US1583344A - Semaphore signal - Google Patents

Description

May 4,1926. 1,583,344;

A. DURAN SBIAPHORE SIGNAL Filed Sept. 25. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet; 1

sa l I I 62 I i May 4, 1926. 1,583,344

A. DU RAN SEMAPHORE SIGNAL Filed Sept. 25, 1923 5 Shet S-$h66t 2 May 4 1-926. 1,583,344-

A. DURAN SEMAPHORE SIGNAL Filed Sept 25, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 4 1926.

A. DURAN SEMAPHORB SIGNAL Filed Sept. 25, 1925 5 'Sheets-She6 5 .v I gmntoc d-Lrlura win.

) Toall whom it may concern: 7

Patented May 4, 1926.

ARTURO DURAN, or SAN. NTONIO, TEXAS, ASSiGNdR or ONE-HALF rro j JAMEs M.

1,583,344 j UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

DWYER, or SAN ANTONIO, Texas.

SEMAPHORE SIGNAL.

Application filed September 25, 1923. Serial 110-664,?63. I

Be it known that I, ARTURO DURAN, a citizen of Mexico, residing at San Antonio, 1n the county of Bexar and State of TeXas,have

'5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Semaphore Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signals, and has special reference to semaphore signals, of the type used to control traffic on street corners and other similar places. a

- More particularly the invention relates to improvements in the signalling semaphores such as'are'illustratedin the patents previously granted to me, and bearing the Numbers 1,406,625 and 1,434,050. In these pat.-

ents, there is disclosed a semaphore standard located at a street intersection, and carrying,

at its top a signal device operable by the passage of vehicles over certain platforms located at the street corners. The semaphore used is of the common stop-stop, go-go type, and normally sets in the neutral position, being turned by the passage of an automobile, say in a westerlydirection, to cause the stop-stopblades to face north and south, and stop the north bound. traflic. In the patents above referred to, no provision was made for-retarding the return of the signal to neutral position, but just as soon as the car "leaves the plaform, the signal swings back to neutral.v This of course is aptto cause confusion and produce-a collision.

One important object of the present invention is to provide an improved semaphore arrangement of the type disclosed in the aforesaid" patents and to have, in this improved arrangement, means for retarding the return of the signal toneutral position. A secondimportant object of the invention is to provide an improved semaphore signal having an adjustable controlfor the retarding means. g f

A third important object of the invention is to provide, in asignal as-above described, means for instantly releasing the platform mechanism upon the signal being'set.

A fourth important object of the inven-" It is to be noted that this is an important feature since it is seldom that traffic on inter;v

secting streets is uniform. j 7 1th the above and other objects in viewas will be hereinafter apparent, the-inven tion consists in general of certain novel details of construction "and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed. A

'In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and: v

Fig. 1 is a general proved device. a I

Fig. 2 is a view showing the interior mech: anlsm at the lower part, the casing being. shown in section. I 'Fig. 3 is a section on -'Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line4.%1ofFig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the dial used in; setting the retarding device.

Fig. 6 is a detail section 1;

elevation of the I im;

the line 3+3 of hrough a certain lock mechanism in its normal or unlocked position.

Fig. 7 is a .view similar to Fig. 6 showing the parts in locked position.

8. is a detail'view showingth used to set tion. v a a Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig.8 withthe parts in a second position. 1 I

the retarding device in; one posi- Fig. 10 is a detail section on the-{line 10 10 of Fig. 9.

Figure 11, is a sectional viewtaken along the line 11 of Figure 6. a a

. Figure'12 is a section view taken along the line 1212 of Figure 17 I Figure13'is a top plan view of a portion of the retarding device; I v

. Figure 14: is an enlarged view of a latch reversing device and its operating means. a 1

Figure 15 is an enlarged view taken-along the line 1515 of Figure 10 and showing the latch in an operative position. Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15, showingthe latch in a releasing position.

Figure 17, is a view of astreet' crossing equipped with this signal. 7

In the present embodiment of the invention, there is provided. a casing 10, having a hollow base 11 and extending upwardly from this casing is a tubular standard'lQ carrying on its upper end a signal head 13 having the usual semaphore blades 14 and lamp 15. These semaphore blades and lamps are carriedon a hollow shaft 16 which is provided with a foot step or thrust bearing 17 at its lower head, located in a hollow boss 18 formed centrally of the bottom of the base 11. Just above this boss there is fixed on the shaft 16 a collar 19 having projecting arms 20 to which are pivotally connected the pull chains 21 which pass out of the base, being guided by suitable idler pulleys 22. These chains go to the platforms 22 as described in my prior patents. Moreover, the usual springs 23, such as are also described in such patents are employed to maintain the arms 20 in such position that the signal is normally neutral, that is to say, with its blades 14 diagonally across the street intersection. Vithin the casing 10 is supported a spider or ring 24, depend ing from which are pairs of guide standards 25. Between each pair of guide standards slides a lug 26 formed on a counterweight 27 which is normally urged downward by means ofa coil spring 28 bearing'on the counterweight, and on the underside of the spider 24. Centrally of the spider or ring 24 is a tubular boss 29 and centrally of the counterweight is a tubular member 30 having a rack 31 carried on one side in a suitable slot 32. This rack 31 is arranged to mesh, upon elevation of the counterweight, with a gear 33 which in turn meshes with a pinion 34, fixed on ashaft 35 carrying a crank 36. In the upper part of the casing 10 is mounted a cylinder 37 which is open at its bottom end and in which moves a piston 38 connected to the crank 36 by a piston rod 39. The pinion 34 is secured on the shaft 35 to rotate therewith in one direction by means of a ratchet clutch 40 of the usual spring pressed type. Thus, when the weight 27 is elevated, the, parts are so arranged that the pinion 34 may rotate freely without moving the piston 38. In the upper end of the cylinder 38 is an angular air passage 41 controlled by a needle valve 42. This needle valve carries at its upper end a beveled gear 43, which meshes with a beveled gear 44 carried on a setting stem 45, having a key receiving aperture 46 in its upper end, and carrying a pointer 47 which traverses a dial .48 divided to indicate minutes and fractions thereof.

In the operation of this part of the ap paratus it will be noted that upon elevation of theweight 27, no movement of the piston takes place but, as the weight 27 descends the piston moves in its cylinder, and the rate of this movement is controlled by the opening or closing of the needle valve, the setting of this valve being in turn controlled by the position of'the hand or pointer 47. Thus, it is possible to set the time required for the piston to drop from raised position to its lowermost position, at any desired quantity by simply adjusting the needle valve. f V

VVithinthe base 11 is fixed a spider 49., and above this spider on the shaft 16 is fixed a disk 50 having lock notches 51 formed in its periphery, these notches being in opposed pairs, the disk thus forming a ratchet movable with the signal. 'At the lower ends of the guide bars 25 are slides 52 carrying pins 53, which are connected to pins 54 on the collar 50 by springs 55. The slides 52 are slot-ted as at 56, and in these slots are anchor portions 57, each pivoted on a pivot pin 58, and provided with arms 59 for engaging in thenotches 51. These anchor portions thus form pawls and have their outer ends formed as hollow cams 60, and each of these cams receives a pin 61 extending downward from a rack bar 62 slidable in a suitable guide, portion formed in the slide or base 52. It'is tobe observed that the pins 53 pass through slots 63 and are screwed into the respective anchor members. Pivoted between the guides 25 is a segment 64 having aninwardly extending arm 65 carrying a roller 66 which lies beneath the counterweight 27.

Now considering the operation of this part of the mechanism, it will be seen that as soon as the shaft 16 rotates the disk 50 rotates therewith, and due to the action of the springs 55 onthe pins 53, the anchor members are pulled into respective notches 51 and there held, the cams 6O acting upon the pins 61 to move the racks 62 inwardly andswing the arms 55 upwardly thus raising the rollers 66. When the weight descends it strikes these rollers and imparts movement to the arms 65 which forces the rack 62 outwardly, and releases the anchor lug 59 from its engaged notch so that the springs 23 may then restore the .parts. 4 Fixed on the shaft 16 below the spider 49 .is an interrupted or segmental wheel 67, having grooved peripheral portions 68 centrally of which are secured the ends of chains 69 leading around guide pulleys 70 in the base 11, and over guidepulleys 71 at the upper ends of the guides 25, remaining ends of said chain being secured to lugs 72 on the weight 27. These chains are not fixed permanently to the center of the segment 68, but there is employed a sliding trip device movable around the peripheral portion 68 and including a strap 7 3, which fits over said peripheral portions and carries a pin 74 normally fitting in a notch in the center ofthe respective segment 68, the pin being held in the notch by means of a coil spring 7 5 mounted within the straps The ends of the pin 74 project above and below the strap so as to engage the guide members 76 which are carried by arms 77 projecting from a collar 78 revolubly mounted on the shaft 16. These arms also carry theworm racks 7 9 wherewith mesh worms 80 driven by a gear train, a portion of which is shown at 81 from a shaft 82 controlled by hand wheel 83, and having a lug or jamb nut 84:; By this means the trips 76 can be shifted tothe right or left, and thus insures release of the pins 7 a from the notches in the segment 68' sooner or later'than the normal release in accordance with the direction of rotation of the shaft 16, thus enabling the device to be set for different times of exposure'of the stop signal'to one street or another. In operation the movement of a vehicle across a platform draws on one of the chains 21 thus moving arm 20 to one side or the other and thereby moving the segmental wheels 67. Since the straps 73 are, at the start of the operation locked to the segmentsof the wheel 67 the chains 69 will lift the weight27 and thus movement will continue until the ends of the pins74 strike the trips 7 6 whereupon the straps will be released from the respective segments and the Weight 27 will start to fall since these straps can now move along the segments. Meanwhile the arm 20 will have been locked in position by the mechanism shownbest in Figurest and 7 "'Ihus the semaphore will have been turned and remain turned until the weight, descendingslowl'y'because of the action of the dash pot,

ing which the sema-phore'remai'nsset may vary in accordancewith the stop signal be-. ing displayedfor one street, or the other. I There has thus been provided a simpleand efficient device of the-kinddescribed andfor the purpose specified} 1 v a It is obvious that minor changes maybe made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It' is 'not, therefore, wished to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

is claimed as new, is: V

1. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means! to operate said shaft from a. remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving Having thus described the invention, what with the signal, a pawl engaginglthe ratchet,-

trip means for releasing the pawl and including a member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, and means to retard the return of said member to normal position.

2. Ina street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remotestation toset the signal, spring means tending to res-torethe signal to neutral positioma ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and including a member actuated to move from normal position upon setting or' the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, means to retard the return of said member to normal position, and a regulating device for the retarding means. 7 7 r p 3. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carryinga signal device, means "to operate said s'haft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restorethe signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing'the pawl and in eluding a trip releasingmember actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip oper'atively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, and releasemeans in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element 4. In a streetcrossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to setthe signal, spring means tending to "restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and in cluding a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the'si'gnal movement to return to normal, an element moving with" said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member tomove the same from normal position and releasably gripping. the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element," and ad justing means connected to said release means for regulating the position of said re lease means and connected thereto.

5. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote'station to set the signahspring means tending to restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and ineluding a tripreleasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip opera tively connected to said trip releasing memher to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, and means connected to the trip releasing member to retard the return of said member to normal position. I

6. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the,

signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the sign al, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal positionand releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, adjusting means connected to said release means for regulating the position of said release means and connected thereto, and means connected to the trip releasing memher to retard the return of said member to normal position.

7 In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a'remote station to set the signal, spring meanstending to restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the. signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasing member actuated to movefrom normal position upon setting of the signal and movableindependently of the signal movement to return to normal, an ele ment moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, means connected to the trip releasing member to retard the return of said member to normal position, and a regulating device for the retarding means.

8. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carryinga signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the signal'to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normalposition and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, adjusting means connected to said release means for regulating the position of said release means and connected thereto, means connected to the trip releasing member to retard the return of said member to normal position, and a regulating device for the retarding means.

9. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring meanstending to restorethe signal to neutral position, a' ratchet moving with the signal, .a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasingmember actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an ele ment moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element,a dash pot having a bleeder opening, and a piston moving in said dash pot and having connection with said trip releasing member, to retard the tion. I

10. In a street crossingsemaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restorethe signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and ineluding a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip oper atively connected to said trip releasing member to move thesame from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, adjusting means for regulating the position of said release means, a dash pot having a bleeder opening, and a piston moving in said dash pot and having connection with said trip releasing member to retard the movement thereof in one direction.

11. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the movement thereof in one direc-.

signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and inveluding a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and 'releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, a dash pot having a bleeder opening, a piston moving in saiddash pot and having connection with said trip releasing member to retard the movement thereof in one direction, and a needle valve regulating the escape of air from said bleeder opening.

12. In a street crossing semaphore, a'shaft carrying a signal device, means tooperate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet,

trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, adjusting means for regulating the position of said release means, a dash pot having a bleeder opening, a piston moving in said dash'pot and having connection with said trip releasing member to retard the movement thereof in one direction, and a needle valve regulating the escape of air from said bleeder openin I3, In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal springmeans tending to restore the signal to neutral position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet,

trip means for releasing the pawl and including a trip releasing member actuated of the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return'to normal, an element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normalposition and releasably gripping the element, release means in the path of the grip for freeing the same from said element, a dash pot having a bleeder opening, a piston mov-.

ing in said dash pot and'havin'g connection with said trip releasing member to retard the movement thereof in one direction, the connection, including a ratchet device permitting said member to move freely in the other direction independently of the piston, said ratchet device further permitting movement of the piston independently of the trip release member for restoring the piston to normal position.

14. In a street crossing semaphore, a shaft carrying a signal device, means to operate said shaft from a remote station to set the signal, spring means tending to restore the signal to neutral'position, a ratchet moving with the signal, a pawl engaging the ratchet, trip means for releasing the pawl and in cluding a trip releasing member actuated to move from normal position upon setting of to move from normal position upon setting 7 the signal and movable independently of the signal movement to return to normal, an

element moving with said signal, a grip operatively connected to said trip releasing member to move the same from normal position and releasably gripping the element, release device permitting said member to move freely in the other direction independently of the piston, said. ratchet device further permitting movement of the piston independently of the trip release member for restoring the piston to normal position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTURO U AN.

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