US1736388A - Railway signaling - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1929.

' C. W. BELL RAILWAY SIGNALING Filed Feb. 16, 1929 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

CHARLES W. BELL. F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH &v SIGNALOOIEPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNALING Application. filed February 16, 1929'. Serial No. 340,453.

My invention relates to railway signaling, and particularly to means for selecting the controls for railway signals-according to the direction of trafiic movements over the stretch of track'with which such signalsare trol of railway signals.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out thenovel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of; apparatus embodyingmy invention.

Referring tothe drawing, reference character Y designates a; stretchof railway track with which a passing siding Z is connected by manually operable switches F and F Rails 1 and 1 of stretch Y are divided by means of insulated joints 2. into sections AB, B-C and CD. Each of these sections is provided with a; track circuit which is supplied with current bya battery 3 connected across the rails adjacent one end of the section, and which includes a relay designated by the reference, character G} with a distinguishing sufiix and connected across the rails adjacent the-opposite endof the section.

Two signals each of which is designated by the letter S with a distinguishing sufiix, are located on opposite sides of the track adjacent each pair of insulated joints 2 at points A, B, C and D. As here shown, these signals are of the semaphore type and are capable of displaying any one or three indications,

namely, high speed, reduced speed, and stop. The high speed and. reduced speed indications will hereinafter be referred to as the proceed and caution indications, respectively. Signals S S, S and S- govern westbound tralfic, that is, traflic moving toward the left as shown in the drawing, and signals S S*, S and S7 govern eastbound traffic, that is, traflic moving toward the right as shown in the drawing.

My invention is completely illustrated by the control circuits as shown for signals S and S"; Signals S and S may be controlled similarly, respectively, to signals S and S Signals S S S and S may be controlled, similarly to corresponding signals in a well known system of signaling which is called absolute permissive block signaling.

Polarized line relays, designated by the reference character H with a distinguishing suifix, are shown for signals S S 'and S, but the complete circuits for such relays are shown only in connection with signals S and S The control for relay H may-be similar to that which is provided. for a similar relay controllinga corresponding signal in absolute permissive block signaling. A slow release relay P is controlled by a. front contact of relay H A stick relay T is arranged to become ener-.

gized when a westbound train passes signal Si, and to continue energized while the train is proceeding through section AB.

Relay H? is operated by direct current of normal or reverse polarity supplied to line wires. 19 and 25 by a battery Q Transformer M is energized by alternating current supplied to the same wires 19 and 25 by an alternating current source X. Impedance units 16 and 20, having a high impedance to alternating current but low resistance to direct current, obstruct the flow of alternating current from source X through battery Q and the winding of relay H respectively. Resistance units 76 and 22 obstruct the flow of direct current from battery Q through source X and the primary winding 23 of transformer M, respectively.

The secondary winding 28 of transformer M supplies alternating current to a rectifier R which in turn supplies direct current to the winding of relay N. As here shown, rectifier R comprises asymmetric units 29, 30, 31 and 32, each of which may be similar to those disclosed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,640,335, granted to L. O. Grondahl, August 23, 1927.

Having thus described, in general, the arrangement and location of the various parts comprising my invention, I will now describe the operation of the apparatus.

shown in the drawing, all parts are in their normal condition, that is, track sections AB, 13-0 and C-D are unoccupied, switches F anc A 2 are set in their normal position which is the position for directing traffic along stretch Y only and not to or from siding Z, and all signals are indicating procoed. Signal S is indicating proceed because relay H is energized in its normal direction by a circuit, shown in part, through contact 4 of relay G The circuit for operating signal S to its proceed position passes from battery Q}, through wires 5, 10, 45 and 46, contact 47 of relay P, wire 18, contact 49 of relay H wire 50, operating mechanism of signal S and wire 52 back to battery Q With relay H energized, relay P is energized by its circuit passing from battery Q through wires 5 and 6, contact 7 of relay H wire 8, winding of relay P, and wire 9 back to battery Q With relay P energized and relays G and G energized, current of normal polarity is supplied for energizing relay H by a circuit passing from battery Q}. through wires 5 and 10, contact 11 of relay P, contact 12 of relay G impedance unit 16, wire 17, contact 18 of relay G wire 19, impedance unit 20, winding of relay H wires 21, 25 and 26, contact 27 of relay P, and wire 9 back to battery Q With relays P and G energized, alternating current is supplied to the primary 23 of transformer M by a circuit passing from source X, through wire 00, contact 74 of relay P, wire 75, resistance unit 76, wire 17 contact 18 or relay G wire 19, resistance unit 22, primary winding 23, wires 24, 25 and 78, contact 77 of relay P, and wire back to source X.

Vith alternating current flowing through primary winding 23, secondary winding 28 of transformer M is supplying alternating current to rectifier B which in turn supplies direct current for energizing relay N by a circuit passing from rectifier R, through wire 33, contact 34 of relay H wire 35, winding of relay N, and wire 36 back to rectifier R. iVith relay N thus energized and with relay energized, current of normal polarity is supplied for energizing relay H by its circuit passing from a battery Q through wire 37, contact 38 of relay N, wire 39, contact of relay G wire 41, winding of relay H Wire 42, contact as of relay N, and wire 1 1 back to battery Q The circuit for causing signal S to indicate proceed is now closed and passes from a battery Q through wire 59, contacts 60 and 61 of relay H wire 62, operating mechanism of signal S and wire 64 back to battery Q The proceed indication control circuit for signal S is similarly controlled by contacts 54: and of relay H I will now assume that, with all parts thus in their normal condition, a westbound train enters section CD, tie-energizing relay G which then opens the circuit for relay H wires 69 and 9 back to battery Q}.

causing signal S to indicate stop. As the train proceeds further and enters section BC, relay G becomes tie-energized, opening the circuit previously traced for relay H and the primary winding 23 of transformer M. Relay H upon becoming. tie-energized, opens its contact 3% in the circuit already traced for relay N, which, on account of the dc-energization of transformer M, is already tie-energized and opens its front contacts and closes its back contacts 38 and 43.

As the train leaves section (l -D, relay H becomes energized in its reverse direction by current flowing from battery Q through wire 37, 'contact' l3" of relay N, wire 2, winding of relay H wire 4-1, contact 40 of relay G wire 39, contact 38 of relay N, and wire 44 back to battery Q With relay H energized in its reverse direction, signal S is,

now operated to its caution position by its circuit passing frombattery Q through wire 59, contacts and 61 of relay H wire 63, operating mechanism of signal S and wire 6% back to battery Q As the train later starts into section AB, relay G closes its back contact 67, thus completing for a brief period, while contact 65 of relay P continues closed, a pick-up circuit for relay T passing from battery Q through wires 5, 10 and as, contact 65 of relay P, wire 66, contact 67 of relay G wire 68, winding of relay T, and wires 69 and 9 back to battery 0}. Relay G upon becoming deenergized, opens, at its contact 4, the circuit for-relay H and hence relay T, upon becoming energized, completes its own stick circuit passing from battery Q through Wires 5 and 6, contact 70 of relay H wire 71, contact 72 of relay T, wire 73, winding of relay T, and After a suiiicient interval of time has elapsed, slow release relay P opens its contact 65, thus breaking the pick-up circuit for relay T which, however, continues energized by its stick circuit, as already traced, while the train is proceeding through section AB.

When the train leaves section B C, relay H becomes. energizediin its reverse direction by current flowing from battery Q through wires 5, 10 and 15, contact 2? of relay P, wires 26, 25 and 21, winding of relay H impedance unit 20, wire 19, contact 18 of relay G wire 17 impedance unit 16, wire 15, contact 14 of relay T, wire 13, contact 11 of relay P, and wire 9 back to battery Q At the same time, alternating current is supplied to primary winding 23 or" transformer M by a circuit passing from source X, through wire 00, contact 7 9 of relay T, wire 80, resistance unit 76, wire 17, and thence by the circuit previously traced for primary winding 23 to wire 25, and from there through wire 82, contact 81 of relay T, and wire 0 back to source X. VVithrelay H now energized in its reverse direction, the arm of signal S is operated to the caution position by its circuit passing from battery Q through wire 53, contacts 54 and 55 of relay H Wire 57, open ating mechanism of signal S, and wire 58 back to battery Q On account of transformer M being supplied with alternating current and contact 34 of relay H being closed, relay N is energized, and hence relay H is again energized in its normal direction, causing the arm of signal S to be returned to its proceed position.

hen the train leaves section A-B, permitting relay G to again become energized, and assuming that signal relay H now becomes energized in its reverse direction causing relay P to again become energized, current of normal polarity will again'be supplied to relay H by the circuit previously traced, thus causing signal S to again display the proceed indication. With relay H energized in the reverse direction, the arm of signal S is operated to the caution position by a circuit passing from battery Q through wires 5, 10, 45 and 46, contact 47 of relay P, wire 48, contact 49 of relay H wire 51, operating mechanism of signal S and Wire 52 back to battery Q \Vhcn relay H again becomes energized in its normal direction after the train has passed a sufficient distance beyond signal S the proceed indication will again be displayed by signal S as already described.

I wiil now assume that with all parts again in their normal condition, an eastbound train de-ener izes relay H causing signal S to indicate stop and relay P to become de-energized. lVith relay P de-energized, and with relays G and G energized, current of reverse polarity is now supplied to relay H by the circuit previously traced, except including contact 12 of relay G instead of the branch path through contact 14 of relay T. The circuit for primary winding 23 of transformer M is, however, open. With relay H energised in its reverse direction, signal S will indicate caution, and with relay N deenergized on account of primary winding 23 of transformer M being de-energized, relay H will be supplied with current of reverse polarity, and hence signal S as well as signal S will indicate caution.

hen the train enters section AB, relav G becomes de-energized, opening the circuit for relay H and thereby causing the arm of signal S to be operated to its stop position while the arm of signal S continues'to indicate caution. The arm of signal S will remain in this position until the train deonergizes relay G From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it is clear that the arm of signal S is operated to the caution position as soon as a westbound train leaves section B-C but that it is operated to the stop position as soon as an eastbound'train enters section AB, and thus the caution indication of signal S is controlled through section B-G only, for following train movements, but is provided with overlap control through section AB, for opposing train movements, whereas, in common terms of absolute permissive block signaling, overlap control of the caution indication of signals S and S is provided for both following and opposing train movements.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it is also clear that the proceed indication oi" signal S is interrupted when an eastbound train de-energizes relay H but that With a westbound trafiic movement signal S displays its proceed indication as soon as the train leaves section BC.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway signaling apparatus embodying my'invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a first and a second section, a first signal, a second signal, a control circuit for said first signal controlled bytraftic conditions in said first section and energized by current from a direct current source, and a control circuit for said second signal including the wires of said first signal control circuit and controlled by traftic conditions in said second section and energized by current from an alternating current source.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a first and a second section, a first signal, a seconc signal, a control circuit for said first signal controlled by trafiic conditions in said first section and energized by current of a givencharacter, and a control circuit for said second signal including the wires of said first signal control circuit and controlled by traiiic conditions in said second section and energized by current differing in character from the current b which said first signal control circuit is energized.

3. In combination with a railway home signal, a distant signal for said home signal, aflcontrol circuit for said home signal energized by current of a given character, and a control circuit for said distant signal including the wires of said home signal control circuit and energized by current differing in character from said home signal control current and energized only while said home signal control circuit is energized.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a first and a second section, a first signal, a second signal, a pair of conductors, and means including current of given character and current of a diii'erent' character supplied to said conductors for selectively controlling said first and second signals according to traffic conditions in said first and second sections, respectively.

5. In a railway signaling system, a passing siding connected with a stretch of main railway track, a permissive signal for governing the movement of traffic in a given direction through that portion of said stretch with which said siding is connected, an absolute signal for 'overning the movement of traffic in said given direction away from that portion of said stretch with which said siding is connected, means for causing said permissive signal to indicate stop when traffic moving in said given direction occupies that portion of said stretch which is between said permissive and absolute signals only, and means for causing said. permissive signal to indicate stop when trafiic moving in the opposite direction occupies a portion of said stretch in advance of said absolute signal as well. as when trafiic moving in said opposite direction occupies that portion of said stretch which is between said permissive and absolute signals.

6. In a railway signaling system, two adjoining sections of railway track, a track circuit for each of said sections each including a track relay, a first and a second and a third signal, a control relay controlled in part by a front contact of the first of said track relays, a slow release relay controlled by a front contact of said control relay, a stick relay,a pick-up circuit for said stickrelay controlled byafront contact of said slow release relay and bya back contact of said first track relay, a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by a back contact of said control relay, means for controlling said first signal by said control relay and by said slow release relay, a first and a second conductor, a second control relay responsive to direct current and connected across said conductors through an impedance unit having high impedance to alternating current but low resistance to direct current, a direct current source connected across said conductors through a front contact of each of said first and second track relays and through pole-changing contacts of said slow release relay and through a seond impedance unit similar to said first impedance unit, a branch path around said front contact of said first track relay passing through a front contact of said stick relay, an alternating current source connected across said conductors through a resistance unit and through a front contact of said slow release relay and of said second track relay, a branch path through a front contact of said stick relay passing around said slow release relay contact in series with said alternating current source, a third control relay energized when current from said alternating current source is supplied to said conductors while said second control relay is energized, means for controlling said second signal by said second control relay, a fourth control relay responsive to the polarity of the current supplied to its winding, a control circuit for said fourth control relay supplied with current of normal or reverse polarity according as said third control relay is energized or deenergized, and means for controlling said third signal by said fourth control relay.

7. In combination, a first and a second section of railway track, a first and a second signal, a pair of conductors, a source of current, a second source of current of different character from the current from said first source, a control means responsive to current from said first source, a second control means responsive to current from said second source, means for supplying current from said first source to said conductors according to traffic conditions in said first section, means for supplying current from said second source to said conductors according to traffic conditions in said second section, means including said conductors for supplying said first control means with current from said first source, means including said conductors for supplying said second control means with current from said second source, means for controlling said first signal by said first control means, and means for controlling said second signal by said second control means.

7 8. In combination, a first and a second section of railway track, a first and a second signal, a pair of conductors, a source of current, a second source of current of different character from the current from said first source, a control means responsive to current from said first source, a second control means responsive to current from said second source but not to current from said first source, means for supplying current from said first source to said conductors according to trafiic conditions in said first section, means for supplying current from said second source to said conductors according to traffic conditions in said second section, means including said conductors for supplying said first control means with current from said first source, means including said conductors for supplying said second control means with current from said second source, means for controlling said first signal by said first control means, and means for controlling said second signal by said second control means.

9. In combination, a first and a second section of railway track, a first and a second signal, a pair of conductors, a source of current, a second source of current of different character from the current from said first source, a control means responsive to current from said first source, a second control means responsive to current from said second source, means for supplying current from said first source to said conductors according to traffic conditions in said first section, means for supplying current from said second source to said conductors according to traific conditions in said second section, means including said conductors for supplying said first control means with current from said first source, means including said conductors for supplying said second control means with current from said second source, means for preventing current from said first source from reaching said second control means, means for controlling said first signal by said first control means, and means for controlling said second signal by said second control means.

10. In combination, a first and a second section of railway track, a first and a second signal, a pair of conductors, a source of direct current, a source of alternating current, a control means responsive to direct current, a control means responsive to alternating current, means for supplying current from said first source to said conductors according to traffic conditions in said first section, means for supplying current from said second source to said conductors according to traific "conditions in said second section, an impedance unit for obstructing the flow of alternating current, a resistance unit, means including said conductors for supplying said first control means with current from said first source through said impedance unit, means including said conductors for supplying said second control means with current from said second source through said resistance unit, means for controlling said first signal by said first control means, and means for controlling said second signal by said second control means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. BELL.

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