US1518962A - Safety device for railway gates - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4- 1,518,962

T. T. CHALONER SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY GATES Filed Aug. 15, 1924 INVENTOR l Z I! Clzalorzer 24 I BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

PATENT )FHCE.

THOMAS T. GHALONEH, OF NEW? YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY Application filed August 13, 1924.

T (ZZZ whom. it may cancer/'1.

Be it known that I, THOMAS T. GHALONER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Satet-y Devices for Railway Gates, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide a device which cooperates with the stopping control mechanism of a passing train when the railroad crossing gates are in lifted position. This is accomplished by providing the train with an actuator arm which cooperates with. a stationary automatic stopping lever mounted beside the track. The automatic stopping lever is manipulated into two positions, the inactive, in

which it does not contact with the actuator arm of the train and the active position, in which it lies in the path of the train actuator, the former position being assumed when the crossing gates are down or closed, and the latter position when the gates are up or open. The main purpose of the device is therefore, to shut otli' the power source of the train and bring itto a stop before a crossing when the crossing gates are raised, autoi'natically and independently of the operator of the train.

This and other objects will become apparent in the description below. in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing. Figure 1 is an elevational view of a gate crossing equipped with the device. the gates being shown in raised or open position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the gates in closed position.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view showing the method of closing the power source of a passing train by the automatic stopping lever.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the actu ator arm mounted on the train.

Figure 5 is a partially sectioned elevational view of the same.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the crank used for closing and opening the crossing gate and swinging the automatic stopping lever into active or inactive posi tion.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the bed of a length Serial No. 731,693.

of railroad. A bed usually provides a base for a pair of parallel rails such as are indi cated by the numeral 1]. At a position where a highway intersects the railroad bed. a pair of pedestals and 1 5 are erected permanently on each. side of the track. Said pedestals are provided with openings in which spindles are mounted. these spindles being used to support the crossing gates 14 and 15. it being noted that a single pair of crossing gates are shown on the drawing. but itmay not be necessarily limited to this number. An. extension 16 projects from one of the ends of each crossing gate and in this end. a pin is mounted. The pedestal 12 has an extension thereon which projects sidewise and serves as a support tor pivot pins on which a right angle bell crank 17 is mounted. This bell. crank has a long arm and a short arm, the longer one having a longitudinal slot in which the pin projecting from member 16 ot the crossing gate 14 is engaged. The opposite pedestal 13 has a similar projection projecting sidewise therefrom and supports an obtuse angle hell crank 18. one arm of which is slotted to receive the pin extending from the crossing gate 15. Adjacent the pedestal l3 is a bracket 19 mounted permanently on the bed. This bracket supports a crank 20 having handle 21. The lower end of the crank 20 has one end of a pipe 22 secured thereto. said pipe extending across both pedestals and having the free ends of the bell cranks '17 and 18 secured thereto. hllonnteo some distance awav from the pedestal 12 is a post 23 which is supported on a base on the road bed 10 adjacent the track. This post has a right angle extending arm which extends toward the rails 11 and pivotallv sup ports a normally vertical automatic stopping lever 26 which has its longer end. extending downwardly. At the upper end of the post, a bell crank 27 is pivotally mounted and one end of the bell crank is connected to the short end of the automatic stop ing lever by a tie rod 28. in upstanding bracket 29 is mounted on the bed adjacent the post 23 and pivotally supports an obtuse bell crank 30 which has its longer arm connected. to the free end of the hell crank 27 bv a rod 31. To the remaining end of the bell crank 30, the end of the pipe 22 is. pivotally secured.

In the majority of locomotives a stopping mechanismis usually provided which is connected to and cooperates with the shaft 32 which extends downwardly thru the rooi of the locomotive 33, said shaft being adapted to actuate the stopping mechanism by rotating thru a small angle. The stopping mechanism is not shown on the drawing as it does not form part of the invention. To the end of the shaft 32 which projects above the roof of the locomotive, an arm 34 extends angularly sidewise. The outer end of the arm has a longitudinal slot 35 therein in which an additional arm 36 is pivoted on a pin 37, the latter arm being adapted to be engaged by the automatic stopping lever when the latter lies in the path of said arm 36. The outer end of the arm 34 has a yoke 38 formed thereon which serves as a guide between which the arm 36 is movable and flat springs 39 and LO mounted on each side of the arm 34 normally retain the arm 36 in central position with respect to the arm 34;

The crossing gates 1e and 15 may be lowered longitudinally by manipulating the crank handle 21." When the crank 20 is rotated from the position shown in Figure 1 or that in Figure 2, the rod 22 to which the bell cranks 17, 18, and 30, are connected is urged toward the post 23, thus lowering the crossing gates and rotating the automatic stopping lever 26 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The jointed arm 34 mounted on the train 33 will not contact with the automatic stopping lever when the latter is in the position shown in dotted'lines. If the crossing gates are for any reason permitted to remain in the raised position shown in Figure 1, and a train is approaching, the automatic stopping lever 26 will lie in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3. As the jointed'arm 34: on the train 33 is at all times in the posi tion shown in Figure 3, the automatic stopping lever will lie in the path of the arm 36, and when said arm contacts with the automatic stopping lever, it will rotate the shaft 32 rearwardly to operate the stopping mechanism, thus stopping the train before it arrives at the crossing. The actuator is constructed jointed so that the shock incident to striking the automatic stopping lever 26 may be absorbed. As this has occurred the arm 36 is rotated again into alignment with the arm 34 thru either of the springs 39 and 40 which serve as buffer members.

I claim 1. In the combination of a railroad crossing gate, closing means, and means for closing the source of power of a moving train. when passing a predetermined position. comprlsmg a pair of crossing gates, bell: cranks supported adjacent said gates and pivoted thereto, a pipe connecting said bell cranks pivotally,' an additional crank, one

end of said pipe being secured to said crank, and means ascociated with the pipe menr ber for co-operating with the train to close the source of power in said train.

2. In the combination of a railroad crossing gate, closing means, and means for closing the source of power of a moving train when passing a predetermined position comprising a pair oi? crossing gates, bell cranks supported adjacent said gates and pivoted thereto, a pipe connecting said bell cranks pivotally, an additional crank one end of said pipe being secured to said crank, an upright post, an automatic stopping lever pivotally mounted on said upright post, a bell crank on said post, a tie rod connecting the automatic stopping lever and bell crank, an additional bell crank having one arm thereof connected to the pipe member and a rod connecting said lastnamed bell crank to the bell crank at the upper end of the post, said pipe when pulled being adapted to rotate the automatic stopping lever, and a jointed arm on the train being adapted to engage said automatic stopping lever and be rotated thereto.

3. In the combination of a railway crossing gate, closing'means and means for closing the source of power of a moving train comprising a pair of crossing gates, bell cranks connected to said gate ends, a post removed from'said gates, an arm extending horizontally from said post, a lever pivoted intermediate its length on said arm, a bell crank pivoted on said post, said bell crank being linked to the lever and the bell cranks operating the crossing gates, and a jointed arm on the train being adapted to be moved by the lever when the latter is in engageable position.

4. In the combination of a railway crossing gate, closing means and means for closing the source of power of a moving train comprising a pair of crossing gates, bell cranks connected'to said gate ends, a post removed from said' gates, an' arm extending horizontally from said post, a lever pivoted intermediate its length on said arm, a bell crank pivoted on said post, said bell crank being linked to the lever and the 'bell cranks operating the crossing gates, a jointed arm on the train comprising a downwardy inclined arm adapted to be rigidly mounted at the upperend of a pivoted shaft and being provided with a longitudinal slot, an additional arm pivoted in the slot of the first-named arm, a yoke limiting the movement of the last-named arm, and springs mounted on the sides of the firstnamed arm being adapted'to normally re-- tain the last-named arm in central position;

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. I

THOMAS T. GHALONER.

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