Automatic train operation system

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC TRAIN OPERATION SYSTEM FOR A STRETCH TION AND INCLUDING A SERIES OF LOCATIONS IN THE STRETCH, EACH LOCATION DEFINING THE EXIT AND ENTRANCE ENDS OF PRECEDING AND SUCCEEDING SIGNAL BLOCKS RESPECTIVELY, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING, A SIGNALING CONDUCTOR FOR EACH SAID SIGNAL BLOCK EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF AND PARALLEL WITH THE TRACK OF ITS RESPECTIVE SIGNAL BLOCK, SIGNAL TRANSMITTING MEANS AT EACH LOCATION FOR TRANSMITTING A PLURALITY OF DISTINCT TRAIN CONTROL SIGNALS TO THE SIGNALING CONDUCTOR FOR THE SIGNAL BLOCK PRECEDING THAT LOCATION WHEN A SIMILAR PLURALITY OF SUCCEEDING BLOCKS ARE UNOCCUPIED BY TRAINS, SIGNAL RECEIVING MEANS ON EACH TRAIN TRAVELING SAID TRACK STRETCH FOR RECEIVING THE TRAIN CONTROL SIGNALS TRANSMITTED TO THE SIGNALING CONDUCTOR FOR THE SIGNAL BLOCK THEN OCCUPIED BY THE FRONT END OF THE TRAIN, MEANS ON EACH TRAIN CONTROLLED BY THE SIGNAL RECEIVING MEANS ON THAT TRAIN FOR CONTROLLING THE SPEED OF THE TRAIN TO A HIGHER SPEED RANGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH EACH ADDITIONAL TRAIN CONTROL SIGNAL RECEIVED AND FOR APPLYING THE BRAKES OF THE TRAIN WHEN THE RECEIOT OF SUCH SIGNALS IS INTERRUPTED, MEANS AT EACH LOCATION RESPONSIVE TO THE OCCUPANCY OF THE SUCCEEDING SIGNAL BLOCK BY THE FRONT END OF A TRAIN FOR CONTROLLING THE SIGNAL TRANSMITTING MEANS AT THAT LOCATION TO INTERRUPT THE TRANSMISSION OF TRAIN CONTROL SIGNALS TO THE SIGNALING CONDUCTOR FOR THE SIGNAL BLOCK PRECEDING SUCH LOCATION, MEANS AT EACH LOCATION RESPONSIVE TO THE OCCUPANCY OF THE SUCCEEDING SIGNAL BLOCK BY THE REAR END OF A TRAIN FOR CONTROLLING THE SIGNAL TRANSMITTING MEANS AT THAT LOCATION TO TRANSMIT ANOTHER DISTINCT SIGNAL TO THE SIGNALING CONDUCTOR FOR THE SIGNAL BLOCK PRECEDING SUCH LOCATION,