US523257A - Railway-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

4' Sheets-Sheet 1. iH. MCL. ABERNBTHY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented July 1'7, 1894..

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. MCL. ABERNETHY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented July 1'7, 1894.

@vih/wom wm 22;@ M., f @tiem/wfg@ (No Model.) @Sheets-'Sheet 3'. H. MCL. ABERNETHY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Ne. 523,257. Patented July 17, 1894.

L J L I jill I 4 Sheets--Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

H. mm Rm ES BY A.W LH 0A MR H..

No. 523,257.v

Patented July 17, 1894.

' UNITED STATES;

PATENT ()EEICE HARRY vMCLEAN ARERNETIIY, OE NEWARK, (OHIO.

RAI LWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,257, dated July 417, 1894.

Application mea March 20. 1893.

Tol a/ZZ whom zit-may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY MCLEAN ABER- NETHY, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe city of Newark, county of Licking, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in semaphore signaling devices of that general class in which a danger signal is normally displayed, and its particular object is to provide the signal with an alarm situated at any desired point and which will sound continuously when the character of the signal is changed, the alarm preferably continuing until the dangersignal is displayed.

A further object of my invention is to simplify and improve the various details of construction of such a device as more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is an elevation of the upper portion of asemaphore signal, also illustrating the operating devices at the tower or signal station and the connections between such tower or signal station and the semaphore. Fig. 2 is'a sectional elevation on the line 2--2,Fig. 3, of the signaling lamp. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the lamp structure. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the burner and oil receptacle of the lamp. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the operating device and alarm. Fig. Sis'an end elevation of the operating devices in the tower or signal station. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a detail of construction. Fig. 10`

is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating the manner of mounting the operating levers at the signal tower. Fig. 11 is a side view of one of the operating levers, illustrating in section the means for securing the same to the signal post. Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are views of details of construction which will be referred to more specifically hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a semaphore post of any approved construction, situated at any convenient point on the road so that the signal displayed may be readily seen by the trainmen and having its sig- Serial hlm/66,764. (No model.)

naling devices connected by suitable operating rods to a signal tower or station B.

The upper end of the post A is provided with a suitable lamp C having colored lenses so arranged as to alter the color of the lights in accordance with the alteration in position of the semaphore arms D, D, so as to provide for the display of a signal during either night or day.

Referring iirst to the lamp, d, a represent suitable end castings provided with tapered annular flanges a2, over which the cylinder .casing o of the lamp is fitted, the end sections being drawn toward each other by boltscand drawing the tapered flanges c2 within the cylindrical casing until the parts fit snugly together; immediately below this cylindrical' casing is a chamber formed by` a casing cl which serves with the cylindrical casing to protect the colored lenses as they are moved out of the path of the lamp rays, and extending centrally through both casings is the cylindrical chamber E, open at its lower end and adapted to receive the lamp proper E; the construction of the latter being more clearly shown in Fig. 6, and comprising a cylindrical body provided with an upper flange e, in which are cut diametrioally-opposite slots e and near this lower portion is provided, on lines at right angles to these slots, with lugs e2; the Iiange e being adapted to rest upon a shoulder f within the casing of the chamber D and the lugs e2 being adapted to rest against the sides of the easing, in order to steady the lamp within the casing and ,prevent lateral movement of the same, the relative arrangement ofl the supporting devices is such that when the lamp is inserted in the lower end of the chamber E and turned part way around, its iiange e will rest ,upon'the lugs f and the lugs e2 will extend to the casing and prevent the displacement of the lamp.

On the diametral line of the case b two openings g are made in the casing E, the openings being directly in line with converging re iectors G extending to openings formed in the heads a, c', and being secured to and carried by said heads; the inner ends of the reflectors are at a sufficient distance from the casing E to provide for the ready entrance between the two of the lens frame H, which is mounted upon a shaft h adapted to suitable bearings in the opposite end frames a, ot' and which may also be provided with securlng devices to take the place of one of the holding rods or bolts c. p

. The device as herein illustrated and described is double, so that signals may be displayed from both ends of the lamp casing, and to that end two lens frames I-I are provided, each carrying a red lens 72,2 and a green lens h' the normal position of the lens being that illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l, with the red lens h2 directly in line with the opening g in the casing E, showing a red light, while if moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, a green lens h' will be exposed, signaling caution, and if moved farther to the position shown in Fig. 3, the light is clear and indicates that the track is clear.

Immediately below the end frames a, a', are opposite end frames i, i', in which are formed suitable bearings for shafts I, I', which carry the semaphore arms D, the latter being provided, as more fully set forth hereinafter, with segments t2, i2, intermeshing with each other so that the movement of one will effect a corresponding movement of the other.

Intermeshing with one of the segments i2 is a segment t3, mounted upon one end of the shaft h, and also mounted on the shaft I is an arm t4, to which is hung a weight t5, by means of a link t6, the weight being sufficient to normally keep the semaphore arms extended as shown byfull lines in Fig. l; and to keep the lens frame up with the red lens in front of the reflectors so as to display the red light.

The lamp structure as a whole is supported on top of the post A by means of suitable supporting arms .I extending from the frames t', t" to the reduced upper end of the post, which is provided with a clamping collar j extending around both the rods J and the upper end of the post, and serving to securely hold the rods in position, while to protect the segments and other operating parts which might otherwise be exposed to the weather, I provide suitable shields K, having their upper ends so shaped as to' fit partway around the casing and extending over and shielding the exposed parts of the mechanism.

In order to provide for the ready attachment of the semaphore arms with a View to simplify the construction, I preferably make each of the segments 2in a single piece with a fastening plate D provided at its opposite edges with suitable turnedup anges D2 which may t over the ends of the semaphore arms and hold the latter firmly in position, thus dispensing with the usual expensiveconnections commonly in use; and if desirable the counterbalancing weight may be cast in a single piece with the semaphore segment and fastening plate, thus dispensing with the eounterbalancing weight t5 on the shaft I.

Ata point some distance below the top of the post A, or it may be at the extreme end of such post, is secured a plate L provided with a projecting stud or screw bolt Z, on which is mounted a lever provided with arms Z', Z2, Z3, Z", the arms Z', Z4 being connected, respectively, to the opposite ends of the levers m, keyed to the shaft I, and the opposite ends of the levers Z2 and Z3 being connected, re-` spectively, to the ends of a lever or casting n, having four arms 1t', n2, nm, the arms n2 and n3 being connected, respectively, to the arms o', 02, of the operating lever O, keyed to a shaft O', mounted in suitable bearings in a supporting frame T in the signal tower or station. As shown in Figs. 1, l0, 11 and l2 the four armed lever has two of its arms in different vertical planes from the other two.

The rods which serve to connect the various arms of the levers described are of a charaeter more clearly illustrated in Figs. 13 to 16, inclusive, and comprise opposite connecting plates Q, Q', situated at each end of the connecting bar R, each plate being provided with an enlarged or thickened end-portion, in which is formed a slot q of a character more clearly shown in Fig. 13, and extending from the end of the plate up to and around the connecting bolt q', which serves .to hold the ends of the clamping plates in position, it being observed, however, that enough metal is left between the bolt and the slot to prevent any contact of the rod R with such bolt, and

as the opposite ends of this rod are shaped to correspond to the slot, it is merely necessary to place the ends of the rods in position in the slots and clamp the two plates together by means of the bolt q', forming a perfectly rigid and tight bar from pivot point to pivot point of the levers m, and Z', Z4, and by manufacturing the levers in a single piece, I can produce them much more rapidly and economically and, at the same time, any varying of the position which the leversw might otherwise assume is avoided and the expense of fitting is lessened.

The frame T in which is mounted the shaft or bolt O is preferably provided with a circular face r, and at s, s this face is notched to arrest the movement of the operating lever R', which is secured to said shaft, and isprovided with a hinged pawl t adapted to engage with such recesses. The normal position of this lever is that illustrated in Fig. l, the weight t5 holding all of the parts as shown in said figure, with the red light exposed, the semaphore arms on the horizontal line, as shown in Fig. 1. This lever mayhave assumed a vertical position when the device is secured to the iioor.

It will be seen that when the operator moves the lever R' up, the arrangement of levers and their connecting rods is such that by the time the pawl t arrives at the first notch, s, the semaphore arms will have assumed the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the lens frame H will have assumed the position shown in Fig. 2, exposing a green light and signaling caution; a still further movement of the lever R or until the pawl t engages I OAO IIO XIS

with the notch, s', will cause the movement of the lens frame to the position shown in Fig. 3, exposing a clear white light, and, at the same time, the semaphore arms will have dropped to a vertical position, signaling the engineer to proceed. It is necessary, however, in changing these signals, that the operator remain at the operating lever, at all times, as in the event of his leaving it the weight i5 will immediately return all ot' the parts to the position shown in Fig. l, displaying the danger signal, and it is in order to prevent the operator securing the operating lever at safety or caution signal that my invention particularly is made. To this end, thereforefthe operating lever R is provided with a projecting portion in the form of a toe u which passes into the path of a spring n secured to the frame-work and forming one terminal of an electric circuit which is energized by a battery V; the opposite terminal of this circuit is formed by a looped contactpiece fu secured in any suitable manner to the frame, and so arranged that the movement of the lever R', eitherto displaya caution or safety signal, will immediately cause these two springs to be brought into contact, coinpleting the circuit and energizing the magnets of an ordinary form of electric bell W, situated either in the tower, signal station, or at any other convenient point, Where due notice will be given that the operator has moved the danger position, and this alarm will continue and warn the operator, or other persons, that the signal is being held open and will, to a great extent, prevent any inattention on the part of the-operator,`or malicious displacement of the signal by unauthorized persons, as a continuous alarm will be given as long as the operatingleveris away from its normal position.

. The alarm is preferably in an electric circuit as this is the most advantageous and cheapest form, but it will be understood that any other form of alarm may be employed, such, for instance, as a clock-work or pneumatic or other power-actuated alarm, or the alarm may be made simply by the movement of the lever striking the gong, and may be continuous or intermittent, as desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- l. In a semaphore railway signal apparatus, the combination With the operating lever provided with a projecting arm, of an electric alarm bell located in a circuit having the contact points in the path of the said arm so that the circuit will be closed and the alarm sounded whenever the l'ever is moved from its normal position, substantially as described.

2. In a semaphore or similar signal normally displayed at danger, the combination of the signal operating device, a lever for operating the same, withan alarm adapted to be brought in to action by saidlever when the position of such signal is changed from normal, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a sempahore or similar signaling device, of an operating lever adapted to control the position of such signals, and an alarm bell, an electric circuit in which said bell is placed and contact points so situated as to bo operated upon by the lever to complete the circuit when such operating levers are moved from normal position, substantially as specified.

Ll. The combination, of the semaphore post, a lantern supported thereby, a lens frame, lenses therein adapted to be brought into the path of the light, a shaft carrying said lens frame, semaphore arms, shafts carrying the same, intermeshing segments mounted upon said shafts, a segment mounted upon the lens frame shaft and intermeshing with one of the semaphore segments, and operating levers connecting one of said semaphore shafts to an operating device,substantially as specified.

5. In a railway signal device, the covering for the lamp and lens mechanism consisting of the opposite end frames, tapered annular flanges thereon, a casing surrounding said flanges, and devices for securing the end frames together, substantially as specified.

6. In a signal apparatus the light mechanism consisting of the end frames, the reiiectors carried thereby, a cylindrical casing between vsuch end frames, a lamp', and lens frames adapted to be moved between the lamp and the inner ends of the reflectors, substantially as specitied. Y

'7. In a signal apparatus, the light mechan- IOC ism comprising the end frames having refieci tors secured thereto, an annular casing between said frames, a casing extending vertically through said annular casing supporting a lamp and provided with central openings on either side of said lamp, and lens frames located between the reflectors and the openings in the vertical casing, substantially as specied.

8. In a railway signaling device, the combination of a signal post, frames supported thereon, a lamp carried by said frames, a shaft extending longitudinally through lthe casing surrounding said lamp to which is adapted a gear segment and lens frame, ashat't to which is secured the semaphore arm, and connect- -ing devices between the semaphoreand operating lever, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Witnesses:

ALBERT PorKINs, Jas. L. SKIDMORE.

IIO

Images