US1195003A

US1195003A - Cattle-guard

Info

Publication number: US1195003A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1916-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1933-08-15

Description

A. GWYNN.

CATTLE GUARD. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1915.

1,1 95,003. Patented Au 15, 1916.

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CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. [3, IBIS.

Patented Aug. 15,1916.

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Id 400111 I ARTHUR GWYNN, OF LUGERNE, WYOMING.

CATTLE-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed October 13, 1915. serial No. 55,696.

To 4Z6 whom it may concern Be it known that I, Airriiun GwYNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lucerne, in the county ofIIot Springs and State of \Vyoming, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to cattle guards of that class commonly known as surface guards designed to be used principally in connection with railroad tracks for the purpose of preventing cattle or other animals from straying upon a railroad right ot-way, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a guard of this character normally retained by spring means in an elevated position, adaptedwhen moved in a downward direction by the weight of an animal thereon to sound an alarm to frighten the animal to prevent the same from traveling over the guard.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a guard having one orboth of its ends normally elevated by a suitable spring or springs, to arrange an alarm box, including an alarm bell, horn, flash light or any other alarm caused by the depression of the said device, placed either under or at the sides of the same, or by arranging the same in an electric circuit provided with suitable eontact points, one of which being arranged upon the elevated end of the guard and the other in a position to be contacted when the guard is depressed or lowered.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. l is an enlarged detail sectional view approximately on the line 11 of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric wiring, and Fig. 7 is a detail elevation illustrating the manner in which an alarm may be sounded mechanically by the depression of one member toward another member.

In carrying out my invention I construct a guard of a. plurality of longitudinally extending bars 1, which are arranged against the rails 2 of a track as well. as to the opposite sides of the said rails. The bars 1 are connected at inter ads with a plurality of transversely arranged platesi3, the said plates, at the portions which underlie the base flanges of the rails 2 being depressed or offset to snugly receive the base flanges of the said rails, the said offset portions being indicated by the numerals 4.. The offset portion 1 con tacting with the underi'aces of the rails serve to limit the outward movement of the guard and which, as will be noted, in the drawings, is normally forced in an upward direction through the mediumof a plurality of springs 5, the upper convolutions of the said springs receiving studs depending from the plates 3, and the lower convolutions of said springs being likewise received by studs 7 provided in the transversely arranged plate 8 disposed between certain of the rail supporting ties 9. It may here be stated that the spring means for elevating the guard may be arranged to one end or at both ends of the guard, so, if desired, one of the ends may be tilted, the opposite end of the same resting upon the rails and the weight of an animal traveling upon the guard will swing the same to a horizontal position and sound an alarm, in a manner which will presently be described. Of course, the springs as above mentioned may elevate the guard to retain the body of the same in a horizontal position, and at asuitable distance above the ties 1.

The plate 8 in the showing 01 the draw-- ings is arranged between two of the ties adjacent one of the endsot the guard and is supported by a plurality of straps or brackets 1010 which include each a lower hori zontal portion 1.1 upon which the plate rests, angular extensions 12 and-horizontal portions 13 extending from the portions 12, the said portions 13'overlying two of the ties and being secured to the said ties. The plate 8 may be insulated from the brackets 10 or the arms 13 of the said brackets may be insulated from the ties 9, and also-the members carrying the studs 6 are insulated from the plate 3 as well as from the bars 1. The plate 8 is in the nature of an electric conductor and has formed thereon, at suitable spaced intervals, vertically projecting preferably cross sectional contacting members 14 which are adapted to be engaged by contact members 15 arranged upon the plate 3, the said contact members 15 being surrounded by sleeves or collars 16 which surround the contact members l-l and which are preferably insulated from the said contact members 1-1. The ties 9, at the end of the guard are preferably provided with angularly disposed guard plates 1?, so that the foot or hoof of an animal cannot be inserted in the elevated bars of the guard. and the ties 9.

Centrally supporting the guard is a tie member 17 which is of a greater length than the remaining ties 9 and which extends a suitable distance from the ends of the said bars 9. Arranged upon the outer face and at the opposite ends of the said ties 9 are vertically disposed housings 18, the same having arranged therein an audible alarm in the nature of a horn l9 and a flash light 20. Also within one of the housings 18 is a source of energy such as a battery 21.

Arranged in a suitable housing (not shown) preferably central of the guard is an alarm in the nature of a bell 22 which is inserted within a circuit including the battcry, the horns and the flash lights. The current of the circuit is carried by a suitable wire 23 from the battery 21 to the contact member 15.

The numeral 2% designates the wire which connects with one of the horns 19 and the numeral 19 designates the wire which extends from the horn to one of the tlash lights 20. A second wire 25 from the hash light leads to the second flash light and the second wire from the last mentioned flash light leads to the second horn 19. The return wire 26 from the second horn 19 connects with one of the posts or contact members of a bell 22, the other wire, indicated by the numeral 27 extending to the contact member 16.

By reference to the drawings it will be noted that all of the above mentioned wires are concealed in suitable pipes, the same having their inner faces preferably provided with a coating of insulated n'iaterial, or the said wires may be insulated in the usual manner and by depressing the guard, it will be noted that the current passing, as above described, will cause the simultaneous sounding of the horns 19 and bell 22 to gcther with the flashing of the lamps 20.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings 1 have illustrated a mechanically operated horn which is indicated by the numeral 28. This horn 28 is arranged upon the plate 8, similar to the plate 8 directly above the plate 3. The horn is operated in any desired or preferred manner, such as by the actuation of a train of gears, similar to clock gears (not shown),

and the numeral 30 designates the contact member which is arranged below the plate 3, adapted when engaged by the plate 3 to actuate the gears and consequently sound the horn 28.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity of the device, as well as the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention appertains without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A cattle guard arranged upon a railway track, spring means for retaining the guard elevated above the ties for the track, means upon the guard and contacting with the rails for limiting the upward movement of the guard, an alarm, and means between the guard and said alarm for sounding the latter when the guard is depressed.

2. A. cattle guard adapted to be arranged between and to the opposite sides of the rails of a railroad, said guard including longitudinally extending bars, transverse plates connecting the bars, means, comprising springs, for elevating one end of the guard to bring the bars thereof above the level of the track, means, including certain of the connecting bars contacting with the base flange of the rails for limiting said movement of the guard, visible and audible alarms arranged below the guard, and means upon the guard engaging with said alarms to sound the same when the guard is depressed.

3. A cattle guard for railway tracks comprising longitudinally arranged spaced bars arranged between and to the opposite sides of the rails of the track and transverse plates connecting the bars, said plates being arranged below the rails, spring means engaging with the plates for forcing the same into contact with the flanges of the rails, a contact plate arranged below one of the aforementioned plates, contact members projecting from the plates, contact members upon one of the first mentioned plates arranged above the last mentioned contact members, sleeves surrounding the said last mentioned contact members and engaging with the first mentioned contact members, and said contact members being arranged in an electric circuit, battery, a bell, a horn and a flash light.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR GWYNN. lVitnesses A. 13. THOMAS, 1V. T. BIONI.

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

Washington, D. C.