Emergency lighting system for a tunnel

• US 3,916,212 A
• Filed: 02/08/1974
• Issued: 10/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Erich Irk, Herbert Prochazka
• Original Assignee: Erich Irk, Herbert Prochazka
• Inventors: Prochazka, Herbert, Irk, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman
• Application Number:
  US05/440,715
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66,64
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service

Abstract

Emergency lighting system for a tunnel having at least one contact wire overhead conductor for the current supply of a train. According to the invention the emerging lighting system is provided with a battery which is connected to the contact wire and is charged through this contact wire; whereby in the case that the contact voltage drops out - for example by a railway accident in the tunnel - an emergency light source is connected to the battery.

Claims

1. An emergency lighting system for a tunnel comprising at least one contact wire for the current supply of vehicles passing through the tunnel, an electric battery, at least one electric charge current device connected to the contact wire in the tunnel for supplying electric charge to the battery, and means connecting the battery to at least one light source arranged in the tunnel for energizing said light source.

2. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a voltage supervision device responsive to the contact wire voltage and connected to the charge current device for the battery, and wherein said battery connecting means includes a generally open current circuit between the battery and the light source, said supervision device being operative to close the generally open current circuit from the battery to the light source when the contact wire voltage drops out.

3. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a separate switching device available for closing the current circuit from the battery to the light source when the contact wire voltage is present.

4. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 2 in which various batteries and light sources are arranged in the tunnel and further comprising a common switching device for switching on the entire emergency lighting system in the tunnel when the contact wire voltage is present.

5. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the common switching device can be operated at least from both tunnel openings.

6. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the switching device is remotely controlled preferably by vehicles passing through the tunnel.

7. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the common switching device includes an apparatus remotely controlled by a vehicle passing through the tunnel which switches on the emergency lighting system as soon as said vehicle remains in a section of the tunnel for a time period which is longer than a predetermined fixed time.

8. A railway emergency lighting system comprising at least one light source located along a railway track, a contact wire for supplying electric current to vehicles passing along the track, a storage battery, an electric charge device connected between the contact wire and the battery for supplying electric charge to the battery frOm the contact wire, and circuit means connecting the battery to said light source whereby the light source is energized by the battery if the voltage on the contact wire drops below a given level.

9. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said circuit means includes a switching device having a first position which maintains the connection between the battery and light source open and a second position that closes said connection, and means responsive to the contact wire voltage for selectively operating said switching device between said first and second positions as a function of the amplitude of the contact wire voltage.

10. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a second switching device for selectively connecting said switching device operating means to the contact wire so that operation of the second switching device to the open position deenergizes the switching device operating means which in turn operates the first switching device to the second position.

11. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said circuit means provides a direct connection between the battery and light source is continuously connected to the battery for all levels of the contact wire voltage.

12. An emergency lighting system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said circuit means includes a switching device having a first position which maintains the connection between the battery and light source open while simultaneously maintaining the connection between the electric charge device and the battery closed and a second position that closes the connection between the battery and light source while simultaneously opening the connection between the electric charge device and the battery, and means responsive to the contact wire voltage for selectively operating said switching device between said first and second positions as a function of the contact wire voltage.