US2133760A - Recording track scale - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1938. s, wlLLlAMS 2,133,760

RECORDING TRACK S GALE Filed Sept. 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l Zak/ 19006 5 M/fidms Fjg 7 INVENTOR QM! MW ATTORNEYS Oct. 18, 1938. 5 w|LL|AM$ 2,133,760

RECORDING TRACK SCALE Filed Sept. 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r I I I I I I I a 1 v 1/ Q L I 72 I 0 Q 1 72 Lawrence 5 W////&7/27s INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1938.

L. s. WILLIAMS 2,133,760 RECORDING TRACK SCALE med Spt. 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lawrence 6. WWW/002s INVENTOR 4/ 1'1 *..MMQ

A ORNEY Oct. 18, 1938 L. s. WILLIAMS 2,133,760 RECORDING TRACK SCALE Filed Sept. 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f y- Ja A7 I L ff 1; 55

. L W/"6/7Ce Ski Mama E lNVENTOR Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORDING TRACK SCALE Application September 1'7, 1934, Serial No. 744,316

2 Claims.

Electrical switches for operating weight-recording devices in track scales have heretofore been actuated by movable members that were given a very substantial movement by the passage over them of the car wheel. The substantial movement caused by the heavy impact of the car wheel jarred the switch severely and made its action erratic and its life short in spite of the strong, heavy type of construction that was adopted.

The principal object of this invention is to provide car-actuated means for operating a recorder, said car-actuated means adapted to be actuated by either or both of the wheels on a single axle even though the tread or distance between the wheels be exceptionally great and even though one of the wheels be broken or entirely missing.

Another object is the provision of such caractuated means which will not cause the recorder to repeat its operation until actuated by another car even though the position of the several wheels of the car he abnormal.

More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure I of the drawings is a perspective view of a track scale embodying the invention, the loadcounterbalancing and recording mechanism being shown on an enlarged scale and parts being broken away to show the connections whereby recording means is positioned by yielding of the track under load.

Figure II is a fragmentary diagrammatic-view, with parts in section, showing electrical means for energizing printing mechanism embodied in my invention.

Figure III is a diagram of a car-actuated system embodying the invention.

Figure IV is an enlarged elevational view of a preferred form of track switch embodying the invention, with the cover partly broken away.

Figure V is a sectional view on line V--V of Figure IV.

Figure VI is a further enlarged vertical sectional view on the longitudinal center line of the inner casing containing the switch contacts.

Figure VII is a diagram of a second form of caractuated system embodying the invention.

Figure VIII is a diagram of a third form of caractuated system embodying the invention.

Figure IX is a perspective view of a weighing track and supports, showing track switches of a .modified form, with a diagram of the electrical connections.

Figure X is an enlarged elevational view of one of the switches shown in Figure IX.

. Figure XI is a sectional view on line XIXI of Figure X.

Figure XII is a sectional view on line XII-X[I of Figure VI.

But these specific drawings and the specific descriptions hereinafter set forth are to disclose and illustrate the invention, and are not to impose limitations upon the claims.

One use for the invention is in connection with a track scale such as that shown in Figure I, mounted in a concrete foundation l0. Rising from the foundation H] are four fulcrum stands ll, upon which four pairs of knife-edge pivots [2 support two long levers I3, and two short levers l4. Upon each of the four levers is a pair of load pivots I5, which supports an end of one of two transverse channels I6 that carry two longitudinal I-beams H. The I-beams carry rail chairs 18 (see Figure IX) that support longitudinal channels [9 upon which the two rails forming the weighing track 20 rest. A wooden floor 2| supported on transverse floor beams 22 covers the lever pit, and four angles 23 on the edges of the floor on either side of the rails extend upward to overlap with the flanges of the longitudinal channels for keeping Water and dirt out of the lever pit.

Each of the short levers I4 is hung in a stirrup 24 located at such a point on the corresponding long. lever l3 that the load on each of the four levers acts with an equal lever arm upon a tension rod 25 (see Figure I) which supports the noses of the long levers by stirrups 26. Acting through a shelf lever 21 hung in a fulcrum stirrup 28, the tension rod 25 transmits the pull to a second rod 29, which is hung from a lever 30 that is counterweighted by a loading box 3| hung from the end adjacent the fulcrum bracket 32 of the lever. The fulcrum bracket is secured to a shelf 33 in a cabinet 34, along with a trig bracket 35 to limit the motion of the counterweighted lever, and a hanger 36 for the fulcrum stirrup 28.

From th counterweighted lever 30 a third rod 31 transmits the load through a dial lever 38, fulcrumed in adial housing 39, to a cross-head 40 suspended from two mobile ribbons 4| attached to the tops of two eccentric power sectors 42. As the load draws down the mobile ribbons it rotates the two eccentric power sectors on two shafts connected by a compensating bar 43, and causes two concentric fulcrum sectors 44 clamped to the eccentric power sectors to roll upward upon two immobile ribbons fastened to the fulcrum sectors and hung from the upper end of and overlying the vertical outer faces 45 of a rigid frame 46. Two counterweighted pendulums 4'! also swing outward as the mobile ribbons are drawn downward until the load is offset and a type-carrying disk 48 operated by a rack 49 connected to the compensating bar 43 is turned into position to record the correct weight. Thus the yielding movement, under load, of the track section 20 and supporting levers l3 and I4 is transmitted to the load-counterbalancing pendulums 1 and positions the type-carrying disk 48.

After the weighing mechanism has moved into a position to counterbalance the weight of a car on the weighing track. the energization of a printing device 56 causes the weight to be printed on a record tape. The printing device 50 is of the con= struction described and illustrated in my U. S. Patent No. 2,020,982 and will not be described in detail in this specification. This form of printing device is energized by connecting it across a supply line 59, shown in Figures II, III and VII-IX. It is so constructed that it prints when the circuit from the line through printer leads 52 is closed, and does not again print until the circuit is again closed. Thus resetting of the printing device by opening the circuit is necessary before it can be operated again by closing the circuit. To close the normally open printer circuit, a relay 53 in a relay casing 54 on the side of the cabinet may be providedv Energization of the relay 53, in addition to closing the printer circuit, also closes a circuit from the line through leads 55 and 56 to the relay coil, so that the relay coil, once energized, maintains its own circuit closed. Then the system cannot be again operated until it has been reset by opening the circuit through leads 55 and 56 to the relay coil.

There hasbeen described above one form of means that having once been operated requires resetting before it can again be operated; but the invention is equally applicable to' other forms of such means in signaling, counting and other systems as well as in weighing systems. To operate the form of means illustrated, a wheelactuated means is provided, such as a normally open track switch 51 that is shunted around the normally open relay contacts that connect the relay coil with its lead 56. As a car 58 moves along the track toward the right (preferably slowly enough so. that the front wheel does not reach the track switch 51 for 1 seconds after the rear wheel comes upon the weighing track 20), the track switch 51 is closed by the wheel and the relay is initially energized. Then the means operated by the closing of the track switch is not again operated by subsequent closing of the track switch by the rear wheels because it requires resetting by opening the relay coil circuit through leads 55 and 56 before it can again be operated.

The resetting means may be a wheel-actuated means adjacent the track, such as a normally closed track switch 59 (see Figures III, VII and IX), spaced more than a maximum car-wheelbase from the first track switch, 1. e. more thanthe maximum rearmost-to-foremost-axle distance for any of the cars run on the track, so that all the wheels of each car must pass one switch before they reach the other switch, to prevent a second printing. In order that the means operated by the closing of the normally open switch may be reset by opening of the relay coil circuit and thus put into its starting condition, ready to be operated again, the normally closed switch is merely included in the circuit through leads 55 and 56 to the relay coil. So long as the two switches arev the necessary distance apart, the normally closed. switch may be either ahead or back of the normally open switch on the track.

However, the former is preferably back of the latter, so that each car first operates and then resets; Otherwise, the succeeding car, perhaps arriving the following day, would only then reset by opening the normally closed switch before it' operates by closing the normally open switch; and

until the arrival of the succeeding car, the relay coil would be consuming current.

There may be also provided a delayed-acting means which operates, not when actuated, but some time after it is actuated, includng a wheelactuated device adjacent the track, ahead of the first normally open track switch 51, such as a second normally open track switch60, shown in Figure VII. As a part of the delayed-acting means a relay 6| may also be provided, with one lead 62 from its coil connected to one side of the line, and another lead 63 connected through the second normally open track switch to the other side of the line. This relay when energized closes its normally open contacts, which are shown inserted in the circuit from the line to one side of the normally closed track switch 59. From the relay coil lead 56 that is connected to the other side of the normally closed track switch, a connection 65 goes to a lead 63 of the coil of the second relay 6|, so that after being initially energized by the closing of the second normally open track switch, the second relay maintains closed a circuit to its own coil so long as the normally closed track switch 59 remains closed.

In addition to the second normally open track switch with its leads, the second relay 6! with its leads 62 and 63, and the connection 64, a delayedacting connection 65 is also added to the system of Figure III, to complete the system of Figure VII, by inserting, it as a shunt around the normally open contacts of the first relay 53 that connect the coil of the first relay with its lead 56. The delayed acting connection includes a highresistance heating coil that is adjusted to close a short circuit across itself a predetermined time after the current is turned on, by heating a bimetallic strip carying one of the short-circuiting contacts until the strip bends far enough to bring its contact against the other contact. Thus when the second relay 6| is energized and closes the circuit through the normally closed track switch,

heating coil, and first relay coil, enough currentflows to generate heat in the heating coil, but not enough to energize the first relay. Then if the first track switch 51 is not closed before the predetermined time elapses, the short circuit through the delayed-action connection is made, the first relay is energized, and the operation proceeds just as though the first track switch had been closed. Meanwhile the heating coil is short-circuited by the closed contacts .of the first relay so that the delayed-acting connection returns to its original'condition.

Whether a normally open track switch or some other form of wheel-actuated device adjacent the track is used as part of the delay-acting means, it should be spaced more than a maximum car- Wheelbase from whatever wheel-actuated resetting means is used. Thus if the normally closed track switch 59 in the embodiment illustrated in Figure VII is located ahead of the first normally open switch 57, it must be far enough ahead so that it is more than a maximum car-wheelbase from the second normally open switch 65, because resetting by a rear wheel must not be possible after a front wheel has onceactuated the second normally open switch. It is immaterial how far the second normally open switch is ahead of the first normally open switch, so long as'it is more than a maximum car-wheelbase back of the.

front end of the weighing track.

Instead of the normallyclosed switch, other forms of resetting means maybe employed, such as that used in the system of Figure VIII, which differs from the system of Figure IIIin two respects. First, the normally closed switch is omitted and the lead 56 from the normally open relay contacts is connected directly to the line. Second, to replace the normally closed switch, a different form of resetting means is provided by introducing a resetting relay 66, having normally closed contacts inserted between the normally open contacts of the first relay and the coil thereof, in the circuit from the relay lead 56 to the coil. From the coil of the resetting relay a wire 61 leads to the connection between the normally open contacts of the first relay and the normally closed contacts of the resetting relay through a delayed-acting connection 68, while another lead 69 goes to the line.

A predetermined time after the first relay is energized, the resetting relay becomes energized through the delayed-acting connection, so that the normally closed contacts are opened, the first relay is de-energized, and the resetting relay is de-energized, as the system returns to its original condition. Of course any other automatic means for resetting a predetermined time after each operation, if substituted for the form of resetting means illustrated in Figure VIII, would operate in the same way. The extra relay and the delayed-acting connection used in the system of Figure VIII or in the system of Figure VII may be housed in the relay casing 54.

The systems shown in Figures III and VII may be used when a whole train of cars is to be moved slowly over the weighing track. As each car passes the weighing track, its weight is printed. If the length of the weighing track is no longer than the bumper-to-bumper car length, no wheels of any car can be upon the weighing track while all the wheels of another car are on the track. The system shown in Figure VII is also suitable for conditions where some of the cars may be moved onto the weighing track with the front wheels just past the second normally open switch 60, and then stopped until the delayed-acting means causes the weight to be printed under static conditions that are conducive of great accuracy. If every car is to be thus moved onto and not across the track, the first track switch 51 with its two lead wires may be omitted, and the weighing track, carrying only one normally open switch, may be made scarcely longer than the maximum carwheelbase. The system of Figure VIII, requiring only one track switch, is suitable for cases in which cars are to be allowed to coast one at a time over the weighing track. If it is desired to increase the car speed in this case, the weighing track may be made longer than the bumper-tobumper car length, the time that elapses before the automatic resetting being long enough to allow the rear wheels to pass the track switch.

The preferred form of track switch, shown in Figures IV and V, has a member arranged to be actuated by an arriving car, such as a rod 10 protruding from the top of the rail, slidable in bores in the rail head and rail base, and surrounded by a spring 1| bearing against abutment pieces 12. In the upper abutment piece is a small cross bore 13 that registers with a similar bore through the rod 10, to receive a pin for securing the upper abutment piece to the rod. A second member, for operating the switch proper, may take the form of a button 14 having a stem extending down into a casing 15-. The casing may be secured to the rail and may have a cover 16 with a'watertight gasket. For actuation of the button by the rod, or by the abutment piece that moves with the rod, motion reducing means is provided, such as a lever 11 fulcrumed in a lug 18 on the top of the casing 15, and fitting in a groove on top of the button 14. The button may be peened over on top of the lever so that it is lifted as well as depressed by the lever.

The rod and abutment piece, the lever, and the button may all be termed car-actuated members, because each is actuated by the arrival of a car. Although they are moved by pressure of the wheel when arranged as shown, they may be arranged for actuation by the impact of any other part of the car. The switch means proper may be made up of a yieldable connection such as a resilient member 19, and contact means preferably housed in inner casing of insulating material. The inner casing may have screws 8| securing it to the outer casing, and binding posts 82 from which wires lead out of the casing and into protective tubing 83. The resilient member may have one end that is fastened to the top of the outer casing and another end that is free and normally barely touches a fiat shim 84, also secured to the top of the outer casing to protect the contact-actuating member below from abrasion by rocking of the resilient member when the latter is flexed.

Forming a part of the contact means, the contact-actuating member may be a pin 85 of insulating material. To prevent further movement of the pin by the resilient member 19 after the pin has been moved far enough so that the contact means has been operated, there is provided a stop such as a boss 86 on the top of the inner casing 80 (see Figure VI). The pin 85 projects above the boss just enough so that it is flush with the boss when it has been pushed down far enough for positive operation of the contact means; but the resilient member 19 can yield on further movement of the button 14. The top 81 of the inner casing is removable and is held in place by a horizontal screw 88 that passes from the front wall to the rear wall of the casing and extends through a bore in a transverse ridge 89 on the lower side of the casing top 81.

Inside the inner casing one contact may be mounted on a plate that is secured to the top of a seat 90 and has a connection (not shown) with one of the binding posts 82. On another seat 9! at the other end of the casing may be secured a bar 92 that has extending inward two flat prongs 93 with a wide notch left between them. Each of the prongs has a sharp V-groove across its end, in which may rest the end of one of two spring plates 94. The other ends of the two spring plates 94 are integral with a strip supporting the movable contact. Also joined to this strip may be a resilient leaf 95 that extends between the two spring plates 94 and through the wide notch between the flat prongs 93. It is secured at its other end and is short enough so that the spring plates are compressed and thus resiliently bowed. When the resilient leaf 95 is in line with the bottoms of the V-grooves the system is at dead center, but when the leaf is slightly higher, as in Figure VI, the spring plates tend to raise the movable contact so that they may straighten out.

To prevent more than a short upward movement of the movable contact, an insulating stop 96 is preferably secured on a fiber block 91 so that it extends above the contact. If the pin 85 is positioned so that it bears on the resilient leaf near the fixed end thereof, it needs to be moved only tacts.

very slightly in the operationof the switch, so that their life is long. The system is always near dead center so that verylittle force is required to open and close the contacts. After the pin has pushed the leaf below the dead center position to close the contacts, and has then been released, the leaf has enoughresiliency to lift the pin and snap back past dead center into its original position.

For a normally closed switch the movable contact would be mounted on the top instead of the bottom of its supporting strip, and the plate carrying the fixed contact would be interchanged with the insulating stop 96 and inverted so that the fixed contact would be facing down instead of up. The fixed end of the leaf is of course connected with the other binding post. Whether the switch is of the resilient snap-action type, as in the form of device illustrated, or of some other type, the invention contemplates a switch that is positively operated by a slight movement of a member actuated bythe arrival of .a car. A second lug 98 may be cast on the casing to serve as a bearing for the lever T! .when the rod vH3 is located to the left instead of to the right.

Although the first normally open track switch is preferably located, as in Figures III, VII and VIII, near the rear endof the weighing track to give the cars as much time as possible on the weighing track before the .Weight is recorded, it.

may be located only a little more .than a maximum car-Wheelbase from the end of the Weighing track where the cars enter, as shown inFigure IX. The location of the normally closed switch relative to the other switches has been explained. Whether track switches or, other wheel-actuated means are used, it is advantageous to use a second wheel-actuated means opposite each, for actuation by the opposite car wheel. The means operated by a single actuation of one wheel-actuated means should be operated as well by a single actuation of the opposite wheel-actuated means, but after being operated by actuation of one means should require resetting before it can be again operated by a subsequent actuation of the other means.

Then if a piece is broken out of one car wheel so that it fails to actuate the means adjacent the track, the opposite car wheel actuates the opposite means; yet the means operated by actuation of the means adjacent the track requires resetting and is not again operated when the normal rear wheel actuates the unactuated means. The pairs of wheel-actuated means may be pairs of opposite track switches, as in the system shown in Figure IX. For such a system, two normally closed track switches in series are connected in the circuit where a single normally closed switch would otherwise be connected, while two normally open switches in parallel are connected in the circuit where a single normally open switch would otherwise be connected.

In the modified form of device shown in Figures IX-XI, a part of the head of the rail is separated from the rest of the rail by a slot 99 so that it is bent down by the weight of a car, thus pressing one of the car-actuated members of the device such as the button 14. Of course the device might be mounted separate from the rail and the whole rail might bend down enough to actuate the device without being slotted in any way: the device could be actuated by bending of anypart of the rail, whether a part of the head, ora part of they base, or a whole section of the rail.

Figures X and XI show more clearly a means that may be used for vertical positioning of the outer casing to ensure positive operation of the switch. The bolt that secures the foot Hill at one end of the casing passes through an open slot in the foot that allows lateral play when the nut on the bolt is loosened during adjustment of the casing. The other foot 90! has a round bore into which fits a round collar H32 that has a Wide, shallow groove 103 to receive the head of a bolt, and is solid except for an eccentric bore through which the stem of the bolt passes. When the nut is loosened and the head of the bolt is turned with a wrench, the collar N32 is also turned because the head of the nut meshes with the shallow groove I03. By rotation of the bolt, the bored foot I01 of the casing may be adjusted up or down. Then both nuts should be tightened to lock the casing in position.

The switches and systems maybe used not only for rail vehicles but for any vehicles that can be run onto a track or channel runway.

' Changes in form may be made and various apparatus embodying the substance of the invention may be devised to meet various requirements.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a track having parallel rails, a support for a section of said track, said support being yieldable under the Weight of a load on said track, a means adjacent one of the rails of the track adapted to be actuated by a normal car wheel running on said rail, a second means adjacent the other rail of the track adapted to be alternatively or substantially simultaneously actuated by a normal car wheel running on said other rail, and recording means movable into recording position by yielding movement of said track support under load and operated by a single actuation of either the first or second means but requiring resetting to initial condition before it can be again operated by a subsequent actuation of either the first said means or the said second means.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a track having parallel rails, a support for a section of said track, said support being yieldable under the weight of a load on said track, a means adjacent oneof the rails of the track adapted to be actuated by a normal carwheel running on said rail, a second means adjacent'the other rail of the track adapted to be alternatively or substantially simultaneously actuated by a normal carwheel' running on said other rail, recording meansmovable into recording position by yielding movement of said track support under load and operated by a single actuation of either the first or second means but requiring resetting to initial condition before it can be again operated by a subsequent actuation of either the first said means or the said second means, and means for resetting said recording means to initial condition, said resetting means including a unit adjacent each of the rails of the track, said units being adapted to be alternatively or substantially simultaneously actuated by one or both of the .carwheels on a single axle.

LAWRENCE S. WILLIAMS.

Images