US1659108A

US1659108A - Safety-bar lock for pleasure railways

Info

Publication number: US1659108A
Application number: US189428A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rudolph C Illions
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-05-06
Filing date: 1927-05-06
Publication date: 1928-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1945-02-14

Description

Feb. 14, 192s;

R. c. lLLloNs SAFETY BAR LOCK FOR PLEASURE RAILWYS -Sheet 1 w kw Ilmw,

I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 14, 1928.

1,659,108 R. C. LLIONS SAFETY BAR LOCK -FoR PLEASURE RAILWAYS Filed May 6. 1927 2 SheetS-She-2 F1 ,A uw 7i v ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-lacs. l

t, E'LYN, 'NFS-itil' YORK.

SAFETY-BAR' LOCK FOR PLIIEIASUIRJil` RAILWAYS.

g Application filed May. 1927.` Serial No. 189,428.

'lhis invention relates to an improvement .in connection with passenger-carryingk cars foruse on scenic railwaysand roller-coasters,

more speciiically comprehending means vby which the vusual safety bar provided with the cartoprevent the.passengorsfroin being thrown from 'their seats mayfbe locked in safeguarding 'position and automatically released immediately before the carreaches vthe platform at which the passengers are Y presumed to leave the Icar.

Bil

Cars of this type lare provided with a safety bar mounted for swinging movement to and from the seat occupied by the passengers with thebar intended to be moved to an operative position across the seat in front of the passengers While thegcar is-*in motion to preventthe passengers from being thrown from the seat and to further providea handhold 'for the passengers `by Vwhich 'they may steady themselves during the travel of the car. As ordinarily provided, this bar, which of course must vbe capable of being Amoved to an vinoperative position in order to facilitate the passengers 'leaving the seats at the end of the trip, is `not held in operative position in any certain mannen-so that under a sudden jar or kdip of the car, the bar h'as but little eliect in preventing the 4passengers from 'being thrown from )the seats.

It is,'therefore, the lprimary object of the positive guard against the passengers :being thrown from the seats. f

In cars of this type as ordinarily oonstructed, there are several passenger-carrying seats embodied involving the use of several suoli safetybars, and a :further object of the present invention is the provision of means by whichy all of the bars of the'car may be automatically unlocked as the car approaches the point atwhich the passengers are to be discharged, the locking construction *being so arranged that Jfollowing the placing of the safet-y bars in operative position by the ypassengers or by the attendant, all such bars of a car lmay be automatically locked at 'the will of the attendant by a simple single movement on' his part. n

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l is a view in side elevation showing a conventional passenger can of this type equipped With-the improved safety bar .loclif aiid'partly `in dotted outline, illustrating the means for automatically unlocking the safety bars and Afor holding: the locking means `inoperative jat the will yofl thev attendant.

Figure '3 'is a sectional* detail, lpartly in elevation, illustrating the locking rod infin-vr operativeposition in 'full linesv and in operative or. locking ,position yin dottedv lines.

Figure 45 yis a Figure l.

"Figure 5 is a perspective view showing themechanisni for controlling-the locking rods. l Y

Figure G isla bioltensectionalview, partly in elevation, illustrating the relation of the locking means and safety bar, theL locking means being shown in released position.'

A pleasure oar'of the typeto which the present invention is Ymorejparticularlyadapted is conventionallyillustrated in AFigure las including a platform "l supported ontracktraveling wvlieelsQ and provided with seats 3 with backs and sides 4, the seatsbein'g spaced apart to provide entrance 'openings '5` by Whichthe passengers 'gainaccessto the seats. As cordinarily constructed, each seat is providedfwith a safety bar l6 supported on frame bars 7 pivotally supported at8 in suitable brackets securedfto ithe platfornifof the car, the arrangementbeing suehlthatlth'e safety bar may be fmovedlto operative position across-and directly in front of 'the 'passengers occupying vthe seats 3 to serve 'as ak .handheld for such passengers and prevent spective yends 9 of the bar `Elu'hi'cli extend beyondthe frainebar 7. These bracketsor kecol-:ets =include bases ll0 by which gthey fm'ay be secured in place and laterally text-ending Walls ll of-curvcd formation, assho'wnimore particularly in FigureB, opening toward the front to provide fwlia't Willfhereinalfter be termedsocltetsflQ into :which the`lends`9 of thebar '6 arev positioned asthe baifis,y moved 'section on line offy krods of each seat.

to an operative position. So far as the sockets are concerned, the bar 6, when placed therein, is prevented from any further movenient toward the passengers but is freely movable from the passengers.

The locking means for each safety bar G includes locking rods 13 movable vertically 'with respect to the seat portions with their free ends movable through openings 14 in the bottoms of the sockets 12. rlhe guide openings in the sockets may be elongated by integral thickening` of the appropriate portion of the wall 11 and the locking rods 13 are, When in inoperative position, Withdrawn to a point slightly below the bottom Wall of the socket to permit free movement Vof the safety bar, and when in locked position Vare elevated to project across the socket in ad- Vance of thesafety bar, as shown in dotted outline in Figure 8. The bar is thus locked against movement in either direction, serving not only as a rigid handhold for the passengers but also as a certain means of preventing them from being throvvn from the seats.y

It is, of course, understood that a locking rod 13 is arranged to cooperate with each socket, that is there are two such locking rods for each seat.

A transverse shaft 15 mounted in or beloW the platform 1 is arranged beneath each seatffor the direct operation of the locking The shaft 15 of each seat is connected by arms or links 1G rwith the respective locking rods, the arms being rigid on the shaft and pivotally connected to the lovver ends of the locking rods whereby turning of the shaft compels the desired vertical reciprocation of the locking rods. Each shaft 15 is, through the medium of an arm 17,

rigidly connected With the shaft, connected With an operating bar 18 through the medium of ears 19 on the bar to Which the arms 17 are pivotally connected.

The bar 18 entends longitudinally of the platform and is held against other than a reciprocating movement by guides 20. bviously.r `in the reciprocation of the bar 18, all shafts of the particular car are simultaneously and similarly operated, hence all locking rods 18 of a particular car are also simultaneously and similarly operated.L The bar 18 is influenced in a direction to operate the shafts 15 for moving the locking rods to operative or locked position by a spring :21 terminally connected to an ear 22 on the lixture and to an ear 23 on the operating bar.V

leave the car at the end of the trip, and fromv the standpoint of a speedy discharge of the passengers, it .is desirable that this unlocking means be automatic so that all of the safety bars of a car may be simultaneously unlocked to permit the passengers of the respective seats to move the safety bars to the inoperative position to permit their leaving the seats. In pleasure rides of this character, it is customary to have a platform which, for the purposes here Will be called the unloadino` platform, at Which the Cars are brought at 'the end of the ride for the convenient discharge of the passengers. As the car approaches this platform, it is, of course, being brought to a stop either by a brake or by loss of momentum and it is desirable that the safetyl bars be unlocked as the car approaches and immediately before it reaches this unloading platform.

'.i`o secure this result, there is provided a short trip shaft 2e suitably mounted in the cr platform and extending parallel to the shafts 15. rlhis shaft 24 is provided with a fixed radial arm 25 connected by a link 9.6 to a radial arm Q7 carried by one` of the shafts 15. Gbviously, in the rotation of the shaft 24k the particular shaft 15 Will'be operated and through the connection of such shaft 15 and the remaining shafts 15 With the operating bar 18, all shafts 15 will be simultaneously and similarly operated in the movement of the shaft Q4. The shaft 2-1 is provided with a trip lever 28 rigidly connected thereto, one arm 29 of which has a rounded terminal and the other arm 30 of which has flat or foot-bearing portion 31.

Arranged alongside of the track somewhat in advance of the loading platform is a ramp 32 and the arm 29 of the lever 28 is arranged to engage this ramp as the car ad varices. The ramp is in such proportions that in this engagement it Will rock the shaft- Q41-, correspondingly rock all shafts 15 of the ear and Withdraw the locking rods il' from operative positions. Thus, 'as the car reaches the unloading platform and is brought to a stop, all safety bars are free and may be svvung over to inoperative positions by the passengers in order to permit them to leave the car.

To secure the locking rods 13 in inoperative positions after the automatic operation described, the shaft 2a is provided With a titled disk 33 having a shoulder 34- adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed paivl'35 when the shaft 24 has been operated by the ramp to a position to Withdraw the locking rods from operative positions. Thus, as the .,r approaches the unloading platform, the ramp acts to automatically Withdraw all locking rods from locking or operative positions, and the parts are held in such positiens in order to permit the discharge of the passengers and While other .passengers are again entering the car. lirhen the-car is ready to start on the nez-t trip, the attendant Ilo will` see that all safety bars l'are moved *to operative positions, that is ythe projecting ends 9*'of such barsiare seated lin the sockets 12. Just before 'the car. fis started 'on its trip, the attendant, hylpressing upon `the free end of the pawl 35, releases the dislz 33,'

that releases the Vshaft 24, `and permits the spring 21'to move` the operatingbar 18 longitudinally with the effect to elevate all locking rods simultaneously, thus locking all safety bars in position to protect the passengers. y f y l py It is, ofcourse, understood 'that after mov-y ing-the locking rodsto inoperative positions, the car proceeds beyond the *ramp SQfto the unloading platform, lso thatfthe ramp does not interfere lwith the operative movement of `theparts for thelocking function. It

maybe that for some'reason it is desire'dtounlock the safety Y"bars other `t"l1a`n*through the automatic cooperation iof the ramp. This unlocking operation may be Veffected by thela'ttenda'nt at any lpointin the .travel of the car by simply .exerting lpressure =on the foot portion 31 of the lever 28, moving such lever and shaft'ZLt until the pawl 35 functions to lock the parts. This causes an er;u act-ly identical operation with that of the ramp and simply provides an emergency meansby whichthe safety hars may he un cumstances the locking rods 13 will followy the form of the sides. Furthermore,'where, as is usually the case, the sides andV back of the seats are upholstered, the rods 13 will he arranged between the upholstery and the material of the sides so that, except for the projecting ends, such rods will be concealed.

What I claim to be new is: 1. A pleasure railway car having a passenger seat, a swinging safety bar to co operate therewith, locking rods to be posi-.

tioned in advance of said bar when the latter is in operative position, a shaft for operating.

the rods, a trip shaft connected to the first mentioned shaft, a lever for operating the trip shaft, means arranged adjacent the track for operating the lever, and means to automatically lock the trip shaft in opera?,

tive position. Y

2. A pleasure car having a plurality of seats, a safety har foreachlseat movable to an operative or inoperative Position relative to the seat, sockets carried by thelseat to 'receive the ends. of the safety bar, locking irods movable relative to the sockets to confine the ysafety harsthereinlor permit such bars to movethere'from, afshaft connected lto l'the locking rods of Veach seat,

an operating bar commento and yadaptedr lto simultaneously actuate all shafts, Imeans to Ibe operated by ay ramp carried by @the traclvs'nay5toy directly operate ones-of saidy shafts `and through the operating'bar simultaneously `operateall of said shafts, a lock mg means-for holding the operating means inv a predetermined position, and kautomatic Vmeans for 'reversely koperating jthe `parts 4on the release lofthe locking means.

3..A pleasure carhavin'g a 'plurality of passenger-.carrying seatspa isafetywbar for each seat, locking means to lhold the `safety bars in' operative positions 4relative to the seats rand including vertically reciprocating rods, 'a :shaft` 'for operating the rods ofy each seat, a hair movablelongitudinally fo'fthe carrand connected to all .o f, said shafts ifor` simultaneously and siinilarly `operating the shafts, a spring for operating-the bar in one direction, a trip shaft connected to one of the first mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, a trackecarried ramp for operating the trip shaft, and means for locking the trip shaft in a position resulting from the cooperation of the ramp.

4. A pleasure car having av plurality of passenger-carrying seats, a safety har for each seat, locking meansto hold the safety bars in operative positions relative to the seats and including vertically reciprocating rods, a shaft for operating thejrods lofeach seat, a bar movable longitudinally of the car andy connected to all of said shafts for simultaneously and similarly operating the shafts, a spring for operating the bar in one direction, a trip shafty connected to onev of the first mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through the saidbar operating all of said shafts, a lever fixed to the trip shaft, a ytrack-carried ramp adapted to engage andactuate the lever, and means for locking the trip shaft in operated position.

5. Av pleasure car having a plurality of passenger-carrying seats, a safety bar for each seat, locking means todhold the safety bars in operative positionsrelative to the seats and including verticali reciprocating rods, a shaft for operating tie rods of each seat, a` bar movable longitudinally of the cai-*and connected to ally of said shafts for the latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, a lever fixed to the trip shaft, a track-carried' ramp adapted to engage and actuate the lever, and means for ysimultaneously and similarly operating the' shafts, @a spring for operating the bar .inV one direction, a trip shaft connected to one' kof the first mentioned shafts for operating cri locking the trip shaft in operated position, said lever having a foot portion to permit it to be operated independently of the ramp.

6. A pleasure car having a plurality of passengercarrying seats, a safety barV for each seat, locking means to hold the safety bars in operative positions relative to the seats and including vertically reciprocating rods, a shaft for operating the rods of each seat, a bar movable longitudinally of thel car and connected to all of said shafts for simultaneously andsimilarly operating the Shafts,a spring for operating the bar in one direction, a trip shaft connected to one of the irst mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, a lever carried by said trip shaft, a track-carried ramp to engage and operate the lever in the movement of the car, a shouldered disk secured on the 7. A pleasure car having a plurality of passenger-carrying seats, a` safety bar for each seat, locking means to hold the safety bars in operative positions relative to the seats and including vertically reciprocating rods, a shaft for operating the rods of each seat, a bar movable longitudinally of the car and connected to all of said shafts for simultaneously and similarly o} erating the shafts, a spring for operating theV bar in one direction, a trip shaft Vconnected to one of the first mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, a lever carried by said trip shaft, a track-carried ramp to engage and operate the lever in the movement of the car, a shouldered disk secured on the trip shaft, and a pawl for engaging the shoulder in said disk to lock'the tripshaft in operated position, said paWl being manually releasable to permit said spring to actuate the operating bar and thereby all of the locking rod carrying shafts.

ln testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

RUDOLPH C. ILLIONS. [n s]