FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
AND
The Patents Rules, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2005
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION Multi contact point machine
APPLICANTS:
Crompton Greaves Limited, CG House, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, Maharashtra, India, an Indian Company
INVENTOR (S):
Kelkar Sunil and Agrawal Manish Kumar, both of Crompton Greaves Ltd, Railway Signaling division (RSD), 11 B Industrial Area No. 1, Pithampur - 454775, Distirct - Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India; both Indian Nationals.
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to the field of electrical and electronics engineering.
Particularly, this invention relates to point machines.
More particularly, this invention relates to a multi contact point machine.
Background of the Invention:
Point machines are used in switching the movement of train (industrial application) from one track to another one. On a pair of tracks, there may be another pair which converges. For this converging confluence to be conducted when required, a portion of the rail tracks (called switch blades) need to be adjusted or moved in order to complete the rail track, thereby defining the direction in which the train will travel (over the defined and completed portion of the tracks). In other words, the switch blades are moveable from a first location to another. While in the first location, it completes a first pair of tracks, thereby allowing a first direction of travel for the train. While in the second location, it completes a second pair of tracks, thereby allowing a second direction of travel for the rail. A point machine provides for this action. It includes electric motor, gears and shaft which actuates the rotatary motion into linear for travel of the switch blades to be moved. It further includes an electrical relay and power source in the circuit to receive signals, typically from a station master's control panel, to in the required direction. This shifting movement from one track to another depends on the need.

A plurality of point machines may be installed at various locations; all operable by a single station master from a single control panel. According to the prior art, each of the point are operable independently by the control panel. They individually draw power supply. Thus, there is a wiring requirement from the cabin which hosts the control panel to each of the point machines, individually.
These point machines (normally having four points - each two will be for controlling and monitoring) are controlled from the cabin and monitored. Each point machine requires individual control and monitoring set up from the cabin. This involves both cost of cable from the point machine to the cabin every time as well as labour cost.
Prior Art:
CN2521102 discloses an Electric switcher contact group driving apparatus.
KR2010022666 discloses a device for controlling a point machine in real time using a plc.
This relates to the control device of the railway switch using the power line communication, and it is characterized by the coupling logic unit having the control information of the railway switch, the modem for the power line communications which is connected to the coupling logic unit and, and the railway switch to be comprised.
US7370837 discloses a Model railroad switch machine. It discloses a switch machine for a model railroad layout includes a unidirectional motor, a

switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two switch positions by rotation of the motor, a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator, and a controller connected to the motor and the sensor and having a power input and a single wire control input, the controller responsive to a first control signal to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a slow speed simulating an actual railroad switch, and responsive to a second control signal to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a fast speed to avoid a derailment.
However, there is a need for a point machine which reduces cabling cost and is relatively low on maintenance and provides easy solutions for problems relating to contact damage.
Objects of the Invention:
An object of the invention is to provide a point machine which reduces expenses relating to cabling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a divided power supply to a plurality of point machines.
Yet another object of the invention is to easily provide preset options of signaling point machines in a loop from a corresponding control panel.

Summary of the Invention:
According to this invention, there is provided a multi contact point machine which comprises:
a. motor adapted to drive a wheel which in turn engages a shaft to
selectively move switch blades of a railway track between its two
operative states of contact , said states being a normal direction state
and a reverse direction state, thereby defining a route of the railway
track; characterised in that, said machine includes:
b. quadrupled set of at least six set of contacts arranged in a pre-defined
manner at one end of the motor, with a first pair of said at least six
contacts being assigned for power connection and with a second pair
of said at least six contacts being assigned for signaling, thereby
providing serial power connection from one contact to another using
pre-designated power contacts from said first pair of a first machine to
a second machine and further providing serial signaling connection
from one contact to another using pre-designated signal contacts from
said second pair of a first machine to a second machine in a cascaded
manner.
Typically, said second pair of contacts includes pre-designated detection contacts.
Typically, said second pair of contacts includes pre-designated control contacts.

Typically, said machine is a six contact point machine.
According to this invention, there is provided a signaling system relating to point machines, said system comprises:
a. a plurality of multi contact point machines including at least a near
end point machine and a far end point machine and a near end point
machine, said machine comprising:
b. motor adapted to drive a wheel which in turn engages a shaft to
selectively move switch blades of a railway track between its two
operative states of contact , said states being a normal direction state
and a reverse direction state, thereby defining a route of the railway
track; characterised in that, said machine includes quadrupled set of at
least six set of contacts arranged in a pre-defined manner at one end
of the motor, with a first pair of said at least six contacts being
assigned for power connection and with a second pair of said at least
six contacts being assigned for signaling, thereby providing serial
power connection from one contact to another using pre-designated
power contacts from said first pair of a first machine to a second
machine and further providing serial signaling connection from one
contact to another using pre-designated signal contacts from said
second pair of a first machine to a second machine in a cascaded
manner;
c. control panel adapted to provide power signal to pre-designated power
contacts of said near end machine and further adapted to provide
control signals to pre-designated contacts of said near end machine,
directly, and more further adapted to relay power to said far end
machine from another set of pre-designated contacts of said near end

machine and still further adapted to relay control signals to said far end machine from another set of pre-designated contacts of said near end machine; in a cascaded manner.
Typically, said machine is a six contact point machine.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings:
Figure 1 illustrates a schematic of a railroad with multiple track directions and multiple track changes at switch points and location of point machines;
Figure 2 illustrates a schematic of a four contact point machine of the prior art; and
Figure 3 illustrates a schematic of the connection of the point machines of Figure 2 with respect to a central control panel,
The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 4 illustrates a schematic of a multi contact point machine; and
Figure 5 illustrates a schematic of the connection of the multi contact point machines with respect to a central control panel.

Detailed Description of the Accompanying Drawings:
Figure 1 illustrates a schematic of a railroad with multiple track directions and multiple track changes at switch points and location of point machines.
A network of railroads is shown in Figure 1. There are three pairs of stock rails as depicted by reference numerals (12, 14, 16). These are tracks which form the main line of the railroad network. Further, two pairs of tongue rails are depicted by reference numerals (18, 20). Switch blades (22) operate in a manner such that they connect the tongue rail to the stock rail in order to allow a train to move over from one track to another. The movement of these switch blades is guided by point machines (24). In the prior art, these point machines were four contact point machines (24).
Figure 2 illustrates a schematic of a four contact point machine (24) of the prior art. A four contact point machine includes first contacts (26, 27) for receiving power supply. Further, it includes second contacts (28, 29, 30,31) for detection of position of switch blade; whether in normal mode (28, 30) or reverse mode (29,31). A motor (40) is connected to the contacts (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31). Depending upon the inputs from a control station (reference numeral 44 of Figure 3), the motor moves the wheel (42) to actuate a shaft for movement of switch blades (22).
Figure 3 illustrates a schematic of the connection of the point machines with respect to a central control panel. Typically, a station master in a control room monitors and delivers control from a control panel (44). The control

panel (44) includes a schematic representation of the railroads (12, 14, 16, 18, 20), switch blades (22), and corresponding point machines (24). Further signals and train direction and train movements are also represented in real time on the control panel (44). The station master provides signals to the point machines for their effective actuation, thereby defining a route for a train along the railroad.
According to this invention, there is provided a multi contact point machine (50).
Figure 4 illustrates a schematic of a multi contact point machine.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a motor (52) adapted to drive a wheel (58) which in turn engages a shaft to move switch blades (reference numeral 22 as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings). The switch blades (22) are to be located in one of its two operative states of contact with the stock rail or non-contact with the stock rail thereby defining a route of the railway track and the direction in which the train will travel. The modes of operation for every switch blade (22) are thus Normal direction or Reverse direction.
In accordance with an embodiment of this invention, there is provided a quadrupled multi point set of contacts (54, 55, 56, 57) arranged in a pre-defined manner at one end of the motor (52).
Typically, said multi point set of contacts is a six point set of contacts.

A first pair of six contacts (54, 55) is assigned for power connection.
The remainder (second) pair of six contacts (56, 57) is assigned for signaling. There are detection signals of the current mode of operation of the switch blade and there are operative signals for effecting the actuation of the wheel (58) and switch blades (22), thereby.
Of the first pair of six contacts, power lines are coupled between a set of pre-designated contacts from one six contact point machine to another six contact point machine as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Of the second pair of six contacts, signaling lines are coupled between a set of pre-designated contacts from one six contact point machine to another six contact point machine as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Thus, a cascaded serial nature of interconnection between point machines is achieved. Figure 5 illustrates a schematic of the connection of the six contact point machines with respect to a central control panel.
Only the Near End point machine (50A) is connected to a control panel of the, control station. All power and signal is routed in a cascaded serial manner from the Near End point machine to a Far End point machine (50C) through intermediate point machines (50B). Power, as well as signaling, controls (control and monitoring signals) are transmitted through.

Generally, for the purposes of signaling from the control panel to the point machines, 6-core cables are used. The use of these cables is substantially reduced due to the serial nature of interconnection of one six contact point machine to another in a cascaded manner, rather than all four contact point machines being connected independently to the control panel at the control station.
Due to this signal sharing mechanism, preset combinations on the control panel can be easily programmed and provided, e.g. if a first point machine is to be set in Normal mode, a second point machine is to be set in Reverse mode, and a third point machine is to be set in Reverse mode, a preset control button may be provided on the control panel. The signaling, then starts from the Near End, and travels up to the Far End, effecting cascaded actuation of corresponding switch blades. Any error in any of the connected (for that series of actions) is monitored and simultaneously relayed to subsequent or previous point machine and may result in a stalling action on-site or error signal at the control panel.
Advantages of multi-(six)-contact point machine:
Because of additional pair of contacts, at least 2 or 3 numbers of point machines can be operated through one point group (through the control panel) and it will save point groups, wiring, buttons, power and the like,
Installation cost and maintenance cost is reduced.

During maintenance, if any contact damages then there is no need to replace the whole machine; additional contacts can be used, which makes it maintenance friendly. Chances of point machine failure become less with additional pair of contacts.
While this detailed description has disclosed certain specific embodiments of the present invention for illustrative purposes, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, and it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.

We claim,
1. A multi contact point machine comprising:
motor adapted to drive a wheel which in turn engages a shaft to selectively move switch blades of a railway track between its two operative states of contact, said states being a normal direction state and a reverse direction state, thereby defining a route of the railway track; characterised in that, said machine includes:
quadrupled set of at least six set of contacts arranged in a pre-defined manner at one end of the motor, with a first pair of said at least six contacts being assigned for power connection and with a second pair of said at least six contacts being assigned for signaling, thereby providing serial power connection from one contact to another using pre-designated power contacts from said first pair of a first machine to a second machine and further providing serial signaling connection from one contact to another using pre-designated signal contacts from said second pair of a first machine to a second machine in a cascaded manner.
2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said second pair of contacts includes pre-designated detection contacts.
3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said second pair of contacts includes pre-designated control contacts.
4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said machine is a six contact point machine.

5. A signaling system relating to point machines, said system comprising: a plurality of multi contact point machines including at least a near end point machine and a far end point machine and a near end point machine, said machine comprising:
motor adapted to drive a wheel which in turn engages a shaft to selectively move switch blades of a railway track between its two operative states of contact, said states being a normal direction state and a reverse direction state, thereby defining a route of the railway track; characterised in that, said machine includes quadrupled set of at least six set of contacts arranged in a pre-defined manner at one end of the motor, with a first pair of said at least six contacts being assigned for power connection and with a second pair of said at least six contacts being assigned for signaling, thereby providing serial power connection from one contact to another using pre-designated power contacts from said first pair of a first machine to a second machine and further providing serial signaling connection from one contact to another using pre-designated signal contacts from said second pair of a first machine to a second machine in a cascaded manner;
control panel adapted to provide power signal to pre-designated power contacts of said near end machine and further adapted to provide control signals to pre-designated contacts of said near end machine, directly, and more further adapted to transmit power to said far end machine from another set of pre-designated contacts of said near end machine and still further adapted to transmit control signals to said far end machine from another set of pre-designated contacts of said near end machine; in a cascaded manner.
6. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein, said machine is a six contact point machine.