US1221826A - Safety device for railroads. - Google Patents

Description

Q. A. BROOKS.

SAFETY DEVICEFOR RAILROADS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1914.

Patentad Apr. 10, 19W.

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SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAiLROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1914.

Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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c. A. BROOKS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR '-RAILROADS. APPLICATLON HLED FEB- 10. I914- Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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C.A.BRO0KS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, I914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

CLAYTON A. BBIOISKS, 0F GIBARD, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,892.

scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked there on, forming part of this specification.

'My invention relates to safety apparatus and devices for railroads and has for its object the cohstruction oil? mechanism adapted to be automatically operated to cut ed the power and set the brakes of trains when the speed thereofv exceeds the predetermined maximum, or which may be set to stop a train at a. desired station-stop.

in carrying out the objects of my invention I provide a'governor mechanism, and trip mechanism which so cooperate as to open an air-valve, when the predeterniined rate (if-speed is reached bylhc train, so as to.

admit air to pneumatic valvc-mecliapism de signed to turn air into imeumatic mechanism to cause a disconnecting of the throttle operating lever, and simultanemisly close the throttle-\mlve' and set the brakes oi the train.

The features of my invention'are hereinafter i'ullyset forth and pointed out. and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows, viz:

Figure l, is a. view partially in section, showing a diagrammatic arrangement of a portion of mechanism and apparatus for carrying out the objects of my invention.

Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view of a portion of apparatus suitable for carrying out the objects of my invention, showing an arrangement of trip meclnmism, and'g overnor (lri v inc; mechanism.

Fig. 3, is a transverse section of tl e' thia'ittlc lever unlatching mechanism on the l ne 6U, in Fig. 1, looking in the direction ot thearrow.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of a fragment of the same.

Fig. 5, is aview in elevation oi a portion novernor-operated mechanism oi my sis.

is a transverse section of a portion of my apparatus on the line i in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow,

Fig. 7, is a transverse section of the throttle lever unlatching mechanism, showing an alternative construction of the latch mechanism.

Fig. 8, is a side elevation of a fragment of the same. i

Fig. 9, is a rear end view in elevation of a Patented Apr, Mi, raw,

car truck and portion of rail way traclc showing an arrangement of trip mechanism.

Fig-l0, is a plan view of a fragment of rail-way track showing an'arrangement of trip mechanism, according to my invention.

In these drawings A, indicates a throttle valve-stein, and A, a portion of locomotive boiler. The valvestem A, is provided with a notcl'i a, (see Fig. -l, and shown in broken lines in Fig. 1). Slidably mounted upon the valve-stem A, there is a latchblock A which is connected with the throt tle-operating lever, A by means of a link a. The latch-block A is provided with a transverse slot a in which is placed a vertically movable latch-liar (1 which is secured to the arms a of a weight a, by means of which the latch-bar a is normally retained in the transverse notch 09, in the valve-stein A, so that the same may be operated by the throttle lever A in the usual manner.

- Upon the boiler A, I secure a yoke B, which supports a cylinder B, concentric with the valvestem A, and into which said valve-stem will extend when the throttlevalve is opened. In this cylinder there is a. piston B which will operate against the end of the valve-stem A, under conditions hereinafter pointed out. To one of, the arms of the yoke B, there is another cylinder B in which there is a piston. B", and which is secured on a 'giiistonarod which extends through the yoke B, and has on its end a plate B, of a length coextensive with the maximum travel oi the valve-stem A, in the opening and closing; of the throttle-valve of the locomotive. Fromth'e cylinder B to the cylinder B, an air duct 1., extends, the tor ward movement of the piston B opening the intake end of said air duct 1. The cylinder B 1s provided with a vent opening 2),

with which the duct 1, communicates when thepiston B is in its lower-most position. I also provide a transverse o 'icnmg Z),

through the neck of the cylinder B, and a,

transversc oi'iening 5 through the pistonrod B, which, when the piston B moves to a cylinder C, in which there is a piston C,

having a transverse opening therethrough, which coincides with the opening 0, communicating with said air-duct 5, and a vent opening a, in the wall of said cylinder, when said piston C, is in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1; the piston G, is provided with a reduced end C which opcrates in a reduced portion of the cylinder 2 municates with the From the large end of the cylinder an air duct 6, through the air-duct 2, communicates with the air-pipe of the train beyond the engineers valve, and from the'smaller end of the cylinder C, an air duct 7, comsource of air supply through the main air duct 89.

Communicating with the air duct 7, is a. cylinder D, in which there is'a piston D. The cylinder D,-has an enlarged longitudinal extension D in which there is a piston D which is connected with the piston D, by a. rod (Z. The piston D has a transverse opening (Z, therethrough which communicates with openings (Z and (Z in the wall of said cylinder. This piston D also has a recess (1, of sufficient length to span the opening (Z andthe opening (1 in the wall of the cylinder D simultaneously when said piston D is in the position thereof shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. From the opening (1", in the cylinder D a ductlO. communicates with the cylinder B and the main air ducts 89. from supply (not shown) to the engineers valve 4, through the openings (Z and (Z and the transverse opening (Z, in" the piston. From 7 the large end-of the cylinder D an air-duct 11, leads to a cylinder E, and communicates therewith through an opening (2; another airI-duct 12, also communicates with said cylinder E, through an opening e, in the wall thereof and with the main air-pipe 8, from the source of air supply. Within the cylinder E, there is a piston E. having a transverseopeningc therethrough. This piston E. also has a portion thereof cut away so as to form an offset 6 at one end thereof. which. when the piston E. isin its normal position as shown in Fig. 1. will havethe opening 6. in the wall of the cylinder uncovered. and when the piston E. is

in the position thereof shown in broken lines. the air duct 11 and 12. will communicate through the transverse opening 0 The piston E. is provided with an operating rod E The cylinders C and D are each pi' )\'ided with vent openings and (1, and the piston 13", is provided with a spring 6 latch-bar a the source of air I to force a return of said piston .to its normal position. The operation of'the mechanism hereinbefore described is as follows, viz The piston valve E", is moved to the position thereof shown by broken lines in Fig. l, which admits air from the main air through the air ducts 11 and. 12, into the cylinder D which, owing to the 1111' e area of the piston D as compared with t e piston D, the piston D forces the piston D, backward against the air in the air-duct 7, and communication between the air ducts 8 and. 9, is closed, and communication between air ducts 8 and 10, is opened so that air from the main air duct 8, will pass through duct 10, into cylinder B and force piston B", therein upward and thereby through the slide on the valve-stem A, without moving 1 the same. Simultaneously with lifting the 1, andf'a-ir flows therethrough into cylinder B, and forcespiston B forward against the end of the valve-stem A, and moves the same toclose the throttle valve. The upward movement of the piston B, and piston-rod B also simultaneously brings the the piston. B uncovers the opening. from the cylinder B into air'duct transverse opening 12 therethroiigh into 00- incidence with the opening I), which permits air from the train pipe 3, to exhaust.

out through air duct 5, until the pressure in the train pipe is reduced sufliciently to allow'air in the duct 7, acting on the small 1 piston to overcome the piston C, and move said piston C, hackward so as to close the passage through said piston and stop the escape of air from the pressure on the large opening 0, in cylinder C. The apparatus will then continue in this condition until the piston E, in the cylinder E. is returned to the position thereof shown by full lines in Fig. l. which cuts off the supply of air to the cylinder D and opens the duct 11, to exhaust through the opened end of the cylinder E. when the air in duct 7, acting on the small piston D, forces piston D back into the position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 1. again letting air from the main duct 8. in the duct 5). and cutting the same off from duct 10. and cylinders B". and B,

allowing the spring 7r. to force piston 13',

back to its normal position as shown by full lines in Fig. 1. simultaneously allowing air in cylinders B B. and D to exhaust through the vent openings and d.

forcing the smaller piston C backward against the 9.11 in duct 7. The engineer can now move,theletch-hlock A along on the waive-seem A, until the lctchher (i again drops into the notch a, when the valveetem can he again operated as usual. The piston. B not being secured to the l'LlVB-Silflfl A, after being moved backward into the posh tion thereol shown by full lines in Fig. i, does not n'love therefrom when the valvestem A, is manually operated.

The cylinder E, is mounted upon a tlrznne orinclosed case E. through which its operating stem or handle E extends, and which is provided on its extremity with e loop or knob E. For automatically forcing the piston. E, forward, or spring; 6, is provided. The stem E is provided with c notch c,- which is enter-ed by a dog h, which dog; is

retained in engagement with said notch c, h rneens of spring pressed rod i to which- 2; trip wire if: is secured. l-Fivol'ed in the 'rrarine E there is a spring actuated hitchdog, G, which, under certain conditions r hereinafter described, wheirreleaeedhy the spring pressed hook G, adapted lo engage :1 notch c, in the stem 11?, of the valve E, when the same has been released I loy the dog F, and prevent a. manual return The of theseine to its normal position. hook G, is mounted upon a, hell-crank lever G Secured upon the spring 1' ed her 5?, there is a shoulder f, end-curveddng from one arm of the lever'G, to the shoulder f, there is u, post or link G, liming an offset 7, at its lower end. For operating the hell-crank lever G I mount in the case E", an oscillating frame H, (see F 5 and G} in. which there is inouuied a rocl shail't iii, upon which are zuljuetahly secured spring-pressed fingers IL, 7%, and 72, 1 also secureupon said rocloshaift ll", urine h". For causing the firmnell, to oecil ate, 1 pro vide a governor mechanism 3, f

vertically movable stein J", :xtends' uoweirdly. Pirotcd in the case l l", there u lllfillrfil'lli'lk lever J one armor which gauges the stem 3 the other arm of said lcver being connected with the irznnell, by means of a linlc .l. livoted to the upper end of the stem J", is a poet K, which, when extend upwardly to the lojichdog' (i, so

as "to prevent any morei'nent of the same,

mm which i renl; lever ll,

M, when the same has been released by forword movement or the valve-stein E and the stud m, thereon, so as not to change the position of the hell-crank lever L, and the guide arm L, and post K, until the vzilveetem E has been moved back to its normal position. magnetic I'llQCl'ilillSXll for operating one oi the fingers lb,consistiog preferably of a. solenoid N, the core of which connected with one of said fingers. On the huh of the ironic H, I provide a circuit interrupter n, with which brushes or, contact, which brushes are in circuit with said electromagnetic device. i also place in said circuit a, circuit the electromagnetic device has caused the dog F, to release the valve-stein E breaks said circuit so that said dog will he re leased to again engage the notch 6 in said velvestein when it returns to its normal position. From the lingers. FL, and ii, trip wires lfsl and ll", extend to trip mechanism hereinafter described.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I illustrate another form of throttle lever latch. mechanism, in which the latch (l, is pivoted upon the latch block A, above the valvesteni, and is operas-ted by meansolf a spring-pressed bar 9, slid-iv hly mounted in ears on the side of said hitch hlock A, and engages a slotted lever O, on said latch. O, the lower end of theslide-ha r C contacting with the piston operated plate,

B, by which it may be operated to move said latch U, out of the notch'c, 1n the velvestem A.

The governor n'icchanisln J, .is operated by means of u driving-belt l', which 13 passed uround a pulley P, operatively connccled w'h soul governor mechanism and a.

1 h f pulley i 1,. on one ol the locomotive wheel axles l sothat YEU'ltltlOllS U1 speed ol rotation oi said axle Will be con'rn'uncoated tosuld governor meclmnisn'l.

livoted upon suitable supports on the lo= coniiotivc truck mechanism Q; are bell-crank levers ll, and 1%, to one arm of each of n which lever-3;, the trip wires F ll and. ll, are secured, and between the truck-rails S, are secured ,trips 'l, T, and T {see Figs. 4) and lOlthc trips T, and l", lacing secured in such position that they will engage and actuate, the lovers R", and it, and l he trip T, being provided with shifting; Incch snould the hook ll, release said latch-(log he moved into oosition to en 'a e the lever p 7* i lu r-y the 'rraine it", there 38 iother spring pressed valve-stem E and the valve 1E, their moves l l, have provided electrobreaker n which, when the operation of Ill .5

forward into the position thereof shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, when the power will be shut off, and the train brakes set ashere- 'its normal position where it will the valve E,

inbefore described, but the engineer can im mediately draw the valve-stein E back to be again held by the dog F, and he can again operate the throttle valve-stem A, by means of his lever A the train brakes being released by the return of the valveletem E to its normal position.

Trips T, and-T, operate the levers R and R to pull the trip-wires H or H to cause the fingers h, and h, to tip downward, when one or both of said fingers will engage offset r on the bar-G and force it downward, thus causing thedog F, to release the valvestem E, so that the spring ct, may force forward, and willsimultaneously. cause the hook G, to release the latch- G, which will lock the valve-stem E in its forward position as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, and the arm IE, will be raised so as to lift the tooth-bar L upward so that the hooked lever M, will engage one of the teeth and retain the bell-crank lever L, in the lifted position so as to support the post K, in

. proper position imder the latch G. to operate said latch G, to disengage said latch from the notch c, in the valve-stem 15?, when the slowing down of the governor mechanism causes said post K, to move upward against said latch G. The latch G, is provided with steps 9, g", and G to correspond with the fingers it, h, and if, both of which represent different rates of speed. which; when exceeded will, by the cooperation of the governor mechanism J, and trips T. and T, and

the electromagnetic mechanism N. cause the mechanism hereinbefore described, to reduce the rate of speed to the required point. be fore the valve-stem E will be released by the action ofthe governor J, through the post K, and latch G, so that the engineer can draw the valve-stem E back to its normal position. Accordingly, when the frame H, is oscillated by the governor mechanism J, when the train exceeds a rate of speed of,

say, twenty-five (25') miles an hour, the

finger It, will be over the off-set g, on the bar (3, and the upper end of the post K,

Jwill be withdrawn sufficiently from the step (7, on the latch G, to permit the latch, when released, to engage the notch e", in the valvestem E the lever It", strikes the trip T, and

thereby pulls down the finger h which en gages the off-set g, on the bar G operates the dog F, to release the valve-stem E and operate the hook G, to release the-latch G,

to lock said walve-stem in said forward posi- Y tion, the hooked lever M, meanwhile having engaged the toothed-bar L thereby holding the upper end of the post K, in position under the relative step on the latch G, so that when the slowing down of the train and ing the same ters-Pate-nt is: i I

1. In an apparatus of the character dc governor J, raises the post K, upward and G, when the valve-stem E is again free for the manual operation of the engineer.

The trip T, is for the purpose of perform-.

operation as above described, when the'train exceeds a speed of, say, forty (40) miles an hour, the governor mechanism J, oscillating the fingers 'h, h, and 7: far enough for the finger h, to be over the offset 9, when the operation of the lever R, by the trip T, lease thevalve-stem E the governor mechanism 'J, drawing the post K, far enough downward for its end to engage the step 9 on the latch G, when the lever L. is operated by the arm k to push said post under said step and when a rate of speed of, say, fifty (50) miles an,hour'is reached, the governor mechanism will turn the frame H, far enough thatthe finger 7L will be.

over the'otfset f]. and the circuit interrupter. n, will close the circuit through the electromagnetic device N, which will then, through lever U, pull down the finger 71. and the mechanism will operate to slow downand stop the train as hercinbefore described.

I The rates of speed herein mentioned, it will be understood, are only mentioned as examples. as the governor mechanism J, and fingers it, h, and if, can be regulated for any speed required. the operation of the mechanism remaining the same. It will also be understood that the number of-rates of speed may be increased or diminished as desired. by adding fingers and trips.

I W'hen-a low rate of speed is required, as ata down grade, or at a curve. or bridge, a trip for 'the required speed-can he placed in the track, and when thetrain passes the trip its'speed will be reduced automatically to the required rate, before the engineer can move the valve-stem E hack to its normal position, to reverse the action of the mechanism hereinbefore described. so that he can again open the throttle of his engine.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letscribcd, a-throttle-valve-stem, a, latch-block slidably mounted thereon. an operating lever .operatively connected therewith, cylinder and piston mechanism adapted to move said valve-stcm to close said throttle-valve; c vlinder and piston mechanism adapted to .re-

leasesaid latch-block from engagement with said valve-stem, an air-duct from the last mentioned cylinder to the first mentioned cylinder having the entrance thereinto from the last mentioned cylinder so located as to be uncovered by the piston therein, and

will, as above described, re-

scribed, a throttle valve-stem having a trans.

verse notch therein, a latch-block slidably mounted on. said valve-stem with which the throttle operating, lever is connected, a latch on said block. so as to prevent said block from. sliding on said valve-stem, a cylinder,-

a piston therein adapted to operate against the end of said valve-stem, a cylinder secured transversely to said valve-stem, an air duct leading from the last mentioned cylinder to the valve-stem operating cylinder, a piston and piston-rod in said transverse cylinder, a plate parallel with said throttlevalve-stem secured on the end. of said piston rod and adapted to raise said. latch out of said notch when its connected piston is operated, said last mentioned piston being adapted to act as a valve to open communication from its cylinder into said air duct, and valve mechanism, to admit air into said last mentioned cylinder, substantially as set forth.

in an apparatus of the character de scribed, a valvestem having a notch therein,

latch-block slidably mounted thereon and connected with the throttle operating lever, a, yolre having the arms thereof parallel With said valvestem, cylinder supported by said yoke, concentric with said valve-stem, a piston in said cylinder, a latch pivoted in said latch-block above said valve-stem, an arm on said latch, a spring pressed rod en gaging said arm and slidablv mounted on the side of said latch-block, a cylinder secured to one arm of said yoke, and having an opening in the Wall thereof, a piston in said cylinder adapted to uncover said opening on its upward movement, a piston rod secured thereto and extending upward through said yoke arm, a plate on the upper end of said piston-rod-adapted to engage said spring-pressed rod and raise the same to operate said latch, an air duct leading from said opening in the wall of said cylinder to the cylinder concentric with said valve-stem, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a throttle-valve-stem, a slidable block thereon, latch mechanism for securing said block ncnslidably on said valvestem a throttle ope ating lever connected with said latch mechanism, piston mechanism to operate said latch mechanism an air duct communicating With the main train pipe, valve mechanism controlling the air passage in said duct operatable by said piston mechanism, piston mechanism adapted to operate said throttle-valve-stcm, an air admit air to said piston, substantially as described.

5. ln'an apparatus of the character de scribed, piston mechanisms for disconnecting the engineers throttle operating lever, closing the throttle-valve and reducing the pressure in the train pipe, pneumatically actuated valvemechanism ior admitting air to said piston mechanisms, and. valve mocha nism for controlling admission and exhaust of air to and from said pneumatically actuated valve mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i 6. ln an apparatus of the character set forth, piston mechanisms for disconnecting the engineers throttle operating lever, closing the throttlevalve and reducing the pressure in the train pipe, valve mechanism for controlling admission and exhaust of air to and from said piston mechanisms, a spring toactuate saidvalve in one direction, a valve-stem for operating said valve in the opposite direction, a spring pressed dog tomaintain said valve open to exhaust, a trip lever, flexible connection between said dog and said trip lever, and a trip adjacent the rail-road rails-to actuate said trip lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a valve adapted to control the admission and exhaust of'a-ir a spring to operate said valve in one direction, a stem to operate said valve in the opposite direction, spring actuated dog mechanism to prevent the operation of spring, spring' actuated latch mechanism adapted to engage said stem when released by said spring-pressed dog, and prevent. manual operation of said stem, a hooked lever to engage said latch mechanism, and maintain it normally out of engagement with said stem, a bellcrank lever to operate said hooked'lever, a bar pivoted to one arm of said hell-crank lever'having an olfseti shoulder thereon and adapted to engage and operate the operating mechanism of said spring-pressed dog, tilting, laterally movable fingersadapted to engage said oil-set shoulder, trip-levers,

trips adjacent to the rail-road tracks'adapted to engage and move said trip-levers, connections between said trip-levers and said laterally movable tilting fingers, governor mechanism, mechanism operated thereby adapted to give lateral 'movement to said fingers, and a vertically movablepost controlled by said governor so as to control the operation'ot said latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth, 8. in an apparatus at the character described, a valve to control theadmission and exhaust of air, a spring to operate said valve in one direction, a stem to operate said valve, i

, duct forming communications between said in the o osite direction 5 rin ressed do h u u r a .3 piston mechanism and valve mechanism to stem and maintain said spring in a 00111- pressed condition, a spring actuated latch adapted when released, to engage said valvestem and lock the same to manual opera- 5 tion, lever and hook mechanism adapted to i normally retain said latch out of engage -ment with said valve-stem, a bar pivoted to said lever and hook mechanism and engaging said spring-pressed dog mechanism 10 and having an offset shoulder thereon, laterally movable tilting fingers adapted to bemoved laterall over said shoulder, rearwai-dly extending arms on said lingers, a governor mechanism. mechanism actuated 5 by said governor mechanism to give lateral movement to said tilting fingers, a circuit interrupter operated by said governor mechanism, brushes in contact therewith, an elec tro-magnetic mechanism adaptedby means 30 of mechanical. connections to cause one 'of end of said post, lever mechanism for on trolling said swinging guide adapted to be operated by said rearward.Iextensions on said fingers, and means controlled bf said valve-stem for retaining said swinging guide in its abnormal position, substantially,

as and for the purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I afliX my in presence of two witnesses.

' w CLAYTON A. BROOKS.

lVitnesses Jos. A. McCoRMAcK, H. M. STURGEON.

signature,

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