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AUTOMATIC SWITCHING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION YARDS

  • US 3,865,042 A
  • Filed: 04/04/1973
  • Issued: 02/11/1975
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1973
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for controlling the switches in a railway classification yard to route each cut of cars rolling down the crest to its proper destination including car sensing devices at the crest and at each switch, said apparatus comprising;

  • computer means responsive to said sensing devices and which has stored therein;

    a. a sequential list of cars as they appear at the crest and an intended destination track for each of said cars, b. the characteristics of the yard including a table which identifies, for each destination track, the switches included in the route from the crest to said destination track and the proper position for each of said switches to route a cut from said crest to said destination track, c. said computer means further providing, 1. means for determining the number of cars in each cut, 2. means responsive, to each cut at said crest, to said table and said list to determine the position of the first switch in said classification yard, 3. means responsive to said last named means to correctly position said first switch to route said cut to its destination track unless the proper positioning of said switch would result in an unsafe condition, 4. means responsive, to the presence of a cut at any subsequent switch, to said table and said list to determine the position of the next succeeding switch in the yard for the cut to reach its required destination track, 5. means responsive to said last named meAns to correctly position said next succeeding switch unless the correct positioning of said next succeeding switch would result in an unsafe condition, 6. means to compare the position of each switch as each cut is adjacent thereto with the required position for said cut to reach its intended destination track, 7. means responsive to said last named means when indicating a lack of comparison and to said table to select a different destination track for said cut, and 8. means responsive to said last named means to modify said list for said cut by substituting said different destination track for said intended destination track.

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