Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
-` ~3~
(Case No. 8457)
CONTROLLER FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
FIELD OF TH~ INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to railway
vehicles' control apparatus and, more particularly, this
invention relates to a brake on main control apparatus
installed in a control stand of a railway vehicle to output
at least one of deceleration or acceleration commands as an
electrical signal at predetermined positions of the control
apparatus as determined by a control operation performed by
the operation of the railway vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view partially
in cross section which illustrates the essential elements
of one presently preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic plan view taken along lines
A-A of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a fragmented schematic side elevation view
partially in cross section which illustrates a prior art
type controller; and
Figure 4 is a schematic plan view taken along lines
B-B of Figure 3.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Brake and/or main control equipment for use in railway
vehicles have been known in the prior art. SeP ~ for
example, Japanese publication Jitsukaisho 57-58906 and
Jitsukaisho 61-549~6. The control equipment taught in
these publications is representative of the prior art
control equipment and are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 o
this application.
,
As shown in Figure 3, the prior art control device
includes an upper cover designated la and a lower cover
designated lb. The upper cover la and lower cover lb each
constitute a portion of the main body of the prior art
control device. Through bearings desiqnated 2a, which are
engageable with the upper cover la, and 2b, which are
engageable with the lower cover lb, a rotatable shaft 3 is
lA
.. ...
~3~55~
po~itioned between such upper cover la ~nd lowe~ cover lb
for free rotatlon. A control wheel or handle which has not
been illustrated in Figure 3, i~ attached to the projecting
end of such rotatable bhaft 3.
Multiple numbers of board~ 4 ~hich are provided for
detection ~re ~ounted at approxi~ately a perpendicular
orientation to the rotating shaft 3 ~left-right direction
in the figure). The rotating shaft 3 which is interlocked
with the handling operation and the contactless switch 5
whiah detects the rotational positlon of each of those
boards 4 for detection 1g mounted on the side ~all (not
shown) of the main body. When the boar2 4 for detection
rotates follo~ing the operation of the handle, the
contactless switch 5 detects the location and output~ an
electrical signal which serves as either a deceleration or
acceleration command.
In addition, the above-mentioned detection board 4 can
be replaced by a light blocking board, and the contactless
switch 5 by a transparent li~ht sw1tch, or the detectlon
board 4 can al80 be replaaed by a re~lecting board and the
contaatless switches 5 by a reflactive light s~itch.
Furthermora, the board 4 for deteotion and the contactless
switch 5 may consist of a pro~i~ity body and proxi~ity
switch respectively.
Even in a con~roller apparatus using the contactless
method for posit1on deteation, as in the case of the
~L3~
contact-type controller apparatus using conventional cam
and cam ~witch, a similar control resistance addition
~echanis~ is used, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The case
of the brake controller is illustrated in ~igure 4.
On the periphery of the star wheel 6 fixed
approxlmately perpendicular to the axial direction of the
rotating shaft 3, there are grooves ~a in loca-tions
corre~ponding eo each of the handling locations, The
numbers 1-7 indicated on this star wheel 6 are the
1~ respective step positions of the conventional braking range
of a railw~y vehicle. In this prior art controller
apparatus, the roller 7 that make~ cont~ct with the outer
periphery of the star wheel 6 is supported 80 that it can
rotate freely by ~eans of a pin 10, at the tip of a lever 9
;'
1$ ~hich is axially ~upported by a pin 8 at the base on the
~ain body side. In order to pres~ this roller 7 against
the outer perlphery of star wheel 6, there is a spring 11
in~talled between the support body 12, attached to the main
body and the above lever 9. Here, 12a is an adjus-ting
~crew ~nd 12b is a spring receiver.
In thiæ prior ar~ mechaniso for the aadition of control
resistance, the roller 7 i8 pressed into the groove 6a of
the star wheel 6 by the force of spring 11, and when the
roller 7 tries to slip o~t of groove 6a, th~ spring 11 i8
compres~ed, and the roller 7 tends to main~ain its position
in the groove 6a, and th0 reaction which takes plac~ in the
.,., . : ~
.
. .
~3~
3tar wheel 6 at this point is the control resi~tance.
Therefore, by rotating the rotating æhaft 3 to the position
where the roller 7 fit3 in the groove 6a, by a control
action~ th~t po~ition can be ascertained.
This prior art controller apparatu~ has certain
problem~ in that, when this controller i the brake
controller, there are grooves 6a on the outer periphery of
the st~r wheel 6, corresponding to the respective po~itions
of step~ 1-7 of the standard operation of the railway
vehicle braking range~ When the control handle i3 set to
steps 1-7 of the normal braklng range of the rallway
vehicle, the roller 7 engages and d1sengagec from the
groove 6a to produce digital handling resistance of the
ON-OFF mode and the control resistance of thi3 digital type
respon~e givesn an unfamiliar feeling to operators who are
more accustomed to the pneumatically-controlled brake valve
which is different froo the controller apparatus in
que~tion. Also, when thi3 controller appara~us is the main
controller, the power control range is divided into 1-4
steps or 1-7 steps and there are numerou~ grooves 6a on the
outer periphery of the star wheel 6, which again gives an
unfa~iliar feeling to operator3, like the case described
above.
In order to eliminate thi~ unfamiliar feeling, grooves
6a correspondig to each step of the standard br~king range
on the power control range may be elimlnated, and th~
~3~
surface of the outer periphery which corre3pond~ to the
star wheel may be made smooth, without pro~ection3 and
rece~se~.
However, if the face is unifor~, the roller 7 in
contact with this face rotates freely. Its rolling
resistance i8 very low, and ~ince the control position
detection mechanism i8 of the contactles~ type, and has no
switching resistance like the conventional contact type,
and furthermore, since the rotating shaft ~ i8 supported
only by bearings 2a and 2b, the control resistance becomes
extremely low, and it becomes difficult to maintain the
control handle at a deslrea ~tep position of the standard
braking band or power band.
One ~pproach ~ay be to ~ake the roller 7 be of the
fixed type and al80 to make the force of the ~pring ll
tronger, but then, since the contact area of the outer
periphery of the star wheel 6 and the roller 7 i8 small and
.:
i
the ~urface pre sure per unit area becomes very high, there
will be a problem of excessiYe wear on these parts in
; ~ 20 contact.
; SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The pre~ent invention i5 a controller apparatu~ u~eful
ln a railway vehicle. Such controller 1ncludes a rotating
~haft that i8 connected to a control ~echan1sm which is
operated by an operator of such railway vehicle~ A portion
of the rotating shaft is positioned within and ~ecured to
B
,
. .
1 3~ 5 ~; .A ~3
the ~ain body portion of such controller in a manner 3uch
that it can rotate freely. At a position which is
approximately perpendicular to the axial direction of the
ratching shaft, at least one board and preferably a number
of boards are secured thereto. At least one contactless
switch and preferably a contactless switch for each board
to detect the relative rotational position of such at lea~t
one board iæ secured to the naln body portion of the
; controller apparatus. Such contactless switch as it
detects the rotatin~ position of the board generates and
trarlsmitl ~n electrical aign~l value that is used a~ a
comm~nd for one of deceleratlon and/or acceleratlon of such
railway vehicle. The controller apparatus further lncludes
a control resistance mechanism positioned adjacent and
enconpassing one end of the rotating ~haft. A first
frlction member having a frlction surface thereon is
aecured to such rotating ~h~ft intermediate the ends
thereof and in a position approximately perpendicular to
it~ axial di~ection. A second friction member having a
23 friction ~urface thereon for ~ating engagement by the
friction ~urface of the flrRt frlction member i~ ~ecured to
the control reilstance nechanlso on the main body ~ide of
the controller apparatu~. A ~pring is po~itioned in ~uch a
manner to pre~s th} friction surfaces of the first ~riction
member and the second friction member, respectively,
again~t one another.
,
~3~
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INV~NTION
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of th~
present invention to provide a controller apparatus for a
railway vehicle which includes an enhanced control
resistance mechanis~.
Another object of the pre~ent inYention is to provide a
controller apparatus ~or a railway vehicle which minimizes
excessiv~ wear on ~electQd component parts of such
controller apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a controller apparatu~ for a railway vehicle in
whiah a control resistance mechani~m can be ad~usted to
control the anount of resistance encountered in movement,
by an operator of such r~ilway vehicle, of the control
handle on auch controllsr apparatu~.
: Yet another object of the pre3ent invention is to
provide a controller apparatus for a rallway vehlcle in
which ~anufacture of a ~tar wheel forming a part of such
controller apparatus is simpler due to the elimlnation of a
number of grooves along an outer periphery thereof,
The above and VarioUB other ob~ects and advantages of
the railway vehicle controller apparatus of the pre~ent
invention ~ill become more readily apparent to those
persons skillea in the railroad control art from the
: 25 following =ore detalled ~escription of the lnYention when
such de~cription i8 taken in con~unction with the attached
dr~wing figures.
;: ,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Prior to proceeding to a more detailed description of
this invention, it should be noted that throughout the
several views of the drawing Figures, identical reference
numerals have been used to identify identical componsnts of
the controller apparatus assembled according to both the
pr~sent invention and the prior art controller apparatus.
Now refer more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 for an
understanding of one presently preferred embodiment of this
invention. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and
2 the controller apparatus is constructed as a railway
vehicle brake control assembly.
In this embodiment, as best illustrated in Figure 2 of
the drawings, the outar peripheral portion of the star
wheel 6, which corresponds to the step positions 1-7 of ~he
standard braking range of a railway vehicle, is
manufactured with a substantially uniform surface. This
star wheel 6 in combination with the roller 7, due to such
substantially uniform surface of such outer peripheral
portion of the star wheel 6, can no longer function
efficiently as a control resistance mechanism in su~l
controller apparatus. Because in this embodiment such
controller apparatus is used as a railway vehicle brake
controller, the star wheel 6 is provided with grooves 6a in
order to clarify for an operation of such railway vehicle
a brake release position, an emergency application position
and a handle extraction position, respectively. Therefore,
depending on the condition and particular use of the
, ~
;5~
controller apparatus, of this invention, certain related
elements of the star wheel ~ and roller 7 may not be
required.
As illustrated in the lower half of Figure 1, this
embodiment of the controller apparatus of the present
invention includes a control resistance mechanism for the
standard braking range of the railway vehicle to which it
is to be applied. The purpose served by such control
resistance mechanism will become clear as the description
proceeds. Such control resistance mechanism includes a
lower cover lb of the main body. Secured to the lower
cover lb is a generally hollow cylindrical body member lc
which projects inwardly toward the main body (upper side in
the drawing) of the controller apparatus. Such cylindrical
body member lc is generally centrally located with respect
to the lower cover lb. A generally hollow receiving member
22 is fixed to the upper side of the cylindrical body
member lc by coupling its small diameter part into the
cavity of such cylindrical body member lc. The top face of
the receiving member 22 as illustrated in the drawing
serves as a frictional contact face to the friction board
21. Such purpose of such friction board 21 will be
explained hereinafter.
The friction board 21, which is preferably circular,
faces the outer face of the receiving member 22. Such
friction board 21 is secured approximately perpendicular to
the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3 (left-right in
the drawing~. The friction board 21 carries a contact
surface for mating frictional engagem~ent with the outer
surface of the receiving member 22.
The control resistance mechanism also includes a
spring 23 which presses the contact surface o~ the friction
board 21 against the outer surface of the receiving member
22 during operation. The spring 23 is installed between a
ledge in the cylindrical body lc and a spring receiver
member 24 secured to a lower end of the rotating shaft 3.
Such spring receiver member 24, preferably, has a generally
rectangular shape in relationship to the rotating shaft 3.
In this manner, such spring receiver member 24 does not
rotate against the rotating shaft 3, but slides freely in
the axial direction of such rotating shaft 3 (an up-down
motion as illustrated in Figure 1). In addition, on the
outer flange of such spring receiver member 24, thrust
bearings 29 are positioned to prevent twisting of the
spring 23 which would result from direct contact of the
spring 23 with the flange portion of the spring receiver
: member 24.
The force to be exerted by the spring 23 is adjustable
by rotation o~ a nut 26 threadedly engaged with a threaded
portion 3a located adjacent the lower end of the rotating
shaft 3. A lock washer 27 is provided so that after any
adjustment o* the force to be exerted by the spring 23 is
completed, further accidentical rotation of the nut 26 is
preventedO
'
i5~3
The controller apparatus of this invention also
includes a bearing 28 positioned between the rotating shaft
3 and th~ receiving member 22. Preferably, such bearing 28
is an unlubricated type bearing. A stopper ring 29 is
provided to hold the bearing 28 in placle. Also illustrated
is a cover 30 that can be placed on and removed ~rom the
lower cover lb~ Such cover 30 allowing easy access to the
adjustment nut 26 under adjustment of the ~orce to be
exerted by the spring 23 is required or at least desirable.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the
~ drawings and described in detail above, the control
; resistance mechanism of the controller apparatus is mounted
on the opposite end o~ the control handle. However, it
- should be recognized that this installation position may be
on the same side of the control handle as well. In
addition, the control resistance mechanism may be
positioned at a location intermediate the ends of such
rotating shaft 3. In these cases, which would depend on
the installation position of such control resistance
mechanism, changes may have to be made to certain
components. For example, changes may be required in the
design oE the part to support the receiving member 22, the
part to support the spring 23, the location o~ the cover
30, etc. Moreover, the spring 23, as illustrated, is a
compression type spring, but dependiny on the design of the
controller apparatus, such spring 23 could be a tension
type spring as well.
:
11
.
... ,, . , - .
.
- .
13~55a8
Furthermore, other appropriate means may be selected
to prevent twisting of the spring 23, adjustment of the
force exerted by such spring 23 and to prevent the
undesirable rotation of the nut 26, etc.
5Although in the embodiment of the invention described
above the controller apparatus is a railway vehicle brake
controller, such invention can likewise be applied
effecti~ely as a main controller.
It can be seen from the above description that the
10present invention provides a sound technical approach to
solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a
controller apparatus for railway vehicles which is equipped
with a rotating shaft 3 mounted on the main body of such
controller apparatus so that it can rotate freely. The
15rotating shaft 3 is connected to the control operation by
an operator of the railway vehicle and includes detection
boards 4 that are fixed to the rotating axis of such
rotating shaft 3 in an orientation approximately
perpendicular to the axial direction. The controller
20apparatus has contactless switches 5 which are mounted on
the main body thereof which detect the rotational position
of such above-described detection boards. An elPctrical
signal which is provided by the contactless switch 5 during
dekection of the rotational movement and position of such
25detection boards 5 is used as the deceleration and/or
aGceleration control command. The friction board 21, which
~orms a part of the control resistance mechanism, is
secured to the rotating shaft 3 approximately perpendicular
12
, ,~,
, .. ..
':
,: . ,.: ,,, ~
to its axial direction. The receiving member 22 includes
a surface which makes contact with a mating surface of such
friction board 21 when the plane of one end of the central
axial direc~ion of such friction board 21 is installed on
the main body of the controller apparatus. The spring 23
exerts a force sufficient to press the surface on such
~riction board 21 against the mating surface on the
receiving member 22.
With this technical approach, since the friction board
21 which is secured to the rotating shaft 3 is pressed
against the receiving member 22 and held onto the main body
by the spring 23, a suitable handling resistance to
maintain the control handle at specified step positions of
the normal braking range or acceleration range of the
railway vehicle can be achieved. This is accomplished in
the present invention by ad~usting the force exerted by the
spring 23. Moreover, since the contact surface of both the
friction board 21 and the receiving member 22 is a plane
surface, th~ unfamiliar feel of the digital type control is
substantially eliminated. In addition, because the contact
plane is at one end of the control axis of the friction
board 21, the contact area is wider, and the plane pressure
is smaller than in the case where the contact plane is the
perlpheral force. An additional advantage of this
arranyement is that wear of the contacting parts can be
controlled.
13
,
While a presently preferred embodiment of the railway
vehicle controller apparatus has been described in detail
above, it should be obvious to those persons skilled in the
railroad control art that various othe:r modifications and
adaptations of the present invention can be made without
materially departing from the spirit and scope of the
appended claims.
14
