US1093784A - Railroad-crossing. - Google Patents

Description

C. P. KELLY.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 17, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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O. F. KELLY.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED J NE 17, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 19%

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- I ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES F. KELLY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

- RAILROAD-CROSSING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. KELLY, 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 Railroad-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad crossings, the object of the invention being to provide a crossing with improved pivoted blocks which are adapted to be swung in either direction to bridge the gap between the tread portions of the rails where the rails cross, so that there Will be no jar or olt when the wheels ride over the crossing.

A further object is to provide improve ments of this character which are operated automatically by the car as it approaches the crossing, and which compels the simul taneous operation of four of such blocks to bridge the four gaps at the angles of the crossing.

A further object is to improve upon the construction disclosed in my former application filed December 1 1, 1912, and given Serial No. 736,693.

\Vith 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 plan view illustrating my improvements in full lines and showing the rails of the crossing in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the rails in full lines as well as the attachment. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in section on an enlarged scale through one of the corners of the crossing. Fig. 41 is. a fragmentary plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;, and Figs. 6 7, 8, and 9 are views illustrating various details of construction.

1, 1 represent the rails of a track which cross the rails 2, 2 of a track at right angles. The rails l and 2 are illustrated as of the ordinary grooved type, and the tread portions of these rails are spaced apart at the angles of the crossing and have their adjacent ends curved or rounded as shown at 3 to receive the rounded ends of my improved Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 191&.

Serial No. 774,114.

blocks 1 to bridge the gap between the tread portions of the rails.

The blocks 1- have angular openings 5 therein to receive the angular upper ends 6 of relatively short vertical shafts 7, the lower ends of said shafts being mounted in stuffing boxes 8 to prevent the passage of water into the base of the crossing.

Each shaft 7 is provided with a crank arm 9, and each crank arm has two upwardly projecting pins 10 thereon which are connected by curved links' 11 with crank arms 12 on shafts 13. The shafts 13 are horizontally disposed and supported in bearings 14 secured to the base flanges 15 of the rails. These shafts will be at different elevations, so that they may cross each other at the angles of the crossing.

The crank arms 12 have horizontally positioned bifurcated lugs 16 at their free ends to receive the curved links 11 and there is sufficient looseness of connection between the parts to permit of the varying arcs through which they move. It is to be understood that there are four of these shafts 13 positioned longitudinally of the four rails of the crossing and said shafts connected by the links 11 with the several short shafts 7 so that all of the blocks t are compelled to turn in unison from one position to the other.

To automatically turn the blocks when a car approaches the crossing, I provide pins 17 which at their lower ends are pivot-ally connected between parallel crank arms 18 on shafts 13, and at their upper ends project through openings 19 in the tread portion of the rails.

It will be noted particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 4, that the rails have enlargements 20 where openings 19 are provided, and that enlarged heads 21 are provided on the pins 19 which move in recesses 22 in the rails, so that when the pins are pressed downwardly, by the passage of wheels over them, the heads 21 engage shoulders 23 in the lower ends of the recesses 22 to sustain the pressure or weight of the car and prevent the pins being moved downwardly beyond a predetermined point. As illustrated, I provide one of these pins in each rail adjacent the crossing, so that the movement of cars in either direction will compel the blocks 4 to swing and bridge the gaps at the crossings.

In Figs. 8, and 9, I illustrate the manner of pivotal connection between the several parts in which I interpose hard metal bearing sleeves 24 around the pivot bolts to reduce friction to a minimum and take up wear, and I would have it understood that I may utilize this construction of bearing throughout all pivotal points of the crossing.

It will be noted that the blocks i are removably connected to the shaft 7 and are supported directly upon the rails. In other words, the rails are cut out or recessed as shown at 25 and are of a thickness equal to the depth of the recess, so that they form a smooth continuation of the tread of the rail. If a block is broken or damaged, it may be removed or replaced by another without disturbing the rest of the mechanism.

When the pins 17 are depressed, they cause all of the shafts 13 to turn and the arms 12 through the medium of links 11 compel all of the shafts 7-to turn and swing the blocks 4 through an arc of ninety degrees (90). The operation is therefore entirely automatic and an approaching car compels the blocks to pivot so as to allow the car a smooth passage over the crossing.

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 appended claims.

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

1. The combination with a railroad crossing having recesses at the juncture of the crossing rails, of vertical shafts supported in the rails, blocks secured to turn with said shafts and adapted to be moved in the re cesses to position said blocks so as to bridge the gaps in the rails, horizontal shafts supported by the rails and crossing each other at the juncture of the rails, crank arms on said horizontal shafts, a crank arm on each vertical shaft, links connecting the crank arm on each vertical shaft with the crank arms of both horizontal shafts crossing each other adjacent said vertical shaft, and means operated by the car for turning said horizontal shafts, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a railroad crossing having recesses at the juncture of the rails, of short vertical shafts supported in said recesses, blocks secured to the shafts and adapted to bridge the gaps between the tread portions of the rails, longitudinal shafts supported by the rails, crank arms on said shafts, crank arms on the vertical shafts, links connecting the crank arms of the vertical shafts with the crank arms of the horizontal shafts, whereby all of said shafts are compelled to turn in unison, and means for turning said horizontal shafts, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a railroad crossing having recesses at the juncture of the rails, of short vertical shafts supported in said recesses, blocks secured to the shafts and adapted to bridge the gaps between the tread portions of the rails, longitudinal shafts supported by the rails, crank arms on said shafts, crank arms on the vertical shafts, links connecting the crank arms of the vertical shafts with the crank arms of the horizontal shafts, whereby all of said shafts are compelled to turn in unison, crank arms on said horizontal shafts, and pins projecting above the tread portions of the rails and operatively connected to said last-mentioned crankarms, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a railroad crossing having recesses at the juncture of the rails, of short vertical shafts supported in said recesses, blocks secured to the shafts and adapted to bridge the gaps between the tread portions of the rails, longitudinal shafts supported by the rails, crank arms on said shafts, crank arms 011 the vertical shafts, links connecting the crank arms of the vertical shafts with the crank arms of the horizontal shafts, whereby all of said shafts are compelled to turn in unison, crank arms on said horizontal shafts, pins projecting above the tread portions of the rails and operatively connected to said last-mentioned crank arms, said rails having recesses in their tread portions, and heads on said pins movable in said recesses and adapted when depressed to bear against the inner or base portions of the recesses, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a crossing having recesses at the juncture of the rails, ver tical shafts located in said recesses, blocks removably secured upon the upper ends of said shafts and adapted to bridge the gaps between the rails, crank arms on said vertical shafts, two lugs on said crank arms, horizontal shafts supported by the rails and crossing each other, crank arms on said horizontal shafts, curved links connecting the last-mentioned crank arms with said lugs, and means operated by a car for compelling all of said shafts to turn and move the blocks, substantially as described.

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

CHARLES F. KELLY.

Witnesses:

M. E. DITTUS, CHAS. E. Po'r'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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