US1653697A - Crossing guard for railways and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1927. 1,653,697

c. L. COOK I CROSSING GUARD FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 22. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l C. L. COOK CROSSING GUARD FOR'RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE v 2 sheetg sheet '2 Dec. 27, 1927.

Filed Sept. 22, 1925 Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES dHAnLEs LEE COOK, F LoUIsvILLE, KENTUCKY.

CROSSING GUARD FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 22, 1925. Serial No. 57,875.

The present invention relates to crossing guards for railways and the like, and the primary ObJECl) is to provide mechanism of r a novel and automatic character, whereby a gate will be caused to extend across a roadway at or adjacent to a crossing upon the approach of a train, the mechanism perlnitting the return of the gate to its inoperative or inactive position when the danger has passed the crossing.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in sectional elevation oi? the gate-operating mechanism,

Figure 2 is a view diagrammatic in its character, showing the control mechanism for the gate operating means,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit, by' which the gate-operating means is controlled.

Figure lis a detail sectional view showing the contact elements in endelevation.

In the embodiment disclosed the usual vertically swinging crossing gate is employed, and is designatedh. The gate is counterweighted, as shown at 5*. and is pivoted. as shownat 6, to the outside of a casing 7, which is placed alongside the highway, as will be readily understood. In the upper portion of this casing is a cylinder member 8, within which is located a reciprocatory piston member 9. The piston member 9 has a vertical depending piston rod 10 that is provided on one side with a rack 11. This piston rod has its tree end slidably guided, as shown at 12, in thelower portion of the casing 7 The rack .11 is in mesh with a gear 13 fixed to the pivot 6, to which the gate 5 is fast.

Alongside the track in advance of the crossing is suitably supported an elevated rail member 14, preferably angular in cross section, so as to form a shed against the elements, and having a flared receiving end 14*. The locomotives or other parts of the trains that run upon the railway are provided with a coacting contact element. Thus a locomotive 15 is indicated in outline, and mounted thereon is a roller 16 having a tapered periphery that runs against the under side of the track element. Preterably this roller is carried by a shaft 16 journaled on the locomotive and capable of limited play longitudinally so as to allow for the oscillation 0r side-lash of the locomotive. It is of course understood that the flared receiving mouth 14* is ample to insure that of the locomotive wheels.

the reception of the roller, irrespective of suchlateral play as may occur on the part of the roller. Preferably also the perimeter, speed of the wheel 16 is the same as To insure this, suitable driving connections, indicated at 16*, may be utilized between a driving wheel and the shaft 16 for the purpose.

Suitably mounted in or on the casing? is a chamber 17 for fluid under pressure, and leading from this chamber is a conduit 18 that communicates with the upper end of the cylinder member 8 above the piston 9. A rotary fan blower 19 is located in the mouth of the chamber for delivering air there/into, and this fan blower is operated by asuitable motor, indicated at 20. The motor 20 is in an electric circuit, indicated at 21 in Figure 3. This circuit includes a suitable source of electrical energy 22, and

the rail contact element 14. The roller contact element 16 is also included in the circuit through grounds 28. Thus, as shown in Figure 3. when the contact elements 1 1 and 16 are in engagement the circuit is completed through the source of electrical energy 24 and the motor 20, as a consequence of which the motor is operated and the fan blower 19 is driven. The fluid pressure chamber 17 may also be in communication with a fluid operated signal in the form of a horn or other similar device, indicated at 25. 1

With this construction, the counterweight .ot the gate 5, is normally sulticientto hold said gate elevated with the piston member 9 in the upper portion of the cylinder member8. When, however, a train approaches the crossing, the roller 16 will engage with the track 14, thus closing the circuit through the motor 20, as indicated in Figure 3. The result is that the fan blower is caused to operate. driving air into the chamber 17, Where the pressure increases. This air or fluid under-pressure passes through the con duit 18 to the upper end of the cylinder member 8, moving the piston downwardly, and thus through the rack and pinion gear 1113, causing the gate 5 to lower. At the same time a portion of the air passes through the horn or signal 25, giving an alarm to approaching vehicles. When the roller 16 has passed beyond the rail lei, the circuit is broken, the motor 20 therefore stops and the counterweight will react to elevate the gateand the piston 9 to the position shown in Figure 1, the air escaping through the conduit 18 and past the blower 19.

An effective crossing guard of an automatic character is.'thus provided, the operating fluid being relatively low, so that the gate moves slowly downwardly, and-should it strike an obstruction, will stop without damage to the parts.

From the foregoing, it, is thought that the construction, operation and many advan tages of the herein-described invention will be apparent *to thoseskilledinthe a1*t ,-witl1- out further description, and it will be understood that VilllOUS changes .in the size, shape, proportion .and minor details of ,construction maybe resortedto without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofxthe advantages of the invention.

hat I claim, is: i y

1. In a crossing guard apparatus, the combination witha movable gate, "of a gate operating motor, a pressure chamber having a conduit connection'with the motor and also constantly open to atmosphere, .a pump of sufficient capacity :to supply ,motive fluid to the pressure chamber, in excess oi that escaping .to atmosphere, to actuate the gate operating motor, and ,mechanism for 'controlling the operation of the pump including roadside and car-carriedmechanism.

2. In a crossing guard apparatus, the combination with a movable gate, elf a gate operating motor, a pressure chamber having a conduit connection with the ,motor and also constantly opentoratmosphere, a ifluid operated signal actuated by fluid from the chamber, xa pump for supplying fluid to the chamber to actuate the gate :motor and signal, and mechanism for controlling the ope 'ation of the pump, including roadside and car-carried mechanism.

a 3. In a crossing guard apparatus, the combination with a movable gate, of a gate operating motor, a pressure chamber having a conduit connection with the motor, a ,fluid operated signal actuated by fluid from the chamber, said chamber being open 'to atmosphere forperniitting the escape olf flnitl when the motor steps, a pump of sufficient capacity to supply motive fluid, in excess of that escaping to atmosphere, to actuate the gate motor and signal, and mechanism for controllinglthe operationkof the pump, including roadside and car-carried mechanism.

l. In crossing guard apparatus, the combination with a gate, of a fluid-actuated 1110- tori'or operating thegate, an electrically operated Etan blower for" delivering fluid to with the cylinder member, a ialrblower deliveringinto the chamber, anelectricmotor ior operat ng the fan blower, and an elec- 'trical clreult including the fanmotor, a contactrail alongthe track, andal-contact amcarried element movabieyintov and out of engagel'nent with the rail. a y y 6. In crossing gnarl apparatusfthr com bination with a pivoted crossing gate, e f a fluid motor comprising a cylinder member and a piston member therein, one member pressure chamber having communication nuth the cylinder member, a tan blower delivering into the chamber, an electric motor for operating the fan blower, an electrical circuit including the fan motor, a contact rail along the track and a contact car-carried element movable intoand out of engagement with the rail, and afluid'operated signal receiving fluid under pressure from the pressure chamber.

In testimony whereof, I-atlixiny signature enemas LEE 000K.

being movable and gearedto *the gate, a fluid

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