US1684386A - Railway signaling - Google Patents

Description

Sept. is, 1928. 1,684,386

' R. S. BLAIR RAILWAY sIuALme Filed April 5, 1924 I'IIIIIII" existence of a blocked track.

Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNETEB s'ra'rss ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF STAMFORP, CONNECTICUT.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

Application filed April 5,

his invention relates to railway signaling and more particularly to railway signaling as applied to protection against the dangers of a roadway blocked by a stalled train or otherwise obstructed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a signaling means of the above nature practical and efficient and capable of meeting the requirements of practical use in a highly satisfactory manner. Another object is to provide means of the above nature dependable in operation. Another object is to provide signaling means capable of effectively warning an approaching train of the Other objects are to provide such means of inexpensive construction and simple to operate. Another object is to provide an effective art of railway signaling whereby the hazards due to a stalled train or other obstruction are substantially reduced. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the sev eral steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others all as will be iilustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown one or more various possible embodiments of the several mechanical features of this invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a signaling device in operative position.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. section taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the signaling device.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation showing certain parts in another position of adjustment, and

Figure 6 diagrammatically represents the signaling device in operation upon a curved railway track.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a railway rail 10 upon which this signaling device is adapted to be mounted. The device is preferably supported upon 1924. Serial No. 704,370.

the rail 10 by means of a pair of wheels coactmg with the rail and is adapted to be driven or propelled along the rail by suitable means such as will presently be described. The for ward wheel is shown in section in Figure 3 and may comprise, for example, a solid roller 11 which is of some yielding or easily compressible material such as cork. The roller 11 rests upon the surface of the rail 10, and passing axially therethrough is a pin 12 which holds in place a pair of side disks 13 and 14. These disks 1'3 and 14 are dished outwardly, as shown, and serve as side flanges for the wheel, being adapted to engage the sides of the rail 10 to guide the wheel along the rail. The pin 12 is of light construction and is provided with a head 12 at one end and removable securing means such as a cotter pin 15 at the other end, whereby the disks 13 and 14 are conveniently removable. The disks 13 and 14 are of light construction bemg, for example, of thin sheet metal and may, if desired, be made of a stiff paper or cardboard. These disks orside flanges are further preferably perforated, as shown, to lessen the wind resistance thereof. If the disks 13 and 14 are made ofpaper or cardboard, they are preferably waterproofed.

The rear wheel, as shown in section in Figure 2, may comprise a pair of spaced circular disks 16 and 17 connected by an axial pin 18 and provided with peripheral flanges 16 and 17 which rest upon the surface of the rail 10. This wheel also is provided with dished flanges 19 and 20 adapted to coact with the sides of the rail and taking the form, for example, of cup-shaped members resting against the outer faces of the respective disks 16 and 17. The pin 18 is of light construction holding the flanges 19 and 20 against the disks 16 and 17 and provided with a head 18 at one end and a removable securing device, such'as a cotter pin 21, at the other end whereby the flanges 19 and 20 may be conveniently removed, if desired. The'disks 16 and 1'2 and the flanges 19 and 20 are of light construction, being formed, for example, from thin sheet metal, and as mentioned with respect to the flanges 13 and 14' of the front wheel, the flanges 19 and 20, may be made, if desired, of waterproofed paper or cardboard. These flanges 10 and 20 are also preferably perforated to lessen their wind resistance.

The axial pins 12 and 18 of the two wheels are connected together by means of a suitable frame, taking the form, for example, of a pair of longitudinal connecting members 22 and 23, through the ends of which the pins 12 and 18 loosely pass. These connecting members 22 and 23 are preferabl y strips of light sheet metal.

As shown in Figure i, the forward ends of the members 22 and 23 are supported upon the pin i2 at either ide of the wheel rm n her 11, and rearwardly thereof they are preferably bent inwardly toward each other. At this point ust in back of the forward wired, the frame members 22 and :3 support a device which is adapted to provide a visible signal taking the form preferably of a red light. The burning charge of this red light may be contained in a cylindrical cart board container 21; which is clamped, as shown in Figure. 4 by the frame members 22 and 23, and a pair of s-mall rivets 25 and 26 passing through the two frame members. The container 24, if of cardboard, is preferably Waterproofed, and, as shown in Figure 1, is supported as near the surface of the rail 10 as practicable to keep low the center of gravity of the device, thereby increasing its stability. burning charge of the red light, if dc. ed, may be coiled or doubled back i ithin its centainer 24.

This signaling device is adapted to be driven along the rail 10 by driving means carried thereon and preferably taking the form of a rocket. It will be understood that the term rocket as employed herein is to be interpreted in a broad sense to comprehend a suitable burning device adapted, by the re.- action due to the discharge of its burning gases, to propel the device upon which it is mounted; The rocket employed in this invention comprises preferably a long tube 2'? of small diameter containing the burning charge of the rocket. The charge is prefer ably of the slow burning type so that the propulsion effect is gradual, being preferably not all expended in one initial blast. The rocket tube 27 may be. of cardboard and is preferably waterproofed.

As shown in Figure 1, the rocket tube 27 is preferably suspended beneath the frame members 22 and 23 in order that the weight thereof may be carried near the surface of the rail 10. The forward end thereof is supported and securely clamped a light bracket 28 secured to the frame members 22 and 23 by the rivet 26. The rear end of the tube 27 projects beyond the rear wheel and beyond the rearmost portions of the flanges 19 and 20. As shown in Figure 2, the rear end of the rocket tube 27 is supported from the pin 18 preferably by means of :1 depending loop 29 which may be of wire or a strip of thin sheet metal. The loop 29 is formed iv' bends therein to provide a turplus of length so that the position of the rear end of t is rocket tube may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly Spaci this 30 and 31 of cork, if desired, in ay be emplo l about the is between the frame mem ers and 23 a he sunoortig loop The device is driven along th the reaction due to the dischar er bly slow burning rocket 2?. of the adjustable support 29, the ear end of the rocket may be raised if desired, so that the reaction is forwardly and downwardly tending to hold the device against the surface of the rail. Furth rmore, if found desirable for any reason, by means of the same adjustment the reaction may be made upwardly in clined to tend to lift the forward end of the device. In order to further lessen wind resistance, there is provided forwardly of the front wheel, a prowshaped shield 32 which is also preferably inclined downwardly to tend to hold the device against the rail. This wind shield 32 is preferably made of light sheet metal and may be supported by means of a pair of bracln; 03 and 34 rigidly coir nected to the frame members and 2 by the rivet and passing u; vardly over the wheel member 11. The wind shield if en'iployed, preferably does not project upwardly to a sufficient height to interfere with a View of the red light 24 from the front of the device. There are shown secured to the frame members 22 and 2-3, a pair of. outwardly and downwardly projecting wings 3 and 36 which are preferably of light sheet metal and may be conveniently bent and adjusted as desired. These wings 35 and 36 are adapted to serve as Wind vanes and may be adjusted to have any desired degree of effect in assist ing to hold the device against the rail. These wind vanes 35 and 36 and the wind shield 32, although preferably employed may be di. pensed with if found imnecessary.

The fuse 27 of the rocket 27 by means of which the charge of the rocket 1s r nited to start the movement of the device along the rail, is preferably protected by a shield which may be of waterproofed paper. As the device is propelled along the rail burning of the charge within the rocket tube 2? progresses from the fuse 27 forwa .,'.y through the rocltet tube. The nature of the rocket charge is preferably such that the rocket burns with a red discharge. Ccmn'iunicating with the interior of the tube 2? a fuse 38 connected at its other one. with the charge f the red light 24;. vi' hei burning of the of rocket charge reaches the fuse in the latter is ignited and innnet' li it. preperly which the fuse e i I the point in the Vile device at which the red lighu is lighted, iii-2y be adiusted and determined. Thus the red light-may be ignited when the device has reached the end of its travel or at any intermediate point between the starting and stopping of such travel. The fuse 38 is preferably provided with a waterproof covering 39 to protect the same from moisture and insure dependable operation.

As shown at 42 there may be mounted on the under side of the thin member an ordinary torpedo 43 which will thus travel along continuously in operative relation to the rail and give an audible signal should a train be met.

This signaling device is )articularly adapt ed for the protection of the rear of a stalled train. Vhen a train stops, as between stations, this device may be sent back along the track from the rear of the train and its burning red light serves to ell'ectively varn an approaching train of the bloclna'l condition of the track. The rocket may be made so that its charge is suiiicient to propel the device along the track for substantially the required distance, whereupon the device coming to rest remains upon the rail and the red light continues to burn as an effective danger signal. This obviates the necessity of sending back a ilagman and the delay in starting occasioned by the necessity of waiting for the ilaguiau to return. The entire device is r'olllpress'ible in the sense that it may be run over by a train and compressed against the rail or hnocked therefrom without danger of derailing the train. It may therefore be left upon the rail wit-h perfect safety, the rocket charge and the red light charge being burned out. The charge of the red light may be made such that it will burn for any desired length of time.

When the device is sent back along a curved track, it is preferably placed upon the rail it) at the outside of the curve, as illustrated in Figure 6. In this instance the suspension 29 of the rocket tube 27 may be adjusted so that the discharge of the rocket is substantially in the direction indicated by the arrow 4-1 in Figure 6. The reaction from the discharge driving the device along the rail thus serves also to tend to urge the flanges of the wheels against the inner side of the curved rail t aid in. holdin the device thereon.

In Figure 0, there is illustrated a section through a rail when snow or cinders or gravel are filled up around the rail. In such case, the flanged wheels of the train passing over the .ail clear the material away from the inner side of the rail, as indicated at 42, but the oir-itruction at the outer side of he rail remains intact, as indicated at 4?. after the passage of the car wheels thereover. The outer flanges of the wheels of the signaling device must therefore be removed since the obstruct.- in g material 43 would interfere with their operation. In this Figure there shown a rear elevation of the device with the flange of the rear Wheel removed, it being undcrstood that the corresponding flange 13 of the forward wheel is also removed. Vv hen this is done, the suspension 29 of the rocket tube .27 is adjusted in the manner shown in Figure 5, so that the reaction of the burning rocket urges the remaining flanges it) and i l against the side of the rail to hold the device upon the rail. Thus. regardless of the obstruction. at the outer side of the rail. the signaling device may be made to dependabiy travel a lon the surface of the rail.

From the above it will be won that there are herein provided an art of railway signaling and an apparatus therefor which attain the objects of this invention and produce many important practical advantages.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described n'iight be varied in various parts all without dcpai ring from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein so forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as ilhrlrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as Ill V invention:

1. The herein described art of railway si nalingj, which consists in mounting a sig naling device on the top and inner side (if a rail and applying thereto forces directed along the rail and outwardly toward the rail to cause it to travel along ,ho same with an outward tendcncy.

The herein described art of railway naling, which consists in directing a rocketdriven signal along a railway rail and varying the direction of discharge of said rorlviet with respect to said rail. 7

3. The herein described art of railway signaling. which consists in directing a rocketdrivcn signaling device along a railway rail and adjusting wind vanes on said signaling device to hold the same on said rail.

4-. in a railway si nal, in combination, a signaling: dev ce adapted to travel along a rail substantially free from engagement with the outside of the rail and having a portion adapted to engage the inside of the rail, and means mounted on said device adapted to apply forces to said device urging it along the rail and outwardlv toward the rail.

In railway signal. in con'ihination, a signaling device aiapted to travel along a rail substantially free from engagementwith the outside of the rail and having a portion adapted to engage the inside of the rail, and a rocket mounted on said device in a position to drive the same along said rail with a component outwa dl v toward the rail.

ti. In a railway signal, in combination. a signaling device having a member adapted to roll along a rail and a pair of removable flaring flanges adapted resi'iectivel to engage the sides of the rail and guide the device, and means adapted to propel the device along the rail, said device being adapted to travel along said rail in engagement with the top and one side only.

7. In a railway signal, in combination, a flanged wh el adapted to travel along a single rail, supporting means mounted. on said wheel and adapted to follow the same with said wheel in engagement with the rail, a rearwardly discharging rocket mounted on said supporting means, and a signal mounted on said, supporting means.

8. In a railway signal, in combination, a flanged wheel adapted to travel along a single rail, supporting means mounted on said wheel and adapted to follow the same with said wheel in engagement with he rail, a rearwardly disrhar g rocket mounted on said supporting means, a nd a signal mounted on said supportingmeans, the flanges of said wheel being of open eimstruction to reduce the wind resistance thereon.

9. In a railway signal. in combination, a flanged Wheel adapted to roll along a single rail, supporting means connected with said wheel to i'ollow the same, a pair of spaced wheel members connected with said support ing means, and a rocket immnted. upon said supporting means and discharging rearwardiy hetweeii said last wheel n .llil fls.

10. The herein described art ot railw, signalin which consists in mount a sig ualing device on the top and inner side of a rail and discharging there trom burning gases in a z-arward and inward direction to force said devire outwardly toward the rail and propel it along the rail.

ll. 'i he herein (ascribed art of railway s gnaling whieh eons ll'S in mounting a signalin device on a rail, driving it along the rail by ti 1 of rearwardly discharged burning? i/ing the air resistance to the movement i d device to force it in a piedetermined dire-stain with respect to said rail.

ii. In a railway sig al, in combination, a support. means eomprisii a wheel carrying the to rd end oi said support, a pair of wlu'cls carrying the rear end of said support and spaced one from another, a rocket mounted upon said suppo t and adapted to discharge between the wheels of said pair and propel the device along the rail, and rotary means adapted to hold said device against outward displacement with respect to said rail.

13. In a railway signal, in combination, a support, a roller at the forward end of said support adapted to extend entirely across the late of the ra l, a pair of spaced wheels at the re: end of said support, and a rocket mounted on said device to extend between and to diseharge between the wheels of said pair and propel the device along the rail.

ii. In a railway signal, in combination, a roeltet, means comprising flanged wheels adapted to permit said rocket to travel along a rail and hold it in predetermined position i h re pect thereto, and a combustible signal e associated with said rocket and adapte to he carried therewith.

in a railway signal, in con'ibination, a ct, means comprising flanged wheels e pied to permit said rocket to travel along a rail and hold it in predetermined position with re--pert thereto. and a combustible sigaai device associated with said rocket and adapted to he carried therewith, the flanges said wheels being open to reduce the wind 4 n'ee thereon.

lt a railway signal, in combination, a rocket. means mounting said rocket to permit it to travel along a rail by its reaction when n rning, and a pair of rotary members one. f which is in advance of the other and both of which are adapted to engage the same side oi :he head of the rail and each of which is

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