US1067106A - Device for automatically closing locomotive-valves. - Google Patents

Description

T. W. GRIFFIN & (I. J. RATHERS. DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING LOGOMO'IIVE VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 30, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

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THOMAS W. GRIFFIN, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, AND CURTIS I. RATHERS, OF

SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA.

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING LOCOMOTIVE-VALVES.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS W. Grinrrm and (loans J. RATHnns, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri, and Sapulpa, in the county of Greek and State of Oklahoma, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Automatically Closing Locomotive- Valves, of which the following is a specification.

@ur present invention relates to the valved cab fittings of a locomotive, and more particularly to those fittings including valves which are normally open and which communicate with parts likely to be broken as the result of accident, such as for instance, collisions, our object being to provide connections by which the certain valves may be automatically closed simultaneously with the application of the emergency air brake.

With this obj eot in view our invention resides in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as clearly indicated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which the figure is a vertical sectional view through the cab end of a locomotive boiler illustrating the particular valved fittings to which our invention is to be applied, and showing the connections in diagram for etl'ecting their automatic actuation.

Referring now to this figure, A represents the emergency air brake lever operating on the segment A adjacent to a valve casing B which is disposed between portions of a pipe U having connection at one end with the train pipe. In the valve casing B is arranged a valve Z) having an upwardly and exteriorly projecting stem 6', the extremity of which is disposed in the path or movement of the lever A and is adapted to be struck and moved by the same when the lever is moved to the operative position as indicated in dotted lines, this movement resulting in the opening of the valve and the admission of train pipe pressure within and through the pipe C. At its opposite end the pipe C is provided with branches 0 and c, the former of which leads to one end of a cylinder D mounted upon the boiler and having therein a piston (Z, the outwardly projecting stem d of which has a rack bar (Z In its normal position the rack bar 03 is engaged with a gear e mounted upon the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 30, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 728,689.

stem 6 of the fountain valve E, said valve stem (2 having a threaded connection at 6 within its casing and carrying a valve piece 6 at its lower end. It may therefore be seen that when pressure is admitted through the pipe C to its branch 0, the piston d is forced outwardly and rotation is imparted to the valve stem 6 through the rack bar (Z2 and the gear 6, such rotation resulting in a movement of the valve stem to close the valve owing to its threaded connection at 6 The branch 0 of pipe C leads to a cylinder 1 mounted upon the inner end of the boiler and opens into said cylinder at substantially a central point between the pistons f and the stems f of which extend vertically through the ends of the cylinder in relatively opposite directions.

Each 01 the stems f is axially alined with a valve controlling rod G jo-urnaled vertically through the valve casing H establishing communication between the respective end of the gage glass I and interior of the boiler, and which communication may as usual be controlled by a hand valve J. During the operation, however, the end valve J remains open in case of collision, as there is generally hardly more time than is necessary to set the brakes.

Each of the controlling members G is provided with an intermediate circular groove 9 which, in the normal position of the parts, is at one side of the casing H. At the inner end of the casing H is arranged a bearing it for the stem 72 of a valve K, this valve extending within the boiler and being adapted for outward movement to seat against the inner end of the casing H by the pressure within the boiler. The stem K is positioned axially of the casing H and contacts with the controlling member Gr whereby the valve K is normally maintained in open position as clearly illustrated. Thus the parts are normally held in position so that the operation of the gage is unobstructed. Should the emergency brakes be applied, however, air pressure admitted to the pipe C as before stated, will pass through the branch a and into the cylinder F forcing the pistons f and f to move in relatively opposite directions. Such movement will be transmitted through the rods f to the valve controlling members G, and will result in their actuation to positions wherein the circular grooves g are opposite the stems in of the valves K,

thus permitting the latter to close by the pressure within the boiler. The controlling members G are normally held in inoperative position by small springs g. Thus from the foregoing it will be seen that should a collision appear imminent, the engineman will naturally set the emergency brakes and this operation will automatically close the valves within those cab fittings which, if broken by the collision, would permit the escape of steam and water from the boiler capable of scalding the occupants of the cab.

We claim;

1. A device of the character described,

- comprising the combination with valved cab fittings, the valves of which are normally open, and a source of supply, of connections whereby to automatically close the valves upon the application of the emergency brakes, and prevent the escape of steam and boiler water. into the cab in the event that the ttin s are broken.

2. A devi'e of the character described, comprising the combination with valved cab fittings the valves of which are normally open, and a source of air supply, of connections whereby to automatically close the valves upon the application of the emergeneyv air brakes, and simultaneously with such application, for the purpose of preventing the escape of steam and boiler water into the cab should the fittings be broken.

3, A device of the character described, comprising the combination with a water gage having outwardly closing valves at its ends extending within the boiler and adapted to be seated by the pressure therein, and a source of air supply, of means to normally prevent the said valves from closing and connections whereby to move the. said valve Copies of this patent may be obtained for controlling means and permit the valves to close upon the application of the emergency brakes, for the purpose of preventing the escape of steam and boiler Water into the cab should the gage be broken.

4:. A device of the character described, comprising the combination with a fountain valve which is normally open and has a gear upon its stem, and a source of air supply, of a piston cylinder, a rack bar engaging the gear of the valve stem and actuated by the piston in its movement, and connections between the said air supply and the said piston cylinder whereby to move the piston and cause the valve to be seated upon the application of the emergency air brakes in order to prevent the escape of steam from the boiler into the cab should the fountain pipe be broken.

5. A device of the character described, comprising the combination with valved cab fittings, the valves of which are normally open, and a source of supply, of connections whereby to automatically and simultaneously close the valves upon the application of the emergency air brakes, including a pipe leading from the. said source of air supply, and a normally closed valve arranged in the path of the emergency brake lever to be engaged and moved by the same when in the emergency position.

' THOMAS WV. GRIFFIN.

CURTIS J. RATHERS.

\Vitnesses for Thomas WV. Griffin:

G. A. lVAL'rnRHoUsE, J. O. ENGLAND.

lVitnesses for C. J. Rather-s: J ESSIE M. HOUSTON, HARRISON ARNOLD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

6 Washington, D. 0.

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