US2081555A - Railway track shunting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

y 1937- B. E. OHAGAN 2,081,555

RAILWAY TRACK SHUNTING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 7, 1933 Fey, 2.

' INVENTOR Bernard E. OHagazz BY H] S A TTORNEY Patented May 25, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,081,555 RAILWAY TRACK SHUNTING APPARATUS Application December '7, 1933, Serial No. 701,310 Renewed June 24, 1935 20 Claims.

My invention relates to railway track shunting apparatus of the type involving means carried on a vehicle for facilitating the release of a track relay by applying a potential to the rail 5 surface to disrupt the resistance film formed on such surface and thereby decrease the rail contact resistance.

The present invention is an improvement on apparatus disclosed and claimed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No. 644,180, filed by me on November 25, 1932, for Track shunting apparatus.

One object of the present invention is the provision of means involving a portion of the potential applying apparatus for indicating on the vehicle when a track relay has been effectively released.

I will describe three forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompany drawing, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are views showing modifications of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and also embodying my invention,

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters i and I designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track along which traffic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow, which rails are divided by insulated joints to form a track section C-D. This section is 5 provided with a track circuit including a battery l6 connected across the rails at one end of the section through a current-limiting impedance i7, and a direct current track relay P connected across the rails at the other end of the section. At the track relay end of the section the secondary 2| of a transformer Q is also connected across the rails through a currentlimiting impedance l9. The primary 20 of transformer Q is connected through back contact I8 of relay P with a source of alternating current, the terminals of which are designated X and Y. It follows that alternating current will be supplied to the rails of section C-D from the trackway source when and only when track relay P is open.

The remaining apparatus illustrated in Fig. l is carried on a rail vehicle. The reference character MG designates a motor generator set comprising an alternating current generator G driven by a motor M which receives current from a battery B. A first transformer AI has a primary winding 3 which is supplied with current from the generator G through a current-limiting reactor l3. This transformer is provided with two secondary windings 4 and 5 having substan- 5 tially the same number of turns. Winding 4 is connected across the two track rails l and I by means of suitable contactors 6 and 9, which may be contact shoes or may be staggered wheels of the vehicle. Secondary 5 is similarly connected across the rails by means of contactors I and 8. These two secondaries are reversely connected across the rails so that at any given instant the potential applied across the rails by secondary 4 is opposite in polarity to the potential applied across the rails by secondary 5. It follows that the two secondaries 4 and 5 are included in series in the following circuit: From the upper terminal of secondary 4, through a primary winding I of a transformer- A3, shoe 6, rail l, shoe 1, primary l3 of a transformer A2, secondary 5, primary ll of transformer A3, shoe 8, rail I shoe 9, and primary l2 of transformer A2 to the lower terminal of secondary 4. At the instant that the upper terminal of secondary 4 is positive, the direction of current flow in the different elements of this circuit is as indicated by the arrows shown in solid lines, from which it will be seen that the fluxes due to currents in the primaries Ill and H of transformer A3 aid each other in producing current in secondary 23, whereas the fluxes due to currents in the primaries l2 and I3 of transformer A2 oppose each other and so produce no current in secondary 22.

The secondary 23 of transformer A3 is connected with the input terminals of a rectifier R3, and the output terminals of this rectifier are connected with the operating winding of a direct current indicating relay F3. The secondary 22 of transformer A2 is connected with the input terminals of a rectifier R2, and the output terminals of this rectifier are connected with the operating winding of another indicating relay F2.

The vehicle is provided with two indicating lamps LI and L2. The circuit for lamp Ll passes from terminal E of a suitable source of current, through front contact l4 of relay F3 and lamp L1 to terminal 0 of the same source of cur- 50 rent, so that this lamp is lighted whenever relay F3 is energized. The circuit for lamp L2 includes contact I4 of relay F3 and contact I of relay F2 in series. The parts are so proportioned that when the film between the contact shoes and 55 the rails is broken down, the voltage induced in secondary 23 of transformer A3 will be sufficiently high to keep relay F3 energized, whereas when the film is not broken down, so that current fails to flow in the circuit for the secondaries of transformer Al, relay F3 will become deenergized and so will open its contact l l. It follows that lamp LI will indicate whether or not the output circuit of transformer Al is accomplishing its purpose.

While the vehicle occupies section C-D, relay P is supposed to be open, and if it is open, alternating current from transformer Q will be applied across the rails at the exit end of the section, and at the instant when the upper rail I is positive, this current will flow through the secondaries of transformer AI and the primaries of transformers A2 and A3 in the directions indicated by the dotted arrows. It will be seen from these arrows that the fluxes due to the trackway current in the primaries of transformer A3 oppose each other and so will create no potential in the secondary of this transformer. The fluxes due to the trackway current in the primaries of transformer A2 assist each other however, and so will induce alternating current in secondary 22 of this transformer, and this current will be sufiicient to energize relay F2. It follows that if the track relay is open and the track shunting circuit is functioning properly, lamp L2 will be lighted, whereas, if the track relay is not open, this lamp will be extinguished.

With the apparatus shown in Fig; 1, if the currents from transformer Al in the primaries i2 and is of transformer A2 should be unbalanced, it is possible that relay F2 might be falsely energized by the resultant flux created in the core of transformer A2. To avoid this, I preferably make the frequency of the generator G on. the vehicle different from the frequency of the trackway generator Q, and interpose means between secondary 22 and rectifier R2 to prevent the transmission to this rectifier of current of the frequency of the vehicle-carried generator G. Means of this nature are shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a reactor 24 and a condenser 25 are connected in series across theterminals of secondary 22 of transformer A2, and the input terminals of rectifier R2 are connected across the condenser 25. The reactor 24 and condenser 25 aretuned to series resonance at the frequency of the trackway source of current Q, so that when current of this frequency is induced in secondary 22, the potential across condenser 25 will be high enough to effectively energize relay F2, whereas when potential of the frequency of generator G is induced in this secondary the potential across condenser 25 will be so, low that relay F2 will not be effectively energized.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a filter interposed between transformer A2 and relay F2 for transcondenser 3i interposed between condensers 29 and 21. The input terminals of rectifier R2 are connected across the outer terminals of reactor 28 and condenser 29. The reactor 26 and condenser 27, and also the reactor 28 and condenser 29 are tuned to series resonance at the frequency of the generator G, thus providing two paths of low impedance to shunt out the current from generator G but offering paths of high impedance to the current from the transformer Q. The reactor 30 and condenser 3| are tuned to multiple resonance at the frequency of the generator G, thus providing a path of high impedance to the current from generator G but offering a path of low impedance to the current from the transformer Q.

It is obvious, of course, that a combination of the tuned circuit shown in Fig. 2 and the filter circuit shown in Fig. 3 may be employed, if desired, to further sharpen the response of relay F2 to current of the trackway frequency.

If desired, a manually operable switch N may be provided to shunt the secondary 22 of transformer A2 when an indication of trackway conditions is not desired.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus'embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel on said track, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current and two secondaries each connected across the rails of the track in such manner that the instantaneous relative polarities of such connections are opposite and the points of connection with each rail being spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source-produce aiding fluxes, and indicating means receiving energy from the secondary of said second transformer.

2. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel on said track, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current and two secondaries each connected across the rails of the track in such manner that the instantaneous relative polarities of such connections are opposite and the points of connection with each rail being spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a rectifier having its input terminals connected with the secondary of said second transformer, a direct current relay connected with the output terminals of said rectifier, and an indicator controlled by said direct current relay.

3. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, m'eans operating when. and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source of one frequency across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current of a different frequency, said vehicle carried transformer having two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the twosecondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, indicating means receiving energy from the secondary of said second transformer, and means interposed between the secondary of said second transformer and said indicating means for preventing the indicating means from being effectively energized by current of the vehicle-carried frequency in the event of unbalance of the currents from said first transformer in the primaries of the second transformer.

t. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source of one frequency across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current of a different frequency, said vehicle carried transformer having two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from: said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a rectifier having its input terminals connected with the secondary of said second transformer, a direct current relay connected with the output terminals of said rectifier, and an indicator controlled by said direct current relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source of one frequency across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current of a different frequency, said vehicle carried transformer hav ing two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a reactor and a condenser connected' in series across the secondary of said second transformer and tuned to resonance at the frequency of said trackway source, and indicating means controlled by the voltage across said condensers.

6. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source of one frequency across the rails of said section, a rail g vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle havinga primary supplied with alternating current of a difierent frequency, said vehicle carried transformer having two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, 2. second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, indicating means receiving energy from the secondary of said second transformer, and a filter interposed between the secondary of said second transformer and said indicating means and tuned to pass current of the frequency of said trackway source but not of said vehicle carried source.

'7. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current and two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a third transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce aiding fluxes whereby the currents which flow .in the primaries of said third ransformer from said trackway source produce opposing fluxes, a rectifier having its input terminals connected with the secondary of said second transformer, a direct current relay connected with the output terminals of said rectifier, a second rectifier connected with the secondary of said third transformer, a second relay connected with the output terminals of said second rectifier, an indicating lamp controlled by a front contact of said second direct current relay, and a second indicating lamp controlled by a front contact of said first direct current relay and a front contact of said second-direct current relay.

8. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current and two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with-each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxeswhereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a third transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce aiding fluxes whereby the currents which flow in the primaries of said third transformer from said trackway source pro duce opposing fluxes, and indicating means controlled jointly by the secondaries of said second and third transformers.

' 9. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally'closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current and two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a. portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said' secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby'the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a third transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce aiding fluxes whereby the currents which flow in the primaries of said third transformer from said trackway source produce opposing fluxes, a first indicating relay supplied with energy from the secondary of said second transformer, a second indicating relay supplied with energy from the secondary of said third transformer, a first lamp lighted when and only when said third indicating relay is energized, and a second lamp lighted when and only when both of said indicating relays are energized.

10. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alterhating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current differing from said trackway source in frequency, said transformer having two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in av circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second trans former on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a third transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said sec ondaries produce aiding fluxes whereby the currents which flow in the primaries of said third transformer from said trackway source produce opposing fluxes, a rectifier having its input terminals connected with the secondary of said second transformer, a direct current relay connected with the output terminals of said rectifier, a second rectifier connected with the secondary of said third transformer, a second relay connected with the output terminals of said second rectifier, an indicating lamp controlled by a front contact of said second direct current relay, a. second indicating lamp controlled by afront contact of said first direct current relay and a front contact of said second direct current relay,

and means interposed between the secondary of said second transformer and said first direct current relay for preventing such relay from being effectively energized by current of said vehicle carried frequency in the event of unbalance of the currents from said first transformer in the primaries of the second transformer.

11. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel through said section, a transformer on said vehicle having a primary supplied with alternating current diflering from said trackway source in frequency, said transformer having two secondaries reversely connected across the rails of the track with the points of connection with each rail spaced longitudinally so that the two secondaries are in series in a circuit which includes a portion of each rail, a second transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included in the connection between one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce opposing fluxes whereby the currents which flow in said primaries from said trackway source produce aiding fluxes, a third transformer on said vehicle having two primaries each included. in the connection between. one of said secondaries and a track rail and so wound that the currents flowing therein from said secondaries produce aiding fluxes whereby the currents which flow in the primaries of said third transformer from said trackway source produce opposing fluxes, indicating means controlled jointly by the secondaries of said second and third transformers, and tuning means interposed between the secondary of said second transformer and said indicating means for preventing false operation of said indicating means by current of the frequency of said vehicle carried source.

12. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, means operating when and only when said relay is open to supply alternating current from a trackway source across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle adapted for travel on said track, a circuit on said vehicle connected across the rails and including a source of current on said vehicle for supplying energy to the rails for breaking down the resistance of the rail surface to aid the shunting of said track relay while the vehicle occupies said section, and means on said vehicle including at least a portion of said vehicle carried circuit and responsive to current from said trackway source for indicating that said track relay is open.

13. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, means including a source of current on said vehicle for supplying energy to the track rails to break down the resistance film of the rail surface and to shunt said track relay, and means including a trackway source of current and at least a portion of said vehicle carried means and operating while the vehicle occupies said section to indicate on the vehicle whether or not said track relay is open.

14. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including 9. normally closed track relay, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, means including a source of current on said vehicle for supplying energy to the track rails to break down the resistance film of the rail surface and to shunt said track relay, and means including at least a portion of said vehicle carried means and operating While the vehicle occupies said section to indicate on the vehicle whether or not said track relay is open.

15. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a first trackway source of current and a track relay, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, a track shunting circuit on the vehicle exclusive of the wheels and axles thereof for providing a low impedance path from one to the other rail for causing a response of said track relay when said vehicle occupies said section, and means controlled by said track relay and including a second trackway source of current and at least a portion of said track shunting circuit for indieating on the vehicle Whether or not said track relay has responded.

16. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a first trackway source of current and a track relay, a

rail vehicle for travel through said section, a track shunting circuit on the vehicle exclusive of the wheels and axles thereof for providing a low impedance path from one to the other rail for causing a response of said track relay when said vehicle occupies said section, and means effective when said vehicle occupies said section and including a second trackway source of current and at least a portion of said track shunting circuit for indicating on the vehicle whether or not said track relay has responded.

17. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a first trackway source of current and a track relay, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, a circuit on the vehicle exclusive of the wheels and axles thereof for shunting said track to cause a response of said track relay when said vehicle occupies said section, and means including a second trackway source of current for causing a current to how in at least a portion of said circuit, said current being used to provide an indication as to whether or not said track relay has responded.

18. In combination, a section of railway track, a relay and a first trackway source of current each connected across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, a circuit on the vehicle exclusive of the wheels and axles thereof and extending from one to the other rail of said track and effective for causing a response of said relay when said vehicle occupies said section, and means controlled by said relay and including a second trackway source of current and at least a portion of said circuit for indicating on the vehicle whether or not said relay has responded.

19. In combination, a section of railway track,

a relay and a first trackway source of current each connected across the rails of said section, a rail vehicle for travel through said section, a circuit on the vehicle exclusive of the wheels and axles thereof and extending from one to the other rail of said track and effective for causing a response of said relay when said vehicle occupies said section, and means effective when said vehicle occupies said section and including a second trackway source of current and at least a portion of said circuit for indicating on the vehicle whether or not said relay has responded.

20. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle thereon, a track relay and a first trackway source of current each connected across the rails of said section, a circuit on the vehicle extending from one to the other rail of said track and effective for causing a response of said track relay when the vehicle occupies said section, and means including a second trackway source of current and at least a portion of said circuit for indicating on the vehicle whether or not said relay has responded.

BERNARD E. OI-IAGAN.

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