hen the motor is driven, to move the switch rails, through both windings 124 and 125 in series, the counter electro-motive force of both windings together is nearly equal to, but a little less than, that of the battery, so that each wind.- ing has nearly half the electro-motive force of the battery. But when the motor is driven by current through the winding 125
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