USRE15343E - Brake safety - Google Patents

Description

L. F.`HELLMANN AND W. W. BAXTER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SAFETY CONTROL.

APPUCATIUN Fl-LED MAR. T4. 1921'.

Reissued Apr. 25, 1922.

Tw.. :i a m E,...

' gwuenom Lui F. Hellmann WWNamW. Baxter* UNITED STATES ALUI F. HELLMANN AND WILLIAM W.

iPATIVI" FFIC.

BAXTER, OF INDEANAPQLIS, "INDIANA,

ASSIGNORS TO AIR BRAKE SAFETY APPLIANCE CO., OF NDEANAPOLIS, IND- niva, A confrona'rion.

AUTOMATIC RAIAY SAFETY CONTROL.

15,343. Specification of Ressu ylJrgnalvNo. 1,340,861, dated 'May 18, 1920, Serial No. filed Match 14:, 1521.

To all to wmt may concern.

Be it known that we, LUI F. HELLMANN and. WILLIAM W. BAXTER, citizens of the United Sta-tes, residing,I at 1549 Leonard `Street and 128 South Traub Street, respectively, in the city of lndianapolis, county ci Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain -iiew and useful improvements in automatic railway safety controls to be used on and in connection vwith trains open ated by electricity, steam, or other means or motive force, of which the following is a' specification. l

Our invention relates more especially to those 'modes of conveyance and transportation which operate by means of some power over a line of rails, and which are equipped, or are to be equipped, with air brakes, or other pressure types of brakes, of that type most commonly known as the air brake system.

y The object of our invention is to produce a means for eliminating the human factor from the control or' the train during such times when the train shall have become dangerous, and a menace to public safety, by virtue of some failure of the air supply system which will causel the pressure in said air supply system to become dangerously low, or fail entirely.

A further object of'our invention is to produce a means for automatically taking over the control. of the train when, through carelessness or neglect off the driver, the train shall have become a menace to public safetyr -A further object of our invention is to produce a means which will prevent the operation of the train until the brake system shall be in an operative and safe condition..

A further object of our invention is to -produce a positive means for Yaccomplishing` the objects above set forth.

A :further object of our Vinvention is to produce a means, which, it tampered. with, will prevent the operationvoftlie train.

A urther objectl of our invention is to produce a means, wherein the failure ot any vital part thereof will cause the train to stop, and will prevent further operation ot the train until the detect vhas been remedied, or roper safety precautions taken.

it'h these objects in view our invention consists generally, et an automatic brake or opposite source oi power. thej drivers brake, or hand control, valve #i .indicates an auxiliary circuit breaker.

@d Letters Estant. Rci'ssiied A131225, 1922.

297,107', filed May la, 1919. Application for reissue vSerial No, 452,299.

control valve placed in connection with the hand control valve; an electro -magnetic means for operating said valve; an electro' Our invention will be more readily under- 'stood by reference to the accoi panyingg drawings which form a part of this specificav` tion, and in which,-

Figure 1 represents a general diagramniatical view of the arrangement, giving the layout of the pipingand the wiring diagram,

and shows the A.application and connection of the automatic control valve with the cai* or train piping.

vFigure 2 represents a sectional and detailed view or the automatic control valve.

Again referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the trolley -wire or other source of electric power or current, 2 indicates the rails 3 indicates 5 ndicates the magnet which trips the circuit breaker el., when the current fails. Magnet 5 can be placed in conjunction with the regular circuit breaker and still accomplish the desired results.

6 indicates the trolley or other means for taking up the electric current, 7 indicates the wire carrying said current tothe circuit breaker 4f; 9 indicates the wire carrying said current from 'the circuit breaker le to the motors and other devices which may be upon the carfor train.

10 indicates the automatic control valve, 11 indicates the wire carrying the current 'rom the track or other means or source of power, into the contact devices ot the Vcontrol valve.

, '12 .indicatesthe wire carrying the current. liom the Contact devices of the control valve into the magnet of the same, while 13 indi4 cates the wire from the magnet of the control valve to the trip magnet oi the circuit breaker.

14 indicates the tank or storage reservoir,

4for brake pressure and 15 indicates the pipe "toirra'tic control valve 10.

j19 indicates the pipe carrying the pressure between the main reservoir line and the automatic control valve 10, and 20 the release or atmospheric pressure line.

21 indicates the'magnet of the automatic control valve 10, 22 indicates the solenoid plunger' for the same, 23 indicatesthe piston rod, 24 the piston rod packing nut and 25 the piston rod packing. V

26 indicates the 4main pressure space, 27 indicates the contact pressure cylinder, 28 indicates the port between the pressure space 26 and the contact cylinder 27, 29 indicates the contact piston, 30 the contact piston release spring, the release spring adjusting nut, 32 the contact surface, 33 the contact surface insulation and 34 the Contact piston rod.

35 indicates the contact springs, 36 the contact holding screws,.37 thecontact insulation and 38 the cover.

39 indicates the main cylinder, 40 the main piston, 41 the main piston packing, 42 the main spring, 43 the main spring adjusting nut, 44 the cylinder head, 45 indicates the port to pipe 18, and 46 indicates the port to pipe 1.7.

The drawings which form a part of this specification are diagrammatic-.al only and are not scaled working drawings. The sizes and pressures oi the various springs shown and the proportions between the various piston areas shall be so designed and proportioned that all will properly function to give the working and results as described throughout this specilication.

rihe operation ci the automatic railway safety control is as follows;-

lt is assumed that the train is in an operative or safe condition. When this condition exists there is a certain predetermined pressure in the main reservoir 14. This pressure is then flowing through the pipes 15 and 19 into the chamber 26 ot the automatic control valve 10.

There is also a regular electrical pressure in the trolley wire l and the track 2.

The pressure in the chamber 26 is comn niunicated to the cylinder 27 through the port 28. When this pressure is at its proper predctermined limit., it forces the piston 29,

the piston rod 34, the contact surface 32 and the contact surface insulation outward so that the contact surface 32 permits a free flow of electrical current between the contacts 35, thereby permitting a free flow of current from the track 2, through conof the said system the current would flow 'f from the trolley wire 1 to the track 2 through the same wires, breakers, magnets and contacts, exceptvthat it would flow in a reverse direction. In alternating `current systems no direction oit' flow could be estab'- lished.

Circuit breaker 4 is now thrown in by hand and a flow of current passes -from the track 2 to the trolley wire 1, through Vthe magnets 21 and 5. This iiow causes magnet l 5 to hold circuit breaker 4 in a closed position, and 'permits the normal operation of the train and the re ular pump which keeps up the pressure in t e tank 14.

Simultaneously the plunger 22 of the magnet 21 is drawn in and the piston 40 and the piston packing 41 are drawn in by the piston rod 23, thereby closing the chamber 26 from the cylinder 42, and thereby cause ing port 45 and port 46 to open into the cylinder 42 as shown, in direct communis cation with each4 other, and this said ope-n ing permits la free flow of pressure between pipes 17 and 18, and thereby permits regir lar or manual operation of the braking systern by means of the engineei"s valve 3, or regular, saie operation of the train.

When through accident, carelessness or neglect, the pressure :in the tank 14 is reduced to a pri-xdetermined limit, this limit to be suiiiciently high to make it effective in the operation ot' the brakes the pressure in the chamber 26, and consequently in the cylinder 27 is correspondingly decreased and the 'pressure oiA the spring 30 against the piston 29 causes this piston to move inward, thereby causing the Contact surface 32 to withdraw i'romend break connections with the contacts 35, which breaks the flow of current between the wires 11 and 12.

This demagnetizes the magnet 21, releases the plunger 22 and permits the remaining pressure in the chamber 26 to force the piston 40 outward until it has passed over the port 46 and has established a free communication between the chamber 26 and the port 46. A i'ree ilow of the remaining pressure now established from reservoir 14 through pipe 15 and 19 into the brake cylinder 16 through the pipe 17. This remaining pressure is sul'licient to i'ully set the brakes and stop the train.

Simultaneous .to the voperation of the automatic brake control valve, the magnet 5 becomes demagnetized and permits the circuit breaker l to break :the current passing between the Wires 7 and 9. This operation closes oil the motive ,power of the train and prevents the further operation thereof.

Before the train can again be operated it is necessary for Vthe driver to hold the circuit breaker 4: in by hand, until a suiiicient pressure has been reestablished to close the circuit between the Wires 11 and 12, at which time the starting position Will again be reestablished.

From the foregoing it will be seen that to `make our invention vadaptable for steam or other railways, it will merely be necess-ary to replace the circuit breaker with a motive power throttle control valve, which would be automatically operated by the magnet 5, in Which event the current for the operation of our devices Would come from some internal source. We do not limit ourselves in this respect or otherwise to the specific device shown in the drawings and described in the specification, the true scope of the invention being shown in the. appended claims.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what We claim as new and desire to `secure by Letters Patent is:

' operators .brake control valve to the brake determined scribed.

In a combination comprising an automatic control system, a means for maintain ing a normal free passage through the air line from the operators brake control valve to the brake mechanism in combination.

With a means for .automatically closing the passage to the operators brake control valve and opening .a passage from the air supply line to the brake mechanism, arranged to function Whenever the -air pressure inthe air supply system shall have Jfallen to a predetermined pressure. and a means for shutting off the motive power, said means being oper-- ated by the means which causes the brakes to function whenewr the pressure in ythe air supply system shall have fallen to a predetermined pressure, substantially as describeifl.

3. An automatic control, comprised of a means for applying brakes, said means to consist of Ia means for maintaining a normal passage from the operators brake control.

valve tothe brake cylinder, a means for actuatingthe brake applying .mechanism when the brake pressure shall have fallen to a predetermined pressure,a means for opening a secondary passage from rthe source of air supply to the brake cylinder, and a means for shutting off the motive power, said means consisting of a means for opening lthe circuit controlled by the means for actuating the brake applying mechanism when the brake pressure shall have fallen `to .a predetermined pressure, substantially as described.

4. An automatic. control valve comprised of a means for maintaining .a normal passage from the operators brake controlvalve to the brake cylinder in combination With a means for closing said normal passage and opening up a secondary passage from the source'of air supply to the brake cylinder, and an electro-magnet for operating said means for closing the normal passage and *open-ing up the secondaryl passage, said electro-magnet to be .actuated by the fall of pressure in the air supply system to a predetermined pressure, substantially as described.

5. An automatic control valve comprised of a .means for maintaining a anormal passage from the operators brake control valve Vto vthe brake cylinder .in combination with a means for closing said normalfpassage and opening up a secondary :passage from the source of air supply to the brake cylinder, an -electrofmagnet for operating said means for closing the normal passage and open ing up the secondary passage, and a means for energizing and deenergizingsaid electromagnet, said means for energizing and deenergizing said electro-magnet to be actuated bythe fall of pressure in the air sup- -ply system to 4a predetermined stantially as described.

6. In combination, normally-inoperative means for supplying motivepower to a train unit, electro-magnetici means to maintain the same in operative relation, flu-id operated means -ior applying-.a brake, and electrof magnetic .means `for controlling the `brake applying means, the windings of both electro-magnetic .meansbeing in the same circuit, substantially as .set lforth.

7. In-cembination, a pair-of electro-mag netsfa :fluid loperated braking .device controlled byone-.of said electro-magnets, and a normally inoperative conduit for motive power maintained in operative condition by pressure, subthe other electroemagnet, both of said electro-- magnets being in the same circuit, substantially as set forth. v

8. In combination, a fluid operated braking device, electro-magnetic means controlling the operation of said braking device, a second magnetic means in circuit with the first and controlling the path for motive power, said piath for motive power being normally disabled, manual means to restore said path, and automatic means for disabling and restoring the rst named electro-mag netic means, substantially .as set forth.

9. In combination, a fluid pressure brake, a fluid pressure chamber, a-passage between the brake and the chamber, a valve in the passage, an electro-magnet adapted to hold the valve yin closed position, a lateral chamber openingfrom the pressure chamber and a piston in said chamber adapted on undue fall of pressure to de-energize the electromagnet, substantially as set forth.

l0. In combination, a fluid-operated brake, a valve to control the How of fiuid to the brake, `a spring and a magnet cooperating to hold the valve in one position and means to de-energize the magnet whereupon the fluid pressure may overcome the effect of the spring, substantially as set forth.

ll. In combination, a fluid pressure brake, a fluid pressure chamber, a passage between the brake and the chamber, a valve inv the passage, an electro-magnet adapted to hold the valve in closed position, a piston operated by the pressure in the chamber, and a switch in circuit with the electro-magnet and controlled by said piston, substantially as set forth.

12. A fluidbperated brakeapplying mechlanism having a manual control andan automatic control therefor comprising a pressure chamber, a passage leading therefrom to the brake applying means, a valve in said-passage normally held against movement, a second passage leading therefrom to an auX- iliary chamber and means in the auxiliary chamber to control. said valve-holding means, substantially as set forth.

.1.3. A fluid-operated brake-applying mechanism having a pressure chamber, auxiliary chambers connected thereto, a piston in each auxiliary chamber, one piston acting as a valve to close a passage to a brake cylinder, a spring to move said piston toward the pressure chamber, a stronger spring to move the other piston toward the pressure chamber, means co-acting with the first spring to keep said passage closed, and means operated by the second piston to control said last-named means, substantially as set forth.

14. A fluid-operated brakeapplying mech anism having a pressure chamber, auxiliary chambers connected thereto, a piston in each auxiliary chamber, one piston acting as a valve to close a passage to 'a brake cylinder, a spring to move said piston toward the pressure chamber, a stronger spring to move the other piston toward the pressure cha-mber, means for adjusting the relative tension of the springs, means co-acting with the first spring to keep said passage closed, and means operated by the second piston to control said last-named means, substantially as set forth. 1

l5. A fluid-operated brakeapplying mechanism comprising means for automatic application of a brake, said means including a fluid pressure chamber, a piston operable by the pressure in said chamber, means on the stemof the piston for closing a circuit, and a spring for moving the piston against said fluid pressure, substantially as set forth.

' 16. In a car controlling system, a circuit for motive power, a fluid pressure brake, means in said circuit to prevent operation of said brake and a manually operable'circuit breaker to cut off the motive power and 4cause emergency application of the brakes,

substantially as set forth.

17. In a car'controlling system, a circuit for motive power, a fluid pressure brake system, a circuitbreaking means held against operation by the normal pressure in the brake system and adapted on undue lowering of pressure to bre-ak the circuit, a spring acting to operate said circuit breaker, and

means for adjusting the tension of the ,y

spring, substantially as set forth.

18. In a car controlling system, a circuit for motive power comprising stationary conductors and conductors moving with the car and contacting with the stationary conduc tors, in combination with fiuid pressurebrakes, means in said vcircuit normally preventing application of said brakes, and means for applying them on interruption of contact between a stationary and a mov'- able conductor, substantially as setforth.

19. :in a. car controlling system, trolley wire, a trolley, fluid pressure brakes', manual and automatic controls for said brakes, said autoi'natic control including means in cir cuit with the trolley to prevent application 5 of said brakes and means to apply the brakes when the trolley leaves the wire, sub stantially as set forth. l

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 8th day of March, A. D., nineteen hundred and twenty-one.

LUI F. IIELLMANN. IVILLIAM YV. BAXTER.

TWitnesses:

' E. H, PFLUMM,

CAREY S. FRYE.

Images