US1323091A

US1323091A - Train-stop be vice

Info

Publication number: US1323091A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1936-11-25

Description

H. Al. NEVENS.

TRAIN STOP DEVICE. APPLICATION Hummm. 2s. uns.

Patented ov'. 25,19n9.

H. R. NEVENS.

TRM-N soP oEvmE.

APPLICATION FILED HAR- 28.1916. V 3,@ l Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 24 H. R. NEVENS.

TRAIN STOP DEVICE.

APPLICATION min MAR. 2s. me.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3- SHEETS-SEEN 3.

172 J 60 J 5J 7 7 a4 @Z l 140 55 10 |l IA 4 "cierran srarns ritrarre eremit- EERBERT Rf NE'VENS, OF DORCHESTEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSGNOR T0 NEW-ENQ- LLACT. TRAIN CONTBL COVIPANY, A CORPORATON OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TRAIN-STOP DEVICE.

#ia-rencor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 19M?.

T 0 all whom t may cof/wcm:

Be it known that I. Hnnnnirr it. Nnvicns, a citizen of the United States. residingl at Dorchester. county of' Suffolk. Coininonwealth of lvlassachusetts, 'have invented certain neiv and useful Improvements in Traintop Devices, of which the followingis a specication.

lThis invention relates to autoinatic train stop inechanisn'i and particularly to that mechanism. of a related train stop systein which l shall hereinafter terni the track installation. :is illustrative of a track instaL lation of the. general character involved herein. reference is made to the structure disclosed in the application of Lewis R. llfallace. Serial No. 31,939.. While having many objects in conirnon With said applica-- tion7 the present invention has certain olojects and involves certain fundan'iental differences not present in said application; as -wil he explained inore fully hereinafter. i

The track stop of iny present invention is supported 'tor rotation through a quarterV .f a revolution in a horizontal plane so as to swing` into and out of the path of' a. brake relief ineinher on the train, and is norinally i disposed iii supported safety position. The

support for the track stops is controlled through suitable connections,` including a norinally closed locking circuit hy the condi'. of the lolock next ahead. block nent ahead he occiujiied. this locking` circuit is broken and the support for the track stop released. This support descends by gravity and by itsl descent revolves the trac( stop through a quarter of a. revolution to its interfering;l position or dangei iosition in the path of the train-carried brake relief ineniloer. The track stop reinains in dancer position until the conditions which caused it to assume this position are removed, as for example7 by the passage of the train vWhich occupies the hlock lie-Xt ahead out of said block, or in the case of failure oiV breakage of any of thepparts of the ii'iechanisin7 hy the repair or restoration of such failing parts.V ln the norinal operation the track stop, the n ioveinent thereof to intcrffring or dangei"7 position puts a niotor which is included in norniailv open restoring vcircuit controlled by thc vdonileunt locking; circuit to the block.

Should the track stop to he disposed in posio next ahead, in conditionto hecoine effective by the closing of said restoring circuit. The restoring,` circuit is closed by the closing of the doi'iiinating locking circuit and this ocinernhei' of special design, lifts the support'A for the track stop` During this lifting` action this support itself is caused to revolve vwhereby to rotate the track stop to safety position, Vand be vlocked in such position,

whereupon the inotor circuit is broken and' the inotoi' stopped.

This restoring' ineinoer consists of a gear Wheel rotated in one direction by the powertransinitting train frein the niotor to restore the track stop and in the reverse direction h v the gravity tendency of theparts to inove to unsupported position upon release of the locking' niechanisin therefor. Tliegear Wh eel has lifting engagement with a part on the supporting` shaft of the track stop in the restoring' inovenient thereof through a suitable lifter device. This device is inounted for sliding` travel across the face of the gear Wheel itself.. so as to positively el'iiniiiate any tendency of the gear to stop at afdcad center `when the inotor is cutout. Should the gear in its restoring movement revolve pass the liinit of effective supporting engagement of the slide with the device on the track stop shaft, the slide simply passes froin under said device and crops to theopgosite end of its slideivay by gravity, the shaft drops hack to non-restored' position, and the slide rengages the lift device thereon as soon as the gear completes its vphase of ineffective non-restoring' movement and again begins to lift, the arrangement losing such that the niotor Which revolves said `gea-r is not stopped until the track stop is positively restored to safety position'.

. My presentinveiition, while especially dea block sional itselfin addition to its train i stopping functions. Moreover, the construction is capable of inodiiication to permit the to' cooperate With :i train carried trio which is inounted near the roof of the engine cab, should it be desired to operate from this point.

The construction and operation of my device is fully disclosed in the specification which follows, The drawings accompanying that specification illustrate a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention. Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are correspondingly employed, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, as viewed from a position along the track, of a train stop in accordance with my invention., the housing for supporting shaft thereof being shown in vertical section to illustrate the supporting mechanism contained therein and the track stop being sli-own in its danger position.

Fig. 2 is a partial view similar to Fig. 1, but showing` the parts in vertical section. Y Fig. 8 isa transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

F ig'l is a partial view of a portion of 1 the fixed supporting` structure for the track stop. Y

Fig. 5 is a face view of the rotatable lift- 4 ing member, removed, which member is operated by the motor to restore the track stop to safety position.

Fig. 6 is a plan section through the track box, approximately on the line 6-*8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section on the line 7-7 of -F ig. 6, showing the safety position of the track stop in full lines and the dangeror interfering position thereof in dotted line projection.

Fig.l 8 is a detail view of the control for the motor circuit, removed, and illustrating in full and dotted lines its open and closed position, respectively.

Fig. 9 is a view showing a modification wherein the track stop is disposed in a position to actuate a train-carried brake relief device-mounted on the roof of the engine' storing mechanism, and Fig. 1.2 is a side section of Fig. 11, partially broken away, and

viewed from the right of said figure.

The motor and the 'power transmitting connections therefrom to 'the supporting structure restoring portion of the track stop as well as the locking mechanism for said .supporting structure is contained in a watertight box or casing 10. The track box 10 is located at or near the entrance of -a track section or block under automatic signal control, if the railroad is equipped with a block signal system, and is suitably secured adiacent a rail in any desired manner. The top wall of the box 10 is yopen for a portion of be positively locked to each other as by the padlocks 15.

The bottom wall of the track box 10 between its ends is formed as a pit or well 16 in which is mounted a portion of the supporting structure for the track stop. The supporting structure for the track stop projects vertically through the top of the track box so as to position said track stop at some little distance above the rail and normally substantially parallel thereto. posit-ion of the track stop is that indicated in full lines, Fig. 7, in which position the stop is disposed out of the path of a trip arm mounted on the train and controlling the air brake system, preferably independently of the engineers control valve.

The supporting structure for the track stop consists in part, of a vertically disposed shaft or standard `17 which is rotatably and slidably mounted in a flanged bearing sleeve 18 extending into the track box through an opening in the top wall ,thereof and having its flange 19 fitted in a counter-sunk openingin the cover 12 so as to be. flush therewith, and said flange being preferably-screwed to said top wall. That portion of the sleeve 18 which is disposed within the box`10 is provided with an external cam groove 181in which a roll 171 fast on the shaft 17 is adapted to work, said roll and groove constituting means for rotating .the shaft 17 as said shaft is kraised to restore the track stop. Sleeved about rthe exposed portion of themember 18 is a housing 20.

Near its upper end the sleeve 18 is formed with an internal lug 21 through which the upper end of the shaft 17 extends and has bearing. lrEhe upper end of the sleeve 18 is formed as a stationary cam surface 22. The upper end of the shaft 17 is reduced as indicated at 28 to receive the lower bifurcated end 24 of a rod 25 to whichv is pinned to move therewith a surmounting cap member 2G which carries the track stop, said cap member having an oppositely faced movable cam surface 27 disposed to cooperate with the cam 22 of the sleeve 18.

rEhe connection 23.-2% of the members 17-25 with the oppositelyY faced vcams Z2- 27 permits said members relative sepa- The safety iis rating movement, so that the track stop may Y yield to the impact of the train-carried trip arm while yet delivering to said arm a stiflicient actuation to move theV brake relief mechanism associated therewith. The yielding connection also safeguards against a train automatically stopping itself should isc 'l the track stop be left in danger position and be actuated by a train proceeding against the current of traiiic, as in the backing. 1n the normal operation of the installation, the connection 23-24 transmits rotative movement of the shaft 17 to the rod 25 and vice versa, to permit the track stop to move into and out of the path of the train carried brake relief member.

The cap 2G has an opening 28 transversely therethrough in which is mounted the longer arm Q9 of a bent track stop member. The arm 29 projects laterally from the capA and is bent under itself providing a short arm 30 which is carried back toward the standard and passed through a hole 31 ina depending skirt or petticoat 3Q sleeved about the. cap 26 near its base and inclosing the upper end of the housing 21 and cains 22-27. The purpose of this petticoat is to prevent the accumulation of ice, snow or other matter which might tend to interfere with the free swinging movement of the track stop. The upper end of the petticoat 3:2 has oppositely disposed holes therein adapted to be registered with the opening 28 in the cap to receive the longer arm? 29 of the track stop. This `arm therefore retains the petticoat in position upon the cap, and is itself retained in position against turning movement independen-t ofy the rod Q! and the cap Q6 by a screw 33 threaded into ,the cap 26 fromthe top thereof and disposed to enter a notch Se cut in the upper face of the arm 29. The open construction of the stop arm presents less resistance to the wind, and reduces the possibility of the arm being swung thereby.

1n addition to its retaining function the screw 33 may serve as a supporting journal for a signal lantern (not shown), especially where the installation is to be used both as a block signal system and an automatic train stop mechanism. For this purpose the head ofthe screw may conveniently be squared, as indicated at 35.

The lower end of the shaft 17 is adapted to be normally supported in raised position through intermediate power-transmitting connections, by an electro-magnetic locking mechanism. This end is also cushioned against the shock niet in the descent of the shaft when the support is released.' For this purpose the lower end of the shaft 17 is axially bored and internally *threaded to receive the reduced threaded portion 36 of a piston stein 37, this threaded connection providing a slight vertical adjustment' at this point, which adjustment is held by a cotter pin 38. The stem may also conveniently carry an engageable device for the lifting` mechanism, and as here shown this device consists of a disk e0 having a depending hub portion 41 sleeved about the stein 37 and held thereon by a lock nut 42 which engages a short series of threads t3 on said stein and llieing further held by a Cotter pin The lower end of the stein 37 is reduced and threaded into a piston 4:5 which works loosely in a cylinder 1li@ mounted in the pit 16 of the track box.

The piston has a slight clearance in the cylinder in order tol work relatively freelyT therein while at the same time offering sutlicient resistance to the descent of the shaft 17 to prevent undue shock to the parts. For this purpose the cylinder is provided at a proper point with one or more vent ports lt7. The shock of the descending parts may be further reduced b y suitably cushioning the contacting elements. s here shown a buffer element. e18 is mounted ou the reduced end of the piston stem 37 at the under face of the piston, and a buffer 49 is supported ou a suitable cushioning element 50 resting on the bottom wall of the cylinder.

1n the normal safety position of the mechanisni the parts are in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 7. 1n this position the vtrack stopv Q9 is disposed substantially parallel to the track, and the opposed faces of the cams 22-27 are separated. This position is reached by raising the shaft 17, which movement through the roll 171 and cam groove 181 causes the shaft to rotate, this ro, tation causing they cam :27 and stop arm to turn on' the cam 22. The means for raising the shaft 17 and for supporting it consist in part, of a rotatable gear. wheel 51 and a sliding lifter carried thereby and disposed to engage under the disk 4 0 and raise said shaft as the gear is rota-ted. The shaft of the gear 51 is journaled in any suitable manner in a bearing 54: 'rising from rthe floor of the track bok. VThe lifter 52 consists ot one or Ymore rolls revolubly mounted on a stem 55 which is threaded into a slide 56 having guided travel in the slot of a slide way-forming inen'iber 57 fastened to `the adjacent face of vthe'gear 51 and eX- tending` diametrically thereaoross at right angles to the axis of rotation' 'of thev gear. As the gear is rotated, fromthe motor. in the restoring action ofA the device, the slide revolves therewith, and raising the disk 40 and thus the standard 17. ln the normal operation when the gear has revolved through substantially a quarter of a revolution, the track stop Vis fully restored to safety position and the motor is stopped, so that the shaft 17 is supported in raised position (see Fig. 10) by the engagement of the rolls 55 under the disk 10, which engzugementv is subject to the electro-magnetic locking mechanism applied thereto through Vthe gear 51. Should for any reason the gear 51 continue to revolve sufficiently far to carry the rolls Vfrom under the disk 40, or should ythe position of the gear be at or near a dead center, the slide engaging 1 56 drops to the other end ofthe slide, the shaft 17 again drops, and as soonV as the gear 51 completes its phase of ineffective motion and again begins its lifting phase, the disk 40 is rengaged by the rolls 55 and the shaft 17 again lifted. rllhe arrangement is such that unless the track stop is fully restoredL and positively supported by Vthe lockino mechanism through the gear 51 .and the rolls 55, the motor will not be stopped, but will continue to revolve said gear until the parts are positively supported. In the release of the mechanism and a consequent movement of the track stop to danger position, the gear 51 is rotated in the reverse direction of restoring rotation. 1t will be seen that a dead center is absolutely eliminated, and the possibility of the gear stopping in a position from which it would not Ybe possible to fully restore the stop arm avoided.

The supporting mechanism for the shaft 17 in addition to the gear 51 further consists of a series of intermediate connections, illustrated in detail and claimed in the v`Wallace application hereinbefore referred to. from said gear to electro-magnetically ,shaft 59 a coiled spring 65 is confined.

On the opposite end of the shaft 59 is a pinion 66 which meshes with gear 67 loose on a counter-shaftv 68. The gear 67 Vcarries a series of three pinions 671 which mesh with a central pinion 672 fast on the .counter-shaft behind said gear. This series of pinions engages the gear teeth on the rim of an internal gear 681 loosek on the inner end of the counter-shaft, this internal gear providing a housing for the seriesY of pinions and the central pinion, as in the fallace case.

The rim of the internal gear has a laterally projecting lug 69 which is normally supported by the free end of an electromagnetically controlled supporting arm 70. The arm 70 is pivoted between its ends on a transverse pivot pin 71 mounted in suitable casting rising from the floor of the track box and at its opposite-end is connectedto the upper end of a vertically disposed lever72.

(See Fig. 6.) The opposite end of the lever 72 is linked to a second lever 73 which is pivoted at its lower end in suitable brackets rising from the base of the casting and at its upper end has pinned fmounted on the pivot 71 for the arm 70.

The armature 7 5 is normally held against the cores of a pair of electro-magnets 76,

suitably supported within thev track box and Y included in a normally closed locking circuit.

The locking circuit to the electro-ii'iagnets consists ofa'lead wire 77 from the binding post lof one magnet to the pole of a track battery B and a lead wire 7 8j Vfrom the opposite pole of said battery tol the binding post of the other magnet. The Vlocking circuit' 7 7 7 8Y is included in the dominant circuit for the block signals in any desired manner, as by the relay R. y

When the .locking circuit is closed and the magnets energized, the tendency of the armature is to maintain the dog carried there by in rigid erect locking` relation to the notch of the arm 74. lVhen thus held, the

dog supports the track stop through the ari rangement of intermediate gearing 5,8--66- 67-68 and the series of planetary piiiions.v

When the magnets are denergized by a break in the locking circuit, the armature is released, and the dog is free to tilt down? ofthe part 63 which is fast on the squared y end of the clutch shaft, thereby rotating said clutch shaft in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7. The pinion 66 1 on said shaft rotates the gear 67 loose on the counter-shaft clockwise as viewed in said F ig. 7 to move thelug 69 through substantially a quarter of a revolution. In this position of the parts the stop arm 29 hasbeen4 rotated, by the rotation of the shaft 17 in its descent, through a quarter of a revolution so' as to occupy a position of-interference in ythe path of the train-carried brake relief member. When the arm 29 is struck the

shafts

17 and 25 through the connection 23-24 have a relative separating movement which permits the stop arm to yield to the kimpact while at the same time delivering an actuation to the train-carried trip suiiicient to move the brake relief mechanism connect ed therewith.

The shaft. 17 in its descent actuates a cir-V cuit "controlling device 'I to move said Ydevice into a relation which will place a normally open resetting circuit which isY included in the locking circuit in condition to become eifective when the locking circuit lis again closed. This circuit control consists of a radially disposed arm 79 fastened at one end to a rotatable disk 8O carried by a bracket 81 secured to a wall of the track boX, and having its other end formed as a fork 82 between the arius of which thereciproca-ble disk 40 is disposed so as to actuate said arin 79 in either direction of recip rocation. 1illhen therefore the disk 40 drops the lower arin ofthe fork 82 is actuated thereby rotating the disk 8O doiif'nwardly through a part of a revolution and carrying' an insulated peripheral section 83 thereof out of contact with the contact finger 8e of a binding post 85 so that the nieiiiber 8O bridges the gap between the contact 8 and the contact linger 86 of an oppositely disposed bindiiig post 87. lThe

binding posts

85 and 87 are included in the normally open resetting circuit freni the locking circuit- 7 7`7 8. Y

This shunt circuit consists of a lead wire 89 from one leg 77 of the locking circuit to the binding post 85. The circuit from this post to the opposite' post 87 isiacrossthe disk 80 and alongk the lead wire 88 to one binding post 90 of a restoring motor M, thence across the inotor to the opposite binding post 91 `thereof and along a lead wire 92 back to the other leg'78 .ofthe locking circuit.

l/Vhen the disk 80 is in its norinal position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the lcircuit across the binding posts' 85--87 is incomplete, due to the contact of the insulation 83 with the inernber 84. When the stop arrn rotates to danger position, the 'disk 80 is rotated to carry the insulation 83 into the 'dotted line position shown in Fig. '8, thereby putting the circuit in vcondition to be closed across the

binding posts

85 and 87. 1nasniuch as the track stop does not rotate to danger position, however, unless there is a break in the locking circuit and a consequent denergization of the electro-magnets, the shunt circuit is not closed and is not put in condition to start the motor until the current coines on again in the doininantlocking.

circuit. The parts are siniply leftin condition to be restored as soon as it is again safe for the passage of the train. ln order to hold the disk 8O in one or the other of its `two effective positions. l provide a flat Vspring 93 which is fastened at one end to a wall of the track box and is suitably insulated therefroin and has a detent 94 near its other end adapted to engage one or the other of a pair of adjacent locking notches 95V in the periphery of the disk 80. v

When conditions are .again safe for the passage ofthe train, the locking circuit is automatically closed to put the locking :mechanism in condition toxsupport the lugv 69 when said lug is rotated through the remainder of the revolution initially given it and again assumes a position wherein it may be supported by the arni 70. The restoration of the locking circuit sends current restores the stop arin 29 to itsnorinal safety position.

This gearing consists of a worm 96 on a motor shaft meshing with a gear 97 on 'a cross-shaft 98 journaled i-n suitable bearings rising from the casting 61 and having a gear 99 on its opposite end meshing with gear 100 on the outer end of the countershaft 68. These connections rotate the counter-shaft 68 in a `clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 7 and the central pinion 67 2 fast on said shaft and the series of three planetary pinioiis 671 carried by the internal gear 681 as well as said gear itself, are therefore rotated with a planetary movenient about the shaft 68 as an axis. This carries the lug 69 on said gear through the 'remainder of the revolution initially given it by the parts vin their vdescent and inoves this lug into p'ositionito be supported by the arm 70, which arni has previously been placed in a condition to support said lug by the restoration of the locking circuit. rlhe contact of the lug 69 with the arm causes the planetary gears to rotate about their respective axes clockwise as viewedin Fig. 7, thereby rotating the gear 67 counter-clockwise as viewed iii said ligure, and this gear, through the pinion 66, rotates the clutch. shaft 59 in a clockwise direction, causing the clutch part 68 which is fast on the squared end of said shaft to engage the part 62 and rotate it, and thus the pinion 58 clockwise, thereby rotating the gear 5l clockwise, whereby to raise the shaft 17 through the disk 40 and lifter 55. When the gear 51 has' rotated through ay suiiicientportion of a revolution to fully restore the track stop to safety position, the upper face of the disk y engages the upper fork of the forked arni 79, rotating the disk 80` counter-clockwise to carry the insulated portion` 83 back into contact with the free end of the 'finger 84, thus breaking the Vshunt circuit across the disk 80 and cutting out the niotor. v ShouldV the niechanisni fail to fully restore the track stop, the motor is not cut-out but continues to rotate the gear 51 until the arni is positively restored and supported by the rolls 55, as hereinbefore explained. ln such action, the clutch 'elements 62-63 slip'past each other so that the position of the internal gear 69 is unchanged.

' In the Inodication shown in Fig. 9, the shaft 17 and associated part-s are inade of a length sufficient to support the track stop at a considerable height above the rail and in a position to coperate with a brake relief nieniber mounted on the roof'of the cab. This ladaptation is especially useful where it is intended that the lstud 35 shall 'carry socket into which Yordinarily fits the usualv a signal lantern, iii order that the installation may be used both as an automatic train stop and a block signal. rIhis lantern may be of the usual type, having a bracket or the like which is provided with a squared stud on the bracket ory arm of the train, but vhich as here contemplated may be fit` 'ted over the stud 35.

Various modifications in the forni and construction of niyvinven'tion may obviously be resorted to if within the limitsofY the appended claims.

7What I-,therefoi'e claim and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is: v y

i. In a train stop mechanism, a niovable track stop having an ineffective and an effective position, a supportable element associated therewith, and a releasable support having an engaging relation to said element in the ineffective position of the stop and automatically releasedby-the movement of said stop toits effective position, and'means. for

, causingsaid support to renew its supporting relation tol restore said stop to its ineffective position. 2. A track obstacle, comprising la relatively stationary supporting `nfieniber having a canisurface, a cap surmounting said member and having a cam surface adapted to co'ierate with said cam surface thereofA a stop arm mounted on said cap, and a shaft rotatable relative to saidy supporting mein ber and-connected to, saidstop arm. A

3.- A ktrack obstacle, comprising a relatively stationary sleeve having a cam surface, a cap surmounting said sleeve and having a cam surface adapted to cooperate with said cam surface thereof, a shaft rotatable within said sleeve, a rod alined with said shaft, a connection between said rod and shaft allowing relative separating movement thereof, and aiy stop arm mount-ed on said cap andy connected to said rod. l

4. A track obstacle, comprising` a relatively fixed and a relatively lrotatable mem.- ber having-cooperative cam surfaces, astop arm mounted on said relatively rotatable member, and a 'sleevedepending from said relatively rotatable member and adapted to protect said cam surfaces.

In combination, a rotatable track stop having an effective and an ineffective position, a shaft operatively connected with said stop, and adapted to be operated there y, a sleeve about said shaft havinga connection therewith permitting the shaft both rotative and sliding movement, a gear wheel, a slide carried byv said gear wheel and normally engaging said shaft to maintain the'saine in its raised position, a release for said gear wheel, permitting said shaft to turn and drop, and the vtrack stop to moveto effective position, `a motor, .and power transmitting coniiecj wheel efective to rotate said'gear wheel and cause the slide to engage and raise the'sliaft,

to its normal position, rotating said shaft in such raising to move the track stoprto ineffective position. Y.

6. In combination, a supportable element vhaving a supported and a non-supported position, a track stop having an inetfective andan eective position accordingI Vto the posi-f tion of said element, a rotatable support, aY slide carried thereby and movable trans-j versely tliereacross and having a supporting and a non-supporting relation to said ele'- s ment, according to the direction rot-ation of said rotatable support, and ineansvfoi' positively rotatingsaid support in one di-V rection.

7. In conibination,a suppoitableV giavitv element having a supported and a -iionsupA ported position, a track stopv having an ineffective and an edective position according f to the position of said element, a gear` wheel having a slide'way, a slide in said slideway, and having a supporting and a non-supporting relationto said element, and means for p positively rotating saidl gear wheel in one direction, the gravity tendency of; the 'supportable element when released rotating said gear wheel inthe opposite direction.`

8. In combination, a noiinally"suppoited member, a track stop associatedtherewith, a

rotatable support for saidV memberv havingy sliding movement transversely of the axis of rotation, and means for rotating said support in one direction. r

y9. In combination, a normally supported a rotatable support forvsaid member having sliding movement transversely of the axis of rotation, means forrotating said support in lone direction, a circuit to said'means, and a circuit closer controlling said circuitjand disposed for actuation by said normally supported member. Y

y10. In combination, a fholder having anY opening therein, and. a member bent back upon itself'andxhaving one portion, lodged in said opening and A constituting yan open sided track obstacledesignedto offer-minivinember, a track stop vassociated therewith,`

.i 12. In combination, a holder vhaving anV opening therein, a petticoat havingv an operr ing therein, and a member bent uponitself 4'to provide spaced arms designed to foi"er minimum rresistance to the wind, said arms y lodged in the openings of the holder and petticoat, respectively.

tions from said motor to said gear- 13. In combination, a holder having an opening therein, a petticoat depending from said holder and having an opening therein1 and a member bent upon itself to provide spaced substantially parallel arms designed to offer minimum resistance to the Wind, said arms lodged in the openings 'oi' the holder and petticoat, respectively, and one oit said arms fastening the petticoat to the holder.

lll. In combination, holder having au opening therein, a petticoat having ahole alined With said opening of the holder, and a stop arm passing through said hole of the petticoat and lodged in said opening of the holder and securing the petticoat to the holder'.

l5. In combination, a cap'having' an opening therein, a petticoat having a hole alined With said opening` of the holder, and a stop arm passing through said hole of the petticoat to the cap, said arm having' a notch therein, a device passing through said cap and engaging said notch for locking said arm in position, and having a portion constituting a journal for a signal element.

16. A track obstacle, comprising a gravity track stop, a shaft connectedthereto, a slide adapted to support said shaft, and a rotatable mount for said slide having its axis vof rotation disposed substantially transverselyr to that of' the shaft.

In testimony whereof l aliiX my signature inpresence of two Witnesses.

i HERBERT R. NEVENS.

- iVitnesses:

' GEO. B. RAWLINGS,

MARY P. VVOTHERSPOON.