US393017A - lewis - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. O. LEWIS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 393,017. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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TRUMAN C. LEWVIS, OF DELAWARE, OHIO.

YRAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,017, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed May 18. 1858.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TRUMAN G. Lewis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delaware, in the county of Delaware and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in railway-signals; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more 'fully set forth hereinafter, and partieularly'pointed out in the claims.

This invention is an improvement on the railway-signal for which Letters Patent of the United States, N o. 37 8,451,were granted to me February 28, 1888; and the object of my invention is to provide a simple device which can be conveniently operated by a telegraphoperator from his office, day or night, to signal the approaching trains the condition of the road ahead in regard to each other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a railway-signal cmbodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is partly a horizontal sectional view of the same and partly a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line w m of Fig. 2.

A represents an elliptical inclosing-case, which has an opening in one side from which projects a tubular arm or bracket, 13, the inner end of which is turned downward and secured to a suitable support in the office of the telegraph-operator 0r stationkeeper, the inclosing-case being thereby arranged outside of the office and in proximity to the track in the position where the signal displayed therefrom may be readily distinguished by engineers of approaching trains. In the vertex of the supporting tubular arm or bracket 0 is journaled a guiding-sheave, D.

E represents a vertical shaft, which is jour naled in bearings formed in the upper and lower sides of the case at one end of the same. That portion of the shaft which extends through the case is squared, and on the same is fitted a cylindrical sleeve, F, the ends of which bear against the upper and lower sides of the case. At the upper end of the said sleeve is an arm, G, which projects at right angles therefrom.

H represents a coiled spring, which is ar- Scrial No. 274,308. (No model.)

ranged on the sleeve F, has its upper end hearing against one side of the arm G, and has its lower end connected firmly to one side of the case near the bottom thereof, as shown. The function of this spring is to normally turn the shaft E so that the arms G come in contact with the front side of the case. The shaft E extends upward from the case for a suitable distance, and is provided on one side with a horizontal arm or bracket, I, in the outer end of which is a circular opening, which is covered by a disk, K, of colored glass. The said glass will he usually red, that being the color employed in railway-signaling to indicate danger. To the upper end of the shaft E is secured a flag or signal-arm, L, which is arranged in line with the arm I, and is painted red on its outer side and white on its inner side.

M represents a vertical shaft,whieh is journaled in suitable bearings in the top and bottom of the case near the opposite end thereof. The upper end of the said shaft extends above the ease, and has a horizontal arm, N, which is similar to the arm I and arranged in the same horizotal plane, and is likewise provided at its outer end with a circular opening covercd by a disk, 0, of red glass. The lower end of the shaft M extends downward below the case A, and is provided with a signal flag or arm, I", which is similar to the flag L, and is painted on one side red, and white on the opposite side. When the arms or flags P and L are parallel with each other, their white sides are presented in opposite directions.

- On the shaft M, at that portion thereof which is inclosed in the case, is secured a cylindrical sleeve, R, which has an arm, S, at its lower end. A coiled spring, T, is arranged on the sleeve R, and has its upper end bearing against one side of the arm S and its lower end connected to one side of the case near the top thereof, the function of this spring being to normally turn the shaft M so that the flag 1 and arm M are arranged parallel with the flag and arm on the shaft E.

Attached to the arms of the cylindrical sleeves are operating-cords U, which extend through the tubular bracket arm over the sheave D, and have their lower ends arranged within the office of the operator in convenient reachingdistanceaudprovidedwithhandlesV.

A suitable lamp or lanternsuch as is com- ICO monly employed for signaling purposes-is supported by a suitable device (not shown) midway between the colored disks 0 K, so that the rays of light from the said lantern or lamp will shine through the said coloreddisks and indicate danger to approaching trains at night, the flags L P being visible by day and also indicating danger to approaching trains.

When the track is clear for a train approaching the station from either direction, the operator grasps the cord attached to the operating-arm of the shaft nearest the train and draws downward on the same, so as to turn the said signal-shaft and the flags and arms thereon to a position parallel with the track, and thereby exhibiting the White lightby night, by reason of the colored disk being moved from the light, and exhibiting the White or safety side of the other flag by day, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination, in a railway-signal, of the inclosing-case, the vertical shaft E,j0urnaled therein and extending above the case, said shalt having the arm I and the signal flag or arm L at its upper end, the vertical shaft M,journaled in the case and extending above P at its lower end, the sleeves secured to the shafts and bearing between the upper and lower sides of the case, said sleeves having the operating-arms, the springs arranged on the said sleeves connected thereto at one end and having their oppositeends connected to a fixed point, and the operating-cords attached to the operating-arms, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a railway-signal, of the inclosing-case,the shafts journaled therein and carrying the signals, the sleeves secured to the shafts and bearing between the upper and lower sides of the case, said sleeves hav-' ing the operating-arms, the springs arranged on the said sleeves connected thereto at one end and having their opposite'ends connected to a fixed point, and the operating-cords attached to the operating-arms, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

TRUMAN O. LEWIS.

\Vitnesses:

L. P. LEWIS, FRANK A. KAUFFMAN.

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