US1735647A

US1735647A - Railroad-crossing signal

Info

Publication number: US1735647A
Application number: US286928A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel W Lucas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-06-20
Filing date: 1928-06-20
Publication date: 1929-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1946-11-12

Description

Nov. 12, 1929. D. w. LUCAS 1,735,647 RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed June 20. 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEYS.

Nov. 12, 1929. D. w. LUCAS RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed June 20. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR.

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Nov. 12, 1929. D. w. LUCAS RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Jung 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. '0 Zl/Luas,

BY 751 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 12, 1929 mata- DANIEL w. LUCAS, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL Application filed June 20,

This invention'relates to railway crossing signals and has special reference to a railway crossing signal mechanically thrown into s1 naling and hidden positions and mechanically operated to produce an audible signal.

One important object of the invention is to improve the general construction of devices of this character. v

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improved actuating means for such mechanical signals.

A third important object of the invention is to arrange such means so that the means will only be actuated by a train going in one direction, the arrangement being of novel character.

A fourth important object of the invention 2 is to provide a novel signal adapted to be adjusted or set in the roadway adjacent the point where it crosses the railroad.

With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent,- the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts here- 2 inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed. i

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and: z I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a railway crossing equipped with the invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged View showing the construction on one side of the crossing, this construction also being suitable for one of the tracks of a double track railroad. Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view'of the actuating mechanism. I Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4; of

Figure 3. v I y g Figure ,5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3. I

Figure -6 is a section onthe line 66 of Figure 3. i q

. Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view of a cer tain double lever used herewith.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a section through the signaling 1928. Serial no. 286928.-

box, the lid being shown closed in full lines and opened in dotted lines.

Figure 10 is a front view of the signaling device with the lid opened.

In carrying out this invention there is secured near one of the rails 10 ofa railroad track 11 a certain number of track operated signal actuating'devices which are spaced along" the rail. In a single track railroad these devices are arranged on both sides of the cross-' ing 12 where the railroadcrosses the ordinary road or street 13. In a double track rail-road the devices on one side of the crossing maybe dispensed with. Each of these devices is alike in character but exercises a separate function on the signal.- For convenience the devices will be called in general A, B and 6.

Each ofthe signaling devices A, Band C includes a base plate 1A whereon is mounted a slide 15 which is held between two guide bars 7 0 16. The rear of this slide is turned upwardly as at 17 and through this rear there extends a pin 18 which is pivoted in a fork 19 fixed in the base 14 remote from the rail 10. A spring 20 surounds the pin'between the upturned end 17, and a fixedcollar 21 so that the slide is always urged toward the rail Mounted'in'the end of the slide. adj acentthe rail is a stem- 22 whichE-has ahead fitting in a cylinder 23 depending fromthe head 24 of an actuating lever 25. Between the stem and a the head 24 is 'a'coiled spring 26' which thus holds the head 24 raised slightly above the; 1 rail as shown in Figure 4 so that as a train passes along the head 24c'will be engaged and depressed by the wheels of the passing train T so long as the head lies close to the rail 10.

It is to be observed that there is sufficient I play and yielding of the parts to permit'op-, eration of the head as the trainpasses. The.

lever 25 has its fulcrum end in the form of a sleeve 2? which is'carried, on a shaft 28 extending at right angles to the rail 10. A spring 29surrou'nds the shaft 28 and bears at one end against a collar 30 fixed on the shaft 1 and at its other end againstthe sleeve'27 so that the latter is urged toward the rail 10; A second sleeve 31 having clutch connection with the, first sleeve is also mounted on the shaft 28 and frointhe seeond sleeve-ice projects a rock arm 32., Positioned between 1 the rail head .and the head 24 is a cam or wedge bar 33 which has one end resting against the rail head while its other end is held outwardly by a spring 34 so that it bears against a stop pin 35 projecting upwardly from the base. Under these conditions when the train movesin the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 or toward the crossing the head 24 will be engaged and depressed and the rock arm 32 will be rocked. On the" contrary with the train moving away from the crossing the flanges of the wheels will press between the bar 33 and rail head and push the head 24 and slide 15 away from the rail and at the so that when the latch 38 is pulled the spring will throw the lid up to signaling position, the lid being suitably painted to attract attention. From the operating device A leads a .cord or wire 41 which passes over idler pulleys 42 and is branched to provide branches 43 which are connected to the pull latches 38 of the two signals. Similarly, from the lever 32 of the device B a branch wire or cord '44 leads over idler pulleys into the box and there passesunder a pulley 45 and is connected with the spring hammer 39. From the deviceG a cord or wire 46 leads to a toggle 47 which connects the short arms 48 of a pair of levers or tongs pivoted intermediate their ends to a post 49 and having long arms 50 connected by cords 51 to the box lids 3'7, each cord passing under. ,a pulley 52 in the box or casing; A spring 53 normally holds the short arms ,48 apart.

In operation thepapproaching train first engages the actuatingdevice A which causes V I the latches to become released whereupon the 1 Figure 9. As the train wheels reachthe d6,

box oricas'ing lids forming the signals are raised'to' the dotted, line position shown in vice.B each wheel passing over the head 24 i of that device depresses the head and effects pulling of the hammer 40away from'the box lid and the release of the headcauses spring hammer 39 to fly back and strike, the lid which, being preferably of metal, makes a loud clat-i tering noise andefli'ectually gives an audible signal. Upon the train reaching the device C, which may be either between the crossing and the device B or on the opposite side of the crossing. fro-m B, thehead 24' of that de- 'vice'will be depressed thus actuating'the toggle by pulling on the cord 46 and thereby actuating the lever or tongs to pull on the cords 51 and close the box lid so that the latches may hold it closed.

It is to be understood that the devices A, B and C will be placed far enough apart and far enough from the crossing to ensure their proper working and no attempt is here made to show the exact relation of these parts as the distances will depend onlocal conditions.

There has thus beenprovided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is, desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is: V

1. In a railway crossing signal, a signal operating device including a lever having a head positioned adjacent a track rail, a

cylinder dependingfrom said head, a'stem' projecting downwardly from said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder resting on the stem and urging thehead upwardly, a slide carry-v ing said stem and movable toward and from the rail, a signal, and an operative connection between the signal and lever.

2. In a railway crossing signal, a signal operating device including a lever having a head positioned adjacent a track rail,'a cylinder depending from said head, a stem projecting downwardly from said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder resting on the stem and urging the head upwardly, a slide carry ing said'stem and movable toward and from the rail, a signal, a fixed shaft at right angles to said rail, a sleeve having said lever attached thereto and revoluble on said shaft, a

second sleeve 011 said shaft having releasable clutch connection with the first sleeve, a spring normally urging the slide toward the rail and the first sleeve into clutching engagement with the second sleeve, train controlled means for moving the slide away from the rail and the first sleeve out of clutching Yengagement with the second sleeve, and an operative connection between the second sleeve and signal; v

3. In a railway crossing signal, asignal operating device including a lever having a head positioned adjacent a track rail, a cylinder depending from said head, a stem projectingdownwardly from said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder resting on the .stem

and urgingtheheetd upwardly, a slide car-' rying said stem andmovable toward and from the rail, a signal, a fixed shaft atright angles to said rail, a sleeve having said 1e ver attached thereto and revoluble'on said shaft, a second sleeve on said shaft having releasable clutch connection with the first sleeve, a spring normally urging the slide toward the rail and the first sleeve into clutching engagement with the second sleeve, train controlled means for moving the slide away from the rail and the first sleeve out of clutching engagement with the second sleeve,v a rock arm projecting from the second sleeve, and a tension connection between the rock arm and said signal.

4. In a railway crossing signal, a signal operating device including a lever having a head positioned adjacent a track rail, a cylinder depending from said head, a stem projecting downwardly from said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder resting on the stem and urging the head upwardly, a slide carrying said stem and movable toward and from the rail, a signal, a fixed shaft at right angles to said rail, a sleeve having said lever attached thereto and revoluble on said shaft, a second sleeve on said shaft having releasable clutch connection with the first sleeve, a spring normally urging the slide toward the rail and the first sleeve into clutching engagement with the second sleeve, train controlled means for moving the slide away from the rail and the first sleeve out of clutching engagement with the second sleeve, said means including a bar arranged angularly with respect to the rail in a horizontal plane and having the end remote from the rail directed toward the crossing and spring supported to move toward the rail, the remaining end of said bar being in engagement with the signal operating device, and an operative connection between the second sleeve and sig-' nal. r

5. In a railway crossing signal, a signal operating device including a lever having a head positioned adjacent a track rail, a cylinder depending from said head, a stem proa ject-ing downwardly from said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder resting on the stem and urging the head upwardly, a slide carrying said stem and movable toward and from the rail, a signal, a fixed shaft at right angles to said rail, a sleeve having said lever attached thereto and revoluble on said shaft, a second sleeve on said shaft having releasable clutch connection with the first sleeve, a spring normally urging the slide toward the rail and the first sleeve into clutching engagement with the second sleeve, train controlled means for moving the slide away from the rail and the first sleeve out of clutching engagement with the second sleeve, said means including a bar arranged angularly with respect to the rail in a horizontal plane and having the end remote from the rail directed toward the crossing and spring supported to move toward the rail, the remaining end of said bar being in engagement with the signal operating device,

consisting of a casing a rock arm projecting from the second sleeve,

and a tension connection between the rock arm and said signal. 7

6. In a railway crossing signal, a signal consisting of ar'casing having a hinged lid, signal displaying spring means urging said casing to open position, a latch holding said casing closed, aplurality of train operated actuating devices, an operative connection between one of said devices and the latch and arranged to pull the latch and free the lid for rising to display the signal, and an operative connection between the other device and the lid and arranged to close the lid upon passage of a train over the second devlce.

7. In a railway crossing signal, a signal having a hinged lid, signal displaying spring means urging said casing to open position, a latch holding said casing closed, a plurality of train operated actuating devices, an operative connection between one of said devices and the latch and arranged to pull the latch and free thevlid for rising to display the signal, an operative connection between the other device and the lid and arranged to close the lid upon passage of a train overthe third device, a hammer on said spring bearing on said lid, a second train operated actuating device, and an operative connection between said second device and said spring to vibrate the spring and cause hammering on the lid to produce an audible signal. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DANIEL W. LUCAS.