The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 16, 1986
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1983
William A Petit, Spencerport, NY (US);
General Signal Corp., Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A railway track switch, also known as a switch machine, is controlled by a microprocessor switch lock connected to the electric switch lock of the switch machine and permits the switch machine to be unlocked so that the track switch points may be thrown, as by a hand-throw mechanism, to permit movement of a train between main and secondary tracks. The switch lock is connected to a cut section repeater of the track circuit adjacent to the track switch. An overlay track circuit connected to the main tracks indicates occupancy in the vicinity of the track switch. The microprocessor receives signals from the repeater, the overlay circuit and the electric switch lock of the switch machine indicating track occupancy and requests to unlock the track switch so that the switch points may be moved. Signals are also received from a timer as to specific, selected delay times set by the user before unlocking the switch. An interface also controls the microprocessor to decode occupancy and other track codes, transmitted by the track circuits and received by the repeater, as are selected by the user to enable the apparatus to be used with any track circuit communication code protocol. The microprocessor cooperates with a hardwired counter and is programmed to provide continuous checks for vital operation.