US2168061A - Retractable ramp for railway crossings - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet l 'A TTORNEY Aug. l, 1939. w. E. cHRlsTlE Er Al.

RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July l5, 1938 WMM.

ma MM.

...III Iullllhh All@ l, 1939 w. E. cHms'rlE azz-Al. '2,168,061

' RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY cRossIuGs 4 sheetssheet 2 INVEN'TORJ.

@gw ATTORNEY n u 8 f A I .MX u, s MF w u J d 5 m 6 l F e H Aug. 1, 1939.

W. E. CHRISTIE El' AL RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1m/mmm.

ATTURNEY l18 1,`1939- w. E. CHRISTIE Erm. 2,168,061

RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS.

BY @fr Mdm..

A TTORNEY 1K5 freight sheds or stations;

Patented Aug. 1, 1939 RETRACTABLE RAlWP FOR.y RAILWAY CROSSINGS Walter Eric Christie, Oakland, and Otto Schroeder, San Francisco, Calif., assignors to Soule Steel Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 13, 1938, Serial No. 219,008

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a ramp for use in transferring freight from a freight shed or station on one side of a trackway to a shed or station on the opposite side, and particularly to a 5 ramp which may be readily extended for use when freight is to be transferred across the tracks and just as readily retracted when the tracks are to be cleared for the passage of trains.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify theV construction and operation of ramps of the character described; to provide a wheel-supported ramp consisting of two or more platform cars which are normally retracted and housed beneath the platforms of to provide a ramp which is divided into two sections, one being housed beneath the platform of the station on one side of the trackway, and the other section being housed'beneath the platform of the station 2O on the opposite side of the trackway; to provide means for extending the two sections of the ramp simultaneously or independently of each other from opposite sides of the trackway; to provide means for automatically stopping movement of the two sections of the ramp when they meet in the middle of the trackway; to provide means for securing each section against retraction when extended; to provide means for raising the ends of the ramp adjacent each platform up to platform level; to form a ramp with a gentle slope at each end; and further, to provide an extensible and retractable ramphof the character described which is electrically operated and switch-controlled in such a manner that a certain sequence of operation must be followed to insure operation, that is, if a mistake is made by operating a wrong switch, that switch will bedead and damage to the mechanism will be prevented.

YThe ramp is shown'by way of illustration in the 40 accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a trackway and the freight or station sheds disposed on opposite sides thereof, said View showing the ramp extended across the trackway to permit transfer of freight from one shed to another;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of one of the main line tracks, said View showing the ramp track in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the ramp track, said View showing one of the main lin tracks in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation partially in e section, said view showing the rear end of one of the driving cars,` the outer end of the tunnel and the pit in which the screw jack mechanism is mounted;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in side elevation and partially in section of the latch which prevents rebound of the ramp cars when fully extended; 5

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line VII- VII 0f Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of a portion of the tunnel and one or more o f the cars forming the ramp, the walls of the tunnel and portions of the 10 mechanism being shown in section; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuits, the driving motors and the switches actuating the same.

Referringto the drawings in detaiLand par- 15 ticularly to Fig. 1, A indicates a trackway over which passenger and freight traffic is carried. On opposite sides of the trackway are located freight sheds or stations such as indicated at B and C, and formed under the platforms are their respec- 20 tive sheds and tunnels a and b. Extending across the trackway and through-'the tunnels are a pair of rails 2 and 3 which form a track for the support of a suitable number of platform cars generally indicated at 4, 5, 6 and l. These cars form 25 a ramp which is divided into two sections, one section consisting of cars 4 and 5 which are coupledas at 8 and are adapted to be housed in the tunnel a, and the other section consisting of cars 6 and 1 which are coupled as at Sand which are 30 adapted to be housed in the tunnel U.

The cars `4 and 1 of each section are drivers,

las each is provided with an electric motor I0 which drives the rear wheels I l through a reducz tion gear drive i2 and a sprocket chain and sprockets I4 (see Fig. 5). Each driving car is provided with a spring actuated reel which automatically'pays out or re-reels a current supplying cable l5 as the cars are extended or retracted with relation to the tunnels. YThis power 40 supplying cable is permanently secured through an outlet to a switch, hereinafter to be described, at its inner end, and the outer end of the cable is suitably connected with the motor l0 so` as to 45 supply Ypower thereto Whenever the switch is operated. A positive drive is formed between the wheels H and the rails 2 and, 3 to prevent slippage, this beingaccomplished by forming teeth on both the rails and the driving wheels, as indi- '50 cated at 2a and Ila respectively. The toothed portions on the rails need extend only a sh'ort distance outside the tunnels, as the rear or inner ends of the driving cars, when fully extended, Will be substantially'flush with the exterior sides 55 of the station platforms, as will hereinafter ap- Dear.

The portions of the rails 2 and 3 which extend across the trackway may be of any suitable construction. As here shown (see Figs. 3 and fi) they consist of a flat plate I6 with a central half-round raised head or rail portion I1 for the wheels to ride upon. This construction is desirable, as the wheels on the cars are provided with double or spaced flanges I8 to prevent the wheels of the cars from climbing or running o the rails 2 and 3. The plates I5 are held by screws i9 to plates 2li, which in turn are held against a concrete base by bolts 2l anchored therein. This is desirable as it permits removal of the ramp rails and replace ment of the same from time to time without tearing up the road bed. The plates i6 and the head or rail portion Il formed thereon are cut away as indicated at 22 wherever the main line rails A are crossed, thus leaving the rails which carry the freight and passenger traffic free and unobstructed at all times.

Inasmuch as the loading paltforms of the sheds or stations B and C are disposed at a suiiiciently high elevation to permit the cars forming the ramp to pass in under the same, it becomes necessary to raise the rear ends of the driving cars 4 and 1 up to platform level so that a gentle slope will be formed at each end of the ramp to permit ready transfer of freight across the ramp by power operated trucks, hand trucks or the like. To accomplish this, a pit 23 is formed at the outer end of each tunnel, and arranged in each pit are a pair of jacks generally indicated at 24. The construction and operation of the jacks is best illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, and reference will now be made thereto. In Fig. 5, 24 indicates the housing of the jacks. This housing has a rounded base 25 resting on a base plate 26, said base plate being provided with a knob 2l to permit a `slight `tilting movement of the jack housing and at the same time retain it against displacement. Secured within the housing are end thrust plates 28, and journaled between them is a worm gear 29 which is driven from a worm pinion 30. This pinion is secured on a shaft 3 I, and this shaft is driven from a motor 32. There is only one motor 32, but there are two drive shafts 3|, and two jacks are mounted in each pit to lift the ramp cars, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, but inasmuch as the construction of both jacks is identical, the description of one will sufce. Extending through the thrust or bearing plates 28 and the worm gear 29 is a jack plunger 33. The lower end thereof is externally threaded as indicated at 34, and the worm gear is internally threaded and functions as a nut for raising and lowering the plunger. At the rear end of each of the driving cars are a pair of pads 35 (see Figs. 5 and 7). These pads align with the upper ends of the jack plungers 33, and when power is transmitted through the motor 32 to operate the jacks, the plungers will raise and engage the pads and as such will lift the rear ends of the driving cars or elevate them to the position shown in Fig. 5.

In order to insure alignment between the pads 35 and the plungers of the jacks, it is essential that means be provided for stopping the cars when they have been fully extended, and also for preventing rebound after extension. 'Ihis is accomplished, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, by providing a channel-Shaped vertical guide on each side at the end of the tunnel, one flange of each guide, as indicated at 40, being slightly shorter than the other so that the last-named flange may act as a stop member and the shorter flange as a guide. At the rear end of each power driven car, and extending laterally therefrom, is a stop bar 4|, and at the lower end of each channel guide is a rebound latch 42 pivoted as at 43 and normally held in a raised position by a spring 44. When the cars are being extended, and as they approach a fully extended position, the stop bars 4I will engage the inclined faces 42a of the respective latches and will depress them, but the moment the stop bars ride over, the latches will automatically raise and prevent rebound of the cars. The stop bars will at the same time engage the longer flanges 40a on the channel guides, and outward movement is thus stopped and rebound is at the same time prevented.

Also pivoted to each channel guide as at 45 is a lever arm 46. These arms are engaged by the stop bars 4l and raised to the dotted-line position shown at 46a in Fig. 6 when the cars are extended, but these levers will drop back into the full-line position when the rear ends of the driving cars are raised by means of the jacks. That is, `the moment the stop bars engage the channel flanges 46a and the rebound latches 42 have assumed normal position, the circuit through the motor 32 will be closed simultaneously, as will be hereinafter explained, and both jacks will operate in unison when the proper control button is pressed, and thereby raise the rear ends of the driving cars, the proper alignment between the plungers, the jacks and the pads 35 having already been insured. As the rear ends of the driving cars rise, the stop bars will move upwardly between the flanges 46 and 43a, and these will function as guides, and as they pass upwardly beyond the edge of the levers 46, these will drop back into the full-line position shown in Fig. 6. When the rear ends of the cars are later lowered, for in-V stance when they are to be retracted, the stop bars will engage the upper surfaces of the levers 46. These will in turn depress the latches 42 and the stop bars can thus pass freely over the latches 42 when the cars are to be retracted into the tunnels.

When a ramp section is being extended from the tunnel it is stopped, as previously stated, by the stop bars engaging the flangesl 40a of the vertically disposed guide channels. It is, however, necessary to break the circuit to the driving motors I0 a moment previous to such engagement, as there would otherwise be danger of breaking the stop barso-r the guideflanges. Hence, automatic switches are provided which are actuated by the movement of the cars for breaking the circuit through the car motors at the proper moment or time interval. A hand operated interlocking switch is provided for closing the circuit through the motor 32 to start the raising movement of the jacks, but automatic switches are provided for breaking the circuit through the motor 32 when the rear ends of the cars have been raised to platform level. Hand operated interlocking switches are provided for again energizing the motor 32 to lower the rear ends of the cars when they are to be retracted, and automatic means are provided for breaking the circuit through the motor 32 when the lowered position is reached. Hand operated interlocking switches are again provided for closing the circuits through the motors l0 of the driving cars to retract them, and automatic switches are provided for automatically breaking the circuits through the motors Il) when the cars are fully retracted.

It is also desired to point out the fact that the several switches and circuits provided are interlocked so that proper sequence of operation must be performed; that is, if ay wrong switch is closed, thatswitch will be dead, and breakage or wrong operation of the mechanism is avoided. In the present instance there are only two motors to be operated at each station; that is, the motor Il) on each section of the ramps and the jack motor 32. There is one motor 32 in the pit arranged at the outer end of each tunnel, and these jack motors, together with the car motors I0, are operated from the station in which they are located. Thus each section of the rampl is inde# pendently operated, and each section ofthe ramp can be retracted or extended independently of the other. Hence, the Vdescription of the operation of one section of the ramp will suice, as both sections are identically controlled and operated.

In connection with the motors I0 and 32, there are six hand operated push-button switches, and these are indicated at 50, 5I, 52, 53, 54 and 55 (see Fig. 9). In connection therewith, there are four automatically operated limit switches, and these are indicated at 56, 51, 58 and 59. The automatically operated switch 56 is disposed at the side of the tunnel and adjacent the outer end thereof (see Fig. 5) and it is operated by a lug 56ctv(see Figs. 2 and 8) mounted on the outer vend of the outermost car forming the ramp. When the cars are fully retracted, lug 56a engages a lever on the switch 56 and throws the switch: to break the circuit through the motor l0, thus stopping further retraction. The switch 59 is also disposed in one of the side walls ofthe tunnel and adjacent the outer end thereof. 'I'his switch has two functions. to break the circuit through the motor Ill when the ramp is fully extended. Its second function is to prepare a circuit for the jack motor 32.

On the rear end of the driving car is a rearwardly projecting arm 59a, and on the switch 59 is a V -shaped leverl 59h'. When the circuit through the motor l0 has been manually vclosed by operating the proper push-buttonswitch on panel 1G (see Fig. 5), and the cars are moving outwardly through the tunnel, lever 59ctwill engage one of the arms vof the switch 59 land throw it to the position shown in Figs, 5 and 9 to break the circuit throughy the motor I0. In breaking the circuit, it throws switch 59 from one set of contacts to another, and as it leaves one set of contacts, it breaks the motor circuit i0, and as it engages the other set of contacts, it prepares a circuitthrough the jack motor 32 which will be closed by the hand operated switch 5I. The switch indicated at 51 is located on the side of the jack housing and itis operated by a finger 51a secured on the lower end of a rod 51h which is secured to the upper end of the jack plunger 33. When the jack plunger is being raised due to the circuit being closed through the motor 32, and when it reaches a substantially fully raised position, the ngeri'ia will engage the lever of the switch 51 and will throw it to open position, thereby breaking the circuit through the jack motor when the jack has fully elevated the rear end of the driving car. The switch indicated at 58 is also located on the side of the jack housing (see Fig. 5). Its function is automatically to break the circuit through the jack motor when the jack is lowering the rear end of the driving car or at the time when it vreaches a fully lowered position, and it serves a second -function, to wit, that of preparing a circuit for the motor l0 when Its first function is thevmotor is to be energized for theY purposefof retractingthe cars. The switch 58 is operated bythe rod 51h, as this rod hasa second linger iridicated at 51e which engagesv the lever of the switch 58 when Ythe jack is fully lowered, throw-l ing said switch to a position where it breaks the jack motor circuit. In this position it prepares the circuit through the motor I0, said circuit being completed by operation of the hand control switch 50. In actual operation, and referring'to the wiring diagramin Fig. 9, it may be stated that the switches are shown-in aposition which they will assume when the cars forming the ramp have been extended. In this position it is possible againto retract the cars or to energize the jjack motor circuit to raise the inner end of thedriving car up to platform level. If it is desired to raise the ramp end up to platform level, the hand operated switch 5I is depressed. This closes the circuit through av relay vswitch generally indi` cated at 60, and this in turn closes the circuit through the motor 32. When this circuit'is closed, the screw jacks will commence toraise the rear endsof the ramps, and when they are fullyraised, the circuit will be automatically brokenby the switch 51 when the finger 51a engages the lever of the switch 51 and breaks the motor circuit. The ramp is now ready for use, and it will remain in this position until the motor 32 is again energized to lower the jacks and the rear ends of the ramps.

If it is now desired to lower the ramp, itis accomplished by pressing the hand operated switch 55.4 This energizes the relay 6l and this in turn reverses and closes the circuit through the jack motor 32, thereby causing the jacks to lower the inner end of the ramp, and when the jacks approach the lowered position, finger 51e will engage the levertof the switch 58 and thereby break the circuit through the motor 32 andat the same time prepare a circuit through the contacts 58d for the motor IU.

To retract the cars it is now only necessary to depress the hand operated switch 5D. In so doing the relay 62 is energized. This in turn closes the circuit already prepared for the motor Ill, and the motor thus becomes energized and the cars are retracted, and when fully retracted, lug 56a engages the lever of the switch 56 and breaks the circuit. The switches 52 and 53 are merely emergency stop switches. By depressing the switch 52 itbreaks'th'e circuit of either the relays 62 or 63, thereby breaking the circuit through the ramp motor 10. By depressing the switch 53 the circuit through the relays 69 and 6I is broken, and hence the circuit through the -jack motor 32.

When the ramp is fully retracted, and if'it is desired to extend it, it is only necessary to dee press the hand operated switch 54. This'e'ne'rgizes the relay 63, and` this in turn energizes'the motor I9, and when the ramp section reachesits extended position, arm 590. in the rear end of the ramp engages the lever of theswitch 59, throw# ing it to the position shown in Fig. 9 where' it breaks the motor circuit i9 and fat the same time prepares a circuit for the jack motor 32. Thus al1 operations are hand controlled, but they must take place in sequence, as the automatically operated switches break the circuits established by the hand operated switches. If mistakes are made by depressing `the wrong switch, that switch will be dead and no breakage or wreckage of the lmechanism is possible, due to the interlocking arrangement of all switches and relays.

The hand operated switches are located on a panel 10 (see Fig. 5) which is withiny convenient reach of the men working on the platform of a station. All of the automatic switches are located in the tunnel or in the pit below the freighthandling platform and cannot be tampered with. Furthermore, these switches are automatic in opn eration and are actuated by the several movements imparted to the ramp. Each ramp is independently operated and controlled from its station, and it is thus possible for the operators on each side of the trackway to extend the ramps in unison and to retract them in unison or independently of each other.

rThe main trackway may have several pairs of tracks thereon, for instance six or more. If freight is being transferred from one station to the other across the trackway and a train is approaching on one side of the trackway, it will only be necessary to retract one ramp, and when the train has passed, it can be extended again. If a train happens to come on the center track, it will only be necessary to retract both ramps partially.

While these and other features ofthe present invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, we Wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the judgment and experience of the manufacturer may dictate or other conditions may demand.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under one `of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel, a portable ramp disposed on the transfer track to permit transfer of freight from one station platform to the other, and means for retracting the ramp into the tunnel to clear the railroad track. Y

2. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel, a portable ramp disposed on the transfer track to permit transfer of freight from one station platform to the other, means for raising the opposite ends of the ramp up to platform level, and means for retracting the rampv into the tunnel to clear the railroad track.

3. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into two sections and normally disposed on the transfer track within the respective tunnels, and power operated means for extending or retracting the ramp sections with relation to the respective tunnels independently of each other.

4. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into two sections, and normally disposed on the transfer track Within the respective tunnels, power operated means for extending or retracting the ramp sections with relation to the respective tunnels independently of each other, and power operated means for raising the ends of the ramp sections when extended, up to platform level.

`5. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp disposed on the transfer track to permit transfer of freight from one station platform to the other, said ramp being divided into two sections, and means for retracting each section intothe respective tunnels.

6. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into two sections and normally disposed on the transfer track within the respective tunnels, means for extending the ramp sections to form a continuous transfer ramp between the station platforms, and means for raising the ends of the ramp adjacent the platforms up toplatform level.

7. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of connected platform cars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight is transferred across the railroad track from one station to the other, power operated means on one of the cars for retracting or extending the cars With relation to the tunnel, and means for positively bringing the cars to a stop when the cars are fully extended.

8. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formedunder one of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel a plurality of connected platform cars supportedon the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight is transferredacross the railroad track from one station to the other, power operated means on one of the'cars for retracting or extending the cars with relation to the tunnel, means for positively bringing the cars to a stop when the cars are fully extended, a jack disposed in a pit at the mouth of the tunnel, pads on the car disposed above the jack, said stop means aligning the pads and jack, and power operated means for raising the jack and one end of the car to platform level.

9. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of platform cars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight is transferred across the railroad track from one station to the other, an electric motor on the innermost car to drive the cars into and out of the tunnel, ay manually controlled switch to close a circuit through the motor to drive the cars out of the tunnel to assume a position orosswise of the railroad track, a switch actuated by movement of the cars to extended position for breaking the motor circuit when the cars are extended, and other means for bringing the cars to a positive stop when fully extended.

10. In a retractable ramp of the character described the combination with a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of a tunnel formed undel` one of the platforms, a transfer track extending across the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of platform cars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight is transferred across the railroad track from one station to the other, an electric motor on the innermost car to drive the cars into and out of the tunnel, a manually controlled switch to close a circuit through the motor to drive the cars out of the tunnel to assume a position crosswise of the railroad track, arswitch actuated by movement of the cars to extended position for breaking the motor circuit when the cars are extended, a vertical guide on each side of the tunnel, a stop bar on the innermost car engageable with said guides to bring the cars to a positive stop when fully extended, a pad on the rear end of the innermost car, a jack disposed in a pit at the outer end of 'the tunnel, said jack aligning with the pad when the stop bar engages the vertical guide, an electric motor for operating the jack, a second manually controlled switch to close a circuit' through the jack motor to cause the jack to raise` the rear end of the innermost car to platform level, and a switch operated by the rising movement of the jack for breaking the circuit through the jack motor when the raising operation is completed.

WALTER ERIC CHRISTIE. OTTO SCHROEDER.

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