US666968A - Open-switch detector. - Google Patents

Description

No. 666,968. Patented Ian. 29, I901. J. M. MGCAULEY.-

OPEN SWITCH DETECTOR.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

. WITNESSES INVENTOR W Attarney S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. MOCAULEY, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEONARD S. HOWARD, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEW YORK.

OPEN-SWITCH DETECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 666,968, dated January 29, 1901. Application filed November 16 1899. Serial No. 73 7,199- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. MGOAULEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Open- Switch Detectors, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to an improvement in IQ open-switch detectors, the object,as the name implies, being to provide means for indicating to the locomotive engineer by means of a whistle, bell, or other approved instrumentalityas, for instance, the automatic operation of the brakesthe condition of an approaching switch and more particularly as to whether or not it is open; and with the foregoing object in view my invention consists in certain details of construction as well as comzo binations of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the portion of the mechanism directly connected with the switch. Fig. 2

is a side elevation of that portion of the mechanism which indicates the condition of the switch, and Figs. 3 and 4 are details.

A represents the main track, and B B the switch-rails. Connected with the switchrails is the usual slide-rod 1, which may extend outward to a switch-stand O, of any Wellknown type.

The numerals 2 2 indicate a cable or wire which to all intents and purposes is made endless and passed around the drums D and E at the opposite ends of the block, respectively, the wires or cables being conducted through a pipe 3,which extends from the box 4 at one end to the box 5 at the other, where the drums are inclosed. The wires or cables are secured to the drum D in a manner to prevent slipping thereon, and after passing in opposite directions around the drum E they are securely clamped, as at 6 6, to the rod 1. Guide-pulleys 7 7 are located at difierent points to control the cable or wire and to prevent friction as they are moved back and forth. An arm 8 projects from the drum D to one side, and this is made to assume one or the other of the positions indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2, the drum D being intended to turn the distance of a fourth of a circle only, and it may be mentioned right here that the diameters of the two drums D and E and the throw of the rod 1 are proportioned to regulate this movement of the arm 8.

It is intended that the drum D,with its arm 8, should be located a suitable distance from the switchsay eight hundred feetin order that ample time should be given the train to come to a stop, if the switch is indicated as being open, before the switch is reached. A lever 10, which I will term a trip-lever, de-

pends from the locomotive sufficieutly far and in position to strike this arm 8 when the latter is upturned, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This lever 10 may operate a whistle in the cab of the locomotive, an electric hell, or it might control or be connected to the valve of the air-brake. In any event the intention is to convey unmistakable evidence of the condition of the switch if it should be open at a point sufficiently dist-ant ahead of the switch to allow ample time for the train to stop before it can run into the open switch. When the arm 8 is in its lowered position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the lever 10 of course does not strike it, as the switch is always closed when the arm isin that position, and it may be added that as the switch attendant shifts the switch-rails to open or close the switch this arm Sis simultaneously raised orlowered, as the case may be.

Slight changes might be made in the various details of construction without departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise arrangement herein set forth; but,

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

1. The combination with switch-rails and a shifting rod connected therewith, of a pair of 5 drums, wire or cable passing around these drums and adjustably connected to the shifting rod and an arm connected with one of the drums and adapted to assume a position when the switch is opened to engage some inech- 10o anism in an approaching locomotive for indicating the condition of the switch.

2. The combination with switch-rails, a or Wire extends, said cable or Wire crossed at shifting rod connected therewith and switchthe end nearest the'switch and its ends secured stein connected with the rod, of a pair of inindependently to the shifting rod.

cased drums, one of which carries an arm, JOHN M. MCCAULEY. aczible or wire passingaround the two drums, In presence ofguide-pulleys, a pipe extending from one LEONARD S. HOWARD,

casing to the other through which the cable ALEX. CUMMING.

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