US1176923A - Automatic danger-signal for railways. - Google Patents

Description

W. M. PERKINS. I AUTOMATIC DANGER- SIGNAL FOR R AILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, I915.

Patented Mar. 28,1916.

Wihwooao THE COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH c0" WASHINGTON. D. c.

WILLIAM M. PERKINS, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC DANGER-SIGNAL FOE RAILWAYS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WVILLIAM M. PERKINS, a citizen 'of the United States, residing at North Manchester, in the county of WVabash and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Danger-Signals for Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, 7

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in thea-rt to whichit appertains to make and use the same. i V r This invention is in the nature ofan automatic danger signal for railways.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable and thoroughly practicable mechanism for operating danger signals on railways.

- A further object is to provide, in connection with such operative mechanism i for dangerfsignals, a lighting system whereby whenthe danger sign is exposed, a warning light will be also operated.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement andcombinatlon of the parts of and after- In order that the construction and operand will be now specifically described in connection Withsaiddrawings, in which,

Figure 1, represents in elevation, partly in section, an approved mechanism for carryingout my invention, the connecting parts fOf the mechanism being broken out to shorten the figure. Fig. 2, a top plan view of. a" portion of .the system including the road bedmechanis'm for operating the signal 1 levers. Fig.3, an elevation of the primary signal operating mechanism, Fig. 4, a view 45 of theopposite side of the housing from that shown in Fig. 1, and, Fig. is an end elevation of a housingused in connection with my improved signallng mechanism with parts attached thereto. 50

Like characters of reference mark the same parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Inthis specification, to the right, on Figs. 1, 2 and 3, will be considered as forward and to the left as rearward, in referring to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6. 1915. Serial No. 26,196.

pivoted along sideof the rails 5 in a posi- .tion to be passed over by a forwardly mov- 'ing train before reaching the middle mecha- Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

movement ofa train over the track, such directions being reversed in Fig. 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 5 indicates the ordinary railway rails and 6 across bar or weight in substantially the posltion of a cross tie, connecting the two rails at the middle point of my mechanism.

7, 7, indicate levers or false rails pivoted as at 8 to the side of one of the rails and extending toward each other to a point 8 just above the cross bar 6, sufficient space being'left at this point to permit the inner en'ds9 of the false rails 7 to be pressed down upon the cross bar 6. At 10 is erected alongside the railway, a standard in which is journaled on a pivotal pin 11 an elbow lever which comprises arms 12 and 13. The arm 12 is attached by a rod or link 14 to the outer end of cross bar 6 at the point 8, Fig. 2, while the arm 13 is connected to a rod or cable 15 which passes over a pulley 18 mounted in a frame or housing 19, and is connected at its lower end to a weight 20 in the housing. A similar cable 21 connected to the weight 20 passes upward over a pulley 22 and outward, its outer end being connected at 23 with a danger signal or gate bar 241 pivoted to the housing.

At 25, a latch 26 is pivoted to the housing which, atits inner end, as at 27, is connected 'by a link 28 to anelbow lever pivoted at 51 to the reverse side, of the housing, said elbow lever being connected at its opposite end, as at 52, to a cable 15 which extends rearwardly, beyond the standard 10, to the primary operating mechanism of my system,

as inFig. 8, consisting of an elbow lever having an arm 13, to which the cable 15 is securedand an arm 12 pivoted at 11 to a standard 10' and an elbow weighted lever 7 nism before described. The arm 12 is connected by a link 14 to a cross bar 6 which is pressed down when the elbow weighted lever is tiltedby a passing train todepress" said cross bar. A pin 29 projects from the side of the housing in the path of the latch 26 which serves to limit its downward movement to a proper operative position.

At 30,'a latch 31 is pivotally connected to the housing which serves, when the danger signal or gate bar 2 1 is lowered and in operative position, as shown in dotted lines in 110 connected at 33 by means of a link Btwith a lever 35 pivotedat 32 to the housing, having '5 a weighted end 36 and carrying at its outer end, as at 37, suitable links and rods 38 which connect it at 39 with the meeting ends I of the two levers or false rails 40, 10. The rails 40, are of a construction similarto the levers 7, 7, and pivoted in 'a likemanner at 11, ell to the sides of the rail.

The operation of the mechanism thus 'far described maybe described as follows'cz VVith the parts in the position illustratedinFig. 1,

the danger signal or: gate bar 2i 1 is raised indicating that the crossmg at wh ch sald signal is located is safe to be used by p" ssing animals and vehicles. A'train approach-in as from the left in Fig. 1, the wheels running upon the rails 5 will tilt the weighted elbow lever 7 7*,and depress the cross bar G and thus draw downward the connecting link-14c, whereby the elbow lever will be operated'on its pivot swinging the arm 13'tothe left, drawing on the cable 15 swinging the elbow leveron its pivot, drawing down on'link 28 and raising the latch 26 oil the signal or gatebar 24:. In continuing its passage to' the right over the rails5 the train will ride over false rails 7, 7, depressing cross bar 6,

drawing down 011 arm 12 of the elbow lever, swinging the arm 13-tliereof to therleft and carrying with it the connecting rodor cable 15, and at the same time raisingthe weight 'allowing the cable 21 to'slack which will permit the danger signal or gate bar 243to drop to the danger position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the danger signal 7 reaches its operative position as shown in dotted lines in Fig; 1, it will be engaged by the latch 31 which is formedwith an upward and outwardly extending end which engages the outer edge of'th'e signal 24 and held down normally in that position by the weight 36 on the lever-35. The engineor train continuingtomove toward'the right will now ride up on the levers lOor 'false rails, depress them at their point of junction 39, draw downthe outer end of the lever 35, pulldown on link or rod a lows]: the inner end of the latch 31 and release said latch from the danger signal or gate ger signal 24 into position, shown in full' linesin Fig. 1, where it will be engaged by the latch 26 and held in that position until another engine or train operates the levers 7 7, and 7, 7. A weighted elbow lever similar to the lever 7*, may be substituted for the false rails 40, 40, iii-desired. Inorder to combine an illuminating signal with the continued at 45 to a contact plate lo on the 79 signal. This circuit is completed by another wire 17 extending from the battery up a post 48 to a contact plate 49 on said post. The two plates 46 and 49 are in con "tact'when'the'danger signal is down, or in,

operative position, as shown indotted lines 1 in Fig. l,'and the circuit is completedso that the lamp 44 will be lighted whenever ithe'dangr' signal. is down. VVhenT the: danfger signal is' raised, however, to inoperative, 30 position, the plate46 isjmoved off'the plate- {l9, th'is breaking the circuit and putting out the light. I V V v 7' The construction, practicability, economy fandf'du'rability of themechanism tempt ss5,

and arrangement of the partswithout de- -eo f parting from the spiritand'thesoopeofthei invention. a

Having thus fully describedmy invention ,whatI claim as newan'd desireto secureby 'Letters'Patent is .i .95

1. 'In a railway signah the combinatidnf 10f a' weight, two cables .extendingupward 15mm s'aidf weight, a signal board I connected to one of said oables,an elbow lever actuated by the passage of a train and-conneetedw w to, theother cable, a-latch for holdingthe signal board in raised or'inoperativeiposinon, means for releasinglthe Manatee weighted latchnormally holding thetsignal board in depressed or operative position.

a weight,xtwo cables extending upwardiroin said weight, a pivoted signal board connected to one of said cables an elbow leveractuated by the passage ofa trainand con- ,1, nected to theother cable, a latch for hold- I mg the signal'board in raised or inoperative position, means for releasing the latch, a weighted latch normally holding the signal board in depressed or operative position,'a:;} pa1r of"depressible levers pivoted to the sidefof the railway rail, anintermediate pivoted lever connected at its outer end to V the'meeting ends of the saidpair. of levers,

and a link connecting therintermediate le-tt V ver to the last named latch; V

3. automatic signal system comprising a-housing, a signal board pivoted thereto, a

weight in the housing, a connection froin' the signal boardto the weight, a pair Of1 7 'false railspivoted to the track, a weighted cross ba'r under the false rails, a standard, an elbow lever pivoted thereon, a link c on- -necting one arin of the elbow lever t o the cross bar, and acableeonneeting the otherz i 1- 1 2. In a railway signal, the combinationof j arm of the elbow lever to the weight in the housing. 7

4. An automatic signal system comprising a housing, a signal board pivoted thereto, a weight in the housing, a connection from the signal board, to the weight, a pair of false rails pivoted to the track, a weighted cross bar under the false rails, a standard, an elbow lever pivoted thereon, a link connecting one arm of the elbow lever to the cross bar, a cable connecting the other arm of the elbow lever to the weight in the housing, a latch pivoted in the housing, adapted to hold the signal board down, a weighted lever pivoted in the housing, a link connecting the pivoted lever with the latch, a pair of false rails at the housing, a cross bar under the false rails, and connections between the cross bar and the weighted lever.

5. An automatic signal system comprising a housing, a signal board pivoted thereto, a weight in the housing, a connection from the signal board to the weight, a pair of false rails pivoted to the track, a weighted cross bar under the false rails, a standard, an elbow lever pivoted thereon, a link connecting one arm of the elbow lever to the cross bar, a cable connecting the other arm of the elbow lever to the weight in the housing, a weighted elbow lever pivoted to the rail in advance of the false rails, a cross bar under said weighted elbow lever, a standard, an elbow lever pivoted on the standard, connections between one arm of the elbow lever and the cross bar, a latch in the housing to hold the signal board up, an elbow lever pivoted in the housing, connections between one arm of the elbow lever and the latch, and connections between the other arms of the two elbow levers whereby to release the latch when the weighted elbow lever is tilted by a train.

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

WILLIAM M. PERKINS.

Witnesses: E. A. EBBINGHAUS,

' J. A. CLEVENGER.

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

. Washington, D; G.

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