US417138A - Railroad-torpedo - Google Patents

Description

J. H. BEVINGTON.

RAILROAD TORPEDO.

(No Model.\

No. 417,138. Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

WITNESSES INVENTOR BY I U "I l A TT ORIVE Y JAMES II. BEVINGTON, OF BELLEVUE,

PATENT OFFICE,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEVINGTON SIGNAL COMPANY, OF FOS'IORIA, OHIO.

RAILROAD- TORPEDO.

$PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,138, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed May 10, 1887.

To all who/1t it may (Jo/worn.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. BEvINcToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellevue, county of'Huron, and State of Ohio, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroadlorpedoes, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in torpedoes constructed to be placed on railroad-tracks for the purpose of giving signals to the engineer of the passing.

train. These signals are so constructed and arranged that they will explode with a loud report as soon as the first wheel of the locor 5 motive presses upon them.

Ileretofore in the manufacture of railwaytorpedoes it has been customary to form the cartridge with an outer envelope or casing of metal, the object of such construction being to militate against moisture and to prevent the dampness from spoiling the explosive compound within it. "aThe great drawback encountered in the employment of such material has been that when the torpedo has exploded the metallic envelope will tear into sections and fl y in all directions, often doing damage to the flagmanor to other persons, and rendering life and property generally unsafe in their vicinity.

To obviate these drawbacks is the object of my present invention; and it therefore consists in the torpedo made of a mixture of any suitable explosive compound and some other suitable material-such as cementwhich can be worked in a plastic state. The torpedo will be given its shape while the two substances are thus mixed and in a plastic condition, at which time they may be molded and pressed into any suitable shapes and sizes, after which they become hardened and will constitute a torpedo suitable for railwaysignaling purposes. They also have a covering of japanning shellac or some other moisture-resisting material, so as to render them water-proof when exposed, which covering is generally applied after they are formed. A railway-signaling torpedo thus formed is much better, more economical and effective than any now in use, and the liability of ac cidents, which, as I have recited above,

Serial No. 237,738! (No model.)

constitutes a very serious drawback to the railway-torpedoes now in use, is done'away with, inasmuch as every portion of my torpedo is completely disintegrated-that is, reduced to a powder upon explosion. I also provide the torpedo with a binding-strap, which is attached thereto by having a portion embedded in the body of the torpedo while the latter is in a plastic state.

Other points of novelty and utility will be hereinafter more particularly referred to in connection with the drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a wedge-shaped torpedo constructed as above described and placed in position upon a railway-rail. Fig. 2 is a modified shape showing the binding-strap stretched out.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the torpedo, B the bincling strap, and O the rail to which the said torpedo is attached.

The portion or body A of the torpedo consists, as stated, of some suitable explosive compound mechanically but thoroughly and uniformly intermixed with a moldable binding substance, so that the whole will constitute a solid and integral mass of the same quality and density throughout, which can be worked in a plastic state and pressed into any desired shape, as that shown in the different figures of the drawings, by means of an iron or other suitable mold.

The securing-strap B may be pressed into the body of the torpedo and be held therein by the adhesion of the parts after the torpedo has become dry; or it may be fastened therein by a string or staple, or by any other suitable means of attachment. o

'Iprefer the wedge shape, as shown in the drawings, for my improved torpedo, wherein I am enabled to concentrate the bulk of the explosive compound around the center, there by increasing the effectiveness of the torpedo. By reason of the wedge shape, also, itis much less liable to be knocked oif or displaced by snow-brushes, wheels, or other appurtenances of a moving train. I am enabled, also, by

reason of the shape and structure of my tor- ICO pedo, to use a much smaller article of manufacture than any others now in use. A torpedo made as I have described will produce as loud a report: as one made twice the size in the ordinary way.

I do not claim in this application the method of making torpedoes, but simply the article; but have claimed such method in another co-pending application, serially numbered 263,091, filed on the (3th of February, 1888.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to form a torpedo of an explosive cartouch with a more highly-explosive interior, the said cartouch being formed of a nitrate mixed with a hydrocarbon, the whole constituting the explosive and being molda-ble. I am also aware that it has been proposed to mix with grains'of powder a fluid which, when the powder is compressed, serves to hold the grains together to form a cake; but these all differ from my improved torpedo in the following among other important and vital features: It has not been before proposed to mix with a substance in itself an explosive a plastic compound or material which produces a substance which may be molded and will harden in a compact mass, giving the pro duct a characteristic structure less explosive, of uniform quality and density, capable of resisting wear, rough treatment, and other things incident to the use for whichmy improvements are intended,the whole being entirely disintegrated and reduced to powder upon explosion. In the old method of mixing one ingredient of an explosive with another, which make together the explosive, and forming a cartouch thereof with an interior of highly-explosive material, a disadvantage is seen in that the exterior would be shattered by the first interior explosion, and an effect produced which it is the main object of my invention to overcome. My torpedoes are to be used without any shell or exterior portion harder or less explosive than the interior, and will burn equally throughoutwhen exploded. The idea of sticking grains of powder together with mucilage would obviously not serve the purpose of my present invention. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A torpedo for railway and other purposes, consisting of an explosive compound and a binding material suitably intermixed and molded and provided with a water-proof covering and a securing-strap, as shown and described.

2. A torpedo for railway and other purposes, consisting of an explosive compound and a binding material suitably intermixed and molded and provided wit h a binding strap or cord embedded in the torpedo, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A torpedo constructed essentially for-railroad purposes and consisting of an explosive compound suitably mixed with the binding material and shaped in such a way that an increased portion of its volume will be centralized, the torpedo being provided with tapering ends, so as to alford little resistance to the tread of the locomotive-wheels, and provided with a water-proof covering and a bindingstrap, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JAMES H. BEVINGTON.

Vitnesses:

M. B. STOUT, J. M. BEvER.

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