US838153A - Railroad-semaphore. - Google Patents

Description

i v PATENT-ED DBG.11,'1906. e s WILLOUGHBY RAILROAD SEMAPHORE.

urmouron mam APR. 28',

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAILROAD-SEIVIAPHORE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1906. Serial NO. 313,100-

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

To all whom it ncay concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SPENCER WIL- LOUGHBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, have invented a new and useful Attachment to Railroad-Semaphores, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-semaphores by which the arm of the semaphore is held in a position indicating safety, and is automatically released to a danger-signal, a full, clear, and exact description of which is contained herein; and the ob ject of my improvement is to provide a system of signals by which the falling upon and obstructing of the track by any object is instantly recorded at a distance and the track closed to travel. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are referred to herein and made a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-sectionof a semaphore with the mechanism attached, as viewed from above. Fig. 2 is a view of lever controlling semaphore-arm. Fig. 3 is a side view of mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plate attached to semaphore. Fig. 5 is a view of apparatus used for actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side view of semaphore with mechanism attached.

Fig. 7 is a front view of semaphore with arm in its normal position at safety.

The semaphore shown in the drawings is the standard semaphore adopted by railroads, although semaphores of other patterns may be used.

The details of construction and method of operation are as follows:

2 represents the upright post of asemaphore, and 1 the lever, with its weight 11 attached, controlling the semaphore-arm by rod 10. In the lever 1 a recess or perforation 3 is made to receive the end of the reciprocating pin or shaft 4, which is held in that position preferably by springs 5 and 5, one end of which is attached to eyebars 6 and 6, extending through post of semaphore 2, and the other end to cross-arm 7, attached to the shaft 4, the collar 18 regulating the distance which the end of the shaft 4 enters the hole in lever 1. The shaft 4 preferably at one end extends through and is supported by the semaphore-post 2 and at the other end by pillow-block 9 and reciprocates in these bearings.

16 is the ladder of the semaphore, and 17 is a plate which is attached to semaphorepost 2 just above lever 1 and extends down and over the lever as a protection thereto.

It will readily be seen that the end of shaft 7 4 can be drawn out of the hole 3, releasing the semaphore-arm, by a direct lateral pull. To do this automatically requires an actuating medium, which is supplied by the apparatus shown in Fig. 5, in which 13 and 13 and 14 and 14 represent wires or cables loosely suspended on posts 15 set in the ground, the wires or cables being brought together at either end and attached to ring 8 of the semaphore mechanism. The wires or cables are connected together, referably, by wovenwire-fencing. 12. T 's woven wire is attached to the wires or cables either in separate sections or panels between the posts or continuously in such a manner as not to interfere with the free movement of the wires or cables in their bearings. In the cut, Fig. 5, the wires or cables of each series are shown anchored at one end to a 0st and left free at the other end to be attacffed to ring 8. I do not wish to confine myself to this construction, as both ends may be attached to semaphores, nor to the number, arrangement, or manner of connecting them together, as these details will have to be adapted to the character of the ground to be covered and the particular dangers against which protection is desired. This fence or barrier, Fig. 5, is extended along the side of the track and connected at either end with semaphores, as above described, the arms of the semaphores being held at safety, as shown in Fig. 7. It will be seen that any pressure upon the fence or barriersuch as would be produced by trees, rocks, boulders, earth, or other matter falling upon or against itsufficient to produce an obstruction upon the track will exert a pull on the wires or cables connected with the semaphore, thereby actuating the mechanism holding the semaphore-arm at safety, releasing it and allowing the arm to be carried to a horizontal position by the weight attached, signaling danger, thus affording a perfect protection to the track, giving immediate warningof any obstruction, and stopping all travel from either direction until the obstruction is removed, and the semaphore-arms are again set at safety and the road reopened to traffic.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with a railroad-semaphore, mechanism for holding the arm of the semaphore in a osition to signal safety, and for automatica ly releasing said arm to a danger-signal, consisting of a reciprocating shaft held in engagement with the lever of the semaphore-arm by springs.

2. In combination with a railroad-semaphore, mechanism for holding the arm of the semaphore in a position to signal safety, and for automatically releasing said arm to a danger-signal, consisting of a reciprocating shaft held in engagement with the lever of the semaphore-arm by springs; and means for actuating the mechanism from a distance, consisting of wires or cables loosely suspended and connected with said mechanism.

3. In combination with a railroad-semaphore, mechanism consisting of a reciprocating shaft held in engagement with the lever of the semaphore arm by springs.

4. In combination With a railroad-semaphore, mechanism consisting of a reciprocating shaft held in engagement with the lever of the semaphore-arm by springs, and means for disengaging said shaft at a distance.

5. In combination with a railroad-semaphore, mechanism consisting of a reciprocating shaft held in engagement with the lever of the semaphore-arm by springs, and wires or cables in parallel series connected together by woven wire, loosely suspended on posts and extended to a distance, attached thereto.

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

GEORGE SPENCER WILLOUGHBY.

Witnesses:

T. L. ROGERS, M. J. WAGER.

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