US1415813A - Railway signal torpedo - Google Patents

Description

F. BUTCHER- RAILWIAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1921.

1,41 5,813. Patented May 9, 1922.

A p dd UNITED sTArrs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BUTCHER, 0F VERSJMLLES; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSllICrNUR Tl) CENTRAL RAIL- WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORIQRATION OF NEW J ERSEY.

RAILWAY SIGNJ-liL TORPEDO.

1,411 Application-filed May 526,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, F ame: Dntronnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Torpcdoes, of which the following a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal lJOI'IJGflOGS,h,I1(l more particle larly to a novel means of attaching the railengaging member to the powder containing case.

The object of this invention is to provide a torpedo and rail-attaching member therefor embodying a novel means of attachment between the torpedo and the rail-attaching member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a railway signal torpedo composed of a paper or fiber case and having a metal rail-attaching member.

A further object of my invention is to provide a railway signal torpedo which is so constructed as to eliminate the danger of fly ing particles and fragments when the explosion occurs.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rail-way signal torpedo provided with a rail-attaching member Which will be cheap and simple of manufactln'e an d. efficient in operation.

Other and. further objects and novel features of this invention will appear in the :liillowing description and drawings:

In the drawings:

Figure 1. is a perspective view of a railway signal torpedo embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the torpedo shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings, like parts are designated by similar reference numerals throughout the description.

To those skilled in the art of the manu facture of railway signal torpedoes, it is well-knownthat the raiLattaching member, which holds the torpedo to the track, must be firmly secured to the torpedo and must be constructed to hold the torpedo securely to the track. If either the connection between the rail-attaching member and the torpedo Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

1921. Serial Ne. 472,626.

or the torpedo and the track become broken and the torpedo displaced from the track, a serious accident might occur, as the engineer will not get the intended signal.

My invention resides in constructing a torpedo in a manner so as to avoid the possibility of the torpedo becoming displaced once it is fastened to the railroad track and. resides further in a novel means of attaching a metal i'aitattacliing member to a torpedo having a paper or fiber case. I

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates the explosive which is within a wrapper having crimped opposite ends 3 and l. Within the wrapper 2 and abutting the crimed end a thereof is a paper wad or disc 5.

In making this torpedo, one end of the wrapper is first crimped and the explosive is then poured into the wrapper. To provide against the possibility of any of the explosive being set off by friction when a crimping tool is used. on the other end of the wrapper to close it, I insert the paper wad or disc 5 to retain the powder awry from the extreme end of the wrapper.

An open ended protecting case 6 com pletely encircles the wrapper and explosive, as shown, and is provided with openings 7, the function of which will be explained later.

The rail-attaching or engaging member 8 is approximately of a heart-shape, terminating in the inwardly and upwardly bent ends 9 and having the V-s "tped bends or depressions ill) in its top or i might edge 1].. 1 ref erably' the rail -e1' a lng member of g metal, as in, but I do not limit to this particular material as other similar or like material. can be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

As will be clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the rail-attaching member 8 is carried within the case 6, the ll-shaped depressions 10 of the rail-attaching member registering with and Jrotruding outwardly through the openings of the case. The cross-sectional area of the wrapper and the case are such as to provide a tight fit of the wrapper in the case so that when the torpedo is assembled the rail-attaching member is clamped firmly in place.

Attention is directed to the fact that the adjacent walls of the two V-shaped depressions 10 are L} 31J1()Xllllflllfll:j7 vertical and that they form looks or stops against the edges of the openings 7, to prevent the displacement of the rail-attaching member.

To complete the torpedo and to safeguard the explosive from dampness, the torpedo is dipped into a water-proof bath.

It will be readily understood that when the torpedo is applied to a railway rail, the rail-attaching member 8 is expanded around the rail head and that the torpedo is held firmly in place upon the rail by the spring tension of the rail-attaching member.

Also it will be further noted that when the torpedo is struck and exploded, there will be no flying fragments or particles to cause injury. The crimped ends 3 and 4c of the case will open and the greater force of the explosion will be through these open ends. After the explosion has occurred, the rail-attaching member and flattened torpedo case will still be upon the rail-head.

Although I have shown my torpedo made in a cylindrical shape, I do not limit myself to this construction, as my invention can be embodied in other shapes of torpedoes with out departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within an open ended case provided with openings in itsside, a rail-engaging member provided with depressed portions carried within the case and extending outwardly through its open ends, the openings in the case and the depressed portions of the rail-engaging member registering for the purpose described.

2. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried Within a case provided with openings through its side, a rail engaging member having approximately V-shaped depressions in its top, and the rail-engaging member carried within the case and the V-shaped depressions protruding outwardly through the openings in the case, for the purpose described.

3. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within a case provided with openings in its side, a rail-engaging member provided with depressed portions carried within the case and extending outwardly from the ends thereof, the openings in the case and the depressed portions of the rail-engaging member registering, for the purpose described.

4:. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within a case provided with openings through its side, a spring rail-engaging member having its top formed in a straight line and provided with depressed portions, the rail engaging member having end portions in a diiiierentplane from its top portion, the rail-engaging member carried within the case and the de pressed portions thereof registering with the openings in the case and the extended end portions of the rail-engaging member without the case, for the purpose described.

5. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within an open ended case provided with openings in its side, :1 spring rail-engaging member provided with depressed portions carried within the ease and extending outwardly through its open ends, the openings in the case and the depressed portions of the rail-engaging member registering, for the purpose (lesi-ribed.

6. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within a case provided with openings through its side, a spring railengaging member having approximately V shaped depressions in its top, and the railengaging member carried within the case and the V-shaped depressions protruding outwardly through the openings in the ease, for the purpose described.

7. A railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive carried within a case provided with openings in its side, a rail-engaging member provided with depressed portions carried within the case, and the openings in the case and the depressed portions of the rail-engaging member registering, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereunto :iiiix my signature.

FRANK DUTCHER.

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