US1222479A - Control system. - Google Patents

Description

llNllTlE TATE ATEINT FTQE,

KARL A. SIMMON, 0F EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. ill, illlill.

Application filed August 10, 1915 Serial No. 44,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, KARL A. SIMMON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to control systems, and it has particular reference to systems that are adapted to control the operation of such pneumatically-actuated pantograph trolleys as are employed upon electric railway cars and electric locomotives.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a system of the above-indicated character which shall be simple in arrangement of circuit connections, which shall efiectively govern the operation of the trolley, and which shall be particularly adapted for controlling the operation of sprin raised and pneumatically-lowered trolleys, the control circuits of which receive their energy from the trolley conductor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a positive and reliable system of control for governing the operation of trolleys of the general class referred to, which shall be so arranged as to insure the lowering of the trolley even after the supply of controlling energy is cut off by reason of the separation of the trolley from the trolley conductor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a control system having the characteristics hereinbefore enumerated, by means of which a plurality of pneumaticallyactuated pantograph trolleys upon the same or difl'erent units of a train may be concurrently actuated.

In one of its specific aspects, my invention contemplates an auxiliary electrically-controlled pneinnatic relay for actuating a main control valve to govern the supply of actuating fluid to the lowering device, whereby sufficient operating fluid may be admitted to the auxiliary pneumatic relay when its control valve is temporarily energized, to insure the opening ofthe main control valve and, therefore, the lowering of the trolley, even though the trolley becomes quickly disengaged from the trolley conductor and thus cuts off the supply of energy to the control apparatus.

In the prior art, it has been customary to concurrently control the operation of a plurality of pneumatically-actuated trolleys through the agency of suitable control conductors and an auxiliary storage battery.

However, in certain types of equipments, it is desirable to dispense with the auxiliary storage battery and to provide means for securing control-circuit energy, directly or indirectly, from the trolley conductor. In such an equipment, where pneumaticallylowered trolleys are employed, it is evident that special means must be provided to insure that the trolleys shall be fully lowcred and locked in position after they have been initially disengaged from the trolley conductor. Moreover, means must be provided for raising one of the trolleys manually in order to obtain a supply of energy for subsequently effecting the raising of the remaining trolleys of the train.

These and other objects, which will hereinafter appear, are intended to be accomplished by the system illustrated and described herein.

The single figure of the accompanying ,0

drawing, is a diagrammatic view of a sys tem of control which embodies my invcntion.

Referring to the drawing, the system shown comprises a trolley conductor 1, a pantograph trolley 2 having a pneumatically-released latch 3 and a spring-raised and pneumatically-lowered actuating device l, a fluid reservoir 5, an electrically-controlled valve 6 for governing the admission of fluid to the pneumatically'released latch 3, a pneumatically-actuated valve 7 for governing the admission of operating fluid to the actuating device l, an electromagnetically-actuated valve 8 for governing the operation of the pneumatioactuating device 7, a manually-operated valve 9 for lay-passing the valve 6, and a plurality of control resistors 10 and 11 which are adapted to be connected to the trolley 2 by means of the manually-operated switches 12 and 13 that are respectively marked Lower and Raise.

The trolley 2 is of the pantograph type ley 2 occupies its lowered position, it is locked in place by means of the pneumati- 11o cally-released latch 3 which comprises a latch member 15 that engages a member 16 forming a part of a contact shoe 1'7, and said latch member 15 is pivotally mounted and is connected, by means of a rod 18, to a piston 19 that is contained within a cylinder 20 to which operating fluid may be supplied from the main reservoir 5 when either of the valves 6 and 9 is opened. A spring 21 surrounds 1cthe piston rod 18 and biases the piston 19 to its initial position.

The actuating mechanism 4 comprises a cylinder 22 within which pistons 23 are located, said pistons being provided with piston rods 24 and 25 that are respectively mechanically associated with arms 26 and 27 of the pantograph frame 2. Coil springs 28 and 29 surround the respective piston rods 24 and 25 and act upon the pistons 23 to cause the pantograph frame to raise the contact shoe 17 to its upper position into engagement with the trolley conductor 1. Intermediate the pistons 23, a supply pipe 30 communicates with the cylinder 22, and this supply pipe is provided with the electrically controlled pneumatically actuated valve 7.

The valve 7 comprises a valve member 31 of any well known type and is actuated by means of a lever 32 which has a lost-motion connection with a piston rod 33, to the respective ends of which pistons 34 and 35 are secured, said pistons being disposed within an operating cylinder 36 to the right-hand 35 end of which operating fluid is admitted through the electro-magnetically-actuated valve 8. In its normal closed position, as shown, operating fluid is cut off from the cylinder 22 while said cylinder has an er:- haust communication 31 with the atmosphere, as is common in the art. The parts of the pneumatically-actuated valve 7 are so arranged and correlated as to effect the opening of the valve 31 only after the pistons 34 and 35 have'been moved a material distance, or through substantially one half of their movement path. This insures that a relatively large quantity of operating fluid shall be admitted to the relay cylinder 36 prior to the opening of the main valve 31, and, in actual practice, the relation of parts is so chosen that the operating fluid initially admitted to the cylinder 36 is at a considerable pressure. For instance, if the full pres- 5 sure of the fluid in the main reservoir 5 is substantially 80 pounds, the initial pressure referred to might be arranged to be substantially 40 or 50 pounds. The purpose of se- 1 curing this approximate relationship of pressures will hereinafter be set forth.

The electro-magnetically controlled valve 8 for governing the admission of operating fluid to the relay cylinder 36 comprises a 'main body member 40 having an inlet chamber 41 and an outlet chamber 42 that are connected by a. passage 43 which contains a valve stem 44 having valve plugs 45 and 46 associated with the respective ends thereof. The valve stem 44 is also provided with a magnetizable core 47 which is influenced by an energizing coil or winding 48. The pass sage 43 is connected to the cylinder 36 by a passage 49 while the inlet chamber 41 communicates with a pipe 50 from the main reservoir 5. The outlet or exhaust chamber 46 communicates with the atmosphere through a small aperture 51 which is of such size as to permit the escape of the operating fluid at a very slow rate. i

The valve 6 is normally adapted to oc cupy its closed position, and is provided with an operating lever 52, a magnetic core 53 and an energizing coil 54 by means of which it may be actuated into its open position. closed position.

The valve 9 is adapted for hand operation and is connected around or by-passes the valve 6, and said valve 9 is normally maintained closed. I

The resistors 10 and 11 are designed for the full voltage of the trolley system and are adapted to be connected between the trolley conductor 1 and the return circuit conductor or ground G, whenever the trolley 2is raiser into contact with the conductor 1 and either of the hand-operated switches Lower and Raise is temporarily closed. 7

Assuming the various parts of the apparatus to occupy the positions shown, the op eration of the system is as follows: In order to lower the trolley 2 and the corresponding trolleys of adjacent cars, the switch 12 marked Lower istemporarily depressed, thereby supplying energy to the resistor 10 from which a circuit is completed through conductor 57, energizing coil 48 of the electro-magnetic valve 8, and conductor 58 to the ground G. Upon the energization of coil 48, the core 47 and associated. valve members 45 and 46 are actuated to close the exhaust chamber and admit operating fluid from the supply pipe 50 to the right-hand end of the cylinder 36. The admission of operating fluid, as described, causes the pistons 34 and 35 to be actuated, and,'by reason of the peculiar design and relationship of parts thereof, the valve 31 is not opened until the pistons are moved through substantially one half of their movement path. Thus, a relatively large amount of operat ing fluid, at a considerable pressure, is ad mitted to the cylinder-36 which is sufficient to move the pistons 34 and 35 to open the valve 31, even, though the operating coil 48- of the valve 8 1s deenergized.

As soon as the valve 31 is opened, operatlng fluid is admitted dlrectly to the cylinder 22 of the actuating mechan1sm4 to act upon the pistons 23 to force them outwardly A spring 55 biases the valve to its against the springs 24 and 25 and to thus lower the pantograph 2 out of contact with the trolley conductor 1.

It is evident that, as soon as the trolley 2 disengages the trolley conductor 1., further supply of energy to the control resistor 10 is cut off, so that the energizing coil 48 of the valve 8 is at Once denergized, and the supply of operating fluid to the cylinder is cut off, while said cylinder is placed in communication with the outside atmosphere through the small exhaust port 51. As al ready explained, the exhaust port 51 is only large enough to permit a relatively slow escape of operating fluid. Therefore, the quantity and pressure of the operating iiuid within the cylinder 36 is sufficient to effect the complete opening of the valve 31, which, having once opened, remains so, to admit operating fluid to the operating cylinder 22 during the lowering operation and, in tact, even after the trolley is latched in its lowered position.

Assumin all of the trolleys of a train to be down, the operation thereof is effected as follows:

The operator on the head end of the train opens the manually-operated valve 9 which admits operating fluid to the cylinder 3,

whereby the latch i iember 15 is released from the catch 16. Opening the valve 9 also ad mits fluid to the left side of the cylinder 36 which closes the valve 7 and opens the exhaust port 31 This permits the springs 28 and 29 to raise the trolley 2 by acting upon the pistons 23.

As soon as the trolley on the head car of the train is raised into contact with the trolley conductor, it is possible to energize the control resistors 10 and 11 and their associated train line conductors. Therefore, in *order to raise the trolleys on the other cars,

the switch 13 marked Raise is temporarily depressed, whereby the control resistor 11 is energized, and all of the energizing coils 5st of the several valves 6 throughout the train are supplied with energy. Thus, the valves 6 in all of the cars are actuated to admit air to the unlock cylinders 3 and release the fluid from the operating cylinder 22. Therefore, the remaining trolleys are released, and their actuating springs permitted to raise them into contact with the trolley conductor.

iVhile T have shown and described herein a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a pneumatically lowered pantograph trolley adapted to nor-.

mally engage a trolley conductor, of a valve for governing the supply of air to said trolley, and an electrically-controlled pneumatically-actuated device for operating said valve.

2. The combination with a pneumaticallylowered trolley normally maintained in engagement with a trolley conductor, means for supplying air to actuate said trolley, a valve adapted to control the supply of air thereto, and an auxiliary pneumatically-actuated device for operating said valve, of an electro-magnetically-operated valve for controlling the operation of said auxiliary device, said electro magnetically operated valve receiving its energization from said trolley conductor.

3-. The combination with a pantograph trolley adapted to engage a trolley conductor, pneumatic means for lowering said trolley, means for supplying air to actuate said pneumatic means, a main valve for governing the supply of air thereto, and a pneumatically-actuated device for operating said valve, said device being adapted to open said valve at substantially the middle of its travel, of an electro-magnetically-controlled auxiliary valve energized from said trolley conductor for admitting air temporarily to the pneumatically-actuated device, whereby the main air valve is opened to cause said trolley to be lowered.

4E. The combination with a normally raised pantograph trolley, and pneumatic means for lowering said trolley, of a valve for governing the operation of said pneumatic means, an auxiliary electrically-controlled fiuid-actuated device associated with said valve and adapted to cause said valve to be opened when temporarily energized, said electrically-controlled device being supplied with energy from said trolley conductor.

5. The combination with a pantograph trolley normally adapted to engage a trolley conductor, and a fluid-actuated device for lowering said trolley, of electromagneticallycontrolled fluid-operated means receiving energy from said trolley conductor for governing the supply of air to said lowering device, said lowering device being adapted to continue to lower said trolley after the trolley has left the trolley conductor.

6. The combination with a pantograph trolley, a pneumatically-actuated lowering device therefor, and an electrically-controlled pneumatically-actuated valve for controlling the supply of operating fluid to said lowering device, of electrical means for temporarily supplying energy to said electrically-controlled device prior to the lowering of said trolley.

7. The combination with a fluid-actuated, currentcollecting device normally main tained in engagement with a supply-circuit conductor, a valve adapted to govern the movements of said device, a fluid-actuated, electrically controlled device for actuating said valve, and a control circuit for said electrically controlled device.

8. The combination with a normally-raised trolley adapted to engage a trolley conductor, and pneumatically-actuated means for lowering said trolley, of an electrically-controlled fluid-actuated device for governing the supply of air to said pneumatic means, a resistor adapted to be connected to said trolley temporarily, and connections thereto for supplying energy to said electricallycontrolled fluid-actuated device.

9. The combination with a spring-raised trolley and a fluid-actuated device for lowering said trolley, 01 a fluid-actuated latch for latching said trolley in its lowered position, an electrically controlled valve for admitting fluid to said latch, and a manually-controlled valve for by-passing said electricallycontrolled valve.

10. The combination with a pantograph trolley adapted to engage a trolley conduc tor, a pneumatically-released latch for locking said trolley in its lowered position, and a pneumatically-actuated device for lowering said trolley, of means for supplying operating fluid to said latch-releasing means, and an electrically-controlled pneumaticallyactuated means for governing the supply of operating fluid to said pneumatic lowering device, said electrically-controlled pneumatically-actuated means being adapted to be temporarly energized from the trolley .conductor only until said trolley is lowered out of contact therewith.

11. The combination with a current-collecting device adapted to engage a supplycircuit conductor, means for causing said device to engage said conductor, and fluidactuated means for causing said device to disengage said conductor, of fluid-actuated means for latching said device in the disengaged position, a fluid-actuated valve for governing the supply of fluid to said disengaging means, means for remotely controlling said valve, an electrically-controlled valve for admitting fluid to said latching means, and a valve for by-passing fluid around said electrically-controlled valve.

12. The combination with a current-collecting device adapted to normally engage a supply-circuit conductor, of a fluid-actu ated latch for holding said device from engaging said conductor, an electrically-controlled valve for releasing said latch, and a valve for lay-passing fluid around said electrically-controlled valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of July, 1915.

KARL A. SIMMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

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