US443731A - Device for actuating semaphores - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. J W STEELE DEVICE FOR AGTUATING SEMAPHORES.

No. 443,731. Patehted Dec. 30,1890.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. W. STEELE. D EVIUE FOR AGTUATING SEMAPHORES.

,7 31. Patented Dec. 30,1890.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES \V. STEELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR ACTUATING SEMAPHORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,731, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed September 6,1890. serial No. 364,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. STEELE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Device for Aotuating Semaphores, of which the following; is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a transverse sectional View of a railway-track, showing my improvement applied thereto and means for connecting the same with a semaphore. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, taken upon the line 00 13, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view taken upon the line y g Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view in detail of a semaphore and a portion of its supporting-post. Fig. 5 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 1 of a modification of said invention. Fig. 6 is a like view to that shown in Fig. 5, showing a modified form of connection with a semaphore. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing an electrical releasing device in connection with a railwaytrack, whereby the semaphore may be reversed at a distance. Fig. 8 is a side view in detail of a dog or catch for holding the lever-arm in a normal position, and Fig. 9 is a side View in detail of a modified form of catch and automatic releasing device.

Like letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

Heretofore it has been customary to operate railway semaphores, gates, and switches by means of a tripper located upon the track and in operative proximity to the car-wheels,

whereby a series of contacts is rendered necessary to actuate the semaphore or other device to the desired extent, the tripper rising abovethe track by means of a spring movement or otherwise upon the passage of each wheel. This method, as is well known, is ob j ectionable for the reason that the impacts of the wheels upon the trippers are so frequent and powerful that the trippers and their connections are soon broken.

The object of my invention is to overcome these objections; and to this end said invention consists in providing a tripping mechanism adapted to operate a semaphore gate or switch by means of a single impulse produced by the passage of the car-wheels over one or more blocks placed adjacent to and projecting slightly above the car-tracks and supported upon and connected with a system 5 5 of compound levers, whereby a single and very slight movement of the block or blocks may produce a movement at the end of the lever system sufficient to actuate a semaphore or gate to the fullest extent desired without causing undue strain upon any of the parts, all of which is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, a represents a railway-track, beneath which and opposite the semaphore are placed two long ties b, one only of which is shown in the drawings. Pref erablyupon the outside of the track and supported upon said ties I arrange one or more, but by preference two, cross-plates 0, upon which are formed lugs c, to which are attached levers d, the free ends of which rest loosely at or near the middle of the track upon a third lever e, one end of which is pivotally supported in a stirrup f, while the other 7 5 is extended outwardly and away from the track, as shown, its length being governed by the manner in which it is connected with the semaphore, as hereinafter set forth.

Formed upon or attached to the bars (I are blocks or studs g, which project upwardly therefrom adjacent to the rails, the tops of said studs projecting slightly above the top of said rails. Said studs, if attached directly to the bars d, are hinged, as at d, to permit a slight lateral movement at the top, the extent of which is limited by stops d", Fig. 1. Preferably attached to said studs are curved plates h, which, at the top of the curve, are flush with the top of said studs, said plates receding upon both sides of said studs beneath the level of the rails, and the ends of the plates being provided with tangs j, Fig.

2, which project loosely through slots a, formed in the flange of the rail. 9 5

It is obvious that in lieu of attaching the studs 9 directly to the bars d, a bar It, Figs.

5 and 6, may be extended beneath the track and caused to rest loosely upon the bars d,

the ends of said bar being bent upwardly to I00 form the studs g. I prefer this construction as being stronger and more durable.

At or near the end of the tie l) is erected a post Z, upon which is pivoted a semaphore 77!. An arm at, extending radially from the axis of the semaphore, maybe connected by means of a rod 91, either to the end of the bar 0, as shown in 1, or to an interposed secondary-lever system, as hereinafter stated. In the former case I provide a spring 0, in connection with the outer end of the lever e, to hold it up and to normally sustain the studs g above the surface of the track. Upon the passage of a train and the consequent dc pression of said, studs the free end of the lever 6 is depressed, and to prevent the spring from lifting it upon the passage of each wheel or truck I provide a lever 1), Figs. 1 and 8, having a detentp therein adapted to engage the bar e when depressed and to retain it in that position until the lever is actuated by hand to release it.

Then desirable to use a distancesignal, or, in other words, to display the semaphore until the train shall have passed to a given distance before reversing said' semaphore, I prefer to employ electrical means for releasing said bar 0, in which event I interpose a system of levers between the bar e and the semaphore. One means for accomplishing this result is shown in Figs. 0 and 7. In the former the spring 0 is shown attached to the short arm of a bent lever q, pivoted at q to a frame 0', rigidly attached to the ties. To the long arm of said bent lever is loosely connected a bar 5, attached in turn to a secondary bent lever t, pivoted within the casing t of a sem aphorc, the short arm of said lever 6 being connected with the arm m of the semaphore by means of a rod or. A spring t Fig. 0, attached to the frame, and the bent lever 1, serves to retain the latter in a normal position, as shown in said last-named figure. A spring-catch n, having a shoulder a thereon, serves to hold said lever in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, when moved to that position by the passage of a train over the studs g, until said spring is withdrawn. The release may be accomplished by means of an electromagnet 17, Figs. 0 and 7, placed near the end i of said spring, to which is attached an armature r, one terminal v of which magret is connected to a tripper 2!, Fig. 7, and the other n to an insulated contact-point it" in Opera tive proximity to a corresponding contactpoint 102, attached to the trippcr. A spring to serves to normally hold said trippcr above the surface of the track, as shown. Upon being depressed by the passage of a train, the electric circuit is closed, the arm '6" released, and the semaphore moved to its normal position, as represented in Fig. 6.

The spring 0 serves as a buffer to cushion the movement of the semaphore or gate. This feature, interposed in some part of the tem, is essential to prevent breakage and render the device durable. .I [once the movement of the lever e and that of the semaphore are not necessarily synchronous; but, owing to the inertia of the semaphore arid the quick action of the lever, the spring 0 is liable to recoil before overcoming said inertia, thereby rendering its action inert. To prevent this result and hold the spring 0 momentarily under tension, I prefer to employ the device shown in Fig. 9, in which a represents a trigger pivoted to the frame 1', as shown, and provided with a spring .2, to hold its lower end normally against a pin 6' in the end of the bar 0. A notch is formed in the end of said triggerto serve as a stop, and at the same time permit the trigger to engage with the pin when the bar 0 is depressed. The upper end of the trigger is bent outwardly, as shown at 2', and a pin r is placed in the end of the short arm of the lever q, the adjustment of said pin being such as to cause it to strike against the part 2' when the lever q shall have reached the position shown in dotted lines, thereby releasing the trigger from its engagement with the pin 6'. Thus it will be seen that the momentary detention of the lever e in a depressed position by means of the trigger serves to insure the throwing of the semaphore.

It is manifest that my improved device may not only be employed for actuating semaphores and gates, but for throwing switches or for any analogous purpose in which but a single impulse is required.

In lieu of connecting said compound-lever system directly to the semaphore or to the bent levert it may be attached to the swinging bar f shown in my patent, No. etSO,705, dated June 24-, 1890, or to any modified form of construction in which a single movement only is required to operate the semaphore.

()ne of the obvious advantages of my improved device is that the tripper is moved so slightly. This, coupled with the fact that the lever e is held normally under resilient tension and thatnone of the parts are submitted to a positive or breaking strain, while all are capable of being made of great strength, renders my improved device durable and ef- 'fective.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim- 1. A semaphore-actuating device consisting of one or more trippers in operative proximity to a iailwaytrack, a system of compound levors interposed between said trippers and a semaphore or gate, an interposed spring between said semaphore and trippers for imparting a resilient tension in operating the semaphore, and means for holding said levers in abnormal position when once depressed, whereby said semaphore maybe actuated bya single impulse imparted to the tripper, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a railway-track, of one or more trippers in operative proximity thereto, a semaphore or gate, a system of compound levers interposed between said trippers and said semaphore or gate, an interposed spring between said semaphore or gate and said trippers for imparting a resilient tension in operating the semaphore or gate, means for holding said levers in an abnormal position when once depressed, and means for releasingthe same by the action of the train upon a supplemental tripping mechanism located at an indefinite distance therefrom, and electrically connected with said semaphore, and a source of electricity, whereby the semaphore or gate may be moved into an abnormal position by the immediate passage of a train, retained in said position for an indefinite period, and reversed by means of said reached and actuated by the further passage of said train, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a railway-track, ot' the trippers or studs g, formed upon or rigidly secured to the bar 70, a pivotally-suspended system of levers for supporting said bar, a spring for holding the same inv a normal position, asemaphore or gate, and means for connecting the terminal lever of said system therewith, substantially as specified.

supplemental mechanism when l. The combination, with a railway-track and semaphore or gate, of one or more trippers in operative proximity to the track, said trippers being supported upon a system of compound levers pivotally suspended beneath the track, a spring in connection with said levers for normally holding said trippers above the track-surface, means for operatively connecting said leverage system and interposed spring with said semaphore or gate, and a trigger for temporarily holding the lever system depressed, whereby said spring may be retained under tension until the inertia of the semaphore may be overcome thereby, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specificatiomin the presence of two subsorib- 4o ing witnesses, this 29th day of August, 1890.

JAMES \V. STEELE.

Witnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, J. B. HALPENNY.

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