US1085989A - Signaling device. - Google Patents

Description

S. L. MARTIN & W. A. SMITH.

SIGNALING DEVICE. APPIEIOATION FILED BBQ. 16, 1912.

1,085,989, a Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

WW EEEES 2H4 INVENTEIREM. /@1W 2 M ED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

SIMON L. MARTIN AND WILLIAM A. SMITH, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1912.

Patented Feb. 3, 191 Serial No. 737,145.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SIMON L. MARTIN and WILLIAM A. SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Oklahoma City, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented a certain new and useful Signaling Device, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to railway switch stands, and more particularly to that class of such devices wherein the locking instrumentalities therefor may be so located as to be free from dangers of tampering and the intrusion of the elements, and wherein the shifting lever, or other instrumentality for throwing the switcii is located remote from the edge of the device, thus insuring the same against accidental interference with objects that may be caused to pass the same.

Included among the objects of the invention are those providing for the throwing of the switch by a lever, movably mounted, and operatable about an axis, which, in turn, causes the automatic presentation of danger and safety signals, and locking the lever in two or more of its operative positions, by a unitary locking medium located between the positions of rest of the lever, which looking mechanism operates from one key to lock or unlock the lever in either of its positions, and which is protected from tampering, and from the elements.

Additional objects of the invention will become apparent from a further reading of the spectification, taken in connection with the sheet of drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated on the sheet of drawings, accompanying this specification, whereon,

Figure 1 illustrates an elevational view of a mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a fragmental and sectional view of the lock, Fig. 4: is a fragment of the lever, Fig. 5 is a detail of the lock, Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a solid key, and Fig. 7 is an end elevational view thereof.

In these figures, similar characters of reference indicate similar parts.

A table or plate 8, is provided with lugs 9 in order that the same may be properly attached to suitable standards, such, for instance as are illustrated in dotted lines, or,

during the manufacture of the devices, legs may be made for the same, or the table may be cast with them attached. From this table 8 extends a staff 10, which is movably mounted in connection with said table, and this staff is provided with the usual signals, such as are in common use, and means may be provided where the lamp may be situatedthese features, forming no part of the invention are partially omitted. The staff 10 extends through and to the under side of the table and terminates in an arm 11, adapted to receive connections from the switch.

A lever 12 is associated with the staff 10, in order that when the lever is swung about the table 8, the staff 10 will also turn to eX- hibit either the danger signal 13 or the safety signal 14. This lever, in the present instance is carried in a housing 15, that is formed to ride on the upper face of the table 8, said lever being pivot-ed, as at 16 in said housing while the free end and the body thereof is adapted to move across the table top or into radially located passages or slots 18 located in the table 8. The lever is so pivoted in position in the housing 15 as to cause the lever 12, when in perpendicular position, to locate substantially remote from the edge of said table, and therefore that edge will serve to protect the lever, while in depending position from the ordinary accidental interferences that levers of such nature are subjected to, therefore increasing the life and usefulness of such elements.

In order to limit the movement of the housing 15, and therefore insure the introduction of the lever 12 into either of the slots 18, during the shifting of the standard 10, stops 19 are provided upon the face of the table, against which the housing 15 will take.

It is the design of this invention to lock the lever 12 in either of its positions, and in the slots 18 by one look, which, in the present instance is located between the radial slots 18 and is provided with two opposed tongues 20, that, in the present instance are borne by two bars that are nested in a cavity in the body of the table, and the tongues 20 protrude through the walls 22 of the slots and into the path of the lever 12, which, in the present instance is provided with means to engage with said tongues, which means, in the present instance comprises an opening 23 in the body of the lever. The locking elements of the lock are normally pressed into position for locking by a spring 24: that, in the present instance is located between the bars. lhe locking means, so long as they are located between the slots 18 and adapted to lock and unlock the lever by one operation of the key, may be oi any other suitable construction best adapted to produce beneficial results.

A key consisting of a stem 25, handle or thumb-piece 26 and wings 27 is provided, and the wings 27 of this key pass under and grip the side of the bars 28 of the locking elements, and as the key is turned, in one direction or another, so will the tongues 20 recede from their normal position and allow the removal of the lever from its locked position. The stem of the key is solid, which is a desirable feature for special railroad use, because hollow keys are looked upon by railway men as highly objectionable.

It will be. now seen that there is provided a practical form of signaling device, one having means for shifting the signaling apparatus from one position to another, and that said means are not Only protected from the elements at the pointof their operation, but also that the same may be locked in position by means that are remote from in: trusion by the elements and are inaccessible by those who would tamper with the same.

It is also to be noticed that the lever by which the switch is operated is likewise protected against accidents to which such devices are liable due to interference where such elements protrude out of the line of such devices. It will again be specially noticed that a unitary locking device is adapted to lock the lever in either of: its positions.

Having thus described this invention we claim:

A device of the kind set forth including; rotatably mounted means to operate a signal from one to another position, a stationary table over which said means move having radial slots into which said means may be shifted, a lock nested in the table having tongues movable into said slots and means to limit the movement of the means.

Signed at Oklahoma, in the county and State of Oklahoma, this 4th day of December, in the year of our Lord, nineteen bun dred and twelve.

SIMON L. MARTIN. lVlLLIAM A. SMITH.

lVitnesses H. V. KAI-111E, M. M. SMITH.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents,

Washington. D. G.

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