Patent GB-808529-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to railway route-setting equipment
IPC: B61L19/06
Filed: 1956-07-27
Abstract: 808,529. Railway route setting equipment. STANDARD TELEPHONES & CABLES Ltd. July 27, 1956 [Aug. 3, 1955], No. 23305/56. Class 105. Railway route-setting equipment capable of establishing a number of routes through a network of points comprises for each route-end in the network, selection devices, e.g. push-buttons or key switches, which on operation select the position required for each points included in the selected route and manually operated route-end control devices, e.g. push-buttons or key switches which on operation subsequently to the corresponding selection devices for the same route move to-or maintain in-the position selected by the selection devices, each points included in the route. The invention is described in connection with a system having mimic diagram control boards with the route-end keys arranged appropriately on the route diagram. The route selection office may be the control office for the junction of which the network of points W1, W2, W3, Fig. 1, forms a part and the control board or office, Fig. 3, may be in the same buildings as the selection board or office, Fig. 2, or remote therefrom, in which case suitable signal transmission equipment will be necessary for the transmission of signals between the selection and control boards. In the case of large junctions, more than one network each with its own control board may be provided, through routes being conveniently, though not necessarily, selected from a central selecting board which is also in the same building as the control board for the central part of the junction. Two points selection circuits are provided for each route, namely a first one, Fig. 5, including the selection relay FS2 +, FS2 - for the required position of each points W2, trailed in one direction of travel is from A to 3 over the route and the engagement relay FS1, FS3 of each points W1, W3 referring to the same direction of travel and a second one, Fig. 4, including the selection relay FS1 +, FS1-; FS3 +, FS3-, for the required position of each points W1, W3 trailed in the opposite direction of travel over the route and the engagement relay FS2 of each facing points W2 referring to the said opposite direction of travel. To set up a route from track A to track 3 the controller at the selection board, Fig. 2, actuates the selection keys A3 thereby at contacts TA and T31, Fig. 4, initiating one route selection circuit to operate points selection position relay FS3 -. Contact T32, Fig. 5, is opened. Engagement relay FS2, Fig. 4, is energized over front contact FS31 - and at front contact FS22 energizes selection relay FS1 -. At front contacts FS11 - the hold relay FPA is energized over contact TA and closes its contact FPA1 in parallel with contact TA so that the key A may now be released. At front contact FPA2, Fig. 5, the engagement relay FS1 for points W1 is picked up to establish the second selection circuit to pick up selection relay FS2 - for the reverse position of points W2, over front contact FS11. At front contact FS21 - engagement relay FS3 for points W3 is picked up and hold relay FP3 is picked up over front contact FS31 and back contact BR32 of the cancel key BR on the selection board, Fig. 2. By the closed front contact FP31, Fig. 4, the continued energization of selection relay FS3 - is independent of contact T31 of key 3. Lamp L3 on the selection board lights up over front contact FP32 to indicate that the selection has been completed and that keys A3 may be released. The lamps LW1 &c. are lit to indicate the points selected over front contacts FS16-, FS26-, FS36-, respectively, Fig. 4. The selected route is indicated on the control board, Fig. 3, by lamps La and L13 flashing over front contacts FPA5 and FP35 respectively, Fig. 7. The keys a and 13 on the control board are then operated to establish the route. At front contacts Ta, Fig. 6, of key a and T131 of key 13, a circuit is closed for energizing the proving relay Pa over front contacts FPA3, FS14-, FS24-, FS34- and FP33. At front contact Pa2, Fig. 7, the points control relays FSP1, FSP2, PSP3 and the proving relay P13 are all energized, to position the points W1, W2, W3 as required followed by locking of the points and clearing of the signal in known manner. The change-over of contacts Pa3 and P132 of the proving relays Pa and P13 changes the control lamps La, L13 from flashing to continuous glow. With contacts Pa1 and P131, Fig. 6, in parallel with key contacts Ta and T131 respectively, the keys a and 13 may be released. Operation of the cancel key BR on the selection board at back contact BR32, Fig. 5, de-energizes the hold relay FP3 which at front contact FP31, Fig. 4, releases selection relay FS3 - followed by the remaining relays of the selection circuits. To prevent the release of an established route a contact FF3, Fig. 5, is provided in parallel with contact BR32 and if closure thereof is made dependent on the locking of a route after its establishment, as by a locking relay, cancellation may take place at any time before the route is locked, or if contact FF3 is made a contact of the proving relay P13, Fig. 7, cancellation is prevented as soon as keys a, 13 at the control board are operated. When the selection board closes down, the control board may be independent thereof by providing contacts of the control keys a, x, 11, 12, 13 in parallel with the contacts of the selection keys.