US872329A - Controller. - Google Patents

Description

No. 872,329. PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907. A. T. CROCKER.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED HA3. 3, 1906.

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\ release of the controller handle.

the controller handle is released.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ARTHUR T. OROCKER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed March 3. 1906. Serial No. 304.008.

.(a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

The )resent invention relates to electric controllers and articularly to that type of controller wherein a motor circuit is arranged to be interrupted andbrakcs applied when 111 my rior application, Serial No, 240,143, filed Fan. 9, 1905, I have illustrated a crmtroller of this general character adapted for use in so- 1 called semi-automatic controller systems for railway service. This is a fairly large con troller and certainty of operation in case of emergencies makes it expedient to provide means for operating a circuit breaking and brake-applying apparatus indc endently of movements of the main contro lcr cylinder. \Vhere the control system is entirely automatic only a few train wires are needed and therefore the ,controller may be made coni paratively small and the entire cylinder may be caused to return to off position upon The present invention comprises a novel construction and arrangcn'icnt of parts forming the emergency apparatus in this latter type of con trol ler.

It is customary for the niotorman, in leaving his car, to remove either the controller handle or the handle of the reversing switch so as to prevent tampering with the controller by unauthorized persons. The handie of the reversing switch is usually small, but where the reversal of the motor is socured by reversing the main controller itself, the only handle that can be removed is the I handle of the controller which is quite bulky casing 3 of the controller.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a controller constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, the casing being removed to show the interior mechanism; l ig. 2 is an enlargednview showing in cross-section the controller handle and emergency and locking devices; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line A A of Fig. 1 Big. 4 is a detail of a catch for holding the controller in its off position and Fig. 5 shows the locking keycarried by the motorman. 1

Reference being had to the drawing, 1 indicates a controller cylinder mounted upon a shaft 2 which is suitably journaled in the Surrounding the lower end of the shaft is a spring 4 having its opposite ends secured respectively to a fixed portion of the controller casing and to the controller cylinder, the arrangement being such that when the cylinder is turned in spring 4 is placed under tension and returns the cylinder to its normal position when free to do so. The upper end of the shaft 2 proj ects through the cap-plate 5 of the controller and has fixed thereto above the cap-plate the hollow handle 6.

7 indicates a valve arranged in a casing S and normally held closed by means of the A valve stem, 10 projects beyond spring 9.

The valve mechanism is suitthe casing 8.

ably supported in the upper end of the controller casing andadjacent the controller shaft. An arm 11., pivotally mounted upon a shaft 12 journaled in lugs extending from the valve casing, is adapted to strike the end of the stem 10 and unseat the valve; this movement of the arm being effected by a spring 13 secured at one end to a fixed projection 14'and at its other end to a member 15 secured to the. arm 11. Normally, this arm is held out of engagement with the valve stem by means of a pivoted catch 16 which has a shoulder 17 adapted'to drop in front of the arm, holding it against the tension of the spring 13. On the controller shaft is a sliding member 18 having on its upper face a cam either direction from its central position,'

19 so located that, when the member 18 is in its upper position and the controller in its "off position, the cam is directl T beneath the free end of the dog 16 and hol s it out of locking engagement with the arm 11. The sliding member 18 is controlled by means of a rod 20 slidingly arranged within the axial opening 21 in the upperendfl of the shaft of 110 the controller; the rod being secured-at its lower end to the member 18 by means of a button in the controller handle is depressed,

as shown in Fig. 2, the lever 24, pressing upon the upper end of the rod 20, holds itin itslowermost position and. therefore, main-' tains the member 18 and its cam 19 depressed against the tension of'a spring 27 upon which the lower end of the rod 20 rests. While in this position, the controller handle may be rotated at will without causingthe cam to release the cat ch.

In case the motorman takes his hand from v the button either while the controller isin a running position or in its ofi position, the member 18 is forced upwardly by means of the spring 27 and trips the catch, for if the controller .is not already in its off {position it is turned to that position by the spring 4, causing the cam 19 to ride under the end of the catch; The tripping of the catch. releases the arm 1 1 and permits it to unseat thevalve. The unseating of the valve operates to exhaust air from thepipe 43 and causes the brakes to be applied. In order to-release the brakes, the button 26 must be again depressed and the member 18, in moving downwards, engages with arms or jaws 28 which may be cast integral with or otherwise be securied to the arm 11 and member 15. Obviously, as the jaws are depressed, the arm 11 will be moved awayfrom the valve stem against the tension of the spring 13 untilvthe catch is free to drop into locking engagement with the arm.

, The emergency valve-operating mechanism may be' locked against operation by a sliding bolt 29 arranged in the. controller handle and adapted to be moved through an opening 30 in the upper end of the controller shaft and to engage a recess 31 in the rod 20. This recess is so located that it registers with the opening 30 when the rod is depressed, namely when the parts are in the brake-releasing position. The bolt 29 may be arranged in various ways, as, ,for example, it may form part of or be secured to. a plate 32-slidingly mounted in the controller audio and having a shoulder 33 which is engaged by one endof a spring 34 the opposite end of the spring bearing against a iiXed portion 35 of the handle; A cam-shaped opening 36 in the plate is adapted to be en-' gaged by a key 37; the key being designed to withdraw the bolt from engagement with the recess 3] by pressing the plate out-.

ward ly against the spring 34; and the spring Within the controller.

in turn shooting the bolt into locking positionwhen the key is removed. Although the spring 4 is adapted to bringvthe controller to the ofi position it is'ad,-,

spring, has performed its function. For this purpose a pair of catches 38 and 39- are pivf oted to the unden sidejof the-eap-plate. anid a lug 40, adapted toengage these catche' projects fromthe member,1S. Thelug' and catches are soproportioned that when, the

, when the controller is in the off iti n member 18 is depressed ddring the 'horrnal operation of the controller, the lug is brought below the plane of the-catches andleaves the controller free to be rctatedf When, how ever, the button in the handle is released and the controller is returned toward the ofi position, the lug 10 lifts one ofthe catches and strikes against the end of the other I catch-and brings the controller to rest.- The first catch then drops behind the lug and prevents it from rebounding.

It will be seen that when the bolt 29 enters the recess 31,- the'end of the plate 32 engages with a notch 41 in the hub42 form- 1 ing partof the cap-plate. By this means the controller is locked in its off position at the same time that the emergency de vices are held intheirinoperative positions, i

so that the I'n'otorman' may take out the key and leave the controller without danger that it will'be operated or the brakes ap-. plied; The engagement of the plate 32 with the hub also serves the purpose of making it necessary for the motorman to unlock the emergency devices before the controller can be turned into a running position, thereby preventing the motcrman from looking the emergency devices so as to be inoperative during the time the controller is in a running position. Furthermore,. the key cannot be withdrawn through the opening 37 until the controller is brought into the oii position and --the' button depressed so as to bring the nc'tch41 into registration with the end of the plate and the opening 31 into registration with the bolt 29. v

hen it is desired to start the car, the

motorman insert; the, key and turns it, at

the same time p acing hishand upon the button so as to prevent the application of the brakes. when the locking bolt is withdrawn. Thereafter, as long as the button is held depressed, the eontroller may be turned into any desired position; but,,if at any time,

either while the controller is in the off position or in a running position, the handle is released, the brake valve will-be operated and the brakes applied, inthe' manner previously described. Upon leaving the car the motorman removes the key while the button is both the brake devices and the controller.

s till depressed, thereby'locking Y device adapted to engage with a fixed portion of the controller and with movable members of the controller and emergency device to lock the controller and emergency device in inoperative position.

2. In combination, a controller, an. emergency device operated thereby, and a locking device adapted to engage withatixed portion of the controller and with movable members of the controller and emergency device to lock the controller and emergency device in inoperative position, and a removable key for operating said locking device,

3. In a controller, a movable cont-roller member, an emergency device, a governing member for said emergency device mounted upon said controller member, and a locking bolt adapted to engage recesses in a fixed portion of the controller, in said movable member and in said governing member.

4. In a controller, a movable controller member, an emergency device, a governing member for said emergency device mounted upon said controller member, a locking bolt adapted to engage recesses in a fixed portion of the controller, in. said movable member and in said governing member, and a detachable key for operating said locking bolt.

In a controller, a controller handle, an en'iergency device, an operating member for said emergency device, a catch for restraining said operating member, and means associated with said controller handle for trip ping said catch upon release of the controller handle.

6. In a controller, a controller handle, an

emergency device, means for operating said device, a catch for restraining said operating means, and means associated with the controllcr handle for setting said operating means and for tri ping the catch upon release of the control or handle.

7. In a controller, a shaft, a handle on said shaft, an emergency device, a member for opcratin said emergency device, a catch for restraining said member, a tripdevice,s idably mounted upon the shaft and adapted in one position to trip said catch and in its other position to set said operating member, a spring for moving said trip-device in one direction, and means associated with the controller handle for moving said trip-device in the other direction.

8. In a controller, a controller shaft,'a handle on said shaft, an emergency device, a rod for controlling said emergency device slidably mounted in an opening extending lengthwise of the shaft, and a locking bolt carried by said handle and adapted to engage with said rod. i I

J. In a controller, a controller shaft, a

handle on said shaft, an emergency device, a rod for controlling said emergency device slidably mounted in an opening extending lengthwise of the shaft, a locking bolt carried by said handle and adapted to engage with said rod and with a lixed portion of the controller.

10. In a controlle a controller shaft, a handle on said shaft, an emergency device, a

-rod for controlling said emergency device slidably mounted in an opening extending lengthwise of the shaft, a locking bolt carried by said handle and adapted to engage with said rod and with a fixed portion of the controllcr, and a detachable key for operating said bolt.

11. In a controller, a shaft and an operat ing handle, an emergency controlling device, a spring-actuated arm for operating said device, a catch for restraining said arm, a spring-actuated member slidably mounted in said shaft for tripping said catch, a button on said-controller handle, and means operated by said button for moving said member to set the arm.

12. In a controller, a shaft and an operating handle, an emergency controlling devlce,

a spring-actuated member for operating said device, a catch for locking said member, a part on the controller shaft, a spring for movmg said part to trip the catch, and means associated with the controller handle for moving said part to operate said member against the tension of its spring.

13. In a controller, a shaft and an operating handle, an emergency brake device, a spring-actuated member for'operating said device, :a catch for restraining said member, a part slidably mountedupon said shaft, a spring for moving said part to trip the catch, and means associated with the controller handle for movingsaid part out of engagement with'the catch and into engagement with a portion of said member to move said member into position for engaging said catch, said means including a member adapted to be gripped by the operator.

14. In a controller, a shafLand an operating handle, an emcr ency brake device, a spring-actuated mem er for operating said brake device, an arni rojecting from said member adjacent the s raft, a catch for restraining said member, and an element slidably mounted upon said shaft and adapted to engage with said catch to trip the same and with the arm to set the said member, a spring tending to move said element to its catch-tripping osition, and a device on the controller han le movable relative to the handle for operating said element to engage said arm.

15. In a controller, a shaft and an operating handle, a brake valve, a spring-actuated. member for operating said valve a catch for restraining said member, and means associated with the controller handle for setting sa1d ihember 1n catch-engaging position and for tripping said catch when the handle is released.

16. In combination, a controller having a revolublc shaft, a spring tendingnorinally to maintain said shaft in the off position, an emergency brake device arranged ad acent the shaft, an operating member for said brake device, a catch for restraining said operating member, a cam on said shaft normally in the path of said catch for tripin the same and means for de ressin said cam out of the path of the catch.

17. 'In combination, a controller having a revoluble shaft, a spring tending normally to maintain said shaft in the off position, an emergency brake device arranged adjacent the shaft, an operating member for said brake device, a catch for restraining said operatingmembcr, a cam on said shaft normally in the path of said catch for tripin the same and means for de ressin said cam out of the path of the catch and into engagement with said operating member to set Y the same. I I

18. In comblnation, a controller having a 'revoluble shaft and an operatinghandle, a spring tending normally to maintain said s aft 1n the off position, an emergency brake device, an operating member for said brake device haying an arm-extending adjacent theshaft, a catch for restraining said '0 eratingl member, a cam on the controller s aft normally in the plane of the catch for tripping the same, and means associated my hand this 'tending to move said cam into the plane of the catch, and means associated with the controller handle for movingsaid-cam out of the plane of thecatch and into engagement with the valve-operating member for setting the same.

20. In combination, a controller having a revoluble shaft and operating handle, a

spring tending normally to maintain said shaft in the ofposition, an emergency brake device, an operating member for said device, a catch forrestraining said operating member, a part associated with sald shaft for tripping the catch, and means associated With the controller handle for moving said part into .an ino erative position.

In witness w ereof, I have hereunto set second day of March, 1906'. ARTHUR T. CROCKER Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL,

' HELEN ORFORD.

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