US1603870A - Railway signal torpedo - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l L. S. ROSS RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO Filed May 4, 1925 Oct. 19 1926.

InvenTor p s 5 F o 55 *SYM AT Tye.

L. S. ROSS RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO Oct. 19 1926.

Filed Mfay 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6.

lnvenor Louis S. R055 f by/ewaw/QM AT Tye PATENT GPEC.

LOUIS S. ROSS, OF NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO,

Application filed May 4,

This invention relates primarily to improvements in railway signal torpedoes and the general object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of railway signal 5 torpedo which can be more economically manufactured than those heretofore produced.

further object of the invention is to provide a ytorpedo in which the container for the signaling material can be more readily applied and secured to the rail-engaging clip A than in previous constructions. nother object of the invention is to provide a torpedo having a wire rail-engaging clip so formed that it can be secured tothe container for the vsignaling material lby folded portions of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway signal torpedo comprising to a tion a body of signaling material enclosed folded sheet of material and secured wire rail-engaging clip by lfolded pors of the sheet.

iii further object of the invention is so to construct the wire rail-engaging clip as to present a base. having sections extending in substantial parallelism with the sides of the body of signaling material connected by an obliquely extending section so that the ends of folded sheet of material containthe signaling material may be wrapped around the sections adjacent the ends of the body of material and then passed beneath tl ie obliquely extending section of the clip Yhereby locking the ends of the sheet against displacement.

further object of the invention is to provide a torpedo of this character to which ating of waterproof material can be applied by dipping or otherwise.

further object of the invention is to provide a railway signal torpedov having longitudinally extensible rail-engaging clips which will iit upon rail heads of widely diffore nt sizes thereby providing a torpedo adapted for universal use and avoiding the necessity of manufacturing different device s for different sizes of rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a torpedo construction which when app lied to the rail head will insure more 1925. Serial No. 27,675.

accurate positioning of the body of the torpedo and which will prevent displacement thereof.

More particularly the object of the invention is to provide a torpedo having a resilient wire rail-engaging clip having extensible legs presenting loops extending in parallelism with and substantially in contact with the sides of the rail when applied thereto so that the body of the torpedo will be held in proper position upon the top of the rail.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a torpedo of this character which can be more readily manipulated by the person applying the torpedo to the rail by reason of the fact that th-e laterally extend ing loops provide means which may be readilv and more effectively grasped by the hands of the operator when the clip is spread over the rail head.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel rail-engaging clip having a centrally bent portion to which the torpedo may be readily applied and provided with extensible legs having means to engage the rail.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out iii the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l comprises perspective views of portions of railway rails of different sizes arranged in substantial alinement and to each of which portions a torpedo embodying a preferred form of the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is an underneath plan view of a preferred form of railway signal torpedo with the raileengaging clip applied thereto, the latter being extended in developed posin tion;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the body of the torpedo and clip `on line 3-3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through a rail head and a portion of the web of the dit rail showing a torpedo secured thereto by a wire clip of the type embodying the invent-i on Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sheet of mate` i al f r containing or wrapping the signali material showing in dotted lines the approximate lines upon which the sheet is folded when applied to the body of signaling material and to the clip;

lfig. G perspective view of a modified form of clip, also illustrating the partially foldedcontainer or wrapper for the signaling material and indicating that the. inclined end portions of the container are to be wrapped around the sinuous base of the wire clip;

Y Fig. l i a vertical sectional view through the body of the torpedo and the sheet of material which is wrapped transversely around it;

Fig. S is a side elevation of the completed torpedo illustrated in Fig. 6; and,

lfig. 9 is a detail underneath plan view of the torpedohaving the wire clip bent to present a different form of base and showing the containeror wrapper for the signaling material folded about parallel sections of the base and secured together by suitable adhesive material.

Y Railway signal torpedoes comprise a body of signaling material enclosed in a container or wrapper and secured to a railengaging clip and adapted when applied to the rail to be ignited or exploded when engaged by the wheels ofthe engine thereby giving a signal to the engineer. T he signaling material may be of various types, to .producethe explosion with a loud report, to produce a flash which is readily discernible in the night, to produce a smoke which is readily seen in daylight, and to produce a. pungent odor which is readily recognized by the engineer. Any or all of these 'signaling materials may be employed in the railway signal torpedoes embodying the present inventiOn.

Usual types of railway signal torpedoes comprise a. container or wrapperv for the signaling material with a resilient metal strap or wire secured to the container or case for the material and bowed in such a manner that when expanded the legs of the clip will engage beneath the rail head.

Railway signal torpedoes heretofore constructed with sheet metal clips have usually been provided with specially formed means, such as a metal base for securing the torpedo case or container to the clip. Railway signal torpedoes having wire clips have been heretofore produced in which the wire is pivotally connected centrally to the torpedo case and the legs of the clip. bowed in a 'similar manner. ln all of these constructions special, and more or trated in Fig. (i, with the extensions 7 grasp a larger rail head with such certainty v as absolutely to prevent displacement of the torpedo therefrom, since if the ends of the clips slide upon the smooth sides of the rail the resilience of the clip will cause the torpedo to be projected from the rail.

The present invent-ion contemplates the production of a torpedo comprising a body of signaling material contained within a folded sheet of material and so constructed that the enclosed body of signaling material can be readilyattached to the clips by folds of the material itself. It also contemplates the production of a railway signal torpedo having a clip provided with longitudinally extensible legs adapted to lit tightly upon rail heads of different sizes. lt also contemplates the production of a clip of this character in which the ends of the clip may be interlocked when the torpedo is not in use, thereby preventing engagement of the clips of one torpedo with those of another, and also preventing the engagement of the clips with other objects which mightcause the torpedo to be thrown with such force as accidentally to be discharged.

Preferred forms of railwaysignal torpedoes illustrated in the drawings embody some or all of the above improvements heretofore mentioned.

The torpedoes illustrated herein coinprise a preferably rectangular' body or mass l of signaling material which is enclosed directly in a folded sheet of material which may be waterproofed before being applied to the signaling materia-l, or may be covered with a waterproof coating thereafter. lu the construction ofthe torpedo in accordance with the present invention the rectangular body l of signaling material, which desirably is formed in a mould, is placed upon the central portion of a preferablyv rectangular sheet 2 of suitable material, such as paper. The marginal strips 3 and of the sheet are then folded over the body of material l upon the lines 5 and 6 respectively, thus producing a sheet folded about the signalingmaterial in the manner illusand Sentending bevond the sides 9 and l0 of the body l. The base of the clip is then placed upon the partially folded container over the body of the material and the extensions 7 and 8 are thereupon folded over the base of the clip as will hereinafter appear.

The preferred form of clip illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a wire which is bent at its central portion into substantially the form of the letter Z and comprisesparallel lll() sections 11 and 12 which lie in proximity to opposite edges 9 andV 10 of the mass of signaling material. rl`he sections 11 and 12 are connected by a transverse or diagonal section 18 of the base. rlhe base ofthe clip thus formed is placed upon the partially folded container as aforesaid and the extension 7 of the folded sheet is then folded down over the section 11 of the basev of the clip and its end passed beneath the transverse or diagonal section 13 of the base. The extension 8 of the folded sheet is then folded over the section 12 of the base of the clip and thrust beneath the transverse or diagonal section 13 and above the extension 7. Thus the extensions 7 and 8 are securely locked in place by the transverse or diagonal section 13 of the base. By reason of the fact that the extensions 7 and 8' are folded about the sections 11 and l12 of the base of the clip the signaling material is rigidly secured to the base of the clip. By reason of this construction a very economical means is provided for enclosing` the signaling material and securing it to the base of the clip.

The sheet of signaling material may be Waterproofed in any suitable manner before being applied to the clip and if desired the folds may be further secured by suitable Waterproof cement, or if desired the body of signaling material may be Wrapped in a non-Waterproof sheet and thereafter provided with a Waterproof coating 14 by dipping, or Waterproofed in any other suitable manner. The legs 15 of the clip are bent at right angles to the plane of the base at suitable points corresponding to the Width, preferably of the Widest rail to which the clip is to be applied, as for example, on lines 16 and 17 Fig. 2 so that such portions thereof engage the top of the rail. The portions 18 and 19 of the legs are made extensible by being bent into loops extending in planes substantially parallel to the sides of the rail when the clips are applied thereto. Such loops may each consist of a single loop extending in one direction, but preferably the legs are bent to present sinuous loops 2O and 21 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the extensions 22 and 23 .from such loops are bent along the lines 24 and 25 transversely to provide end portions 26 and 27 adapted to engage the under faces of the rail heads.

The Wire clips desirably are provided with hook-shaped ends 28 and 29 Which are reversely bent and adapted to be interloclred when the torpedo is not in use, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6.

lt will be obvious that a torpedo having a clip constructed in this manner may be applied to a rail of any size as the smuouslyf bent portions of the legs of the clip Willbe extended as illustrated in Fig. 1 when applied to rails of different sizes and Will sesurely ht upon each rail. Furthermore by reason of the sinuous folds in the legs of the clip any substantial lateral movement of the clip is prevented as the ends of the sinuous loops will engage the sides of the rail in such a manner as to prevent the body of the torpedo being placed diagonally across the rail. Y loops provide a convenient hold for the hands of the operator and thus facilitate the spreading of the clip sufficiently to enable it to be placed readily upon the rail.

It Will be obvious that the central portion of the Wire may be bent into various different forms to provide a suitable base to which the enclosed body of signaling material may be secured and it Will also be obvious that other means may be provided for securing the sheet of Wrapping material to the base of the clip.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 6 the base 30 of the clip is shown as of somewhat more sinuous form than that illustrated in Fig. 2 and in the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8 the extensions 7 and 8 of the Wrapping sheet are folded over the respective substantially parallel sections 31 and 82 of the base and are secured together by uf'aterproofcement or other suit-- able'adhesive. In this construction the legs 38 and 34 as illustrated are not provided with the loops or sinuous portions heretofore described, but are shown as having hook-shaped ends and 36 interloclred in the manner in which they would ordinarily be secured together When the torpedo is not in use.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 9 a clip having a base differing in form from that illustrated in Fig. 2 is shown with the extensions 7 and 8 of the Wrapping material folded directly down upon the same and secured together and to the underlying portion of the Wrapper by suitable Waterproof cement. The extensions 7 and 8 of the Wrapping material. however, may be secured beneath the transverse member in the manner described with respect to the construction shovvn in Fig. 2.

It Will be readily understood that the Wire clip may be bent into various other forms to provide suitable bases, or that flat metal strips may be so expanded as to present Wide bases for the attachment of the container for the explosive material. lt ,will also be understood that the legs of the clip may be bent into various shapes to'provide for longitudinal extensibility thereof Within the scope of the invention claimed herein. Y

lt Will also be obvious that While the present invention is designed particularly With respect to the production of railway signaling devices, the principles of the invention may be embodied in various other construc- Furthermore these sinuously bent' lim lll

tions in connection with signaling` devices, fireworks, and other apparatus to which they may be applicable.

lt will therefore be understood that the embodiments of the invention shown and particularly described hereinare of an il lustrative vcharacter and that various changes in form, construction and arrangementfof parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

laying thus ydescribed the invention, what -is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: l

l. A railway signal torpedo comprising a container for the signaling material, and a clip, for securing the same to a rail head, connected to, said containeighaving legs provided with portions to engage respectively the top of the rail and beneath therail head and extensible portions intermediate of said rail-engaging portions.

Q. A railway signal torpedo coingrisin a container for the signaling material, a a clip, for securing the same to the rail head, connected to said container hay' legs provided with portions to eio'coe gag respectively the top of the rail and beneath the rail head and resilient sinuous portions intermediate of said rail engaging portions.

3. A railway signal torpedo"comprising a container for the signaling material, a rail-engaging clip secured thereto having resilient extensible legs provided with means to engage beneath the rail head and presenting, when applied to the rail, loops lying in substantial parallelism with the sides of the rail head.

Il. A railway signal torpedo comprising a container for the signaling material, a railengaging clip secured thereto having resilient extensible legs provided with means to engage beneath the rail head and presenting, when applied to the rail, sinuous loops lying in substantial parallelism with the sides of the rail head.

5. A railway signal torpedo comprising a rectangular body of signaling` material, a container therefor comprising a sheet of folded material, a resilient wire rail-engagg ing clip bent to provide a base having scctions located adjacent vto opposite ends of said rectangular body and secured to said container by the folds thereof and legs extending from said base having means to engage beneath the rail head.

G. it railway signal torpedo comprising a body of signaling material', a container therefor comprising a sheet of folded mate-v rial, a resilient wire rail-engaging clip bent to presenta broad base having sections respectively underlying different folds of said sheet and legs extending from said base having means to engage a rail head.

7. A railway signal .torpedo comprising a body of signalingy material, a container therefor comprising a sheet of material folded transversely, and a resilient wire rail-engaging clip bent to. present sections located adjacent opposite edges of the body of signaling material and secured thereto by folded end portionsl of said sheet.

8. A. railway signal torpedo comprising a body of signaling material, a container therefor comprising a .sheet of material folded transversely, al resilient wire rail-engaging clip bent to'present sections located adjacent opposite edges of the body of signaling material and secured thereto by folded end 'portions of'said sheet, said base having means for retaining the end portions of said sheet in folded position about said base sections.

9. A railway signal torpedo comprising a body of signaling material, a container therefor comprising a sheet of material folded transversely about said body, a wire rail-engaging clip bent to present a base having parallel sides located adjacent to opposite edges of said body and connected by trai disposed section, the folded id wrapper respectively overlying the respective sides of said base and vntending beneath the transversely disposed section of the base and the body of signaling material and t amped therebetween and legs extending from said base section having means to engage beneath the rail head.

lO. A railway signal torpedo comprising a body of signaling material, a container therefor comprising a sheet of material folded transversely abouty said body, wire rail-engaging clip bent to present a base having parallel Isides located adjacent to opposite edges of said body and connected by -a transversely disposed section, the folded ends of said wrapper respectively overlying the respective sides of said base and f;- tending beneath a transversely disposed section of tlie'base and the body of signaling materialand clamped therebetween and eX- tensible rail-engaging legs extending from -said base section having means to engage beneath the rail bead and presenting sinuous loops lying in substantial parallelism with the sides of the rail head when applied thereto.

l1. A railway signal torpedo con'iprising ya body/of signaling material, a container therefor comprising a sheet of material folded transversely,v a resilient wire railengaging clip bent to present sections located adjacent opposite edges of thebody of signaling material and secured thereto by folded end portions of said sheet and a, coating of .waterproof material covering said folded container.

l2. A spring clip for railway signal torpedoesand the like comprising a resilient wire having a` reversely bent central base section to be rigidly Isecured to the torpedo llO llo

EEO

and integral longitudinally extensible legs provided with n'ieans to engage the under tace ot the rail head.

13. A spring` clip for railway signal torpedoes and the like comprising a resilient Wire having a base section to be rigidly secured to the torpedo and longitudinally eX- tensible legs pr vided with eoinpleinentary hooks to engage tlie under faces of the rail head and adapted to be int-erengaged when not in use.

lll. A spring,l clip for railway signal torpedoes and the like Comprising a resilient Wire having a 4section reversely bent to present a broad base to be secured to the torpedo and having legs extending in a direction substantially normal to the. plane ot said base and provided with rail head engaging means.

15. A spring elip for railway signal torpedoes and the like comprising a resilient Wire having a section reversely bent to present a broad base to be 'secured to the torpedo and having extensible legs presenting sinuous loops lying in substantial parallelism With the 'sides ot the rail head When applied thereto. i

16. A spring elip for railway signal ton pedoes and the like comprising a continuous Wire having a central portion bent into substantially the form of the letter Z and bent to present sinuous loops located at a distance 'from said central portion and provided with reversely Curved ends located at a distance from said sinuous loops, Whereby the torpedo may be secured to the eentral portion and the Wire bent intermediate or the saine and the sinuous loops to lit a rail head.

ln testimony whereof, l have signed iny naine to this specification.

LOUIS S. ROSS.

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