US2049397A - Electrically locked control switch - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1936. J. F. MERKEL 2,049,397

ELECTRICAIQLY LOCKED CONTROL SWITCH Filed Jan. 26, 1932 FIG. 1.

Patented July 28, 1936 UNlTED STATES ELECTBICALLY LOCKED CONTROL SWIT Joseph F. General N. Y.

Merkel, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Railway Signal Company,,Rochester,

Application January 26, 1932, Serial No. 588,895

10 Claims.

This invention relates to control switches for railway traflic controlling devices, and more particularly to a toggle switch which may be electrically locked against operation.

In controlling certain railway traflic controlling devices, such as electrically operated track switches, it is often the practice to employ a local control relay which is definitely positioned by manual control means to effect a corresponding operation of the track switch. A compact manually operable control switch may then be employed to position this control relay from any convention point as the actual power for the switch operation is not transmitted or controlled over the energizing circuit for this relay. It is considered necessary in railway signalling practice to provide some means for preventing unsafe operation of a switch machine thus controlled or for example a means which prevents the execution of a new operated position of such a switch machine while a train is occupying a section of the track which is dangerously close to the switch.

In view of the above, it is proposed in accordance with this invention to provide a simple and compact toggle switch having an electrically actuated lock which may prevent operation of the switch to a new position when certain conditions warrant such a precaution. It is also proposed to provide such an electrically actuated locking means which is adjustable to prevent operation of the switch in either its energized or its de-energized condition.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the invention will appear as the description thereof progresses, during which references will be made to the accompanying drawing which shows the invention in a manner to make it easily understood, rather than with the view of showing the particular construction preferably employed in practice, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an electrically locked switch according to the present invention arranged to control an electrically operated track switch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional top view of an electrically lockedswitch in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of Fig. 2 with certain parts shown in section.

With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the switch of the present invention essentially comprises a frame F having upper and lower extensions F and. F by which the switch unit may be attached to a front plate I such as by screws 2 which are threaded into rectangular members 3. The plate I may then be mounted for convenient operation such as on a control panel 4 by a bolt 5 which may have the switch number on the head thereof. v An operating arm 0, having a handle 6 at one 5 end and an operating and locking pin 1 at the other end, is arranaged to pivot about a pin 8 secured to the frame F. Projections 9 on the arm O are arranged to limit both extreme positions by striking against cushioning strips l 0 made of suitable material such as leather secured to the frame extensions F and F A contact operating arm C is pivotaily mounted on a through bolt I2 and is actuated by a beyond center movement of the operating arm 0 through a toggle spring arrangement. This toggle spring arrangement comprises two similar insulated connecting links l3 engaging apin M at the end of the contact operating arm C and having slots receiving the pin I at the end. of the operating arm 0, which connecting'links carry a spring maintained between insu ating washers l6 one bearing against the pin 1 and the other against enlarged heads of the connecting links I3. The elongated slots in the connecting links H which receive the pin I obviously permit the spring IE to be compressed by a movement of the operating arm 0 to a center position and this compressed spring then quickly forces the contact operating arm C to its opposite extreme position by a further movement of the operating arm 0 beyond its center position. v

A hollow insulating member i I surrounding the contact arm C is held in the frame F by the pivoting through bolt l2 and on the top side of this insulating member are clamped an upper contact spring I! and a lower contact spring l8 having projecting means for'securing external wire connections. The lower side of the insulating member carries similar upper and lower contact springs l9 and 20, which contact springs are clamped together with the top spring to the insulating member Ii by through bolts 22 and 23. The inside contacts 18 and iii are shaped so as to be biased against an operating head 24 secured to the end of the contact operating arm C, thus efiectin'g that either contacts [9 and 20 or contacts I1 rid it are engaged according to the position of the contact operating arm C.

Beneath the switch just described is mounted an electric lock mechanism with a bracket 26 secured to the frame F by screws 21 and the through bolt l2 both of which pass through elongated slots in the bracket 26. This lock comprises an iron-clad magnet M having a core 28 secured to the bracket 26 by nuts 29 and is operable to attract an armature A which is biased to a retracted position by a spring 3i. The retracted or the de-energized position of the armature A is limited by a member 32 secured to the magnet M by screws 33 which member serves to hold the spring 3i and stops the armature A by its upturned end.

The armature A has two extending locking arms 35 and 3B which have their ends inturned to project through slots 31 and 38 in the frame F. These inturned ends of the arms 35 and 36 move into the path of the pin 1 of the operating arm 0 whenever locking magnet M is de-energized and thus prevent sufiicient movement of the operating arm 0 to efiect movement of the contact operating arm C. It is obvious that these arms 35 and 36 when the magnet is in energized condition as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, are out of the path of the pin 1 and thus permit operation of the operating arm 0.

The slots in the mounting member 26 which hold the bolt l2 and screws 2! permit bodily shifting of the locking arrangement to a position in which these arms 35 and 36 are in the path of the pin 1 when the magnet M is energized, and produces the same locking eiTect as is produced by the de-energized condition when the locking arrangement is adjusted as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The slots 3! and 38 in the frame F being sufliciently long, permit these locking arms 35 and 36 when the locking arrangement is in this shifted position to move to a position which clears the pin 1 when the armature A assumes a de-energized position thus permitting, by the adjustment of the lock mounting means to select at will whether operation of the switch is permitted when the lock is de-energized or when it is energized.

The armature A of the locking mechanism is loosely held by the member 32 so that when in a position effecting the locking of the switch, any strain due to an attempted operation is resisted by the pin 1 forcing the inturned ends of the locking arms 35 and 36 against the sides of the frame slots 3'! and 38 instead of allowing such strain to be resisted by the locking mechanism.

The typical application of the present invention, shown in Fig. 1, shows a section of track T including a track TS which is electrically operated by a switch machine SM. This switch machine SM has a conventional polarized control relay CR arranged to govern its operated position over circuits selected by its contact 40, which control relay is definitely positioned by a two position manually operable switch S of the type shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. The locking magnet M is diagrammatically shown as preventing movement of the control switch when de-energized and its control is shown as through a front contact 4| of a track relay TR which is in turn governed by the occupancy of a track section including the switch TS. It is thus obvious that a train occupying this insulated track section effects the dropping of the track relay TR thus de-energizing the locking magnet M and preventing the movement of the switch S to change the position of the track switch TS. In installations where it is desirable to have the switch S locked when the magnet M is lie-energized, the locking mechanism is adjusted accordingly in a manner previously described and its energizing circuit is arranged to be com leted at a back or tie-energized contact of relay TR.

An electrically locked toggle switch has thus been shown and described as one specific embodiment of the present invention which is compact and simple in its design, provides contact means which are quick acting and which may be electrically locked against operation by a simple and sturdy mechanical locking arrangement. The locking mechanism possesses the further advantage of an adjustment which permits locking of the switch against operation by a de-energized condition 01' the locking magnet or by a simple adjustment it may be arranged to eifect this locking when in an energized condition, which adjustment enables the locking arrangement to be adapted to the requirements of the particular application.

The above rather specific description of one form or the present invention is given wholly by way of example and is not intended in any manner whatsoever in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that various modifications, adaptations and alterations may be applied to meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. In a manually operable control switch for railway trafiic controlling devices, a pivoted operating arm having operating means at one end and a transverse pin fixed at the other end, a pivoted contact actuating arm, compression spring means arranged to snap-actuate said contact actuating arm to a definite position by a respective beyond-center movement of said operating arm, an electro-magnet, and an armature positioned by said electro-magnet to assume a position in or out of the path of said transverse pin of the operating arm.

2. In a manually operable control switch for railway traflic controlling devices, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried between said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by a corresponding beyond-center operation of said operating arm and an electro-magnetic lock comprising an electromagnet, and an armature operable to prevent effective movement of said operating arm.

3. In a manually operable control switch for railway traflic controlling devices, an operating arm. a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried between said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either 01' two distinct positions by a corresponding beyond-center movement of said operating arm and an electro-magnetic lock comprising an electromagnet and an armature attractable by said electro-magnet to prevent suflicient movement of said operating arm to move said contact actuating arm.

4. In a manually operable control switch for railway trafilc controlling devices, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried between said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by a corresponding beyond-center movement of said operating arm and an electro-magnetic lock comprising an electromagnet, and an armature biased to a position which prevents sufilcient movement of said operating arm to move said contact actuating arm. said armature being attractable by said electromagnet to a. position allowing free movement of said operating arm.

5. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuatedto either of two distinct positions by a corresponding beyond-center movement of said operating arm and an electromagnetic lock comprising an electro-magnet, a locking armature operable by said electro-magnet and adjustable mounting means for said electro-magnet and said locking armature whereby said electro-magnetic lock may be selectively rendered either effective to lock said operating arm during a de-energized condition of said electromagnet or eflective to lock said operating arm during an energized condition of said electromagnet.

6. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by movement of said operating arm, an electro-magnet, an armature operated by said electro-magnet, locking arms on said armature arranged to selectively prevent eilfective operation of said operating arm according to the position of said armature, and guide means for said locking arms arranged to receive force applied to said locking arms by an attempted operation of said operating arm.

'7. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by movement oi! said operating arm, an electro-magnet, an armature operated by said electro-magnet, locking arms on said armature arranged to selectively prevent effective operation oi said operating arm according to the position of said armature, the armature being loosely mounted, and guide means for said locking arms arranged to receive force applied to said locking arms by an attempted operation of said operating arm.

8. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by movement of said operating arm, an electro-magnet, an armature operated by said electro-magnet, locking arms on said armature arranged to selectively prevent eiiective operation of said operating arm according to the position of said armature, the armature being loosely mounted, and guide means, separate from the armature, for said locking arms arranged to receive force applied to said locking arms by an attempted operation of said operating arm.

9. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by movement of said operating arm, an electro-magnet, an armature operated by said electro-magnet, locking means on said armature arranged to selectively prevent effective operation of said operating arm according to the position of said armature, the armature being loosely mounted, and guide means, separate from the armature, for said locking means arranged to receive force applied to said locking means by an attempted operation of said operating arm.

10. In a control switch, an operating arm, a contact actuating arm, toggle spring means carried by said arms whereby said contact actuating arm is snap-actuated to either of two distinct positions by movement of said operating arm, lock actuating means, lock means arranged to selectively prevent effective operation of the operating arm according to the position of the lock actuating means, a loose mounting for the lock actuating means, and guide means for the lock means arranged to receive force applied to the lock means by an attempted operation of said operating arm.

JOSEPH F. MERKEL.

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