US1720276A - Placard holder for tank cars - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1929.

KEEP usnrs m FIRES waf s. JOINER M20276 PLACARD HOLDER FORYTANK CARS Filed July 27, 1927 2 Shots-Sheet 1 'KEEPLIBHTSQFIRESAWAY 61 Jamel;

July 9, 1929. s. JOINER 1.720.276

' (PLACARD momma FOR TANK cums I Filed July 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,SLJm'ner;

gwntol Patented July 9, 1929.

sz'rvns'rnn L. J'oINiiR,

F MC'GREGOR, TEXAS.

PLAGAZR-D HOLDER FOR TANK CARS.

Application filed July 27,

. 'nrentkzn relates to a placard holder for tank cars.

it is common practice to use placards on tank cars to display two signals, one signal to indicate that the tank car is transporting inflammable material and the other signal to indicate that the tank car used for transportinginflamn'iable material is empty. There are times when the tank cars generally used for the transportation of inflammable materials are used for transporting other materials, such as molasses or other commodities, of non-inflammable nature. At thepresent time the two signal reversibl placard has not been altogether satisfactory or effective when the tank car is used to transport a non-inflammable commodity, because inspectors and others, making the discovery that the tank car is being used to transport non-inflammable materials, and the placard indicating the transportation of inflammable materials and not having been removed from its holder, the inspector has of his own accord removed the placard from its holder and put it aside, to overcome the display of the misleading sig nal when non-inflammable materials are being transported. At such times the inspectors remove the placard entirely from the tank cars, and this has put the owners of the cars (0 considerable expense to trace the placards, and considerable trouble and expense has been necessary to locate or replace the placards. It will be appreciated that in the use of the present type of reversible placard supported in either of its two positions, that is to say, when the placar is supported to i to indicia indicating that the tank car is being used to transport inflammable material or that such car for transporting inflammable material is empty, there being no means to support the placard without one or the other misleading indications being displayed when the car is used to transport noninflammable material, it is a coi'nparatively easy matter to lnisplace or lose the placard when the inspector or other person removes the same from the holder because of the misleading signal or indication.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide a placard holder constructed to provide for the display of a series of signals to indicate that the car is being used for transporting inflammable materials, or is empty, or that the car generally used for the transportation of inflammable material, is transporting non-inflammable material,

1927. Serial No. 208,844.

so that the signals will properly enlighten an inspector without danger of loss of the placard.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a placard holder embodying among other characteristics means whereby, when the tank car is converted for use to carry a noninfiammable commodity, the placard may be supported and carried by the placard holder without giving an erroneous indication or signal, and whereby there is no incon venience put upon the owners of the cars in etl'orts to trace a missing placard.

It is still further designed to provide a device of the character described embodying among other characteristics, means whereby to support a placard in diflerent positions and readily accessible for positioning the same and without danger of accidental turning of the placard or resulting in an obstruction beingplaced along the running board of the car.

\Vith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various minor changes in the form, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a reversible placard holder for tank cars constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the signal indicative of the car carrying inflammable material.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the reverse side of the placard indicating that the car usually employed for transporting inflammable material is empty.

Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrating the position of the placard when the tank car is transporting noninfiammable material.

Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the placard holder with the placard removed.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the placard holder illustrating the placard in the holder and showing only the lower portion of the placard.

Fig. 6 is a side view'of the placard holder illustrating the lower portion of the placard with the latter mounted in the holder.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference characthe iron strip 9 projecting slightly beyond the outer edge ot the running board.

The upper end ot the upright may be onlarged in cross sectional diameter to provide a head B, and this head is hollow to provide a vertical or longitudinal socket 10 opening upwardly and preterably oblong in cross section I 1 4. and beaded, as at 11, at its upper edge LO strengthen the same. At the lower end ol the head, within the socket, is a continuous shoulder 12, for a purpose presently explained.

The placard is indicated; generally, by the reference character C. The plat ible and designed for use on tank cars, and is constructed preferably 01 metal or other indestructible material. It is provided with the lettering or indicia indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings to provide the desired placard signals or information, and same may be applied to the placard in any suitable manner. Placards are required to be placed on tank cars transporting or containing inflammable materials, so as to notify railroad employees and others of the inflammable nature of the contents. The illustrated placard has indicia on one side to indicate or signal that the tank contains inflammable material. On the other side of the placard is indicia to indicate or signal that the inflammable contents of the tank have been removed and such signal is displayed when the tank car has been emptied simply by reversing the placard To reversibly support the placard C in accordance with the present invention 1 provide a suitable bracket D, which is provided with a slot 18 to receive the placard in the manner shown, and the placard is firmly secured in said slot of the bracket by means of rivets let, or otherwise.

The bracket 1) has a collar from which projects a shank 16 which is pre" bly oblong in cross section and which is ill. opted tor removable insertion in the oblong shaped socket 10, with the lower end of the shank adapted to rest upon the adjacent continuous shoulder 12. By virtue of the oblong cross sectional shape of the socket and shank the bracket cannot accidentally turn in its support and the placard in either of its positions cannot be positioned in other than parallelism with the outer edge of the running board, whereby the placard cannot at any time become an obstruction across the running board or in any way intertere with travel of a trai nman over the running board, as might be the it the shank were round and fitted in a round socket and turned accidentally ecause or loosening of the fastening elements.

To secure the placard bracket shank 16 in the socket 101 provide a suitable locking de vice which may consist of a cylindrical casing 17 extending laterally from one side 01 the head B in alignment with an opening 18 leading into the socket 10. A bolt 19 is slidably mounted at the casing 17 and by means oi a suitable spring 20 the bolt normally thrown inwardly to pass through the said opening 18 in the head B and enter an opening 21 formed in the shank 16 ot the bracket C so as to effectually lock the bracket against accidental displacen'ient. An internally screw threaded boss 22 is formed with or secured to the head or the upright, and tie casing 1? has its inner end ex e rally screw threaded for working it with the inte threaded boss 22. V l he casing 17 reo..s..ed to provide an internal shoulder 23 and the bolt 19 at its inner end has a keeper 2-1- which is the part of the bolt 19 which p sses through the opening 18 in the head l3 and enters the opening 21 in the shank 16. Between the rear end of the keeper 2% and the shoulder 23 of the casing, the aforesaid spring 20 is mounted, by virtue 01 which the on. y d end of the keeper 2% is normally thrust inwardly to locking position under the influence of the spring: 20. The locking bolt 19 is provided at its outer end with a hand grasping knob 25 to facilitate operation of the belt which latter may be retracted against the action of said spring 20 upon outward pull on the knob 25, so as to permit read] removal of the placard from the hold-- er when desired. To this end the casing 17 is provided with a pair of slots 26 at its outer end to receive the ends of a pin 27 extendin; transversely through the bolt 19 near the outer endot the latter. whereby to limit the inward thrust of the bolt. By turning the bolt in the casing 17 to align the ends ot said pin 27 with said slotsv 26, the bolt moves inwardly into the socket under the influence of said spring, as stated. To maintain the spring retracted against inw'ard movement under the action of the spring 20, the bolt may be pulled outwardly and the ends of said pin 27 pern'iitted to engage the outer end of the casing 17 between the slots 26. as will be understood. so as to permit the readv removal of the placard from its holder. The hand grasping knob 25 may be detachably secured to the bolt 19 by means of a suitable tasted ing 28. When the casing 17 is secured to the head B of the upright and it is desired to insert the bolt 19 in the casing. the knob 25 may be removed by removing the fasteninc; 2% and also removing the transverse pin 27. The spring 20 is then applied to the bolt 19 and the bolt 19 with the spring 20 applied thereto back of the keeper 2% is passed through an opening 29 in the head B opposite the aforesaid opening 18 and passed across the socket and inserted into the casing 17 through the inner end of the latter when both the pin 27 and the tast ng 28 may be inserted in the aforesaid operative positions with relation to the bolt 19, when the locking device is operative to perform the functions hereinbefore described.

I have thus far described a reversible placard holder for tank cars which is simple, strong, durable and effective, and one in which the placard cannot at any time turn accidentally in its support but must assume positively and firmly one of either of the two positions hereinbefore stated in parallelism with the outer edge of the running board, so as to prevent the possibility of the placard becoming an obstruction across the path of the running board.

Another characteristic manifest in the structure described thus far is that the collar of the bracket D fitting over the aforesaid beaded upper edge of the head B of the up right provides for the prevention of rain. sleet, or snow finding its way into the socket 10. IVhile I claim as part of my invention the structure of reversible placard hold r for tank cars as thus far desc ed, I have as a further object of my inventl n the provision of a placard holder embodying such structural characteristics as to provide for the supportin the holder of the placard when the latter is not used to indicate that the car is transporting inflammable material or that it is empty, so that the car which is generally used for such pu poses may be used for the transportation of non-inflammable commodities without danger of an erroneous interpretat-ion bein made by the inspector. In other words, a further object of the present invention is to position the placard in its holder so that it may be carried thereby without danger of loss or being misplaced and yet not give an erronous signal to an inspector, trainman, or others in the yards or To this end, the head B between its ends is provided with o gositely disposed oblong shaped openings 30 to receive the similarly formed shank 31 projecting laterally from the bracket C and preferably formed therewith, so that when the tank car is not transporting inflammable material or is being used to transport a commodity or commodities other than those of an inflammable nature, the placard is removed from its ordinary position in the socket 10 through the upper end of the socket and the shank 31 projecting laterally from the bracket C is passed transversely through the head and l socket 10, and through the aforesaid o iositely disposed openin s the aforesan wing bolt being withdrawn to permit such removal and positioning of the placard, and as soon as the 1 takes the position described with shank 3i relation to the oblong shaped openings 30,

at other places.

the one and the same locking bolt is manipulated so that it may pass into the socket 10 in the same manner as heretofore described and enter an opening 32 formed in the shank 31 to thereby lock the placard carrying bracket Gin an inverted or depending position with relation to the holder alongside the outer edge of the running board and in parallelism with the outer edge of the latter and thereby prevent loss of the placard and have the same ready for use when necded in the transportation of inflammable liquids or other goods and thereby prevent inconvenience to the owners of the cars incident to the heretofore frequent misplacing of the placards under the conditions heretofore prevailing. In all three of these positions of the placard, it may be readily manipulated from the ground, that is to say, the trainman or other workman finds the device accessible to him from the ground and he is able to stoop and in a steeping or upright position manipulate the locking device to reverse the placard in its depending position as aforesaid.

While my device is effective in the matter of preventing accidental loss of the placard, I have considered it advisable to exercise all possible precaution in the matter of accidental loss of the placard because of the expense thereof and inconvenience in locating the same if lost or misplaced, I have nevertheles. p ovided an additional securing means in the nature of a chain 33 or suitable flexible element which may be secured in any suitable manner to the upright A, as by means of a securing connection 34, and the flexible element 33 at its outer end may carry a hook 35 of any suitable character designed to be fitted in any one of the apertures 36 along the edges of the placard as shown.

This flexible element connection between the placard and the upright should prove of value against misplacing the placard in the event of carelessness on the part of an attendant in not positively locking the placard carrying bracket to the supporting upright and if ajar should occasion accidental disconnection of the bracket from the supporting upright. Furthermore, the flexible connection element has its value in the use of the present invention in the event that an attendant should desire to suspend the placard and its bracket temporarily with the placard unconnected in any of its operative positions with the supporting bracket.

It will be understood that the signalling data or information contained on the placard is immaterial in so far as my invention is concerned, and that the signalling data or information may be altered or changed or that the data which is illustrated may have added thereto other data or information as desired.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, an upright, a placard having different indicating indicia on opposite sides thereof, a bracket carrying the placard and having reversible supporting connection with the upright, whereby to display one or the other signal according to the side of the placard exposed to view, means whereby to connect the bracket to the upright to support the bracket on the upright in a position other than its reversible supporting connection, so as to arrange the placard in another position and thereby provide for the display of a third signal; and a common looking device to lock the bracket on the upright in either of its reversed or said other position.

2. In a device of the character described, an upright provided with a socket having a top entrance and provided with side openings corresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form side entrances, and a placard provided with a plurality of shanks of a size to fit the entrance to the said socket, whereby the placard is adapted to be arranged in a number of different positions on the same socket. v

3. In a device of the character described, an upright provided with asocket having a top entrance and provided with side openings corresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form side entrances, a placard provided with a plurality of shanks of a size to fit the entrance to the said socket, whereby the placard is adapted to be arranged in a number of different positions on the same socket, and a single fastening device common to the said shanks for securing the placard to the upright in any of the several positions of the said placard.

4. In a device of the character described, an upright provided With a socket having a top entrance and provided with side openings corresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form side entrances, and a placard provided with vertical and horizontal shanks insertible in the said socket through the said entrances to permit the placard to be arranged in a number of different positions in the same socket.

5. In a device of the character described, an upright provided with a socket having a top entrance and providedwith side openings corresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form side entrances, a placard provided with vertical and horizontal shanks insertihle in the said socket through the said entrances to permit the placard to be a rranged in a number of different positions in the same socket, and a fastening device coinmen to each of the said shanks and adapted to secure the placard in any one of its different positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SYLVESTER L. JOINER.

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