US2554682A - Accessory driving mechanism for railway cars - Google Patents

Description

May 29 1951 H. E. ROBERTS 2,554,682

ACCESSORY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Dec. 21, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN1/EN TOR. qQ/ey ROBERTS,

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May 29, 1951 H. E. ROBERTS 2,554,682

ACCESSORY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Dec. 21, 1948 @MMM/@W May 29, 1951 H. E. ROBERTS ACCESSORY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed DeC.

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May 29, 1951 H. E.v ROBERTS ACCESSORY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1948 IN V EN TOR. 5f @085275,

Patented May 29, 1951 l ACCESSORY DRIVING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Harry E. Roberts, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Preco Incorporated, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 66,530

Claims.

This invention relates generally to mechanisms for transmitting power between shafts which are subject to appreciable relative translational movement. Such transmissions are particularly useful, to cite a typical application, for transmitting power from the running gear of a railway car to accessories of various kinds mounted on the car body.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a transmission suitable for driving accessories such, for example, as air circulating fans in railway express refrigerator cars. In such cars the lateral shifting of the wheels with respect to the car is appreciably greater than is ordinarily encountered in standard refrigerator cars, both because of the relatively soit springs with swing han/gers, and because of the greater truck spacing and the greater separation of the axles on each truck. This dilliculty is met by providing a drive mechanism which is particularly adapted for taking its initial drive from a drum mounted on the central part of an axle, where the drum can be wide enough to accommodate the lateral displacements relative to the body caused both by lateral translational motion of the truck and by its rotation. A further advantage of taking the drive from a drum rather than from the car wheel is that the radius of the drum can be varied to limit the maximum peripheral speed of the driving element, and thereby to limit the speed of the driven element without unreasonably increasing its diamter. Although the present invention is particularly adapted for such service, it is also broadly applicable in mechanisms driven from any suitable element of the wheel and axle unit, including the car wheel, and for service on cars of various types.

In preferred form, the present drive mechanism makes use of a drive shaft which is connected by suitable transmissions, on the one hand, to an element driven from the car wheel and axle unit and, on the other hand, to the shaft of the accessory to be driven. That overall structure has great flexibility of arrangement, and is therefore suitable for driving accessories of various types and located in various positions in or on the car body. Under certain conditions, the accessory shaft can be substituted directly for the driving shaft of the preferred form of the device. The second transmission described above is then omitted.

The invention includes provision for disabling the transmission betweenthe drive shaft and the accessory shaft, where those shafts are distinct,

and for disabling the driving connection between the Wheel and axle unit and the element directly driven thereby. In preferred form, both those disabling operations are performed by manual shifting of a single lever from one stable position to another. With the lever in transmission disabling position the entire drive mechanism is disconnected from the car wheels, allowing the car to be moved Without driving the accessory and also without wearing any parts of the drive mechanism; and is also disconnected from the accessory, permitting the latter to be driven from any suitable auxiliary power source, such as an electric motor, when the car is stationary, such auxiliary drive being unrestrained by, and causing no wear of, the driving mechanism of the invention.

Provision is made, when the drive mechanism is in operating position, for maintaining the two transmissions mentioned above, and also the driving engagement with the wheel and axle unit, in fully eiective condition. In a preferred modication of the invention, that threefold function is performed by means of a single spring element. The structure of the device is such that the eieci' tive force applied by that spring element to each of the three transmission stages can be independently varied over wide limits by modications of the detailed design, or by providing adjustments by which such modifications can be readily introduced.

A clear understanding of the invention will be had from the following detailed description of a specic mechanism of preferred form in which it is embodied. That description is illustrative of the invention and will form a basis for further discussion of it, but the particular structure described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is intended as typical and not as limiting either the range of structural modifications or the conditions of application of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially cut away, showing a portion of a railway car equipped with a typical drive mechanism in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken just below the side sill on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section in the same aspect as Fig. 1, taken generally on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 but with the car wheel omitted;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section in the same aspect as Fig. 1, taken generally on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing the drive mechanism in nonoperating position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the lines 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 6 and '7 are schematic diagrams, related to Fig. 3 and illustrating modifications; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation taken transversely of the car, as indicated by the line 8 8 in Fig. 1.

In the drawings the car structure, which is shown somewhat schematically, includes the side sill Il] and the center sill l2 of the car underframe. construction, and only one of the transversely spaced members of the complete sill appears in the drawings. An important advantage of the present driving mechanism is that it can be mounted on the car entirely by means of connections to those two members of the car frame. Although other methods of connection to the car are included within the scope of the invention, it is preferred to make use of those two members, and. for this reason other portions of the car body are mainly omitted in the drawings.

A wheel and axle unit is indicated at I5, including the car wheel I5 and the axle l1. The structure of the car truck, on which axle i1 is journaled in the usual way, is omitted for clarity of illustration, it being understood that unit l5 is movable in the usual manners within certain limits relative to the car body.

The accessory to be driven is typically represented as an air circulating fan of the type disclosed in the Van Dorn Patents 2,214,210 and 2,349,315. Such a fan is indicated in end elevation at 2i! in Figs. 1 and 4, and in side elevation in Fig. 8, its operating shaft 22 protruding from one end of the fan case and carrying the sheave 24. A fan of the type shown is normally placed directly above the car floor 25, with its shaft 22 transverse of the car and with sheave 2e approximately in the plane of one car side wall. Although the present illustrative arrangement of the invention is particularly adapted for driving such an accessory, the drive mechanism can be accommodated to other types of accessory and other placements of the accessory shaft, includlng its relation both to the car floor and to the longitudinal car axis.

In the present embodiment, the main drive shaft 26 of the driving mechanism is journaled in a shaft housing 2S which is mounted transversely of the car, preferably beneath the car floor as indicated in the drawings. Shaft 26 is connected at its outer end to accessory shaft 22 by means of a transmission 32 which, in the present instance, lies substantially in the plane of the car side wall, and has its axis 3i generally vertical. Transmission 3@ comprises typically a belt 32 passing over sheave 2li on accessory shaft 22 and a sheave 34, xed on driving shaft 26. The inner end of shaft is driven from car and axle unit i5 by means to be described.

Shaft housing 28 is mounted on the car body, its inner end being preferably supported on car center sill I2 and its outer end on car side sill iii. Those mountings are of any suitable type which permit rotation of the housing about its longitudinal axis through at least a small angle, and translational motion of the outer end of the housing along transmission axis 3l. As illustrated, the inner mounting comprises the rubber bushing 36 which surrounds shaft housing 28 and is itself mounted in an aperture in a plate 3l, supported by means of bracket 38 on center sill l2. Bushing 36 is sulciently flexible to permit the two types of housing motion just mentioned,

As illustrated, the center sill is of double g.;

functioning as the substantial equivalent of a ball joint.

The outer end of shaft housing 28 rests in a yoke 49 formed at one end of a generally horizontal lever 4i which is pivoted at 42 on plate bracket il@ (see below) for swinging movement about a pivot axis generally parallel to the shaft. Thus downward translational motion of the outer end of shaft 26, which tightens belt 32 and renders transmission 30 effective, is permitted by clockwise rotation of lever 4| on its pivot 42 (as seen in Figs. 1 and 4) and involves swinging movement of the shaft and its carrier about an axis transverse of the shaft through its inner support 35. Counterclockwise rotation of lever il swings the shaft and housing upward about its exible inner support 36, and moves sheave 34 closer to accessory shaft 22, disabling transmission 3@ (Fig. 4). The axial position of yoke 4U with respect to shaft housing 28 is defined by collars 45, which thereby establish the axial position of the shaft housing with respect to the car body. The fit of yoke 40 around the shaft housing and between collars 45 is preferably sufficiently loose to allow the described swinging movement of the shaft about its inner support 36, lever 4| being confined to movement in a plane normal to the axis of pivot 42. Alternatively, lever lll may be loosely pivoted at 42 to accommodate the swinging movement of shaft housing 28.

The mechanism by which shaft 25 is driven from wheel and axle unit I5 is shown best in Figs. 2 and 3. A drum 55 with a flanged edge 5@ is rigidly mounted on the central portion of axle il and serves as initial driving element in the preferred embodiment illustrated. However, the drive may be taken alternatively from any suitable element which rotates with the car wheels, such as the axle Il, or the rim of a wheel E5. As used in the present specification and claims, the term drum is intended to include such functional equivalents of the illustrative specific driving element 55. A roller 60, preferably carrying a rubber tire, is rigidly mounted with sheave 63 on a roller shaft 52. Shaft 62 is journaled in a bracket arm 64 which is swingable about an axis (66) generally parallel to axle El' and to roller shaft 52. Swinging movement of arm 64 in one direction (counterclockwise as seen in Figs. l, 3 and 4) brings roller 58 into driven engagement with the periphery of drum 55, establishing an effective transmission between axle l1 and shaft 62. That transmission is disabled by swinging movement of arm 64 in the opposite (clockwise) direction, which lifts roller E!) clear of the drum.

A transmission 89 is provided between roller shaft 62 and drive shaft 26, and comprises the sheave 53 fixed on roller shaft 62, the sheave 84 fixed on the inner end of drive shaft 26, and the belt 85 passing over those two sheaves. The axis of transmission lies in the plane of shafts 26 and 62, and thetransmission is rendered effective by translational movement of roller shaft 62 along that axis away from shaft 26 to tighten belt 85. Bracket arm 64 is so mounted as to provide that movement of roller shaft 62 in addition to, and independently of, the swinging movement of the arm which controls the effectiveness of the transmission from drum 55.

In the present preferred form of the invention, bracket arm E4 is pivoted on a toggle axis 66 at the free end of a toggle link 68. As illustrated, toggle link 58 comprises two arms 69 l rigidly mounted on shaft housing 28, from which they extend radially in a common plane. Thus the link axis is the longitudinal axis of shaft housing 28, and toggle action of the link involves rotation of arms 69 and shaft housing 28 as a unit about that axis. That rotation in practice is limited to a relatively small angle, and is accommodated at the inner mounting of housing 28 either by iiexibility of rubber bushings 36 or by rotation of housing 28 with respect to that bushing. The outer housing support in yoke ii permits unlimited housing rotation.

Arm B4 is of general channel section, including 'a curved web plate lil and depending side flanges l2 which provide bearings or bearing supports both for roller shaft $2 at the free outer en d of the arm and for the bent ends of toggle arms 69 at the inner end of the arm. The outer end of web plate i8 forms an offset extension 14, which is braced by gusset plate i6 and is provided at its outer edge with a spring receiving notch '18, formed by) a downwardly bent lip 19.

The toggle linkage formed by arm 64 and toggle link 68 is generally parallel to the axis of transmission 30, with both members of the linkage preferably oblique to that axis. Thus relative rotation of the two members of the toggle linkage about toggle axis 56 changes the spacing between shafts 62 and 25, and tightens or loosens belt 85, rendering transmission 89 effective or ineffective, respectively.V

That control of transmission SS is independent of the action of arm 54 by which the driving relation between roller Ell and drum 55 is controlled, that action comprising rotation of the entire toggle linkage about the axis of housing 28 and drive shaft 26.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention unitary spring means are provided which accomplish thethree distinct functions, under normal operating conditions of the drive mechanism, of maintaining effectiveness of transmissions 3B and 8|) and of urging roller 6|) into tractive contact with drum 55. Those functions are accomplished by a spring which exerts pressure at two points of the mechanism which has been described. One of those points is on arm Sli, conveniently dened by the notch 13, and the other is an intermediate point of shaft housing 28, that point being preferably defined by suitable spring confining meam on. the housing, such as the groove Sil. In the present illustrative embodiment the spring force at both those points is directed generally downwardly, The force at groove 9B on shaft housing 28 tends to swing the housing and shaft 2E downward about its inner support 35, and thus to tighten belt 32 and render transmission 30 effective between drive shaft 26 and accessory shaft 22. The downward f/orce at 'i8 tends to rotate arm 64 and toggle link 5S as a unit around the axis of drive shaft 26 in a direction to press roller Sli into effective engagement with drum 55. The position of notch 78 with respect to roller shaft 62, and the direction of application of the spring force at the notch are so arranged that the lineof the resulting force upon arm lid, while generally transverse to shaft 6.2,. is spaced from that shaft. Hence the spring force cooperates with the reaction force of drum 55 upon roller til (which reaction force is transmitted through shaft 52 to the arm) to form a force couple resulting in a torque on the arm. That torque is so directed as to urge rotation of arm 54 in a suitable direction (counterclockwise in the present instance, as seen in Fig.

`6 3) to actuate toggle linkage B8, to increase the spacing of the shafts 62 and 2E, thus tightening belt 8E and rendering effective transmission 8s.

The particular spring means employed in the present instance to produce the above described forces at 18 and at 9E! is the spring |90 whichhas a central helically coiled section |52, the axis of which is located with relation to other parts of the mechanism by the rod |65. Guide rod IBS (which is also a part of the transmission disabling mechanism to be described) extends generally transversely to a line connecting the two points 1S and Qi! of the spring application, and, in the present preferred form of the device, is parallel to shaft 2. A relatively straight end portion |04 of spring |35 extends generally radially from the inner end of spiral |02 and rests on the upper face of lip 'i9 in the notch 'I8 of arm tri. A similar relatively straight end portion |05 of the spring extends generally radially from the outer end of spiral |92 and rests upon the upper surface of shaft housing 28, its longitudinal position on the housing being defined in the present instance by groove Sii.

Spring |00 is so loaded that the forces exerted by the spring at the points i8 and 90 are suitable for the functions described. Since the reactive torques about rod 36 exerted upon the spring at 18 and 9G are necessarily equal and opposite, the forces themselves are inversely proportional to the radial distances of those points from the axis of guide rod |05. Hence the relative magnitudes of the forces at i8 and Si) are controllable by selection of the location of guide rod |636 with respect to those points. Given a definite spring force acting on the shaft housing, the resulting force tending to tighten belt 32 can be varied by varying longitudinally the point of spring contact, defined by groove 9. Similarly, the effect of the spring force applied to arm 64 is controllable as to the relation between the spring-induced pressure of roller Si! against drum and the tightness of belt B6. The beit tightening action, resulting from the toggle linkage, can be controlled within wide limits by varying suchconstants of the mechanism as the various angles of the toggle linkage and the distance from shaft 62 to the line of action of the spring force applied at 18. For example, the smaller the angle between the plane of toggle link 63 and the plane defined by shafts S2 and 26 the greater is the mechanical advantage of the toggle linkage tending to tighten belt 3E. Similarly, the greater the distance between the line of action of the spring force at l2 and roller shaft S2 the greater will be the spring-induced couple applied to arm 64 and tending to straighten the toggle linkage. The device illustrated is so proportioned that the toggle actuating couple, and hence the tension on belt 8S, is relatively small as compared to the actual spring applied force at 73. That force, on the other hand, is transmitted undiminished to the roller shaft 62, and is even somewhat increased by lever action, point "I8 being farther from drive shaft 2E than is the roller shaft. The

result of such preferred proportioning of the mechanism is that the drive between roller 6B and drum 55 is relatively more positive than is transmission Sii. Hence if accessory shaft 22 or drive shaft 25 is prevented from turning, as by an obstruction of any type in the mechanism, it is belt 86 rather than roller 60 that will slip. Under such conditions the belt wears out and breaks before damage is done to the roller, which is ordinarily relatively expensive and difcult to replace.

Similarly, by the design control which determines the pressure on, and the location of, the point of pressure application 20, the traction on belt 32 may be made less than on belt 85, so that 32, which is usually the more easily replaceable, will slip before 86.

Transmission disabling mechanism is provided, operable by means of a hand lever |09. As illustrated, lever is rigidly connected to a cam l2 which is secured as by a pinning bolt ||4 to the outer end of spring guide rod |08 in position to engage the end 43 of lever 4|. Rod |05, shown as a tube, is journaled at its inner end in a sleeve |08, welded directly to the lateral face of car center sill I2; and its outer end in an aperture in bracket plate H0. A headed pin IIB axially enters the outer end of hollow rod |05, where it is locked by pin bolt I4, and serves, in coopera.- tion with cam I I2, to denne the axial position of the tube with respect to plate I I0.

Bracket plate H0, which supports pivot 42 of lever 4| as well as journaling rod |05, is flanged as indicated at ||8, H9, |20 for strength and to form a partial housing for the mechanism. It is mounted, preferably by welding, on the under face of the horizontal flange |0a of Ecar sill i0 (Fig. 5). The right hand portion of plate I I0, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, is outwardly oset lat |2| to form a housing around sheave 31|. The drive shaft 20 is supported on plate ||0 only indirectly through lever `4| and pivot 42.

Returning now to the transmission disabling mechanism proper, a rigid lift arm |25 extends radially from rod |06 just inward of spring |00, and-its bent end |26 enters a long slot |21 in lift link |28. That link is pivoted at |30 on the kswinging end of arm 54, gusset plate 16 providing ya convenient support for the pivot. In normal operating position, as .shown in Figs. 1-2 and 5, hand lever |09 is in the lower one of the two lockable positions, lying between the lower end of vertical flange ||0 of plate ||0 and the left hand edge of lower horizontal flange H0, where it is retained by the notch |40, cut in that edge (see Figs. 2 and 5). In that lever position, rod |06 is rotated counterclockwise, as seen, for example, in Fig. 1, into such a position that cam ||2 is lifted free of the end 43 of lever 4|, and lift arm |25 is free in slot |21 of link |28. The

disabling linkage is thus affectively disconnected 1 from the transmission mechanism. Spring |00 thus is free to act in the manner already described to render effective the three transmission devices 30, 60 and 80.

Lever |00 is releasable from its lower, or transmission actuating, position by rst lifting it out of notch |40 in flange 8, then springing it back until it canbe swung upward behind flange I0. It can then be lifted, sliding along the inner vertical edge of flange IIB, until it is above the lip |42 which forms locking notch |44 in the upper edge of that flange (Fig. 5) The resilience of the lever tends to spring it outwardly so that it drops naturally into notch 44 and is thus locked by lip |42 in its upper, or transmission disabling, position. In that position of lever |09, rod |06 is rotated clockwise into the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the flat end ||3 of cam ||2 is pressed flatly against the upper surface of lever end 43, swinging lever 4| counterclock-wise and lifting the outer end of drive shaft 26 to disable transmission 30. At the same time lift arm |25 at the inboard end of rod |06 is swung upward to engage the upper end of slot |21 in link |28 and lift roller 60 clear of drum 55, disabling the drive from the drum. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, transmission is not disabled by actuation of lever |09, since a counterclockwise torque (as geen in Fig. 4) continues to be exerted on larm y64 by the downward spring force at 10 and the lifting force of link |28 applied at pivot |30. That torque tends to straighten the toggle linkage 64, 50, holding belt tight. The lifting action which moves roller 60 away from drum 55 is thus a swinging of the entire toggle linkage about the link axis, which is the axis of shaft 25.

The transmission disabling action of handle |09, just described, completely disconnects the principal transmission elements (including roller shaft 52 and drive shaft 25) from the car running gear on the one hand and from accessory shaft 22 on the other. Thus unnecessary w'ear of the transmission mechanism is avoided both when the car is operated without use of the accessory and when the accessory is driven from some power source other than the car motion. Belt guard |50, mounted as by bracket |5| on shaft housing 28, provides a support for belt 32 when the belt tension is relieved. The belt is thus lifted from sheave 24 on the accessory shaft whenever the transmission is disabled, as shown in Fig. 4. Hence the belt is not 4worn by its own weight dragging on sheave 24 when the accessory shaft is driven by means other than the car running gear, as, for example, by an electric motor, not shown.

It will be evident from the above description of an illustrative preferred embodiment of the invention that the mechanism is subject to many variations of design without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the arrangement of the parts on the car, with relation to the wheel and axle unit, to the car body, and to each other, is subject to wide variation as will be evident. And the toggle linkage can be varied in a number of ways, which may retain the overall functioning of the preferred form, or may introduce new functions.

For instance, Fig. 6 illustrates in schematic fonm an illustrative embodiment in which the two members of the toggle linkage, arm 54a and link 68a, form an acute, rather than an obtuse, angle. A typical point of application of a resilient transmission actuating force (such as that of spring arm |04 in the modification of Figs. 1-5) is indicated by the arrow 78a. A force so applied tends firstly to swing the toggle linkage 64a, 68a as a unit about the axis of shaft housing 28 in a direction (counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 6) to press roller 60 into driven engagement with drum 55; and secondly to swing arm 04a relative to toggle link 68a about toggle axis 66a in a direction to increase the toggle angle and thereby render transmission 80 effective. A transmission disabling force can be applied (as in the preferred form) substantially at shaft 62, as indicated in Fig. 6 by the arrow |28a. ySuch a force lifts roller yE0 clear of drum 55, while maintaining transmission `8|] in effective condition (as in the preferred modification). If, instead, a lifting force is applied to arm Iii-4a at such a point as is indicated by the arrow |280 between point 78a and toggle axis 05a, the couple exerted on arm 64a by that lifting force, in cooperation with the spring-applied force at 78a, is counterclockwise and tends to decrease the toggle angle at 66a, disabling transmission 80. If a suitable stop is provided to limit the decrease of the toggle angle, which may, for example, result from contact of arm 64a with shaft housing 28, further lifting at |280 will swing the toggle linkage 64d, 68a. as a unit Vabout shaft housing '28 to lift roller G clear of drum 55. The overall action of a transmission disabling force applied `at l28c is therefore, in contrast to that of the preferred modification, to disable transmission 80 as well as the initial transmission from the wheel and axle unit. The same result can be accomplished lwith the toggle structure of the preferred modification by pivoting lifting link E28 at -a point on arm 6d which is spaced outwardly on the anm from the line of action of the spring force applied at 68. In general it is preferred to maintain belt 8E tight enough at all times to avoid any possibility of its dropping off its pulleys.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a further illustrative modication in which the roller carrying arm 64b and the toggle link iib form an obtuse angle, as in the preferred form, but in which the resilient actuating force is applied inwardly cf roller shaft 62. The point of application of that force, indicated in Fig. 7 by the arrow 18h, is on the toggle link rather than on the arm 64b, but the effect of that force is, as before, to straighten the toggle linkage, mak ing transmission 8D effective, and also to swing the toggle linkage as a unit about the link axis, pressing roller Sil into driven contact with drum 55 lig. 7 illustrates also the fact that the toggle link can be entirely independent of shaft housing 28. Specifically, it shows toggle link b pivoted at 28h directly on bracket 38 at a point eccentric of shaft housing 28. The pivot 28h v1s preferably, although not necessarily, close to the axial plane of transmission B, as shown, since swinging of the toggle linkage as a unit about the pivot then has a minimum effect on `the tightness of the belt. An advantage resulting from a toggle pivot independent of shaft housing 28 is that the mounting of the housing on the car body then need not permit rotation of the housing about its longitudinal axis. The same result can be obtained, for example, by pivoting'toggle link 68 directly on shaft 26 beyond the innerend of housing 28, or between the two journal bearings of shaft 26, those bearings then being independently mounted on the car body and housing 28 being omitted. Alternatively, the toggle link can be pivoted on housing v28, rather than rigidly connected to it as in the preferred modification.

Although the type of spring shown at l!! in Fig. 2 is preferred, it canbe replaced for example, by a leaf spring mounted centrally on rod Il or directly on the car body, with its ends resting respectively on arm 64 and shaft housing fi". Alternatively, separate springs may be employed for rendering effective one or more of the three transmission stages of the drive mechanism. In those transmissions rollers or the like, as illustrated at 60, can be used as transmission elements interchangeably with belt-type drives, as illustrated at 3U and 8l), the relative motions of two connected shafts for transmission actuation being of course opposite for the two types of transmission.

And modifications may also be made with relation to the structure of the shaft carrier (housing 28) The primary function of that carrier is to form, or to carry, the journalling for shaft 2f. In the described preferred 'design the carrier ccmpletely encloses and protects the shaft between its two ends and the Vshaft is journalled in bearings located in the ends of the carrier tube. However, that particular design is not necessary to the performance of the primary functions. As is obvious, the carrier need not surround the shaft. And neither need it be continuous between the ends of the shaft. For instance, the illustrated carrier may be visualized as out into two or more pieces at a transverse plane located between yoke Il!)` and spring bearing 9U, and/cr located between and the inner end. If the two or three divisional parts ofthe carrier are each journalled on the shaft, then the following functional observations may be made. The outer part, at yoke di), is nothing more than a journal in which the shaft is supported on lever i. The central lpart is nothing more than a journal through which spring pressure is applied to the rotary shaft to swing it down. And the inner part then functions merely as a journal mounting for the inner end of the shaft, allowing the requisite swinging movement of the shaft as well as its rotation. In the preferred arrangement that inner part also functions to form the axis about which toggles S9 swing; but, as shown in Fig. '7, it is not necessary for that function to be performed by the shaft journal, as the toggle pivot can be offset from the shaft axis. IThe illustrated carrier can thus be looked at as means for journalling and mounting the inner end of the shaft for its requisite movements, for effectively applying the spring pressure to the shaft at any desired point in the shaft length; and for journaling the outer end of the shaft in a mounting (lever 4l) which allows that end of the shaft to move in a direction to and from the driven shaft 22.

The modifications which have been particularly spoken of are not intended to be exhaustive; as many others will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. Driving mechanism for driving a shaft from a rotatable drum the axis of which is spaced from the shaft axis, said driving mechanism including a toggle link pivoted for swinging movement about a link axis approximately coinciding with the shaft axis, an arm mounted on the toggle link for swinging movement about a toggle axis thereon generallv parallel to the link axis, an intermediate shaft journaled on the swinging arm, a transmission element mounted on the intermediate shaft and forming a part of a transmission between the drum and the intermediate shaft which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm and toggle link as a unit about the link axis in a predetermined actuating direction, and a transmission between the intermediate shaft and the driven shaft which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm about the toggle axis in a predetermined actuating direction relative to the toggle link.

2. Driving mechanism as dened in claim 1 and including unitary resilient means tending to swing the arm and toggle link as a unit about the link axis in the said first mentioned actuating direction and also tending to swing the arm about the 'toggle axis in the said second mentioned actuating direction relative to the toggle link.

3. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 1 and including means engageable with the arm to swing the arm and toggle link about the link axis in a direction opposite to the said rst mentioned actuating direction.

4. Driving machanism for driving a shaft from a rotatable drum the axis of which is spaced from the shaft axis, said driving mechanism including 11 a toggle link pivoted for swinging movement about a link axis approximately coinciding with the shaft axis, an arm mounted on the toggle link for swinging movement about a toggle axis thereon generally parallel to the link axis, an intermediate shaft journaled on the swinging arm, a roller mounted on the intermediate shaft and adapted to engage the periphery of the drum by virtue of swinging movement of the arm and toggle link as a unit about the link axis in a predetermined roller actuating direction, a. transmission between the intermediate shaft and the driven shaft which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm about the toggle axis in a predetermined shaft actuating direction, and resilient means exerting on the arm a resilient force directed along a line spaced from the axis of the intermediate shaft, and tending to swing the arm and toggle link about the link axis in the said roller actuating direction, and thereby to urge the roller against the drum, said resilient means, in cooperation with the reaction force exerted by the drum on the roller, exerting upon the arm a torque tending to swing the arm about the toggle axis in the said shaft actuating direcion.

5. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 4 and including means manually operable to engage the arm and to exert thereon a force directed generally along the line of the said reaction force, thereby swinging the arm and toggle link about the link axis in a direction opposite to the said roller actuating direction, and maintaining the said torque.

6. Driving mechanism for an accessory carried by the body of a car structure which has a running gear element affording a driving drum, the accessoryha.ving an operating shaft; said driving mechanism including a driving shaft, journal means supported on the car body for one end of the driving shaft and capable of swinging motion about an axis transverse of the shaft, journal means for the other end of the driving shaft capable of translational motion toward and from the accessory operating shaft, a transmission element mounted on the said other end of the driving shaft and forming part of a transmission between the two said shafts which is rendered effective by translational motion of the shaft end in a predetermined actuating direction, an arm -mounted for independent swinging movement about two generally parallel axes, an intermediate shaft journaled on the swinging arm, a transmission element mounted on the intermediate shaft and forming part of a second transmission between the drum and the intermediate shaft which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the armabout one of its said axes in a, predetermined actuating direction, a third transmission by which the driving shaft is drivable from the intermediate shaft and which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm about the other of its said axes in a predetermined actuating direction, the effectiveness of the third transmission being relatively independent of swinging movement of the arm about its said one axis, and resilient means tending to swing the arm about its said one axis in the said second transmission actuating direction, and tending to swing the arm about its said other axis in the said third transmission actuating direction.

7. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 6 and in which the said resilient means comprises a unitary spring element, and tends also to swing the driving shaft in the said first transmission actuating direction.

8. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 6 and including means engageable with the driving shaft for causing it to swing in the direction opposite to the said actuating direction, and engageable with the arm for causing it to swing about its said one axis in a direction opposite to the said actuating direction.

9. Driving mechanism for an accessory carried by the body of a car structure which has a running gear element affording a driving drum, ,the accessory having an operating shaft; said driving mechanism comprising a shaft carrier mounted on the car body for rotational motion about its longitudinal axis and for swinging motion about a transverse axis, a driving shaft longitudinally journaled in the shaft carrier, a transmission element mounted on the shaft at a point spaced from the said transverse axis and forming part of a transmission between the driving shaft and the accessory shaft, said transmission being rendered effective by swinging motion of the carrier about the transverse axis in a predetermined transmission actuating direction, a transverse toggle arm mounted on the shaft carrier, a roller arm pivoted at one end on the toggle arm on a toggle axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, a roller shaft journaled on the roller arm and carrying a roller adapted to engage the running gear drum by virtue of swinging movement of the roller shaft about the longitudinal carrier axis toward the drum, transmission elements mounted respectively on the roller shaft and the driving shaft and forming part of a transmission between those two shafts which is rendered effective by swinging of the roller arm relative to the toggle arm about the toggle axis in a predetermined shaft actuating direction, spring means arranged to exert a resilient force upon the roller arm tending to swing the roller shaft toward the drum to engage the roller with the drum, the line 'of said force being so spaced from the axis of the roller shaft that the said force .and the reaction force of the drum against the roller produce a couple tending to swing the roller arm about the toggle axis in the said shaft actuating direction, and spring means arranged to exert `a resilient force upon the shaft housing tending to swing it about its said transverse axis in the said transmission actuating direction.

10. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 9 and including, control means for the roller arm capable of two alternative conditions, in one of which the control means are effectively disconnected from the arm and in the other 'of which the control means exert on the arm a force acting in opposition to the first mentioned resilient force to move the roller out of drum engagement, and control means for the shaft housing capable of two alternative conditions, in one of which the control means are effectively disconnected from the housing and in the other 'of which the control means exert on the housing a force acting to swing the housing about its said transverse axis in opposition to the second mentioned resilient force, thereby rendering ineffective the first mentioned transmission.

11. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 10, and in which the rollerA disengaging force of the roller arm control means is applied to the roller arm at such a point that the latter force and the rst mentioned resilient force produce a couple tending to swing the roller arm about the toggle axis in the same direction as the first said couple.

12. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 10, and including an element manually shiftable between two alternative positions, and connections between said element and the two said control means adapted to shift the control means between their respective rst mentioned and second mentioned conditions in response to movement of the element between its two positions.

13. Driving mechanism as defined in claim 9, and in which the two said spring means comprise a unitary elongated spring element, means adapted to apply force from one end of the spring element at a predetermined point of the roller arm and means adapted to apply force from the other end of the spring element at a predetermined point of the shaft carrier.

14. Driving mechanism for an accessory carried by the body of a railway car structure and having an operating shaft, said car structure including a drum rigidly mounted on a car axle between the car wheels, said driving mechanism comprising a driving shaft extending transversely of the car and journaled on the car body, the journal means permitting translational movement of the outboard end of the driving shaft toward and from the accessory shaft, power transmission means between the outboard end of the driving shaft and the accessory shaft, said transmission means being rendered effective by the said translational movement of the driving shaft in a predetermined accessory actuating direction, a roller arm pivoted on an axis transverse of the car, a roller shaft journaled on the arm .and carrying a roller adapted to engage the drum by virtue of swinging movement of the roller arm about its pivot axis in a predetermined roller actuating direction, power transmission means between the roller shaft and the driving shaft, a rod mounted on the car body transversely of the car and axially rotatable between two alternative positions, a helical spring surrounding the rod and guided thereby, one end of the spring extending generally radially from the axis of the helix and exerting upon the roller arm a resilient force tending to swing the arm in the said roller actuating direction, and the other end of the spring extending generally radially from the axis of the helix and exerting upon the driving shaft a resilient force tending to move its outboard end in the said accessory actuating direction, mechanical means operatively associated withthe rod and acting by virtue of rotation of the rod into one `of its said positions to swing the roller arm about its pivot axis against the force of the spring and to move the outboard end of the driving shaft in translation against the force of the spring, thereby moving the roller out of drum engagement and disabling the transmission means between the driving shaft and the accessory shaft.

15. Driving mechanism for driving a shaft from a rotatable drum the axis of which is spaced from the shaft axis, said driving mechanism including .an arm mounted for independent swinging movement about two generally parallel axes, an intermediate shaft journaled on the swinging arm, a transmission element mounted on the intermediate shaft and forming part of a transmission between the drum and the intermediate shaft which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm about one of its said axes in a Dredetermined actuating direction, a second transmission by which the driving shaft is drivable from the intermediate shaft and which is rendered effective by swinging movement of the arm about the other of its said axes in a predetermined actuating direction, the effectiveness of the second transmission being relatively independent of swinging movement of the arm about its said one axis, and resilient means tending to swing the arm about its said one axis in the said actuating direction of the rst mentioned transmission, and tending to swing the arm about its said other axis, in the said actuating direction of the second mentioned transmission.

HARRY E. ROBERTS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 881,599 Maher Mar. 10, 1908 2,413,158 Van Dorn Dec. 24, 1946

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