US324224A - Fire-hose bridge for railroad-tracks - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

- G. F GANNIPF, Jr 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIRE HOSE BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD TRACKS. No. 324,224. PatentedAug. 11, 1885.

W/f/VESSES HVVENTOR N. PETE S. Phowulho n hu. Wnhln mn, D. c,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. P. OANNIFF, Jr. FIRE HOSE BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD TRACKS.

No. 324,224. Patented Augpll, 1885.

N. PETERS, Hula-Lithographer, Washington. DC.

UNITED STATES GEORGE F. OANNIFF, JR.,

or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

FlRE-HOS E BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,224, dated August 11, 1885.

Application tiled November 1, 1884. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. CANNIFF, Jr., of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Hose Bridges for Railroad-Tracks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-hose bridges for crossing railroads, the object being to provide aportable bridge adapted to span a railroad-track and support a firehose thereon out of the way of passing trains.

A further object is to provide atilting bridge and suitable mechanism for raising or lowering the same, to the end that the hose may be attached when the bridge is in a depressed position, and afterward, by tilting the bridge to an upright position, the hose may be elevated as required.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction, and in combination of parts, hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In cases of fire it is of the greatest importance that the hose be laidv and the water got to the fire as soon as possible, and where it is necessary to cross the line of a oar-track with the hose it would cause so much delay to unwind the hose from the hose-cart, and then draw it through a hole between the ties under the track, even if such an opening were at hand, that the hose is usually laid across on top of the track. This is liable to cause a serious damage by delaying trains, and I have therefore devised a portable bridge to support the hose above the track and out of the way of passing trains. The hose is laid and water brought to the fire in the usual manner, and as soon as possible. Afterward the hose-bridge may be placed in position and the hose attached,wh en, by tilting the bridge, the hose is elevated as required, and this, too, without checking the flow of water through the hose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved hosebridge in an upright position, spanning arailroad-track, and supporting a fire-hose. Figs.

2 and 3 are views in perspective illustrating details of construction hereinafter mentioned. Fig. at is a viewin perspective of the hose and hose-bridge before the bridge is tilted to an upright position.

A and A are posts that are hinged, respectively, at a to the sills B, and support the crossbeam 0. Toothed sectors 12 are bolted to the sills, and engage the pinions D, that are mounted on the crankshaft (I. These shafts are journaled in suitable boxes, a, that are attached to the said posts.

Hook-braces b may be provided to hold the frame in an upright position, or this may be accomplished by locking the pinions D, as may be conveniently done by placing aclog of some kind between the teeth of a pinion and sector. The beam 0 may be hinged to one of the posts, as shown at c, and may have a band, 0, at the other end to embrace the end of the other post. F are braces with hooks f secured to one end for attaching the braces to the bridge.

The post to which the beam Cis hinged may have attached the plate E, provided with the slot 6, into which the end of the hook may onter, as a means of attaching the braces to the bridge, and the opposite post may be cut away on the outer upper corner, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the end of the hook f may pass down inside of the band 0, and thus secure the braces to the bridge. The lower ends of the braces rest on the ground, and usually brace the bridge all that is required without being fastened,although the ends of the braces might be sunk into the ground, or stakes driven at the end of the braces when necessary.

Plates G, or any projecting part suitable to hold the hose H in position, may be attached on either side of the bracesF and the beam 0, and almost anything will answer for this purpose.

In operating the device the parts are assembled in the position shown in Fig. 4, and the hose is drawn so that a sufficient amount of slack is had at'the crossing, and is placed in position between the parts G. The bridge, by operating the cranks, is then tilted to an upright position, of course carrying the'hose up with it, and without interrupting the passage of water in the hose.

A cheaper and more primitivebridge might be had by dispensing with the gearing, in which case the bridge could be raised by hand and fastened by guy-ropes, if preferred.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction shown, as

this may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of my in vention.

Vhat I claim is- 1. A portable bridgefor fire-hose, consisting,essentially,of a central frame for spanning the track and end pieces adapted to be removably secured to the opposite ends of the upper portion of said central frame.

2. A portable bridge for fire-hose, consisting, essentially, of a central frame for spanning railroad-track, said frame composed of detachable sections, and end pieces adapted to be removably secured to the opposite ends of the upper portion of said central frame, substantially as set forth.

3. A portable fire-hose bridge consisting, essentially, of a frame with the parts more or less detachable and hinged to suitable bedpieces or sills, and means for securing a firehose to the frame, and suitable mechanism for tilting the same, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bridge forsupporting fire-hose over a car-track, a tilting frame hinged to suitable bed-pieces, and the latter provided with toothed sectors, and the frame with crankshafts, and pinions mounted thereon arranged to engage the said sectors, substantially as set fort-h.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifieation, in the presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of October, 1884.

GEORGE F. CANNIFF, JR.

Witnesses:

JNo. CaownLL, Gnas. 11. Donna.

Images