US1611361A - Railway-crossing gate - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 21 1926.

E. C. OLSON RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed April 21, '1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEJVTDE {aim/ 4 7 flTTOE-NEX Dec. 21 1926.

E. C. OLSON RAILWAY CROSSING GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L TM Ill:

Filed April 21, 1926 flTI'ORNEX Patented 331,

tli'tii l hi) EDWIN C. OLSON, OF I'IASTIHGS, IQ'OBTH DAKOTA.

BAILWAYQRQSSING GATE.

Application filed April 21,

My invention relates to a railway crossing gate and the object is to provide an efficient and reliable gate of said kind and which is closed and opened as desired by the en ineer or other ope 'ator on a train a preaching or leaving a crossing, thus eliminating the need of a crossing watchman and gate operator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of my gate members which may be used at each side of a crossing where the roadway is narrow or a double set may be used where the road is wide.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1, look ing as from right to left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section about as on line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. at is an enlarged outside elevation of the counterweight mechanism about as on line 44 in Fig. 3 and which is operated first by the moving train and starts the downward swing of the gate arm.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a railway and road crossing and two of my co-operatin road closin ates in oaerativeosib h t" tion at one side of the railway only.

Fig. 6 is a partly diagrammatic top view of the railway crossing, a single track railway and electrical means which may be used to operate the gates.

My improved gate may be operated by a moving train either by suitable mechanically or by electrically operated means connected with the mechanical operating parts on each standard, the said standards being mounted in suitable numbers, two .or four, at each railway and road crossing and connected in pairs by means presently to be described and which operate all gates simultaneously. I will first fully describe the means I employ on one standard and its connection with the standard on the opposite side of the road. The gate tilting means of all standards are counterparts and a train approaching the crossing will operate the gate lowering means of one only and said lowering means being connected to the opposite standard will cause both arms of each pair of standards to be lowered simultaneously.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, I have shown a grade crossing of a single track railway 1, a road 2 crossing the railway track and the usual crossing planks 3 (see Figs. 5 and 6).

On one side of track 1 and at opposite 1926- Serial No. 103,665.

sides of road 2 l have shown a pair of tilting gates 1 each plvotally mounted on a shaft- 5 journaled in a rigid upright frame consisting of two spaced posts 6 connected by suitable bracing 7 and between which the gate 4; is normally in approximately Vertical position when not in use. In common use the part of the gate 4: above its shaft 5 is of a length to extend approximately half way acress road 2 and that part of the gate 4 below said shaft 5 is comparatively short to clear the ground, a shaft 8 connecting the latter ends, 9 is a suitable lateral extension at the lower end of eachpost 6. 10 is a crank shaft mounted in and having its crank 10 between the members 9, said shaft 10 extending outwardly from the side of one member 9 where it carries a pinion 11 mesh-- ing with another (idler) pinion 12 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 13 fixed on .the frame 9 (see Figs. 1 and 3). When the gate 4c is up crank 10 is directed toward the road 2 and above a horizontal dead-line, be-

inglimited in upward movement by a stop 1 on either frame 9 and held thus further by a suitable tension element such as coil springs 15 connecting said crank with shaft 8 on the lower end of gate 4: and thus yieldingly holding the gate in upright position. Furthermore the gate is locked in the upright position byproviding a groove 12 in the hub of pinion 12 (Fig. 3)said groove being engaged by a downwardly directed tooth 16 of a rocker arm 16 pivoted at 17 on the near side of frame 9 1) and its arm extending rearwardly in parallel relation to the side of frame 9 and post 6. 18 is asuitable compression spring adapted to press the arm 16 downwardly. 19 is a cam on shaft 5 which is adapted to raise the arm 16 to disengage tooth 16 when shaft 5 is rotated to lower the gate by means presently to be described. 7

The following description of the gate tilting and raising mechanism at the base of each standard and its connection to the op posite standard and gate refers particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the standard to the right in Fig. 5. Adjacent cam 19 I mount a double sheave 20-21, rotatable on shaft 5. 22 is a toothed sector formed on the rim of a disc 23 formed integral with said sheave 20-21 and outwardly thereof said disc having a radailly extended arm 23 at the outer end of which is fixed a suitable weight 2 When the gate 4 is up the toothed segment is approximately vertically above shaft 5 and the weight arm 28 extends rearwardly, away from the road2 (see right hand standard in Fig. 5) and rests in the rear and downwardly directed terminus pin 28 of an arched frame 27 which frame functions as a secondary weight arm also rotatable on shaft 5. 25 is a sheave mounted on the base frame 6 9 below sheave 21, both said sheaves being connected by an endless cable 26. The central part of frame 27 comprises also a disc 27 rotatably mounted on shaft 5 and close to the toothed segment and weight arm member. Said disc 27 has radial, circumferentially arranged gaps or openings) 21 at its rim. When weight arm 23 is thrown upwardly by certain means to be described the arm 23 strikes a pin 28 in the upper part of frame 25 after which continued swing of said arm will carry frame 27 along with it in a circular movement, as toward the left in Fig. 4. This of course rotates disc 2'7 together wit-h frame 27 until shoulders S in the gaps 27 simultaneously meet and engage similar shoulders S of inwardly extending radial lugs 30 of an end plate 30 keyed on shaft 5 at its outer end. At the instant arm 23 strikes pin 28 of frame 27 the toothed part 22 of disc 23 comes into contact and meshes with pinion 12. This may retard the momentum of weight 24: re ducing the impact of ,the teeth and-pinion 12, but the. fran'ie 27 at this time has also gained momentum and continues turning until its shoulders S meet the shoulders S as just described. In the meantime the initial movement of the weight arm causes cam 19 to lift up the cam arm 16 and the tooth 16 of the latter is released from its pinion locking position. Thus pinion 12 is then free to rotate when the teeth 22 of disc 28 come into meshing position and the pinion (12)-then acts as an idler causing rotation of gear 11, the latter on crank shaft 10 causing the crank 10 to rotate downwardly and rearwardly and relaxing the tension in springs 15. This leaves the lower end of gate 4 free and permits lowering of the gate to about horizontal position as shown dotted in Fig. 5. The toothed sector 22 is just long enough to cause proper rotation of crank 10 about 180 degrees and then the teeth of sector 22 are again free from meshing contact with the pinion as the weight arm 23 continues to swing and stops on the opposite side of shaft 5 about as indicated in dotted position 23 in 5 and resting on pin 28 of frame 27. The arched frame 27 is of course designed to be of such. size that lever arm 23 moves the frame only enough so that arm 23 comes to position 23 when gate iis lowered to the horizontal position 4 the weight 24 aiding to keep the gate in lowered position. To

raise the gate again by mechanical or electrical means, said means cause the sheave 25 to ca rotated in the opposite direction of initial movement, as arrow 33 in Fig. 1, the teeth again engaging pinion 12 from below and the pinion 11 causes crank 10 to rotate back to its original position, stretch ing the springs The latter action on the springs pulls the lower end of the gate downwardly thus helping to raise the long end of the gate. The gate is raised positivey, however, n'iainly by the action of the we' it arm swinging back to its original position (as arrow 34 in Fig. 5) the arm striking pin 28 of the frame 27 and the lat ter imparting movement to the end plate 30 on shaft its the weight 24: passes a point vertically above shaft 5 its weight and momentum causes it to swing back to its original position and during this latter swing the shaft 5 is rotated and the gate raised thereby.

For each pair of gates only one sheave 25 is needed, the one on the right in Fig. 5 corres 'ionding to thesheave 25 in Fig. 1. It is obvious that only a certain amount of rotation of sheave is necessary through cable 26, the sheave 25 causing rotation of the sheave Sheave 21 is integral with 20 and has an endl cs cable 35 wound on it and extending upwardly along post 6 with two bights 35 and running over two sheaves 36 at the top of the standard. The cable 35 is run across the space between each pair of standards at an elevation great enough to clear all vehicles. It will be readily seen that to close the in Fig. 1 (same as right hand gate in Fig. sheave 25 must be rotated in direction of arrow 33, as described. This causes sheave 20 to pull downwardly on bight 35 of the right hand standard and upwardly on bight 35 of the left hand standard, the latter bight rotating sheave 20 on the latter standard to cause weight 2% and its shaft 5 to rotate inwardly in direction of arrow 3. and close the left hand Raising of both gates is of course just the reverse action the sheave 25 being rotated then in direction of arrow (Fig. 1) pulling dorn on bight 35 of the right hand mast and upwardly on bight 35 of the left hand mast or standard (Fig.

It is obvious that the initial rotation of sheave 25 in. either direction 33 or 33- may be satisfactorily accomplished by mechanical means mounted on or between the track rails and operated by con r" meal 5 on a moving train ap 'iroachang or moving away from the crossing. Such mechanical means on railway tracks are permissible in some inst-ances but on all railroads reliable electr :al means on the track are pre red and therefore T have illustrated in i 5 an (lOIltl'iC x -11 p fl 1.-.-]v dei me which n nl accomp is 1 1e desire. i e

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salt. It is realized that this operating means cannot be claimed broadly or in detail except as a necessary co-operating element, the main features of my device being wholly mechanical in nature and embodied in the construction described.

In Fig. 6 40, 40 40 and lO are wire brushes fixed on the ties parallel to the rails, in pairs, and at predetermined distances from the crossing. For a clear understand ing of the track device and its operative con-- nection with the gate mechanisms let it be assumed that a train is moving on the track as from right to left in Fi s. 5 and 6.

and 50 are respectively right and left contacts on a locomotive and adapted to contact with the brushes 40 40 40 and 40 51 is a battery on the locomotive, 52 is a switch connecting battery 51 and contacts 50, said switch manipulated between the two contacts 58 and 53 by moven'ientof the engine reverse lever (not shown). When the engine approaches the croising (forwardly) circuit contact 50 meets brush a0 completing circuit from battery 51 through switch 52, contact 53 and wire 541; to a magnetic coil 55 the core bar 55 of which is pulled and oscillates a two-arm switch 56-565 from non-conductive position (in Fig. 6) to two contacts 57-57 completing circuit through wires 58 and 58 to a motor 59, in a suitable housing 59 the shaft 59 of said motor carrying a sheave 60 (Fig. 5) connected as with cable 61 to sheave 25 to cause rotation of the latter in direction of arrow 33 (Fig. 1). The said latter rotation is limited by a double cam 62 on shaft 5, said cam having two arms 62 and 62 As the motor is running gate 4 is lowered and cam arm 62 will move to contact with a secondary arm 56 of member 56 and swings arms 56 and 56 back to neutral position, the motor is stopped, and the lowering operation of the gate is completed. Assuming that the train continues to move past the crossing, the gates remain lowered until contact 5O meets brush ":0 when current goes through the wires to coils 55 of the magnetic coil 55 causing the latter to throw the two-armed switch from neutral to contact with points 57 and 57 with its arms 56 and 56 respectively. Thus circuit is completed through wires 58 and 58 to the motor which is rotated in opposite direction from that just described, the sheaves 60 and 25 turned in direction indicated by arrow 3* (in Fig. 1). This of course causes raising of the gates, until switch arm 62 strikes arm 56 and throws the two-armswitch back to neutral. This completes operation of the gates by a train approaching and passing acrossing. v

If av train should stop between two sets of brushes 40 the gates remain closed. Then if the train should back up the engineer throws the reverse lever -(not shown) causing switch 52 to be thrown over to contact 53 and current goes through wire (i i to left side shoes 50 which engages brush 10 as the engine moves backward, current going through wire 65 and 63 and causes same operation as above described for raising the gates. This construction will be readily seento take care of any desired manipulation of the gates according to the movement of a train. A train moving as from left to right, in Fig. 6, causes operation of the gates through brushes 20 and 40 and the means described.

66 is a battery grounded on the negative side to the rails, the positive side connected through wire 67 with a switch 68 connected through coil 55 and the wires described with all the brushes 40. When switch 68 is in the position shown in Fig. 6 there is live current to all brushes 40, circuit being completed through either switch points 53 and 53 switch 52, and grounded at69 on engine, in which case no battery 51 is necessary. When battery 51 is used switch 68 should be thrown to contact 7 O and thus eliminate any possibility of moving the gates by any short circuit between the rails and the brushes. Danger of injury to track workers, children, cattle, etc, which may be on the track is also obviated in the latter form with the battery on the engine.

What I claim is:

1. A crossing gate for railway and road crossings, comprising a rigid upright frame,

a gate arm mounted pivotally therein on a main shaft and normally in upright position, said gate comprising a long arm above said main shaft and a short arm below it, a crank shaft in said main frame in spaced relation to said short arm and tension means connecting said crank and the lower arm and normally under tension to retain the gate arm in upright position, a primary weight arm rotatably mounted on said main shaft, a toothed segment and a sheave fixed on said primary weight arm and said arm normally resting about horizontal and directed away from said crank shaft when the gate is up, a secondary weight arm loosely pivoted on the main shaft and having circularly spaced clutch jaws, a disc fixed on the main shaft and having like clutch jaws, a secondary shaft mounted in the frame intermediate of the main shaft and the crank shaft, a pair of meshing gears mounted one on the crank shaft and the other on the intermediate shaft, means on the railway track operatively connected with said sheave and adapted to receive movement by a moving train to swing the primary weight arm upwardly and bring its toothed segment into mesh with the gear on the intermediate shaft and cause rotation of the crank shaft with its crank swung toward the lower gate arm to release the tension means; said secondary weight arm adapted to be engaged during the swinging movementof the primary weight arm and moved thereby to bring the clutch jaws into contact and oscillate the said disc, the latter oscillating in a direction to swing the gate arm down to horizontal read-closing position; the weight arms adapted to continue swinging until the prin'iary weight arm is directed approximately in diametrically opposite position from its original position and its toothed segment out of contact with the gear on the intern'iediate shaft; and means on the railway track operatively connected with the sheave to cause reverse movement of the weight arms, th gears, the fixed disc and the crank .to raise the gate arm and restore tension between the crankshaft and the lower end of the gate.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said tension element between the crank and the lower gate arm comprises a number of tension coil springs; means for holding the said crank in a direction away from the lower gate end when the gate is in upright position, comprising a locking arm pivoted to the frame adjacent said pair of gears a finger on said arm and one of said gears having a notch in its hub adapted to be engaged by said finger, said arm extending past the sheave, a cam fixed on said sheave and adapted to move said arm upwardly to release the finger when the primary weight arm is moved.

3. The structure specified in claim 1 in which said crossing gates are mounted one ateach side of a road and in parallel relation to the railway track, means operatively connecting the sheaves of said gate devices for simultaneous operation of both gate arms, said latter means comprising a cable element fixed to both sheaves and extended upwardly from them to the top parts of the fixed upright frames, sheaves rotatably fixed at said top parts and the cable element connecting said latter cable sheaves and eX- tended across the roadway in elevated horizontal position.

41-. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said secondary weight arin comprises a segmental frame with radial end members and having a segmental slot in which the primary weight arm is oscillable and adapt-- ed to engage either of said end members, according to direction of its movement, to enand move the secondary weight arm after havin received initial movement.

5. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said secondary weight arm comprises a segmental frame with radial end members and having a segmental slot in which the primary weight arm is oscillable and adapted to engage either of said end members according to direction of its movement, said primary weight arm adapted to impart movement to the secondary weight arm after contact; with one of the end members thereof, and said clutch jaws of the secondary weight arm being in predetermined spaced relation to the jaws of the fixed disc to subsequently engage the latter jaws after the secondary weight arm has been impelled by the primary weight arm, to rotate said disc and swing the gate to horizontal position, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWIN C. OLSON.

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