Train identity control system

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling from a train a wayside function located along the stretch of track traversed by that train, comprising in combination, a. a plurality of coils on said train, each preset to a selected one of a plurality of possible signal characteristics and mounted in a predetermined relationship with the other coils to represent a predetermined digit of a multi-digit function control signal, b. receiver apparatus positioned to couple with each train coil for momentarily recording each digit of said function control signal in decimal form during passage of the corresponding train coil in accordance with its selected signal characteristic, c. a bank of code registry relays for each digit of said function control signal, d. translation means controlled by said receiver apparatus and responsive to the passage of each train coil for successively translating the corresponding recorded digit decimal signals into preselected code formats and connected for registering each digit signal code format in the corresponding digit bank of said code registry relays, and e. function control means for operating the wayside function to a condition determined by the digit characteristics of the registered function control signal, f. said code registry relay banks connected for controlling said function control means in accordance with the signal characteristics represented by each digit of the registered function control signal code.

Claim 3

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said receiver apparatus comprises, a. a pair of coils mounted along said track for coupling with each train-carried coil, b. a plurality of receiver relays, one for each of said possible signal characteristics, each controlled by said track coils to receive the corresponding characteristic signal from said train coils, and c. stepping means responsive to the successive passage of said train coils for actuating the translation and registration of each characteristic signal received by said receiver relays into the corresponding digit bank of registry relays.

Claim 4

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said train coils are mounted to couple with said track coils successively in descending order of the digits of said function control signal.

Claim 5

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including, a. a communication means controlled in part by said registry relays for transmitting said function control signal code from the location of said track coils to a remote location where the wayside function is located, b. said function control means connected to said communication means to receive the signal code format from said registry relays and responsive thereto for operating said wayside function.

Claim 6

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which, a. the selected signal characteristic of each train coil is a signal frequency to which the coil is selectively tuned. b. each receiver relay is frequency coupled to said track coils to respond only to a predetermined different one of said signal frequencies to which said train coils may be tuned.

Claim 7

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which the wayside function is the route selection for a route type interlocking control system to establish a route through an interlocking track network for a train from an approach track to an exit track predetermined by the selected route, said track coil location being along the approach track stretch, and in which said function control means includes, a. a plurality of storage relays connected to said communication means for receiving and storing a function control signal code transmitted from said track coil location, b. a route selection circuit arrangement controlled by said storage relays for checking the proper code format of the stored control signal and for selecting a desired route through said interlocking in accordance with the characteristics of the stored control signal only if the code format is proper.

Claim 8

Function control apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said function control means comprises, a. a bank of route selection relays, one for each of plurality of routes through a track interlocking network traversed by trains first passing said receiver apparatus, each relay when selected actuating the establishment of the corresponding track route through said interlocking, b. a route selection circuit network controlled by said registry relay banks for selecting a single route selection relay in accordance with the signal characteristics of a function control signal code registered in said registry relay banks, and c. a code check circuit network also controlled by said registry relay banks for completing the selection of the single route relay only when the registered function control signal code format has the proper code characteristics.

Claim 9

A multi-digit train identity control system for a stretch of track traversed by trains, comprising in combination, a. a plurality of coils on each train mounted in sequence so that each coil represents a predetermined one of the train identity signal digits, each coil selectively tuned to one of a plurality of different frequencies to establish a predetermined value for the corresponding digit of the train identity signal, b. wayside coils positioned along said track to inductively couple with each train-carried coil during passage of the corresponding train for receiving a separate frequency signal in accordance with the frequency tuning of each train coil, c. a bank of receiver relays, each frequency coupled to said wayside coils to receive a predetermineD one of said frequency signals from said train coils for recording the value of each train identity signal digit in decimal form, d. stepping means also coupled to respond to the passage of each train coil for recording the sequence of the identity signal digits, e. a bank of registry relays for each identity signal digit, f. translation circuit means controlled by said receiver relays and said stepping means for successively translating each digit signal recorded by said receiver relays into a predetermined code format and connected for registering the signal code format in the registry relay bank corresponding to the identity digit recorded at that time by said stepping means, and g. control means connected for receiving each train identity signal registered by said registry relay banks and responsive thereto for conditioning a controllable wayside function associated with the corresponding train to a condition defined by said registered identity signal code.

Claim 10

A multi-digit train identity control system for a stretch of track traversed by trains, comprising in combination, a. a plurality of coils on each train mounted in sequence so that each coil represents a predetermined one of the train identity signal digits, each coil selectively tuned to one of a plurality of different frequencies to establish a predetermined value for the corresponding digit of the train identity signal, b. wayside coils positioned along said track to inductively couple with each train-carried coil during passage of the corresponding train for receiving a separate frequency signal in accordance with the frequency tuning of each train coil, c. a bank of receiver relays, each frequency coupled to said wayside coils to receive a predetermineD one of said frequency signals from said train coils for recording the value of each train identity signal digit in decimal form, d. stepping means also coupled to respond to the passage of each train coil for recording the sequence of the identity signal digits, e. a bank of registry relays for each identity signal digit, f. translation circuit means controlled by said receiver relays and said stepping means for successively translating each digit signal recorded by said receiver relays into a predetermined code format and connected for registering the signal code format in the registry relay bank corresponding to the identity digit recorded at that time by said stepping means, and g. control means connected for receiving each train identity signal registered by said registry relay banks and responsive thereto for conditioning a controllable wayside function associated with the corresponding train to a condition defined by said registered identity signal code.

Claim 11

A train identity control system as defined in claim 8, in which said controllable function is the route selection for a route control system for a track interlocking network at a location remote from and later traversed by trains first passing said wayside coils, further comprising, a. a communication means controlled by said registry relays and responsive to the registration of a train identity signal code for transmitting that code to said remote location of said controllable function, b. storage means at said remote location with connections for receiving and storing a train identity signal code transmitted over said communication means, and c. a route selection means for said route control system controlled by said storage means for selecting a track route through said interlocking in accordance with the stored train identity signal code and for actuating said route control system to establish the selected route.

Claim 12

A train identity control system as defined in claim 9 in which said route selection means includes, a. a route selection relay for each route through said track interlocking network, b. a code checking circuit matrix including contacts controlled by said storage means for checking the proper code format of each digit of a stored train identity signal code, c. a decoding circuit network including other contacts controlled by said storage means for establishing a route selecting circuit path for the train identified by the stored identity signal code, and d. at least one energizing circuit for each route selection relay including in series a circuit path through said code checking circuit matrix and a circuit path through said decoding circuit network corresponding to the identity signal code for a train preselected to follow the interlocking route established by that route selection relay, e. a particular energizing circuit being completed only when a proper identity signal code format is stored and the thereby identified train is preselected to follow the route corresponding to the associated route selection relay.

Claim 13

A train identity control system as defined in claim 9 in which said code format is of the two-out-of-five type and in which a circuit path through said code checking circuit matrix is completed only when two on code bits only are stored for each digit of the train identity signal code.