US1936750A - Locomotive spotter - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, 1933.

o. 1.. EY

LOCOMOTIVE SPOTTER Filed March 8, 1930 4 Shee(;'s eet l 1933- o. COFFEY 1,936,750

LOCOMOT IVE SPOTTER Filed March 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 28, 1933. o. COFFEY LOCOMOTIVE SPOTTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 8, 1930 v TM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 O. L. COFFEY LOCOMOT IVE SPOTTER Filed March 8, 1930 Nov. 28, 1933.

Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED stares P 'reroFFicE LOCOMOTIVE SPOTTER Oscar L. Cofiey, Harvey, Ill., assignor to Whiting Corporation, Harvey, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 8, 1930. Serial No. 434,246

' 16 Claims. (01. 188-43) The invention relates to mechanism generally provided at either end with a draft-bar c which designated locomotive spotters. is adapted to engage or to be coupled to the loco- In repairing locomotives in railroad shops, it motive. This gearing (Fig. 7) comprises a pinion is frequently desired to move a locomotive while b on the motor-shaft, a chain 19 driven by said it is not in running condition, to bringits wheels, pinion, a gear 12 driven by said chain, a shaft 12* 60 cranks or engine-valves in definite positions for journalled in a housing 2: which is fixed to lugs inspection, repair or replacement, and one object a on one of the brackets a a worm b fixed to of the invention is to provide an improved spotshaft h in the housing, a gear-wheel b driven by ter for this purpose which can be expeditiously Worm b and fixed to a transverse shaft 1) which 10 locked to the rails of the track at any desired extends transversely through and isjournalledin 65 point, to render it operative to move the locomobrackets .69, a pinion b fixed to one end of said tive. By providing devices which can be expedishaft, 2. gear b meshing with pinion b and fixed tiously operated to grip the track-rails so the to a transverse shaft Z2 which is journalled in truck, on which the mechanism is mounted, will bearings e on brackets a a pinion Z9 fixed to --15 be fixedly held, the spotting of the locomotive shaft 13 between brackets a and meshing with a {lo will be facilitated. Another object of the inrack-bar c which is fixed to the bottom face of vention is to provide a pair of gripping devices for the I-beam 0. Motor b is mounted on the top of the rails respectively, which are conjointly ophousing b erable to facilitate the operation of spotting the The truck is provided with a pair of carrying locomotive. Another object of the invention is to wheels (1 at one end thereof and connected by 75 provide a gripping device which comprises meman axle d and at its other end with a similar bers to clamp the head of the rail, to effectively pair of wheels at, similarly connected by an axle secure the truck against slippage on the rails d. These wheels permit the spotter'to travelduring the operation of the draft-beam to move over a track formed by rails g laid in the fioor the load. Another object of the invention is to of the shop. Each of these axles is mounted in 80 provide spring counterbalancing means for the a pair of brackets d which are connected to the draft-beam which is usually mounted to swing truck-frame by pivot-pins d which are held in vertically on the truck, so that it will be heldin lugs. d fixed to one of the channel beams 11'. or to aid the operator in swinging it into approxi- Each bracket d is normally held in position to mate position for connection to a locomotive. hold the truck-frame raised by a spring-'pres- 85 Other objects of the invention will appear from sure device, comprising a bolt e which is pivotthe description. ed at e to a bracket :1 and extends through The invention consists in the several novel one pair of beams a, a, and a coil-spring e features hereinafter set forth and more particuapplied to a washer c adjustably held on the larly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. inner end of the bolt by nuts 6 so that the 99 In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of force of the springs will be applied to swing. the a spotter embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a brackets d so as to raise the truck-frame rela- 7 detail of one of the, connections betweena cartive'ly to the wheels d. Toot'n'ed shoes 1 are rying-wheel and the truck frame to permit the secured to the bottom faces of the beams a over 40 latter to be forced downwardly when it is to be the rails g of the track, and these yielding con- 95 locked to the rails. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. nections between the truck-frames of the wheels Fig. is a section on line i4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 d are provided to permit the truck-frame to be is a section on line 5-5 of 4. Fig. 6 is a forced downwardly to bring the shoes e, which central longitudinal section, showing the counterserve as rail-gripping members, into engagement balancing means for the draft-beam. Fig.3 is with the tread of the rails. Normally, these 100 a section on line '77 of Fig. 6. springs lift the truck-frame to hold the shoes 1 The invention is exemplified in a spotter comoff the rails, so that the spotter may be moved prising a truck-frame composed of a pair of along the rails to any point desired, and the channel beams a, a at either end thereof and a gripping mechanism hereinafter described is pair of longitudinal channel beams (1 and a bot adapted to force the frame downwardly to force tom-plate c all rigidly secured together, and a shoes f against the rails 9'. pair of brackets a which are secured on the A pair of devices areprovided at either end beams a, a, and support suitable reducing gearof the truck for engaging the underside of the ing driven by an electric motor 21 for operating heads of the rails to force the truck-frame downthe draft-beam c longitudinally. Said beam is Wardly, and cause the spotter to be locked to the rails against movement along the rack g, when the spotter is to be used to move the locomotive or car. Each of these devices comprises a lever 71 which is provided with a jaw or hook h" at its lower end for engaging the underside of the head of one of the rails, and is adapted to be swung outwardly of the rails and thence downwardly when the truck is to be locked and inwardly and upwardly when the truck is-to be 're leased from the rails. Each lever h is bodily movable as well as pivotally, for this purpose. Each lever h is composed of dual membersor bars, and

has connected thereto a fulcrum pin it. which passes through the lever-members'andthrough the upper end of a vertically extending link h The lower end of link h is connected by a pivot pin h to the outer end of a horizontally extending link It", the inner end of which is pivoted on a pin h which is fixedly held in and between a pair of the beams a, a. Said beams are spaced apart 'by-blocks a to provide a space for the working oflevers h, links it and h*. Bottom plate a extends under the truck-frame and is fixed to beamsa,a'., and a The outer ends of links-71 are adaptedto rest on said plate when thelevers hS-are lowered. Each pair of gripping devices for therails respectively is conjointly operable so-that both sides of the truck may be simultaneously locked and released. The upper ends of each pair of levers h are adapted to be drawn together. by a cross-shaft k which is provided at either end with a hand-wheel k by which it may be turned. Said shaft is provided with a. screw 10 for. operating a nut 70 which is provided with pivot-studs k which extend into the members of one of the levers h. Shaft kalso extends and is slidable through a collar k which is provided with studs k which are pivoted inthe members of the other lever h of the pair of 'conjointly operable clampi'ngdevices. Collar 10 is positioned on the shaft is between collars k and k which are adjustably secured to the shaft. A spring k is coiled around shaft Io between collars k and k to normally press the upper end of the lever 71. which is pivoted to collar k against collar k This construction provides a yielding operative connection between shaft 70' and one of the levers h. Shaft k and the upper end of each lever h extend between standards which are fixed to the beams a, a'and 50 are composed of angle bars or plates Z fixed on top faces of beams a, a, vertical bars 1 fixed to the angle bars, and inclined brace bars I. The upper ends of bars Z are secured together by bolts Z which pass through spacing collars Z A roller m is mounted at the upper end of each member of lever h, and is adapted to ride on the inner edge of the brace bar Z to control the movement of the upper ends of levers h and bodily movement of shaft is during the spreading of the upper ends of the levers h to release truck-frame. Fulcrum pins h between links h and levers h project from the levers and are adapted to ride on inclined bars n which are secured to the inner faces of angle bars Z, to control the outward lateral movements of the fulcrum pins h, during the outward movement of the upper ends of levers h to withdraw them from the rail-heads.

The beam 0 is supported so it can tilt vertically in the truck-frame to permit either of its ends to be raised or lowered for connection to the locomotive at the desired point and to permit the truck-frame to be raised or lowered for looking and unlocking, while the beam is coupled to the locomotive and during the movement of the locomotive by the beam. For this purpose the rack-bar is confined laterally between a pair of plates 0 which are pivotally held on the shaft 17 inside of the brackets (1 Rollers 0' guide the top surface of the beam 0 and hold rack-bar c in engagement with pinion D so that the beam and rack-bar can be operated longitudinally to move the locomotivewhi-le the truck-frame islocked to the rails. To normally hold'th'e beam 0 horizontal, spring counterbalancing devices are applied thereto, which will permit the beam to tilt, but will normally hold or tend to hold it in horizontal position and aid in lifting the beam. When the beam is extended almost entirely to one" end ofj the truck, the preponderance of weight atone sidemakes it difficult for the operator to lift it without such counterpressure. These connterbalancing devices are provided for resisting the vertical tilting of the beam in opposite directions respectively. Pins 0 are pivoted in and extend between the plates, 0, and pins o are held in and extend between brackets a Boltso extendthrough one. of. the pinso and one ofthe pinso The inner. ends of these bolts are provided with heads which normally-engage one. of-theLpins of, and springso v areheld on outer. endssof. the. bolts of by. nuts. 0 and bear against washers .0? whichabutagainst the pin 0 sotha-twhen thebar istiltedineithir direction, one ofthe pins 0 will causeone of the springso? to. be compressed to assist the. operator, in restoringthe beam to itsrhorizontalposition. A- bailp is;fixed to. the upperendof plates. 0., to. receive a hook from. av crane whereby the spotter. can be transferred from. one. track to. another...

The operation willbe as follows;.No.rma1ly, the rail gripping devices. for. securing. the... truck against movement along,..the.rai1s will be. in.P tionindicatedin dottedlines of Fig. 4'. At su h int time,rthe.jaws on the. lower ends of leversh will position .onthe track. where one. of its draft-bars 0' will becoupledto the locomotive. Theoperator willrthen rotate the hand-wheels k on the shafts k, to lock the truck-frame. against movemovement along therail's. The rotation of each shaft is will draw the nut 10. and collar k thereon together. During. the initial rotation of shaft k, the rollers m, riding on the braces. 1 will control the bodily lowering of levers h into the recesses in the floor at the inner sides of the rails g until the links it rest on bottom-plate a tinued rotation of the shaft will draw nut k and collar k together, and this will move the upper ends of the. levers h on their fulcrum pins h to swing inwardly so their jaws h" will swing outwardly and pass under the heads of the rails and interlock therewith. The continued movement of the shaft is will cause the levers to fulcrum on the rail-head at jaws h and through links h it will apply downward pressure on the bottom The conplate, a to force the truck-frame downwardly When the spotter is'to be moved along the rails, each shaft will be reversely turned to spread the nut k and the collar is. This will cause the levers h to initially fulcrum on the bars n so the jaws h" at their lower ends will swing inwardly until they clear the head of the rail; whereupon levers it will be released from the rails, and this will permit the springs Z to lift the truck-frame, so that jaws or shoes f'will clear the rails. The

continued operation of the shaft is will bring rollers m into engagement with the inclined edges of braces Z and cause them to ride upwardly to bodily raise the levers h above the rails. During this movement fulcrum pins h will ride on bars n to control the jaws it" against outward movement. The inward movement of the upper ends of the levers, during the gripping operation, is positively effected by nut 70 and collar k". Spring k yieldingly operates collar 10 during the spreading of the upper ends of the levers to permit them to be freely controlled by braces Z The shaft is is carried by levers h and is bodily movable so it can rise and fall with the levers and so it will be free to be positioned endwise by nut k and rollers m.

When the draft-beam is uncoupled from the locomotive and is drawn out to an off-center position, the preponderance of weight at one end will tend to tilt the beam vertically, but the spring counter-balancing devices will resist this tilting and aid the operator in lifting the beam into, or retaining it in, approximately horizontal position, so that one of its ends will be at the proper height for connection to the locomotive.

The invention exemplifies a spotter which is equipped with a plurality of rail-gripping devices which can be conjointly operated to quickly clamp the truck to both rails of a track or to release it therefrom; in which the truck-frame may be effectively locked against movement along the rails by devices comprising jaws for clamping the rail head; in which the draft-beam is pivotally movable and counterbalancing means is applied to aid the operator in lifting the beam to its approximately horizontal position.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a truck-frame, means to travel on a pair of rails, to which the frame. is connected for relative vertical movement, spring means for holding the frame normally raised, and a device for clamping one of the rails to secure the frame against movement, comprising means for engaging said rail and forcing the frame downwardly.

2. In combination, a truck-frame, means to travel on a pair of rails, to which the frame is connected for relative vertical movement, spring means for holding the frame normally raised, and a device for clamping one of the rails to secure the frame against movement, comprising a jaw to engage the rail under its head and force the frame downwardly.

3. In combination, a truck-frame, means to travel on a pair of rails, to which the frame is connected for relative vertical movement, spring means for holding the frame normally raised, and a device for clamping one of the rails to secure the frame against movement, comprising a shoe on the frame adapted to engage the tread of the rail and a jaw to engage the rail under its head and force the frame downwardly.

'4. In combination, a truck-frame, means to travel on a pair of rails, to which the frame is connected for relative vertical movement, spring means for holding the frame normally raised, and a device for clamping one of the rails to secure the frame against movement, comprising a lever to engage the rail under its head and force the frame downwardly.

5. In combination, a truck frame, wheels to travel on a pair of rails, to which the frame is connected for relative vertical movement, springmeans for holding the frame normally raised, means on the frame to engage the tread of one of the rails, and a device for engaging the rail and forcing the frame downwardly to clamp said frame on the rail.

6. In combination, a truck frame, wheels to travel on a pair of rails to which the frame is connected'for relative vertical movement, springmeans for holding the frame normally raised, means on the frame to engage the tread of one of the rails, a lever fulcrumed on the frame for engaging the rail, and means for shifting the lever to force the frame downwardly and securing it to the rail.

7. In combination, a truck-frame provided with wheels to travel on a pair of rails and. movable radially relatively to the wheels, and a device for securing the frame to one of the rails, mounted on the frame, and comprising a shoe on the frame, an element adapted to pass under the head of the rail, and means for shifting the element to engage the rail and force the shoe and the frame downwardly, relatively to the wheels, said shoe and element being movable to clear the rail while the truck wheels rest on the rails.

8. In combination, a truck frame provided with wheels to travel on a pair of rails and movable radially relatively to the wheels, and a device for securing the frame to one of the rails, mounted on the frame, and comprising a shoe on the frame, a lever adapted to pass under the head of the rail, and means for shifting said lever to engage the rail and force the shoe and the frame downwardly, said lever and shoe both being movable to clear the rails while the wheels are on the rails.

9. In combination, a truck-frame provided with wheels to travel on a pair of rails and movable radially relatively to the wheels, and a device for securing the frame to one of the rails, mounted on the frame and comprising a lever on the frame having a vertically movable fulcrum and provided with means to pass under the head of the rail and means for bodily and pivotally shifting the lever to force the frame downwardly.

10. In combination, a truck-frame provided with means to travel on a pair of rails, and a device for securing the frame to one of the rails, mounted on the frame and comprising a lever, a fulcrum-link between the lever and the frame, a jaw on the lever to engage the rail, and means for shifting said lever.

11. In combination, a truck-frame provided with means to travel on a pair of rails, and a device for securing the frame to one of the rails mounted on the frame and comprising a lever, a pair of connected links, to one of which the lever is pivoted and the other of which is pivoted to the frame, a jaw on the head of the rail and for forcing the frame downwardly.

12. In combination, a truck-frame, provided with means to travel on a pair of rails, and a pair of devices for securing the frame to rails respectively, each comprising a lever having a movable fulcrum and provided with a jaw to engage the head of a rail, a shaft between said levers, provided with means for shifting the levers, and a yielding connection between one lever and the shaft.

13. In combination, a truck-frame provided with means to travel on a pair of rails, a device mounted on the frame for securing the frame to one of the rails comprising a jaw, means for shifting the jaw to pass under and engage the underside of the head of the rail and to move laterally and upwardly to withdraw the jaw from the rail, and means on the frame to engage the tread of the rail.

14. In combination, a truck-frame provided with Wheels to travel on a pair of rails, a pair of rail-gripping devices, each comprising a bodily and pivotally movable lever provided with a gripping jaw at its lower end, and an endwise movable shaft connected to shift and supported by the upper ends of the levers. 1

15. In combination, a truck-frame provided with wheels to travel on a pair of rails, a pair of rail-gripping devices,-each comprising a bodily and pivotally movable lever provided with a grip; ping jaw at its lower end, guides for controlling the upper end of the levers, and a shaft connected to shift and supported by the upper ends of the lever.

16. In combination, a truck-frame provided with wheels to travel on a pair of rails, a pair of rail-gripping devices, each comprising a bodily and pivotally movable lever provided with a gripping jaw at its lower end, guides for controlling the upper ends of the levers, and a, shaft for operating the levers, a positive connection between the shaft and one of the levers, and a yieldmg connection between the shaft and the other lever.

OSCAR L. COFFEY.

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