US1044680A - Railroad-crossing. - Google Patents

Description

P. MGOONEGHY. RAILROAD CROSSING. APPLICATION FILED FEB.26, 1e12,

1,044,68Q; I Patented Nov. 19, 1912. E zmlu P I 0 /7 @MWOZ Wmw EH Con/9 7 F. MGCONBGHY.

RAILROAD CROSSING. APPLICATION ruin r215. 26, 1912.

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Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

FRED MoCONEGrI-IY, OF BRYAN, OHIO.

BAILROADOROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 9,1912.

Application filed. February 26, 1912. Serial No. 680,027.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, From MoOoNnoiiY, a citizen of the United States, residing at llrvan, in the county of lVilliams and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in llailrorid-Crossings, of which the following a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad crossings and has for its object to provide a simple, and ol'licient device automatically actuated by the wheels of a train in passing over the crossing whereby the gaps in the rails at their intersecting points are closed, and pounding of the wheels on the rails prevented.

Another and more specific object of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of movable blocks, one of said blocks being arranged at each of the intersecting points of the rails, and actuating means common to all of said blocks automatically operated by the wheels of a car passing over the crossing to shift said blocks and connect the spaced rail sections at their intersecting points whereby a continuous tread surface for the wheels is provided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above specified character which is simple in construction, efficient and durable in actual use and may be manufactured and installed at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of a railroad crossing embodying the present invention; Fig. is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 3-4) of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4- of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the shiftable blocks; and Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the links.

Referring in detail to the drawing 5 designates a platform or base supported upon the sill bar 6. Upon this base the intersecting track rails '7 are arranged and secured in any preferred or approved manner. These track rails are arranged in sections, the sections of each rail having their opposed ends spaced at the intersecting points of the rails. Between the gaps thus formed in the rails, the shifting or sliding blocks 8 are arranged upon the surface of the base 5. One section of each rail has its -end beveled or inclined as indicated at 9 with which beveled ends of the rail sections one edge of the block 8 closely engages.

The base plate 5 provided. at each of the intersecting points of the rails with the openings 10 in which the reduced portion 11 of the block 8 is slidably disposed. A plate 12 is integrally formed upon the lower end of this reduced portion of the block and extends upon the bottom face of the plate 5 beyond the opposite ends of the opening 10. The upper surface of the base plate 5 is provided with troughs or channels 13 leading into the openings 10 in said plate and are adapted to direct all dirt accumulating upon the surface of the plate at the intersecting points of the rails through said openings so as to prevent the same from interfering with the proper movement of the shiftable blocks 8.

Upon the under side of the base plate 5 the crossed levers 14 are mounted upon a pivot stud 15. The end portions of these. levers are tapered and disposed through eyes or loops 16 secured to the lower ends 12 of the blocks 8. An oscillatory arm 17 is fulcrumed intermediate of its endsas indicated at 18 upon the bottom of the base plate 5 and each end of this arm is connected by means of a link 19 to the adjacent end of one of the levers 14:. Trip plates 20 are pivotally mounted at one of their ends upon the rails 7 at their diagonally 0posed intersecting points and the other ends of these trip plates are connected by means of the short links 21 to the blocks 8, said blocks being connected to opposite ends of the same lever 14f on the under side of the base plate.

By means of the above construction and arrangement of elements, it will be readily seen that as a train approaches the crossing upon either track, one of the truck wheels thereof engages the trip plate 20, the upper edge of which extends above the tread surface of the rail' This trip plate is forced downwardly, and the shiftable blocks 8 are moved outwardly between the opposed ends of the rail sections at the intersection of said rails with the other rails extending at right angles thereto, thus disposing the inner edges of said blocks in line with the inner edges of the rail treads. The upper surfaces of the blocks are disposed in the same plane as the tread surfaces, thus forming a continuous bearing surface for the wheels at the intersecting point-s of the rails. In this manner the objectionable pounding noise which is occasioned by the present construc tion of such crossings now in general use when the train passes over the same, is entirely eliminated. The device consists of very few elements which are simple and inexpensive in construction and may be assen1 bled and installed at small cost. As the device is entirely automatic in operation, and the parts thereof may be readily replaced when necessary, it will be appreciated that the cost of maintenance will be greatly minimized.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of considerable modification without departing from the essential feature or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a railroad crossing, the combination with a base plate to support the intersecting rails, rails arranged thereon having their opposed ends spaced at the intersecting points, said base plate being provided with openings and channels in its upper surface communicating with said openings, of shiftable blocks arranged upon the surface of the base plate between the opposed ends of the intersecting rails, and means common to all of said blocks automatically actuated by the wheel of a train to shift said blocks and connect the spaced rail sections to provide a continuous tread surface for the wheels.

2. In a railroad crossing, the combination with a base plate, intersecting track rails arranged upon said base plate, said rails consisting of sections, the opposed ends of which are spaced at the intersecting points of the rails, said base plate having openings therein at the intersection of the rails shiftable blocks mounted upon the upper surface of the base plate between the opposed ends of the rail sections, said blocks having reduced portions extending through the openings in the base plate, plates secured on the lower ends of said reduced portion of the blocks engaging the bottom surface of the base plate, crossed pivoted levers mounted upon the under side of the base plate and connected to said blocks at their ends, connections between the ends of said levers to simultaneously move the same, and means arranged along side of the intersecting rails at diametrically opposite intersecting points thereof and connected to said blocks to simultaneously shift the same and connect the rail sections of one track to provide a continuous tread surface for the wheels.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED MOCONEGHY.

Witnesses MILLm MoCoNEeHY, ROBERT P. HAYS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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