US1383220A - Passenger and freight transfer system - Google Patents

Description

W. P. LAMAR. v PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I916. RENEWED APR. 2,192!- 1,383,220. Patented June 28, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- .ll F

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gin-um 'H foz QQQSQJ A% m 7/9124 W. P. LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 25. we. RENEWED APR. 12, I92]. 4 1,3832

Patented June 28 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w, P.LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 19:8. RgNEV/ED APR. 12. 1921.

Patented June 28, 19,21.

4 SHEilS-SHEET 3.

gnvenfoz w. P. LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 25, 1918. RENEWED APR. 12-, I921- 1,3882

Patented June 28, 1921.

4 SHEE|SSHEET 4.

Q k'i fzm W provement upon the transfer devices WILLIAM F; LA

MAR, 01? ATLANTA, enoaere.

PASSENGER AND FBEI GHT 'TRANSFER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une' 2S, 1921.

Application filed February 25, 1918, Serial No, 219,059. Renewed :"splil 12, 1921. alarm. 460,666.

This invention relates to devices used in transferring passengers and freightat railroad stations to or from moving railroad trains or other vehicles moving in fixed paths thereby avoiding stops and shortening the time of travel between terminal points and reducing the amount ofrolling stock necessary to handle a certain amount of traiiic. The present invention is an imdisclosed in two applications previously filed by me, Number 1236, 196, filed December 12, 1916, now patent $1,818,091, issued Aug. 12, 1919, and Number 181,885, filed July 20, 1917, in which I disclose an apparatus by means of which a moving train discharges from a special reception car, a transfer car loaded with passengers or freight, upon one end of a station platform, and takes from the other end of the platform a second transfer car loaded with passengers or freight, drawing the same into the previouslyemptied reception car.

The object of this invention is to improve and simplify the mechanism for performing these functions which is described in the above mentioned applications, and to attain the same results with novel mechanism comprising a smaller number of parts and the parts being of more simple construction.

The invention will be fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a station platform, between two railway tracks, showing the relative position ofa train and the platform when a transfer car is about to be discharged on to the platform:

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the cars of the train, showing portions of the special apparatus attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the transfer car;

Fig. a is a top plan view of the reception car. the roof being removed;

Jig. 5 is a plan view of portion of the mechanism located beneath the floor of the reception car;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the reception car showing the mechal' ism for actuating the transfer car; J i

Fig. 7 is a section along the line 7- of Fig. 4:; i

Fig. 8 1s a plan view of a portion of the mechanism located beneath the station plat; form; l a y a v r Fig; 9 is a section along the line 9-9of Fig.1; I 4

Fig. 10 is a section alongtheline 10-10 of Fig. 1; i 1 1 Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14,15'and 16 are details.

The platform P is located between two railroad tracksE and E and is adapted to receive transfer cars from trains passing on either track and to allow a transfer. car to be picked up by a train going ,in eitherdi rection This platform P is of a length and width determined largely by the size and weight of the cars to be transferred and its necessary dimensions will suggest themselves when these factors are known. The mechanism for acceleratingand retarding the transfer car upon the platform" and the mechanism for loading and discharging the transfer car into andlout'of the reception car are separate and distinct and will be described separately. i

The platform P comprises three principal portions, theend portions 10 and 11 upon which the transfer car first passes after b ing discharged and from which itis taken when being drawn into a reception car, and the longer central portion 12 which is the portion upon which the transfer car is accelerated and retarded. It will be understood of course that the transfer car is travelingat the same speed the train when beii taken on and put off, and that accelerating means is needed upon the platform to impart a, this velocity to a transfer car starting from rest and to retard and stop a transfer car moving train. i V .1

This accelerating and retarding means comprises a series of gears or cogs extending longitudinally of the, platform and so rarranged that they are actuated at different speeds by a passing train. vVV henrtwo railsuddenly placed upon the platform by the shafts 13," preferably four enlarged plan view of from opposite sides. In S is shown an wheels 17 'securednpon their outer ends, the

gears 17 being vertically arranged parallel I and close to the railroad tracks'so that they may be engaged and-rotated to the underside of therailroad cars as they V movement thereof beinghmited'by suitable on the underside of the transfer car. p I gears 18 and the gears, 21 are IlIllfOlIIl. 1n diameter but the crown gears 19 and the by racks secured pass. p r 7 Upon each shaft is secured aseries of gears 18.;whichjmes h with crown gears 19 integral with or rigidly'securedto gears 20 which in turn mesh with largergears 21 arranged to project upward through slots in :the plat form and to be 'engagedb r a suitable jri tlck gears 20 varyin diameter and are sodes gnedthat when'the four shafts .13 are be- 7 ing uniformly rotated by 'a'passing train the operatively connected 7 as shown 1nF1gs.-8 and 10, [This gearing 1s gears 2 1are rotating'at different speeds, the

center gear or gears rotating veryslowly and the endgears at gear rotates at a hig'her rate of of gears 18.211 givlng a unlform acceleration to a form and travelingtoward"one end and a nal shafts on which they are mounted being by suitable gearing,

so arranged that the cogs'2l' rotate in the more than one a time in each row. a

a a A by suitable 'brackets from' 'rods'24'connectmg pistons 1n the pneumatic same, direction,'one gear 17 turning idly when the other is engaged by'a rack22.

A long rack for engaging and'a ctuatinw the cogs 17 is shownat 22in Fig. 2 ant racksr secured to the underside ofa trans fer car and adapted to be engaged? by the double row of cogs 2l -areshown at23in' Fig. 3. These racks 23 are slightly shorter than theJtangential distance betweentwoof the cogs '2lvso that they will never engage V The rack 22 is hung cylinders 25 securedfto the car bodygf This allows a certain amount ofgive when the teeth of the rack first 'engage the teeth of the cogs}? and preventsbreaking'of the teeth. Simple mechanism .lS also provlded for -ra1sa short section of this high speed while each of the 7 intermediate gears rotates at a speedfdepend-r ing' upon its position in the line, that is, each succeeding speed as the end ofthe line preached,

transfer car leaving the center ofthe platcar approaching the shown it to be a mere flat carmounted upon four .ca'sterf wheels tial iron hooks 26 at ed to be grasped by suitable mechanism here inafter to be morefully described upon a passing receivingv car. These hooks 26 are not rigidly fastened to the ends of the car T, but slide through tubular members 2'7, the

25 and having substans tops 28 thereoircooperatingwith stops 29 up on a car body. The hooks'are normally extended by means of a pinion 30mesn1ng with'teeth 31 on the hooks, the pinion 30 be ing {actuated by a; suitable leaf spring 31'. within a recess in the end of the transfer car Pneumatic bumpers 32"are placed'on the front of the .carbo'dy impact-of the same against the side of the receiving car whenthe transfer car has just been taken on to the latter. To 'therear end of the transfer caris secured a downwardly extending bar 33 having a horizontal portion '34.: which operates the ex.

tensible bridgingmembers attached to the receiving car,v hereinafter to be more'fully described whenrthe transfer car is passing into or out of'the receiving car.

The end portions 10 and 11 of platform P are constructed in a similar manner withthe operative partsreversed, however, due to the fact that they are at opposite ends of the platform and are constructed to receive transfer cars from different sides of the plat form. In Fig. '1 I- have shown a train passingthe platform having a reception car R opposite the platform end 11 and about to discharge the transfer Car thereupon: order that the caster wheels of the transfer car be suitably guided so as to remain upon the receiving platform. and to accurately strike the grooves 35 extending lown the central portion 12, I have provided depressible portions 36 and 37. hereinafter called depressible guards, which'serve to trap the transfer car upon the receiving platform after it has been released :by the reception .carand to guide it in its proper path. In

tion and operation in detail.

guard 36 con1pr1ses a portion 370i The p the platform hinged atv itsouter edge at 38 and held normally-man inclined position by a suitablespring 39. Hinged to the inner and upper edge is a member 40 which 6X- tends downwardly and is guided in ajslot- 41 when the depressible' guard movesnpwardly its ends which are adaptto absorb the shock of V Cir or downwardly. This member constitutes when the car is upon the platform a guide or embankment against which the caster wheels of the reception car bear and which prevents the same from rolling toward the front edge of the platform. A curved bar 4-2 rigidly secured to the underside of the hat portion 37 is adapted to pass when the guard is depressed through a hole a3 in a member 4&- strongly braced from the ground or foundation. This bar d2 constitutes a support {or the depressible guard when locked in the position shown in Fig. 9 by a bolt or latch which is positioned between the lower end of the bar and the member 44-. thus preventing the bar from passing through the hole l3. This latch is only operated to release the guard and render it depressible when a certain portion of the passing reception car strikes the protruding end 46 of the bell able spring 4:7 acting on this bell crank lever tends at all times to keep the bolt or latch at?) in its locking position whereby the guard 36 is locked.

. A portion of the other side of the platform 11 constitutes a second depressible guard 4-8 for confining the motion of the transfer car in this direction and this guard is also looked in its inclined position, ex cept at the instant when a transfer car is being drawn from the platform 11 on to a train passing along the track adjacent the guard 41S. liigidly secured to the underside of the portion 48 is a rod d9 having a pin and slot connection at its lower end with a substantially horizontal rod 50 pivoted to the underside of the platform at 31. A tension spring 52 pulls downwardly .upon the bar 50 and therefore HittilltillllStliiQ portion in its upwardly tilted position.

Locking means for supporting the depressible guard in its upwardly tilted position also provided and this means comprises a curved bar having its lower end adapted to bear against the inwardly extending end oi a rotatable latch having a portion 55 e ending outwardly into the path ot a portion of the mechanism of the reception car. A spring 56 normally holds this latch in its locking positio and stop 57 limits the rotation thereof. lVhen the outer end 55is struck by the mechanism on the reception car, the latch is swung until its rear portion diseneages the lower end of the bar and the hard may then be depressed, which depression is aiiected at this instant by the transfer car which is then being drawn over it and into the reception car.

The bar 50 has also av pin and slot connection with depressible guide rails 58 and it is obvious that as the guard 48 isd'epressed guide rails 58, the tops of mally flush with the top surface oi the platcrank lever d7. as a suit .view of the lGCQPtlOlLCElI,HDCl in tively secured tothe car body and the bar 50 will be raised and the which are norform, will be raised. There are three of these guiderails 5 8, as clearly shown in Fig. l, and when in their raised positions they are adapted to be engaged by the outer three caster wheels of the transfer car T, and are materially useful in assisting the mechanism of the reception car in effecting the transfer. i

It is of course obvious that the weight of the depressible guards and. guide rails 58 may be such that. instead of single latches holding them in their locked positions, a series of latches may be required and a series of bars 50 provided for raising and lowering 7 the guide rails. The number of suchlatches and bars, however, is a matter of design, and may bealtered to suit circumstances, PlOVldGCl llOWGYBlQtllttb they are operated simultaneously at the proper moment.

The mechanism on the reception car for manipulating the transfer car will now be described. In Fig. il have shown a plan Figs. c

and 7 lhave shown mechanism located beneath the floor of tee reception car and which is adapted to be actuated to manipulate the transfer car when a certain member engages an auxiliary rail 59 spiked to the ties of thertraclrwayj These guide rails 59 are curved at their end portions opposite portions 10 and 11 of the platform and are substantiaily straightin the middle. A bell crank lever 60 is pivoted to a bracket 61 rigidly secured to the underside oi'the reception car midway of its lengthand this lever 60 has a roll 62 at'its lower end adapted to bear against the beveled face of the guide rail 59 when the train is passing a station. Pivot-ally secured to the upper end or" lever 60 are the ends oi": two similarly constructed rods63 pivoted to the car bottom at Mend extending approximately to. the opposite ends respectively thereof. Near the outer ends or" these rods 63 are "bolted heavy rack members .65, which engage gears 66 respec each of these gears ,66 meshes with asmaller gear 67 secured to. a transverse rod 68 extending across the car body length of the door there of. Each of these rods 68, has two worms 69. and 70 thereon, the threads being right and leithand, and engaging horizontally arranged gear wheels 71, 72. These gear Hit) wheels 71 and 2 are rotatable horizontally,

but prevented from vertical movement by any suitable means. not shown, and are rigidly mounted upon upright threaded bolts 73 and 7 4-, respectively. which extend upwardly through the bottom oi: the car and pass through threaded openings intlie opposite ends or tiltable channels are pivoted at their middle points to brackets secured to the car floor, as clearly shown in Figs. i and i It can be seen then that as the upper end of the lever moves vertically, due to its lower end moving when engaged by the curved rail 59, the rods 68 will be rotated to some extent'about theirpivotal points 64,

' thus tiltingthe channel members in one through the intervenlower end of said ceive the middle pair of such wheels, and

this third "channel which is indicated at 7% in Fig. 4, is rigidly secured to and opcrates with the end channels '75 and 76 by SlIlllfllOlG cross bars 78,

so that the channels 7 Hinged to the forward end ofeach of the channels and with their outer ends slidably resting on blocks 7 9 are short channel portions 80 which insure'a smooth trackway for the caster'wheelsiof the tran fer car-between the tiltable'portions and the swinging bridging members 81; These tilt as a unit.

swinging bridging members are pivoted re- I spectively to thefblocks79. secured tojthe car floor, and are normally held in extended position by strong tension springs 82; The outer endsof the bridging members are flared to more easily receive the caster wheels of the transfer car, and beneath the outer ends are located substantial rollers 83 for supporting the same upon ledges 84 formed in the edges on the sides ofthe platform so that the bridging membersare ain- .ply strong enough to bear the weight of the transfer car when it is them. r

Each bridging member has adjacent its pivotal points a laterally extending bar 85 passing to or fro over rigidly secured thereto, and these'bars 85 are provided near their outer ends with ver-' tically upwardly extendingpins 86 which .lie in the path of the horizontal'portion 8% of the downwardly prO eQting'menibe-r 33 secured to the rear end of the transfer car.

It can be seen that when the 'transferca-r has passed over the bridging members and is al- 'most entirely within the reception car that the portion 3.4: will engage with thejpin 86 and tend to rotate the bridging members on' their pivots and to fold them back along the car, In order to prevent any accidental movement of the br dging members, when extended, I have provided spring catches 87,

as clearly shown in Fig. 13, which have recesses in their upper portions adapted to 1% around and engage the, lower faces of the to prevent their movement inleither' direction. The outer ends of the spring catches 87 are upwardly turned and have inclined portions 88 which are also in the path-way of the member 01, and as the. transfer car passes into the reception car this member 34; will first strike the 111Cl1I16Cl which it depending uponthe side of the lower end portion 88 of the spring catch 87 depressing the same thereby and freeing the bar 85 from the restraining shoulder '89 so that when the member 34 strikes the pin 86, does almost instantly after striking the inclined portion 88, the bridging members will be unlocked and may be swung as before explained alongside the car to be out of the way of obstructions along the track. The bridging members are maintained in this folded position until the: time arrives for the transfer car to be discharged, since the member 34 remains in continual engagement with the pin86, l/Vhem'however, the transfer car begins to pass out of the reception car as'for instance at the next station, the member 34 i'eleases'the, pin 86 and the strong springs 82 immediately extend the bridging members and the spring catch 87 again locks them in theirextended position.

The outer ends of the rods 63 pass throu h slots 90 in upright vertically slidable rods 9ljextending through-the bottom of the car. The slots 90 are of such length that the ends of the able lost motion and are not immediately actuated when the rods first begin to operate." The upper ends of these rods 91 are connected pivotally to cross bars 92 and 93 which in turn are pivoted to the inner ends or lazy tong devices 94 similar to the ones fully described in my copending applications. These lazy tongldevices are secured to the ends of the car and have hooks 95 at. their outer ends which are adapted to engage the hooks 26 of thetransfer car to manipulate the same; It can be seen that as the uprights 91 are raised and lowered, the cross bars 92 and 93 which are pivoted together at their central points will be operated scissors fashion to actuate in turnthe lazy tongs devices, an upward movement of the uprights 91 resulting in an extension of the lazy tong devices, and a downward movement: in a contraction thereof. a Y a a As it is obvious that intheoperation of my transfer device it will be desirable to pass certain station platforms without taking-on ordischarging a transfer car, I have provided a selective mechanism for rendering the mechanism of the reception car inoperative whenever desirable. The downwardly extending arm of the lever 60 is hinged, as clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 16, and means is provided for drawing the lower end of'the lever 60 upwardly in a plane parallel with the axis of the car so that it will not engage the curved trackway of its length as-at 96, a 'joint between the sections being indicated by the line 97.. The portion is slotted anda tongue 98 extends through this slot, the tonguebeing rigid with the upper portion rods 63 work in them with considerof the lever arm. The tongue 98 is in turn slotted vertically as'at 99', the slot extending upwardly and being adapted to receive therein a fiat member rigidly secured to the lower end of one fork of a member 101 e:-;- tending upwardly through the car floor and adapted to be actuated from the top of the car or one end thereof. A second fork of the selective rod 101 extends downwardly upon the other side of the lever 00 and is connected to the lower portion thereof at 102 with a pin and slot connection. It can be seen that the member 101 is drawn upwardly and the locking portion 100 will be first withdrawn from the slot 99, and that then the other fork ofthe rod 101 will rotate the lower end of the member 60 about its hinge 96 into a substantially horizontal position in which the roller will not engage th guide rail 59. hen the rod 101 is lowered the lower end of the lever 60 will a sume a vertical position due to its own weight or because of the action of a suitable spring and immediately after the locking plate 100 will enter the slot 99 and the two parts of the depending arm will be rigid and ready to withstand the strains neces sary in the operation of the mechanism.

' From the foregoing detailed description of the apparatus its mode of operation will be apparent and a brief description of its general operation will now be given. train approaching the platform-from either direction and desiring to effect the transfer will lower the long rack bars beneath the carsso that they will engage the cog wheel 1'7 located at the side of the track opposite the platform. The selective mechanism upon the reception car will also be operative so that the down hanging lever will engage the curved rails secured to the trackway. lYhen the reception car is passing the end of the platform this lever will engage the curved rail and the tiltable supporting chan nels upon which the transfer car is located will be tipped after which the lazy tongs devices will begin to thrust the transfer car forth from the reception car, the bridging members being extended by this movement and a tilting guard on the near side of the platform being unlocked by the bridging members.

As the lazy tongs complete their extensions the wheels of the transfer car will pass from the bridging members on to the platform depressing the tilting- .immediately springs upwardly transfer car has completely passed over 1t and prevents the same the platform as described before. After being released by the lazy tongs devices the transfer car is retarded by the retarding gears, which cease to rotate when the trans fer car has reached the center of the platform due to the fact that the train has guard which after the from escaping from passed the gears 17 which are toward the receiving end of the platform.

Meanwhile a transfer car located originally upon the center of the platform has been accelerated by the cogs and the lazy tongs devices engagehooks on the ends of the transfer car and draw the latter into the reception car when the opposite end of the platform has been reached. In this operation the guide rails located. at the ends of the platform and normally flush with its upper surface are brought into operation to assist the lazy tongs, and the transfer car depresses the second tilting guard, which haspreviously been released by the bridging members unlatching the same. 7

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the design and proportions of the mechanism disclosed in the drawings and specification and I do not wish to be limited to the exact form shown and described the broad nature of the invention being indicated by the scope of the appended cl aims, Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1.111 a transfer system of the class, de scribed, a traclcway, a car adapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said 1 t-rackway, means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said car to said vehicle, said means including'a curved rail member, and a member adapted to engage the same, one of said members being secured to said trackway and the other being secured to said vehicle.

2. En a transfersystem of the class dc; scribed, a trackway, a car adapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said traclzway, means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said car to said vehicle, said means including a curved guide rail rigidly secured to said traclrway, and a lever pivotally secured to said vehicle and projecting downwardly and adapted to ensaid guide rail.

3. In transfer system of the class de-' scribed, a trackway, a car adapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said trackway, means for accelerating said car, means for transferring said car to said vehicle, said means including a guide ail rigidly secured to said traclrway parallel to the path of said vehicle and having curved ends and a lQl "QI pivotally secured to said vehicle and projecting downwardly and adapted to engage said guide rail when the vehicle moves along said trackway.

4. In a transfer system of the class described, a trackway, a car adapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said trackway, means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said ear to said vehicle, said means including a guide rail rigidly secured to said trackway and having curved portion.

to said vehicle and having a curved portion, a bell crank lever "pivotally secured to said vehicle andhaving a downwardly projecting arm adapted to slidably engage said guide rail as the vehicle passes along the trackway and to be rocked on its pivot whenengaging said 5. In a transfer system of the class described, atrackway, a car adapted to be transferred to a vehicle passing along said trackway, means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said .car to said vehicle, said means comprising two lazy tong devices secured to saidvehicle and adapted to be extended therefrom to engage said car, a bell cranklever pivotally secured a downwardly extending arm, a guide rall havmg a curved portion rigidly secured to said track= way, the downwardly extending arm of said 'bell crank lever being adapted to engage and be rocked by said guide rail as the vehicle moves past the same, and mechanism' operatively connecting said lever and said tongs whereby the latter will be operated by the former. v

6. In a transfer Isystem of the class de scribed, artrackway, a 'car adapted to' be transferred to a vehlcle moving along said trackway, means for accelerating'said car, and means for transferring said car to said vehicle, said means including a; curved rail rigidly secured to saidtraclway, a clownwardly hanging lever pivoted to said velllClG and adapted to engage and be rocked by said guide rail as the vehicle moves along 7 said trackway, lazy tong devices secured to said vehicle, and substantially horizontal levers pivoted to said vehicle and said downwardly hanging lever and operatively connected to said lazy tongs, whereby the lazy tongs are actuatedwhen said downwardly hanging lever is rocked." V p r v 7. In a transferisystem'of the class described, a trackway parallel to astation platfornn a vehicle adapted to move along said trackway, a caradapted to be transferred from said vehicle to said platform and vice versa, a curved guide rail secured to said trackway opposite the platform,

member pivoted tov said vehicle and adapted to engage and berrocked by said guide rail as the vehicle passestheplatform, mechanism operatively-connected; to and actir ated by said member for effecting the transfer and mechanism on said platform: and

actuated by thepassing vehicle for accelerally secured to said reception car and-adapted to beextended toward the other track- Way, means on said reception" car for en gaging saidvtransfer car and drawin'gvthe same into-said reception car, and a curved guide rail secured adj acent'one ofsaid' trackways and lying in th path of travel of said last mentioned means whereby saidmeansis V actuated to draw the transfer car into the,

reception car. l I V r 9. In a transfer device scrlbed, a trackway,ia jplatfo'rm parallel of a; class de-l thereto, a train adapted to passalongsaid trackway and having fareception car,j a transfer car in said reception car, means fortransferrmg sald transfer carfrom said reception car to said platform while the train is in motion, anddepressible guards on said platform for guiding said transfer car. i

10. In a-transfer device of the class described, aatrackway, a platform parallel thereto, a train adapted to pass al'ong said trackivay' and having a reception fear, a transfer car in said reception car, means for is inymotion, 'depressible guards on'said ,9O transferring said transfer car from said re ceptlon car tosaidplatform While the-train platform,,and'me'ans for locking said guards in guarding position when'the transfer car ing the transfer car.

has been placed on'said platform for guid I WILL an P,

r V In testimony whereofI afiix my signature.

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