US2434455A

US2434455A - Safety lock for locomotive throttle levers

Info

Publication number: US2434455A
Application number: US673480A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harland J Cantrell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-05-31
Filing date: 1946-05-31
Publication date: 1948-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 1965-01-13

Description

SAFETY LOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE THROTTLE LEVERS Filed May 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1948. H. J. CANTRELL SAFETY LOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE THROTTLE LEVERS Filed May 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A/ g LIT EH A Y n N %2W WW I N m mm 'UIIHI i [far/and 6): Car? 776//,

Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY LOOK FOR LOCOMOTIVE THROTTLE LEVERS Harland J. Cantrell, Huntington, W. Va. Application May 31, 1946, Serial No. 673,480

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to locomotives and more particularly to a safety lock for the throttle lever of a locomotive.

The object of my invention is to provide a safety lock for locomotive throttle lever adapted to prevent movement of the throttle lever into open position unless suflioient air pressure is available to operate the brakes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking device for locomotive throttle levers adapted to prevent accidental forceful opening movement of the throttle lever of a dead locomotive, which is moved by another live locomotive, and in the boiler of which enough pressure is built up through the action of the pistons in the cylinders to cause the throttle lever to fly into open position.

Other objects of my invention may appear in the following specification describing my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention.

It is however to be understood that my invention is not to be limited or restricted to the exact construction and combination of parts described in the specification and shown in the drawings, but that such changes and modifications can be made, which fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a safety locking device according to my invention, shown attached to a fragmentarily shown locomotive boiler, the throttle lever being shown partially, and other parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end view of a locomotive boiler and of the locking device according to my invention attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of a locking device according to my invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 in Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail an angle bracket [0 is firmly fastened onto the rear end of a locomotive boiler H and serves as a rest for the throttle lever l2.

An off-set supporting plate I3 is securely attached to the under side of the bracket In by means of bolts l4.

A small cylinder is is rigidly connected to the off-set supporting plate l3, for instance by welding. One end of this cylinder is open and a cylinder head I 6 is attached to this end. The 55 2 cylinder l5 has two pairs of outwardly extending lugs l1 thereon, which are arranged diametricall opposite to each other. A pin l8 extends through each pair of lugs l! and through the eye of an eye bolt [9 located between the lugs l'l.

On the cylinder head l6 two pairs of laterally extending prongs 20 are arranged diametrically opposite to each other and the prongs of each pair are adapted to receive the shanks of the eye bolts is between them. A gasket 2| is positioned between the end of the cylinder l5 and the cylinder head I6 and lock nuts 22 on the eye bolts l9 force the cylinder firmly against the gasket 2|. Cotter pins 23 secure the lock nuts 22 against accidental loosening.

A pipe 24 is screwed centrally in the cylinder head l6 and communicates with the interior of the cylinder l5. At its other end it is connected with the air reservoir on the locomotive (not shown).

A piston rod 25 extends slidably through the end Wall 26 of the cylinder IS. A piston 21 is either integrally formed with the piston rod 25 or is rigidly mounted thereon. A packing cup 28 made from leather or composition is arranged on the piston rod 25 adjacent the piston 21. A washer 29 is located in the packing cup and a castellated lock nut 30 on the threaded end of the piston rod 25 secures the washer and the packing cup in position.

A bushing 3| arranged in the cylinder I5 between the piston 21 and the inner surface of the cylinder end wall 26 limits the axial movement of the piston 21 and the piston rod 25.

A helical spring 32 surrounding the piston rod 25 is arranged between the piston 21 and the bottom of the bushing 3| and urges the piston 21 and the piston rod 25 toward the cylinder head Hi. This helical spring is constructed, so that it requires a pressure of at least lbs. to compress it. That is the pressure needed in the air line of a train to operate the brakes.

The end of the piston rod 25 located outside of the cylinder I5 is threaded as at 33 and a bifurcated member 34 having a female thread therein is threadedly mounted on this piston rod end.

A bifurcated bracket 35 is integrally formed with the cylinder l5 and is curved rearwardly and upwardly. A substantially U-shaped crank lever 36 is pivotally connected with the bifurcated member 34 on the piston rod 25 by means of a pin 31 extendin through the prongs formed by said bifurcation and through a curved slot 38 provided in the upper end of one of the flanges of the U-shaped crank lever, which is arranged between said prongs.

The lower end of this flange of the crank lever is located in the bifurcation in the bracket 35 on the cylinder l and is pivotally connected therewith by means of a pin 39 extending through the prongs on this bracket 35 and the lower end of the crank lever 36.

A look pin 46 has a bifurcated head Mon its lower end and the upper end of the second flange of the U-shaped crank lever 36 is located in this bifurcation and pivotally connected with the bifurcated head 4| by means of a pin 42.

In the throttle rest bracket ID a hole is arranged adjacent its rearward end and a bushing 43 extends in this hole and somewhat downwardly therefrom. The shank of the lock pin 4D is slidably located in this tube. The hole in the bracket IE1 is so arranged that the throttle lever I2 is located adjacent the lock pin 40, when the pin extends upwardly through the bushing 43 and the throttle is in closed position. i

This will always be the case, when the air pressure in the air line 24 and in the cylinder IS in front of the piston 21 is lower than 50 lbs. and the piston 21 and the piston rod 25 have been moved into the position shown in Figure 4under the pressure of the spring 32, The lock pin 40 prevents movement of the throttle lever l2 into open position.

When the air pressure in the air line 24 and the cylinder l5 reaches 50 lbs. or more the piston 21 is moved toward the bushing 3| forcing the bifurcated member 34 outwardly from the cylinder and pivoting the crank lever 36 about the pin 39,

piston rod connected to the piston extendin through one end of the cylinder, a lock pin mounted for reciprocation in the support and movable into and out of the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, and a linkage connected at one terminus to the piston rod and at the other terminus to the lock pin for converting reciprocation of the piston rod in one plane to reciprocation of the lock pin in another plane.

2. In a safety-lock for locomotive throttle levers, a support positioned at an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, a cylinder mounted on said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit connected to the cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on one face of the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder whereby the lock pin is pulled downwardly, so

that the throttle lever I2 will be free to be operated.

If it should become necessary to move the throttle lever i2 into open position, when the air pressure is below 50 lbs. the pin 39 in the bifurcated bracket on the cylinder I5 is removed, so that the crank lever will swing downwardly about the pin 31 in the slot 38 and the lock pin 46 will fall out of the bushing 43.

While the safety lock according to my invention has been described in connection with a locomotive, it is to be understood that this safety lock can be used on any vehicle, which is equipped with brakes actuated by compressed air, such as buses, trucks. railway motor cars or the like.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a safety lock for locomotive throttle levers, a support pcsitionedat an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, a cylinder mounted on said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit connected to the cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on one face of the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder and abutting the opposite face of the piston, a

and butting the opposite face of the piston, a piston rod connected to the piston extending through one end of the cylinder, a lock pin mounted for reciprocation in the support and into and out of the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, a bracket on said cy and a substantially U-shaped lever pivoted to said bracket adjacent its hump and pivotally connected at one end to the piston rod and at the other end to the lock pin for converting reciprocation of the piston rod in one plane to reciprocation of the lock pin in another plane,

3. In a safety lock for locomotive throttle levers, a support positioned at an angle to the plane of oscillation of the throttle lever, a cylinder mountedon said support, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit connected to said cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure on one face of the piston, a compression spring within the cylinder and abutting the opposite face of the piston, a piston rod connected to the piston extending through one end of the cylinder, a lock pin mounted for reciprocation in the support into and out of the plane of oscillation of the throttle level, a bracket on said cylinder, and a substantially U-shaped lever pivoted to said bracket adjacent its hump, a slot in the end of one arm of said U- shaped lever and a pin in the end of said piston rod passing through said slot, and a pin connection between the end of the other arm of said U-shaped lever and said lock pin.

HARLAND J. CAN'IREIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I