US939832A - Locomotive-headlight. - Google Patents

Description

Patented N0v.9,1.909.

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LOGOMOTIVB HEADLIGHT. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, 1907.

I desired direction.

I SlATEtQ PATENT esse A. HAMBY AND SAMUEL s. nuronnn, or COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

LQCOMOTIVE-HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed. December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,225.

20 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that We, JosnrH A. HAMBY and SAuUnL S. Bo'ronnn, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county ofMuscogee, btate of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Loco niotive-Headlights; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvemei-ts'in locomotive headlights.

Owing to the fact. that head-lights for locomotives, as now constructed, are stationary-with respect, to the engine boilers on whichrthey are mounted, it has been found impossible to properly light up a curve before running on it, or while traveling over it, or to light up the straight track ahead while traveling around the curve, as the lightbeam is thrown only in one direction, ina straight line directly in front of the locomotive and in line with its longitudinal axis.

It isthe object of the present invention, therefore to overcome this defect by providing a: locomotive head-light which is so mounted on its supporting-plate as to follow the track atall times, to cast its light in the A further object consists in the provision of a. headlight so constructed as to turn automatically on its axis with the track, to

properly light up the same at all times and.

to be entirely independent of the engine truck and the movements thereof.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of -parts, all as hereinafter fully set forth, specifically claime d,'and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals in the several views.

Of the said drawings Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevation of a locomotive pro vided with the improved head-light. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the operating mechanism for the head-light. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the gear segment. Fig. 4: is a ver- Fig. 5 is a plan view of the guide. Fig. 6

is an enlarged detail sectional view illns= trating the manner of mounting the headlight.

Referring more particularly to the draw: ings, '7 designates, generally, the boiler of a locomotive, upon which is mounted by means of brackets 8' a longitudinally-disposcd supporting-plate 9 for the head-light- 10 and. its operating mechanism. Bolted or otherwise secured to this plate adjacent the rear end thereof is an upstanding L-shaped bracket 11 whose forwardly-projecting horizontal arm 12 extends directly over saidplate and is connected at its forward end by a T joint 12 with the top member of an inverted U-shapeol bracket 13, whose arms are secured attheir lower ends to the plate 5). The forward arm of the T joint. and the top member of the bracket 13 carry a depending bifurcated hanger 13, whose threaded stem passes through alining perforations formed therein. To said hanger is pivoted the rod let of a pendulum whose weight 1.5 has formed in its lower face a threaded socket into which the upper end of a pin 16 is removably fitted, the lower end of the pin extending through slot 17 formed in the arm 18 of a gear segment 19 loosely mounted upon a stub-shaft 20 set into the plate 9. Directly beneath the arm of said segmentis secured a transverse]y-disposed guide plate 21 which is supported slightly above the plate 9 and has formed therein a longitudinal slot 22 into which the pin 16 likewise extends, being adapted to travel therein during the swinging movement of the penduluni.

The gearsegment vabove referred to meshes with a gear secured to a stubshaft 24: whose lower end extends loosely through a perforation in the supporting plate and is fitted in a bearing-cup 25, se cured to the under face of said plate, while its upper portion. in like manner, extends through registering perforations formed axially in a pair of bearing- plates 26 and 27 the upper plate ill being secured to the bottom-of the headlight, as shown in Fig. (3, the upper end of said stub-shaft being likewise fastened in an preferred manner to the head-light bottom. The plate .27, which is disposed bet worn the plate 36 and the gear i-t. is stationary and is supported upon a series of feet 28 secured to the plate 9. lhe

mutually-adjacent inner faces of the plates 26 and 27 are provided with race-grooves in which a series of antifriction bearings 30 are disposed.

It will be understood, obviously, that where it is intended that the train take the curves without'appreciably decreasing its speed, the outer rails of the curves must be slightly superelevated. On the other hand, where speed is not an essential, the train may travel more slowly at such times, and the rails need not be superelevated. The invention will operate with equal efficiency under both conditions, but one or the other must of necessity be present.

Owing to the pivotal mounting of the pendulum, it will be apparent that when the locomotive travels upon a right-hand curve the pendulum will swing in one direction, and will swing in the other direction when the locomotive travels in a left-hand curve.

Such movement of the pendulum, by reason of the extension of its pin 16 through the slot in the arm of the gear segment, will cause the latter to rotate in a corresponding direction, such rotation being transmitted to the front gear 23, to whose shaft the plate 26 and With it the head-light 10, is secured, so that it will be evident that any rotation of said segment will directly effect the 'corre sponding movement of the head-light in the same direction, the extent of the movement of the head-light being directly pro ortionate to the length of the are described by the pendulum. It will thus be apparent that the beam of light thrown by the head-light will fall at all times directly upon the track traveled-by the locomotive and that such beams will follow any deviations and curves in the track.

The provision of anti-friction bearings between the plates 26 and 27 allows the head-light to move with freedom upon the plate 27 which serves to support its weight in a great measure, while the pivotal mounting of the pendulum permits an easy movement of the latter.

The supportingplate 9. is spaced suliiciently above the boiler to allow the pendulum free movement out of contact therewith.

\Ve are aware that it has been proposed to pivotally mount a locomotive head-light and connect the same by levers with the front truck, so that movement of the truck in one direction or the other will correspondingly rotate the head-light, but such construction is faulty since the connecting links or levers between the truck and head-light are apt to contact with the boiler and to be injured thereby. \Ve have therefore devised the present construction in'which the head-light and its actuating means are entirely independent of and unconnected with the locomotive truck.

I l l I poscd \Vhat is claimed is 1. The combination, with a supporting platform, and an upstanding bracket secured thereto and including a forwardly-projecting arm, of a gear segment rotatably mounted upon said platform and including a slotted arm; a slotted guide plate arranged transversely of the latform and in spaced relation thereto, said guide plate being disposed beneath said slotted arm; a member secured to the forward end of the bracket arm; a rod pivoted'at its upper end to said member, and provided at its lower end with a weight; 21 depending pin secured to the weight, said pin extending through the slots in the segment arm and guide plate, to rotate the segment during the swinging movement of said rod; a gear mounted upon said platform in mesh with said segment; and a head-light connected with the lastmentioned gear.

2. The combination, with a supporting ulatt'orm, and an upstanding bracket secured thereto and including a forwardly-projecting arm, of a gear segment rotatably mounted upon said platform and including a a slotted arm; a slotted guide plate arranged transversely of the platform, and in spaced relation thereto, said guide plate being disbeneath said slotted arm; a member secured to the forward end of the bracket arm; a pendulum pivoted at its upper end to said member, and having its lower end extending through the slots in the segment arm and guide plate, to rotate the segment during its swinging movement; a vertical pin rotatably mounted upon the platform in advance of the segment; a gear secured to said pin intermediate the ends thereof, said gear meshing with said segment; a headlight secured to the upper end of said pin; a plate disposed between the last-mentioned gear and the head-light and secured to said platform, said plate being provided with a central opening through which the in loosely extends; and a series of anti-friction bearings interposed between said plate and.

the bottom of the headlight.

3. The combination, with a supportin platform, and an upstandingbracket secure thereto and including a forwardl -projecting arm, of a gear segment rotatab ly mounted upon said platform and inc riding a slotted arm; a slotted guide plate arranged transversely of the )latt'orm, and in spaced relation thereto, saiil guide plate being disposed beneath said slotted arm; a member secured to the forward end of the bracket arm; a rod member, an provided at its ower end with a weight; a depending pin securedto the weight, said pin extending through the slots in the segment arm and guide plate, to rotate the segment during the swinging movement of said rod, a vertical pin rotatebiy mouzrie upon the platform in advance of the se m a gear secured to said pin e the ends thereof, said gear with said segment; a head-light V e. if. the upper end of said pin; a plate mspssed between the last-mentiened gear and the head-1ight,and secured to said platplaie being provided with a central Opemeg threugh which the pin loosely extends; and sen-es of anti-frietie'n bear- In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

' JOSEPH A. HMviBY.

SAIKEUEL S. BUTCHER.

P. PAMARANCE, J. E. SLAUGHT R.

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