US1265617A - Bridge-gate. - Google Patents

Description

D. H. COSHAM.

BRIDGE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10. 1917.

Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET irfaFME/ BRIDGE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May "7, 1918.

Application filed. October 10, 1917. Serial No. 195,749.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID H. CosHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridge-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gates for drawbridges, and more particularly a gate which is operated by the movable span of the bridge, the gate being thus automatically closed when the span swings open, and returned to open position when the span is closed.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient gate mechanism of the kind stated, and to this end. it consists in a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the gate in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective, with parts broken away, showing the gate operating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of said mechanism on the line 4.l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective showing an alarm device;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bearing, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fragment of the invention showing the same applied to a bascule bridge.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes a fragment of a swinging drawbridge span and 11 is the approach thereto, the latter having sidewalks 12 and street car tracks 13. At the end of the approach, off to one side thereof, this being the side on which the traffic approaches the bridge, is located a housing l-fl inclosing a gate mechanism. If desired a gate mechanism may also be located on the other side of the approach.

From the housing 14: rises an upright post or standard 15 having in its side which faces the bridge 10 a vertical slot in which is slidably mounted a bar 16 having lateral. guide ears 17 engaging the wall of the post.

On the bridge 10 is mounted a double inclined abutment 18, which latter, when the bridge is closed, is engaged by the upper end of the bar 16, thereby preventing the latter from rising.

The post 15 is hollow and houses a cable 19, pulley 20 and a weight 21 carried by the cable, the latter being connected to the slide bar 16 in such a manner that said bar is made to rise When the abutment 18 leaves the upper end of the bar as the bridge opens. Vvhen the bridge again swings closed the abutment depresses the slide bar as it mounts the same. This movement of the slide bar is utilized for operating the gate to be presently described.

The lower end of the slide bar 16 is connected to a rocker arm 22 carried by a shaft 23 mounted in the housing 14. Parallel to the shaft 23 is a shaft 25 also inclosed in the housing, the two shafts being suitably journaled in the housing. On the shafts 23 and 25 are rocker arms 26 and 26 respec tively, which are connected by a rod 27, so that the two shafts rock in opposite direc tions through a quarter turn when the slide bar 16 is actuated. Fig. 6 illustrates one of the shaft bearings, the same having a removable upper half 29 and an attaching flange 29 The shafts 23 and 25 project from the housing '14, and the shaft 23 carries a verticaliy swinging two-bar gate 30, the outer end of said shaft being supported in a bearing 31 on the outside of the housing. The shaft 25 carries a single-bar gate 32. \Vhen the shafts 23 and 25 are operated, the gates and 32 drop down in opposite directions across the highway and sidewalk, respectively, this action resulting when the slide bar 16 rises as the bridge 10 swings open. The gates are normally in erectposition and they swing downward and come to horizontal position when closed.

'With the hereinbefore described gate mechanism is also associated an audible alarm device which is automatically sounded when the gates are lowered. This alarm device comprises the following parts:

Inside the post 15, near the top thereof, are mounted two spaced cross bars 33 carrying a crank shaft 3 1 from which a bell 35 is hung. One end of the crank shaft projects from one of the cross bars 33 and terminates in a lateral bend 36 which is in the path of an abutment lug 37 on the slide bar 16, so that when the latter rises to let down the gates, the crank shaft 34 is given a turn, swinging the bell upward, and when the lug clears the part 36, the shaft is released, permitting a sudden drop and oscillation of the bell, which is thus sounded.

When the bridge closes and the slide bar 16 descends, the lug 37 readily passes the part 36 and does not jar the bell sufficiently to sound the same.

The gate carries at its outer end an extension arm, 38 having an obtuse lateral bend 39 at one end, and pivotally hung at the angle formed by said bend on a cross pin 40 carried by the gate bars near the outer ends thereof, the arm 38 being located between said bars. The arm 38 is in upright position between the side bars of the gate when the gate is up. y

In order that the arm 38 may swing for ward as the gate 30 begins to lower, and at the same time not touch the ground, the following means is provided:

An inclined link bar 41 is connected at one end to the outer end of the bend 39, and at the other end to a pin 42 carried by a shelf 43 mounted on the wall of the housing 14. The link bar is longitudinally slotted at 44 to take the pin 42, a slidingconnection being thus provided. This slotted portion 45 of the link extends laterally from the main portion of the link and it is normally in pendant position, with the pin at the upper end of the slot.

When the gate 31 begins to lower, it draws the extension bar 38 along with it, but as the bar 41 initially is not movable in the direction of its length, the bar 38 swings upward, and when the gate is down it extends horizontally in alinement therewith from its outer end. During this movement of the parts, the link bar 41 drops to and below the horizontal, it swinging about the pin 42, and when the slotted portion 45 of the link comes to horizontal position, the link is free to slide forward to follow the bar 38, the pin 42 riding in the slot 44.

The gate 30 carries a cover plate 46 for a signal lamp 47 mounted behind a Window in the housing 14. When the gate is up, this plate covers the lamp, and when the gate lowers, the lamp is uncovered and rendered visible.

Fig. 7 shows the invention applied to a bascule bridge 49. A link 50 connected to the slide bar 16 is substituted for the abutment 18, said link being connected to any convenient portion 51 of the bridge.

The extension bar or arm 38 of the gate does not lengthen out until it is swung down far enough to clear trolley wires or other overhead obstructions.

1. The combination with the movable span of a drawbridge, and the approach thereto; of a vertically swinging gate 011 the ap proach, a slidable bar controlled by the span, a rock shaft carrying the gate, and a rocker arm on said shaft to which the slidable bar is connected.

2. The combination with the movable span of a drawbridge, and the approach thereto,

of a vertically swinging gate on the approach, a slidable bar controlled by the;

span, a rock shaft carrying the gate, a

rocker arm on said shaft to which the slid able bar is connected, a second vertically swinging gate operating in the opposite direction from the first mentioned gate, a rock shaft carrying the second mentioned gate, crank arms on both rock shafts, and a rod connecting said crank arms.

3. The combination with the movable span of a drawbridge, and the approach thereto; of a vertically swinging gate on the approach, a slidable bar, an abutment on thespan engaging the bar when the span is closed and holding the bar from sliding, means for sliding the bar when the abutment clears the bar as the span opens, a rock shaft carrying the gate, and a rocker arm on said shaft to which the slide bar is connected. Y

4. A gate comprising a bar pivoted at one end to swing in a vertical plane, an extension bar pivoted at one end to the outer end of said gate bar, a link connected to the pivoted end of the extension bar and extending rearwardly therefrom for swinging the extension bar into alinement with the gate bar when the latter lowers, the rear end of the link having a downward bend provided with a longitudinal slot, and a stationary pin seating in said slot.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVID H. COSHAM.

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

Washington, I). G. V

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