US1956605A - Railway track switch controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

' May 1, 1934. P. F. WILLARD RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1935 +0 R 0 M5 0 5L 7 mm m WL i, b S 2 H r Z Z A] P .fi I V Y B m K a m H t f 9 i 9% \z I F V p a d P mw: Clllnl b\ l 3 v; H V m 5 B B oflice.

Patented May 1, 1934 D STATES Arsri RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Paul F. Willard, Wilkinsburg, Ia., assignor to The Union Switch &

Si n mpany, Swiss- 2 Claims.

My invention relatesto railway track switch controlling-apparatus of a type'wherein the operations of arailway track switch are at times effected from-a point remote from the switch, and are at other times effected from a point adjacent the switch.

More specifically, my-invention relates to apparatus wherein a control lever adjacent a switch, when ina first-position, permits normal and reverse operations of the switch to be effected from a remote point, and, when'moved to a second or a third position, itself causes the switch to be operated to the normal or the reverse position, respectively.

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

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the-drawing, the reference character]? designates a railway track switch which is moved from normal to reverse positions and vice versa'by some suitable device such for example, as a fluid pressure mechanism M, which is equipped with control magnets designated by the reference characters N, L and R, respectively. Magnets N, L andR are controlled bya: lever V which may be located at a remote point such, for example, as an interlocking tower or a train .dispatchers oflice, and bya lever .V which may be located adjacentswitchF. In conjunction with switch F, mechanism M operates a pair of polechanging contacts 3 and 5 which become closed ina given position when switch-F is moved to its normal position, and which become closed in a second position when switch F is .moved to .its reverse position.

A signal, designated by the-reference character S, governs trafiic movements over switch F when switch F is in its normal position in which it is shown in the drawing. Signal Sis controlled by a lever V which may be located with lever V in an interlocking tower or a train dispatchers Signal Sis also controlled by a switch indication relay K which is energized in the normal or the reverse direction, when lever V is in its normal position, according as mechanism M operates switch F to its normal or its reverse position.

Lever V has a normal position n, a center position 0, and a reverse position 1'. Lever V operates a contact 1 which is closed whenlever V is inits n position or at .a point b, orat any other point between position n and point I). :Lever 1V operates a second contact 6 which is closed when lever V is in its r position or at a point (2, or at any other point between position 1' and point d. Lever V also operates a third contact 8 which is closed at either-point b or point 01, or at any other location between these two points. A fourth contact 13 operated by lever V is closed only when lever V is in its 0 position.

Each of the levers V and V has a normal position m, a left reverse position 1, and a right reverse position t. Lever V operates a contact 12 which is closed only when lever V is in its right reverse position 1'. Lever V may also be provided with a contact which is closed when lever V is in its f position for controlling other signals for governing trafiic movements over switch F. Lever V is provided with threecontacts 2, .4 and 7, each of which is closed when lever V is in its m position only. Lever V also operates a contact 14 which is closed when lever V is in its j position only, and a contact 15 which is closed when leverV is in its t position only.

When lever V is in its m position, in which it is shown in the drawing, operations of mechanism M for moving switchF to its normal and reverse positions are effected by lever V through its control of magnets N, L and R. If lever'V is moved to its 0 position, operations of mechanism M for moving switch F to its normal and reverse positions can be effected by lever V -As shown in the drawing, lever V is in its 11. position, each of the levers V andV is in its 11 position, and switch'F is in its normal position. With lever V in its 1L position and with lever V in its m position, magnet N is energized by a circuit passing from terminal B of a source of current not shown in the drawing, through contact 1 of lever V contact 2 of lever V and the winding of magnet N to terminal 0 of the same source of current. With switch F in its normal position and with lever V in its m position, indication relay K is energized in the normal direction by current supplied from terminal '28, through contacts 3 and 5 in the normal position, and contact 4 of lever V to the winding of relay K. With lever V in its m position, a circuit for controlling the mechanism of signal S, only a portion of which is shown in the drawing, is open at contact 12 of lever V Signal S is therefore indicating stop.

I will now assume that the leverman or the dispatcher who has charge of levers V and'V desires switch F to be moved to its reverse position. He will therefore move lever V to point d, thereby completing a circuit for energizing magnet R, passing from terminal 13, through contact 6 of lever V contact '7 of lever V and the winding of magnet R to terminal 0. With lever V at point d, magnet L will also be energized by current passing from terminal B, through con tact 8 of lever V and the winding of magnet L to terminal 0. With magnets L and R energized, mechanism M will move switch F to its reverse position. Upon the completion of this operation, the leverman will move lever V to its r position, thereby deenergizing magnet L but retaining magnet R in its energized condition. The moving of switch F to its reverse position will cause contacts 3 and 5 to be moved to their second position, which will cause relay K to be energized by current of reverse polarity and open its contact 11 in the circuit for controlling the mechanism of signal S.

If now the leverman should. desire to return switch F to its normal position, he will move lever V to point 1), thereby completing the circuit previously traced for energizing magnet N, and also completing the circuit previously traced for energizing magnet L. Mechanism M will then move switch F to its normal position. This operation of switch F will cause pole- changer contacts 3 and 5 to be returned to the position in which they are shown in the drawing, and hence relay K will again become energized in the normal direction.

If the leverman should now desire to clear signal S, he will move lever V to its 15 position, thereby completing the portion of the circuit for signal S shown in the drawing, which includes contacts 10 and 11 of relay K and contact 12 of lever V If other conditions are correct for closing the portion of the circuit for signal S not shown in the drawing, signal S will therefore be operated to its proceed position.

I will next assume that all parts of the apparatus are again returned to their normal condition, and that it is then desired that switch F shall be controlled locally for switching movements. The leverman or the dispatcher in charge of levers V and V will therefore move lever V to its 0 position in which contacts 8 and 13 of this lever will be closed.

If now a trainman moves lever V to its position, a circuit will be completed for energizing magnet R, passing from terminal B, through contact 13 of lever V contact 15 of lever V and the winding of magnet R to terminal 0. With contact 8 of lever V closed, magnet L will be energized by its circuit previously traced. With magnets L and R. energized, mechanism M will move switch F to its reverse position as previously described. The moving of lever V away from its m position causes contact 4 of thislever to be opened, and hence causes indication relay K to become deenergized. The manual movement of switch F by the trainman to its reverse position will therefore have no effect on relay K.

When the trainman desires to return switch F to its normal position, he will move lever V to its f position, thus causing a circuit to be completed for magnet N, passing from terminal 13, through contact 13 of lever V contact 14 of lever V and the windingof magnet N to terminal 0. With magnet N thus energized and with magnet L energized as previously described, mechanism M will return switch F to its normal position. Contact 4 of lever V will again be open, with lever V in its f position, and hence relay K will be deenergized. With relay K deenergized, contact 10 of this relay will be open,

and hence signal S could not be cleared even if lever V should by mistake he moved to its 25 position and if contact 11 of relay K were closed.

If now lever V is returned to its 172 position, and if lever V is then moved to its n or its 1* position, switch F will be operated to its normal or its reverse position, respectively. As previously described, the completion of the movement of lever V from point (2 to its 1 position or from point 27 to its 11 position will open contact 8 of this lever, and hence magnet L will be deenergized.

If, with lever V in its n or its r position, switch F should by some means be displaced from its normal or its reverse position, the consequent movement of pole changer contacts 3 and 5 will cause relay K to become deenergized. A circuit known as a restoring circuit Will therefore be completed for magnet L, passing from terminal B, through contact 9 of relay K, and the winding of magnet L to terminal 0. With magnet L thus energized, mechanism M will restore switch F to the position corresponding to which of the magnets N and R is energized.

On account of relay K being controlled by contact 4 of lever V contact 13 of lever V could be omitted and lever V could be left in either its n or its r position while switch F is being operated as controlled by movements of lever V to its or its t position. Contacts 14 and 15 of lever V would then be connected directly with terminal B instead of with contact 13 of lever V Magnet L would then be energized through contact 9 of relay K, as previously described, while either magnet N or R is energized as controlled by lever V From the foregoing description and the ace companying drawing, it follows that one form of apparatus embodying my invention comprises a switch operated by a fluid pressure mechanism; a three-position lever for controlling the switch from a remote point if a second three-position lever adjacent the switch occupies a normal position; and means controlled by the lever adjacent the switch for moving the switch to its nor mal or its reverse position according as this lever is moved to a second or a third position, respectively.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway track switch controlling 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: p

1. In combination, a railway track switch, operating mechanism for said switch, a first and a second control lever each of which has a first and a second and a third position, means controlled by said second lever when moved to its third position and by said first lever for contro ling said operating mechanism to move said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said first lever is moved to its first or its second position, and means controlled by said first lever when moved to its third position and by said second lever for controlling said operating mechanism to move said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said second lever is moved to its first or its second position.

2. In combination, a railway track switch, a normal and a reverse control magnet for conlever and the first contact of said second lever for energizing said normal magnet, a third circuit including the second contact of said first lever for energizing said reverse magnet, and a fourth circuit including the second contact of said second lever for energizing said reverse magnet.

PAUL F. WILLARD.

Images