Patent GB-328935-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for operating and controlling railway-crossing gates and signal devices therefor
IPC: B61L29/22
Filed: 1928-11-01
Abstract: 328,935. N³chter, L. Nov. 1, 1928. Operating barriers electrically; indicating operation of barriers.-Apparatus for operating and controlling railway crossing gates and signal devices therefor adapted to be actuated automatically by a moving train comprises three contact devices provided in sequence along the railway line for each direction of travel, the first contact device being adapted to close the circuit of the warning devices, the second being adapted to switch in an electric motor to cause it to close the gates, and the third contact device located on the opposite side of the gates operating the switch in the motor causing it to rotate in the opposite direction to open the gates and also to break the circuit of the warning devices. Fig. 1 shows the lay-out of the wiring for a double track railway, Fig. 3 the operative gearing between the crossing- barrier 7 and the electric motor 3, Fig. 5 a sectional view of the line contact 11, and Fig. 6 a plan view of the change-over switch which serves to reverse the motor. The motor 3 operates the barrier through gearing 4, 5 and a chain drive 6, the chain carrying a bar 8 with projecting pins 9 which serve to operate the reversing switch. The line contacts are each normally held in the raised position by a spring 15, and when depressed are held in engagement with the lower contact 16 by a spring-pressed pawl 17 forming the solenoid of a coil 18. The reversing switch 10 comprises contact members 47, 48 and 49, 50 adapted to engage insulated contact members s, r and p, q respectively. For a double-track railway the device operates as follows :-The wheels of a train advancing from the right depress contact member 1 to connect the leads a, b and close the circuit through the battery 39, leads c, and the warning or signalling device 20, 21, the detent 17 retaining the contact bolt in the engaged position. The contact 2 is next depressed and the motor circuit closed through the leads d, k, g, e and a, the contacts of the switch member 10 being in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The motor then operates to close the gates, the switch 10 being moved over by the pin 9 to cut-off the motor. When the train reaches the contact 11 beyond the gates it depresses the contact 14<1> on to the contact 16<1> to close the motor circuit through the leads h, g, k, e and a, the switch 10 having previously been moved to break contact at r, s and make contact at q, p. The contact lead 14<11> is also depressed to make contact with 16<11>; this energizes the coils 18 through the lead l and the pawls 17 of the line contacts 1, 2 are withdrawn. The motor opens the gates and then moves the switch 10 to cut off the motor, the parts then being positioned ready for another sequence of operations. The contact members 14<1>, 14" for the line contact 11 are formed at the end of the member 14, and the parts 16<1>, 16<11> of the member 16 are similarly insulated, as shown in Fig. 5. For single track railway it is necessary that the line contacts make the circuits onlv according to the correct direction of travel of the train. This is effected by the arrangement shown in Fig. 6. For a train approaching from the left the contact member 14 operates in the manner similar to Fig. 5, but through the lever 24. At the same time, the lever 31 is moved into the dotted line position so that the subsequent depression of the member 26 is in operative. When the member 26 is depressed first, the lever 30 is rocked to free the roller 32 from the contact arm 25, which is then pulled down by the spring 33 to render ineffective the subsequent operation of the contact 14.