US1114977A - Railway safety and signal device. - Google Patents

Description

E. FRBED.

RAILWAY SAFETY AND SIGNAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED D120 1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PE ERS Ca, PHOYO-LITHO. WASHING VONv r) c E. FRBED.

RAILWAY SAFETY AND SIGNAL DEVIUB.

APPLICATION TILED DBO.2,1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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EDWARD FREED, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMEN'IS, TO RAILWAY SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPANY, .INC., OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

RAILWAY SAFETY AND SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, .1914.

Application filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,489.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD Fnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Safety and Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety appliances for railway systems; and its object is the provision of improved devices of this character whereby automatically controlled signal appliances are actuated to safeguard trains against collision.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway track and associated parts equipped with devices embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same together with a locomotive provided with devices to cooperate with the track equipment. .Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a semaphore tower such as used at each end of a block section of track. Fig. 4. is a similar view of one of the car signal controllers. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through an actuator for one of the signal controllers. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the engineers cab of a locomotive to illustrate the mechanism employed for op' erating a whistle controlling line. Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the preferred form of electrical connections and devices for operating a crossing signal light.

Fig. 9 is a detail elevational view of the proferred form of latch-bar for securing the whistle-operating mechanism in operative condition.

In the following description I will particularly describe the mechanism upon but one side of the -.track and which are controlled by cars or trains traveling in but one direction. It is to be understood, however, that these devices will be duplicated upon.

the opposite side to accommodate cars traveling in a contrary direction, and are illustrated in Fig. 2. t

The reference numeral 10 represents a railway track.

11 is a locomotive having secured thereto a transversely arranged bar 12 which is disposed to protrude for a distance to one side of the locomotive.

Fulcrunied insuitable supports provided on the side of the locomotive cab is a bell crank lever having an arm 13 (Fig. 7 which is yieldingly held by a spring 14 in position to project laterally from the car while the other arm 15 of the lever is connected by a line 16 with a steam whistle (not shown) for causing the same to become operative when the lever arm 13 is thrust rearwardly by en: countering an object in its path during the progressive travel of the car. When the lever is thus influenced it is swung into the dotted line position in Fig. 7 and a hooked finger 13 provided on the lever arm 13 is engaged by a spring actuated latch 17 to retain the lever in operative position with a consequent uninterrupted blowing of the whistle until the engineer releases the lever from the latch.

Provided at one side of the track and at each end of a block section of the same is a semaphore tower 18 having near the upper end of each a receptacle for a lantern 19, or its equivalent, with sight apertures at the opposite sides and which may be glazed by transparent, or white panes.

Pivotally connected by a pin 20 to a tower is a pair of semaphore blades 21 provided with openings 22 in which are red glasses, as conventionally used in railway service to designate danger when brought opposite the sight apertures of the lantern receptacle.

Each pair of semaphore blades are connected to 11love as a single piece and, as shown in Fig. 3, are connected by a link 23 with the arm 24L of a lever which is fulcrumed at to a tower and has its other arm 26 weighted so as to normally retain the arm 24: in the elevated position as indicated by full lines in the view.

27 represents a spring acting supplementary to the power of said weighted arm for i casing 32 bar 12 encounters the inclined edge 33 of the plate and depresses the latter with the result that the aforesaid semaphore blades 21 and the lever arms 24 are respectively swung through the medium of the drag lines 28 to occupy positions indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3 to expose the red lights of the semaphore blades and also protrude the arms 24-. of the respective towers within the path of the car arm 13, to render the same operative to blow the whistle should any car so equipped undertake to pass from either direction into the block section. When the plate 38 is swung down as above explained, a spring actuated lever pawl 3t engages the same within a recess 33 provided in the plate to temporarily hold it in such depressed position until the pawl is disengaged. To such an end there is provided near the exit end of a block section a tripper plate 35 (Fig. 2) pivotally sup ported by a pin 36 and is connected with said pawl by a line 37 passing about suitably disposed guide pulleys and a fair leader wheel 3,8.

I Located between the semaphore towers of each block section is a post 39 having a lever 40 fulcrunied thereto by a pin ll (Fig. t), the lever being at such an elevation that when swung down into the dotted line position it will be in thepath of the car arm 13 to cause the latter to become operative with respect to the car whistle. The function of the lever 40 is to serve as a warning to a car upon one block section of the presence of another car or train in the section next ahead.

The lever arm is normally held in its ele vated position by means of a spring 12 and is draw downwardly by means of a line 13 extending to and controlled by a lever plate 1% disposed to be engaged by the car-arm 12 just before the car leaves the block section. The lever plate 1a is secured in its lowered position by a lever pawl similar to that designated by 34. The pawl for the lever-plate 44 is, in turn, disengaged through the instrumentality ofa line connected to a tripper-plate in the block section next ahead and occupying the same relative position in that block section as the plate 33 which is operatively connected to the plate corresponding to 44: in the section next behind.

Where there is a road crossing the track within any block section, gate-bars as are provided. These gate-bars are in the nature of levers which are fulcrumed by pins 4L7 to posts 1-8 at opposite sides of the track and are provided with counterweights 49 which serve to raise the lovers clear of vehicles, etc. The gate bars are connected by lines with an operating plate 50 which is controlled by the car bar 12, as before explained, with respect to the plate utilized for controlling the semaphore arms. The plate 50 is likewise engaged by a pawl lever which is disengaged by a tripper plate 51 encountered by the car bar 12 after the same has been carried with a car or train beyond the road crossing. Upon being disengaged by its lever pawl the counterweights 19 assert their power to elevatethe gate bars.

As a notice to travelers upon the cross road of the approach of a train and operative prior to the closing of the road by the gate bars, I provide a signal light, denoted by 52 in Fig. 2, which is illuminated through the agency of an electric current passing through a normally incomplete circuit which is closed by an electric switch 53 which, in turn, is operated by a lever plate 54:. After the train or car has passed the crossing another electric switch 55 is actuated by a suitable device such as the tripper plate 51.

The electric light wire connections and operating devices therefor are illustrated in 1? lg. 8. The switches therein shown are of the three-way type having terminals a e" and 5-12 which are directly connected by wires 0 and (Z. The other te-r1ninals ee and 7 -7 of the respective switches are connected in pairs by circuit wires 9 and h with the generator and include the lamp 52. Switch is provided with a gap closure Z which is mounted upon an arbor m which also carries a ratchet wheel 0 having four teeth which are successively engaged by a pawl 56 depending from the plate 54:. The other switch is similarly provided with gap closure Z upon an arbor m having mounted thereon a ratchet wheel 0 which is controlled by a pawl 57 depending from the tripper plate 51. i

Assuming that the gap closures Z and Z are in the positions in which they are represented in Fig. 8, then when the plate 5 is depressed the pawl 56. will cause the closure Z to be swung into the dotted line position indicated by Z whereupon the light circuit is completed and the lamp 52 is illuminated. When the car passes the tripper plate 51 the latter is depressed and the closure Z is rotated my the pawl 57 into thedotted line position Z resulting in the circuit being broken and the extinguishing of the light. The next car which travels over the line will influence the switch 53 to restore theclosure Z thereof into its full line position resulting.

in the closing of the circuit in conformity to the then relative position of the closure of the other switch.

Springs are desirabl applied to the various levers and blades for restoring the same more quickly to theirinoperative positions although counterweights may be used instead of the springs. may be employed in the various fairleader wheels to coiiperate with the springs provided for the respective lever plates to render the movements of the lines more rapid when the associated plates are released, an example of such a spring is indicated by 58 in Fig. 5.

The invention it is believed will be understood from the foregoing description and the advantages afforded by the same are obvious.

What I claim isl. The combination with a section of railway track and a semaphore tower, a semaphore blade on the tower, and a lever on the tower operatively connected with the semaphore blade, of a plate lever disposed at a distance from said tower at one side of said track, a springtending to yieldingly hold the plate lever in its elevated position, operative connections between the plate lever and the tower lever, a means on a car for encountering said plate lever whereby the semaphore blade and its associated lever are caused to be moved into operative positions, appliances carried by the car and engageable with theftower lever whereby an alarm is actuated on the car when the latter passes the tower while the lever thereof is in operative position, a spring-actuated lever pawl for retaining said plate lever in position to maintain the tower lever in operative position, and a second plate lever operatively.

connected with said lever pawl for disengaging the latter from the aforesaid plate lever when the second named plate lever is influenced by said means.

2. The combination with a section of railway track and a semaphore tower at each end thereof, a semaphore blade on each tower, and a lever on each of the towers and Also spiral springs operatively connected with the respective semaphore blades, of a plate lever disposed at a distance from said towers and at one side of said track, a spring tending to yieldingly hold the plate lever in its elevated position, operative connections between. the plate lever and the tower levers, a means provided on the car for encountering said plate lever whereby the semaphore blades and the associated levers are caused to be moved into operative positions, appliances carried by the car and engageable with the tower.

levers whereby an alarm is actuated onthe car when the latter passes either of the towers while the levers thereof are in operative positions, a lever pawl for retaining the late lever in position to maintain the tower evers in operative positions, and a second plate lever operativcly connected with said pawl for disengaging the latter from the aforesaid plate lever when the second named plate lever is influenced by said means.

The combination with a railway track divided into block sections, locomotives, whistle actuating devices connected to the locomotive cabs, and a bar carried by each locomotive and protruding from the sides thereof, of a semaphore tower at each end of a section, a lever pivotally connected to each of said towers a spring-actuated plate lever having an inclined upper edge provided at the side of the track and engageable by the bar of a locomotive whereby the respective levers of a track section are moved into position to be engaged by the whistle actuating means of the other locomotive to render such means operative should the last named locomotive enter a section previously occupied by another locomotive, and devices engage able by said whistle actuating means for renderlng the latter operative where a locomotive is in the adjacent section.

Signed at Seattle, Wash, this 19th day of November, 1912.

EDWARD FREED.

Witnesses F; C. MATHENY, E. PETERSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0.

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