US1584624A - Railroad-crossing signal - Google Patents

Description

May l1 1926.

C. A. MCDONALD RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Deo. 5, 1925 2 Sheetseet 1 ATTORNEY.

May 11 ,1926. 1,584,624

C. A. MCDONALD RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Dec. s, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Fatented May 1l, 1925.

Sriqie'liei CHESTER A. MCBGNLD, OF PORT ATI-IUR, TEXAS.

RAILRGAD-CBGSSNG SIGNAL.

Application filed December 3, 1&25.

rlhis invention relates to the class of signals and pertains particularly to a railroad crossing signal.

rEhe primary object of this invention is the provision, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, of a railroad crossing signal designed to be operated by a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing to sound a warning signal to a vehicle driver: to caution him that a railroad crossing is near at hand.

rlhe invention contemplates the provision of an elongated bar member resiliently supported in a slot transversely of a roadway in such a manner as to project a slight distance above the surface of the roadway. [it each end of the rod cables are attached Vwhich lead upwardly into gong housings where they are attached to a trip mechanism by means of which a gong hammer may be tripped to ring the gong in the housing when a vehicle wheel depresses and releases the bar extending across the. roadway.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a manner as hereinafter set forth. of a railroad crossing signal which is of simple construction, strong and durable, having few moving parts to get out of order, and inexpensive to manufacture and set up.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material vdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows the signal structure embodying this invention in elevation, also showing in transverse section a roadway in which the lower portion of the mechanism is position-ed.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken transversely of the signal operating bar and certain of the supporting elements thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a portion of a roadway is indicated semi 1ro. raars.

at 1 and embedded in this roadway transversely thereof is an elongated housing formed of the side and end walls 2, bottoni 3 and top e. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the top 4 is of materially greater thickness than the sides and bottom and is provided with a central longitudinally extending slot 5. This housing is so placed in the roadwa that the surface of the top `t comes liush wit i the. surfaceof the roadway as shown.

Secured longitudinally of the bottom 3 by means of a centrally apertured plate 6, is a series of vertically arranged cylinders 7, the cylinders being threadably secured in the apertures of the plates Gi and the plates are secured to the bottom of the casing by means of trie screws 8. The upper end of each of the cylinders is open but the opening is of less diameter than the diameter of the cylinder and extending through this opening is an arm 9 which is carried by a piston 10 which is housed within the cylinder and adapted to reciprocate therein. interposed between the piston 10 and the bottom 3 of the casing against which the lower end of the cylinders 7 open, is a coiled spring 11 which normally acts, as shown in Figure 3, to maintain the pistons 10 in upwardly pro- )ected position thus forcing the arms 9 to the upward limit of their movement.

The upper end of each of the arms 9 is threaded as indicated at 12 and the threaded ends of these arms are each extended into a shank 13 carried by retaining collar 14. These retaining collars are in alignment longitudinally of the casing, and have extended therethrough the signal trip bar 15 which bar extends beyond the ends of the casing as is shown in Figure 1. The height of the trip bar supporting members is such that substantially half of the trip bar extends above the surface of the top i and the roadbed 1 and unless some heavy body is passing over the trip bar to cause it to be depressed the spring members 11 will cause the trip bar to be extended through the slot 5 at all times.

Each end of the trip bar 15 has a coupling member 16 threaded thereon and into this coupling member a nipple 17 is threaded. On the nipple 17, on each end of the trip rod 15 there is fitted an upwardly 'extending arm 18 having an aperture through the extended upper end thereof, and securing this arm 18 in position upon the nipple 17, is a cap member 19? hlounted in the bases 20, of which there are two, one at each end or" the trip rod l5, are upright posts 21, to the upper end of each of which there is adjustably secured by ineans ot' the clanip yol-:e and e-Y screw 22 and 23 respectively, a gong e c: `ing box 2st- The boxes 2lare openupon their undertaces and are covered by nieans of the heavy screens 25.

lVithin each ot the houses 2l there is secured a gong 26 adjacent which there is pivotall;7 lnounted a trip hannner 2T controlled by the pivoted trip arin 2S. Extending troni and connecting one end oi this trip arin 28 with the apertured end o3" the arm 1S carried upon the tripbar 15, is a cable 29.

Freni the foregoing description it will be readily seen that upon the pas:Y ge of a vehicle across the trip bar l5, the bar be depressed against the tension of the springs 11 and will pull down upon the cable 29 thus tripping the trip arni 2S to allow the hannner 27 to strike the gongs 26. lVarning is thus given to the driver of the vehicle which has depressed the trip bar l5 that soxne danger is ahead such as a railroad crossing, sharp curve or steep descent, and the driver can then be on his guard and proceed with more caution.

Having thus described iny invention wha I claiin is 1. In a roadway signal of the characterset forth, an elongated housing adapted to be embedded in a roadway transversely thereof and having a slotted top adapted to be arranged flush with the surface or said road, a longitudinal series of vertically positioned cylinders mounted in said casing beneath said slotted top, a resiliently supported piston within each cylinder and normally maintained in upwardly projected position therein, a vertical arin carried by each o1 said pistons, a trip bar arranged vithin and e.;tending slightly above the slotted top of said casing above said vert' al arins, ineans for connecting the arnis to the bar for the support ot the saine, a signal gong supported over said trip bar at one end thereof, and a pull cable connecting one end or said trip bar with said signal gong and adapted to aetuate the gong upon the depression o the trip bar b v a vehicle.

In a roadway signal of the character set forth, lneans to provide a housing adapted to be litted in a roadway transvergely thereof and having a slotted top adapted to be arranged flush with the surface oit said road, a longitudinal series of vertically positioned cylinders mounted in said casing beneath said slotted top, a coil` spring housed in each cylinder, a piston within each cylinder normally projected upwardly by the spring therein, an arin carried by each pisf ton and projecting .pwardly from .said cylinder, a trip bar arranged in and extending slightly above the top edge ei said slot, a plurality of nienibers carried by said bar, threaded connection between each 1nein ber and the upper end oit an aojacent arm, supporting said bar frein said arnis, a trip gong adjacent one end of said bar, and a pull cable connecting said bar end with said gong to trip the saine upon depression of the bar.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature hereto.

CHESTER A. MCDONALD.

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