US1090998A - Apparatus for preventing railway accidents. - Google Patents

Description

H. L. LOGKART.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

APPLICATION FILED T11R26, 1913.

1,090,998. A Patented Mar. 24, 191A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A l "l lllllll H..L. LOGKART.

' APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

APPLICATION FILED P3126, 1913.

Patented Mar 24, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

To all whom it may concern:

orrrbn HAVARI) I. LOCKART, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR PREVEN TIN G RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Be it known that I, I-IAVARD L. LooKART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Railway Accidents, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for preventing railway accidents, the object of the invention being to provide improved means which stops a locomotive or train and prevents'the same from entering a block when a danger signal is set.

A further object is to provide improvements of this character which operate in unison with the semaphore or signal, yet which may be manually operated to permit a train to enter a block if occasion may require.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus of this character which when operated to stop a train, will destroy an inspectors seal, so that the inspector will know that the engineer was careless and ran by the danger signal.

A further object is to provide improvements of this character which are extremely simple in construction, and which may be connected to any ordinary signal and locomotive or car, and which will operate automatically.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in cross section through a track showing a locomotive and tender in end elevation and illustrating the same approaching my improved operating device which is shown in position to stop the train. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the locomotive cab with my improvements thereon. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a signaling device showing the tripping arm elevated out of operative position. Fig. 1 is a view in elevation at right angles to Fig. 3 but showing the tripping arm in normal position. Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section on an enlarged scale illustrating my improved at- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 26, 1913.

Patented Mar. 245, 1914i. Seri'al No. 750,751.

tachment for the locomotive, and Fig. 6 is a view 1n sectlon on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

1 represents the ordinary locomotive on the cab on which I locate a valve casing 2 which is connected in any approved manner Wltll the airline of the locomotive and train, and in this casing a valve 3 is located having a stemd projecting up through the top of the caslng and normally held in closed positlon agamst the pressure of air by means of an'arm 5 which is pivotally connected at Its forward end to an extension 6 on casing 2, and between its ends is pivotally connected to the stem 1 as shown at 7. While I have described this air casing as on top of a locomotive and preferably on top of a cab, I would have it understood that it may be located on any part of a railroad car or in such position that it may be operated as Wlll be hereinafter described.

The arm 5, at its rear end, moves between parallel uprights 8 on a bracket 9 secured to the top of the locomotive cab, and to these uprights 8, at their upper ends, a cam lever 10 is pivotally connected as shown at 11. The lower end of this cam lever is provldecl with a groove 12 which receives the arm 5, and this cam lever when in vertical position, holds the arm 5 against upward movement and maintains the valve 3 in closed position against the pressure of air 1n the system.

The upper end of cam lever 10 is provided with an opening 13, and this opening 13 connected by a wire 14 with an openmg 15 in the eXtreme rear end of arm 5. Two wires 16 and 17 which are connected by a seal 18 act as a connecting medium between the upper end of lever 10 and the forward portion of arm 5. In other words, the wire 16 is secured in the opening 13, and the wire 17 is secured in an opening 19 in arm 5 in advance of the cam lever. These two wires are connected and secured by an inspectors seal so that when the upper end of the cam lever is forced rearwardly to permit valve 3 to open, the seal 18 will be broken and the inspector will know that the engineer has been careless in running by a danger signal.

The extreme rear end of arm 5 is curved downwardly as indicated at 20, so as to permit the same the desired amount of vertical movement when the cam lever falls rearwardly.

otally supported between its ends on a pin 24 secured to a lever 25, and a shoulder 26 on said lever 25 limits the independent downward movement of arm 23 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The lever 25 is pivotally supported between its ends on the standard 26 of the signal, and the inner end of arm 23 is located in direct alinement with the pivot point of lever 25, and to this inner end of arm 23, a downwardly extending operating rod 28 is connected. This rod 28 extends through a box 27 on standard 26, and is secured against vertical movement .by a pin 29 which extends through parallel cars 30 and through the rod 28. This pin 29 and cars 30 are located within the box 27, and the latter has a hinged door 31 with a lock '32 thereon which can be opened only by the engineer or proper authority. The inner end of lever 25 is connected to the operating rod 33 of the semaphore, and the latter is provided with a balancing weight 35 con nected by a rod 36 therewith.

It is to be understood that the semaphore will be operated in the usual manner, and it will also be understood that only when the semaphore is in the danger position, will arm 23 be in position to be struck by the upper end of cam lever 10.

The operation is as follows: When the semaphore is moved to danger position, the arm 23 will be in the position shown in 'Fig. 1, so that if the engineer is not attending to duty, and attempts to run by the signal, the outer end of arm 23 will strike the upper end of cam lever 10, breaking seal 18, and the pressure of air within the system will open valve 3 and stop the train. When the engineer arrives at his destination, the inspector will know'by the broken seal that he has been derelict in his duty. Iffor any reason the engineer desires to enter the block while the danger signal is set, he can stop his train before reaching the signal, and then by opening the box 27, can release rod 28 and manually elevate arm 23 to permit the train to pass, but in no event can the train accidentally enter the block when the danger signal is set. As the end of arm 23 and the pivot point of lever 25 are in alinement, the movement of the lever and the arm in unison with the semaphore will not affect the position of rod 28, so that the latter may be positively locked against movement.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a railway vehicle having an air brake and a valve casing connected with the air brake, a valvein said casing, a stem on the valve projecting through the casing, a pivoted arm connected to the stem and normally holding the valve in closed position, a cam lever engaging the arm, breakable means holding the lever,

and a tripping arm operated in unison with a signal and adapted when the signal is at danger to strike the cam lever and cause the latter to move and permit the valve to open, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a railway vehicle having an air brake and a valve casing connected with the air brake, a valve in said casing, a stem on the valve projecting through the casing,.a pivoted arm connected to the stem and normally holding the valve in closed position, a cam lever engaging the arm, a tripping arm operated in unison with a signal and adapted when the signal is at danger to strike the cam lever and cause the latter to move and permit the valve to open, and breakable flexible devices connecting the cam lever with the arm in front and rear of the cam lever, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a railway vehicle having an air brake and a valve casing and connected with the air brake, a valve in said casing, a stem'on the valve projecting' through the casing, a pivoted arm connected to the stem and normally holding the valve in closed position, a cam lever engaging the arm, a tripping arm operated in unison with a signal and adapted when the signal is at danger to strike the cam lever and cause the latter to move and permit the valve toopen, breakable flexible devices connecting the cam lever with the arm in front and rear of the cam lever, and the flexible connecting device in advance of the cam lever having aseal between its ends, whereby the seal is broken when the cam lever is operated.

4E. The combination with a railway vehicle having an air brake and a valve casing connected with the air brake, a valve in said casing, astem on the valve projecting through the casing, a pivoted arm connected to the stem and normally holding the valve in closed position, a cam lever engaging the arm, a tripping arm operated in unison with a signal and adapted when the signal is at dangerto strike the cam lever and cause the latter to move and permit the valve to open, breakable flexible devices connecting the cam lever with the arm in front and rear of the cam lever, a bifurcated bracket through which said arm projects, said bracket pivotally supporting the lever, and said lever having a grooved lower end into which the arm is positioned, substantially as described. a

5. The combination with a railway vehicle having an air brake and a valve casing connected with the air brake, a valve in said casing, a stem on the valve projecting through the casing a pivoted arm connected to the stem and normally holding the valve in closed position, a cam lever engaging the arm, a tripping arm operated in unison with a signal and adapted when the signal is at danger to strike the cam lever and cause the latter to move and permit the valve to open, breakable flexible devices con necting the cam lever with the arm in front and rear of the cam lever, a bifurcated bracket through which said arm projects, said bracket pivotally supporting the lever, said lever having a grooved lower end into which the arm is positioned, said arm at its extreme rear end curved downwardly, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HAVARD L. LOCKART.

Witnesses:

S. W. FOSTER, O. R. ZIEGLER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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