US1232774A - Electric railway-crossing signal. - Google Patents

Description

A. L. 0 v|s. ELECTRIC RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FiLEI] SEPT-26.19%.

Patented July 10, 191?.

flmn Mega ing switch arm, respectively.

. arm 16 connected by a link PAT FllQE;

AGATHA L. DAVIS, OF CLINTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

EIiECTRIC RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July io, rare.

Application filed September 26, 1916. Serial N 0. 122,278.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I AGATHA L. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Clinton, county of Laurens, State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

This invention relates to that class of .electric railway gates or other crossing-protecting devices in which the approach of a train to a crossing or station lowers a gate, sounds an audible signal or displays a visible signal, and which, when the train reaches any desired point farther on, causes the gate to be raised or the signals to be returned to their normal conditions.

The object of this invention is to provide a simply constructed and an efl'ectually working apparatus which will. require a minimum of expense to install and operate. This object is accomplished by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in

which .Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing a single track with a gate protecting a crossing and the several electrically operated devices for operating said gate;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation orv the operating arm which is carried by the train Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the gate post to show the operating means for the gate;

Figs. 4 and 5. are detail perspective views of one of the switch blocks and a cooperat- In all of the figures of the drawing, like reference numerals designate the same parts. Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the trackfrails, 11 the crossing, and 12- the gate or protector as an entirety. The gate shown is preferably of the usual type having a counter-balanced arm 13 and means within its casing 141 for operating said arm. In the instance shown, the arm ISisfiXed to a shaft 15 having secured thereto a crank- 17 to a pitman 18 which is operated by an electric motor 19, or other electrically operated means.

The gate is caused to be operated to a closed position by operating switches located a considerable distance from'and on each side thereof, so that a train passing in either direction will operate ;the same.

These operating switches are identical in every respect, except that'they are oppo armature secured thereon with a metal projection or arma sitely disposed to each other and each is preferably mounted upon a suitable base 20 and consists of a circuit-closer block 21, a magnet 22, and a switch arm 23 having an Circuit-closer blocks 21 are provided with two pairs of contacts 24 and 25, respectively, forming circuit closers, the first of which will be termed the magnet contacts and the latter the protector contacts. Each pair of contacts or circuit closers is provided with a contact spring 26 which is fixed at one end to one of said contacts and normally free from engagement with the other. Each set of upper or magnet contacts is connected in circuit with a magnet 22 and a battery 27,

and each set of lower or protector contacts I is connected in circuit with the gate 12 and a v battery 28. Thus when the contacts24 are connected by the springs 26, the current from the battery 27 flows through the magnet 22 and energizes the same, and, when the contacts 25 are connected by their springs, the current from the battery 28 will flow through the electric motor 19 and cause the same to lower the gate.

The springs 26 are pressed into engagement with the free contacts by the switch arm 23 which is pivoted at 29 to the base and is provided with a push-block 30 of in- "sulating material, which engages both springs 26 simultaneously. Thus the maget andgate circults are closed at the same time, Each switch arm 23 is normallyheld cured at its other end to the locomotive frame.

'From the above description, it is obvious that when one of the switch arms 23 is moved by the locomotive to close the magnet and gate circuits, the magnet is energized to retain the switclr arm in the contacting position, .said switch arm being which cooperates with the 'aguet 2 will thusbe seen that the opt iting SWftClldS can be located any distance fromthe gate and when the switch arm is closed, the gate will be lowered to protect the crossing and will remain closed until the controlling circarts are broken.

To break the circuits, a cut-out switch,

with thelr free ends projecting toward the track. Said free ends are normally electrirally connected by a metal plug 37 which rests between them, and said metal plug 37 is mounted upon a lever 38 pivoted intermediate its ends to a suitable support, as at 39, to provide an arm it) which projects toward the track and into the path of the push-arm 32 on the locomotive. Thus a train traveling in either direction will strike the arm a0 and swing it upon its pivot to cause its opposite end to spread the spring arms 36 apart and break either magnet circuit which has previously been closed.

In operation, a train traveling in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 will first contact with the switch arm 23 at the right-hand side of the gate, thereby pushing it to cause the push-block 30 to close both the magnet and gate circuits through the springs 20. The gate circuit being thus closed, the electric motor crate to lower the gate. At the same time, the magnet circuit is closed. which energizes the magnet 22 and which will retain the switch arm armature in contacting position and consequently keep the gate circuit closed and retain the gate in its lowered position. The gate remains lowered until the train reaches the cut-out switch, when the lever 38 is operated to break'the magnet circuit through the spring arms 36. hen the mag net '22 is deenergiz'ed, this releases the switch arm (which caused to return to normal position by the spring 31) and consequently breaks the gate circuit and allows the gate to rise through the medium of its counterbalancing weights.

It will be observed that the switch arms are pushed by the locomotive into contacting position and are not attracted by the magnets'until they reach the magnets and the magnet circuit is closed by the push Copies of this patent may he obtained for 19 is caused to op five cents each, by addi'essing the the gate and magnet circuits and be positioned to be attracted and retained in contacting position by the magnet.

Furthermore, owing to the push-arm 32 belng resilient, it will momentarily hold the switch arms 23 in contacting'engagement with their respective magnets and circuit closers when it pushes either of the switch arms into operative position because of the sliding contact; consequently the circuits are certain to close. The same effect is secured when the switch arm 23 engages the arm at) of the cut-out switch, the contacting springs being momentarily held open to make certain of the breaking of the switches.

It will be further observed that in this apparatus a double remote control circuit is provided, the second or magnet circuit holding the first or protector circuit-closed and also controlling the breaking of said first circuit.

Having thus I claim is:

In an apparatus of the kind described, two separate and independent electric circuits, one of which is provided with a crossing protector and a normally opencircuit closer, and the other circuitbeing provided with a normally closed cut-out switch and a normally open circuit closer and a magnet, and a switch arm independent of said circuit closers andprovided with an armature and adapted to be moved into simultaneous contact with both of said circuit closers by an 'arm projecting from a moving train, whereby both circuits are simultaneously closed causing the electric current in one circuit to separately operate the crossing protector to danger position and separately energize the magnet by the current in the other circuit and hold the armature and its switch arm in contact with the circuit closers to retain the crossing protector in danger position until the cut-out is operated.

described my invention, what In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

AGATHA L. DAVIS.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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