US1146081A - Train-stopping apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. LABIT. TRAIN/sToPPmG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I, 1914. 1,146,081 Patented July 13, 1915.

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G. E. LAB|T.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS. APPLlcAloNfrlLED1u.LY1,1914.

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Patented July 13, 1915.

- G. E. LABIT.

TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

.APPLICATION FILEDIULY1.1914.

1, 146,081 Patented July 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIRARD ELABIT, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

TRAIN-STOPPING AJPPARATUS.

Specioation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Original application filed November 28, 1913, Serial No. 803,262. Divided and thi application illed July 1,

1914. Serial No. 848,437.` Y

ing application filed November 26, 1913, Se-

rial No. 803,262.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a track instrument for automatic train stopping apparatus which will be found especially useful in conjunction with the block signaling system of the railroad and which will embody1v among other features an obstacle capable of movement to active and inactive positions and under the controlof the adjacent road signal, and means whereby the obstacle may bel swung to inactive position against the holding action of the signal so that should it be desired that the train enter the danger zone, as for instance, for the purpose of assisting a stalled train, the track walker or member of the train crew may throw the obstacle to inactive position, means being also employed whereby the obstacle may be depressed under a weight or load thereby preventing mutilation of the obstacle in the event of a timber falling upon or striking the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a track instrument of the class described which will operate e'fliciently and effectively under all conditions and whichv may beinstalled and maintained at a minimum expense.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view ofa detail of the instrument. Fig. 8 is a similar view of another detail. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fra mentary sectional view through the obstacl and associated parts. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a similar view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

My invention is particularly designed for use in conjunction with the block signal systems now in general use, although I wish it to be understood that the invention in its application is not limited to use with any particular type of road signal system.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates the track instruments, one of such instruments being located adjacent to the entrance to each block of the trackway. Each track instrument comprises a base plate 1 composed of any suitable4 material and preferably rectangular in contour and provided at the opposite ends thereof with casings or housings 2, 3. Uprising from the upper surfaces of the base 1 and extending through the top walls of the housings 2, 3 are standards 4, 4 and mounted upon the upper extremities of the standards 4, 4 is a housing or casing 5. Journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing 2 is a shaft 6 carrying. a. pinion 7 and meshing with the pinion 7 is a rack bar 8 slidably mounted within a suitable guide upon the bottom wall of the casing. Pivoted between its ends upon the base 1 at one side of the casing 2 is a lever 9 having the inner end thereof working within a slot 10.

formed in the adjacent side Wall of the casing'2 and pivotally connected to the adjacent extremity of the rack bar 8, and the opposite end thereof connected in some suitable manner to the adjacent signal blade so that when the blade moves to danger position the lever will be swung in one direction and in the opposite direction when the blade moves to clear. Formed ,in the opposite side walls of the casing 2 adjacent to the inner end thereof are alining slots 11 and extending outwardly of the casing by way of such slots and working therein is a yoke 12 having a stem 13 disposed within the casing and formed with rack teeth 14 meshing with the pinion 7 while secured above and below each slot 11 are guides 15 slidably receiving a plate 16 connected to the respective limb of A the yoke 12 and serving to guide the yoke and s tem and at the same time prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign matter to the interior of the casing. Pivotally connected to the opposite side walls of the casing 5 andA depending therefrom in proximity to the inner end of the casing 2 are arms 17, 17 and journaled in theA lower ends of said ,arms is a shaft 18 having the opposite ends thereof projecting beyond the `arins and the central portion formed to provide7 a crank 19. Depending from the outer extremities of the shaft 18 and rigidly secured thereto are links 20 having the lower. ends thereof pivotally connected to the limbs of the yoke Y 12. Upstanding from the bottom ofthe casing 4 above the casing 2 1s a pivot post 21 and pivotally connected to`v such postwis one extremlty of a channeled casting 22V capable of swinging movement into and out of the casing 5 byway of an elongated slot 23 formed in the top wall of such casing. Arranged transversely of the casing 5 adjacent to the end thereof. opposite from the pivot post 21 is a shaft 24 passed through a slot 25 formed in one end of a strip 26, the opposite end of such strip being formed with an outwardlyiprojecting pivot knuckle disposed between the opposite side walls of the channeled casting 22 and formed with a bore alining with apertures 27 formed in the side walls of such casting to receive a pivot pin 28 whereby a pivotal connection between the strip 26 and the channeled casting is established. Working within the channeled casting 22 is an obstacle comprising, in the present instance, side walls 29, 29 spaced apart in parallelism and interconnected at I the opposite ends thereof by means of blocks 30, 30. rlhe side walls 29, 29 at one end of the obstacle are formed with pivot lugs alin. ing with the bore in the pivot knuckle on the strip 25 and the openings in the adjacent end of the casting 22 tov receive the pivot pin 28, the adjacent end of the block 30 being formed with a concaved seat to receive the pivot knuckle on the strip 26. The Aupper edges of the opposite side walls 29 of the obstacle diverge downwardly from the cen-y 'ter of the latter toward the ends thereof and downwardly to form pivot ears 33, as clearly illustrated Fig. 9 of the drawings, and between the ears 33 is pivoted the lower end of a triplever 34 having the upper end incensi i thereof formed with a slot through which is screws 37 carrying at their inner ends heads 38 and interposed between each head 38 and the adjacent side of the trip lever is a coiled expansion spring 39,such springs counteracting each other to maintain the trip lever in normal position, that is at a point approximately centrally of the side walls of the obstacle.

1n the present instance, the. springs 39 are mounted upon axially alining guide pins carried by the respective heads 38 and the corresponding sides of the trip lever 34 and the confronting ends of these pins are spaced apart suiiicient distances to enable the trip lever to have free play against the action of the springs 39 when such lever is struck. These pins are shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings and by inspecting this iigure, it will be observed that the confronting ends ofthe pins are sui'liciently spaced apart to enable this movement of the trip lever. By means of this construction, it will be seen that when pressure is applied to the trip lever 34, from either direction, such lever Lwill swing about its pivotal connection with the ears 33 against the action of one of the springs 39, according to the direction .of movement of the trip lever, the slot formed in the trip lever permitting the latter to swing in an arc of a circle relatively to the strip ,35. Arranged transversely of the casting 22 and secured to the side walls thereof adjacent to the end connected to the strip 26 is a rod 39a and surrounding the rod is a sleeve 39b provided with depending pivot ears 39c spaced apart and having the openings therein alining with apertures formed in pivot ears 40 carried by the upper end of an inverted U-shaped yoke 41 to receive a pivot rod 39d. Fixed to thev lower extremities of the limbs of the yoke 41 is a block 42 and secured to the block and projecting upwardly into the yoke are rods 43, 43 spaced apart in parallelism. Slidably mounted upon the rods 43, 43 is a movable block 44 normally resting upon the stationary block 42, while surrounding the rods are coiled expansion springs 45 having the lower ends thereof abutting the blocks 44 and the upper ends in engagement with the under surface of the interconnecting member of the yoke 41. Uprising from ,the movable block 44Abetween the rods 43 are ears 45 connected through the medium of a link 46 with one end of a lever 47 pivoted as at 48 to a bracket 49 depending from the under alsace; l

surface of the casing 5, the lever 47 being l blade connected to the lever 9 is thrown to danger position, such lever swings about its fulcrum and through the medium of the rack bar 8 rotates the pinion 7 and so slides the stem 13 outwardly of the casing 2. In the outward movement of the stem 13 the plates 16 slide within. the guides 15, while the' yoke 12 moves to rotate the shaft 18 within-the lower extremities of the arms 19 and so swing the lever 47 upwardly about the pivot 48 thereby transmittingmotion through the medium of the block 44 .and springs 43 to the yoke 41. In the upward movement of the yoke 41, the channeled casting 22 and the obstacle therein as Well as the strip 26l areA moved relatively to one another and elevated to the position shown 1n Flg. 7. In

this position of the parts the obstacle is active and the end of such obstacle connected to the strip 26 is held normally spaced apart from the lower wall Aof the channeled casting bv means of a leaf spring 51 interposed between the under surface 'of the adjacent block 30 and the bottom wall of the casting.

Should a timber .or other load or weight fall upon the obstacle above the Spring 51, the latter will give and so permit the obstacle to swing into the casting 22 and in the event of the weight or load being exceptionally heavy, the obstacle and the casting 22 will swing into the casing 5 irrespective of the holding action exerted upon the obstacle by the pinion 7, stem 13, yoke 12, links 20, shaft 19 and lever 47, the springs 43 compressing against the block 44 in the downward movement of the yoke 41 and the block 42, the block 44 being held stationary incident to the lever 47 being held stationary incident to the connection between the latter and the rack bar 12.

In some instances, as, for instance, where a. motor car or train is stalled in a block, it may be desired to admit a second motor car or train into the block so as to assist the stalled car and when such is desired the obstacle and channeled casting 22 are swung into the casing 5 tov inactive position. In order to so swing the obstacle and casting, I employ a mechanism comprising a pinion 52 mounted upon a shaft 53 journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing 3 and meshing with a rack bar 54 slidably mounted within suitable guides upon the bottom wall of the casing 3.

Pivoted upon the base 1 at one side of the casing 3 is a lever 55 having the inner end thereof connected with the rack bar 54 and the outer end adapted to be operated by shaft 57 hand or power so as to swing the lever about its fulcrum and so slide the rack 'bar 54 within the casing 3. A second rack bar 55 is mounted within the casing 3 and meshes with the pinion 52 and has secured to one end thereof a yoke 54 working within slots 55" formed in' the opposite side walls of the casing 3, y guard plates 56 being secured to the opposite limbs of the yoke and sliding withm guides 57, 57 on the opposite sides of the casing above and below the slots therein, such plates performing the dual function of shields or guards to prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign matter to the casin 3 and supports or guides for the yoke 54 and rack 55. The outer extremities of the yoke 54 are fastened to the ends of arms 56 fixed to and depending'from a shaft 57 rotatably mounted within bearings carried by brackets 58 depending from the bottom of the casing .5, the center .portion of the belng provided with a crank 59 working within a slot 60 formed in a link 61 having the upper end thereof pivotally connected as at 62 to the under surface of the strip 6. By means of this construction, 1t will be seen that when the lever 55 is swung one direction, the rack 54 will limpart motlon to the pinion 52 and so draw the rack bar 55 into thecasing 3 whereby the arms 56 will rotate the shaft 57 and so draw the link 61 downwardly so that the strip 26, the casting 22 and the obstacle will b e `drawn into the casing 5 to inactive position.` By means of the slot 60, the strip 26, casting 22 and obstacle are enabled to move to Inactive position freely when a timber or the like falls upon or engages the obstacle as previously described. r

flhe track instruments have control over sultable car carried stopping mechanism such, for instance, as that lllustrated in my copending application hereinbefore referred to.

While I have herein shown and described one/preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification andvarlation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstacle capable of movement to active and inactive positions, means for swinging the same to and holding the same inactive position, means whereby said obstacle may be depressed under a load or weight independently of said holding means, and means whereby said obstacle may be swung manually to inactive position against the holding action .of said first means. v

swinging movement to active and inactive4 positions, a horizontal shaft, a pinionjfast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, connections between said l'ast rack bar and obstacle, whereby the latter will be swung to active position in the movement of said pinion, and means for actuating said first rack par to rotate said pinion.

4L. A track instrument 'of the class described comprising an obstacle capable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, a horizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yieldable connection between said last rack bar and obstacle, whereby the lat' ter will be swung to active position in the movement of said pinion, and means for actuating said first rack bar to rotate said pinion. v

5. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstacle capable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, a horizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yoke connected to said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft and yoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of said pinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement, a connection between said shaft andr lever, a connection between said lever and obstacle, and means for actuating said first rack bar to rotate said pinion.

6. A track instrument of the class` described comprising an obstacle capable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, a horizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft,'a rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, ayoke connected to said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft and yoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of said pinion, said shaft incensi will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement, a connection between said shaft 60 and lever, a yieldable connection between said lever and obstacle, 'and means for actuating said irst rack bar to rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be` swung to active and mactive positions.

'7. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstacle capable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, a horizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a` rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yoke connected to said last Arack bar, a connection between said shaft and yoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of said pinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement, a connection between said shaft and lever, a yieldable connection between said leverand obstacle, means for actuating vsaid first rackV 4bar to rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be swung to active and inactive positions, and means for swinging said obstacle to inactive position independently of the connections between said pinion and obstacle. y

8. A track' instrument of the class described comprising an obstacle capable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, a horizontal shaft a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yoke connected to said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft and yoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of said pinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement, a connection between said shaft and lever, a yieldable connection between said lever and obstacle, means for actuating said first rack bar to rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be swung to active and inactive positions, a pinion, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, connections between said last rack bar and obstacle, and means for rotating said last pinion whereby the connections between said last rack bar and obstacle will eXert a pull upon the obstacle to render the latter inactive independently of the connections between the obstacle and the first-mentioned pinion.

In testimony whereof l aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GIRARD E. LABlT. Witnesses:

F. C. PUGH, J. ZIEGLER.

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