US896499A - Turn-table for overhead railways. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908.

0. H. WITTHOEFFT. TURN TABLE FOR OVERHEAD RAILWAYS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES H. WITTI-IOEFFT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TURN-TABLE FOR OVERHEAD RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed November 2'7, 1907. Serial No. 404,016.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Wrr'r- HOEFFT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn-Tables for Overhead Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,-forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a turn table for use in transferring travelers from one section of an overhead track to another section of overhead track, the device being more particularly intended for use in transferring travelers by which buckets are supported and conveyed from one point to another in the construction of concrete walls.

Figure I is a top or plan view of my turn table and showing sections of overhead track leading to and from the turn table. Fig. II is an elevation of the turn table. Fig. III is a top or plan view of a fragment of the switch rail and the catch device by which the travelers are caught after they are transferred onto the switch rail, hangers by which the switch rail is supported being shown in horizontal section taken on line-III-III, Fig. II.

In the accompanying drawings: A and A designate overhead track rails on which travelers may ride in approaching my turn table and moving from the turn table to convey material that is to be delivered to a certain point after passing the turn table in one direction and. to be returned empty after passing the turn table in traveling in a reverse direction.

B and B are overhead track rails that lead from and to the turn table, these rails being united to each other at a point not shown in order that the traveler may complete a cir,

cuit from and to the turn table.

1 designates a turn table support that may be of any suitable construction and which is located in juxtaposition to the ends of the overhead rails A, A and B, B.

2 is a circular turn table track mounted upon the support 1 and which is located at a greater elevation than the ends of the overhead track rails. The turn table track is adapted to support a carriage that will next be described.

3 is the bearer of the carriage and 4 are track wheels adapted to operate on the turn table track and which are journaled to arms 5 to and extending laterally from thebearer 3.

6 are hanger rods depending from the bearer 3.

7 designates a switch rail that is supported by the hanger rod 6 and which is preferably so supported as to be lower at one end than at the other end to afford an inclined track rail on which a traveler may ride. It should be here stated that the switch rail is inclined, as stated, in view of the fact that the over head track rail B preferably terminates at a lower level than the overhead track rail B and that the combined rails B and B have an inclination therein which extends from a high point at the end of the rail B next the turn table to a low point at the end of the rail B adjacent to the turn table. This inclination of the rails is provided in order that a traveler will move under the influence of gravity in traversing said rails to and from the turn table.

8 designates a catch bar that is pivoted intermediate of its ends at 9, see Figs. II and III, to the switch rail 7 and which is provided with a catch member 10 that extends downwardly alongside of the switch rail to occupy a position that will cause said member to be engaged by a traveler, such as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. II, while said traveler is traversing the switch rail.

11 is a spring situated between the top of the switch rail and one arm of the catch bar 8 and by which the catch bar is normally maintained in a position to hold the catch member 1.0 thereof in a lowered position. The other arm of the catch bar is adapted to have attached to it any suitable means by which the catch bar may be moved in position to the spring 11 to withdraw the catch member 10 from the path of travel of the travelers that traverse the switch rail.

In the practical use of my turn table, the carriage of the table is turned at the will of the operator to bring either end of the switch rail 7 into line with either of the overhead rails A, A, B, B in order that a traveler riding upon either of the rails may be transferred to the switch rail and retransferred from the switch rail to another of the overhead rails. As the traveler rides onto the switch rail it moves into engagement with the catch member 10 of the catch bar 8 to be held by said catch member until it is to be transferred onto another track rail. It is to be noted in this connection that if the traveler approaches the high end of the switch rail and moves onto the switch rail at this end it will be caught by the catch member 10 without the catch bar 8 being operated, whereas, if the traveler passes onto the low end of the switch rail it must ride upwardly on said rail and pass beneath the catch member 10. before it is caught by said member. After the traveler has been transferred to the switch rail of the turn table said turn table is turned to the proper degree to bring an end of the switch rail into alinement with an overhead rail different from that from which the traveler was received by the switch rail, and the traveler is transferred onto this rail by either moving it backwardly from the catch member 10 and onto the rail that is to receive it or by elevating the catch bar 8 in order that the traveler may pass beneath the catch member 10 according to whether the rail that is to receive the traveler is at the high or low end of the switch rail.

To illustrate the use of the turn table in connection with the particular arrangement of overhead track rails shown in the drawings it may be stated that the turn table is first so moved that the switch rail will register with the track rail A in order that a traveler may pass onto said switch rail and be retained thereon until the turn table has been turned to bring the end of the rail that has received the traveler into registration with the track rail B. The traveler is then withdrawn from the switch rail and started on its course over the rail B and finally returns to the turn table at a lower elevation on the track rail B. Before the traveler reaches the turn table, however, said turn table is turned to bring the low end of the switch rail into registration with the rail B and the traveler, after passing onto the switch rail, ascends thereon until it passes beneath the catch member 10 and is caught thereby to be subsequently transferred to the track rail A after the switch rail h as been turned into registration with the last named track rail.

I claim: 1. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted upon said track,

and an inclined switch rail suspended from said carriage, substantially as set forth.

2. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted on said track, a switch rail suspended from said carriage, and a catch adapted to be engaged by a traveler while riding upon said switch rail, substantially as set forth.

3. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted on said track, an inclined switch rail suspended from said carriage, and a catch adapted-to be engaged by a traveler while riding upon said switch rail, substantially as set forth.

4. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted on said track, an inclined switch rail suspended from. said carriage, and a catch device carried by said switch rail adapted to be engaged by a traveler while riding on said switch rail, substantially as set forth.

5. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted on said track, an inclined switch rail suspended-from said carriage, and a s ring controlled catch device carried by said switch rail adapted to be engaged by a traveler while riding on said switch rail, substantially as set forth.

6. In a turn table of the character described, the combination of a turn table track, a carriage mounted on said track, a switch rail suspended 'from said carriage, a spring controlled catch bar having pivo'tal connection with said switch rail, and a catch member carried by said bar and extending downwardly alongside of said switch rail, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES H. WITTHOEFFT.

In presence of BLANCHE HOGAN, LILY RosT.

Images