US1397194A - Speed-control device - Google Patents

Description

2 SHEETS-SHEET VENTORS.

m aux- Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

SPEED CONTROL DEVICE.

APPLICATJON FILED JULY 19.1920.

P. O. WOOD AND H. L WORMAN.

WITNESSES v M? P. O. WOOD AND H. L. WORMAN.

' SPEED CONTROL DEVICE.

APPHCATION FILED JULY 19,1920.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VENTORSL Mad/ WITNESSES UlTED STATES FATE,

orricu. 1

PIERRE 0. WOOD, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND HARRY L. WORMAN, 0]? SPRING- FIELD, MIS$OURL SPEED-CONTROL DEVICE.

Lilfifilfiet.

Application filed July 19,

To all "LU/LONL it may concern Be it known that we, Pninmc O. Wooo and HARRY L. ll oniuan, citizens of the United States, and residents of Memphis, in the county 01": Shelby and State of Tennessee, and of Springfield, in the county of Greene and vState of Missouri, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Speed-Control Devices, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of our specification.

)ur invention relates to a device for automatically controlling the speeds of locomotires and therefore of trains, through the medium of the air-operated elements; the device, in its specific embodiment, beingadapted to be actuated by a speed-recording mechanism whereby the device will automatically control the pressure in the air line of the locomotive and the train when the speed of the locomotive reaches or exceeds the predetermined speed to which the speedrecording mechanism has been adjusted.

The object of our invention is to provide a device, operable through the movement or actuation of a well known type of SPGGChI cording mechanism or machine when the speed of the locomotive reaches or increases beyond a predetermined degree, So that a reduction of pressure in the train line will be induced and therefore a setting: of the brakes accomplished; wnile at the same time providing a device which will automatically return to normal position when the speed of the train is reduced below said predetermined speed and thereby permit a restoration of air pressure in the train line and hence a release of the air brakes.

The purpose of our invention is to pro vide a device whereby the speed of the locomotive is constantly automatically controlled irrespective of the engine crew, with the result that excessive speed will be reducer and destruction oi": the right of way and property greatly eliminated.

The object and purposes of our invention, as well as its operation, will be more readily couiiprehended from a detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of our improved device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, taken at an angle of 90 degrees or the first angle of projection, illustrating the device in pressure-reduc ing position.

Specification 01" Letters Patent. Patentecl NQV. 15, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 397,417,

blc by suitable means controlled by what is known as a Boyer recorder mounted on. a suitable bracket or support secured to the engine-frame, preferably at a point where it will be situated directly above the enginetruck, namely at a point intermediate of the cylinders and the pilot of the locomotive.

The Boyer recorder, as is well known in the art, chiefly comprises a rotary pump, a cylinder and a piston with oil as a circulating medium which entirely fills the pump chambers and cylinder; the pump being actuated by means or" a flexible be t and pulley from the axle of the engine-truck, so that when the pressure of the oil beneath the piston reaches a predetermined point (determined by suitable spring; mechanism connected with the piston), the piston is forced upwardly so as to establish an equi- :IIl between the oil pressure and the tenot the springs, determinable by the speed at which the pump is actuated, As the Boyer recorder is a well known construction, an illustration and specific de scription thereof is not entered into.

Our invention, in its present embodiment, contemplates means operable by the piston or piston or lea-head of the Boyer recorder, so that when actuated thereby it in turn will control other elements of our new device; the device being of such nature that it may be readily secured to the Boyer recorder by means of any suitable bracket.

()ur device, in its specific embodiment, comprises a main or body portion 10, preferably cylindrical, formed to provide a chamber 11; the upper end of the body portion 10 being provided with a removable top cap 12 adapted to be bolted (or otherwise suitably secured) to the body portion by suitable bolts passing through the annular flanges 13 and 14% formed on the body portion and cap, respectively, and adapted to form a substantially air tight connection. The body portion 10 is provided with an orifice 15 adapted to receive a suitable short connection or pipe leading from the train or air line arranged on the locomotive and leading from the air cylinders. The side wall 01 the body portion 10, at a point removed from the inlet port 15 and preferably at a diametrically opposite point, is provided with an outlet port 16 which communicates with the atmosphere, and the bodyportion 10 at a suitable point intermediate of the ports 15 and 16 is also provided with a third port or passage 17 extending from the chamber 11 into a vertically disposed chamber or port 18, see Figs. 2 and 3.

One side of the top cap 12 is provided with a vertically disposed chamber or port 19 with its lower end communicating or in alinement with the vertically disposed port or passage 18 in the body portion; while the port 19, adj acent the upper end, is provided with a passage or port20 which extends to the interior of the cap member 12 and there fore communicates with the upper end. of the chamber within the device. The chamber or port 19 is provided with a valve 21 adapted to seat on the lower end of the port or passage 19 with the stem 22 of the valve 21 extending upwardly through the port or passage 19 and normally through an opening in the top of top cap 12. The valve 21 reciprocates in the passage or port 18 of the body member 10 and is normally held to its seat by a'suitable spring 2-3 seated in the lower part of port or passage 18; the valve 21 on its lower side being preferably provided with a slight extension, as at 24, extending into the coil spring 23 so as to maintain the operative relation between the spring and the valve.

The stem 22 of the valve 21 is preferably made triangular in cross-section in order to provide freer passage for the air past the valve-seat and through the restricted portions of the chamber or passage 19 when the valve 21 is oil itsseat; while the upper end 01": the passage through the top of the cover or cap 12 is arranged to provide a comparative air-tight relation with the stem 22 and at the same time permit free sliding movement of the stem.

The member is provided with a composite piston. or rather a main piston 25 adapted to have air-tight sliding relation with the top cap or cover member 12 of the device; the piston being preferably provided with suitable metallic and asbestos packing rings 26 and 27. The piston is shown provided with an integral stem which carries an auxiliary piston 28, secured against displacement by the shoulder formed on the rod at 29, -Wl1llQItl1Q portion of the stem disposed beneath the auxiliary piston 9-8 is threaded and provided with a .nut 30. The auxiliary piston, like main piston 25, is also provided with suitable packing rings 26 and 27 and the piston is arranged in sliding contact with the walls of the shell or casing 19. \Vith the pistons 25 and 28 arranged in spaced relation as shown, it is apparent that an intermediate air-chamber is thereby provided as indicated at 11, adapted to receive air from the train line through the inlet port or orifice 15.

The piston stem at a point intermediate of V the main piston 25 and the auxiliary piston 28 is reduced at 31. This reduced portion 31 is provided with a suitable slide valve held in iirm sliding relation with the walls of the casing 10 by a suitable spring 33; while displacement of the slide-valve 332 is prevented by the shoulders formed on the.

the shell or main member 10. The lower' end of the stem portion of cap member is provided with a tapped opening toreceive the threaded. tubular adjusting screw 36 which has a- 1 assage extending longitudinally therethrough. The screw 36 may be screwed the desired distance into the cover or cap member 35, to control the stroke of the piston the adjusted position being maintained by a lock nut 37 while the passage through the adjusting screw 36 maintains an exhausting condition in the casing 10 beneath the auxiliary piston 28 to relieve pressure during the downward stroke of the piston. V

Secured at a suitable point on the casing of the Boyer speedrecorder, is a fulcrum bracket 38, see Fig. 3, formed to suitably guide a lever 39 and provide a fulcrum point therefore at 4:9. The bracket 38 is so arranged relative to the air control device, that the free end of lever 39 is disposed above and in alinement with the stem 22 of valve 21, as shown in Fig. 3; while the op posite end of lever 39 is pivotally secured to a rod or stem d1. The stem 41 is preferably shown threaded and is provided with a yoke member or striker 4:91, which is arranged to extend into the upward path of the crosshead of the piston of a Boyer speed recorder. The yoke or striker 42 is maintained at itsadjusted position on rod or stem 11 by the adjusting nuts 43 arranged above and below the yoke 42; the nuts 43 being preferably, held against accidental movement by means of a cotter or other suitable pin disposed therethrough as shown at 4: 1 in Fig. 3.

The function and operation of our improved device is as follows: When the piston of the Boyer speed recorder reaches a predetermined point in its upward travel through the action of the rotary pump of the, recorder (actuated by belt and pulley from the axle of the engine-truck) and the resultant oil pressure, the cross-head of the piston will engage with the yoke 42. As the oil pressure results from actuation of the pump of the recorder induced by the rotation of the engine-truck axle, it is apparcut that whenthe engine or train speed is accelerated and exceeds a preselected speed whereby the cross-head of the recorder piston is induced to move upward beyond a prearranged point relative to yoke 12, that such excessive or increased speed will cause the piston cross-head to lift the rod or stem 41 through the medium of the yoke 42. The lifting of rod or stem 11 will tilt lever 39 on its fulcrum point 10 and induce the free end of the lever to depress the valve-stem 22 and cause valve 21 to move downwardly ofl its seat against the upward pressure of the spring 23.

The chamber 11 being in communication with the train air line, it is apparent that the chamber ll under normal conditions is at constant train line pressure, with the result that piston 25 will be maintained at the upper end of the chamber, namelyadjacent the top of cap member 12, in the position shown in Fig.3. When piston 25 is in this position, the slide-valve 32 carried thereby will be disposed across the port 16? and therefore prevent the air exhausting from the chamber 11,;so that the train line pressure will be maintained until the bypass or port19 is opened through the unseating of valve 21 through action of fulcrum lever 39, operated as previously described.

A5 soon as the fulcrum lever 39 is tilted through the upward travel of the piston cross-head of the speed recorder, beyond the regulable and predetermined point indicating speed of the locomotive in excess of the preselected speed, the unseating of valve 21 allows the air in chamber 11 to pass outwardly through port 17 into chamber 18, past valve 21. into passage 19 and thence through port 20 into the upper part of the chamber above piston 25. With the air pressure accumulating above the large piston surface, piston 25 will be forced clownwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this lowered position, it will be seen that slide valve 32 has uncovered eX- haust port 16 and that the chamber 11 and therefore also the train line will be open to atmosphere so that an immediate reduction of airv pressure in the train line will be provided and the air-brakes thereby automatically applied.

When the speed of the locomotive and train has been reduced, the cross-head of the piston of the speed recorder moves downwardly out of contact with yoke or striker 42 and therefore allows lever 39 to drop back into normal position, namely out of contact with the stem 22 of valve 21. With the downward pressure on stem 22 removed, spring 23 will immediately force valve 21 upwardly to its seat and therefore prevent further flow of air through passage 19 into the upper part of the device above the piston 25, and as a result permit the chamber 11 to be restored to train line pressure which will force piston 25 upwardly into the position shown in F ig. 3 andthere by move slide-valve 32' across exhaust port 16 so'that further escape of air will be prevented and as a result brake-releasing pressure in the train line restored.

l l ith the rod or stem 41 threaded as shown, it is apparent that the yoke or striker 4.2 may be 'ad usted lengthwise of the rod and that therefore the moment of engagement with the piston cross-head of the speed recorder may be determined, so that t'he actuation of our improved control mechanism may be obtained when the locomotive reaches a maximum pre-selected speed, with the result that the locomotive and train speed is at all times under automatic control irrespective of the engine crew and that excessive speed will thereby be reduced and wear and tear eliminated.

e haveshown and described what we believe to be a simple embodiment of our in vc-ntlon, operable through the medium of a j well known type of speed-recording device; but certain modifications maybe made without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is 1. A device of the character described, comprising in combination with the brakeoperating air-line of a locomotive and speedrecording device actuated bya truckaXle of the locomotive, a cylinder interposed in said" air-line and provided with an inlet port and an exhaust port whereby communication between the air-line and the atmosphere maybe established, a double piston slidable in said cylinder and normally disposed on opposite sides of the inlet port and adapted to normally confine the air therebetween, a valve carried by said double piston for normally closing the exhaust port, a passage having communication with said cylinder at a point intermediate of the double piston and at a point in the cylinder above said pistons, a normally seated valve where by air is prevented from flowingthrough said passage, regulable means for determin- &

a predetermined speed, adapted to actuate the valve for said passage, thereby perm1tting the air to flow from between the double piston to one end of the cylinder and causing the double piston to move the exhaust valve oil its seat and permit air from the air-line to exhaust,

' 2. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the brakeoperating air line of a locomotive and a speed-recording device, a cylinder having an inlet port communicating with said airline and an exhaust port, a piston slidable in the cylinder, provided with a large head and a small head arranged in spaced relation on opposite sides of the'inlet port and the exhaust port to provide an air chamber therebetween, a valve carried by said piston intermediate of its heads for controlling said exhaust port, a passage communicating with the air chamber in the cylinder intermediate of the piston heads and with the end of the cylinder in which the large head reciprocates, a valve for said passage whereby air is normally prevented from flowing through said assage, in combination with means, operable by the speed-recording device, adapted to actuate said last mentioned valve to permit air to flow from said air chamber in the cylinder above said large piston head and thereby reciprocate said piston toward the opposite end of the cylinder, whereby the valve is forced off the exhaust port and air exhausted from said air-line.

3. A device of the character described, in combination with the brake-operating airline of a locomotive and a speed-recording device actuated by a truck-axle of the locomotive, a cylinder interposed in said air-line and provided with an inlet port and an exhaust port whereby communication between the air-line and the atmosphere may be established, a piston slidable in the cylinder and provided with a large head and a small head arranged in spaced relation on opposite sides of the inlet port and the exhaust port so as to provide an air chamber therebetween, a valve carried by said piston intermediate of its heads for controlling the exhaust port, regulable means for determining the extent of movement of said piston and maintain an exhaust condition beneath the small head of the piston, a passage having communication with said cylinder intermediate of the piston heads and with the end of the cylinder in which the large head reciprocates, a valve for said passage for normally preventing the flow of air therethrough, and means, operable by said speedrecording device when the locomotive reaches a predetermined speed, whereby said last mentioned valve is actuated and air permitted to flow from the air chamber between the piston heads to the end of the cylinder above said large piston head, whereby said piston is moved toward the small piston head end of the cylinder and the exhaust valve moved off the exhaust port.

t. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the air line oi a locomotive, means arranged in communication with said air-line so as to contain air-line pressure, said means being provided with a by-pass or port intermediate of the upper and lower ends thereof and with an exhaust port, means whereby said by-pass or port is normally closed, reciprocable ineans within the first means disposed between the pointof communication and the upper end of said by-pass and adapted to be controlled by the air pressure and to normally close said exhaust port, and means, operable when the locomotive reaches a predetermined speed, adapted to operate said second means and cause the reciprocable means to move so as to open said exhaust port. 1

'5. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the air-line of a locomotive, a cylinder arranged in communication with the air-line and adapted to contain air-line pressure, said cylinder being provided with an exhaust port and with a port intermediate of the upper and lower ends of the cylinder, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder intermediate ofthe point of communication with the air line and the upper end of said port in the cylinder, said piston being adapted to control said exhaust port, a normally seated valve in said part whereby communication between points above and below the piston may be controlled, and means, operable when the locomotive reaches a predetermined speed, adapted to force said valve off its seat and permit the air to pass into the cylinder above said piston so as to force the latter downwardly' and thereby open said exhaust port to reduce air-line pressure.

6. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the airline of a locomotive, air-holding means arranged and provided with an" exhaust orifice, and means, operable when the locomotive reaches a predetermined speed, adapted to induce actuation of said first means and thereby establish communication between the air-line and the atmosphere.

7. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the brakeoperating air-line of a locomotive, a housing having an inlet port connected with said air-line, the ends of the housing being removable, a port or passage arranged in the side wall of said housing, the ends of said in communication with the air-line naemee passage being arranged in communication with the housing interior at separated points, a spring-controlled valve arranged in said passage to control air passage therethrough, a double piston slidable in said housing and disposed on opposite sides of the inlet port so as to normally confine the air therebetween, an exhaust port in-the wall or" the housing, a valve operable by said double piston adapted to close said exhaust port when the piston is in normal or brake-pressure releasing position, and means, operable by the speed of the locomotive, adapted to force said spring-controlled valve oil its seat and permit the air to fiow through said passage into the upper part or" the housing, thereby forcing the piston downwardly and causing the second mentioned valve to open the exhaust port.

8. A device of the character described, comprising, in combination with the brakeoperating air-line of a locomotive, a cylinder having an inlet port connected with said air-line and an exhaust port, a passage arranged in the wall of the cylinder and connected at its ends with the chamber at sepa-rated points, a spring-controlled valve in said passage, normally closing ofi the passage of air therethrough, a double piston disposed on opposite sides of the inlet port so as to confine the air therebetween, adjustable means for regulating the piston-stroke, a valve carried by said piston, adapted to con trol the exhaust port, tiltable means mounted in the path of the stem of said spring-controlled valve, and means, operable by the speed of the locomotive, whereby said tilt able means is actuated, said spring-controlled valve unseated to permit the air to enter the cylinder above the piston thereby forcing the latter downwardly so as 'to move the second mentioned valve off its seat and permit the air to exhaust.

PIERRE O. l/VOOD. HARRY L. WORMAN. Witnesses.

G, R. WILCOX, B. A. DoBBINs, R. E. BRunDLovn.

reciprocably mounted in the cylinder and A

Images