US2158974A - Interlocking system for railroads - Google Patents

Description

Filed July 30, 1936 lu emwwzm@ AQZNWE 3L mw @L E ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1939 INTERLOCKING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Frank. Benedict, Rutherford, N. J., assigner to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester, N. Y.

Application July 30, 1936, Serial No. 93,432

c claims. (o1. 24e- 134) This f invention relates to centralized traffic controlling systems for railroads vand more particularly pertains to means for-indicating to the operator in a central oflice the route, and direclustration and facilitating in the explanation thereof various parts and circuits constituting the embodiment of the invention have been shown diagrammatically, and certain convention illus'- trations have been employed, the drawing having been made with the idea of making clear the purposes and principles of the invention together with the mode of operation rather than with the idea of construction and arrangement of parts provides for governing West-bound trafc off of the diverging track.

In the central office is located a control panel A comprising a miniature track layout having indication lamps and control buttons thereon,

tion of travel thereover, manually initiated by that would probably be employed in practice. '51

, the operator. In practicing the invention it may be applied to `The present invention relates to improvements track layouts on which a plurality of routes may in the indications provided in a system ofthe sobe simultaneously established and in which a called entrance-exit route type interlocking sysplurality of track switches and cross-overs are tem disclosed in the prior patent of S. N. Wight, included in the same route and controlled by the 10 Patent No. 2,121,846 dated June 28, 1938, and is same entrance and exit control buttons. The also an improvement over the indication vsystem various relays and their contacts are illustrated disclosed in the prior .application of Forest B. in a conventional manner and symbols are em- Hitchcock, Ser. No. 74,709 led April 16, 1936. ployed to indicate connections to the terminal of 'I'he organization of a system embodying the batteries and other suitable sources of electric 15 present invention contemplates a miniature track current supply instead of showing all the wiring diagram located in the central. oice which corconnections to such terminals. responds with the actual track layout in the Symbols and are employed to indicate field. An entrance button is located on the diathe positive and negative terminals respectively gram at each iroute determining point on the of suitable batteries or other sources of electric 20 track layout and an exit push button and also energy; andthose terminals with which these an exit indicator is located at each point'to which symbols are used are presumed to have current traflicmay go. That is', for each signal location flowing from the positive terminal designated there is an entrance button which button re- (-1-) to the negative terminal designated quires the operation of an exit push button at the The symbols (B+) and (B-) are employed to 25 end of the proposed route in order to establish indicate the positive and negative terminals removement of traflic over a particular trackway spectively of a suitable battery having a midroute. tap (CN).

One of the objects of the present invention is Symbols employed with any one circuit are conto show by means of indications on the miniature sidered to designate asingle source of energy in 30 track diagram the route which has been initiated this embodiment of the present invention but as by the operator and the route that Will be estabmany sources' may be provided as found necessary lished .in the field including the .direction in or expedient in the practice of the invention. which trains may move thereover When established, and to accomplish this in a simple and APPARATUS IN GENERAL 35 y direct marmer, In the accompanying drawing the invention Other objects, purposes and characteristic feahas been ShOWrl applied t0 a track layout B tures of the present invention will be in part 0bconsisting of a section of main line track 5 and vious from the accompanying drawing and in a tlllllOllt track 6 CODIECE. by the SWl'tCh TS,

40 part pointed out as the description of the inven- Which SWtCh iS Operated by the Switch machine 40 ytion progresses, SM which may be of any 'suitable type. How- In describing the invention in detail reference ever, it should be understood that the invention will be made to the accompanying drawing which is not limited as shown to the control of a single illustrates a control panel Constructed in accord- Switch but may be applied to any track layout ance with the present invention as it appears fOuIld in DraCtCe- 45 under normal conditions when no route or routes Signal 2 prOVdeS fOr gOVerDiIlg 'east-Mund have been set up, and which drawing also iltraffic over the main track 5, and signal 2d govlustrates the track layout in the eld which cor- @IHS tram@ Over the SWtCh TS 011t0 the turnout responds with the miniature track diagram. traCk 6- Signal 3 DrOVidGS OI governing WSt For the purpose of further simplifying the ilbound traic over the main track 5 and signal 4 50 as shown on the drawing. This panel is preferably made of a dark colored material upon which is formed by grooves of other suitable means, markings to represent a track layout, which track layout corresponds to the actual track layout B in the eld. The base of these grooves, when employed, should be marked by a distinctive color such as white to make these grooves stand out from the dark background.

Located on the control panel are suitable buttons and indicators including the entrance buttons 2NB, 3NB and 4NB which are located at points corresponding to their .respective signals as indicated by the prex number. Located at the center Vof these entrancebuttons are suitable fixed indicators ZNBL, 3NBL and 4NBL, which have arrows located on their lenses which show the direction in which the corresponding signal in the field governs trai'lic. 'I'he arrows are illuminated by lamps located underneath the lenses, which lamps have for convenience been shown displaced from the lenses in the drawing. The outer movable part of the button has located thereon a pointer 1 which is shown in its normal position and may be rotated to correspond with the position of the arrow on the lens in the center of the button.

Adjacent to the entrance buttons are the exit indicators 2XL, 3XL and 4XL and the exit push buttons ZXPB, 3XPB and 4XPB. The exit indicators are i'lXed indicators including lampfs which when illuminated light the arrow located thereon to show the proposed direction of the movement of trallc over the selected route. The exit push buttons XPB are of the self-restoring type andwhen actuated in conjunction with the corresponding entrance button closes' a circuit for the control of route relays as shown in the drawing.

Associated with the entrance and exit buttons and the exit indicators are suitable route relays 2 3 and 2 4 of the polar neutral type. The operation of these route relays 2 3 and 2 4 eifect the control of the switch TS through the switch control relay Z which is a relay of the polar neutral type and preferably located in the central oflice.

In the accompanying drawing the entrance buttons are all shown in their normal no-route or signal-at-stop position, while the polar contacts of the associated route relays are shown in their right hand positions, signifying that east bound trafiic will be set up when these relays are energized.

OPERATION Setting up a muta-Let us assume an operator wishes to set up a route over switch TS from signal 2 to signal 4 shown in the track layout B. In order to do this he rotates the entrance button 2NB in a clockwise direction until the pointer 'I on the outer portion of the button corresponds to the position of the arrow on the stationary indicator ZNBL and completes the operation by pressing the exit push button 4XPB.

On the completion of this sequence of operation of these control buttons the route relay 2 4 will become energized and the route that will be set up in the field will be vindicated immediately tothe operator by the illumination of the exit indicator 4XL and the indicating lamp ZNBL in the center of the entrance button 2NB.

The circuit for the energization of the relay 2 4 is closed from through thecontact I0 of the entrance button 2NB in the position shown by theA dotted line through the coils of the route relay 2 4, back contact I I of relay 2 3, contact I2 of entrance push button IINB in its normal position, Contact I3 of the push button 4XPB in its depressed position to The current which flows in this circuit actuates or holds the polar contacts of the relay 2 4 to the right hand position as shown and picks up its neutral contacts, so that a stick circuit is established from through front contact I4 and polar contact I5 of route relay 2 4 in a right hand position to shunt out contact I3 of the exit push button IIXPB, which contact I3 is only-closed momentarily as it is a self-restoring push button.

When the route relay 2 4 is energized, or picked up, energy is supplied to the entrance indicator 2NBL located in the center of the entrance button 2NB, and the exit indicator 4XL through a circuit from through front contact I6 of the route relay 2 4, and the polar contact Il of the route relay 2 4 in the right (hand position through the indicator lamps 4XL and ZNBL in series to the terminal of the same source or" current.

With the neutral contacts of route relay 2 4 picked up the pick-up circuit for the 2 3 route relay is opened at back contact I8 and therefore no other route can be established until the route relay 2 4 is deenergized. This may be done by restoring the entrance button ENB to its normal position.

Similar circuits as the circuit traced for the indicating lamps ZNBL and 4XL traced above are provided for the remaining indicating lamps.Y For instance, one of these indicating circuits is controlled through front contact I6 and polar contact I1 to the leftof the route relay 2 4, a second circuit is closed through the neutral contact I9 and the polar contact 20 to the right of thel route relay 2 3 and another circuit for indicating lamps may be traced through the front contact I9 of the route relay 2 3 and the polar contact 29 thereof assuming the left-hand position. Since these route relays 2 3 and 2 4 are electrically interlocked through their respective back contacts II and I8, only one of these routerelays may be energized at one time. Also, since the polar contacts of these relays may assume one extreme posi-v tion at one time only, an interlock is provided between lamps indicating east-bound traic and lamps indicating west-bound traiiic over the sam route. f

The switch machine SM operates the switch TS to either of its two positions through the medium of the relay Z Which relay in turn is controlled by the route relay 2 4 or 2 3 as the case may be. With the route relay 2 4 now energized toward the right, for reasons above given, an energizing circuit for the switch control relay Z is closed, which may be tracedV from (B through the front contact 2I of the route relay 2 4 through the coils of relay Z to terminal (CN) which constitutes a mid-point of the same source of current.

The signal 2d governing the Yroute over the switch TS to signal 4 is also controlled by the route relayA 2 4. The circuit for clearing this signal 2d may be traced from through neutral contact 22 of route relay 2 4, through polar contact 23 of route relay 2 4 in the right hand position through signal 2d to The signals 2, 2d, 3, and 4 shown in the track layout B are preferably light signals of the three indication type and the indications displayed thereby will depend on the condition of traic ahead of the signal, the position assumed'v by the 2,168,974 v track switch and the fact that the switch and the Itis believed that it will be readily understood by analogy to the above description, how a route may be set up. from signal2 to signal 3 or in the reverse directions from signal 3 to signal 2, and from signal 4 to signal 2. However, when a route isset up from signal 4 to signal 2 or from signal 3 to signal 2 the route relay 2 4 or 2 3, as the case may be, is energized so that its polar contacts are moved to the left hand position. To set up a ,route from signal 3 to signal 2 the entrance button yas pushbutton ZXPB pressed. This energizes the relay 2 3 Aso its polar contacts move to their left hand position through a circuit from (-1-) through contact 9 of entrance button 3NB in itsk dotted line position, coils of relay 2 3 through back contact I8 of relay 2 4 through Contact Il] of entrance button 2NB in its normal position through contact 24 of the exit push button ZXPB in it'sdepressed position to When the neutraljcontacts of relay r2 3 are picked up a stick circuitv is closed which includes the front contact 25 and polar contact 26 positioned to the left of relay 2 3 to shunt out the contact 24 of the push button 2XPB which is ofthe self-restoring type.

, The operation of the-entrance button for the beginning of a route and the operation of the exit push buttony for the end of the corresponding ticular route and the direction of traiiic over the particular vroute to be established. After the completion of this operation the indicator in the entrance button and exit indicator located near the exit button will become illuminated, showing the extremities ofthe route and the direction of trafiic over the route thatk will be established in the field. That is, if a route from signal 2 to signal 3 is set up indicators 2NBL and 3XL will light up. Likewise a route from signal 4 to signal 2would be indicated by the entrance button ANB and the exit indicator 2XL being lighted.

' Y which relay has been properly positioned by the manipulation of the associated entrance and exit buttons. For instance signal 3 is cleared by a circuit from (-1-) through the front contact 21 and the polar contact 28 to the left of route relay 2 3 through signal 3 to When route relay 2 3 is energized the switch control relay 2 is positioned so that the switch TS is operated to its normal position. The circuit which controls the relay Z to that polar position may be traced from (B|) through contact 29 of route relay v2 3 through the coils of the relayZ to common return wire (CN).

Instead of having the arrows embossed on a stationary lens of the entrance buttons 2NBL, 3NBL and 4NBL as shown in the drawing, these lenses may be movable in the rotatable position ofcorresponding entrance buttons. If this modied construction is employed, the arrow would preferably point upward when this button assum'es its normal no-route position. The arrow could in this modied construction not be lighted while the arrow is pointing upwardly. In this form of construction the pointer 'l Would preferably be omitted since the dark vor lighted arrow by its vposition would show the position assumed by the arrow.

Summary The present invention provides a miniature track diagram with its associated entrance and exit buttons and entrance and exit indicators oan NX interlocking system in such a Way as to show immediately the extremities of the route attempted to be set up and the direction of trafcover this route. This is believed to be desirable so that the operator can readily ascertain the extent of the route set up and thereby eliminate the tendency to set up a conflicting route or disturb a route already set up.

Having thus shown and described a centralized trafc controlling system for railroads, as including one specific embodiment of the indication system constituting the present invention, it is desired to be understood that various modifications, alterations or adaptations may be employed to meet the requirements encountered in practicing the invention, and without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an interlocking. system of the entranceexit type, the combination with a track layout in the iield including a plurality of conflicting routes and a corresponding miniature track layout on a panel in the control oiiice, manually operable means at each end of each route on said miniature track layout, an indicating lamp associated With each of said manually operable means, a route relay for each route, means eiiective upon operation of manually operable means at the entrance end and at the exit end of a partic-ular route from normal for energizing a route relay identifying that route, means controlled by said route relay for setting up a corresponding route on the actual track layout, and a contact on said route relay for energizing the indicating lamps at the entrance and exit ends or" the route corresponding to said route relay.

2. In, an interlocking system of the type described, the combination with an actual track layout in the eld including a plurality of cons i'licting routes, a panel in the control office having a miniature track layout depicted thereon, manually operable means at each end of each route of said miniature track layout, a route relay for eac-h route, an energizing circuit for a particular route relay energized by current of one polarity if the manually operable means for that route are operated in a predetermined order and for energizing said relay by current of the reverse polarity if said manually operable means are operated in the reverse order, means for setting up traic in one direction over the corresponding route in the eld when said relay is energized by current of one polarity and for setting up traffic in the opposite direction over the same route when said relay is energized by current of the opposite polarity, 'and means controlled by said relay for indicating on said mlnl'iaturetrack layout the particular relay which has been energized and also indicating with what polarity of current said relay has been energized.

3. Control apparatus for interlocking systems comprising, a control panel having a miniature track layout depicted thereon, manually operable means at each end of each route on said |miniature track layout, an entrance indicating lamp associated with each manually operable means, an exit indicating lamp associated with each manually operable means, a route relay for `each route on said miniature track layout for lsetting up a corresponding route on an actual track layout and energized only if the manually operable means at the ends of the corresponding route on the miniature track layout are operated from normal, composite energizing circuits for said lamps each composite circuit including the lamp at the common entrance to a plurality of routes included in series with lamps at the exit ends of these routes connected in multiple, l'and means for controlling said composite energizing circuits for said route relays.

4. In a switch and signal control system for railroads; a track layout having a plurality of different routes with power operated means for setting up the different routes and with signals at the entrance and exit ends of such routes for governing traflic thereover, a contro-l panel having a miniature track diagram of said track layout, manually operable devices on said miniature track diagram at points corresponding to the 1ocations of said signals, indicator means associated with each manually operable device at points corresponding to said signal locations, route establishing means responsive only to the joint operation of said manually operable devices for the entrance and exit ends alone of any given route to control said power operated means to set up that route and clear the signal at the entrance thereto, and circuit means controlled only upon the response of said route establishing means, irrespective of the response of said power operated means, to effect the energization of said indicator means for the entrance and exit ends of any given route being set up by said route establishing means.

5. In a switch and signal control system for railroads; a track layout having a plurality of different routes with power operated means for setting up the different routes and signals for governing trafc over such routes; a control panel having a miniature track diagram of said track layout; manually operable devices on said miniature track diagram at points corresponding to .the locations of the signals in the actual track layout,

each of said manually operable devices being operable to designate its location as an entrance point or'as an exit point; indicator means associated with each of said manually operable devices for indicating when illuminated whether the corresponding signal location is an entrance point or an exit point; route establishing means responsive to the joint operation of said manually operable devices at the opposite ends only of any given route whensuch devices are operated to designate one end as an entrance point and the other end as an exit point with such response of said route establishing means effecting the control of said power operated means to set up. the designated route through the actual track layout and Vclear the signal at the designated entrance end; and circuit means controlled by said route establishing means only after the response of such route establishing means to the joint operation of said manually operable devices to eiectithc selective energization of said indicator means for the entrance end and the exit end of the route being set up to distinctively designate the entrance and exit ends of that route.

6. In an interlocking system of the entranceexit type, a track layout having different routes set by power operated means with signals at the entrance to such routes for governing traiiic thereover, a control panel having a miniature track diagram corresponding to said track layout, manually operable devices on said miniature track diagram at points corresponding to the locations of said signals in said track layout and constituting the entrance and exit ends of the different routes, two indicator lamps associated with each of said manually operable devices, one of said lamps being provided with an arrow index to show the direction of trafc governed by the signal for the corresponding location and the other of said lamps being provided with an arrow index to show the opposite direction of traidroute establishing means responsive to the joint operation of said manually operable devices for the entrance and exit ends alone for any given route to control said power operated means to setl up that route and clear the signal at the entrance thereto, and circuit means rendered elective only after the response of said route establishing means and selectively controlled thereby to energize the indicator lamps at the opposite ends of any given route being set up by said route establishing means, said circuit means energizing the lamps having arrow indiceskfor the same direction of traffic and corresponding to the direction of traffic governed by the signal cleared at the entrance to such route.

FRANK BENEDICT.

Images