US1463127A - Crossing signal - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1923. 1,463,127

J. A. MANTA CROSS ING SIGNAL Filed April 18, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 STEP INVENTOR W ATTORNEY July 24, 1923. 1,463,fi27

J. A. MANTA CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April 18. 1922' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESS ATTORNEY July 24, 1923. 1,463,127

J. A. MANTA CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April 18. '1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I, Q; ldlllleli IMF 1 44 10 E4 Jfl. Mari/a INVENTOR WITNESS: ATTORNEY Patented duly 24, 1923.

UNETE JOSEPH A. MANTA, F PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed April 18. 1922. Serial No. 554,627.

To a]? iclm-m it may concern Be it known that I, JosurH A. MANTA, a citizen of the United States, residing at lrovincetown, in the county of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Crossing Signals. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal devices, particularly to signals designed for use in connection with rail-Ways. interurban lines and the like. and has for its object the provision of a warning signal designed to be located at a crossing and automatically operated upon the approach of a train or car whereby to apprise pedestrians, drivers of vehicles and others of the approach of a train. the device being particularly advantageous in preventing the occurrence of accidents such as frequently occur at grade crossings.

v An important object is the provision of a signal of this character which is electrically operated, circuit closing means being provided and operated by passage of the train or car over certain sections of the trackway which are insulated from the remaining sections whereby to close the circuit for operating the signal device proper.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which includes a movable semaphore arm carrying an electric light. the arm being moved up and down and the light being flashed on and off automatically upon the approach of a train or car.

A still further object is the provision of a signal device of this character which in cludes an automatically operated circuit making and breaking device, the making being effected positively and the break being effected by spring tension.

A nother object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture. and installation, highly efficient in use. positive in action, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

lVith the above and other objects and ad vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 shows the signal device designed to be located at a crossing, the parts being at one limit of their movement,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the part-s at another limitof their movement,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the signalling device,

Figure t is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the device located at a crossing and associated with a trzu-kway, this view being in the nature of a perspective and,

Figure (3 is a diagram of the electric circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter A designates a track-way and Bdesignates a crossing. In carrying out In invention I provide sections and 11 of the track rails as current carriers, these rail sections being insulated, as shown at 12 from the other sections which are there adjacent. I also provide a signal post 13 or other support which is located at or near the crossing B and upon which is mounted my signal device to be hereinafter described. Pivotcd upon each post as shown at 14, is a semaphore blade 15 which is so arranged that it will naturally gravationally remain in the position shown in Figure 3, that is in a dowmvardly inclined position. This semaphore blade may be painted or otherwise colored in any desired manner and preferably bears the legend Stop and also has its free end carrying an incandescent bulb 16 which is designed to be flashed on and off by the means to be hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the post is a frame 17 which is here shown as being rectangular though it should be understood that instead of a frame I might use a rectanglar casing or if preferred the frame 17 might be enclosed within a suitable casing such as indicated at 18. The frame 17 includes a base member 19 from which project laterally extending guides 20 and from the top of which extend tubular guides 21. I also provide a rectangular frame which includes vertical rods 22 slidably engaged through the guide 20 and connected at their lower ends by a cross-bar 23 and at their upper ends by a cross bar 24. The cross bar 24 is connected with the shorter end of the semaphore blade by means of a flexible member such as the chain 25 indicated in the drawings. The lower cross member 23 has connected therewith a flexible member 26 which is trained about a suitable guide pulley 27 and which has its free end secured to and wrapped motor 29 is of course suitably mounted with respect to the frame 17 as clearly indicated. Depending from the upper cross bar 24 are guide rods 30 which are shdably rece1ved Within the tubular guides 21 and which serve to guide the movement of the outer frame with respect to the frame 17.

Rigidly mounted between the tubular guides 21'is a block 31' of insulating material which is rovided near its end w th vertically extending holes 32 through winch are slidable depending rods 33 which are passed slidably through the upper crossbar 24 of the movable frameand wlnch also pass through a cross bar 34 located below the cross bar 24. At their upper ends the rods 33 carry stop buttons 35 and below the cross bar 34 they also carry stop buttons 36 which are for the purpose of limiting the vertical movement of the rod 33 as Wlll be hereinafter explained.

Carried upon the underside of the block 31' are spaced contacts 37 and 38 which are merely metallic strips and gonnected with these contacts are wires 39 and 40 respectively-which lead to the terminals of the incandescent lamps 16 carried by the semaphore blade. One of these contacts, for instance the contact 37, is connected by a wire 41 with the rail section 10 while the rail section 11 is connected by a wire 42 with one pole of a source of current 43 which has its other pole connected by a wire 44 with one terminal of the motor 29. The other terminal of the motor is connected by a wire 45 with a metallic contact strip 46 which is secured upon the top of a bar 47 of insulating material which is slidable between the tubular guides 21 and which is provided at its underside with guide plungers 48 which operate through holes 49 in the base 19. The numeral 50 designates coil springs which are interposed between the top of the base 19 and the underside of the bar 47 whereby to hold the latter normally elevated. It will be observed that the end portions of the insulating bar 47 are in the path of movement of the rods 33.

Assuming that the device has been constructed and installed as above described, the operation is as follows; ordinarily, that is when no train is passing over the rail sections 10 and 11, the semaphore blade 15 will hang in an inclined position indicating safety, as shown in Figure 3, at which time the movable frame will be in its uppermost position with the contacts 46 engaging both of the contacts 37 and 38.

owever no current will flow until a train or car passes over the rail sections 10 and 11, whereupon the current will be bridged across through the wheels and axles of the train or car and the result will be that current will flow from the source 43, throu ii the wire 42, through both rails and t e train or car, through the wire 41, through both of the contacts 37 and 46 and then through the motor 29 and back to the source. At the same time. current will be carried through the wires 39 and 40 through the incandescent bulb 16 so that the latter will be energized. When this action occurs, that :is when the motor 29' is energized as above described, the rotation of the shaft thereof Will cause the drum 28 to wind up or reel in the flexible member 26, and this will of course result in moving the movable frame downwardly and this will result in swinging the semaphore biade 15 to horizontal position as shown in Figure 2. As the up per cross bar 24 of the movable frame moves downwardly, the-rod 33 carried thereby will slide through the holes 32 and in the end portions of the block 31 and will engage against the end portions of the insulating bar 47 and move the latter downwardly so that the contact strip 46 will be out of engagement with the contacts 37 and 38, which will of course result in breaking the circuit. As soon as the circuit is thus broken it is apparent that the motor 29 will cease to operate and the weight of the semaphore blade will cause it to swing upon its pivot into its downwardly inclined position which it occupies initially. As long as the circuit is closed by the train or car passing over the rail sections 10 and 11 the action will be repeated so that the effect will be up and down swinging movement of the semaphore blade and intermittent flashing of the incandescent bulb, it being readily apparent that these two actions will operate to apprise any pedestrians, drivers of vehicles or others of the approach of a train so that probability of accidents at the crossing will be practically eliminated. If desired a bell can be used in conjunction with these signal devices though it is not shown or described as it is believed that the application is readily apparent in view of the above explanation.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructcd and consequently inexpensive signailing device which will operate automatic ally upon the approach of the train to give a warning signal, the device being positive in action and being naturally a great safeguard to the public. Owing to the simplicity of the construction it is apparent that there is little to get out of order and ager phfe device will consequently have a long While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A signalling device of the character described comprising a stationary member, guide means carried thereby, a movable frame slidably associated with said guide means, a pivoted semaphore blade normally arranged in inclined position, a hexible connection between the shorter end of the semaphore blade and the top of said frame, an electric motor and means driven thereby connccted with the bottom of the movable frame, a pair of rail sections insulated from the other rail sections of a trackway, and normally engaged contact members moved out of contacting relation by movement of the movable frame interposed in circuit with said insulated rail sections and said motor and a source of current.

2. A signalling device of the character described comprising a stationary member, guide means carried thereby, a movable frame slidably associated with said guide means, a pivoted semaphore blade normally arranged in inclined position, a flexible connection between the shorter end of the semaphore blade and the top of said frame, an electric motor and means driven thereb connected with the bottom of the movable rame, a pair of rail sections insulated from the other rail sections of a trackway, and normally engaged contact members moved out of contacting relation by movement of the movable frame interposed in circuit with said insulated rail sections and said motor and a source of current, and an incandescent bulb carried by the semaphore blade, and connections between said bulb and certain of said contacts.

3. In a signalling device, a stationary element provided with guides, a vertically movable frame slidably engaged with said guides, a pivoted semaphore blade connected with the top of said frame, a motor having its shaft carrying a drum, a flexible member connected with the bottom of said frame and having its free end secured to and wound upon said drum, a pair of track sections insulated from the other track sections of a trackway, and a circuit including said track sections, said motor, a source of current and contact members interposed in said circuit and engaged by movement of said frame.

4:. In a signal device, a stationary element provided with guides, a vertically movable frame slidably associated with said guides, at semaphore blade pivoted near one end and having the shorter end flexibly connected with the top of said frame, a motor having its shaft provided with a drum, a flexible member secured to the bottom of said frame and having its other end secured to and wound upon said drum, an upwardly spring pressed vertically slidable member carried by said stationary element, a contact on said last named member, a pair of contact strips carried by the stationary member and engageable by the first named contacts, and a palr of rods moved by said movable frame and having their lower ends engageable with said vertically movable element whereby to move the latter downwardly to bring said first named strip out of engagement with said pair of contact strips.

5. In a signal device, a stationary element provided with guides, a vertically movable frame slidably associated with said guides, a semaphore blade pivoted near one end and having the shorter end flexibly connected with the top of said frame, a motor having its shaft provided with a drum, 2. flexible member secured to the bottom of said frame and having its other end secured to and wound upon said drum, an upwardly spring pressed vertically slidable member carried by said stationary element, a contact on said last named member, a pair of contact strips carried by the stationary member and engageable by the first named contacts, and a pair of rods moved by said movable frame and having their lower ends engageable with said vertically movable element whereby to move the latter downwardly to bring said first named strip out of engagement with said pair of contact strips, an incandescent bulb carried by the semaphore blade, connectionsbetween said bulb and said pair of contact strips, and a circuit including a source of current connected vwith said motor, said first named contact, one of second named contacts and with a pair of rail sections insulated from the remaining rail sections of a trackway.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

JOSEPH A. MA TA.

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