US1690903A - System for protecting highway crossings at the right of way of railways - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,903

P. J. KAVENEY SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING HIGHWAY CROSSINGS AT THE RIGHT OF WAY OF RAILWAYS Filed 00 l 924 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,690,903 PATENT orrics.

PAUL J. KAVENEY, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLII-TOZS.

SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING HIGHWAY CROSSINGS AT THE RIGHT OF WAY 0F RAILVVAYS.

Application filed October 1, 1924. Serial No. 740 961.

gates to be lowered upon the approach of trains on a track or tracks intersected by the highway, and to remain lowered until such train or trains are out of the blocks, the signaling systems of which are interlocked with my novel highway safety system.

A further object of the invention is to 'so dispose the safety gates relatively to the railway right of way, whereby in the event the driver of a highway trafiic vehicle should pass the gate, he will have an opportunity to stop his vehicle between the gate and the tracks without danger. 'The invention as to this phase contemplates the placing of the gates on the highway right of way a suiiicient distance from the railway right of way to comfortably receive a vehicle which may have passed the gates before an oncoming train has set the system in operation to lower the gates. It is the general practice to so arrange the railway signaling system that it will set into operation any signaling device belonging to the railway a considerable distance ahead of the highway crossing. Thus by locating the gates on the highway right of way, ample room is provided for the driver of the highway vehicle to take care of himself in an emergency of this kind and without passing on to the track rails.

It is a further object of this inventionto interlock with the general signaling system semaphores which are placed on the highway right of way in locations where the highway parallels the railway, so that the driver of a highway vehicle will be Warned by the raising of a semaphore across the highway a substantial period of time before his vehicle reaches the highway crossing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cut-out switch for the highway signal appurtenances at a time when, say a freight train is standing on the block associated with the highway signals for such a period of time that it becomes necessary, under the rules, to break t-he train, and thereby clear the highway crossing over the railway track.

' Other objects of the invention are to simplify and improve safety systems of the general character referred to, and the invention consists in the combinations shown in the drawings and described in the specification, and is pointed out in the appended claim.

Fi ure 1 of the drawing shows two paral lel railway tracks, a highway crossing, and equipments embodying my novel safety system. v

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. I

Asshown in said drawings, there are two parallel tracks having their rails bonded. in. the usual way and provided with the usual wiring 11, 11, bonded to the rails and extending to a battery and control switch box 12 at one side of the pair of parallel tracks. These wires or conductors constitute parts of known forms of signaling system which 7 operate'in connection with the rolling stock,

diagrammatically illustrated at 13, to, operate local and distant signaling apparatus 111 a manner well known and not necessary here to be shown or described. A por 14, designate highways, the highway 11% paralleling the tracks, and the highway 15 being disposed at a right angle thereto, and 1.6 designates as a whole a highway crossing over the railway right of way which is reached from both highways 14 and 15.. The arrangement of the highways 14 and 15 can be duplicated on the other side of the-track, or it can be assumed that the single highway 15, only, continues beyond the railway right of way. As shown, the arrangement of the highways'is reproduced at both sides of the railway right ofway.

16, 16 designate swinging gates which are pivoted on suitable posts 17, 17', one at each side of the railway right of way. These posts and the gates are located oncthe highway right of way at such distanceas to leave room for a highway vehicle to remain stationary without danger in the event that the vehicle shall pass beneath the plane of the gate before the driver of the vehicle becomes aware of anoncoming train reason of the lowering of the gates. Said gates are operable simultaneously from the mechanism at the switch box. The gate post at one side of the right of way is located at the control switch box and may be interlocked by any suitable wiring connection to the mechanism which opens the adjacent gate. The opening mechanism for the other gate is connected to the switch control box by a circuit including the conductors 18 which extend across the railway tracks to the gate posts on the highway right of way. Connected in multiple with said gate controlling means are semaphores 19 which are so connected in the switch boi: 12 that said semaphores will operate simultaneously with the gates.

' The gates will be provided with any suitable form of lamps 20 to indicate their positioii when swung down during night time. In addition: thereto each gate ma be pro vided at a point indicated by 21 with the socalled lightless signal 22, shown in detail in Figured. The characteristic of this latter signal is that itis not illun' inatcd but shows its position by a reflection of light rays hereon and usually the light rays en'ianating from the drivinglamps of a highway vehicle.

' Additionally, and to prevent unauthorized opening of the gates when down, the gates may carry bared wires 23 which are placed in such position that the bare wires will be exposed to the hand of any one opening the gates, with the result that a person attempting to open the gates will be deterred from this unlawful trespass on the closed gates.

It will. be understood that the gat s may be closed through motor or magnetic mechanism of any common form, and that said motor or magnetie mechanism will be included in circuit with a local battery which is closed by the small current of the circuit wires. It will also be understood that when. the gates are out of the control of their motor or magnetic operating apparatus, they will openeddb y suitable counter-weights at the posts These expedientsin the general railwaysignaling systems are so common as to make it unnecessary to illustrate or describe them. 7

From what has been said, it will be understood that when rolling stock enters on a given bl ck, of whatever character the system may. be, it operates, according to the laws of its system to control the usual railway signaling apparatus, atthe same timeby reason of the interlocking of the railway signal with the gates, and the semaphores placed on the highway right of way will be simultaneously operated so as to warn the driver of a highway vehicle that a train is approaching the crossing. It will of coursebe understood that the train maybe approaching from a distance not observable from his position on the highway, or his view may be obstructed by intervening buildings. However,tl1e highway semaphores 19 warn him that the crossing is being closed so as to enable him to stop his vehicle'be'iore reaching the crossing.

In the event that the highway vehicle driver should pass the highway semaphore, or should pass the gate before he is warned of the approach. of a train towards the crossing ineither direction, as by seeing the gates descend; there will be ample space between the gate andv the first track of the railway for him to bring his vehicle to a stop with safety to himself and his machine.

It is advantageous to place these highway semaphores on that part of the highway which communicates with the crossing through a right turn, because his turn onto the crossing will be short, whereas the driver approaching the crossing from the other direction will, by thecustom of driving, turn his machine through a long curve so that he will be practically in the same position as a driver entering the crossing from the high way 15.

The switch control box 12 is provided with a manually operable cut-out switch, designated by 2st, to cut out the gate and semaphore circuits without disturbing the block circuits of toe regular track signalling system, when my novel system is connected in the regular signal blocks]. i

If desired, however, my signalling device can be used at railway crossings where other known modes of general signalling is employed, in which" eventelectric circuits and electric appurtenances belonging to my protecting system may be used with bonded track rails or other kinds of circuits, with the same highway protecting functions. Reference in the claimy therefore, to tracks which are equipped with electric distant control sys tems is intended to include both the regular railway blocks or special blocks. specially adapted to my systeinai d constituting part thereof.v i i l i i lt claim as my invention:

An improved system of protcctinga crossing ov'era railway right of way in a case where there are highways on opposite sides and paralleling thefi'ight of way and a highway crossing said right of way, comprising crossinggates movable across and away from the, latter highway, semaphores associated with the. other two highways at some distame from the crossing, and train-controlled; circuits for"operating said gates and highway semaphores. i

In testimony whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, I hereunto append my signature this lQ, lay of September,192 l.

rA L J. KAVENEY.

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