US1587817A - Pneumatic impulse relay - Google Patents

Description

June 8 9 1926, 1,587,817

A. J. BRQQKINS PNEUMATIC IMPULSE RELAY Filed Se t. 10, 1923' 5 Sheets-Shes 1 ANDFJEW J figgrqys. By WNW v A. J. BROOKINS PNEUMATIC IMPULSE RELAY June 8,1926. 1,587,817

Filed Sept. 10 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ANDREW J BRUEJKINS. INVENTEIR.

June 8 1926.. 1,587,817

A. J. EROQKINS PNEUMATIC IMPULSE RELAY Filed Sept. 10, 1923 3 Sheets-Shea}; 3

H WERE W dTBRwm/vs, I N VE NTOR,

ANDREW J. BROOKINS, OF- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

PNEUMATIC IMPULSE RELAY.

Application filed September 10, 1923. Serial No. 661 ,78 7.

This invention relates. to an apparatus for establishing communication from the mad side to a. moving train, at determined intervals, and has a practical application to those types of devices for the intermit tent performances ot certain functions of the locomotive; such as the lowering of a water scoop, or the transmission of a slgnal 1nd1cation from the road side to the locomotive.

Among the objects of the invention are to obtain means-to relay an impulse from a track side to a moving train, either mechanically, or electrically, or both; to ob- 11 means of establishing intermittent comniunication between the part of the apparatus on the train and the co -acting part on the road side which is not susceptible to shock; to obtain means to assure operative relation between the part along the road side and the part on the train, under all conditions of speed, weather, wear, and oscillation; to obtain means for relaying an impulse from the road side to the train, either mechanically, orelectrically, or both, w" h is simple in construction, durable, I sitive in operation, not liable to get out of order, and economical tomaintain; to obtain an apparatus to control car carried equipment, arranged to co-act at determined intervals with track side installations whereof the track side equipment will not intertore with standard clearances of locomotive and car carried equipment. A further object is to obtain a car carried member adapted to co-act with track side members which respectively consist of rigid and flexible or resilient elements; and an additional object is to obtain a track. side member oi The kind recited, c mprising rigid and flea ible or resilient elements.

in the drawings referred to 1 is a vertical. section of an apparatus adapted to be carried by a locomotive or car, embodying the invention, with a shoe and valve torming elements of said apparatus indici'ated by broken lines ina raised or retracted position; and with a track side member and a short section of a track rail in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is vertical section of the track side member and oi a rail of a track, on line 2 of Fig. 1, viewed as indicated by arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the car carried apparatus, and a side elevation of the track side member, with the shoe of the; apparatus in contact with the track side member, and showing a side elevation of a short section of a track rail;'t-he: valve. member of the apparatusbeing raised from normal position by said track side'- member, and the plunger member of the apparatus forced down; and

Fig. 4 18 a vertical section of the apparatus and a side elevation of a portion of the traclrside member, and ashort sectionrof track rail, with the movable membersof the apparatus. in their respective positions tion indicated by the arrow 2.. 3 represents.

the base of the apparatus, and 45, 4, bolts by means of which baseS is rigidly secured to member 1. 5 represents the shell or case of the apparatus, which is, preferably, integral with base 3. 6 represents a cylindrical bushing. in shell 5. 7: represents a plunger or piston longitudinallymovable in bushing 6, and hereinafter termed a;

longitudinally movable, member. 8, 8*", respectively represent piston rings on. longitudinally movable member 7. 9 represents an externally screw threaded ring which is secured in shell 5, by said. screw threads engaging with corresponding screw threads at the lower end of the cylindrical boring in which. bushing 6 is contained. -Ring 9- fits closely to longitudinally movable memher 7 to serve as a guide. to said member. The upper and. lower ends-of plunger 7 are of less diameter than the intermediate por tion. thereof, to obtain annular chambers 10 and 1 1. 12 represents a spring. in annular chamber 11, the lower endof which abuts against ring 9 and the upper end against shoulder 13 at the junction of the lower end of smaller diameter with the termediat'e portion of movable member 7. let represents a cylindrical chamber in the lower end of longitudinally movable memher 7.. 15 represents a chamber in bushing 6, between the upper end. of longitudinally movable member 7 and: the endof the boring in which; thezbushilng is placed; Chamber 1:"; andannular chamber 10 are, at all times in communication. Spring 12 yieldingly holds longitudinally movable member 7 in a retracted and normal position, when air under pressure is not confined in chamber 15, and returns it to normal position when air under pressure contained in said chamber 15 is released therefrom, as is hereinafter set forth. 16 represents a chamber inthe upper end of longitudinally movable member 7. 17 represents a pipe or tube the lower end whereof is secured to the upper end of longitudinally movable member 7, as by screw threaded ring or bushing 18. Pipe or tube 17 is, at all times, in communication with chamber 16. 192() represents a valve stem, which is illustrated as of two diameters, and 21 represents a cylindrical abutment, preferably integral with shoe 27, hereinafter referred to. Cy lindrical abutment 21 is longitudinally movable in cylindrical chamber 14. Abutment 21 and shoe 27 are secured on the lower end of part 20 of said valve stem 19-20. A valve seat, (23), well illustrated in Fig. 3, is provided at the bottom or floor of chamber 16, with which valve 22 co-acts and on which said valve is normally seated to close communication between chamber 16 and annular chamber 24 around part 19 of said valve stem 19-20. 25 represents a spring which yieldingly holds valve stem 19-20 in normal position with valve 22 seated. When valve 22 is not seated chamber 16 is in communication with said annular chamber 24. 26 represents a passage way through valve stem 1920, and through valve 22, to communicate with chamber 16. 27 represents a shoe which is rigidly secured on the lower end of part 20 of valve stem 1920, as hereinbefore recited. hen said shoe 27 is properly mounted on said part 20 of valve stem 19 -20, it closes the lower end of passage way 26, and when said shoe is detached from said part 20 of the valve stem, chamber 16 is in communication with the atmosphere through said passage way 26. 28 represents a port in communication with annular chambers 10 and 24. 29 represents a port in communication with annular chamber 10, when longitudinally movable member 7 is advanced a determined distance in bushing 6, (as in Figs. 3 and 4); and is not in communication with said annular chamber when longitudinally movable member 7 is in normal position, (as in Fig. 1). 30 represents a pipe or tube communicating with port 29, and adapted to extend to any device operable by air under pressure. 31 represents a track rail. 32 represents a rail forming an element of a track side installation. 33, 33, represent flexible and re silient members of the track side installa tion. Members 33, 33, are illustrated as embedded in the base 32 of rigid member 32. 34 represents a gland around the vertically movable member 17, to prevent the escape or leakage of air under pressure from chamber 15. 35 represents an elbow which is secured on the upper end of member 17, and 36 represents a pipe or tube which is secured at one end to elbow 35, and communicates therewith, and which is secured at the opposite end thereof to and communicates with a member of the air brake system containing air under train pressure. 37 represents a port in longitudinally movable member 7, which is in operable communication with annular chamber 24, when said longitudinally movable member is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4, or Fig. 1, and 38 represents a groove in longitudinally movable member 7, which is in communication with port 37, and when said movable member is advanced, into the position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, said annular chamber 24, said port 28, and said annular chamber 10, are in communication with the atmosphere by way of port 37 and groove 38. 39 represents an electric conductor which is attached to shell or case 5, as by screw 40. Conductor 39 is used where rigid track side member 32 is designed to be electrically energized, to form an element of a track side electric installation, and in such case conductor 39 extends to a car carried electrically energizable apparatus, of any known construction, thereby transmitting an electric impulse from the track side installation to said car carried electrically energizable apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is,when by the movement of a train in the direction indicated by arrow 2, Fig. 1, the shoe 27 is brought into contact with resilient members 33 of the track side installation, said membore 33, 33, are forced over, by said shoe, and the resilience of said members 33, 33, raises said shoe into substantially the position indicated by broken linesin Fig. 1; and thereby the valve stem 192O is raised, raising valve 22 from seat 23, bringing annular chamber 24 into communication with chamber 16, thereby admitting air under train pressure to said annular chamber 24, and said air thereupon flows through port 28 and annular chamber 10 into chamber 15, at the end of longitudinally movable member 7, and said movable member is, by said air, advanced, until shoe 27 is in contact with rigid road side member 32, said resilient members 33, 33, being further flexed by the advance movement of shoe 27 and movable member 7, as is illustrated in Fig. 3, and said shoe remains in said advanced position, in close contact with said member 32, until by the continued forward movement of the engine, motor car or train on which the apparatus is mounted, said shoe is carried beyond said road side member 32, as is illus trated in Fig. 4. hen said shoe is carried beyond said rigid road side member 32 it is moved or forced to an additional advanced position, by spring 25 in chamber M, as is illustrated in said Fig. l. At said time chan'lber 15 being in comn'iunication with annular chamber 10, said annular chamber being in communication with annular chamber 24:, by way oi? port 28, and annular chamber 24 being in communication with port 37, and by way of said port with groove 38, the said chamber 15 is in communication with the atmosphere and the pressure in said chamber 15, because 01" said communication with the atmosphere, is reduced to substantially atmospheric pressure, at which time the spring 1 is of sufficient resilience to move the longitudinally movable member 7 back into normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will be observed that when the shoe 2'? leaves the rigid track side member 32, the dropping or increased advanced movement of said shoe hereinbetore referred to, carries therewith the valve stem ].920, and valve 22, to Seat said valve on seat 23. While the shoe 2'? is on the rigid track side member it is in close contact therewith and, if said rigid member is electrically energized, the electric current will flow therefrom into said shoe 27, and therethrough into and through longitudinally movable member T and bushing 28, shell or case and by conductor '39 to any suitable electrically energizable apparatus. Also, said shoe 2? being positioned in contact with said road side member 32,

( as illustrated iii-Fig. 3), the chamber is in communication with port- 29, by way of annular chamber 10, and air under pressure flows from said chamber 15 and annular chamber 10, port 29 and pipe or tube 30 to any apparatus arranged to be actuated by air under pressure, as say, an apparatus to control a water scoop.

Upon the release of air under pressure in clnimber 15, the pressure of air in pipe or tube 30 is released, by back flow there from through port 29, annular chamber 10 and from said chamber 10, through port to annular chamber 2i, through port 37 and groove 38 to the atmosphere.

It will also be observed that rigid track side member 32 is illustrated with the upper face thereoi below the upper face of track rail 31, and hence any car carried apparatus or device which will pass over a rail cross ing will pass over said rigid member, and the resilient members of the track side installatirm may be deflected by said our carried apparatus or device without injury thereto.

it is to be observed that port 37 is not in communication with annular chamber 2-l when movable member 7 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, and that when said movable member and valve are in the positions illustrated by full lines in Fig. 1, annular chamber 24 is not in communication with chamber 16, valve 22 being in normal and seated position; however said port 37 is in operative communication with annular chamber 2d when movable member and shoe 27 are in the positions illustrated in F ig. 4:, with valve 22 seated at which time said port or passage way 87 is an element of the exhaust passage way from chamber 15.

Ports 28 and 37, respectively, and annular chamber 2%, form passage ways -tor the flow of air therethrough from chamber 15, when said ports are in c'onmiunicati'on with said annular chamber, 24-, with said port not obstructed by part 20 of valve stem 19, 20-, and chamber 15 is then in communication with the atmosphere.

It will also be observed that when port or passage way 37 in communication with annular chamber 2% said annular chamber is not in communication with chamber 16, valve 22 beinlg seated.

I claim:

1. Car carried mechanism comprising a movable member provided with a cylindrical passage way therethrough and a chamber at the upper end thereof, an additional ch amber above said movable member, a movable valve stem arranged to obtain an annular chamber around the upper end thereof, a valve on said stem arranged to control communication between said first chamber and said annular chamber, in combina-tion with a shoe secured to said valve stem, and a port oon'imunicatin'g with said annular chamber and with said additional chamber, in combination with resilient track side means to yieldingly move said shoe from its normal position to unseat said valve.

2. In a car carried mechanism, a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder arranged to provide a chamber thereover, means to yieldingly hold said movable member in normal position, a chamber in said movable member and a cylindrical passage way therethrough, a passage way in communica tion with said chamber in said movable member, a valve stemmovable in said cylin drical passage way, and a chamber around the upper end of said valve stem, a valve on said stem arranged to control communication between said chamber in said movable member and said chamber around said valve stem, means to yieldingly hold. said valve normally seated, a shoe secured to said valve stem, said shoe adapted to co-act with a track side member to move said valve from its normal position, and a port communicating with said chamber around said valve stem and said chamber above said movable member, all combined as set area.

ill)

In a car carried mechanism, acylinder, a movable member in'said cylinder, arranged to obtain a chamber in said cylinder between one end of said member and the corresponding end of said cylinder, means to yieldingly hold said member in normal position, a chamber and an additional chamher in said movable member, a valve arranged to control communication between said chambers in said movable member, said valve normally seated, and means to yield ingly hold said valve in said normal position, a passage way comunicating with said additional chamber and said chamber in said cylinder, in combination with means to transmit air under pressure to said first chamber in said movable member, all an ranged so that the movement of said valve from normal position to admit air under pressure from said first chamber in said movable member to said additional chamber admits said air to said chamber in said cylinder, to advance said movable member from its said normal position.

4. In a car carried mechanism, a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder arranged to obtain a chamber in said cylinder be tween one end of said member and the corresponding end of said cylinder, means to yieldingly hold said member in normal position, a chamber and an additional chamber in said movable member, a valve arranged to control communication between said chambers in said movable member, a stem to said valve and a shoe on said stem, means to yieldingly hold said valve normally seated, a passage way communicating with said additional chamber and with said chamber in said cylinder, in combination with means to transmit air under pressure to said first chamber in said movable member, and a track side member arranged to co-act with said shoe to move said valve from normal position, all arranged so that the movement of said valve from normal position to admit air under pressure from said first chamber in said movable member to said additional chamber admits said air to said chamber in said cylinder, to advance said movable member from its said normal position.

5. In a railway system, track side members at determined intervals along the track way, said track side members respectively having as elements thereof a plurality of resilient members and a rigid member, in combination with a car carried mechanism comprising a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder arranged to obtain a chamber in said cylinder between said movable member and one end of said cylinder, means to yieldingly hold said member in normal and retracted position, a chamber and an additional chamber in said movable member, means to convey air under pressure to said first chamber in said movable member, a

valve to normally obstruct communication between said last named chambers and a shoe adapted to co-act with said resilient members to move said valve from its normal posit-ion, a valve. stem connected to said valve and said shoe, and means to convey said air under pressure in said additional chamber to said chamber in said cylinder, to move said movable member to an advanced position; all arranged so that said advanced movement forces said shoe in close contact with said rigid member, and said shoe and said rigid member co-act to maintain said valve in said moved position.

6. In a railway system, track side members at determined intervals along the track, said tz'aclr side members respectively comprising a plurality of resilient members and a rigid member, in combination with a car carried mechanism comprising a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder, means to yieldingly hold said member in normal position, and said member provided with a chamber and an additional chamber, said additional chamber provided with a passage 'ay therefrom, means to transmit air under pressure to said first chamber, a valve arranged to normally obstruct communication between said chambers, a shoe, a connection between said valve and said shoe, and said shoe adapted to co-act with said resilient members to move said valve from its normal position, and said connection arranged to ob struct said passage way on said co-action.

7. A track side member and in combination therewith car carried mechanism comprising a shoe adapted to co-act with said track side member, a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder, a chamber and an additional chamber in said movable member, a valve arranged to normally obstruct communication between said chambers, means comprising air under pressure and said track side member to yieldingly hold said movable member in an advanced position, a passage way from said additional chamber, means controlled by said shoe and said track side member to obstruct said passage way on the movement of said valve from normal position, said valve arranged to return to normal position on the disengagement of said shoe and said track side member, and said means to obstruct adapted to be moved from obstructing position on the return of said valve to normal position, and yielding means to return said movable member to normal position and to yieldingly maintain it in said normal position.

8. A track side member consisting of a plurality of resilient members and a rigid member, in combination with car carried mechanism comprising a cylinder, a movable member in said cylinder, means to yielding- 1y hold said movable member in normal position, a chamber and an additional chamber in said movable member, means to transmit air under pressure to said first-chamber, a valve arranged to normally obstruct communication between said chambers, a shoe, a connection between said shoe and said valve, and said shoe adapted to co-act with said resilient members to move said valve from its normal position andfto co-act with said rigid member to maintain it in said moved position, and means comprising air under pressure, to move said movable member to an advanced position on said movement oi said valve, said additional chamber provided with a passage way therefrom, said passage way adapted to communicate with the atmosphere on said advanced movement of said movable member, said connection controlled by said shoe and said rigid track side member to obstruct said passage way.

9. A track side member in combination with a car carried mechanism comprising a shoe adapted to co-act with said track side member, a cylinder, a movable member mounted in said cylinder and arranged to obtain a chamber between said movable member and the end of said cylinder, means to yieldingly hold said movable member in a normal position and when moved therefrom to return it thereto, a. chamber and an additional chamber in said movable member, means to transmit air under pressure to said first chamber in said movable member, a valve member controlled by said shoe and said track side member, to control communication between said chambers in said movable member, means controlled by said valve and comprising air under pressure in said chamber in said cylinder to yieldingly force said movable member to an advanced position, a passage way from said additional chan'iber, said passage adapted to be in communication with the atmosphere on said advanced movement of said movable member, means controlled by said shoe and said track side member to obstruct said passage way, said controlled means arranged to be moved from obstructing position when said valve is in normal position; all arranged so that said air in said chamber in said cylinder and in said additional chamber will exhaust from said passage way on the movement 01" said valve to its normal position on the movement said shoe from said track side member, and said exhaust permitting said yielding means to return said movable member to normal position.

10. In a railway system, a track way, a rigid member parallel with said track way, and car carried mechanism provided with a movable member in spaced relation wit-h said rigid member, in combination with a plurality of resilient members, said resilient members arranged to initiate operation of said movable member to obtain operative relation between said car carried mecha nism. and said rigid member, and ='11'1cans to re-establish said spaced relation. ,on 'theidiscontinuance of said operative relation.

. 11. In railway system comprising track way, rigid members at determined intervals parallel with said track way "and in spaced vertical relation thereto, a car carried mechanism comprising-a movaxble member in spaced relation to said rigid members, in combination with a plurality oi track side resilient members, means whereby said resilient members co -act with said movable member to initiate operation of said car carried mechanism to move said movable member to change itssp-aced relation and. to co-act with said rigid members and means tore-establish V-saidspaced relation of said movable member to said rigid members on the discontinuance of said co-action between said movable member'and said rigid members,

1.2.Isa railway system, a track way, rigid members at determined"intervals parallel with the track way, 'car carried mechanism normally in inoperative relation to said rigid members, in combination with a plurality of resilient members, means operative whereby said resilient members initiate operation of said car carried mechanism to obtain operative relation between said car carried mechanism and said rigid members, and means whereby said inoperative relation is re-established on the discontinuation of said operative relation.

13. In a. railway system, a track way, a track side rigid member in spaced relation to said track way, a car carried mechanism in spaced relation to said rigid member, in combination with a plurality of track side resilient members in operative relation with said car carried mechanism, all arranged so that said resilient members initiate operation oi? said car carried mechanism to reduce said spaced relation.

14:. In a rail way system, a track way, a stationary rigid member parallel with the track way and car carried mechanism in. spaced relation with said track way, in combination with a plurality of stationary resilient members, said resilient members arranged to coact with said car carried mechanism to initiate operation of said car carried mechanism to obtain operative relation between said car carried mechanism and said rigid member.

15. In a railway system, a track way, rigid members at determined intervals parallel with the track way, car carried mechanism in spaced relation with said track way, in combination with a plurality of resilient members inv operative position with respect to said car carried mechanism whereby said resilient members initiate operation of said oar carried mechanism to obtain operative relation between said car carried mechanism and said rigid members.

16. Car carried mechanism, in combination with a track side member having as elements thereof a plurality of resilient members and a rigid member, all co-related so that operation of said car carried,

mechanism is initiated by said resilient members to obtain coacting operation between said car carried mechanism and said rigid member.

17. Car carried mechanism in combina tion with a track side member having as elements thereof, a plurality of resilient membersand a rigid member, all co-related so that operation of said car carried mechanism is initiated by said resilient members and the period of said operation is controlled by said rigid member.

18. Car carried mechanism anda rigid track side member, said car carried mechanism in in-operative relation to said rigid member, in combination with a plurality of track side resilient members, positioned to obtain operative relation between said car carried mechanism and said rigid member.

19. Car carried mechanism comprising a movable member, provided with a chamber and an additional chamber, a valve arranged to normally obstruct communication between said chambers, and a stem to said valve in combination with a shoe secured on said stem, said stem provided with a passage way therethrough and through said Valve, whereby when said shoe is removed from said stem said first chamber is in communication with the atmosphere.

20.'Car carried mechanism comprising a movable member and an additional movable member, in combination with a track side installation comprising a plurality of resilient members and a rigid member, said movable and additional movable member normally in inoperative relation to said rigid member, and said resilient members in operative relation to said first movable member to initiate movement of said additional member to establish operative rela tion between said first member and said rigid member.

ANDREW J. BROOKINS.

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