Patent GB-190600535-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Electrical Signalling on Railways.
Inventor: ROTTER EDWARD RICHARD ERNEST
Filed: 1906-01-08
Granted: 1907-01-08
Abstract: 535. Rotter, E. R. E. Jan. 8. Points and switches. - The electric power operation of the points and signals and indicating and locking devices is controlled so as to be obtained in the correct sequence by a single hand-lever, which is rigidly connected with a contact-lever sliding over contact-studs and has a movement only in one direction for affecting all the necessary operations. Fig. 2 shows the connexions from a switchboard having switch levers a, b, c, d controlling respectively the home' starting, advance starting, and distance signals of the main down line. The lever a also controls the points. As the lever a is moved successively over the contact-studs 1 ... 7, the following sequence of operations is obtained by the closure of the various circuits indicated :-Contact with the stud 1 looks conflicting signals and points, e.g. by energizing a solenoid e actuating a locking-bolt f to lock the lever a' for the branch down road.; contact with the stud 2 unlocks the points by energizing one coil,of the lock g ; contact with the stud 3 actuates the points through the motor h, and the closed points then close the contact of a point detector i to actuate an indicator k contact with the stud 4 locks the points by energizing a second coil of the lock g, and a detector l then completes a circuit through an indicator m ; contact with the stud 5 lowers the main 'home' signal H, the signal motor being in circuit with the point detector i and the point lock detector l ; a circuit is also closed to operate a lock n to lock the branch, 'home' signal at danger, and another circuit is closed to operate a lock o to unlock the lever d partly ; contact with the stud 6 raises the main ' home' signal H, unlocks the branch home' signal by operating the lock n again, and partly locks the lever d by operating the lock o ; contact with the stud 7 unlocks the signal-switch levers that were locked on the stud 1. The starting-switch levers are operated after the lever a has been moved on to the stud d. The lever b is moved on to the stud 8 to actuate the starting' signal S, a second circuit being completed through the lock p, which partly unlocks the lever d. The lever c is then moved on to the contact-stud 9 to lower the ' advance starting' signal AS, and also to complete the unlocking of the' distance' signal lever by operating the lock d. The lever d is moved on to the stud 10 to lower the distance signal D and to operate a lock r locking the lever a and the locks s, t to lock. the levers b, c. After the train has passed, the lever d is moved on to the stud 11, raising the 'distant' signal D and unlocking the levers a, b, d. The lever b is then moved on to the stud 12, permitting the ' starting' signal S to rise and to lock the lever d partly at the lock p. The lever c, being moved on to the stud 13, similarly permits the 'advance starting' signal AS to rise, and partly locks the lever d at the lock q. The lever a may then be moved on to the stud 6 as described. The switch levers a, b, c, d are each mounted on the shaft w, Fig. 4, which is provided with a contact arm x making the actual electric contacts, the arm a, for instance, moving over dummy studs. A pawl and ratchet u, v ensures complete rotation of the lever and prevents backward movement. A projection z on the shaft w encountering obstacles controlled by the solenoid 14 constitutes the lever locks, and a dash-pot for preventing rapid actuation comprises a spur pinion 16 on the shaft w moving against a piston 17 controlled by a spring 18. The points may be operated by a motor 19, Fig. 6, mounted on the pin 20 of the lever 21. The construction of this motor and the method of operating and locking' the sigoals and switches are of the kind described in Specification No. 26,744, A.D. 1901; [Abridgment Class: Signalling &c.]. The point detector comprises a piston-rod 28, Fig. 7, connected to the points and carrying two sets of contacts 26, 27 which alternately connect the contacts 23, 24 contained within a casing 22 according to the position of the points. A separate detector is preferably employed on each point. The points' lock comprises two coils 30, 31, Fig. 9, which alternately move a locking-bolt 32 into or out of engagement with holes in a blade bar 29, and the lock detector comprises two pairs of fixed contacts 33, 34, and two pairs of movable contacts 35, 36 carried by a prolongation of ,the solenoid rod. For a junction of the kind shown in Fig. 2, four main switch levers such as the lever a are provided i.e. main down,' main up,' branch down,' and ' branch up,' and each has three supplementary levers for the raspective `starting,' advance '-starting,' and' distant signals.- More than, aeven contacts (as required for the lever a) may be necessary on the other switchboards.