US366306A - Semaphore-signal and switch stand - Google Patents

Description

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. G. CUMMINGS.

SE-M'APHORE SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND.

No; 366,306. Patented July 12,1887.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2v (No Model.) 7

A. G. CUMMINGS.

SEM-APHORE SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND. No. 366,306.. Patented July 12, 1887.

illiiflfiillllll Milli-II "will!"|I|HIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllIIHH W M'Illlt lllll Hill 1 7 is a top plan View of the base or stand. Fig.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ei rcE.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SEMAPHORE-SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,306, dated July 12, 188 7.

Application filed October 27. 1886.

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Semaphore Si nal and Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of railway-signalsin which a vertically-swinging arm or semaphore connected with a switch is used to indicate by its different positions to approaching trains the condition of the switch, whether opened orclosed.

It relates more particularly to means for opcrating the semaphore or signal arm positively and for insuring its adjustment to the danger position before the switch can be moved, and keeping it in that position until the said switch has been carried home, or to the full limit of its movement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are elevations of my signal in the positions indicating,respectively,the mainline, danger, andsiding. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the base on a larger scale, viewed from the oppositeside. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is avertical sec tion on theline 1 1, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. Fig.

8 is an elevation of the upper or signal portion of the apparatus, viewed from the same side as in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the base of the apparatus, which may be made in the form shown, or in any other suitable form, fastened securely to the cross ties or timbers of the track, and provided at the top and bottom with hearings, in which is j ournaled a vertical rotating shaft, 2, carrying at its lower end a crank, 3, to which is attached the connecting-rod for moving and holding the switch, in the usual manner.

To the upper end of the shaft 2 is fixed firmly, by apin or otherwise, acollarA, formed on one side to receiveahandlever, 5, attached thereto by a horizontal pivot, that it may drop from a horizontal to a pendent position. On

moving the lever from right to left or from left to right the shaft and crank are caused tooperatc the switch for directing the trains to the main line or siding, as the case may be. The top 6 of the base 1 is made of flat circular Serial No. 217,861. (No model.)

1 form, with notches 7 and Sin opposite sides for the lower end of an upright rod, 10, which 6 is fastened thereto by a bolt, 27, or othersuit- 4.. able means. This. rigidly-fixed rod 10 rises tot 7 asuitable heightfand supports atits upper endt t the semaphore arm or signal ll, usually pivoted to a cap or casting, 12, fixed on the rogl. The semaphore hasa longarm"extendiiig outward from the support for reading by day, and a shorter arm extending in the opposite direction and provided with openings containing the glasses of different colors, or, if preferred, with a single glass, for night signaling in connection with the stationary lantern, in the customary manner. Loosely surrounding the lower end of the rod 10 is a sleeve, 13, having in one side a vertical slot receiving the projecting side of the support or arm 9, before referred to, by which the rotation of the sleeve is prevented, although it is permitted to slide vertically. At its base the sleeve is provided with a hori- 8 zontal flange, 14, extending slightly more-than half-way around the same, this flange being flat on its under side, rounded on its upper side, and provided in one edge with a vertical notch, 15, registering with the notch 8 in the base. From the upper end of the sleeve 13 rises a tube, 17, fixed at its lower end thereto, surrounding the stationary rod l0,and connected at its top by a rod, 18, to the rear end of the semaphore. The sleeve and its connections are of such weight that when released they will overcome the weight of the arm,and,descending,lift the same to ahorizontal position indicating danger. I commonly provide the tube with a head or casting, 16, to which the rod is attached, this head-being made of conical form at its upper end and adapted to slide into an opening in the under side of the lantern-bracket 19, which latter IOC arm, 21, rising from its upper side in position to override the flange of the sleeve, and thus effect the positive depression of the sleeve and elevation of the signal-arm whenever the handlever is raised to a horizontal position.

The lever is further provided on its under side with a short arm or shoulder, 23, adapted to bear against the outer edge of the flange at the top of the base, and thus maintain the lever positively in a horizontal position whenever it is carried horizontally out of line with the notches in the base, or, in other words, whenever it stands in any position other than one of theextremes of its horizontal movement, and this for a purpose which will presently appear. The operating-lever can be depressed when opposite either of the notches 7 or 8- that is to say, when the switch is in either of its operative positions. \Vhen, however, the lever is turned horizontally to carry the switch the slightest extent from either ofits operative positions, the shoulder 23 locks thelever in its horizontal position,and thelever in turnholding the sleeve down locks the signal positively in the position indicating danger. The arm 21 engaging the sleeve sets the signal positively at danger whenever the handlever is raised in position to unlock the switch, and this before the movement of the switch can occur. Thus it is that it becomesimpossible to either unlock or movethe switch until after the signal is set to the danger position.

Projecting from the sleeve 13 is an arm, 24, with a cam-groove, 25, formed in one side, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to receive the stud 22, formed on the side of the upper arm of the hand-lever. When the lever is carried horizontally to set the switch for the siding,

, the stud enters the groove, as shown in Fig.

3, and as the lever is depressed to lock the switch the stud, acting through the camgroove, adjusts the sleeve vertically to an intermediate position, causing the signal to assume the inclined position shown in Fig. 3, indicating the fact that the switch is in position to establish the connection between the main line and siding. This it will be observed is an intermediate position of the arm between the positions indicating danger and the main line.

attached to the lower end of said rod, the stationary notched plate underlying the sleeve, the intermediate rotary switch-operating collar, and'thehand-lever pivoted to the collar and provided with arms to engage the sleeve and the underlying plate, respectively.

2. The vertical switch-operating shaft, the collar secured thereto, and the hand-lever pivoted to the collar to swing vertically and provided with arms 21 and 23, substantially such as described, in combination with the notched stationary plate cooperating with the lever, and the semaphore-operating sleeve which re ceives a rising-and-falling motion from the lever.

3. In a signal-stand, the stationary base witla flanged notched top, the rod rising therefrom and fixed rigidly thereto, the signal-arm jointed to the top of said rod, the non-rotating vertically-movable sleeve, the operating-rod extending thence to the signal-arm, the rotary collar beneath the sleeve, and the hand-lever pivoted to the collar and provided with arms to engage the base-flange and the sleeve, said parts constructed and combined for joint operation substantially as described.

4. The base having the flange with notches therein and the switch-operating shaft mounted in said base, in combination with the collar fixed to said shaft, the lever united to the collar by a horizontal pivot and provided with the under shoulder and the upper arm with a side stud, and the vertically-movable nonrotating signal-operating sleeve provided with too the notched base and the groove to receive the studof the lever.

5. In combinationwith the standard or base having the notched top flange and the upright 9,-fixed thereon, the signal-sustaining rod secured to the upright, the verticallysliding sleeve encircling the rod, and the handlever provided with an arm acting beneath the sleeve to raise it, and with a second arm riding over the flange of the sleeve to insure its descent. I

6. In combination with the vertically-movable signal-operating sleeve provided with the notched flange and the cam-groove, the vertically and horizontally swinging lever having the arm to act beneath and lift the sleeve, and the second arm to enter the camgroove, whereby the depression of the lever when in different horizontal positions will lift the sleeve different distances and place the signal in different positions.

7. In combination with the stationary rod 10, the lantern-bracket recessed in its lower end, and the signal operating tube encircling the rod and entering the recess in the bracket, whereby the bracket is caused to exclude snow and rain from the tube.

In testimony whereofI hereunto set my hand. in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

THOS. S. HARGEST, WM. H. M DDLETON.

Images