US1477296A - Stop signal for crossings - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11, 1923. 1,477,296

W. B. TABOR STOP SIGNAL FOR CROSSINGS Filed May 23. 1922 2 Sheets-$heet l "Dec. 11,1923. 1,477,296

w. B. TABOR STOPSIGNAL FOR GROSSINGS Filed May 23. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet? 6'4 I Mam 7'04? Mum/15. Z750 of the city Patented Dec. ll, 1923.

I UHTED ST'ES Fro) D. MARTIN, OF.G-ILLESPIE, ILLINOIS. I

STOP SIGNAL FOR CROSSINGS.

A Application filed May 23, 1922. Serial No. 562,964.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM B. TABOR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New Douglas, county of Madison, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop Signals for Crossings, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in stop signals for crossings, and has for its primary object a signal which will automatically indicate a stop or flash a danger signal for railway crossings whenever a car or train of cars approaches within a predetermined distance of said crossing.

A further object is to construct a stop or danger signal for railway crossings which is operated automatically by the passage of cars on the right of way of railway, but one which will not obstruct traflic over the crossing in the event that the approachin vehicle is too close to come to; a'stop.

l y device is intended to obviate the use of crossing switch men and gates across rallway crossings, which obstruct the railroad and prevent the passage of vehicles,

which has frequently happened. where crossing gates are made use of, and the gates consequently lowered that a vehicle approaching a crossing was traveling at such a rate of speed as to prevent its being stopped, in which case it crashed into the gates, frequently injuring the passengers of the vehicle, and at times injuring the vehicle to such anextent that itcame to a stop directly in the path of the approaching danger.

By the use of my device the vehicles are properly warned,'but at the same. time permitted the free passage in the event that they are too close to the crossing at the time the signal is flashed to cross the danger point. I

In the drawings, 7 I

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of my device with the crossing signal tripped.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line crossing.

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged fragmental sectional view of the latching mechanism. 1 I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fra'gmental sectional view of one of the tripping levers.

In the construction of my device? represents the railway tracks, 8 the ties, and 9 the crossing. At each end ofthe crossing are erected posts 10, to which is secured a sign board 11 bearing a suitable inscription so as to notify the passengers on the highway that they are approaching a railway On each side of the crossing 9 are arms or bell crank levers 12 which are joined at their top ends by a sign board 13. This sign board has preferably imprinted or painted thereon, the words Stop, danger, and alsobears a red light or danger signal 14. The opposite ends 'of the arms 12 are secured to a shaft 15 which is mounted in bearings secured to certainfof the ties 8. These arms 12 are secured eitherby means of pins driven through the arms and shaft, or by any other suitable means, so" that. the shaft cannot rotate wi'thoutoperating the arms. Centrally of the shaft15 and secured in a similar manner is a, sleeve 16. This sleeve has a horizontal projecting por- WILLIAM B. TABOR, OF NEW DOUGLAS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO ALBEB'I tion 17 which projects beneath the base I for the purpose of engaging the flanges of the railway "car. The portion 17 has an integrally formed tooth or projection 20 which engages with'the latch 21. This latch is secured in a housing 22, which housing is mounted between two of the ties. -The latch" 20 is controlled or moved forward by means of a coil spring 23. Securedto the latch 21 is a pin 24 which projects through a slot 25 formed in the housing 22', and to the pin 24. is secured a cable or other flex- .ible means 26. This cable passes around a pulley 27 secured to the housing 22, its free end is securedto a rod or cable 28. The opposite end of the rod or cable 28 is secured to the end 29 of the triplever 30. This trip lever is pivotally mounted at a point.

31 in the bracket 32 and this bracket 32 is secured to the railway ties'at any predetermined distance from the crossing. Surrounding the rod or cable 28 are coil springs 33 and 34. The purpose of the spring 33 isto pull the rod 28 backward and assist in relieving,

the spring 23, while the purposeof the spring 34 is to allow the lever to be tilted in the. direction indicated bythe arrow B in Fig. 6, and return it to its original position. The arrow A in the same figure,

indicating the-direction in which the lever is operated to trip the signal. Inotherof their downwardmovement.

- upward. This movement; engages the tooth with the latch 21 and supports the warning signal 13 in raised position, so.

The operationiofmy device is as follows: After the device has beenproperly installed at a crossing,- the armsv 10' are lifted .that it. will beihidden by the board-or sign 11,. .(see: dotted lines, Fig. 3.) If a vehicle on-the rightof way of the railway-is approaching from either direction, it will strike. the .trip lever '30 when reaching a predetermined distance from the crossing. This movement of the trip lever 30 will operate onevof the rods 28, withdrawv the latch 21, and release the tooth 20. This allowsthe bell crank levers orarmslQ to trip, carrying with them the danger signal or board-13,- which becomes a visible beneath the board 11,thus-warning the traffic that there is danger in crossing. This tripping of the-signal alarmwill raise the plate 19 asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

soon as the vehicle-on the tracks reachesthiscplat-e the wheel flanges thereof will contact with the plate and force it downward so that the tooth 20 can again engage Y -witlr the latch :21," thus automatically resetting the signal,its continued movement will trip theppposite lever 31, but this movement beingin the retrograde will 'not again 13111) the danger signal.

.hand, or it ,may be an electric light-which will. automatically light when the signal has been lowered.

This may be accomplished invarious ways.

the tracks andsengage-either= with the cow catcher, fender, or axles of a railway coach, and is only designed to tripthemlanger signal when struck in thedirection indicated by the arrow A 111 Fig. 6. The opposite direction indicated by the arrow B -hav -ing no effect on tlietripping of the danger signal,-wh-ile. the restoring of the signal ;toa;clear passage over. the right of wayby the actionof the flanges :of the wheels is accomplished only when the wheelspass the center-of the crossing, so that there is no possibility of the device being set 'atsthe 315.31 rcrossing while Zthe -:reilway .coach .is

The light let I may be ignited every night-by a section on either side of the crossing,

so that my a. freighter passenger train is travelling over the crossing, the device will be tripped by the locomotive when comingwvithin a predetermined distance of the crossing, and as soon as the front truck of the engine strikes the plates 19, the crossing will again show clear, but .in this event, the crossing will still be blocked by the remaining coaches or cars beingdrawn by the locomotive,gso that thereis no danger'o-f a vehicle attempting; to cross over.

Having fully described my invention,

what I claim is: a

1.. A stop signal for railway crossings comprisingin. combination with: a :railway trackand ties, a bearing-secured t-osaid ties and on each side of the crossing, a shaft crossing, a sleeve securedto said shaft -;midway its-lends, a horizontal; pro ectmga-portion formed integral withwsaidsleeve and extending: beneath the basekflangewof the rails, a 'verticalportion-terminating in a tal portion: and lying :alongthe inside edge mounted in said bearings a-bell crank lever 1 flat plate formed integral with the :horizonlot the ball of thefrail, atooth: formed hate I gral with the-horizontal projecting :por-- tion, -aspring actuated .latch 'adapted -to engage with saidtooth, a-lever located be tween said traeksf'oireach side of the crossing and at a;predetermined distance therefrom, a rod secured to said lever, cables-secured to said-rod and-latch, and -a' fixed sign extending across said clossing,said fixed sign normally covemng the sign board carried by the bell crank levers. 2. A stop :--s1gnal I'EOI'JHJIIWHY crossings comprising incombmation :with-a railway trackand ties. a bearing secured to certain of said ties on. each-side of the c-rossingand on each SlClP/Of theztrack, a shaft mounted in said bearing, a. bell crank'lever located The -,ope-rat1ng lever is so 1 on each side =ofi the crossingand having one constructed. as to extend upward between arm thereof extending horizontally and-secured to the shaft, the other arm: extending crossing, asleeve secured to .said shaftmid- -way its'ends and-having a horizontal portion formed integral therewith, saidfl'hori- 'vertical, a sign boardwtothe vertical arms of said levers and extending across the 1m 1 zont-al portion extending,."beneathvthe base flange of the rails,.-'a?flat,plate 'formed antegral with said. horizontal; portion vand lying along the inside ea ene thehall of theirail',

said'ifiat plate adapted to be contacted with by the flange of the railway wheeheattooth engage with said tooth, a lever located between said tracks and at a predetermined distance, from each side of the crossing, a rod secured to one end of saidlever, springs surrounding said rod and adapted to normally hold the lever in vertical position, cables attached to said rods and said latch said cables adapted to operate said latch when the lever is operated in one direction 10 only and allowing the lever to operate in the the crossing, said sign normally tending to cover the sign board carried by the bell crank levers whereby the same will only become visible when the latch and the tooth have been disengaged.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM B. TABOR.

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