US917939A - Gate for railway-crossings. - Google Patents

Description

P. HAMER.

GATE FOB RAILWAY OBOSBINGS.

APPLIOATIOB rman no. 31, 1007.

917,939. Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909. 2 HBBTS-SEBET 2.

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PETER HAMER, OF CADDO, OKLAHOMA.

GATE FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Application filed December 31, 1907. Serial No. 408,715.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER I'IAMER, citizen of the United States residing at Caddo, in the county of Bryan and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Gates for RailwayCrossings, of which the following is a specification.

The fpresent invention provides novel means or safe guardingl a roadway inter seeted by a railroad so t at persons may be warned in ample time of the approach of a trainso as to avoid a casualty, said warning being made more e'fi'ective by interposing a learner to revent the crossing of the railway track, sai safety means being automatically actuated by the moving train, being set on the approach of the train and restored tonormal condition after the train has passed the crossin For a fufi understanding of the invention and the merits thereof reference is to be had to the following description and accompanyin drawings. TVhile the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departin from the spirit or essential features thereo still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railway crossing provided with safety appliances embodying the invention, parts eing broken away'to show more clearly the relative arrangement and the construction of certain elements. Fi 2 is a side view of the safety devices, parts eing broken away and showing the arrangement of the elements when the ates are lowered. Fi 3 is a transverse sectlon on the line (vs-ac of ig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of an o crating wheel, as seen from the inner side: ig. 5 is a perspective view of a lantern and support showing the position of the same when the gates are elevated. Fi 6 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 5, illustrating their arrangement when the gates are lowered. Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the operating wheels 7 as seen from the inner side showing the normal ppsition of the parts when the gate is open. ig. 8 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 illustrating the relation of the arts when th topJ shaft and cooperating spring.

orresponding and like parts are referred with operating, wheels e gate is closed. Fi 9 is a section on the line yy of Fig. 3, s owingto in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The invention may be either applied to a single or a double track and may embody one or more gates.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the invention is shown in connection with a roadway inter-' sected b double tracks, a air of gates bein arrange at the outer si e of each of sai tracks.

At any safe distance from the crossing at each side thereof are located two shafts 1 and 2, the same lying one above the other and extending transversely of the tracks and mounted in suitable bearin s to receive an oscillatory movement. Eac i shaft 1 is provided with a trip 3 normally extended vertically to be engaged by a part of the train so as to be depressed. A cross bar 4 fast to each shaft 1 and extended from opposite sides thereof, is normally ressed upon by means of a flat spring 5, which is secured to a tie or other convenient portion of the roadbed. The shafts 1 and 2 are adapted to be turned in either direction and the shafts 1, when relieved of the restraining influence of the train, are returned to normal position by means of the respective cooperatmg springs 5'. An arm 6 rojects vertically from each shaft 1 and is adhpted to actuate the adjacent operatin wheel 7. It is to be understood that eac 1 shaft 1 is provided with a trip 3 and an arm 6 for each track.

Each shaft 2 is provided at opposite ends 7 fast thereto. The 0 crating wheels 7 are rooved in their outer e ges and each is-provided on its inner side with an ap roximately U-sha ed s ring 10 fast at its 0 osed end to the w eel, t e arms being free and arranged upon 0 posite sides of the adjacent arm 6. When t he shaft-1 is turned in one direction, its arms 6 engage with members of the adjacent U-shaped springs 10 to effect a corresponding turning of the shaft 2. The space between the members of the U-shaped springs 10 is such as to permit the shaft 1 to return to normal position after actuating the operating wheel 7 Without moving said operating wheel backward or to its normal position. Hence when the shaft 1 is tripped u on the ap roach of a train and the gates are owered, t ey remain in such lowered position until the train has cleared the crossing and actuates the trip shaft upon the far side. By having the members of the parts 10 resilient, shock is avoided when the shaft 1 is trip ed to actuate the operating wheel, the su den impact of the arm 6 on a member of the part 10 being compensated for by the spring action of said member.

A second operating Wheel 11 is provided for each gate and is preferably located opposite the same and is connected with the first mentioned operating wheel 7 on the same side by cables or chains 12 and 13, said connections 12 and 13 bein attached to the respective operating whee s 7 and 11 in such a manner as to cause the wheels 1 1 to move in oppositc directions at the same time so that w en one connection 12 is moving to the right, the other connect10n 13 1s at the same time moving to the left. Pairs of guide pulleys 14 are located near the 0 crating wheels 7 and 11 and give proper direction to the flexible connections, 12 and 13. The portions of the connections 12 and 13 between opposite pairs of guide pulleys 14 are housed to protect them from the weather, dirt, stones or other matter which would tend to interfere materially with their free operation. The housing 15 consists of a ipe, the end portions of which are split an forked to receive the airs of guide pulleys 14. Cables, chains or like flexible connections 16 and 17 are secured at opposite ends to the o crating wheels 11 so as to transmit motion rom one to the other. Corresponding ends of the connections 16 and 17 are attached to opposite ortions of the respective operating wheel; 11 to cause them to move in opposite directions. Pairs of uide pulleys 18 direct the connections 16 and 17 near the operating wheels 11 and are supported by forked ends of a pipe 19 formin a housing for connections 16 and 17. T e pipe 19, besides protecting the connections 16 and 17 from the elements and from accumulations, such as dirt and stones, also prevents in'u to the parts 16 and 17 from passin ve ic es.

Each gate 20 consists of a ar secured to a shaft 21 mounted in bearings of a post or support 22. The gate is counterbalanced in the accustomed way to insure free movement thereof so that the operating force may overcome the inertia and friction of the parts. A cross bar 23 is fast to the outer end of each shaft 21 and its arms are connected to opposite sides of the adjacent operating wheel 11 by means of chains or cables 24 and 25. Springs 26 of the contractile type are inte osed in the length of each connection 24 an 25 so as to neutralize shock that may result from the quick movement of the operating wheel when actuated by the moving train. The gates 0 en upward and close downward by a pivota move ment.

In operation, a train approaching the crossing from the right depresses the right hand trip and actuates the right hand open ating wheel 7, and through the flexible connections lowers the gates and turns the left hand operating wheel 7 toward the crossing. As the train actuates the left hand trip on the far side after passing the crossing, the gates are elevated and the right hand operating wheel 7 is returned to normal position to be again. actuated b the next train appreaching the crossing 'rom the right. The same operation takes lace when a train aproaches the crossing rom the left, the gates e' lowered upon the train actuating the left liand operating lever 7 and again returned to normal position after the train has cleared the crossing and aetuates the right hand operating wheel 7.

In order that the position of the gates may be seen at night and their osition made known, a lantern 27 is carrie by each, and for this purpose a rod 28 forming a support for the lantern, is attached at one end to the gate and its op osite end is provided with two loops 29 an 30 arranged at right angles to each other and having adjacent ortions connected by a part common to eac The loop 29 is at the extremity of the rod 28 and occupies a position at right angles to the tracks. The loop 30 is at the side of the rod 28 and is arranged 1e thwise of the tracks. When the ates are raised, the lantern 27 is suspended rom the terminal loop 29 and indicates safety along the road intersected by the railway tracks. When the gates are lowered, the lantern 27 is sus ended from the side loop 30 and indicates Sanger along the roadway. The lantern automatieall moves from the terminal loop 29 to the Ski loop 30 and vice versa, and in such movement is given a one-quarter turn, thereby showing safety when the gates are ralsed and danger when the gates are lowered. When the gates are raised, the terminal loops 29 occupy the lowermost position, hence the lantern handle hangs suspended from such loop. When the gates are lowered, the loops 30 occupy a lower. position than the terminal loops 29 and lantern hanging sus ended from said loops 30 indicate danger. he engaging part common to the two loops 29 and 30 is such as to admit of the lantern automatically moving from one loop to the other as the gate is either raised or lowered.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In means for protecting a railway crossing, the combination of a gate, an operating w eel, spaced members applied to a side 0 the operating wheel, connecting means between the operating wheel and gate embodymg flexible connections, gu de means for said flexible connections, a trip shaft, means for holding the trip shaft in a normal osition, and an arm rigid with the trip it and arranged to operate between the spaced members of the said operating wheel to move the latter in one direction to operate the gate and to tpermit the return of said arm and trip sha t to normal position without moving the 0 erating wheel or gate.

2. n means for protecting a railway crossing, the combination of a gate, an o erating wheel, connecting means between t 1e operating wheel and gate, a trip shaft provided with an arm, and spaced spring members secured to said operating wheel and arranged upon opposite sides of the arm of the trip shaft to receive the impact thereof and adapted to neutralize the shock resulting from said impact.

3. In means for protecting a. railway crossing, the combination of a gate, an o erating wheel, connecting means between tie operating wheel and gate, a trip shaft provided with an arm, and a U-shaped s ring secured to a side of the operating whee and having its members free and arranged upon opposite sides of the arm of the trip shaft to receive and neutralize the impact thereof.

4. In safety means for railway crossings, the combination of a gate, an o erating Wheel, connecting means between tiie operating wheel and gate, spaced members attached to said operating wheel, a trip shaft having an arm arranged to operate between the said spaced members and provided with a cross bar, and a spring normally exerting a pressure on the arms of said cross bar to maintain and return the trip shaft to normal position.

5. In a safety means of the character specified, the combination of a gate, an operating wheel 11 having connection with tie gate, operating wheels 7 arranged upon opposite sides of the operating wheel 11, s aced members applied to a side of each of t e operating whee s 7, flexible connections between the operating wheel 7 and 11 to effect simultaneous movement of the operating wheels 7 in op osite directions, trip shafts cooperating wit '1 the operating wheel 7, and arms rigid with the res ective trip shafts and arranged to operate etween the spaced members of the operating wheel 7 to move the latter in one direction, and admitting of the arm returning to normal position without imparting movement to the said operating wheel and gate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER HAMER. [L. s.]

'Witnesses:

C. TRENT, IV. R. SANDERS.

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