Patent GB-190513796-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to Electrical Signalling and Controlling Devices for Railways
Inventor: KOTTMAIR LORENZ
Filed: 1905-07-04
Granted: 1906-07-04
Abstract: 13,796. Kottmair, L., and Zwack, R. July 4. Points and switches ; crossing-gates. -An electro-magnetic apparatus for actuating, controlling, and locking railway points, crossing-gates, &c., is controlled hy track circuits and track contacts. In the combined actuating- device and electric switch, Fig. 10, a piece 33 slides horizontally when either of two solenoids m, l is energized so that a rope attached to each core and passing round a sector 34 is moved to rotate the sector 34, and actuate the slide through an arm 35<1>. Two rods 31, 32 are thus moved vertically by inclines 34, 35 on the slide, and actuate attached pivoted switch arms e, f dipping into mercury cups t. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, this switch device E is shown diagrammatically, the arms e, f being shown in thick lines in their normal position. A train passing over the insulated portion of track rail 4 completes a circuit from the battery J through the train wheels and axles to an electro-magnet 18 of a switch D so that the arm 19 is attracted to close a contact 3, which thus closes another circuit from the battery through the magnet m. This causes the arms e, f to assume the position shown in dotted lines so that, when the last train axle leaves the insulated rail 4, the coil 18 is de-energized, and a spring reverses the arm 19, closes a contact 1, and so completes a circuit through another coil 14 through the mercury cup 2 and arm e. The coil 14 attracts a pivoted arm 15, which releases a lever 17 and allows a red disk to become visible to indicate the passage of the train. The released lever 17 also closes a contact which completes a circuit through the coil l and arm f. The energized coil l then returns the device E into its normal position with the arms e, f in the position shown by full lines. An official may now restore the red disk and the lever 17, since the circuit of the coil 14 is broken at the cup 2. Fig. 4 shows the arrangement at a railway switch W, in which the switch-actuating device B is controlled by a second similar device A<2> and an auxiliary device C, which prevent reversal of the rail switch until a train has passed the insulated rail 4, the circuits through the device B being broken at the device A<2>. The rail switch is moved into position by manually closing contacts 11 or contacts 12, 13. If the contacts 12, 13 are closed, a circuit is formed from the battery J through the terminal c of device B, arm f, coil w, terminal c of device A<2>, arm f, back to the battery J. The rail switch is thereby actuated by the device B, and the levers e, f thus take up the dotted position, so that another circuit is formed through the arm f of device B, terminal b, contact 13, terminal a of device A<2>, lever e, coil v, back to the battery J. The arms e,f in the device A', thus reversed, break the circuit of the coil v of the device B, which is the coil for now reversing the rail switch. When the train passes on to the rail 4, a circuit is completed through the train axles through the coil 18 of the electric switch D so that the armature 19<1> is attracted and the contact 3 closed. A circuit is thus formed from the rail 4 through the contact 3, terminal a of device C, coil m, arm e', contact cup 25 of the device A<2>, arm f back to the battery J and rail 4. The device C is thus reversed, and the circuit of the reversing-coil w of the device A<2> is thus broken while the train is passing over the rail 4. When the train leaves the rail 4, the magnet 18 is de-energized and the contact 3 broken, the contact 1 being made. A current then passes from the battery J to the arm e<2> of the reversed device C, contact cup 2, contact 1 of the switch D, terminal d of the device A<2>, coil w, and arm f to the battery J. The device A<2>, thus reversed, closes the contact 24, which is in circuit with the coils v, w of the device B, which may thus be shifted again to shift the rail switch. A circuit is also formed, from the battery J through the terminal c of the device C, coil l, contact cup 22, arm f, terminal a of the device A<2>, cup 24, and arm f back to the battery J. The device C is then reversed again and restored to its normal position. Instead of the battery J being connected permanently with the rail 4, the conducting-wire o, p may be replaced by the wires shown in dotted lines leading to a cup 6, and an insulated arm x in the device A<2>, the arm x being really fixed upon the same pivot as the arm f, so that the contact x, 6 is normally broken. In a modified form of this arrangement, the auxiliary device C is not provided. Fig. 3 shows another method of locking the switch or signal-shifting device A' after actuation until the train has passed beyond the insulated rail 4. The operation of the device A' reverses the arm e, but the consequent reversal of the arm f is prevented by the catch armature 26 of an electro-magnet 27, until this magnet is energized. A train passing on to the rail 4 completes a circuit through the coil 29, closing contacts 3, which closes another circuit through the magnet 27, so allowing the arm f to drop. When the last axle has passed over the rail 4, the switch D reverses, closing the contact 1, and so completing a circuit through the coil l, and the arm f to reverse the device A<4>. Fig. 5 shows an arrangement in which an electric track contact 3<1> replaces the usual contact closed when a train passes on to the rail 4. The circuit of the reversing-coil 14 of the device A to be secured against reversal includes breaks at contact 1 of the electric switch D and at contact 2 of the protecting-device E. A train passing on to the rail 4 energizes the coil 18, which opens the contact 1, but, upon the train actuating the treadle 3', a circuit is closed through the magnet m of device E to close the contact 2, so that when the train finally passes off the rail 4, the coil 18 is de-energized, the contact 1 is closed, and through the closed contacts 2, 1 the circuit through the magnet 14 is now closed to reverse the device A. To avoid permanent connexion of the battery J with the rail 4 through the coil 18, the portion of wire 71, 70 may be replaced by leads to a contact y on the device A, to be closed only when the device A is to be secured against reversal. In a modified form of this arrangement, earth returns may be employed, and a second device similar to the device A may be connected to it in parallel or in series to be secured against reversal together with the device A. Fig. 7 shows a simplified form of this arrangement, in which the lead from the device A passes over the track contact 3<1>, thus dispensing with the contact 2, Fig. 5. In a further modification, the shifting-devices are moved by electric motors which take the place of the solenoids shown in Fig. 10.