US439280A - Railroad-crossing - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. P. KUHL & G. PQLAMPE. RAILROAD CROSSING.

No. 439,280. Patented om.. 28, 1890;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. A.' I. KUHL & C. F. LAMPE.

RAILRQAD CROSSING.

` Patented Oct. 28, 11890.

me mams Pneus co., mqro-m-no., Mmmm-ou, n, c.

x. u, I..

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. I'. KUHL an c. I'. LAMPE. RAILROAD CROSSING.

No. 439,280. Patented 001;. 28. 1890.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT F. KUHL AND CHRISTIAN F. LAMPE, OF VAN IVERT, OHIO.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,280, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed July 25, 1890. Serial No. 359,868. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALBERT F. KUHL and CHRISTIAN F. LAMPE, citizens of the United States, residing at Van Wert, in the county of Van Wert and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Crossing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad-crossings and it has for its object to construct a crossing of such a nature that a large number of intersecting railroads may avail themselves of the same crossing.

f Our improved crossing is in the nature of a turn-table carrying a track-section of any desired length and equipped with means for retaining the said track-section in alignment with any one of the intersecting tracks.

The invention specifically consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved railroad-crossing. Fig. 2 is a' transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the ties 29, the sliding rods 30 and 31, and the mechanism for operating the latter. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through the adjustable track-section. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the pivoted signals or guards.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the gures.

Our improved railroad crossing may be made available as a crossing for any desired :number of intersecting railroad-tracks. In the drawings hereto annexed we have i1lustrat'ed it as applied to a crossing where five such tracks intersect, the terminals of the said tracks being designated, respectively, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and 1, 2, 3, 11, and 5. Centrally between the said termini of the said track and concentric therewith is arranged a platform 6, supporting a turn-table 7. The latter rests upon supporting wheels or rollers 8, which are journaled in suitable bearings in the base `or platform and serve to reduce friction to a minimum. The under side of the turn-table is provided with a circumferential seriesl of teeth or prongs 9, meshing with a spur-wheel 10, which is secured upon the inner end of a shaft 11, journaled in suitable bearings in a position radial to t-he turntable. Thevouter end of the shaft 11 carries a larger spur-wheel12, meshing with a smaller spur-wheel or pinion 18, which is mounted upon a shaft 14, journaled in suitable bearings in a stand or frame 15. The shaft 13 is provided at its ends with cranks 16, by means of which it may be readily manipulated to operate the turn-table.

Upon the turn-table 7, the diameterof which need not exceed eight feet, is constructed a track-section 17, which may in practice be of any desired length up to sixty feet or more..

The rails composing the said track-section are to be connected by transverse braces 1S and truss-rods 19, by which construction lightness is combined with great strength. Segmental tracks 2O are constructed concentric with the pivot ot' the turn-table, and these tracks support wheels or rollers 2l, journaled in suitable bearings upon the under side ofi the track-section 17 In the detailed construction of the device we prefer to make the turntable 7 dishing on its under side and to provide the base or platform G with a central upwardly-extending pintle 22, upon which the said turnjtable is journaled. By this construction the surfaces that come in frictional contact with each other are limited, as far as practicable. The upper side of the turn-table is provided between the rails of the track-sec-V tions 17 with a rectangular recess 23, in which is seated a plate 24, having a central opening 25, which tits over the pintle 22. The latterhas a screw-threaded recess or socket 26 to receive the securing bolt 27 under the head of which a washer 2S is arranged. This construction is exceedingly simple and inexpensive, as well as durable and efiicient. 'lhetrack-section 17 is to be connected with the turn-table detachably. It follows that when the track portion of the toothed or cogged under side of said turntable which is in engagement withthe spurwheel l0 has become worn the track-section may be loosened from the turn-table, and the latter may be partially turned, so as tocause a new and perfect toothed portion of the said turn-table to be placed in engagement with the spur-wheel l0.

The foundation of our improved railroadcrossingis provided adjacent t0 the turn-table with suitable arranged stringers and crossties to support the movable track-section during the operation of the device. Adjacent to one of the supporting-ties 29 on each side of the turn-table, and sliding in suitable bearings attached to such supporting-ties, are a pairof oppositely-sliding rods. (Designated, respectively, by 30 and 3l.) The said rods are connected by means of links 32 and 33, with oppositely-extending cranks 34C and 35 upon rock-shafts 36, the ends of which are provided with operating-levers 37, the free ends of which carry weights 3S, serving to retain them in any position to'which they may be adjusted. To the ties 29, in alignment with the terminals of the intersecting railroad-tracks, are pivoted levers 39 and 40, the lower ends of which are extended through staples 4l upon the slide-rods 30and 31, respectively. It will be seen that by manipulating the rockshaft 36 the said slide-rods are moved simultaneously in opposite directions. Vhen moved in different directions, the upper ends of the levers 39 and 40 will be lowered to a position level with the upper side of the supporting-tie 29. 'When moved in the opposite direction', the upper ends of the said levers will be extended in an upward direction. When thel former position is assumed, the track-section- 17, mounted upon the turn-table, may pass unobstructedly over the said levers. Then the ends of the said movable track-sec;- tion have been brought into alignment with the terminals of any one of the several tracks, the rock-shafts 36 are manipulated to throw the ends. of the levers 39 and 40 in an upward direction,when they will bear against the inner sides of the rails of the movable tracksection, thus locking the latter securely in the desired position.

In the foundation of the crossing, and in alignment with the terminal of the several intersecting tracks are mounted the pivoted Signal levers or guards 43, the lower ends ot' which are weighted, as shown at 44, so as to keep the said levers normally in an upright or vertical position, thus indicating to approaching trains that the crossing is open. Vhen the movable tracksection swings into alignment with the terminals of any one of the intersecting tracks, the ends of said movable track-section, engaging the said pivoted guard-levers, will depress the latter and swing them out of the way, thus removing the danger-signal from the line of track over whic travel is unobstructed.

The operation and advantages of this inventionwill be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed.

The general construction of the device is simple and inexpensive.

lVhen it is desired to swing the movable track-section from one position into another, the rock-shaf ts 36 are first manipulated to discngage the levers or catches 39 and 40 from Contact with-the ends of the swinging tracksect-ion. The shaft l-L is then rotated, thus transmitting motion to the turn-table, which is caused to rotate upon its axis until the ends of the movable track-section have been brought into alignment with the terminals of the desired line of track. The rock-shafts 36 are then restored to their former position, thus locking the movable track-section in operative position.

lVhile we have in the foregoing described what we consider to be a preferable form of'.

our invention, we desire it to be understood that we reserve the right tok any changes and modifications which maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of our` invention.

Having thus described our invention,` we claim- 1. In. a railroad-crossing, the combination of the turn-table, the track-section mounted thereon and having wheels or rollers traveling on a supplemental segmental track, mechanism for operating the said turn-table, the

y supporting-ties, the oppositely-sliding rods mounted upon said supporting-ties, the levers pivoted upon the latter and having arms extended downwardly through staples upon the said supporting-ties, the rock-shafts having cranks extending in opposite directions, the links connecting said cranks with the oppositely-sliding rods, and levers for operating the said rock-shafts, substantially as set t'orth.

2. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of the base or platform having the upwardlyextending pintle and the supportingwheels or rollers, the turn-table dished on its under side and having a rectangular recess. in its upper side, the track-section mounteddetachably upon said turn-table, they securing-plate mounted in the rectangular recess upon the turn-table, and the connecting-bolt and washer, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the turn-table, the track-section mounted thereon, the pivoted levers or catches having their lower ends extended through staples upon oppositely-sliding rods, the crank-shafts having oppositelyextending cranks, the links connecting the latter with the oppositely-sliding rods, and the operating-levers attached to the rockshafts and having weights at their free ends, substantially as set forth.

4. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the turn-table having a track-section mounted thereon, of the signal levers or guards mounted pivotally in the foundation of the crossing in alignment with. the terminals of the intersecting tracks and having weighted lower ends, said levers or guards being operated by contact with the movable track-section, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

5. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of the tu r11-table, the track-section mounted thereon, the signal levers or guards' having Weighted lower ends mounted pivotally n alignment with the terminals of the intersect ing track-sections, and means for looking the movable track-section in alignment with said terminals, substantially as set forth.

Images