US662549A - Semaphore-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

No. 662,549.. Patented Nov. 27, I900.

VJ. S-HUECBAFT.

SEMAPHORE OPERATING MECHANISM. (Application filed June 23, 1900.)

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lhvrrnn STATES PATENT @FHQE.

JUDSON SHOECRAFT, OF ESKRIDGE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES C. GARDINER, OF BRADFORD, KANSAS.

SEMAPHORE-OPERAJTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,549, dated November 27, 1900. lApplieation filed June 23,1900- Serial No. 21,375- (No modelf ated railway-signals, and more particularly to that class known as semaphore-signals, the object of the invention being to provide a block-signal-operating mechanism wherein the semaphore will be set at dangefi when the track is obstructed or should the mechanism become out of order at any stage of its operation or while in the safe position. In mechanism of this class it is highly important that the semaphore may indicate the condition of the apparatus as well as of the track, and in the present construction if the circuit which operates the semaphore-retracting motor is broken or the circuit which holds the locking mechanism active be broken the semaphore will be returned to the danger position. Otherwise the mechanism might become inoperative when the semaphore is partly withdrawn and any subsequent closure of the track would not be indicated.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a block protected by a system of apparatusinvolvingthepresentinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the semaphore-operating mechanism and showing the positions of the parts after the follower has dropped to raise the semaphore-arm to the danger position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 2 and showing the mechanism in position to hold the semaphore lowered. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the mechanism and showing the arrangement of the brake-lever and its operating-rod. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the follower and its locking mechanism. Fig. 6 is a rear view of Fig. 2, showing the manner of operating the brake and also showing the positions of the cushion-springs.

The present invention is to be included in a system including a plurality of semaphoreoperating mechanism located one at each end of each of the blocks of a railroad and is used in combination with sources of elect ricity and a track-relay for closing its several circuits.

This semaphore-operating mechanism is connected directly with a semaphore-post 10, and consists of a base plate 11, upon which is mounted a frame 12, having a central perforation, vertically of which is passed a screwthreaded shaft 13, having suitable hearings in the base 11 and in a (liamagnetic plate 15, secured to the motor 14, which latter is located below the plate 11 and held in proper position upon the semaphorepost. The shaft 13 has mounted thereon below the plate 11 the gearwheel 16, meshing with the pinion 17 upon the armature-shaft of the motor, as shown. Thus as the armature of the motor rotates the shaft 13 will be rotated, and from the rotation of this shaft the semaphore mounted upon the post 10 is lowered.

In the top of the frame 12 is a slot in which 'end of which extends a connecting-rod 21,

pivoted at its upper end to the semaphore 22,

between its fulcrum and the outer end thereof. This semaphore is of the usual construction and need not be described.

The lower end of the rod 18 enters the inclosure of the frame 12 and has mounted v thereon a block 25, on opposite sides of which are secured the upper ends of hangers 26 and 27, of which the hanger 27, which is of spring metal,has its upper end fixed, as shown in the drawings, and the hanger 26 is pivotally connected. To the lower end of the hanger 27 is secured a section 28 of a transversely-split nut, the perforation of which is vertically disposed, the opposite section 29 being fixed to the lower end of the hanger 26. The perforation of the split nut, which is formed partially in each of the nut-sections, is threaded to receive the threads of the shaft 13, whereby when the nut is in a closed position the rotation of the shaft 13 through the medium of the armature of the motor 14 will act to feed the nut longitudinally of the shaft and move the semaphore 22 on its pivot. In this construction it is intended that the rotation of the screwshaft 13 will be in a direction to move the nut upwardly, and thus to lower the semaphore-arm into that position known as the safe position. When the nut has been fed to the limit of its movement, the motor-circuit is broken, the nut being held in the raised position to hold the semaphore-arm lowered to the safe position until such time as a train shall come upon or into the block, when the nut-sections are released from engagement with the screw-shaft and the nut drops to raise the semaphore-arm to the danger position or to permit it to thus rise, it being understood that the parts are so formed and connected that in the event of the disconnection of the follower from the semaphore the latter will rise of itself, the split nut and the parts carried thereby being in effect a follower.

The hanger 27 acts to hold its nut-section normally out of engagement with the screwshaft 13, and normally the pivotal connection of the hanger 26 will permit its nut-section to swing freely, and thus to be swung outwardly and from engagement with the shaft 13 when the follower descends.

In order to hold the nut-sections together to cause them to grip the shaft 13, there is secured to the opposite ends of the nut-section 28 plates 31 and 32, which inclose the nutsection 29 and between which the nut-section 29 is adapted for swinging movement. The plates 31 and 32 extend heyond the outer face of the section 29 and of the hanger 26,

and a shaft 33 is journaled in hearings in the protruding portions of said plates.

In one side of the shaft 33 is cut a flat-bottomed slot 35, resulting in the formation of an edge 35 at the line of meeting of the periphery of the shaft and the bottom of the slot, and when the shaft is rotated to project the edge in the direction of the hanger 26 a wedge 36 is passed between the edge and the hanger and acts to move the nut-section 29in the direction of the section 28, and thus close the sections upon the shaft 13, or if the nutsections are lying in engagement with the shaft the insertion of the wedge will prevent their disengagement. The slot 35 is of such depth that when the shaft 33 is turned to hold the slot in the direction of the hanger 26 the edge 35 will move from engagement with the wedge, so that the wedge will be free to be withdrawn, as hereinafter described, the whole function of the slot being to release the wedge.

In order to oscillate the shaft 33 to cause it to project the edge 35 in the direction of the hanger 26, an electromagnet 37 is mounted upon the block and has an armature 38 fixed at one end to the shaft 33, the electromagnet being adapted to hold said armature in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and in which position the edge projects in the direction of the hanger 26 to receive the wedge between it and the hanger and engage the nut with the shaft. In order to hold the wedge 36 in engagement with the edge 35 and to initially move it into this position, a second electromagnet 39 is mounted upon the block 35 and has an armature 40 pivoted to the plate 31 and the laterally-' turned end of which is passed through aslot- 41 in the enlarged upper end of the wedge 36. Thus when the pivoted armature is attracted it will move the wedge 36 downwardly and into engagement with the shaft or the edge 35 thereof and with the hanger 26, causing the hanger to move in the direction of the hanger 27 and engage the nut-sections with the shaft 13.

When the electromagnet 39 is deenergized, its armature is released, and its Weight causes it to drop and raise the wedge from its lowered position, said wedge having been released by reason of the magnet 37 releasing its armature, the weight of the armature causing the shaft 33 to turn and move the edge 35 from contact with the wedge. The nut-sections then separate, and the follower is free to drop and raise the semaphore-arm.

The electromagnets 37 and 39 are connected in series with a battery, and the circuit of these electromagnets is opened and closed by one element of a double-pointed relay 41, the terminals of the windings of the coils of which are connected with the track-rails 42 and 43, and with which rails are also connected the terminals of a relay-battery 44. Thus the relay is normally energized to hold the circuit of the magnets 37 and 39 closed until a train comes into the block, when the relay is shortcircuited and the circuit of the magnets 37 and 39 is broken in the well-known manner.

The motor 14 is in circuit with a second battery 46, the circuit of which is controlled by the second point of the double-pointed relay 41, and the circuit of the motor is also made and broken through a switch-spring 47, which is mounted upon the frame and stands in contact with a contactpoint 38', mounted in proper relation thereto, so that when the follower rises it will strike the switch-spring and raise it from the contact-point to break the motor-circuit.

The operation of this portion of the mechanism is as follows: Normally the contactspring 47 is out of contact with the contactpoint, the follower being at the upper limit of its movement; and the motor at rest, although the circuit of the motor is closed at the relay, said relay holding also closed the circuits of the magnets 37 and 39, so that the split nut is held in engagement with the screw-shaft to hold the semaphore lowered. It then a train enters the block, the relay is short-circuited through the wheels and axle of the train and the circuit of the magnets 37 and 39 is broken, and the armatures of the magnets being released the armature of magnet 37 first drops and turns the shaft 33 to release the wedge 36, when the armature of magnet 39 is permitted to drop and raise the IIO wedge from its operative position. This releasing of the wedge is due to the fact that the edge 35 is turned therefrom and the slot of the shaft is turned in the direction of the wedge. When the train leaves the block, the short circuit of the relay is removed, when the relay is energized to close the circuits of the motor and magnets. Upon the plate 11 and in the paths of downward movement of the armatures of the magnets 37 and 39 are cushion-springs 50 and 51, and when the circuit of the magnets is broken to release the nut-sections from the screw-shaft the follower drops and the semaphore-arm rises, the armature striking upon these cushion-springs and raising them close to the pole-pieces of the magnets, so that when the magnets are again energized the artnatures will be quickly and positively moved thereby. As the train leaves the block and the relay is operated to close the circuits of the motor and magnets the armature 38 is attracted and projects the edge 35 in the direction of the hanger26, after which the armature of magnet 39 is moved to wedge the wedge between said edge 35 and the adjacent face of the hanger 26, and the motor being in operation, because of the releasing of the spring 47, the follower moves upwardly, because of the engagement of the split nut with the screw-shaft, until the block 25 strikes the switch-spring 4:7 and moves it away from the contact-point, so that the motor-circuit is broken and the upward movement of the follower ceases. The follower remains at the upper limit of its movement until the relay is short-circuited, when the locking-magnet circuit is again broken and the nut-sections move from engagement with the screw to permit the follower to descend, as above mentioned. Itwill be noted that the entire locking mechanism is carried by the follower and that the screw-shaft acts to elevate the follower and hold it elevated. When the follower has reached the upper limit of its movement and the circuit of the motor has been broken thereby, it is desirable that some means he provided for stopping the motor, so that it will not raise the follower too high, nor tend to so raise it, and thus break the apparatus, owing to the momentum of the armature after the circuit of the motor is broken. For this purpose the upper end of the motor-shaft, which projects through the plate 11, has a brake-drum engaged therewith, and against the end of this drum rests the shoe of a lever 61, which is fulcrumed upon the frame 12. The power end of the lever 61 has a rod 62 connected there with and the upper end of which is passed through a guide-plate 63 upon the top of the frame 12. An arm 65 projects laterally from the rod 62 and into the path of upward movement of the follower, so that after the follower engages and opens the motor-switch it engages the arm and raises it to press the brake-shoeagainst the end of the brake-drum to stop the rotation of the motor. It will thus be seen that after the brake-shoe has been engaged with the drum continued motion of the motor acts to increase the pressure of the brake and the stopping of the motor is assured.

To prevent too sudden application of the brake, a cushionspring 60 is disposed in the path of upward movement of the follower, so that the follower engages it just previous to engagement with the arm 65.

In practice various modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable materials and proportions may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is l. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, a circuit including said motor, a screw-shaft for rotation by the motor, a follower adapted to move alternately with and free of the screw-shaft, means carried by the follower for engaging the follower with the shaft and disengaging it therefrom, means in the path of the follower for breaking the circuit of the motor separate means for operating the disengaging means, and connections between the follower and the semaphore.

2. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, acircuit including said motor, a screw-shaft for rotation by the motor, a follower adapted for engagement with and disengagement from the screwshaft, electrically-operated means for engaging and disengaging the follower, a relay for making and breaking the circuits of the motor and the follower engaging and disengaging means, and means in the path of the follower for breaking the circuit of the motor prior to the breaking of the circuit of the follower engaging and disengaging means.

3. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, a circuit including said motor, a screw-shaft adapted for rotation by the motor, a separable follower adapted to move alternately with and free from the screwshaft, electrically-operated means for closing the follower upon the screw-shaft, a circuit for said means, connections between the follower and semaphore, and means in the path of the follower for breaking the motor-circuit independently of the circuit of the engaging and disengaging means.

at. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, a circuit including said motor, a screw-shaft adapted for rotation by the motor, a separable follower adapted to move alternately with and free from the screwshaft, means for holding the parts of the follower normally separated and free from the screw-shaft, electrically-operated means for closing the follower upon the shaft and for holding it operative with respect thereto, a circuit for said means separate from the motor-circuit and means operated by the follower for breaking the motor-circuit.

5. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, connections between the motor and semaphorefor operating the sem aphore, acircuit including said motor, a screwshaft for rotation by the motor, a follower adapted to move alternately with and free from the screw-shaft, means carried by the follower for engaging the follower with the shaft and disengaging it therefrom, and a brake for the motor operable by the follower.

6. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, a circuit including said mtor, a screw-shaft for rotation by the motor, a follower adapted to move alternately free from and with the screw-shaft, means carried by the follower for engaging the follower with the shaft and disengaging it therefrom, means in the path of the follower for breaking the m otor-circuit, a brake mechanism for the motor operable by the follower, and connections between the follower and the semaphore.

7. The combination with a semaphore, of a follower connected therewith, a screw-shaft having operating means, electrically-operated means carried by and movable with the follower for engaging and disengaging it with respect to the screw-shaft, means operated by the follower for arresting the shaft-operating means, and means for subsequently operating the disengaging means to permit the follower to drop and operate the semaphore.

8. The combination with a semaphore, of an electic motor, a cirouitincluding said motor, a screw-shaft adapted for rotation by the motor, a separable follower adapted to move alternately with and free from the screwshaft, electrically-operated means for closing the follower upon the shaft, connections between the follower and semaphore, means in the path of the follower for breaking the motor-circuit, a brake-drum carried by the motor-shaft, a brake-lever for engagement with the brake-dru m, and means in the path of the follower for operating the brake-lever.

9. The combination with a semaphore, of an electric motor, a screw-shaft for rotation by the motor, a follower adapted to move alternately with and free from the screw-shaft, electromagnetic means carried by the follower for engaging the follower with the shaft and for disengaging it therefrom, means in the path of the follower for breaking the circuit of the motor, separate batteries for the motor and theelectromagnetic means, a two-point relay having a point in each battery-circuit to close the battery-circuits separately and simultaneously, said relay being adapted for connection with track-rails, and connections between the follower and the semaphore.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JUDSON SHOEORAFT. Witnesses:

O. E. BOYLE, J; Ross COLHOUN.

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