Patent GB-1408212-A (GB)
Title: System for controlling the movement of a vehicle or object along a path
IPC: B07C3/00
Filed: 1973-02-19
Abstract: 1408212 Route selection system MAATSOHAPPIJ VOOR INDUSTRIELE RESEARCH EN ONTWIKKELING NV 19 Feb 1973 [21 Feb 1972] 7952/73 Heading B7N A rail vehicle transmits an output signal to operate a set of points when a stored address on the vehicle corresponds to that read from a magnet plate disposed in advance of the points. Each magnet plate includes two read control magnets 6, 7 and three columns 2, (units), 3 (tens) and 4 (hundreds) of magnet positions each column having a single magnet positioned to give the points address (425 shown) in decimal form. The vehicle read apparatus includes three magnetic reed switches 10-12 for address reading-one per column, reed switches 14a-14e and 15a-15f which co-operate respectively with magnets 7, 6 and three selector switches 27-29 in which the required address for the vehicle is set (see circled connections) by connecting in each switch one of the ten numbered cross connections to the reed switches 14a-14e and 15a-15e to an associated address reed switch. On movement of the vehicle read apparatus over the plate the magnet 6 first closes switch 15f whereby a reset signal is applied from source 30 to the stores 18-20. Magnet 6 next actuates switch 15e so that source 30 is now applied to the "0" cross connection to the selector switches and at this time the reed address reading switches 10-12 are over the "0" row of the three magnet position columns. During subsequent movement of the vehicle switches 15d to 15a are activated in sequence by magnet 6 and then switches 14e to 14a by magnet 7 so that each numbered cross connection to the selector switches is energized in turn from source 30 whilst the address reading switches 10-12 scan the correspondingly numbered rows of the magnet plate. Thus switches 15c is picked up to energize cross connector "2" which is connected in selector switch 28 to address reading switch 11 just as the switch 11 passes over the magnet present in row 2, column 2 on the plate so that switch 11 is closed and store 19 is energized. Similarly stores 18 and 20 are energized when rows 4 and 5 are scanned. The outputs from the stores are applied to AND gate 31 and when all the stores are energized this provides an output to unit 33 which transmits a control signal to the ahead points and these route the vehicle to the branch path. A points position giving access, e.g. to all destinations in a particular hundred range, is preceded by a magnet plate having a magnet in the particular hundred position and also a magnet 8 in a position GM. The hundred magnet is read in the normal way to activate store 20 and the magnet GM is read by a reed switch 16 when control reed switch 14e is actuated to energize via diodes 34 and 35 the tens and units stores 19, 18. Where a set of points gives access to a further set of points i.e. to two addresses, both addresses can be set in the magnet plate preceding the points. The vehicle can be returned to a fixed destination by operation of a holding relay 22 which changes over the connections to the selector switches so that a fixed address 002 is presented. The relay can be operated via switch 57 when the vehicle is unloaded, via a drive battery charge monitor 53 or via gate 61 when the selector switches are set to a non-existent address.