Reversing,throttle and brake controller with interlocks

Claim 2

A locomotive controller comprising a housing, a pair of control members mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a common axis, locking means carried on one of said control members and engagable with the other of said members and with said housing at predetermined relative positions thereof to lock said control members against movement in said housing, and operating handles for each of said control members, the handle for said one control member being removable and cooperating with said locking means such that removal of said handle from said one member engages said locking means with said housing and said other control member while reinstallation of said handle causes disengagement of said locking means from said housing and said other control member, said locking means being arranged to prevent removal of said handle from said one member except when said locking means is engaged.

Claim 3

A locomotive controller comprising a housing, a throttle control mounted in said housing for oscillating motion about a first axis to a plurality of control positions including Idle and Stop positions, said throttle control including a handle extending outwardly of said housing for movement of said throttle control to its various positions, a direction control mounted adjacent said throttle control in said housing and arranged for oscillating motion about said first axis to spaced positions including Forward, Neutral and Reverse positions, a reverser handle installable in said direction control and extending outwardly of said housing for movement of said direction control to its various positions, interlock means engagable with said throttle control and said direction control and effective to prevent movement of said direction control when said throttle control is in a position other than its Idle and Stop positions, locking means carried by said direction control and movable therewith, said locking means being engagable with said throttle control and said housing when said direction control is in its Neutral position and said throttle control is in its Idle position to lock said direction and throttle controls in their respective positions, said locking means further cooperating with said housing and said throttle control to prevent engagement therewith when said controls are in any other combination of control positions, said locking means being Operative to permit installation of said reverser handle with said direction control only in its engaged position and to prevent removal of said reverser handle from said direction control when said locking means is not in its engaged position, said reverser handle cooperating with said locking means to move said locking means to its engaged position upon removal of said reverser handle from said direction control and to cause movement of said locking means out of its engaged position upon installation of said reverser handle in said direction control, whereby said direction control may be moved only when said throttle control is in its Idle or Stop positions, said reverser handle may be removed only when said direction control is in Neutral and said throttle control is in Idle and said controls are locked in their Neutral and Idle positions when said reverser handle is removed.

Claim 4

A locomotive controller comprising a housing, a throttle control mounted in said housing for oscillating motion about a first axis to a plurality of control positions including Idle and Stop positions, said throttle control including a handle extending outwardly of said housing for movement of said throttle control to its various positions, a direction control mounted adjacent said throttle control in said housing and arranged for oscillating motion about said first axis to spaced positions including Forward, Neutral and Reverse positions, a reverser handle installable in said direction control and extending outwardly of said housing for movement of said direction control to its various positions, interlock means engagable with said throttle control and said direction control and effective to prevent movement of said direction control when said throttle control is in a position other than its Idle and Stop positions, locking means carried by said direction control and movable therewith, said locking means being engagable with said throttle control and said housing when said direction control is in its Neutral position and said throttle control is in its Idle position to lock said direction and throttle controls in their respective positions, said locking means further cooperating with said housing and said throttle control to prevent engagement therewith when said controls are in any other combination of control positions, said locking means being Operative to permit installation of said reverser handle with said direction control only in its engaged position and to prevent removal of said reverser handle from said direction control when said locking means is not in its engaged position, said reverser handle cooperating with said locking means to move said locking means to its engaged position upon removal of said reverser handle from said direction control and to cause movement of said locking means out of its engaged position upon installation of said reverser handle in said direction control, whereby said direction control may be moved only when said throttle control is in its Idle or Stop positions, said reverser handle may be removed only when said direction control is in Neutral and said throttle control is in Idle and said controls are locked in their Neutral and Idle positions when said reverser handle is removed.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 and further comprising a brake control mounted in said housing for oscillating motion about a second axis parallel and spaced from said first axis, said brake control being movable through a plurality of control positions including an Off position, second interlock means engagable with said brake control, said throttle control and said direction control and operative to prevent movement of said brake control from its Off position except when said direction control is in either its Forward or Reverse position and said throttle control is in its Idle or Stop positions, whereby said brake control is maintained in its Off position when said throttle and direction controls are locked, as well as when said throttle control is moved from its Idle or Stop positions or said direction control is in Neutral and, when said brake control is moved out of its Off position, said throttle control cannot be advanced from its Idle position and said direction control cannot be moved.

Claim 6

A locomotive controller comprising a housing having an inwardly extending locking tab, first and second control members mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a common axis, a first cam plate carried by said first control member and movable therewith, said first cam plate having a lock opening and a generally arcuate cam opening having a wide and narrow portions, a second cam plate carried by said second control member and movable therewith said second cam plate having a first group of peripheral recesses, a locking bracket mounted on said second control member, said locking bracket having a pair of arms terminating in spaced arcuate guide surfaces at one end and a central lug mounted between said arms, said bracket being movable to engage said lug with the lock opening of said first cam plate and to receive said housing locking tab between said guide surfaces, when said control members are in predetermined positions, to lock said control members in said predetermined positions, Operating handles for each of said control members, the handle for said second control member being removable and having a recess cooperating with said locking bracket such that removal of said handle from said housing second control member engages said locking bracket with said housing tab and the lock opening of said first control member while reinstallation of said handle causes disengagement of said locking bracket from said housing tab and lock opening, said locking bracket having a cam-like portion engaging the recess in said removable handle and movable out of said handle recess upon engagement of said locking bracket with said housing tab and lock opening to prevent removal of said handle from said second control member except when said locking bracket is so engaged, and a first interlock roller extending through the cam opening of said first cam plate and engagable with said first group of peripheral recesses in said second cam plate, said roller being movable out of said second cam plate recesses only when said roller is iN the wide portion of the cam opening of said first cam plate, thereby preventing movement of said second control member when said first control member is positioned with said roller in the narrow portion of said cam opening.

Claim 7

A locomotive controller comprising a housing having an inwardly extending locking tab, first and second control members mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a common axis, a first cam plate carried by said first control member and movable therewith, said first cam plate having a lock opening and a generally arcuate cam opening having a wide and narrow portions, a second cam plate carried by said second control member and movable therewith said second cam plate having a first group of peripheral recesses, a locking bracket mounted on said second control member, said locking bracket having a pair of arms terminating in spaced arcuate guide surfaces at one end and a central lug mounted between said arms, said bracket being movable to engage said lug with the lock opening of said first cam plate and to receive said housing locking tab between said guide surfaces, when said control members are in predetermined positions, to lock said control members in said predetermined positions, Operating handles for each of said control members, the handle for said second control member being removable and having a recess cooperating with said locking bracket such that removal of said handle from said housing second control member engages said locking bracket with said housing tab and the lock opening of said first control member while reinstallation of said handle causes disengagement of said locking bracket from said housing tab and lock opening, said locking bracket having a cam-like portion engaging the recess in said removable handle and movable out of said handle recess upon engagement of said locking bracket with said housing tab and lock opening to prevent removal of said handle from said second control member except when said locking bracket is so engaged, and a first interlock roller extending through the cam opening of said first cam plate and engagable with said first group of peripheral recesses in said second cam plate, said roller being movable out of said second cam plate recesses only when said roller is iN the wide portion of the cam opening of said first cam plate, thereby preventing movement of said second control member when said first control member is positioned with said roller in the narrow portion of said cam opening.

Claim 8

A locomotive controller comprising a housing having an inwardly extending locking tab, first and second control members mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a common axis, a first cam plate carried by said first control member and movable therewith, said cam plate having a lock opening, a generally arcuate cam opening having wide and narrow portions and a peripheral recess, a second cam plate carried by said second control member and movable therewith, said second cam plate having first and second groups of peripheral recesses, said second group consisting of two spaced recesses with an arcuate cam portion therebetween, a locking bracket mounted on said second control member, said locking bracket having a pair of arms terminating in spaced arcuate guide surfaces at one end and a central lug mounted between said arms, said bracket being movable to engage said lug with the lock opening of said first cam plate and to receive said housing locking tab between said guide surfaces, when said control members are in predetermined positions, to lock said control members in said predetermined positions, a third control member mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a second axis parallel to said common axis, said third control member carrying a third cam plate movable therewith and having a peripheral arcuate cam portion with a recess at one end thereof, operating handles for each of said control members, the handle for said second control member being removable and having a recess cooperating with said locking bracket such that removal of said handle from said housing second control member engages said locking bracket with said housing tab and the lock opening of said first control member while reinstallation of said handle causes disengagement of said locking bracket from said housing tab and lock opening, said locking bracket having a cam-like portion engaging the recess in said removable handle and movable out of said handle recess upon engagement of said locking bracket with said housing tab and lock opening to prevent removal of said handle from said second control member except when said locking bracket is so engaged, a first interlock roller extending through the cam opening of said first cam plate and engagable with said first group of peripheral recesses in said second cam plate, said roller being movable out of said second cam plate recesses only when said roller is in the wide portion of the cam opening of said first cam plate, thereby preventing movement of said second control member when said first control member is positioned with said roller in the narrow portion of said cam opening, and a second interlock roller between the peripheries of said third cam plate and said first and second cam plates and engagable therewith, said second roller being receivable in the recess of said third cam plate and maintained therein by the arcuate cam portion of said second cam plate when said first and second control members are locked by said locking bracket, thereby locking said third control member, movement of said second roller into one of the second group of recesses of said second cam plate and the recess of said first cam plate being required to permit movement of said third control member such that its peripheral cam portion is opposite said second interlock roller, such movement thereby preventing movement of said second control member or of said first control member beyond the limit permitting by said first cam plate recess.

Claim 9

A locomotive controller comprising a housing having an inwardly extending locking tab, first and second control members mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a common axis, a first cam plate carried by said first control member and movable therewith, said cam plate having a lock opening, a generally arcuate cam opening having wide and narrow portions and a peripheral recess, a second cam plate carried by said second control member and movable therewith, said second cam plate having first and second groups of peripheral recesses, said second group consisting of two spaced recesses with an arcuate cam portion therebetween, a locking bracket mounted on said second control member, said locking bracket having a pair of arms terminating in spaced arcuate guide surfaces at one end and a central lug mounted between said arms, said bracket being movable to engage said lug with the lock opening of said first cam plate and to receive said housing locking tab between said guide surfaces, when said control members are in predetermined positions, to lock said control members in said predetermined positions, a third control member mounted in said housing for oscillating movement about a second axis parallel to said common axis, said third control member carrying a third cam plate movable therewith and having a peripheral arcuate cam portion with a recess at one end thereof, operating handles for each of said control members, the handle for said second control member being removable and having a recess cooperating with said locking bracket such that removal of said handle from said housing second control member engages said locking bracket with said housing tab and the lock opening of said first control member while reinstallation of said handle causes disengagement of said locking bracket from said housing tab and lock opening, said locking bracket having a cam-like portion engaging the recess in said removable handle and movable out of said handle recess upon engagement of said locking bracket with said housing tab and lock opening to prevent removal of said handle from said second control member except when said locking bracket is so engaged, a first interlock roller extending through the cam opening of said first cam plate and engagable with said first group of peripheral recesses in said second cam plate, said roller being movable out of said second cam plate recesses only when said roller is in the wide portion of the cam opening of said first cam plate, thereby preventing movement of said second control member when said first control member is positioned with said roller in the narrow portion of said cam opening, and a second interlock roller between the peripheries of said third cam plate and said first and second cam plates and engagable therewith, said second roller being receivable in the recess of said third cam plate and maintained therein by the arcuate cam portion of said second cam plate when said first and second control members are locked by said locking bracket, thereby locking said third control member, movement of said second roller into one of the second group of recesses of said second cam plate and the recess of said first cam plate being required to permit movement of said third control member such that its peripheral cam portion is opposite said second interlock roller, such movement thereby preventing movement of said second control member or of said first control member beyond the limit permitting by said first cam plate recess.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 5 and further including spring means biasing said first interlock roller against said second cam plate, whereby said first interlock roller cooperates with the first group of recesses in said second cam plate to detent Said second control member, and first and second detent means cooperating wth detent recesses in said first and third cam plates, respectively, to detent said first and third control members.