US387435A - mills - Google Patents

Description

(.Nd Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

M. B. MILLS.

GATE. No. 387,435. Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

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M. B. MILLS.

GAT-E. No. 387,435. Patented Aug.A 7, 1888.

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. GATE. No. 387,435. Patented Aug. '7, 1888.

UNITED STATES muon.

PATENT GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3237,435, dated August l7I 1888.

Application filed April 17, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER B. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the class of gates commonly employed at railroad-crossings, and comprising, broadly stated, vertically-swinging arms supported on posts and connected in a manner to cause the movement of one in one direction to produce the movement of the other simultaneously and equally in the opposite direction,whereby the effect of wind, unequal friction of parts, and the like, is counteracted and the arms actuated uniformly to open or close the gates.

The motive power which I prefer to employ for actuating my present improved gate is airpressure, either pressure for both raising and lowering the arms or airpressure to actuate them for one of the said purposes and exhaust to produce the opposite movement. The mechanism I employ, however, as will be seen, 'admits readily of the operation of the gate-arms byother means-as by lever mechanism.

Air-pressure being, as aforesaid, the preferred medium for operating the swinging arms, I show in the accompanying drawings mechanismfor utilizing it,and confine the description hereinafter contained,with reference to the construction shown, to air pressure mechanism.

One'of the main objects of my present invention is to improve upon the construction of the gate shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 381,159, granted on the 17th day of April to myself and Frank WV. Mills, by making more compact the mechanism below the surface of the ground and connected with the gate-'arms to produce their movements. This I accomplish by adapting the posts to receive arm-actuating levers corresponding with the bellcranks in the aforesaid patent.

Another object is to produce improved means for tying the gatearms overhead and connecting them with the underground actuating mechanism, and a further object is to afford generally improved mechanism for opv erating the gate-arms.

Serial No. 270.914. (No model.)

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly broken, of my improved gate; Fig. 2, a broken sectional view showing by full and dotted lines the construction ot the underground actuating mechanism and of one gate-arm post with the adjacent post for one end ofthe overhead tie, and by dotted lines the construction of the bell-crank engaged by the underground mechanism and engaging with the cog-Wheel on the shaft of the other gatearm, and also the segmental rack for the opposite end of the overhead tie, the whole presenting diagrammatically my improved construction; Fig. 3, an edge elevation of a post, showing its construction with the gate-arm removed; and Fig. 4 a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 through the chambered side of a post and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

In all gates employing underground mechanism for actuating the swinging arms it is necessary, to insure reliability in the operation, to provide against access to the movable underground parts of water, thus to avoid impediment to their movements by the formation of ice in contact with them in cold weather.

In the present instance I accomplish the de sired result by the following means:

A and A are posts supporting swinging arms B and B', and formed each in two parallel parts, r and r', the former comprising a plate or flat bar, preferably of metal and ofthe form shown-that is to say, having parallel lateral edges throughout the part which extends above theground, which may be'rounded transversely at its upper end and flaring laterally throughont the portion which is embedded in the ground, a strengtheningbead being provided around the edges of the bar and across the face of the non-flaring part, as shown, to increase the strength, and a chamber, q, Fig. 3, is let into the face and extends beyond the rear side of the flaring portion, and is covered by a cap, q', which is bolted against the shoulders at the sides of the opening to the chamber. rlhe other bar, r', is the exact counterpart of that already described, except that it has no chamber q, and consequently no capV g', but is fiat throughout on both sides. The two parts r and r are embedded in the ground at their daring bases closely enough together to admit the rear portion of a gate-arm between them and parallel to each other, and a rod or shaft,

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p, which carries and moves with the gatearm, connects the two bars `r and r near their npper ends. A rod, p, forming a stop for the gatearm when up, extends between the two parts of the post in proper position near their inner edges.

C is a collapsible receiver, such as is shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent, embedded in the ground, as shown, and comprising a diaphragm,o, in a case,o,whieh communicates by a pipe, o, with a suitable air-punip, (not show 11,) and is open on its side facing the gatei post in line with the chamber q, to which it is connected by a tube or conduit, a, in sections, as shown, coupled by a T-joint, a, provided in the base with a screw-plug, a2, which affords aseat for a roller or pulley, a3, within the joint a'. A similarly*constructed tube, n, eX` tends from the opposite side ofthe chamber q, in linewith the tube a, andforms, practically, a continuation ofthe latter, and it is closed at its outer end. A rod, m, extends from the diaphragm o, to which it is secured at one end, through the tubes or conduits n n* and intervening chamber q, which is connected with the tubes by watertight joints, Fig. 2, and the rod is supported and guided on the pulleys a. Expansion of the diaphragm o moves the rod m longitudinally in one direction, and with the collapse of the diaphragm the rod moves or is moved in the opposite direction.

Each post A and A may, as shown in Fig. l, be provided with all the mechanism thus described, when one collapsible receiver is provided to move the rod m of one postin one direction and another to move that of the other post in the opposite direction, the contents of one receiver being exhausted with the expansion of the other, though (as will appear from the further description hereinafter contained, and so obviously that it does not requireillus' tration,) one conduit a a and rod m may eX- tend through the chambers q of both posts from a single collapsible receiver, (thus connecting the gatearms by an underground tie,) which would then serve by its expansion to actuate the rod m in one direction, and by its collapse, with the exhaustion of its pneumatic contents, or a portion thereof, to move the rod in the opposite direction. A suitable lever, however, could be used in the instance last described for actuating the rod.

Whether the construction shown or either of the constructions last suggested be ein ployed, the mechanism I employ with it on the gate-posts, and hereinafter described, remains the same and is as follows: Within the chamberqoi'each post A and A is arock-shaft, Z, having its bearing in the rear wall of the chamber, through and beyond which it ex- Itends, Fig. 3, and to the rock-shaft is keyed an arm, k, bifureated at its lower end, and preferably on both sides thereof, as shown in u Figs. Zand 4, where it embraces the rod m and engages with pins m,projecting from opposite sides of the rod. To the end of the shaft l, which projects beyond the rear wall of the chamber q in the post A, is keyed an arm, t', provided at its upper end with a segmental rack, h. The arms 7c and i, as will be seen, form, practically, a bell-crank lever, D, one arm of which is within the chamber q and the other arm without the same, as in the aforesaid Letters Patent. The arm i, which extends upward from the shaftl between the parts r and r ofthe post A, is slightly bent toward the rear face of the part r, to bring its segmental rack portion in line with a rotary pinion, g, supported on the post directly below the cogwheelf, secured on the shaft p,to move the latter or with it. And the cogwheelf, for a purpose hereinafter described, may be reduced in diameter around the portion of its periphery with which the pinion fengages. The post A is provided with an arm, k, and a rockshaft, Z, exactly like the corresponding parts on the post A, and also constituting, substan tially, a bell crank, D; and, also, with an arm, i, having a segmental rack, h', at its upper extremity, which engages with a regular cog-wheel, f', on the shaft p, supporting the arm of the gate-post A'. The arms i and t" are pivotally supported at the shafts Z on the same horizontal plane, and the shafts p are likewise on the same horizontal plane, so that the arm i', to engage at its segmental rack h directly with the eog-wheelf, must be longer than the arm z', the segmental rack hon which reaches only to the pinion g, the dilferencein the lengths being equal to one-half the diameter of the pinion. At the outer sides of the posts A and A are rigid posts E and E forthc overhead tie, as high as municipal requirement necessitates, provided near their upper ends with-double bell-cranks F and F', pivoted in place at the point where the three arms converge, and having opposite arms, e and c', connected from post to post by cables, wires, or the like, d and d', which cross each other, and the rear arms, 6"", of the bell-cranks have pivotally connected to them rods c extending and pivotally attached to the rear ends ofsegmental racks b, pivoted to the posts E and E and engaging with the cog-wheelsf and f.

The operation is as follows: As the device is illustrated in Fig. 1, air-pressure introduced into the collasible receiver G at the left-hand side expands the diaphragm, whereby the rod m, connected with it, is moved forward and turns the bell-crank D in a direction to produce, `through the segmental rack h', turning of the cogwheel f in the same direction. This effects the lowering of the gate-arm B. The cog-wheelj" turns the adjacent segmental rack bin the opposite direction, and by the connection of the rear end of the latter, through the cross-connected bell-cranks F and F and rod c with the corresponding end of the segmental rack b on the post E, the cog-wheel f is moved in a direction opposite that in which the cog-wheel f moves, thus also lowering the arm B simultaneously with the arm IlO B. --The cog-wheelf, through-the pinion g l and segmental rack h, turns the bell-crank D in a direction which moves the rod m which it engages toward the collapsible receiver Cat the right, the diaphragm of which is permit-ted to collapse by exhausting the air from behind it through the pipe o2. The air-pump may be provided with an ordinary three-way cock, having an exhaust-aperture for leading the air pressure into one receiver C, while it permits the escape of that previously introduced into the other receiver. To raise the gatearm, the diaphragm of the receiver C at the right-hand side in Fig. l is actuated by the introduction of air-pressure, when the parts whose operation has just been stated move in directions opposite those described. Of course where a single receiver C or lever is employed, as hereinbefore suggested, the operations of raising and lowering the gate-arms are substantially the same as where two receivers C are used, though without requiring the arms to be tied overhead. By interposing the pinion g between the cog-wheel f and segmental rack 7L the movements of the rods m, which are necessarily simultaneous in the samedirection, produce movements of the cog-wheelsfandf' in opposite directions, and the interposition of the pinion necessitates shortening of the arm t' and reduction of the diameter of the cogwheel f, to cause the sweep of the arm i to move the said cog-wheel the same distance that the longer arm, the rack h' on which, owing to its greater sweep, is longer than the rack h moves the cog wheel f The same result may obviously be attained by lowering the shalt Z of the arms i and k,- but as this would entail a change in the pattern of the post A, involving additional expense and tending to produce mistakes by the workmen who erect the gates, it is not desirable.

Where a single gate-arm is used to form the barrier, the construction of cog-wheel f' and bell-crank D', (shown in Fig. 2,) may be used with advantage, when the arm k would of course engage with the horizontally-reciprocating rod m.

I do not coniine myself to the employment of collapsible receivers C as the medium for operating my improved gate by air-pressure, for, as is quite obvious, other means-sucli as ordinary pistons and air-cylinders-may be employed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gate, the combination of a post having a chamber in its base embedded in the ground and supporting a swinging arm having a cog-wheel upon its shaft, a horizontallyreciprocating rod extending through the chamber and incased against the access to it of water, and abellcrank having one arm within the chamber engaging with the rod and its other arm without the chamber, and provided at its extremity with a rack` engaging with the cog-wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a gate, the combination of a post formed oftwo bars, r and r' ,embedded attheir bases in the ground, a water-tight chambenq, on the bar r, a swinging arm supported between the said bars on a shaft carrying a cogwheel, a horiZontally-reciproeating rod, m,ex tending through the chamber q and inclosed beyond the chamber in a water-tight conduit containing rollers n3, and a bell-crank having one arm within the chamber engaging with the rod and its other arm without the chamber, and provided at its extremity with a rack engaging with the cog-wheel, substantially as described.

3. In a gate, the combination of a post formed of two bars, r and 1*',embedded at their bases in the ground, a water-tight chamber, q, on the bar i', a swinging arm supported between the said bars ou a shaft carrying a cogwheel, a horizontally-reciprocating rod, m,ex tending through the chamber q and inclosed beyond the chamber in a water-tight conduit formed in sections connected by T-joints u', having plugs n2 in their bases supporting rollers n3, and a belicrauk having one arm within the chamber engaging with the rod and its other arm without the chamber, and provided at its extremity with a rack engaging with the cog-wheel, substantially as described.

4. In a gate having posts supporting vertically-swinging arms tied together overhead to cause the rise or fall of one arm to raise or lower simultaneously the other, the combination of posts A and A', having chambers q in their bases embedded in the ground and supporting swinging arms B and B', cog-wheelsf andf on the axes of the arms,a pinion,g,engaging with the cog-wheelf, horizontally-reciprocating rods m, extending through the chamber in the posts incased against the access to them of water, bell-cranks D and D', having arms k in the chambers,engaging with the rods m, and having their other arms without the chambers and provided at their extremities with racks h and h', respectively engaging with the pinion g and cog-wheelf,and collapsible receivers C, connected with the rods m and communicating with a suitable air-pump, substantially as described.

5. In a gate having posts -supporting vertically-swinging arms tied together overhead to cause the rise or fail of one arm to raise or lower simultaneously the other, the combination of posts A and A', having chambers g in their bases embedded in the ground, and supporting swinging arms B and B', a cog-wheel, f', on the axis of the arm, a cog-wheel,f, re-

duced in diameter throughout a portion of its periphery on the axis of the other gate-arm, a pinion, g, engaging with the cog-wheel f, horizontally-reciprocating rods m, extending through the chambers in theposts andincased against the access to them of water, bell-cranks D and D', having arms k in the chambers, engaging with the rods m, and having their other arms without the chambers and provided at their extremities with racks h and h', respect- IOO IIO

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ively engaging with the pinion g and cog- Wheel f,and collapsible receivers @,eonnected with the rods m. and communicating with a suitable air-pump, substantially as described.

G. In agate having vertically-swinging arms on posts, the combination, with the arms and posts, of cog-Wheels on the axes of the arms, posts E and l', respectively adjacent to the gate-posts, and racks b, pivotal] y supported on the posts E and E', and respectively engaging With the said cog-wheels and connected over head to cause the rise or fall of one gatearrn to raise or lower the other, substantially as described.

7. In agate having verticallyswinging arms on posts, the combination, with the arms and posts, of cog-Wheels on the axes oi' the arms,

postsE and E', respectively adjacent to the gate-posts, racks b, pivotall y supported on the postsE and E' and respectively engaging with the said cog-Wheels, double beltcrauks F and F', pivoted on the posts E and E', near their upper ends,and having their arms e2 connected with the racks b, and cables d and d, crossing each other and connecting opposite arms e and e' of the belle-ranks, substantially as described.

8. A gate comprising, in combination, posts A and A', having chambers q in their bases, embedded in the ground and snpportingswinging arms B and B', cogwheclsf andf on the axes of the arms, a pinion, g, engaging with the cog-wheel f, horizontally reciprocating rods m, extending through the chambers in the posts and incased against the access to them of Water, bell-cranks D and D', having arms k in the chambers,engaging with the rods mand having their other arms Without the chambers and provided at their extremities with racks h and h', respectively engaging with the pinion g and cog-Wheel f collapsible receivers C, connected with the rods m and communicating with a suitable air-pump, posts E and E', respectively adjacent to the gate-posts, and racks b, pivotally supported on the posts E and E and respectively engaging with the cog-wheelsf andf, and connected overhead to cause the rise or fall of one gate-arm to raise or lower the other, substantially as described.

MORTIMER B. MILLS. In presence of- J. W. DYRENFORTH, W. H. DYRENFORTH.

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