US412053A - Railway time-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. WAYLAND. RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No. 412.053. Patented Oct 1. 1889;

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J. WAYLAND. A RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No. 412,053. Patented Oct. 1, 1889. v

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J. WAYLAND. RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

N0. 412,053. Patented 00$. 1, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JAMES W'AYLAND, OF NEYVARK, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY TIME-*SlGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,053, dated October 1, 1889.

Application filed December 4, 1888. Serial No. 292,650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WAYLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Time -Indicators and Danger-Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to reduce the cost of construction to simplify and reduce the number of working parts, and thus to more certainly prevent the device from getting out of order; to enable ordinary clockwork, such as is commonly found in the market, to be employed in connection with my improved device; to enable the ti me-indicatin g hari d, afterit has continued its movement for the desired time, (say one hour,) to be stopped without interfering with the regular movement of the clock; to enable the dial of the clock to be faced in any direction, so as to be more easily and clearly observed by the engineer whenever desirable; to prevent the continued vibrations of the train in passing over the track from transmitting the same to the clock-work, and to secure other advantages,

such as will be hereinafter set forth with suflicient fullness.

The invention consists in the improved time-signal and train-indicator having the arrangements and combinations of parts sub stantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the three sheets, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of a portion of the device for operating the dangensignal. Fig. etis a face view of the mechanisms for operating th e indicating=hand and dan gersign al. Fig. 5 is a section of the same, taken on line Fig. 6 is a detail view of a certain dangersignal lever, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing a certain preferred construction of the timeindicating hand and adjacent parts. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views to more fully illustrate the construction of certain clamping devices.

In said drawings, cl. indicates any suitable bed, which may be the ground or a bed specially prepared to receive the rails and parts influenced thereby.

b 1) indicate the usual railway-rails, over which the train of cars travels, and by its weight depresses the said rails, and thereby produces the movement by which the timeindicat-ing hand is operated. This said movement is transmitted to a standing bar 0, by means of a lever (Z, f ulcrumed, as at e, at any suitable point on any suitable fixture; but preferably the lever is so arranged as thatthe movement produced by the rail will be increased considerably at the opposite end of the lever. The said lever is so arranged in connection with the standing bar as that by the depression of the track the bar is raised. lhe said bar 0 is held in place in or on the clock-post fin any suitable manner; but I prefer to limit the gravitation of the bar by forming a shoulder g on the bar and providing a suitable limiting-plate h or projection in or on the post to engage the said shoulder, as will be understood. A spring maybe employed to cushion the blow of the lever d and prevent the bar 0 from. being forced too violently into engagement with the clamping mechanism. At the upper end of the bar 0, where it is in engagement with the clock, the same is provided with an inclined head or cone or wedge 1 which is round, or approximately so, in horizontal sect-ions, so as to allow of the co-operatiug parts of the clock being operated properly and effectively whether the said clock be turned on the post f to face in one direction or any other. At the base of the cone the same is given a cylindrical shape, so that while continuing to hold a proper relation to the co-operating parts it may be given undue or excessive vertical movement under the influence of the rail or the carwheel without disarranging or abnormally affecting said co-operating parts.

On the frame of the clock, as at j, Figs. 4: and 5, is fulcrumed a lever 70, which is arranged to engage the wedge or cone t' at one end, and a sliding friction-clamp Z, arranged on the hand-shaft m of the clock, as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 7. By raising the Wedge under the influence of the car, as described, the lever is turned pivotally on its bearings, so as to throw the sliding clamp from frictional engagement with the hand at, and thus the latter is free to move independent of the ordinary clock-work by which the hand-shaft is operated. The said clockwork being of any ordinary construction, such as is employed ordinarily for operating the minute-hand of a clock, it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the same, except so much as is embraced in the hand-shaft. In the preferred construction shown the lever lo,where it engages the sliding clamp Z,is forked, so as to engage the opposite sides of the sleevelike portion of said clamp. The tines or prongs of the said fork are provided with pintles 10 Fig. 8, which enter a groove in the periphery of said sleeve-like portion, so that when the lever under the influence of the cone is turned on its fulcrum or bearings the clamping-sleeve moves to or from a clamping relation to the hand.

The preferred arrangement of the frictional clamp, the indicating-hand, and hand-shaft is illustrated in Fig. 7, where the hand-shaft is shown to project through the front plate 0 of the clock-work frame, and on the same said hand-shaft is secured an extension 12, suitably recessed or formed to couple with said shaft on and turned down or reduced in diameter to form a recess or chamber (1 for a spring 0", and at the end having a head 8, which is preferably removable from the extension, which co-operates with the sliding clamp to hold the hand in fixed relation therewith, so that it will revolve or turn with the hand-shaft. The spring 1" serves to clamp the hand automatically after the pressure induced by the passage of the locomotive or car over the track has been removed. By the use of a clamp depending alone on friction for its effective operation I am able to secure a certain and instantaneously effective contact, such as is not obtained by the use of a clutch having a male and female part. The latter construction is objectionable in its application to time-signals, in that the said male and female parts do not positively coincide at the first contact, and oftentimes the said parts must wait in disengagement until the revolving part of the clutch brings the said male and female parts into coincidence, so that the male part is allowed to enter the female part, as will be understood. When the indicating-hand is in its clamped relation to the shaft m, as described, and turns under the influence of the clock-work, a weighted cord 25, connected with a drum 1/. on or secured to the hand, is Wound up on said drum, lifting the weight 1;, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Then the hand it is released from its clamped relation to the co-opera-ting parts the weight drops, unwinds the cord, and causes the hand to return to an initial position, which is preferably at twelve oclock on the dial-plate w, Figs. 1 and '7.

2 indicates a pin on the drum to which the cord may be attached. I may employ an ordinary coil-spring as an equivalent for the weighted cord, as will be evident; but I prefer the cord, in that the latter is not affected by frost and differences of temperature.

On the dial-plate is arranged a stop-pin 3, Fig. 1, which is preferably arranged at a point just back of. the initial position or 12 mark, as shown in Fig. 1. After the passage of a train and the backward movement of the hand to the said initial position under the influence of the weight and the reclamping of the hand under the influence of the spring 1", the clock-work immediately acts to turn the hand-shaft thereof and the hand coupled thereto, so that the time which has transpired since the passage of the said train is kept clearly in view and will be apparent to the engineer of a following train. Should the train following be an hour or more behind, and the indicating-hand be turned to the limiting or stop pin 3 on the dial, the said hand on engaging said pin will be stopped in its progress, and thus will not pass over the initial mark and mislead the engineer of the following train into supposing that a train is just in advance and cause him, to run his train slowly. b

I am aware that a stop project-ion serving a similar purpose has been arranged within the clock or back of or behind the dial-plate out of sight. In the present case itis arranged on the dial-plate, where it can be seen and the cause of the stopping of the hand understood, and at the extremity of the hand, Where the leverage will begreater, so that a lighter friction at the hand center may be employed.

In connection with the indicating-hand for showing the time since the passage of a train over the adjacent track, I have provided a signal 4; for indicating whether or not'the train which has passed at the time indicated by the clock is still detained or is otherwise within the block or'the well-understood limit of distance from the signal or indicator. Said signal may be operated by electricity or by mechanical connections; but for the purpose of this application I have shown partic ularly the mode of operating with mechanical means. As the car or cars pass onto the block controlled by the signal, the track is pressed down and the bar 0 rises, as described. The Wedge z bears upon an arm 5 of lever 6, pressing the same, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The said lever 6 is fulcrumed, as at 7, and is slotted, as at 8, and operates a crank 9 on IIO the signal-rod 10. Said signal-rod projects above the clock, and. is provided thereon with the usual danger-disks 11 in colors or with differently-colored lights or lanterns in any ordinary manner. As the signal-rod is turned by the lever a catching-hook 13, or other suitable catch, is raised by a catch projection 14, and then drops by gravity or under the influence of a spring 15 into holding relation to the said projection 14, holding the rod 10 and the signal controlled thereby during the progress of the train through the block or section of the track covered by the signal. As the train passes out of the block it engages suitable mechanism for releasing the signal, so that it again returns to its first position under the influence of a spring 12, which bears upon the lever 6,as indicated in Fig. 6; or the return movement may be secured in any other way.

The construction shown for releasing the signal is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, in which 16 is a depressible lever connected by wires 1?, angle sheaves or rollers, and bellcrank 18, or with any other suitable 11180113111. ism, with the said catch, so that the movement secured by depressing the lever 16 is transmitted to the catch-hook 13 to release the same from holding relation with the signal. By this construction should a train pass beyond a clock and be stopped before passing out of the block by accident or otherwise the same will be indicated at the clock, so that the two co-operate in giving information to the engineer of a second train with reference to the one next ahead.

The sliding clamp is prevented from turning on the shaft m or the extension p thereof by means of afeather or pin 20, which lies in a slot in the said c1amp,as indicated in Fig. 5.

I am aware that various detail changes may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In my improvement the signal is turned by the depr ssed rail operating intermediate mechanism and not by the wheel of the locomotive striking the end of a lever or other projecting piece of mechanism, as in signaling devices heretofore provided. Thus the danger of breakage incident'to a sudden contact is avoided.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a railway time-indicator substantially such as described, the combination, with the rail, a standard or post f, and a clock arranged thereon and having a hand clamped upon the hand-shaft of said clock, of a wedge for releasing the clamp and a vertically-movable rod carrying said wedge and connected with and operated by the rail, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a railway or time indicator, a clock having a stop projection on the dial-plate, a hand free to move independent of the handshaft, a clamp for holding the hand to the clock-work, a lever 7c, for releasing said clamp, a vertically movable wedge for operating said lever under the influence of the power exerted by the passing train, and a motor for setting the hand back to said stop when released, said parts being arranged and combined substantially as set forth. 7

3. In combination with the clock-work of a railway-signal, having a hand adapted to move independent thereof, a clamp for holding said hand to said clock-work and a vertically-movable wedge for releasing said hand, substan tially as set forth.

4. In combination, rails 11 I), lever cl, bar 0, having an incline or wedge, a clock having hand-shaftm, sliding friction clamp, and lever in, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with rails b h, lever d, incline or wedge 2 clock-work hand-shaft m, clamp Z, extension p, having head 5, spring r, and weighted cord, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination, in a combined signal and time indicator, a clock having a hand held on an extension of the hand-shaft by a friction-clamp, a lever 76, a lever 6, operating a danger-signal, and an incline connected with and operated by the track and adapted to operate both of said levers 6 and 7c, substantially as and forth'e purposes set forth.

7. In combination with the railway-rail, a lever d, engaging the said rail and receiving its depression, a rod 0, lever 6, spring-crank 9, dangensignal, and a catch controlled by the railway-train, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In combination with the vertical rod 0 and a wedge at the end thereof, levers and a revolving signal adapted to be turned by the vertical movement of the wedge, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In combination, a danger-signal, rails, a train of mechanisms for connecting said rails and signal and transmitting the movement imparted by the railway-train to said signal toturn the same to a position indicative of danger, and a catch 13, for holding said signal in the danger-indicating position, said catch being in connection with the rail, whereby it may be released by the movement imparted by the railway-train, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In combination, a danger signal, rails, a train for connecting rails and signal and transmitting the movement imparted by the railway-train to said signal to turn the same to a position indicative of danger, a catch 13, having a connection with the railway-track, and a spring for automatically restoring the signal to a normal position, substantially as set forth.

11. In a tiine signal for railways, the, combination, with a clock-work hand and a clamp for holding the same, of a cone for moving IIO said clamp in its relation to the hand, su'b-' have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of stantially as set forth. November, 1888.

12. In a time-signal for railways, the como binati0n,with a clock-work hand and a clamp 5 for holding the same, of a wedge having a Witnesses:

cylindrical base, substantially as set forth. OLIVER DRAKE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I E. L. SHERMAN.

JAMES WAYLAND.

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