US1047704A - Track attachment for switch-signals. - Google Patents

Description

G. H. RICE. TRACK ATTACHMENT IO SWITCH SIGNALS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE l2, 1912. I

= Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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EQ2?, TEL? G. H. RICE.

TRACK ATTACHMENT PoR SWITCH SIGNALS. l

AP'PLIoATIoN FILED JUNBlz, 1912. Patented Dec. 17,1912.

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ATTORNEYS einen GEORGE HENRY RICE, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY 0F HAWAII.

TRACK ATTACHMENT FOR SWITCH-SIGNALS.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1', Gnoiios H. RICE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Honolulu, in the county of Honolulu and Territory of Hawaii, have invented a new and Improved Track iittachment `for Switch-Signals, of which the Jfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to safety appliances for railways, and has particular reference to devices for signaling or giving indication to the locomotive engineer of the fact of an open switch, draw or the like, which would be a menace to the train approaching the saine.

The object of the invention more definitely stated is to provide a signaling device which may be connected for operation to any number of associated switches whereby, when any one ofsaid switches is open, thesignaling means will be positioned to. give the proper indication to the engine driver. The arrangement, however, is such that when the signaling means have been operated simultaneously with the opening of the switch, the operation of any other switch will not be prevented, nor will the signaling meansY b e restored to normal or inactive position until all the switches be again closed.

The foregoing and other objects of the in- .vention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings .accompanying this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a section of railway track of a single track system, having associated therewith a series of switches; Fig. lA will be understood as being an extension at the left hand end of Fig. 1; Fig. 9. is a side elevation ot a fragment of a locomotive on a railway track, certain of the signaling means being shown in. transverse section, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism at a signal station; and Figs. 4- aiid 5 are transverse vert-ical sections of the same respectively on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 will he understood to indicate the mainline of a single track railway, and associated with the saine are a series of switches 11, 12 and 13, the exact number, however, of switches being immaterial. The

Vswitches and means for operating the same Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 12, 19.12. Serial No.1'703,155.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

may be of any usual or approved construction and operation, it being sutlicient to indicate at 14 a diagrammatic representation of a. block for each of said switches.

At 15 is indicated what may be regarded for convenience as a signal station, the same to be located along the track 10 at any predetermined distance -from the switch 11, such distance being suiiicient to warn the engineer in ample time to either stop his train or bring it under complete control by thc time he reaches any one of the series of switches between which and the signal station operative connections are made. Likewise there is shown at 15 a similar signal station guarding the approach to the switch 13 or any ot-liers which may be taken from the main line by the train running in the opposite direction. f

The devices at the signal station 15 comprise a base plate 16 adapted to be supported in any convenient manner adjacent one of the cross ties 17, either being connected to the tie or to the rails. Mounted upon and extending upwardly from the base plate 16 are a pair of standards 18 and 19 in which is journaled a transverse horizontal shaft 20. Said shaft is adapted to be rotated through an angle of substantially ninety degrees and has connected to it an actuator 2.1 shown in the form of a spiral spring encircling tlie shaft between the standards 18 and 19 and connected rigidly thereto at one end, as shown at 2l. The opposite end of thc actuator is formed into a Astraight portion or i'nger 22 which is adapted in one position of the shaft to extend vertically as indicated in Figs. 3 and t and in the other extreme position of the shaft is adapted to lie substantially horizontal as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. Lt. Said finger, when in its elevated position, is adapted to be struck by a movable member Q3 carried upon any suitable portion of the locomotive and through the movement ot which any suitable audible or visible signal may be given to the engineer. For such movable device carried by the locomotive, however, I prefer to use or recommend the mechanism constituting the subject matter of my previous Patent No. 1,002,083, dated August 29, 1911. It will be understood, of course, that the upright position ot' the linger 22 will be assumed only when there is at least one open switch toward which the engineer is iunning. The signal' set in operation by such Cit finger, therefore, will warn the engineer of the dangerous fact -just referred to, As e matter of fact, the movable member may be the-movable member of an automatic air brake mechanism, \\fhereby when the said member is moved from its normal position through engagement willi the linger the brakes may be automatically setto stop or retard the running el the train whether or not the engineer should regard the signal.

Any suitable means may be employed to rotate the sha'l't 2O and determine the position of the linger 22 with respect. to the position of the switches. As a preferred means for carrying this into practical Operation, I connect to one end of the shaft a segmental gear 24: adapted to mesh with a corresponding gear 25 rigidly connected to a. rotary member shown as a sprocket wheel 26 jonrnaled on a vertical pivot 2.7 and connected to the base plate 1G. A sprocket chain Q8 passes over said sprocket wheel, one end of which chain is connected to the adjacent end of a bar Q9 extending along the track and adjacent any desired number of said switches. lhe other end of the chain is connected through a link 30 to one end of a tension member in the form of a spring 31 whose opposite end is anchored to any fixed partof the structure, as for instance, the support 19.

Adjacent each switch and so connected with the movable switch points as to be thereby operated when the switch is thrown in either direction is a bell crank 32, the c0nneetion with the movableswitch points being with .he longitudinal arm of the bell crank. The normal position of the bell cranks 3Q, or the position corresponding to the closed switches, is such that the longitudinal arm aforesaid lies iarallel with the track rails. The horizontal arm of each bell crank is connected by a .tlexilole connection 33 to the adjacent bar 29. By virtue of the spring 31 acting through the chain 28, the normal position of the linger .22 is that indicated in Fig. 4 in dotted lines, and the effect on the bar 29 is such that all of the tiexible connections 33 will be under tension or without slack. Referring to Fig. l it will be noted that the switch 152 is open, and hence the bell crank associated therewith is shown rotated which has resulted in the movement of the bar 29 toward the left, causing all of the other flexible connections 33 of the other switches in the series to become slackened. Such draft upon the bar 29, due to the rotation of the bell crank at the switch 12, vill result in the movement of the-actuator and associated parts to the position shown in Fig. 3. Any other switch of the associated series ma;` then be moved, if necessary or desi able. without allecting the position of the signal operating devices.

The linger 2Q, by the abore Iperation,

having been brought to the vertical positionA` it may be engaged by any part ot' the nmving train. but because ot' the flexible connection bei wcen said linger and the shaft 2t), .such engagement with the linger may result in a delires-inn ol.' the linger automatically without damaging the mechanism. To provide. Vt'or a suitable contact means on the locomotive l may use a slice 3l connected to the pilot or any other suitable place 0n the locomotive, whereby the finger will be prewitted from being damaged or doing damage to any part of' the locomothe, brit will be in position, by virtue ot the spring 2l, to operaie thc s :nal member at the proper time. 'lo prevent an undesired rotation of the. shaft 2() when the finger engaged by the shoe 34 or otherwise, l provide a lug 35 against which av stopl 3G connected to the shaft 2O is adapted to impinge. flaid stop 3o, therchufe,limits the rotation ci the shaft 2() in one direction and determines the vertical adjustment position ot the linger I also provide a locking means to secure the shat't and tingc in the position just. described, wlrereby .so long as any one ot' the switches is open, tl r. actuator will be maintained in operative position. To this end I connect to the shalt Q0 an auxiliary stop 36 which is adapted to be engaged by a latch 37 at the time the sprocket wheel Q15 is completing its partial rotation under the inlluence ot' the chain The means I have shown for operating the lock comprises a finger 3S secured to the sprocket wheel 2G, the outer end ol the finger operating upon a cam surface 3? adjacent the tree end of the lock At the end of said partial rotation ot' the sprocket wheel. the end of thelinger 38 passes the end of the cam 3T and is in position to constitute a positive stop tor the lock 37, the nose 87 of which will ha re passed across the pat i ol the lower end et the stop 3G, thereby preventing a reverse rotation of the shaft Q0 or the gearing eonnected thereto. lVhen', howeror, the last. open switch is closed. the spring 3l will restore all ot the parts to normal position. The action of the chain Q8 at this time will cause the finger to be withdrawn 'from the lock 37, permitting the lock to roving on its pivot out ot engagement with the stop 3G by virtue of a spring 39. The Outward swing ot the lock may loe limited by a pin 40. At this time it will be understood that all of the bell cranks will be disposed with their horizontal arms at right angles to the track rails and all ot the flexible connections 32 will be taut. It will be understood, il'urthermore. that the mechanism at the signal station at l5 will he ot the same character and having` the same functions as the mechanism at thel station l5, and specitic description ot the saine will be unnecessary.

The several parts of the device may be ters Patent is 1. In a device of the character set forth,

the combination of a pluralityor` switches,

an actuator, and connections between the switches and the actuator whereby on the opening of any switch the actuator will be set in operative position, such connections comprisin a series of bell cranks pivoted adjacent t e respective switches, a bar connected at one end to the actuator, and flexible connections between the bar and the several bell cranks.

2. In mechanism for actuating a signal device, the combination of a rotary shaft,

a inger iiexibly connected to the shaft, a sprocket chain, gearing between the sprocket chain and the shaft to cause positive rotation of the shaft when the chain is drawn in either direction, means to draw the chain, and locking means for the shaft including a stop carried by the shaft, a lock movable in the rear of s'aid stop, and a finger carried -by the gearing to hold the lock inl locking` position.

Intestlmony whereof I have signedmy name to this'specification 1n the presence ot two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY' Rien.A

. Witnesses:

C. J. Wns'rnn7 JOE. CAHILL.

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