US2997691A - Traffic mover apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 22, 1961 M. L. STOLL TRAFFIC MOVER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1959 NQ Q? INVENTOR. ML 7'0/v L. STOLL m 71% A Tram/5y United States Patent 2,997,691 TRAFFIC MOVER APPARATUS Milton L. Stoll, 5212 York Blvd., Los Angeles 42, Calif. Filed Sept. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 841,510 6 Claims. (Cl. 340-41) This invention relates to traific control systems for the control of Stop and Go trafiic lights at street intersections, and, specifically, to the temporary operation or such systems during repair operations wherein a normal controller is removed and replaced by another controller while being taken to the shop for repair or other servicing operations. A general object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple, compact auxiliary control unit for temporary use during such periods when the normal controller is disconnected from the traffic control system.

In existing maintenance operations, where it becomes necessary to exchange traflic signal controllers, there necessarily occurs a short period during removal of a controller that has to be repaired or adjusted and its replacement by another controller, when a very hazardous condition exists. This hazardous condition may take either of two forms. Either all signals are dark during the replacement period or all signals are set for flash operation during the replacement period.

The present invention provides an auxiliary controller, which I prefer to call a traific mover, operative to completely eliminate the necessity for either of these hazardous conditions to exist. Specifically, the invention provides a unit that is adapted to be connected to the traific control system prior to removal of the normal controller, to take over the control of the system without interrupting or in any way affecting the sequence of operation of the traflic signals, and to continue such substitute operation of the signals until the replacement controller has been installed. The invention further provides for automatically disconnecting the trafiic mover from the system when the replacement controller has been connected into the system and resumes operative control thereof to con tinue the normal operation of the system without any break. Thus, the invention includes in its objects, the provision for connecting the traflic mover to the control system at the control box while the normal controller is still in operation, the taking over of the control function by the trafiic mover while the normal controller is disconnected from the system and removed from the control box, the continuing of the control operation without a break, the installation of a replacement controller in the control box and connecting it into the control circuit while the traflic mover continues to maintain the control operation, and finally, the resumption of control by the replacement controller for continuing, unbroken control operation, the provision for indication of such resumption of control by the replacement controller, and the automatic disconnecting of the traflic mover flom the control circuit, simultaneous with such resumption of control, leaving the replacement controller in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide, for the purpose stated, a temporary control device, of maximum simplicity. Specifically, the invention provides a device which will be effective to hold the main street light on green and the cross street lights on red during the -interval of replacement of the normal controller, and to facilitate restoration of the system to normal periodic change operation under the control of the replacement controller, by an easy operation of the service man preceding the disconnecting of the traffic mover from the system.

The invention provides further for the convenient temporary attachment of the tnaflic mover to the controller cabinet without blocking the removal and replacement of the normal controller and to this end, provides a bracket for hanging the traffic mover externally on the controller cabinet. The invention further provides for connecting the traific mover into the controller circuit by color-coded flexible conductor leads equipped with insulated terminal clips so as to eliminate the necessity for the use of tools. The invention further provides for connecting the traffic mover to the terminals in the controller cabinet without disturbing the existing connections therein, thus avoiding any chance of error in the arrangement of the conductor leads the cabinet.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram of the traflic mover of my invention in its basic form with a minimum number of control circuits and including the terminal portions of the normal controller circuit to which the tratfic mover is shown connected for the operation;

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram cat a supplemental traflic mover unit which can be added to the basic unit to add three extra control circuits; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view of a controller cabinet, a normal controller therein and my trafiic mover attached thereto to illustrate in a general way the physical arrangement of these units during a replacement operation (no attempt being made to illustrate therein the numerous electrical connections, switches, indicator lights etc.).

General description of invention Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 3, I have shown therein, largely in block diagram, the relationship between my traflic mover unit, indicated generally at B, and a standard controller shown in block diagram at C, and the control panel for the traflic signal system normally controlled by the controller C, said control panel being indicated in block diagram at D. In FIG. 3 these parts are indicated schematically in their physical relationship to a control box E in which the regular controller C may be supported in any suitable manner in one portion thereof, and the control panel D, shown schematically, in another portion thereof. The trafiic mover B is embodied in a suitable casing 11 having hooks 12 by means of which it may be conveniently hung upon the door 10 of the control box B when opened for removal of the regular controller C.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a portion of the traflic signal system, namely the two sets of green, amber and red signal lights which are provided in each signal unit, i.e. the three lights which face traflic moving on the main street of an intersection (designated main street in the drawing), and the set of three lights facing the traflic moving in the cross street (designated cross street in the drawing). In each set of lights, the green, amber and red lights are designated by reference letters G, A and R respectively.

The controller C may be of any of the several types available and in general use. For example it may utilize a synchronous motor driving a series of cams for actuating a. series of switches in periodic succession to eflect the pattern of changes in the alternate illumination and darkening of the two groups of red, amber and green lights of a traffic signal. Or, it may be a known type of electronically actuated controller effecting the same general results. As is well known, various patterns of changes may be utilized to meet varying conditions at different intersections, but for all cases the present invention is adapted to be readily connected to the control panel D for temporary control operation.

Connection of the traific mover B to the control panel is effected simply by connecting its several loads 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 to the following terminals existing on the control panel D of the traffic signal system:

lg-the terminal through which control connection is 3 established from the controller to the main street green light G;

1athe terminal connecting the controller to the main street amber light A;

2r-the terminal through which connection is established from the controller to the cross street red light R;

The 117 volt service connections 117 V. AC. (to which leads 16 and 17 are connected).

Anticipating a more detailed description of operation at the end of this specification, it may be noted at this point that, in general, the traffic mover of my invention is effective to maintain the main street green light G and the cross street red light R continuously illuminated during the period of removal and replacement of regular controller C, and to respond to actuation of main street amber light A to indie-ate to the service man the cut-off point of operation of the trafiic mover B and the simultaneous re-establishing operation of the system by the replacement controller after it has been installed in the control box E.

Detailed description of traflic mover B Primarily, the traflic mover B utilizes a pair of relays R and R. Relay R, hereinafter referred to as the terminating relay, functions to terminate the temporary control operation of Unit B in response to a triggering signal from a replacement controller that has been install-ed during the servicing period. It is controlled in associated relation to the main street amber light A through the lead 14, hooked up to amber light terminal lit. The energizing circuit for the terminating relay R includes the lead 14, the energizing coil 18, and a connection 19 to the common ground conductor lead 17 of the traffic mover unit B. The terminating relay R has an armature contact 20 normally engaging a fixed contact 21 which is connected by the conductor 22 to one side of a manual onolf switch 23.

The relay R, hereinafter referred to as the sustaining relay, functions to sustain, during a servicing period, the several traffic light sub-circuits hereinafter referred to. It has an energizing coil 24 which is connected by a conductor 25 to the other side of the on-olf switch 23. The other side of coil 24 is connected by a conductor 26 to the common ground connector lead 17. Sustaining relay R further includes three armature contacts 30, 31 and 32 actuated in unison by the armature of the relay coil 24 and adapted when thus actuated to close against fixed contacts 27, 28 and 29 respectively. Contact 30 is connected by a conductor 33 to the armature contact 20 of relay R and to the lead conductor 13 which is connected to the main street green light terminal 1g. Thus the energizing circuit for sustaining relay R and a sustaining circuit for the temporary service period illumination of main street green light G, are energized in parallel through relay contacts 27, 30 from the hot side a source 117 V. AC, the ground side being connected to relay coil 24 at 26 and to the traffic lights G, A, R through a common conductor 17 which is an existing part of the regular traffic signal circuit. The contact 31 of sustaining relay R is connected to the lead conductor 15 which is connected to the cross street red light terminal 2r. The contact 32 is connected to a terminal 34 which may be connected to the second cross street red light in the case of a five point or six point intersection having a three period control of its trafiic light, or to any other selected signal terminal. The fixed contacts 27, 28 and 29 have a common connection to the lead wire 16 which is connected to the hot side of the 117 V. AC. supply circuit.

An indicator light I is connected by conductors 35 and 36 between the conductor 25 and the common ground lead 17, thus being in parallel with the energizing circuit of relay coil 24.

Controller C is connected to panel D by a plug-in cable 37 consisting of a bundle of conductors including, among others, the conductors 37g, 370 and 37r of FIG. 1, for

.4 connecting the appropriate switches of the controller to main street green terminal 1g, main street amber terminal 1a, and cross street red terminal 2r, as well as other connecting conductors shown in FIG. 1 but which need not be specifically referred to.

FIG. 2 illustrates a supplementary unit which may be utilized where there is a need to illuminate additional lights at an intersection more complex than the normal one. This control unit, indicated generally at B, includes a relay R" having an energizing coil 40, a series of arm-ature contacts 41, 42 and 43 actuated by the armature of coil 40, and a series of fixed contacts 44 connected to a common ground conductor 45. Relay coil 40 has an energizing circuit including conductors 46 and 47. The main unit B has three supplementary terminals 48, 49 and 50 to which the terminals of conductors 45, 46 and 47 of unit B are adapted to be connected as indicated. The unit B further includes conductor leads 51, 52 and 53 extending from armature contacts 41, 42 and 43 adapted to be connected, one or more of them, to selected additional lights of a complex traffic signal unit. It will be apparent that with the unit B connected up to unit B as indicated through conductors 45-47, the relay R" will operate in unison with the relay R and will execute parallel functions.

The controller C, since it controls the cycle of changes of the trafiic lights G, A, and R, is referred to in the appended claims as a cycle controller.

Operation In the use of my traflic mover, the leads 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are connected to the control panel D prior to disconnecting the cable 37 of multiple conductors 37g etc. connecting the con-trollerunit C with the various terminals on the control panel D. In the hook-up operation, the service man simply opens the door 13 of the control box E, hangs the traflic mover unit B over the upper edge of the door 13 as shown in FIG. 3, and connects the leads 1317 to the terminals 1g, 1a, Zr and 117 v. A.C. respectively. He is then ready to start the operation of disconnecting and removing the regular controller C.

At the time of connecting the traflic mover B to the control panel D, the manual switch 23 is in the 011" position. After completing the connections between traffic mover B and control panel D, the service man closes the switch 23. He then permits the system to continue operation under the control of the regular controller C up to the point where the main street green light B is illuminated. At this point, a circuit will be completed through the lead conductor 13, the closed contacts 20, 21 of relay R, the conductor 22, switch 23, and conductor 25 to the energizing coil 24 of sustaining relay R, causing this relay to shift its contacts 30, 31 and 32 to closed positions. A holding circuit is thus established from relay contact 30 through conductor 33 to the armature contact 20 of relay R, to hold the sustaining relay R in its closed position after the normal control circuit from controller C through conductor 37g to the terminal 1g has been broken (as by disconnecting the controller C). Thus the relay R is held closed throughout the control operation of the trafiic mover B. Simultaneously, the closing of contact 30 of relay R establishes a supplementary energizing (sustaning) circuit to the main street green light G through the lead conductor 13, so that the main street green light will be sustained through the trafiic mover unit B, in illuminated condition throughout the period of removal and replacement of the controller C. The closing of contact 31 on contact 28 of sustainingrelay R will, in a similar manner, establish a supplementary energizing circuit through lead conductor 15 and terminal 2r to the cross street red light R to maintain this light illuminated throughout the servicing period. Simultaneously, the parallel circuit to indicator light I through branch conductor 35, is closed, thus illuminating the indicator light. It may now be notedthat during the period of removal and replacement of the regular controller, my traffic mover will keep the traflic flowing on the main street, with its green light remaining illuminated continuously, and will block trafiic on the cross street until the servicing operation has been completed. Thus, in lieu of a dark intersection or one merely subject to a Warning flasher operation, the traffic mover provides an operative, fully protected intersection, even though for the short period of service operation the cross trafiic is blocked. I

By hooking up the terminal 34 to an appropriate terminal on the control panel B, the third switch 2932 of relay R' may be used to control any selected additional signal of the trafiic light unit, such as a Dont Walk signal, or a second red light in a five point or six point intersection, etc.

With the trafiic mover B in full control of the intersection, the service man can now remove the regular controller C, disconnecting its various conductors of cable 37 from the control panel D, removing it from the control box D, inserting -a replacement controller cable to the control box D. With this operation completed, the service man can then eifect restoration of the control to the replacement controller in the following manner: first he sets the controller C in the position for establishing circuit to main street green light terminal 1g, if the replacement controller has not previously been adjusted to this position. Having determined that it is so adjusted, he permits the system to continue operation under the control of traflic mover B until the indicator light I goes out. It may now be noted that the indicator light circuit through branch conductor 35, is in parallel with the energizing circuit for relay coil 24 through the closed switch 23, and accordingly, the extinguishment of indicator light I will indicate the simultaneous opening of the energizing circuit of sustaining relay R through conductor 25 and coil 24, thus causing the relay R to revert to its normally open position shown in the drawing and thus taking away the control from the trafic mover B. This is effected by the opera tion of terminating relay R, opening the control circuit of sustaining relay R at its switch contacts 20, 21 in response to an energizing current transmitted to the coil 18 of terminating relay R through the lead conductor 14 from the main street amber light terminal 1a of the control panel D. This energizing current comes through the controller lead 37a from the replacement controller C at the point of operation thereof where it triggers the illumination of the main street amber light A. Normally this would be coincident with the extinguishment of the main street green light G. With the terminating relay R thus energized to its open position, breaking the energizing circuit to sustaining relay R, all contacts of sustaining relay R will open, thus opening the control circuits of unit B to the main street green light terminal 1g and the cross street red light signal Zr and thereby terminating the control operation of the traflic mover B simultaneously with the resumption of control by the replacement controller C.

It is to be understood, in connection with the foregoing description, that the controller C functions to connect the various conductors of cable 37 to the hot side of source 117 v. A.C. through a current supply conductor 16 in parallel with conductor 16.

Briefly reviewing the operation of the apparatus, it will be apparent that it provides for the initiation of control operation by the unit B at the point where the main street green light is illuminated under the control of the regular controller that is to be removed for repair purposes, and terminates its control operation in response to resumption of control by the replacement controller at the point where the latter has closed the circuit to the main street amber light.

The invention further contemplates the possibility of terminating the control operation of unit B coincident with the initiation of some other selected control o era: tion of the replacement controller, as for example, at the point of energizing a Dont Walk signal, etc.

I claim:

1. A trafiic mover for a temporary control operation of connecting to a power service circuit, a. cycle controller-responsive street intersection trafiic signal unit having stop and go lights in each of a plurality of groups including a main street group and at least one cross street group, including, in each group, a third light to indicate a signal other than vehicle stop or go, and including, for each of said lights, a terminal for connecting said controller thereto, said temporary control operation functioning forsustaining non-cycling operation of said signal unit during removal and replacement of said controller for servicing, said traffic mover comprising, in combination: a sustaining relay having an energizing coil and multiple sets of normally .open contacts comprising a series of fixed contacts and a series of movable contacts; a terminating relay having a set of normally closed contacts and having an operating coil; a common connection from one side of said service circuit to the contacts of one series; a connection from the other side of said service circuit to one side of said sustaining relay energizing coil; an intermediate connection between a contact of the other series and one of said terminating relay contacts; first and second lead conductors connected respectively to another contact of said other series and to said one terminating relay contact for connecting said contacts of the other series to the terminals for the main street go and the cross street stoplights respectively, thereby to maintain said lights constantly illuminated in said temporary control operation; means providing an energizing circuit for said sustaining relay, comprising a connection between one contact of said terminating relay and said energizing coil, and a connection between another contact of said terminating relay and said second lead conductor, operable in response to energization ofthe latter under control of said cycle controller following hookup of said traffic mover to said terminals, whereby to energize the coil of said sustaining relay and to thereby close the contacts thereof to initiate said temporary control operation; said intermediate connection further providing a holding circuit for said sustaining relay through its own contacts, in parallel with said second lead conductor for direct supply of power from said service circuit, for maintaining said sustaining relay energized after circuit through said second lead conductor is broken; and means providing an operating circuit for said terminating relay, comprising a third lead conductor connected to one side of said operating coil, for connection to a third terminal of said signal unit, and a connection between the other side of said operating coil and said other side of said service circuit, whereby, upon connection of a replacement controller to said signal unit, said terminating relay will be energized when the cycling action of the controller closes a circuit to said third terminal, thereby opening said terminating relay so as to open the circuit to said sustaining relay energizing coil. at said terminating relay and causing said sustaining relay to revert to open position whereby to terminate said temporary control operation and restore control of said signal unit to said cycle controller at the time said third light is energized.

2. A trafiic mover as defined in claim 1, wherein said third light is a cross street caution light and said third lead conductor is connected to the terminal of said cantion light, whereby to effect resumption of cyclic control action while simultaneously extinguishing the main street go light.

3. A traflic mover as defined in claim 1, wherein said second lead conductor is connected to the main street go light terminal.

4. A traflic mover as defined in claim 1, including an indicator light shunted across said sustaining relay energizing coil adapted, by its extinguishment, to indicate that cyclic control has been resumed by the controller, and that the trafiic mover may be detached from the signal unit.

5. A traffic mover as defined in claim 1, including a housing in which the operating parts thereof are contained, and hooks on said housing for suspending the same from the door of a controller cabinet.

6. A trafiic mover for a temporary control operation of connecting to a power service circuit, a cycle controller-responsive street intersection traflic signal unit having stop and go lights in each of a plurality of groups including a main street group and at least one cross street group, including, in each group, a third light to indicate a signal other than vehicle stop or go, and including, for each of said lights, a terminal for connecting said controller thereto, said temporary control operation functioning for sustaining non-cycling operation of said signal unit during removal and replacement of said controller for servicing, said traflic mover comprising, in combination: a sustaining relay having an energizing coil and multiple sets of normally open contacts comprising a series of fixed contacts and a series of movable contacts; a terminating relay having a set of normally closed contacts and having an operating coil; a common connection from one side of said service circuit to the contacts of one series; a connection from the other side of said service circuit to one side of said sustaining relay energizing coil; an intermediate connection between a contact of the other series and one of said terminating relay contacts; first and second lead conductors connected respectively to another contact of said other series and to said one terminating relay contact for connecting said contacts of the other series to the terminals for the main street go and the cross street stop lights respectively, thereby to maintain said lights constantly illuminated in said temporary control operation; means providing an energizing circuit for said sustaining relay, comprising a manual switch connected in series between one contact of said terminating relay and said energizing coil, and a connection between another contact of said terminating relay and said second lead conductor, operable in response to energization of the latter under control of said cycle controller following hookup of said traffic mover to said terminals, whereby to energize the coil of said sustaining relay and to thereby close the contacts thereof to initiate said temporary control operation; said intermediate connection further providing a holding circuit for said sustaining relay through its own contacts, in parallel with said second lead conductor for direct supply of power from said service circuit, for maintaining said sustaining relay energized after circuit through said second lead conductor is broken; and means providing an operating circuit for said terminating relay, comprising a third lead conductor connected to one side of said operating coil, for connection to a third terminal of said signal unit, and a connection between the other side of said operating coil and said other side of said service circuit, whereby, upon connection of a replacement controller to said signal unit said terminating relay will be energized when the cycling action of the controlled closes a circuit to said third terminal, thereby opening said terminating relay so as to open the circuit to said sustaining relay energizing coil at said terminating relay and causing said sustaining relay to revert to open position whereby to terminate said temporary control operation and restore control of said signal unit to said cycle controller at the time said third light is energized; said manual switch being operable to initiate the said temporary control operation after the traflic mover has been connected to the signal unit and before disconnecting the cycle controlled.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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