Improvements in and relating to Fluid-pressure Apparatus for Working Railway Signals, Switches, and like Railway Appliances.

摘要

24,604. O'Donnell, J. P., [Dodgson, F. L.]. Nov. 10. Controlling and locking signals; interlocking; indicators and repeaters, point or switch and signal. -Fluid-pressure railway apparatus for operating and indicating the operation of switches, semaphores, bridge-locks, railway-gates, and the like, is shown in Fig. 1. Certain parts of the apparatus are described in Specification No. 183, A.D. 1900. In the system, the pipe which conducts the pressure fluid for causing operation of the motor or other apparatus acts also to conduct a pressure-fluid current which operates the indicating-mechanism so as to indicate the complete operation of the switch-points &c. The controlling-pipes o', p1 extend between the operating-station, where the operating-valve and indicating-mechanism are situated, and the motor at the switch or other part to be operated. The high-pressure reservoir HP has suitable distributing-pipes X1, and the low-pressure reservoir LP is connected by the pipe x3 with the operating-valve V10 governing the pipes o', p1. Branches o10, p'‹ from the pipes o1, p1 lead to the switch-indicating valve D shown separately in Fig. 9, while. the main pipes o', p1 lead to the valve-operating cylinders C', C' controlling the motor cylinder C by the switch valve C‹. The switch valve C‹ is connected with the switch-indicating valve by the connections o11, p11. The main pressure-pipe X1 is connected with the valves J1, J' and with the valve D. The pipes o', p1 are connected by the branches o100, p100 with the devices K1, K3 for operating the indicator valves J1, J2 controlling the inlet to and exhaust from the indicator cylinders I1, I2. Devices K2, K4 act in opposition to the devices K1, K3. The devices K1, K3, K3, K4 are preferably diaphragm mechanisms, but they may be cylinder and piston mechanisms. If the switch is at normal position and the operating valve V10 is shifted until the roller i2 meets the stop face l02 in the lever L', the pipe x3 is connected with the control pipe o', and low-pressure air enters the cylinder C1. This shifts the valve C0 so as to connect the pipe c' with the pipe o11 and the pipe c' with the exhaust. The pipe o11 is in connection with the high-pressure supply through the valve D, and the motion plate is consequently shifted to the right and the switch points S to reverse. At the same time the roller d0 runs along the rhomboidal opening M', and shifts the valve D to its other position to connect the pipe p11 with the high-pressure supply, and the pipe o11 with the pipes o10, o'. The valve J1 is shifted to the left and the cylinder I2 is connected with the main supply X1. The stroke of the lever L1 is completed in the left-hand direction, the pipes o1, pI are both opened to the exhaust, and the parts are ready for another action. To return the switch to normal position the lever L' is pushed towards the right. In another arrangement, a supplementary valve operated through the pipes o1, p' is introduced into the pipes o11, p11 to control the action of the low-pressure air on the cylinders C', C'. This additional valve is controlled by diaphragm mechanisms. It it is not desired to indicate both positions of the motor, one of the pipes o', p1 may be disused as an indicating-pipe. For working semaphores, the semaphore rod is connected to the roller m0 in the motion plate. Fig. 16 shows a suitable motor-controlling mechanism comprising a main valve, the cylinders C1, C', the diaphragm devices K, K0, and the valve C10 which is a supplementary or additional valve. Fig. 4 shows an indicator controller with the diaphragm devices K1, K2, and the controlling-slide k102. Figs. 9 and 12 show a suitable indicating-valve D. The seat has eight posts in two groups of four each, and the slide d10 is pressed upon its seat by the spring device contained by the casing D'‹.