US784497A - Automatic railway-signal. - Google Patents

Description

N VE N 70/? 7am (.Zamerl A TTOHNE YS PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

J. C. LAMBERT.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1904.

WITNESSES l wan UNITED STATES Iatented March '7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 784,497, dated March 7, 1905.

Application filed June 30,1904. Serial No. 214,739-

.To (All whom it ntrty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CALVIN LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tonica, in the county of Lasalle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Railway-Signal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to means actuated by the passing of rolling-stock over selected portions of a railroad-track which show a signal, sound an alarm, or give both styles of signals automatically, and has for its object to provide novel details of construction for an automatically-operated railway-signal which are very simple, practical, and reliable in operation, which may be employed on single or double track railroads,signal trains or stations in either direction of travel on the road, and be adapted for repair of the signal device quickly and cheaply.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved signaling device applied upon a portion of a railway-track. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of a track-rail in part and of details of the invention engaged therewith. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of novel details substantially on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a track-rail and a front view of a modified detail of the invention having a similar function to the details shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified construction of a tripping-arm employed.

The railroad-track shown may be a portion located near a station, and comprises parallel track-rails A, secured on cross-ties B, that are seated upon a road-bed C. The signaling mechanism embodying my invention is both visual and audible, consisting of the following details.

A preferably rectangular box 5 is erected at a preferred point near the track-rails A upon a suitable foundation (not shown) and has such height as adapts it to support two like semaphore-blades 6 at its upper end, these blades having arms 6, which project through slots in the upper corners of the box 5 and are pivoted within the box so as to rock, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The box 5 may be closed completely by a door (not shown) for the protection of the interior mechanism.

Upon the ends of the arms 6, within the box 5, and which project toward each other when the blades 6 are disposed diagonally outward and upward, the upper extremities of two flexible connections 7 are secured, and thence extend down, passing loosely through two bracket-blocks 8, secured upon the rear wall of the box 5 in parallel planes and properly spaced apart. From the lower ends of the flexible connections 7 similar connections 7 are extended, these having engagement with pulleys I), held to rotate in the box 5. From the pulleys Z) the flexible connections 7 trend outward through the box 5 toward the nearest track-rails A, and preferably those portions of the wires 7 are loosely passed through casings 9, which may be metal tubes, these tubes, that may be embedded in the ground, if this is desirable, affording protection to the wires or equivalent flexible connections 7.

Upon cross-ties B or other supports at the outer sides of the track-rails A nearest to the box 5 a pulley 7/ is held to rotate in a horizontal plane near the end of each tube 9. From the pulley b the flexible connections 7 are extendedin opposite directions and are held in the recess formed at the side of each track-rail, between the ball of the rail and the base-flange of the same, by the loose engagement of the flexible connections with pulleys 5 held to rotate on bolts secured in the webs of the track-rails, so that the flexible connections 7 are measurably protected and permitted to move endwise a limited distance.

Between the bracket-blocks 8 two coiled springs 10 are located, which are mounted, respectively, upon the flexible connections 7, the lower ends of said spring-coils seating upon the lower bracket-block.

Upon each flexible connection 7 an abutment 0, preferably in the form of a collar, is

secured, these collars, whereon the upper ends of the spring-coils lO'respectively impinge, being adapted to compress said springs when the flexible connections 7 7 are pulled upon at points below the springs.

Within and upon the back Wall of the box 5 a gong-bell 11 is secured by a central bolt (Z, that permits the gong to be turned thereon. Two elongated and preferably resilient bell strike-levers 12 are pivoted between their ends upon the box 5, as shown at c, said levers being normally drawn toward the bell at their upper ends, whereon hammer-heads f are formed, by a contractile spring 13. The hammer-heads f are held from contact with the bell, but close to its rim, by studs g, project ing from the box 5 in the path of the levers 12, and below the pivots e the ends of said levers are connected with the ends of chains 14 or the like, that trend toward each other and engage pulleys it, from which the chains extend downward and have their other ends secured at h upon the flexible connections 7.

At selected points along the railroad-track similar means are provided for automatically pulling upon the flexible connections 7, and thus actuating both the visual and audible signaling means. At such points the flexible connections "I" are severed and each end portion may be passed through like supportingbrackets '15, which extend beneath the outer track-rails A and are held stationary by any preferred means. Each of said brackets, that maybe in the form of a plate-like arm, is perforated at one or more points i, one above the other, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 3. Eachbracket-arm 15 is preferably inclosed in a protecting-box 15 as shown in Fig. 3, and in said box a tripping-arm 16 is located adjacent to the bracket-arm 15. The tripping-arm 16 (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is particularly devised to adapt the improvement for service on a single-track railroad, whereon trains are to be moved in both directions and it is desirable to signal at stations on the road to indicate the approach of a locomotive or train of cars moving toward the station in either direction. The tripping-arm 16 is in the form of a metal bar rectangular in its body, having suitable length and preferably rounded edgewise at each end.

At a proper distance from the normally upper end of the tripping-arm 16 an offset bend m is formed thereon, and below the bend m a perforation is formed laterally in the arm, which loosely receives an end portion of a shouldered bolt n, secured in a perforation formed in the web of the track-rail A, which adapts the arm 16 to rock in the box 15.

The upper end of the tripping-arm 16 projects a proper distance above the track-rail A so that the tread or peripheral face of a locomotive-wheel or car-wheel moving on the track-rail will engage the upper portion of the tripping-arm and rock it down to a level with the upper surface of the track-rail A.

The tripping-arm 16 is weighted on the portion extending below the pivot n, the weight 16 engaging a bolt 0, projecting laterally from the tripping-arm and held thereon by a nut 0 or other means, as shown in Fig. 3, and it will be evident that the heft of the weightblock 16 will hold the tripping-arm 16 upright for an engagement of a car-Wheel thereon, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The tripping-arm 16 is connected, as at 19, below the pivot-bolt n with the severed ends of the draft-wire or flexible connection 7* in case other arms 16 are located farther along on the track of the railroad. or, as shown in Fig. 2, the connection of the draft-wire 7 may be at its extremity farthest away from a station to be warned by the signal, and obviously if the box 5 and mechanism therein and thereon are positioned for observation at a station the travel of a locomotive, car, or train of cars over the tripping-arm 16 will cause it to rock and pull upon the draft-wire 7, attached thereto, thus vibrating a connected semaphore-blade 6 and simultaneously sounding an audible signal on the bell 11.

It is to be understood thatan arm 16 may be held to rock at a selected point on the railroad toward which the remaining draft-wireor flexible connection 7 is extended in a direction opposite that already specified, so that a car or train of cars approaching the station in either direction will show a signal by waving the semaphore-blades 6, connected with the Wires 7, and at the same time sound the bell.

The semaphore-blades may have a light shown at 6 to illuminate the blades and render them visible at night, these lights being either electric or other lamps held in openings in the semaphore-blades, as indicated in Fig. 1.

When a train of cars approaches the station near which the signaling apparatus is located, the successive impact of the rapidly-traveling car-wheels upon the arm or .arms 16, over which said wheels roll, will cause a continuous ringing of the bell l1 and the rapid vibration of a semaphore-blade 6, that is directly connected with the arm, this being the case without regard to the direction in which the cars are running.

When the signaling apparatus is employed at stations on a double-track railroad, the tripping-arms may be supported and constructed as shown in Fig. 5, each consisting of a bracket-block 17, secured upon a crosstie B or other support at the outer side of a track-rail A, said bracket-block having its upper end sloped, as at 1', in the direction the train or car moves on the railroad-track, and preferably the body of the bracket-block is inclined in the same direction.

A tripping-arm 17 is lapped upon the side of the bracket-block 17, and said lapped portion is so reduced in thickness as to provide a sloped shoulder r thereon. The lapped portion of the tripping-arm 17 is pivoted at s, so as to rock into a horizontal position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, a weight 17", formed or secured on the normally lower end of the tripping-arm, serving to return the latter to a nearly upright position. Below the pivot 8 one end of a flexible connection 7 is secured, which like the similar flexible connection 7 extends to the box 5 and is connected with one of the depending connections 7 therein. In this construction of the tripping-arm and its support the train or car moving on the railroad-track will move in the direction of the arrow 1/ in Fig. 5, and obviousl y the contact of the treads of car-wheels that engage the tripping-arm 17 will rock it in the direction of the arrow 0, which will pull upon the flexible connection 7 and actuate the semaphore-blade and bell hereinbefore described and that may be positioned near a station.

It will of course be understood that the rolling-stock of the railroad will, in case it is a double-track road, always move in opposite directions on the two tracks, so that the tripping-arms employed for double tracks, if constructed as shown in Fig. 5, will be operative if they are adapted to rock in the direction the cars move on a track of the road.

In Fig. a the tripping-arm-IS shown is supported at the side of a track-rail A by a laterally-projected journal-stud uand is provided with a weight 18*0n the end that hangs below said stud; but for connection of a draft-wire 7 therewith a slot 2' is formed in the lower portion of the tripping-arm, wherein the draftwire is loosely held, and at a point adjacent to the pendent slotted portion of the trippingarm an enlargement '11 is formed or secured on the draft-wire.

As the upper portion of the tripping-arm 18 projects above the track-rail A for contact of carwheels therewith it will be seen that the rocking movement of the tripping-arm 18 by impact of car-wheels on its upper end will cause the forked lower end of the arm to pull upon the draft-wire 7, owin to its enforced engagement with the enlargement w, and thus operate the visual and audible signals, as already described.

It will be evident that the tripping-arms may be located at the inner sides of the track-rails instead of their outer-sides, if this is preferred, the flanges on the car-wheels in this case impinging upon the upper ends of the trippingarms and rocking them for movement of the dra t't-wires, that in turn will vibrate an appropriate semaphore-blade and sound a signal on the bell in the box 5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a railroad-signal, the combination with a track-rail, and atripping-arm weighted at its lower end and pivoted above said end upon the track-rail so that the upper end of the arm normally projects above the track-rail, of a signaling device located at a distance from the tripping-arm, and a flexible connection extended between the weighted end of the tripping-arm and the signaling device, whereby the signal is operated when a car runs over the tripping-arm so as to move it. 4

2. In a railroad -signal, the combination with a track-rail, a tripping-arm weighted at the lower end thereof and pivoted on the trackrail above the weight, of a visual signal, an audible signal, means for supporting said signals in operative positions, and a flexible connection extended from the tripping-arm below its pivot and engaging the operative mechanism of the signaling devices, whereby the rocking movement of the tripping-arm due to impact of car-wheels thereon will simultaneously operate the visual signal and the audible signal.

3. In a railroad-signal, avisual signal, comprising a box-like support near a railroadtrack, a semaphore-blade pivoted on the upper end of the box and having an arm extended therein, a spring-drawn flexible connection extended from said arm down in and out of the box and thence along the railroad-track, and a tripping-arm pivoted upon a track-rail and having a weighty lower end, the flexible connection having its extended end secured to the tripping-arm below its pivot, whereby the rocking of the arm will vibrate the semaphoreblade.

4. In a railroad-sign al, the combination with atraek-rail, a tripping-arm having a weighty lower end and pivoted upon the track-rail above its weighty end, the upper end of said arm projecting above the track-trail, a box inclosing the lower portion of the trippingarm, and a bracket-arm extended into the box and having a perforation therein, of a flexible connection passing at one end through the perforation in the bracket-arm and secured by said end upon the tripping-arm below its pivot, said flexible connection extending along the railroad-track to a distant point, and supported visual and audible signal devices-connected to the extension of the flexible connection, and both adapted for operation when the tripping-arm is rocked by impact of a carwheel traversing the track-rail.

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

JOHN CALVIN LAMBER".

\Vitnesses:

J. E. HAR'reNBowER, ED. A. MILLER.

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