US1996320A

US1996320A - Railway crossing signal

Info

Publication number: US1996320A
Application number: US621695A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Bohannon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-07-09
Filing date: 1932-07-09
Publication date: 1935-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-02

Description

April 1935. G. w. BOHANNON RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Filed July 9, 1952 W W J 15 which will show the number of tracks occupied.

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 RAmWAYcRossmGTsrGNAL j George W. Bohannon,- Procton Minnl' v 7 pplicati n July9, 1932',-Ser ial mates lClaim. (o1;-246 125) I The invention relates to signalling means for location at the intersection ofa vehicular highway with railroad tracksv and hassfor an object toprovide an indicator for a multi-track system The device of the present invention is associated with the usual signal which, by means of an oscillating or flashing light and alarm visibly? and'audiblyindicates to the vehicular traific the approach of a train. It often happens that several trains approach the intersection simultaneously and in this event, although the signal is held in warning position there is a tendency for the traflic to start across immediately as the first train clears. With indicating means such as contemplated by the present invention accurate information will be given as to the number of tracks occupied, as, for example, after one train of several approaching trains passes the intersection the signal will continue to warn trafiic of their danger since the track or tracks ,still occupied will be indicated.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawing and claim appended hereto. V

In the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts Figure 1 is an elevational view of a railway crossing signal equipped with the device of the present invention; 7 V

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1 showing the mechanism for actuating the track indicator, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2. V

A conventional form of railway crossing signal comprises an upright or standard In suitablysupported upon a concrete foundation II and having its upper end provided with diagonal arms l2 and I3 supporting the housing formed by side walls l4 and I5. Each arm has depending'therefrom a warning light I6 which light may be operated to flash alternately or simultaneously upon the approach of a train by means of the conventional track circuit. Suitably supported for rotation intermediate the arms I 2 and I3 is a visible indicator I! which is rotated to its position, as shown in Figure 1, when a train enters the block on either side of the intersection to thus warn the approaching traflic' of their danger. When the intersection is clear the lights l6 cease -with pinion 25 engaged by the rack 26.

More" particularly, the present "invention contemplates equipment for association with railway crossing signals such {as above described which will i convey" accurate "information to the nashmg and the indicator 1 1 is rotated a to present its edge to the trailic,"in which position the warning conveyed thereby is not visible;

approaching traific as to the numberof tracks in a" multi-tracks'yst'em that in'ay be occupied.

As shown in Figure 2, the housing formed by side walls M and I5 and enclosed by the hood IB has has been selected for illustrative purposes for the reason that a cylinder is considered preferable'to a sliding disc or plate but it is to. be

understood that the latter are deemed as .coming within the scope of the invention. The shaft 22 of the cylinder has mounted at one end the pinion 23 meshing with gear 24, in turn equipped To one end of the rack is pivotally secured the lever 21' having comiected to its ends at 28 and 29, re-' spectively, the levers 30 and 3|. Each track is electrically connected through the'block signal system with a solenoid and for the four-track system contemplated in the drawing, solenoids, 32, 33, 34 and 35' are provided. Lever 3D is pivotally connected at its ends to plunger 36 of solenoid 32 and plunger 31 of solenoid 33, while in a similar manner lever 3! has operative association with plungers 38 and 39 of the remaining solenoids. Each plunger. is resiliently urged outwardly of its solenoid in a direction towardthe left, Figure 3, by compression springs 40, the out through the connecting linkage of lever 30 and lever 21 the rack bar 26. Since lever 2'l has connection with lever 30 at the mid-point of the latter the pivot point28 will-move only half the distance of plunger 36. The mid-point connection of the rack bar with lever 2! functions in a. manner as'explained so that the bar is constructed to move a distance that is only onefourth of the movement of the plunger. The result of the operation described is to cause rotation of the cylinder 20 to locate the numeral I opposite the aperture 42 indicating that one track of the four-track system is occupied. In the event that a second train should simultaneously approach the intersection on another track one of the remaining solenoids will be energized to cause actuation through connecting linkage of lever 21. Irrespective of which solenoid is energized the rack bar will be caused to move a distance one-fourth of that of the movement of the actuated plunger, but since the cylinder already renders visible the numeral I to the approaching traflic any further rotation will bring into view the numeral 2 so that the mechanism automatically indicates the number of tracks 00- cupied. "When the train leaves the block' electrically 'connected'w'ith the crossingsignal the various solenoids are de-energized and the compression springs 40 cause the plungers to return to their initial position, rotating the cylinder in the reverse direction and rendering visible oncev again the zero showing that none of the tracks are occupied.

Itrwill be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim such as the use of a rotating disc or sliding 'plate in place of the cylinder 20 for display of ber of tracks in the system, operating means for said movable member having actuation when a train approaches the crossing on any one of the tracks, said member having step by step movement as the tracks of the system become occupied to cause progression of the visible indicia, and said member having step by step movement in the reverse direction as the trains leave the crossing to cause retrogression of the visible indicia.

GEORGE BOHANNON.