US762457A - Automatic railway-gate. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904..

J.A WALTHER. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE APPLIoATIoN ripnn '11111.14. ma.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No MODEL.

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AIEPLIUATION II-LBD HAR. 14. 1903.

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vPATENTEI)JUNE 14, 19M.'

J. lWALTHTR. .AUTOMATIC lRAILWAY GATE. APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 14. 1903.

` no MODEL.

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PATBNTED JUNE 14, 1904.

J. WALTHLR.y

AUTOMATIG RAILWAY GATE.

APPLIOATION FILEDVKAB. 14. 1903.

No Mo'nnL.

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Attorneys UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB IVALTHER, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO ANDREW WALTHER, THOMAS JAMES HARPER, AND JAMES VILLOUGHBY, OF WINNIPEG, lCANADA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,457, dated June 14, 1904.

Application filed March 14, 1903.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB WALTHER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Vinnipeg, county of Selkirk, Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway-Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

At railway-crossings it frequently happens that accidents occur on account of the negligence or inefliciency of the watchman or gateman. v

This invention relates to the gates such as ai'e usually employed at railway-crossings; and a principal object has been to provide a gate which shall be automatically operated by the trains. f

A further object has been to construct the gate so that it will operate not only as a safeguard to prevent persons crossing' the track when a train is approaching, but is adapted so that it will constitute in a certain position a cattle-guard adapted to prevent cattle when driven across the track from straying along the track.

The gate normally occupiesa position transversely of the rails, and throughout'this specilication this position will he referred to as the open position for the gate, considering the gate from the point of view of a person crossing the tracks.

The invention consists in a certain arrangement and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in the claims. Y

In the drawings whichfully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan View showing the same largely diagrammatically, this figure being broken away, as will be readily understood. Fig.v 2 represents, also in plan and upon an. enlarged scale, the principal .portion of the gate-operating mechanism and is partly in section for the purpose of greater clearness. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, a part of Serial No. 147,871. (No model.)

`tion of the mechanism in plan, a portion being in section, as indicated, so as to show substantially the same mechanism which is shown in Fig. 5, displaying its method of connection with the other mechanism. Fig. 7 is a crosssection of Fig. 6, taken substantially on the 1 line 7 7, while Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal section taken upon this same ligure along the line 8 8. Fig. 9 is a section 11i a plane at right angles to the track and passing through the gate-posts shown at the right of Fig; 2 and showing the arrangement of the mechanism for swinging the gate. Fig. l() is a vertical section through Fig. 4, substantially on the line l0 l0.

The same numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the parts it may be said that in its preferred form the gate comprises four horizontal doors or bars pivotally moun ted upon posts arranged at the corners of a square. As will appear hereinafter, these guards are adapted to swing all in unison. As shown in Fig. l, the two guards on the same side of the track coperate to form a barrier before the railway-crossing. These guards, however, may swing in the manner described, so that they are disposed across the track, in which latter position each guard cooperates with the guard lying opposite it on the other side of the track, as will be readily understood. Y It should be understood that the gate is swung open or closed by the force of a spring, the mechanism being arranged for extending these springs and maintaining them extended until released, which release is operated by the passing of a train. The mechanism employed naturally divides itself into three groups of mechanism. The h'rst group may be ealledthe contact mechanism, its function being to be operated by the passing of a train to set certain other mechanism in operation. The second group may be called the actuating mechanism. This group includes the springs referred to for operating the gate and parts incident to their use or connected with them. The third group forms more properly a part of the gate, and for this reason the last group of mechanism will be referred to as the gate mechanism.

Referring to the parts by numerals, 1 1l 1 1" indicate the four gate-posts, cach of which is rotatably mounted upon a suitable step bearing or block 2 and which maybe suitably braced at the top by ties or braces 3. Upon each of these posts is mounted a builtup bar or frame 4, which is adapted to be swung horizontally when the post is rotated, and they constitute the guards, as aforesaid. Near the foot one pair of these posts, which lie at opposite points on either side of the track, are provided with spiders 5, which comprise simply four radial arms disposed at right angles to each other, as indicated. The other pair of posts is provided with oppositely-extending radial arms 6, there being, however, only two of these upon cach post. These arms 5 and 6 are connected by tie-rods 7, which cross between the posts, as indicated, connecting with links 8 at their extremities. From this construction it will appear that if any post were rotated it would communicate its motion to its companion post upon the same side of the track, but in an opposite direction. That pair of arms 5 which is not in connection with the links 8 is connected with other mechanism adapted to rotate the post, wherefore the guard which it carries may be thrown to its other position, transmitting its movement to its companion through the mechanism described. For this purpose double bell-crank levers 9 and 10 are employed adapted to move in a horizontal plane. The bell-crank lever 9 comprises the oppositelyextending arms 11 and 12, the former of which connects, by means of the links 13, 14, and 15, with an arm 5, carried by the post 1". The arm 12 connects, by means of the links 16, 17, and 18, with an arm 5 of the post 1". The third arm 19 of the bell-crank lever 9 connects, by means of a link 20, with a draw-bar 21, which draw-bar is adapted to be actuated by the actuating mechanism, as aforesaid, so that it controls the position of the bell-crank lever 9. 1t should be observed that the links 15 and 18 and the links connected, respectively, with them are so arranged that a movement of the draw-bar 21 will be transmitted to the posts 1 and 1, so that they would rotate in opposite directions. 1t may be stated, however, that this bell-crank lever 9 operates only to move the gate to one position, a lever 10 being adopted for moving the gate to its opposite position. In each case the force which is applied is that of tension. The bell-crank lever 10 is controlled by a draw-bar 22, and links 23, 24k, and 25 connect the bell-crank 1() with the post 1, as indicated. A tie-bar 26 and links 27 and 28 afford means for connecting this same bell-crank lever 10 with the post 1). From this arrangement it will appear that if a pull be made upon the draw-bar 22 the movement of the bell-crank lever 10 Would be transmitted to the posts 1 1" and operate to rotate them in opposite directions. Viewing the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2, it will appear that if a pull were exerted upon the draw-bar 21 the gate would be swung from the position in which it is shown, so that it could assume a position which we call the open position, wherein the guards 4; are disposed transversely of the track, and it should appear that when they are in this latter position a pull upon the draw-bar 22 would operate to return-them to the position in which they are shown. This mechanism for connecting the gates or guards so that they may be actuated by the draw- bars 21 and 22 is inclosed, as indicated, in a suitable box or casing 29, surmounted by a proper platform or floor 30, over which vehicles or persons pass in crossing the rails 31.

Referring now to the mechanism for actuating the gate, which mechanism is most clearly shown in connection with Figs. 3, s, 5, 6, and 10, this mechanism is carried within a suitable box or casing 32. There are provided springs 33 and 34, preferably helical springs, as indicated, and disposed substantially horizontally. At one extremity they attach, respectively, to catch -bars 35 36, and these catch-bars pass, respectively, through openings 37 and 38, formed in certain lockingplates 39 and 40, as indicated. It will appear that these locking- plates 39 and 40 are guided vertically' and drawn upwardly by springs 111, and upon their lower edges each of the catchbars 35 36 is provided with a notch or catch 42. From this construction it will appear that if either of the catch-bars 35 36 were pulled so as to extend its spring sufficiently its notch or catch 42 could be engaged by its corresponding locking-plate, so that eitherof the springs 33 or 34 could be maintained extended. ln the figures the spring 33 is shown so extended. It should be understood that that these springs 33 34 supply the force for operating the gate, one of them always being extended, while the other is relaxed. For this purpose each of the catch-bars has secui'ed to it a small bracket 13, which brackets connect, by means of small chains 4M, respectively, with the draw-bars 21 22, to which reference has already been made. From the arrangement described it follows that if the spring 33 were suddenly released it would operate to open the gate, and if the spring 34 were in tension andsuddenlyreleaseditwould operate to close. the gate, and it will appear as the description progresses that the passing IIO of a train automatically releases whichever of these springs is in tension, so that the gate may be returned thereby. Proceeding furthei` to describe the mechanism immediately connected with the springs 33 and 84,it will appear that links 45 attach, respectively, to the extremities of the catch-bars 35 36, which catch-bars are offset, as indicated at 46. These links 45 are attached tolevers 47, which swing in a vertical plane about the pivot-point 48, and their opposite extremities connect with links 49 for the purpose which will appear hereinafter. It should appear that the links 45 connect with the levers 47 substantially at their middle points, the outer extremities of the links 45 being connected with pull-rods 50 51, respectively, and these pull- rods 50 and 51 are adapted to be actuated by the contact mechanism, which will be described later. Before indicating that, however, the mechanism will be described which effects the releasing ot' either of the springs 38 34. To accomplish this, there are provided substantially beneath the locking-plates 39 'and 40 two bell-crank levers 52 53, the upper arms of which are connected, as indicated, with the upper arms otl the levers 47 by means ot' links 54 and chains 55, and it will be observed from an inspection ot' Fig. 5 that these links 54 extend so as to cross each other, so that one of the levers 47 which connects with the catch-bar 36 may actuate the locking-plate 39, being' adapted to actuate this locking-plate because the lower extremity thereof is connected with the lower arm of the bell-crank lever 52 by means of a chain 56. A similar chain 57 connects the lockingplate 40 with the bell-crank lever 53, so that it' either of the pull- bars 50 or 51 is actuated it will operate not only to extend and lock its corresponding spring in an extended position, but will also operate to release the other spring in the manner described to bring about an actuation ot' the gate mechanism, as will be readily understood. The links 49, to which reference has already been brieiiy made, connect, respectively, with pull-bars 58 59. These latter pull-bars are for the same purpose as are the pull- bars 50 and 51; but it will be observed they extend in an opposite direction, wherefore they are intended to be actuated by the contact mechanism lying in an opposite direction from the gate, as will be readily understood.

Proceeding now to a description ofthe contact mechanism, which operates automatically to actuate the mechanism just described, the contact mechanism is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 6,'7, and 8. It should be said that this contact mechanism is actuated by the Yflange or' a wheel upon the first car in the train, which is of course usually the locomotive, and this contact mechanism, as was stated, comprises two sets substantially similar, which sets are located at some distance from the gate, and this distance will be determined by the period during which the gate is intended to be closed before the train passes and also by the lengths of the trains which usually These plates are adapted to be engaged by the periphery` oi the iange ot' the car-wheel and depressed, and, as stated above, an arrangement of mechanism is adopted in connection with them which enables one ot' them when depressedl by a wheel to depress automatically the other plate. Thus in Fig. 8 a train passing in the direction ot the arrow would depress the plate 60, and this plate as it descended would cause the plate 61 to descend. As the plate 60 descended it would actuate its corresponding pull-bar 59; but the depressing of the plate 61, caused by the plate 60, would not actuate the pull-bar 58, which pull-bar is connected with the plate 61, however, in the same manner in which the pull-bar 59 is connected with the plate 60. It will be observed that the plate which is inclined most advantageously for contact with the flange is the plate first moved by the wheel, and the automatic depressing of the succeeding plate is desirable and perhaps necessary in order to prevent damage to the mechanism from the nature ot' the contact which would be made by the liango of the wheel with the extremity of the succeeding plate near the point 62x. The construction of these plates and the mechanism actuated by them will be now described. Near their extremities the plates are provided with longitudinal guiding-openings 63, through which pass studs 64, mounted in suitable cross members 65, and the extremities of the plates may be curved slightly upwardly, as indicated. Near their inner extremities the plates are provided, respectively, with lugs 66, to which are attached, respectively, links 67 68, the latter ot' which isprovided with an oflset exten sion 69, wherefore it constitutes a lever which is pivoted at 70 to a slide 71, which is vertically guided in a frame 72, the construction being identical for both of the plates 69 and 61. Each of the slides 71 is provided with a lugl 73, to which Aare attached links 74, connectedwith a bell-crank lever 75, which bell crank lever is pivoted to the Frame at 76, as indicated, so that it is adapted to move in a substantially vertical plane, its other arm being connected with links 77 and 78, as shown, the link 78 being at its outer extremity connected with a link 79, which last link is connected with a bell-crank lever 80, pivoted to the frame at 81, so that it moves in a horizontal plane with the link 79, and these two bell-crank levers 8O are connected, by means of short chains 82,V respectively, with the pull rods 58 and 59. The other contact-plates, represented, respectively, by 83 and 84, are connected by a similarmechanism respectively with the pull- rods 50 and 51. Between IOO IIO

IIS

the two slides 7l a bell-crank lever 85 is mounted upon the frame 72, and links 86 connect it, respectively, with the lower extremities of' the extensions 69, and other links 87 are attached at the same point and are connected with springs 88, the extremities of which springs are attached to lugs 89, carried by the under sides of the contact-plates GO and Gl. From this construction it should appear that the springs 88 are adapted to maintain the contact-plates normally in an elevated position, in which they are shown in Fig. 8. New suppose the flange of a wheel has come in contact with the upper side of the plate 60. This contact depresses the plate, the outer extremity of which is projected outwardly, so that the upper ends of the slots 63 approach the studs 64. At the same time the slide 7l corresponding to this contactplate is depressed, and as it descends it actuates the bell-crank lever 75, affecting' the springs 33 and 34 in the manner which has been described; but as it descends the link 86 descends with it, which rocks the bell-crank lever 85 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8, and this rocking of the link 85 moves the more distant lever G8, so that the contact-plate 6l is moved outwardly and downwardly, so that it too becomes depressed. likewise with the contact-plate but this movement of the eontaet-llilates does not affect the other slide 71. Hence it cannot affect or operate its corresponding' pull-rod 58. New, of course, when the direction in which the wheel approaches is opposite to that supposed the mode of operation of this entire mechanism is reversed, rthe contact-plate 61 being first depressed, so that it actuates its pull-rod 58 and depresses automatically the contact-plate GO without affecting the pullrod 5f).

The mode of operation of the entire mechanism may be briefly outlined as follows: Suppose now that the gate is in its normal or open position, which will be understood to mean that it extends across the track. Suppose now that the train approaches in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 8. The contact-plate 60 will be depressed by the Aflange of the wheel in the manner described, depressing the slide 71 and actuating the pullrod 59, so that 'it releases the spring 34 in a manner which has already been described. As this takes place the spring 33 is locked in the extended position in which it is shown in Fig. 6. The contraction of the spring 34 ac- -tuates the rod 22, which throws the gate into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 to allow the train to pass. Moreover, as the contact-plate 6() is depressed it operates to depress the contact-plate 6l without affecting its corresponding pull-rod 58, wherefore the spring 33 does not become released, and the gate therefore remains in a fixed position. Now as the remaining wheels of the train pass successively over these plates they simply depress them successively without in any way affecting the arrangement of the mechanism in connection with the springs 33 and 34. When the train has passed the gate a sufficient distance, the contact plate 83 is then depressed, operating its corresponding pull-rod 51, so that the spring' 33 is now released and by its contraction through the draw-bar 2l operates to return the gate to its former position; but actuating the pull-rod 5l extends once more the spring 34, which is locked automatieally, as before, in the extended position, wherefore the mechanism is set again so that the spring 34 when released will throw the gate again for the train to pass. Depressing the contact-plate 83 automatically depresses the contact-plate 84 without, however, affecting in any manner its corresponding pull-rod 50, for the reason set forth.

The spring-releasing mechanism, which was only briefly touched upon in the paragraph preceding, operates in this manner: Then the pull-rod 59 is actuated, it extends the spring by means of one of the levers 47, and a link 54 leads across from this lever, connecting with a bell-crank 53, which bell-crank by means of the chain 57 draws down the locking-plate 40, so as to release the catch-ball 42, removing the catch-ball from the notch 42 in the manner described.

In order to allow pedestrians to pass through the gate when disposed to cross the path, the extremities of the guards 4 are formed into a frame 90, which is mounted upon a vertical pivot 91, a member 92 being carried thereby, projecting toward the post and attached to a spring 93, wherefore the frame 9() normally constitutes an extension ofthe guard. The arrangement, it will be observed, is such as to enable these frames 90 to swing outwardly from the track when the gate is in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2.

Thile I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may be changed in form or position without affecting the operativeness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following` claims or of `mechanical equivalents to the structures set forth.

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

l. 1n a railway-gate, in combination, guards adapted to extend across the railway or the roadway, springs adapted to move said guards in opposite directions, members adapted to be engaged by passing trains, mechanism actuated by said members for independently extending said springs, means for normally maintaining at least one of said springs in an IOO scribed.

2. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards adapted to extend across the railway or the roadway, springs adapted to move said guards in opposite direction, means actuated by an approaching train for extending either oi.' said springs, means for locking a springso extended against contraction, and means also actuated by the train for releasing either of said springs, substantially as described.

3. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards adapted to extend across the railway or the roadway, springs adapted to move said guards into either of these positions, pull-rods, means whereby said pull-rods may extend said springs, means for locking said springs in an extended position, means vwhereby said pull-rods may release said springs, and members actuated by a passing train and adapted to control the operation oi said pull-rods, substantially as described.

4L. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards adapted to extend across the railway or the roadway, springs adapted to move said guards in opposite directions, catolibars connected with said springs, lockingplates, means whereby said locking-plates and said catch-bars may engage to maintain said springs in an extended position, members adapted to be actuated by a passing train, and means operated by said members for extending said springs and moving said lockingplates, substantially as described.

5. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards adapted to extend across the railway or the roadway, springs adapted to move said guards between the two positions thereof, catch bars connected with said springs, locking-plates, means whereby said locking-plates may engage said catch-bars, means for restraining said locking-plates, means adapted to be actuated by a passing train, and means actuated thereby for extending said springs and moving said lockingplates, substantially as described.

6. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, contact-platesinclined in opposite directions and adapted to be depressed by the iiange of a car-wheel, mechanism connecting one of said members with said guards, other mechanism connecting the other of said members with said guards, means whereby the depression of one of said members may actuate said guards, and means whereby depressing said last member may depress the remaining member, substantially as described.

7. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, a pair of contact members adapted to be depressed by a passing car, slides adapted to be depressed respectively by the depression of said contact members, mechanism connecting said slides with said guards,

and means whereby the depression of one of said contact members may depress the other of said contact members without aiecting the slide corresponding thereto, substantially as described.

8. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, contact members adapted to be depressed by a passing train, slides connected with said contact members, mechanism connecting said slides with said guards, a member connecting said slides, said member being adapted-to be actuated when one of said contact members is depressed, and means actuated 'by said member for preventing the depression of the second slide, by the second contact member, substantially as described.

9. In a gate ot' the class described, in combination, guards, contact members adapted to be depressed by a passing train, slides connected therewith and adapted to be depressed by said contact members, mechanism connecting said slides with said guards, a bell-crank lever between said slides, mechanism connecting said bell-crank lever with said contact members, wherefore the depression ot the second slide bythe second contact member is prevented, substantially as described.

10. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, contact members adapted to be depressed by a passing train, slides, levers connecting said contact members with said slides, and mechanism connecting said levers, whereby the depressing ot' the second slide by the second contact member is prevented, substantially as described.

11. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, contact members adapted to be ,depressed by a passing train, means for `guiding the same longitudinally, slides therebelow, levers connecting said contact members with said slides, a third lever connecting said levers, and mechanism connecting said slides with said guards, substantially as described.

12. In a gate of the class described, in combination, guards, contact-plates, means for guiding the same longitudinally, levers connected therewith, slides carrying said levers, wherefore the depressing of one of said contact members may depress its corresponding slide, a third lever connecting said levers, and springs normally retaining said contact members in an elevated position, substantially as described.

13. In a gate or' the class described, in combination, guards, contact members adapted to be depressed by a passing train, means for yguiding said contact members longitudinally, slides, levers carried thereby and attached to said contact members, mechanism connecting the lower extremities of said levers, and springs constraining said levers to maintain said Contact members in an elevated position, substantially as described.

14. In a gate oil the class described, in combination, oppositely -inclined contactplates IOO IOS

IIO

adapted to be depressed by a passing train, means for guiding said contact-plates longitudinally and parallel with the track rail, slides vertically movable therebcneath, substantially vertically disposed levers carried by said slides and connected with said contactplates, a bell-crank lever between said slides, links connecting the saine with the lower eX- tremities of said levers, springs restraining said levers and attached to said contact-plates, guards at the railway-crossing, and mechanism connecting said slides with said guards, substantially as described.

l5. In a gate of the class described, a guard, a movable extension pivotall y attached to said guard near the outer extremity thereof, and

a helical spring disposed substantially7 longitudinally in the saine plane with said guard and connecting said guard with said extension.

16. In a gate of the class described, in combination, a guard, an extension pivotally attached thereto and having a rearwardly-extending arm, and a helical spring attaching to said arm and connecting the same with said guard to maintain said extension in substantially the same plane with said guard.

1n witness whereoil l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB VALTHER.

fitnessem v E. E. SHARPE, FRED VIESENER.

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