Patent GB-191216647-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Railway Safe-running Devices.
Inventor: ANGUS ARTHUR REGINALD
IPC: B61L3/10
Filed: 1913-02-17
Granted: 1914-05-18
Abstract: 16,647. Angus, A. R. Feb. 17, 1913. Track apparatus actuating signals on trains and for stopping trains; indicating movements of trains. -A warning signal is given on a train or a train is stopped at a given point on the track, if a device, whose position depends on the speed of the train, does not duly respond to the motion of the train and consequently does not move beyond a position corresponding to a predetermined minimum speed and also if any given point on the track is passed at a speed in excess of a predetermined maximum by the co-operation of a speed-controlled device on the train and apparatus dependent upon a contact member carried by the train and moved to varying positions by track contacts, the form of which is determined by the allowable speed at that point. The track contacts are arranged to warn or stop trains passing in one direction only, and may be made dependent upon switch points or other apparatus controlled by a signalman. Several forms of apparatus are described having the contact devices on the track between or outside the rails or above the train as in a tunnel. The engine members co-acting therewith may be pivoted or may slide in guides transversely to the track rails. Fig. 9 shows one form of apparatus with a pivoted contact 6 and a vertically sliding contact 11 carried by the train and co-acting with a compound track contact having a double inclined surface 12, the height of which is greater at a stopping than at a warning point, and an horizontally-disposed surface 7 which displaces the lever 6 to an extent dependent upon the maximum speed allowable at that ramp. The upper end 19 of the rod 11 is shaped so as normally to hold the sectors 22, 21 but to release them when the rod is lifted at warning and stopping contacts respectively. The sectors serve as stops for piston valves 33, 41 pressed against them by fluid pressure and by springs. When opened, the valve 33 passes air to the whistle 36, the valve 41 passes air to the throttle-operating cylinder 44, and the train pipe 38 is opened at the port closed by the door 27. One or both the sectors 22, 21 are released by the rod 11 at each ramp but are retained in the position shown if the magnets 53, 54 are energized. These magnets are controlled by the relay 2, the circuit through which passes through contacts made by the arm 6 dependent upon the maximum allowable speed and through contacts on a speedometer, the arm of which when at zero maintains the circuit open but closes it when more than a predetermined speed is indicated. Further movement causes it to open the circuits appropriate to low speeds as the speed of the train rises. Thus if the speedometer indicates more than the predetermined speed and less than the maximum allowable at the particular ramp with which the arm 6 is making contact, the magnet 2 is energized and completes the circuit from the battery over contacts 49, 46, 45 to the magnets 54, 53 and restrains the danger signals. The resistance 9 in the circuit of the magnet serves as a safeguard, since if the current through the magnet is too large, the circuit through its armature is broken. Fig. 12 shows an engine apparatus with vertically sliding contact rods 11, 11<a>, the former controlling circuits at the contacts 61 and the latter carrying contacts in series therewith so that, if a warning signal ramp is encountered by either rod, the contacts 66 or 66<a> open the circuit from the generator 47 over contacts 61, 66, 66<a>, the magnet 67 controlling the danger whistle 36, magnet 80 controlling the miniature signal, and the contacts 74 on the lever 76. At the stop ramp, this circuit and one from the generator 47 over contacts 61, 65, 65<a>, magnet 68, which when energized holds closed the valve 70 controlling the motive power of the brakes, and contacts 74 are both opened. At any ramp, the rod 6 or 6<a> is moved laterally against the action of springs 112, 113 by the surface 7 and is guided by projections 110 in guides 111 to a position according to the lateral displacement of the surface 7 as determined by the allowable speed and makes contact in a circuit including the speedometer contacts which is closed if the speed is below the allowable speed, the magnet 2, battery 1, and the resistance 9. If the magnitude of the current in this circuit is within predetermined limits, the magnet armature 84 breaks the circuit from the battery 47 over armature 84 to the magnet 87, of the line-clear whistle, which is thereby sounded and completes a circuit from the battery 47 over armature 84 contacts 92, 93, the magnets 67, 68 and 80 which keep the whistle, brake and motive power valves closed and the miniature signal at clear. If the speed is too high, the magnet 2 is not energized, and if the resistance 9, which may be on the train or on the track, is short-circuited, the armature 84 breaks the circuit of the generator 47 at the contacts 48, and in either case danger signals are given. The track ramps are arranged so as to allow trains to pass at limited speeds in one direction but at any speed in the reverse direction, in which the arms 6 are moved only so far as to contact with studs which are connected to the pointer of the speedometer so as to complete the circuit of the magnet 2 independently of the speed of the train. A set of contacts controlled by the arm 6 may be connected up to a series of annunciators so as to show the driver the maximum speed allowable at each ramp. Fig. 18 shows a speedometer comprising a disk 150 moving about pins 151 in a vertical spindle 152 driven from the train wheels and connected by a link 154 to a spring-controlled collar 153, the position of which determines the position of an arm 156 carrying a contact roller 159 over a set of resilient contact bars of varying lengths. The application of the apparatus to limiting the speed of a train at crossover roads, curves, and sidings is described. At cross-over roads, the speed is limited on the crossover but not on the through road. At speeds below a predetermined minimum, the roller is out of contact with all the springs. When that speed is reached, contact is made with all the springs, and as the speed increases, the roller passes out of contact with the shorter springs relative to low speeds. Any suitable mechanism for moving an indicating- needle may be operated by the arm 156 or the sleeve 153.