US815142A - Railway water-tank. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

w. L. BROWN. RAILWAY WATER TANK.

APPLICATION F ILED 116.14, 1905.

Winn N Witnesses I nVentor ttorney- UNITED STATES Pn rENT OFFICE.

WI-LLIAM'L. BRQWN, or LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

, RAILWAY WATER-TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed August 14, 1905- Serial No. 274,093.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Water- Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to railway water-tanks, and more particularly to the means whereby such tanks may be maintained with a proper supply of water without the personal services of an at tendant.

' vention, in which- A is a water-tank of any usual or approved character properly supported as, for instance, on the uprights A A. Disposed within the tank A is a bracket (1-, to which is pivotally connected an arm 0/, carrying a float a, whereby as the level of the water in the tank varies said float will rise and fall, turning the arm a about its pivotal connection with the bracket 0 Mounted upon the top of the tank are the uprights b, carrying a shaft 1), upon which is loosely mounted anarm b one end of which is connected to the float'arm a by alink b the other end of said arm carrying a pivotally-mounted trip-catch, comprising the depending hook portion 1) and the trip-arm I). A spring I) normally acts upon the trip-catch, as shown, to carry the hook ortion b to the left in the draw-- ing. In t e bottom of the tank is the valve 0, fitted to an opening 0 and having an upwardly-extended valve-stem 0 which .at its up er end is provided with a-hook 0 adapted to e engaged bythe hooked end of the arm Zr when the latter is raised, as will be obvious.

From the construction thus far described it will a pear that as the level of the water in the tanii A falls the float will gradually asprovided with the worm d.

sume the position indicated in dotted lines,

thereby turning the arm I) on the shaft 12 and raising the trip-catch so that the hook-arm b will engage the hook on the valve-stem and V raise the valve 0 from its seat.

Connected to the valve-opening c of the tank by suitable pipe cis a water-motor W of any usual construction, so that the column of water lssuing from the tank when the valve 0 is raised will flow to said motor and in passing through the same in well-known manner will operate the water-wheel and issue from the motor-through the pipe 0 Connected to the water-motor is the starting-shaft D, supported in bearings d d and starting-shaft D, near one end thereof, is the. sleeve (1 carrying the beveled friction-gear d and the collars cl d", between which is the loose member d by means of which the said sleeve can be moved lengthwise on the shaft D while rotating therewith. Disposed preferably at right angles to the starting-shaft D is the shaft E, carrying the fly-wheel E and the bevel friction-gear e, the latter cork responding to the bevel-gear d on the sleeve d 'of the starting-shaft. The shaft E is connected by means of a crank e and connecting rod 0 to any ordinary or preferred form of gasolene or other form of gas engineF. The details of construction of such gasolene or 8 5 gas engine are well understood, and as they f form no part of my present invention it is unnecessary to illustrate and describe them be yond calling attention to the well-understood fact that such form of engine requires to be 0 started or turned over to get the necessary compression and spark for igniting the com pressed chargein the cylinder.

A pump G may be provided and operated from the shaft E through suitable connec- 9 5 tions, as the belt g, crank g and connecting rod g whereby said shaft E being properly. turned the pump G Will,'through the pipe g, deliver water to the tank A, such water being supplied to the pump from a suitable source through the pipe 9 as will be understood by those skilled in the art Suitably mounted adjacent the worm d is the worm-wheel f, which, for identification and in View of its functions to be described, Io5' The may be denominated the controller. worm-wheel f has a, cam f, secured to one face thereof, on which rides the roller f 2 Splined to the 70 of a controlling-lever f pivoted at f a spring f normally forcing the roller f 2 into engagement with said cam. Connected to the loose member d on the sleeve (Z is an army" of a bell-crank lever pivoted atf", the other arm of such bell-crank being connected to the lever f" by means of a link f.

From the construction described it will be clear that when the roller f 2 of the control? ling-lever f 3 rides on the low part of the cam f the spring f will move the controlling-le ver and its connections to cause the sleeve (1 and gear (Z to slide to the left and disengage the two gears d" and e and that when the roller f rides on the high part of the cam the spring f 7 will be compressed and t e sleeve (1 moved to the right to carry the gear (Z into operative engagement with gear e. As already described, the water-motor-has the shaft D operatively connected thereto, so that when the water in the tank A falls sufliciently to lift the valve 0 from its seat the shaft D will be turned by the motor and through the worm d the controller f will be operated and throw the gears (Z and e into operative engagement. Thus through the shaft E, crank e, and connecting-rod e the gas-engine F will be given initial or starting movement.

It is to be noted that during the time that the water-motor N is operating to engage and disengage the gears d and e and give initial movement to the gas-engine F the valve 0 is open and water is escaping from the tank A. it now becomes necessary to close the valve 0 and disengage the'gears d and e, so that the gas-engine through suitable pumping connections, as shown, may effectually replenish the water-supplyin the tank,

and when this has been accomplished itis also essential to stop the gas-engine, and consequently the pump, all as will now be explained.

Connected to the controller or worm-Wheel f by a crank-Din h is a trip-actuating rod H, joined at its upper end to one arm h of a bellcrank lever, the other arm k of which is connected to a link h which is itself jointed to an arm 7r, loosely mounted on the shaft 1) any usual construction.

and carrying a trip-cam k adapted to act upon the trip-arm b of the trip-catch. The mechanism just described may consist of any usual form of dash-pot device and may be of Thus as the controller or worm-wheel f is turned the trip-actuating rod H is operated and through the parts described the trip-cam h actin on the trip-arm b of the trip-catch, causes t e hook I) of the trip-catch to be disengaged from the hook c at the upper end of the valve-stem 0 as will be obvious, thus freeing the valve and permitting it to fall onto its seat and shut off the flow of water to the water-motor. The

disposition of the parts is such that this trip action takes place about the time the watermotor has caused the controller to make one complete revolution, so thatsu stantially at the same time that the water is cut off from the motor the controller-lever f 3 is actuated to disengage the gears d and e, thus permitting the gas-engine F to continue in operation, as will be presently made more clear.

As has been 7 generally hereinbefore referred to, the gas-engine, as usual, is to have its charge of compressed as with air e10- ploded at suitable times, al as usual in this class of devices, to give actuation to the moving part, and it is b virtue of this device, commonly termed t e sparking, device, that I have devised means for stopping the gas-engine, and consequently the pump, when the desired quantity of water has been supplied to the tank, such mechanism being as ollows: Suitably secured to the too of the water-tank are the two similar contacts Z, only one or such contacts being shown, since the other is a mere duplicate and of usual construction. To these contacts are connected the two wires Z Z of an electric circuit having a battery P. Pivotally mounted upon the to of the water-tank at Z is the switch Z, a anted to connect the two contacts Z, so as to complete the circuit. The end of the switch Z extends through a slot Z of an upright Z, the end of which rests upon the arm a of the float. From this construction it will be seen that when the tank is full of water, as shown, the switch Z is raised from between the contacts Z and the circuit Z Z is interrupted, so that the sparkin device of the gas-engine is ino eratlve. en the water in the tank fal s, however, the switch Z is permitted to drop and complete the circuit through the contacts Z, whereupon the sparking device of the gas-engine is made operative to explode the gaseous mixture, as usual.

The operation of the device will be clear from the construction described and may be briefly stated as follows: When the water in the tanks falls to an undesirable level, the float a of course falls with it, and through its connection with the arm I) and trip-catch the valve 0 is raised from its seat, so that water willflow to the water-motor W through the pipe 0*, thus actuating the water-motor. The 0 eration ofthe water-motor turns the shaft and through the worm d actuates the controller or worm-wheel f, which through the cam f moves the controller-leverf and throws into engagement the gear d with gear 6, whereupon the shaft E, and conse uently the gas-engine connections joined t ereto, will be given initial start of movement. At this time it will also be understood that the switch Z has completed the circuit of the water-motor in the meantime the gas-engine bein pumping device wil continue to. supply was arking device, so that the gas-engine being tiius started will continuein operation, the having turned the controller f through one revolution, causing a disenga ement of the gears 11 and e and the closing 0 the valve 0 by means of the trip-cam and trip-actuating rod, as hereinbefore described. It is evident, of course, that started in operation the ter to the tank A until such time as the water therein has reached a desiredheightor level, whereupon the switch 1 is raised, as shown in the drawing, to break the circuit of the sparking device, and thereby stop the gas-enine. I It has not been attempted herein-to illustrate the details of the water-motor nor of the gasengine, as such details form no part of the-present invention, and such devices, moreover, are well known to those skilled in the art and need no further description or illustration. It is obvious also that various modifications may be made in the means by which theinstrumentalities are operatively connected to, maintain the water in the tank at the pro er level and this without departin from t e spirit of the present invention.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of'a water-tank, a valve in said tank, a float, a trip-catch actuated by said float to raise the valve, a water-motor actuated by the water from the tank when the valve is raised, a gas-engine, a pump connected thereto, and means between the water-motor and gas-engine for starting the lat ter from the former.

2. In a device of the character described,.

the combination of a water-tank, a pump for supplying water thereto, a gas-engine for operating said pump, a water-motor, means disposed between the watermotor and gasengine for starting the latter from the former, and a float for automatically controlling the supply of water to the water-motor and the operativeness of the gas-engine.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a water-tank, a watermotor adapted to be actuated by water supplied a valve, a trip-catch between the float and said valve for raising the latter as the water-level falls in thetank, a trip-cam, and means actuated by the Water-motor'fbr operating the-tripcan1 and releasing the valve.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a water-tank, a pump for supplying water thereto, a gas-engine for operating said pump, a water-motor, devices for delivering-water from the tank tothe water-motor when the level of the water in the latter from the tank falls, means disposed between the wa-- as-engine for starting the Former and then freeing the gas-engine, and means for trip ing said devices andshutting off the supp y of water to the water-motor and thus stopping the same after the gas-engine has been started.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a water-tank, a pump for supplying water thereto, a gas-engine for op,- erating said pump, a water-motor, a valve for controlling the supply of water from the tank to said motor, a trip-catch for operating said valve, a trip-cam, means operated from the water-motor for causing said tripcam to trip the catch and free the valve, and means between the water-motor and gas-entermotor and ine for initially starting the latter from the ormer, and then freeing the gas-engine, an means for stopping the gas-engine when the water in the tank reaches a desired level.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a water-tank,- a pump for supplying Water thereto, a gas-engine for operating said pump, a water-motor, devices for delivering water from the tank to the water-motor when the level of the water in the tank falls, means disposed between the water-1notor and as-engine for starting the latter from the i ormer and then freeing the gas-engine, and-means for trippingsaid devices and shutting off the supply of water to theWater-motor and thus stopping the same after the gasengine has been started, and means for automatically stopping the gasengine when the water in the tank has reached a desired level.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tank, a float in said .tank, a valve and connections between the float and valve for raising the latter when the level of the water in the tank falls, a watermotor operable by water delivered from the tank, a gas engine, a pump operable thereby, separable gear connections between the wa ter-motor and gas-engine, a controller for operatively connecting and then disconnecting said gears, a trip-cam operable'from the con troller for tripping the connections between the float and valve to permit the latter to close connections between the tank and water-motor, and means for stopping the gasengine when'the water has reached a desired level in the tank.

8. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a tank, a float in said tank, a valve and connections between the float and valve for raising the latter when the level of water in the tank falls, a water-motoroperable by waterdelivered from the tank, a asengine, a pump operable thereby, separab e operative connections between'the water-motor and gas-engine, a controller operable from the water-motor for controlling mg said circuit as'the Water falls and rises in said tank.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BROWN.

Witnesses:

S. ENGLAND, J. G. CORNISH.

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