Block control system for self-propelled vehicles

In a traffic layout having a main line, a spur line merging therewith at a merge zone including a track switch, and wheeled, self-propelled vehicles operable on said traffic layout, each vehicle having a driving motor and collector shoes engageable with conductor rails of a power source extending along said main and spur lines for energizing a power circuit for the driving motor, the improvement comprising:

• main and spur line signalling conductor bars extending parallel to said conductor rails, and insulating means dividing said conductor bars into a plurality of sections, each section defining a traffic control zone;
• main and spur line blocking conductor bars extending parallel to said signalling conductor bars, and insulating means dividing said blocking conductor bars into a plurality of sections;
• each vehicle having a signalling contact shoe and a blocking contact shoe engageable respectively with said signalling and blocking conductor bars, a block control relay including a contact operable to energize said power circuit for the vehicle driving motor in response to energization of said block control relay;
• and,
• block control relay circuit means for regulating the operational state of said relay, said circuit means including on each vehicle a connection from one side of the power circuit on the vehicle through said relay to the blocking contact shoe of the vehicle, enabling circuits each connecting a certain section of said blocking conductor bars to the other side of the power source, at least one traffic control relay, and shunt circuit means operable by said traffic control relay for connecting a selected blocking conductor bar section to said one side of the power source in response to engagement of the signalling contact shoe of a vehicle with a selected section of said signalling conductor bars.

A block control system for self-propelled vehicles operable on a track layout having main and spur line tracks connected by a track switch;

• and insulated sections of main and spur line signalling and blocking conductor bars extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks;
• each vehicle having a driving motor, a power circuit therefor energizable through collector shoes engageable with conductor rails of a power source extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks, a block control relay operable to control the energization of the driving motor, a signalling contact shoe and a blocking contact shoe connected to the power circuit and engageable respectively with the signalling and blocking conductor bars, the block control relay being connected to the blocking contact shoe and being operable in response to the potential applied to the section of blocking conductor bar engaged by the blocking contact shoe;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• a first traffic control relay connected to a selected section of signalling conductor bar and to one side of the power source is energizable in response to engagement of the selected section of signalling conductor bar by the signalling contact shoe of a vehicle through the connection of said signalling contact shoe to the power circuit on the vehicle, and a traffic control circuit regulated by the energization of said traffic control relay, said traffic control circuit including a selected section of blocking conductor bar and forming a shunt circuit which disables the block control relay of a vehicle whose blocking contact shoe engages said selected section of blocking conductor bar.

A block control system for self-propelled vehicles operable on a track layout having main and spur line tracks connected by a track switch;

• and insulated sections of main and spur line signalling and blocking conductor bars extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks;
• each vehicle having a driving motor, a power circuit therefor energizable through collector shoes engageable with conductor rails of a power source extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks, a block control relay operable to control the energization of the driving motor, a signalling contact shoe and a blocking contact shoe connected to the power circuit and engageable respectively with the signalling and blocking conductor bars, the block control relay being connected to the blocking contact shoe and being operable in response to the potential applied to the section of blocking conductor bar engaged by the blocking contact shoe;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• a first traffic control relay connected to a selected main line section of signalling conductor bar and to one side of the power source;
• a second traffic control relay connected to a selected section of spur line signalling conductor bar and to one side of the power source;
• said traffic control relays each being energizable in response to engagement of its respective selected section of signalling conductor bar by the signalling contact shoe of a vehicle through the connection of said signalling contact shoe to the power circuit on the vehicle;
• and a first traffic control circuit regulated by the energization of one of said traffic control relays, one of said traffic control relays being operable to disable the other of said traffic control relays.

A block control system for self-propelled vehicles operable on a track layout having main and spur line tracks connected by a track switch;

• and insulated sections of main and spur line signalling and blocking conductor bars extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks;
• each vehicle having a driving motor, a power circuit therefor energizable through collector shoes engageable with conductor rails of a power source extending parallel to the main and spur line tracks, a block control relay operable to control the energization of the driving motor, a signalling contact shoe and a blocking contact shoe connected to the power circuit and engageable respectively with the signalling and blocking conductor bars, the block control relay being connected to the blocking contact shoe and being operable in response to the potential applied to the section of blocking conductor bar engaged by the blocking contact shoe;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• a first traffic control relay connected to a selected section of signalling conductor bar and to one side of the power source is energizable in response to engagement of the selected section of signalling conductor bar by the signalling contact shoe of a vehicle through the connection of said signalling contact shoe to the power circuit on the vehicle, a traffic control circuit regulated by the energization of said traffic control relay,
• and a section of blocking conductor bar in advance of the track switch is connected to one side of the power source through a switch responsive to the position of the track switch.