US1096358A - Railway signal-torpedo. - Google Patents

Description

F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1912.

1,096,358. Patented May 12,1914.

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RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED APE.4, 1pm.

1, 35 Patented May12, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BUTCHER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, TO CENTRAL RAIL- WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK BUTCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, and particularly relates to an improved metal strap attaching clip designed for and intended to be used with a metal case torpedo.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide a metal strap attaching clip with separate passages adapted to separately receive either a spring attaching strap or a lead attaching strap, whereby the manufacturer can use the same clip whether it be desired to have it hold a lead strap or straps, or a spring strap.

A further object of my present invention is to so construct the clip and a spring strap that the spring strap and clip can be connected together before the clip is attached to the torpedo.

A further object of my invention is to provide the clip with passages adapted to receive and hold a spring strap and separate lead strap passages so arranged in relation to the spring strap passages that two lead straps can be attached by the clip, thus providing four projecting lead strap ends and constituting what I term a four strap construction.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of my invention applied to an oblong wedge-shaped metal torpedo with a spring strap, and shown in position on a railway rail. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the center of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an inverted perspective view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective wiew of the form of clip shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, before the ends of the clip are turned over the edge of the torpedo. Fig. 5 is an inverted view of a torpedo and clip embodying my improvement, showing a slightly modified form of clip and spring strap. Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of a torpedo with the form of clip shown in Fig. 5 and holding two lead straps, constituting a four strap construction. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of Fig. 6, showing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 688,568.

manner of attaching the torpedo to the rail by the four strap construction. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of my improved clip applied to a round metal torpedo with a spring strap, the torpedo shown in position on a rail. Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing the manner of attaching a round torpedo to the rail by the four strap construction. Fig. 10 is an inverted perspective view of the torpedo hown in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is an inverted perspective view showing a modified form of a clip embodying the generic inventive idea herein disclosed.

leferring now to Figs. 1 to 1, inclusive, in which like reference characters denote the same parts, 1 is a railway rail and 2 an oblong wedge-shaped metal torpedo. A clip 3 is applied to the under side of the torpedo, and this clip is provided with two intermediate spring strap receiving openings 4, through which a spring strap 5 is threaded, as shown in Figs. 2 and In the form of spring strap shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the strap is provided with two short substantially U- shaped bonds 6. The object of these bends, as here shown, is twofold, one to provide two breaking points for the spring clip when the torpedo is mashed by a passing train, the spring clip snapping and breaking at one or both of the bends 6 in the manner fully described in my Patent No. 1,009,139 of November 21st 1911. In this patent the spring clip is shown with only one bend. In this application I show two bends so that if it should not break at one bend it will break at the other bend, thus providing two chances of the spring being broken. The other function performed by the two bonds 6 is to lock the strap against endwise movement on the clip by having the bends engage the walls of the openings l. These openings 4 are made several times larger in area than the bends (5, whereby the spring strap can be threaded through the openings, which could not be done it the openings were of approximately the size of the bends. These openings I therefore aptly term longitudinal elongated openings, or openings elongated longitudinal the strap 5.

The purpose of having the spring strap so constructed that it will break when the bonds are straightened out by a passing train is fully described in my aforesaid patent and briefly stated is to cause the strap to fall away from the railway rail instead of remaining thereon, as it otherwise would do and thus injure the railway rail by reason of the hard metal of which the spring is made and the passage of the succeeding car wheels thereover.

The clip 3 is provided with lead strap passages '7 to enable lead straps (not shown in said figures) to pass therethrough across between the clip and the torpedo. These lead straps when used preferably pass diagonally between the clip and the torpedo, as shown in Fig. 6, and thus cross each other at the center, and by reason of this crossing the lead straps are locked against longitudinal movement when the ends or ears 8 of the clip are turned around the flange 9 of the torpedo.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the metal clip 10 differs from the clip shown in Fig. 3, in providing a small passage 11, into which a single bend 12 of a spring strap 13 projects, and in providing the passages 1d, at the opposite edges of the clip for the passage the-rethrough of the spring strap. To

this extent the clip is smaller than that shown in my patent before mentioned, but it differs from the clip in that patent in providing additional lead strap passages 15, adapted to receive lead straps 16, as shown in Fig. 6, thus enabling the clip to be used as either a four strap torpedo, or a spring strap torpedo.

By reason of a clip constructed as described, the clip can be used by the manu tacturer for either a spring strap or a four lead strap attachment, thus avoiding the necessity of having separate clips for the two kinds of straps.

In Fig. 7 the tour strap construction is shown attached to the top of the railway rail whether the form of clip shown in Figs. 1 to 4t inclusive, or the form of clip shown in Figs. 5 and 6 be used.

Whenthe form of spring strap attachmentshown in Figs. 5 and 6, is used, it will be understood, of course, that the spring strap is not attached to the clip before the clip is placed on the torpedo, which, however, is true 01" the form shown in Figs. 1 to 1.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, I show a clip embodying the broad inventive idea applied to a round torpedo 17. In Figs. 8 and 10, I show the spring strap applied, and in Fig. 9 the tour lead strap construction. In this arrangement the spring strap is shown as extending transverse the clip 18, instead of longitudinal the clip, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5. In this instance, the clip 18 is provided with two smallopenings through which two lateral bends 19 of the spring strap 20 project, the strap passing between the clip and the bottom of the torpedo, as shown. The ends of the clip are provided with lead strap passages 21, thus enabling the clip to be used in connection with either a tour lead strap or a spring strap.

In Fig. 11, I show a clip 27 having spring strap receiving passages a, like the passages i, of Fig. 4, and in addition, I show tour openings 28 made in the clip under the bottom of the torpedo through which the tour lead strap construction 29 may pass.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a railway signal torpedo ot' a plate having means for att-iclnnent to the torpedo, said plate having an intermediate opening to receive the bend of a spring strap, and the said plate having l ourpassages spaced equidistant the aforesaid opening, whereby either lead straps or a spring strap may be used with the said plate.

2. The combination with a railway signal torpedo, of a clip comprising a plate having means for attaching it to the torpedo, an intermediate opening to receive the bend in a spring strap and four additional passages for the admittance of two lead straps thus enabling the clip to be used for either a spring clip having an intermediate bend or a two lead strap construction.

3. The combination with a railway signal torpedo, of a clip comprising a plate having means for attaching it to a torpedo, the said plate having an intermediate opening and four additional passages placed adjacent the corners of the said plate to receive and lock two lead straps thereunder, whereby said clip may be used with either a single bend spring strap or with the two lead strap construction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK- DU TCHER. l' v itnesses R. W. JUNKER, G. M. LEONARD.

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

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