US845736A - Combined air-brake-setting device and alarm. - Google Patents

Description

10.845736 PATENTED MAE. 5, 1907. E

E. E. ADEEON. l COMBINED AIE BRAKE SETTING DEVICE AND ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,` 1906.

ROBERT E. ADREON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMBINED AIR-BRAKE-SETTING DEVICE AND ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed November 30,1906. Serial N0. 345,593.

improve the construction of a similar device for which Letters Patent were issued to me January 2, 1906, No. 808,711.

A further object of my invention is to combine a brake-valve and a whistle-valve in a single housing and to provide for the maintenance of the air-pressure of the train-line on both of said valves to force the same against their respective seats.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the brake-valve that when the valve is forced from its seat there is a very smallexhaust area between the valve and its seat until said valve has receded some distance from its seat, thus providing a means of finer graduation of exhaust area and removing any tendency of he brake-valve to suddenly open its full extent after becoming unseated by pressure applied to the operating-handle.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby either one of the valves is directly engaged when opened, thus insuring positive action and perfect control.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken approximately through the center of my improved device, the same being shown connected to the train-line and provided with a hook whereby said device is connected to a car-rail. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the brake-valve with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the same. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. x Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designatesthe main body portion of the valve-housing, which is preferably cylindrical in form, and integral with the upper end thereof is a whistle-housing 2, there being a vent 3 formed through the top of the housing 1 immediately beneath the opening into the whistle-housing 2.

4 designates a cylindrical member whichis connected to the body 1 by a pair of vertically-disposed webs 5 and also by a hood 6, which covers a vent 7 between the cylindrical portion 4 and said body 1.

Theupper ends of the webs 5 terminate in a ring 5a ,integral with the body 1 and which serves as a bearing for the cylindrical head of a brake-valve hereinafter specified.

A nipple 8 is detachably seated on the lower end of the cylindrical member 4, and secured in any suitable manner to the'lower end of said nipple is a iexible tube 9, provided on its lower end with a hand-coupling, (not shown,) the purpose of this flexible tube and coupling being to provide a quick means of attachment to the air-brake train-line, so that the valve may be readily attached `to any car.

Where it is desired that the valve remain as a fixture on one car, it may be connected to the air-brake train-line by means of metal pipe and a suitable fitting screwed into member 4 of valve-housing.

Formed through the top of the lcylindrical member 4 is a circular aperture having a valve-seat 1.2, and adapted to engage upon said seat is a brake-valve 13, with the top of which is formed integral a pair of oppositely-arranged tubular legs 14, which normally bear against the inner faces of the webs 5, and formed integral with the upper" ends of said tubular legs is a cylindrical head 15, which is positioned in the mainl body portion 1 of the housing and which bears upon the ring 5a.

The openings in the tubular legs 14 extend upwardly through the head 15, as designated by 16, and the upper ends of these openings 16 are connected by transversely-arranged passage-ways 17,

Formed integral with the top of the valve 13, between the tubular legs 14, are the vertically-disposed flanges 18, the top surfaces of which are inclined in differentdirections, thus providing means whereby graduated openings are formed when the valve opens and closes in operation. y

Supported in any suitable manner within the tubular member 4 is an expansive coilspring 19, the upper end of which bears IOO IIO

against the under side of the valve 13, and located at any suitable point below this spring, within the member 4 or within the nipple 8, is a screen or reticulated plate 20, which is for the purpose of preventing cinders and like foreign matter from passing through the nipple and into the valve-housing.

VVhile the spring 19 and screen 20 are preferred, it will be readily understood that either or both may be eliminated without rendering the valve inoperative.

Formed in the head 15, immediately below the transverse passage-way 17, is a recess 21, and leading downwardly therefrom through the head 15 is a circular opening 22, there being an inclined shoulder 23 formed between said chamber 21 and opening 22, which shoulder forms a valve-seat. Passing diametrically through the head 15, a short distance below the chamber 21 and intersecting the opening 22, is a port' 24. A valve 25 normally rests on the shoulder 23, which valve is provided with a depending stem 26, which passes downwardly through the opening 22 and said stem being reduced in diameter immediately beneath the valve 25, as designated by 27. Removably seated in the upper end of the head 15, above the passageway 17, is a cap 28, and interposed between said cap and the valve 25 is an expansive coil-spring 29, which normally maintains said valve 25 upon its seat. As the pressure of air from the air-brake train-line is on top of this valve, the spring 29 is not essential, but produces an additional means of promptly returning valve 25 to its seat on the shoulder 23.

The lower end of the valve-stein 26 projects slightly beyond the lower side of the head 15, and formed integral with the tubular legs 14, a short distance below the said head 15, is a horizontally-disposed web 30.

Operating through an opening Jformed in the rear side of the valve-housing, below the main body 1 thereof, and liournaled upon a transversely-arranged pin 31 is a iinger 32, the forward end of which is positioned between the web 30 and the lower end of the valve-stem 26. Formed integral with the rear end of said iinger 32 is a lateral extension 33, with the outer end of which is formed integral a verticallydisposed handle 34, which normally occupies a position immediately to the right and slightly to the rear of the valve-housing. The important feature of this handle arrangement is that the handle is journaled to the valve-housing approximately opposite the vent 7, whereas the handle in my prior patent (above referred to) was journaled to the valve-housing at the whistle-chamber, where any lost motion of the handle, due to wear or inaccurate iitting, would rob the whistle of a certain amount of air; but the handle being located in the eX- haust-cavity removes this objection.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: The housing connected to the trainline hangs on the hand-rail oi the car-plati'orm and the operator stands immediately behind the device and manually engages the handle 34. Normally the pressure orl the air in the train-line maintains both the valves 13 and 25 closed until the handle is moved 1forwardly to unseat the brake-valve 13 or `pulled rearwardly to unseat the whistlevalve 25. When it is desired to sound an alarm by blowing the whistle, the operator pulls the handle 34 rearwardly and by so doing elevates the forward end of the 'linger 32, which movement elevates the valve-stem 26 and valve 25, and as soon as this action takes place air will pass downwardly through the recess 21 beneath the valve 25 which is being held open, and irom thence through the port 24 to the interior oi the body 1 oi the housing, and irom thence through the vent 3 across the mouth oi the housing 2, thus sounding the whistle. As soon as the pressure of the hand on the handle 34 is released the airpressure, together with the action ol" the spring 29, will immediately close the whistlevalve 25, and the operation of the whistle will therefore be discontinued. /Vhen it is desired to unseat the brake-valve, the operator i'orces the handle 34 forwardly, and by so doing bears upon the web 30 with the iorward end oi the finger 32, and in so doing causes the 'tubular legs 14, head l5, and valve 13 to move downwardly, during which action the `flanges 13, having the inclined tops, pass downwardly through the opening in which the valve-seat 12 is formed, thus producing gradually-enlarging exhaust-openings through which'the air confined in the train -line iinds passage to finally escape through the vent 7 beneath the hood 6, which action results in a setting of the powerbrakes. The object of providing ior the graduated openings is to arrange l'or a more sensitive means oi reducing the train-line pressure and to prevent the brake-valve irom chugging open. During this downward movement of the valve 13, legs 14, and head 15 the whistle-valve is likewise carried downwardly and is not affected by said movement. As soon as the pressure on the handle 34 is released the normal pressure in the train-line causes the valve 13 to instantly close and the various parts carried by said valve will resume their normal positions.

My improved device is simple in construc- ICO IOS

tion and operation, requires the use of but It is preferable that the whistle-housing be cast integral with the valve-housing, although it will be understood that said whistle-housing may be made separate irom the valvehousing and connected thereto in any suitable manner.

I claim- 1. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housing connected to the train-line. a whistle, means whereby communication is maintained between the valvehousing and the whistle, a valve arranged for operation in the housing, and normally closed by the train-line air-pressure, and a second valve normally held to its seat by the train-line pressure for closing the communication from the valve-housing to the Whistle.

2. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housing connected to the trainline, a whistle, a connection between the valve-housing and the whistle, a valve operating in the housing and normally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, means carried by said valve for normally closing communication through the connection between the valve-housing and the whistle, and means whereby the valve and the communication-closing means are operated.

3. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housing connected to the trainline, a whistle, a connection between the valve-housing and the Whistle, a valve operating in the housing and normally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, means carried by said valve and normally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, for closing communication through the connection between the valve-housing and the whistle, and means whereby the valve and the communication-closing means are independently operated.

4. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housing connected to the train-line, a whistle, a connection between the valve-housing and the whistle, a valve operating in the housing,`and normally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, a second valve operating in the first-mentioned valve and normally seated by the train-line airpressure, for preventing the passage of said train-line pressure to the whistle, and means whereby both valves are independently operated.

5. The combination with an air-brake trainline, of a valve-housing connected to said train-line, a whistle integral with said valve-housing, a brake-valve arranged Jfor operation in the valve-housing and normally closed by the train-line air-pressure, there being a chamber formed in the top of said valve, there being passages formed through said valve whereby the train-line pressure is maintained within the chamber in the upper end of the brake-valve, and a second valve operating in the iirst-mentioned valve for controlling the passage of the train-line pressure through the chamber in the brake-Valve to the whistle, and means whereby said valves are independently operated.

6. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing, a whistle-housing, a brakevalve operating in the valve-housing, a whis tle-valve operating in the brakevalve,means whereby both of the valves are normally maintained upon their respective seats, and means whereby both valves are independently operated.

7. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing adapted to be connected to an air-brake train-line7 a whistle-housing, a brake-valve opera-ting in the valve-housing, a whistle-valve operating in the brake-valve, which valves are maintained on their respective seats by the air-pressure in the trainline7 and which whistle-valve controls the passage of air to the whistle, and means whereby both valves are directly engaged and moved in opposite directions to be unseated.

8. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing adapted to be connected to an air-brake train-line and provided with an inlet-opening and an exhaust-cavty, a whistlehousing carried by the valve-housing, a valve operating in the valve-housing and normally closing the inlet in said housing, a whistlevalve for controlling the passage of air to the whistle-housing, means whereby both of said valves are normally maintained upon their respective seats, and means whereby said valves are independently o erated.

In testimony whereof Iphave signed my name to this speciiication in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT E. ADREON.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, E. M. HARRINGTON.

TOO

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