Railroad switch machine
AssigneeAnsaldo STS USA, Inc.
InventorRaymond C. Franke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch machine that includes a first relay having first normally open contacts and first normally closed contacts provided in the normal motor connection path and a second relay having second normally open contacts and second normally closed contacts provided in the reverse motor connection path. The normally open and closed contacts of each relay are associated in pairs and the first relays are structured such that each normally closed contact and the corresponding normally open contact cannot be simultaneously closed. Also, a method of protecting a motor of a switch machine that includes integrating a current being drawn by the motor and opening a motor circuit that includes the motor if the integrated current exceeds a threshold.
Claims15
A switch machine for moving a set of railroad points, comprising:
- a motor, said motor being operatively coupled to said points for selectively moving said points, said motor being operatively coupled to a power supply through a normal connection path and a reverse connection path, said motor being structured to be selectively driven in a normal direction for moving said points toward a normal position when power is applied thereto by said power supply through said normal connection path and in a reverse direction when power is applied thereto by said power supply through said reverse connection path;
- a first relay having one or more first normally open contacts and one or more first normally closed contacts, said one or more first normally open contacts being provided in said normal connection path, each of said one or more first normally open contacts being associated with a corresponding one of said one or more first normally closed contacts;
- and
- a second relay having one or more second normally open contacts and one or more second normally closed contacts, said one or more second normally open contacts being provided in said reverse connection path, each of said one or more second normally open contacts being associated with a corresponding one of said one or more second normally closed contacts;
- wherein said first relay is structured such that each first normally closed contact and the corresponding first normally open contact cannot be simultaneously closed and said second relay is structured such that each second normally closed contact and the corresponding second normally open contact cannot be simultaneously closed.
A method of protecting a motor of a switch machine, comprising:
- integrating a current being drawn by said motor to obtain a value representing an integrated current of said motor;
- determining whether the value representing the integrated current has reached a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a product of time and current;
- and
- if it is determined that the value representing the integrated current has reached said predetermined threshold, opening a motor circuit of said switch machine that includes said motor.
A switch machine for moving a set of railroad points, comprising:
- a motor, said motor being operatively coupled to said points for selectively driving said points;
- and
- a plurality of polarized relays operatively coupled to said motor, each of said polarized relays being structured to respond to only a specific polarity signal, said plurality of polarized relays being responsive to a bi-polar control signal received from a control system, the bi-polar control signal having a polarity comprising either a first polarity or a second polarity opposite the first polarity, wherein the polarity of said bi-polar control signal indicates a desired direction for driving said points, and wherein said plurality of polarized relays are interlocked with one another in a manner that prevents said motor from driving the points in a direction that is inconsistent with the polarity of said bi-polar control signal.
A switch machine for moving a set of railroad points, comprising:
- a motor, said motor being operatively coupled to said points for selectively moving said points, said motor being operatively coupled to a power supply through a connection path;
- a relay having one or more normally open contacts provided in said connection path, said relay being responsive to a control signal received from a control system;
- and
- an electronic switch provided in said connection path;
- wherein when said relay is caused to be energized in response to said control signal thereby causing said one or more normally open contacts to close, said power supply will be turned on and said electronic switch will be turned off and will be caused to remain off with said power supply turned on for a predetermined time thereafter such that said one or more normally open contacts will close against an open circuit, and wherein when said relay is caused to be de-energized in response to said control signal thereby causing said one or more normally open contacts to open, said electronic switch will be turned off with said power supply turned on such that said one or more normally open contacts will open against an open circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.