Patent GB-404662-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to remote control means for railway reciprocating engines
IPC: B60L3/00
Filed: 1932-07-05
Abstract: 404,662. Distant control systems. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., Ltd., Magnet House, Kingsway, London, CROFT, E. H., and TURRALL, J. C., c /o General Electric Co., Witton, Birmingham. July 5, 1932, No. 19013. [Class 40 (i).] Electrical remote-control means for a railway locomotive comprise a master reversing controller 33 operating to modify circuit conditions of a slave controller 36 associated with repeating means adapted to operate reversing gear 35, and a master motive fluid controller 9 operating to modify circuit conditions of a slave controller 23 associated with repeating means adapted to operate a device for controlling the throttle valve 18 of the engine, the slave controllers being moved by the devices operating the reversing gear and the throttle so that they cancel the circuit conditions initiated by their master controllers when they are in positions corresponding to those of the master controllers. In the construction shown a locomotive 1 can be controlled from either of two or more control stations 4, 5. At each control station there are master controllers 9, 33 connected by a multi-wire cable 7 to the locomotive on which the slave controllers 23, 26 are mounted. A battery 27, which may be the train lighting battery, is connected to the controllers 9 and 33 and a safety contact 10 is provided through which current can flow only as long as the handle of the controller 9 is depressed against spring action. Wires 19-22 are energized in turn by rotation of the controller 9 and these wires energize segments 25 26, 26A of the controller 23 according to the position of the latter. When the controller 9 is moved one step and wire 19 is energized segments 25, 26 are also energized and circuits are completed through two coils 28, 29 and a common return wire 30. The coils 28, 29 operate the valves of pneumatic cylinders 31, 32 operating the throttle valve 18 of the locomotive. When both valves are de-energized the throttle valve is moved to the closed position shown, since the " on " valve is closed and shuts off pressure fluid from cylinder 32 and the " off valve admits pressure fluid to cylinder 31 ; when both valves are energized the throttle is moved in the opening direction by cylinder 32, and when one valve only is energized, i.e. that controlled by coil 29, pressure fluid is admitted to both cylinders and the throttle is held in the position to which it has been moved. Thus when both coils 28, 29 have been energized by means of wire 19 the throttle is opened and the controller 23 is moved correspondingly. As the contact finger 56 on wire 19 leaves segment 25 the coil 28 is de-energized ; coil 29 is still energized, however, since finger 56 is now on segment 26A connected to segment 26. The throttle is then held in the position corresponding to the first step of controller 23 and also of controller 9. Similarly, when controller 9 is moved to any position, the throttle is moved in the corresponding direction until the controller 23 reaches a position corresponding to that of controller 9. The master reversing controller 33 has a central " off " position, two neutral positions, three forward and three reverse positions. The reversing gear 35 on the locomotive is operated by a pneumatic motor 34 controlled by the reversing controller 33 through the slave controller 36 and valveoperating coils 50, 53. The motor 34 also rotates the controller 36 which has segments 37, 38, 51, 52 and forward and reverse relays provided with normally-open contacts 39, 39a, 40, 40a, operated by coils 41, 42. When the master controller 33 is turned, say, to the forward neutral position contact fingers 73, 65 are connected and a circuit is completed through wire 48 and " forward " relay 41 to close the " forward " contacts 39, 39a, which remain closed in all forward positions of the master controller 33. Movement of the controller 33 to one of the forward positions causes the coil 53 to be energized and the motor 34 to move the reversing gear in a forward direction, until the slave controller 36 reaches the position corresponding to that of the master controller, when the coil 53 is de-energized and the reversing gear remains in its new position. A plurality of engines may be controlled by the same controllers, or a steam rail car may be controlled instead of a locomotive. In a modification the " follow up " or share controller may be provided with two rows of stud contacts co-operating with two moving contacts connected with the coils of the valves and arranged to move with the pneumatic motor.