Patent GB-592712-A (GB)
Title: An improved train token machine for the control of trains and like vehicles between stations
IPC: B61L23/24
Filed: 1945-03-09
Abstract: 592,712. Token systems for controlling traffic on railways. SCHOOR, M. C. VAN. March 9, 1945, No. 5976. Convention date, March 6, 1944. f Class 1051 The token apparatus for absolute/permissive and crossing working described in Specification 517;051 is modified by the provision of manually operated cams to ensure that various locking armatures are moved into their locking position, and of masking devices which prevent incorrect manual operation of push switches and interlock with the slide cover of the tokenreceiving transfer pocket, the said cams and the masking devices being interconnected together for simultaneous operation. The apparatus is also arranged to control traffic from or to a branch line at an unattended intermediate point. Figs. 1 - and 1 (contd.) are an elevation, Fig. 3 an end view, and Figs. 4, 4 (contd.), 6, 8 show certain details of the mechanical' locking of the absolute / permissive instrument while Figs. 15, 16 show certain details of the mechanical locking of the separate crossing instrument; Fig. 21 shows the electrical arrangements for. the absolute/- permissive, crossing, and branch line working. The apparatus includes a single stroke bell for exchange of preliminary signals. For absolute working a token 1 is transferred from the magazine 58, Fig. 3, and placed in pocket member 5, Figs. 1 and 1 (contd.). This requires that a masking device 137 be moved by a hand-operated sector 136, Fig. 3, to allow a cover slide 100 of the pocket member 5 to be opened by sliding through an opening 107 in the end frame 102. The sector 136 rotates its shaft 135 whereby cams 132, 133, 134 thereon force down certain locking pawls 50, 49, 121 into locking position. 'The insertion of a token in the pocket member 5 displaces a piece 7, Figs. 4 and 4 (contd.), by which a key is slid into end notches 8 of a shaft (synchronising barrel) 9 which is thus coupled with the trunnion of the pocket member and further a key 10 by which the shaft (synchronising barrel) was locked to its bearing 108 is withdrawn from the bearing key-way; a slide with an upstanding locking pin 207 is also displaced into an annular groove 202 in the bearing of the other trunnion 201 whereby the pocket member is freed at this side. The shaft (synchronising barrel) 9 is however locked until the far station sends an " in phase " direct current of proper polarity to raise the locking pawl 50 whereupon the pocket member can be turned 180 degrees and the token extracted after operation of the cover slide 100 as above. The locking pawls 49, 50 engage reversely arranged locking flanges on a drum 32 which carries commutator pieces 113 co-operating with fivecontact fingers 111 to provide a changeover switch for the electrical line wire circuit; the drum, in absolute working, is rigidly connected with the shaft (synchronising barrel) 9. For the return of a token an " out of phase " direct current must be received to raise the locking pawl 49 whereupon the pocket member 5 can be returned 180 degrees in the reverse direction and the token then removed . and passed to .the magazine 58. The push S<4> for sending the currents must pass through an aperture in a masking shutter 139 and holes 143 in the drum flange; this requires that the cams 132, 133, 134 be operated by shaft 135 and that the drum 32 be in correct position. It should be noted that extraction of a token, by forcing back a pivoted dog 125, ensures the return of the piece 7 which in turn butts on the slide of locking pin 207 to force the latter into the bearing groove and thus the empty pocket member is completely freed for rotation. The return of the piece 7 also pulls back the key 10 whereby the shaft (synchronising barrel) 9 is again locked to its bearing 108. For permissive working from station A to station B a token is first extracted at station B and then inserted in a second pocket member 13 which is rotated about its axle 116, Fig. 8, to move a link 118 so that the large end 120 of a keyhole aperture therein will allow a shaft (synchronising screw bolt) 25 to be manually pulled therethrough by an exterior handle. The shaft 25 has a partial screw thread which in the pulled-out position of the shaft can turn in a thread in the hollow shaft (synchronising barrel) 9 whereas in'the inward position the two shafts are locked together by the butting of the thread ends of the partial screw thread on an unthreaded half periphery of the hollow shaft the other half periphery being cut out to provide a gap, Fig. 4. The instruments at A and B are at this time out of phase. The operator at B on receipt of " out of phase " current from A to release the locking pawl 49 now operates a push clutch 36 to engage and turn the drum 32 anti-clockwise as viewed from the clutch end whereby he can then send "in-phase" direct current to A for the release of a token at A, and it should be noted that pawl 121 has been moved by the link 118 to a position which locks hollow shaft 9 against clockwise movement for the extraction of a further token at B. This action 'screws the shaft (synchronising screw bolt) 25 half a turn into the hollow shaft (synchronising barrel) 9. Successive tokens for permissive working from station A are obtained in similar manner by the operator at B successively operating the clutch to move the drum into " in-phase " position to send release current to A the shaft 25 screwing along the hollow shaft 9 a corresponding number of half turns. A dash pot return for the clutch 36 prevents the drum 32 (keyed with the shaft 25) from spinning past the position where the locking pawl engages. When the tokens reach station B they are inserted in turn in the pocket member 5 which can be rotated in the anti - clockwise direction (since the hollow shaft (synchronising barrel) 9 is at this stage free of the shaft (synchronising screw bolt 25) and drum 32 to transfer each token to the magazine 58. It should be noted that each transfer to magazine 58 rotates the hollow shaft 9 half a turn so that when all the permissive tokens have been placed in the magazine at B the shaft 25 is free of the thread and moves back into rigid connection with the hollow shaft 9. The shaft 25 is now in the axial position which allows the link 118 to move the narrow portion of its aperture into a groove 24 on the shaft 25 whereby the second pocket member 13 is freed to allow removal of the token and its subsequent insertion into pocket member 5 for transfer into the magazine when an " out of phase " current is received from station A. During permissive working a switch contact 147 in the alternating current circuit for crossing- working control is opened by the movement of the second pocket member 13. For crossing working i.e. for two sets of trains to proceed in opposite directions towards a passing siding separate crossing instruments are provided which can be brought into operation only after a token has been obtained at station A. Such token is inserted, after manual operation of a cam and masking shutter device as described above, in a pocket member 69 of the crossing instrument thereby removing a catch 153A, Fig. 15, from a locking aperture 154A, Fig. 16. This pocket member on receipt of an alternating current from B to energise a lock magnet through a transformer with a condenser in the secondary circuit can then be turned to a position in which, one, two, or three crossing tokens can be removed, the pocket member 69 then being locked by catch members similar to 153A engaging apertures 154. The locking members such as 153A are pulled into locking position by the withdrawal of the crossing tokens operating an arm connected to the locking member. Before B can operate his plunger S1<1> to transmit alternating current it is necessary that a toothed sector on the crossing instrument at B be operated to bring an aperture in a masking device in line with the plunger and the movement of, the shaft of the sector forces down locking pawls on to the flange of the shaft of the crossing - token pocket member at B. After the required number of crossing tokens for the set of trains to proceed from A have been extracted A transmits an alternating current to B to allow the crossing-token pocket member at B to be moved over and the required number of crossing tokens extracted for the set of trains to proceed from B. For A to transmit alternating current it is necessary that the crossing-token pocket member be in the moved-over position so that an aperture in a masking device is in line with plunger S1. The sets of trains exchange the crossing tokens at the passing siding and the tokens are returned to their issuing end. At B the crossing tokens can be inserted in their pocket member and the latter returned to normal position at once if all tokens are in but at A the return of the crossing-token pocket member to normal position can only be effected if B -transmits an alternating current. When this has been done the absolute token is freed for re-insertion into the absolute/permissive instrument. For branch line working there is provided at the diverging junction a branch instrument having a push switch arrangement S8, S9 whereby normally the line wire circuit extends from the terminal end A to terminal end B. When a train arrives from the branch the driver or guard of such train after telephone communication with A and B operates such push thereby bringing two line circuits into operation, one line circuit including two magnets R6, R8 with a polarising magnet R7 and the other line circuit including an opposite and stronger polarising magnet R9. If the direct currents transmitted from A and B are in phase an armature swings in a direction to release a locking pawl to allow an out movement of a token authorising the train to enter the section; extraction of this token actuates a change-over switch C3 so that the instruments A and B become out of phase. If instead a