US972432A - Store-service apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

L. B. BETHARDS. STORE sBRvIoE APPARATUS.

v APPLICATION FILED SBF120, 1909. 972,432 Patented Oct. 11,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L. B. BETHARDS. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. I APPLICATION FILED SBF120, 1909.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

2 BHEBTS*SHEET 2.

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LONZO IB. BETHARDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Application led September 20, 1909. Serial No. 518,651.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, LoNzo B. Bieri-miens, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which corresponding letters of reference in the dierent gures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to overcome the common objection heretofore made to that style of store-service apparatus lcommonly known as the spread-wire type, viz.; that the handle of the main propelling lever projects so low when in its abnormal position that it is liable when reversed by the operator at the opposite station in the ,act of returning the car, to injure one who may be standing near it.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty by providing a supplementary handle or hand-controlled lever, which shall be so constructed as to return automatically to an elevated position as soon as the hand of the operator is removed therefrom after forwarding the car.

A further object is to so construct said device that the catch by which the car is held at the sending station may be released thereby before any tension is placed upon Moreover, it ismy purpose to provide means in connection` with said handle for reversing the pivoted bar to which the wires are attached at the sending station for the purpose of returning the car in an emergency.

I accomplish said objects in the manner hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a store-service apparatus including a car, portions of the wire-way and the propelling mechanism embodying the features of my improvement, the parts being shown in the positions in which they would appear when ready to release and forward the car; Fig. 2 shows the actuating hand-lever, the pivoted wire supporting bar and wires in the respective positions in which they would appear after forwarding the car; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the'wire supporting bar, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views of modified constructions which, in addition tothe modified features, show the wires yreversed as to direction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the usual supporting plate connected in any well-known way to a stationary struct-ure, to which plate is secured a clevis 2, having a bar 3 jointedly connected to its forward end as shown at 4. A link 5 having one end of a wire 6 attached thereto, is j ointedly connected at 7 near the upper end of the bar 3, while a similar link 8 has one end connected in like manner at 9 to the lower end of said bar and the other end to a wire 10. rIhe bar 3 is substantially the same as that heretofore in common use except that it is modified in shape to conform to the new conditions and is without a handle at its rear end. A combined spring buffer and catch 11-of well-known construction is attached to the forward end of said bar in position to engage a tooth 12 upon a car 13 when the bar is in its normal horizontal posit-ion, as shown in Fig. 1.

Pivotally connected to the bar 3 by means of a pin 14 arranged to pass through a slot 15 in said bar, is a bifurcated lever 16, the arms of which, commencing at the rear end of said bar are extended upon opposite sides thereof'to a position slightly beyond the forward end, so as to lie normally beneath the catch 11. The lever 16 is provided with a handle 17 at its rear end where the arms of the forked portion are joined. The forward portion of the lever is made somewhat heavier than that of the rear so as to counterbalance the handle. lNhen the car is at the station and the bar 3 is in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the rear portion of the lever is brought into contact with any suitable stop above it, such, for example, as the supporting bar or the rear of the clevis 2 and is held in the position indicated in said figure with its forward end immediately beneath and in contact with the catch 11. A notch 18 is formed in the under side of said lever near the handle, which is adapted to engage with lthe projecting ends of the pivot-pin 9 in the handle 17 and pulls downwardly upon it. The lever 14 being in engagement at its rear end with the pin 9, causesrthe bar 3 to be moved with it. The first result of this action causes the catch 1l to be lifted out of engagement with the part 12, thereby releasing the car. The continued movement of the handle causes the bar 3 to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, but as Vsoon as the handle is released the forward portion of the lever being heavier,rinnne turn the car thereto without aid from theoperator at the opposite end. This may be accomplished by returning the bar 3 to its normal position. In order that the lever 16 may be utilized to make a back pull for this purpose, I provide the slot 15 and the notch 18, which latter extends rearwardly so as to form a linger 20 thereon. The linger is normally out of engagement with the pin 9, but when the operator wishes to return the car, he places the lever against the pin 9, and pushes upwardly thereon until the finger 19 is in engagement with the pin 9, when a back-pull serves torestore the parts to the respective positions shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a different form of buffer-catch 21 adapted to operate with a tilting, spring-controlled yoke 22, upon the car. The lever 23 is pivoted at 24 upon the samev axis as that of the bar 25,

, to which the wires 6 and 10 are connected,

saidA lever being bent downwardly at its forward end beneath the pin 26 of the yoke for the purpose of releasing the latter. A lug 25a is formed upon each side of the bar 25 near its forward end, with which the `lever 23 engages to actuate the bar 25 as soon as the car is released. A pin 25b is also formed upon the bar 25 to limit the movement of the lever when the bar is in an abnormalposition. Instead of moving the entire lever longitudinally, as above described, when it is necessary to reverse the bar 25, I move the handle only. The handle 27 is recessed, as shown, and slidably mounted upon the rear end of the lever 23, being connected therewith by means of a pin 28, Fig. 4, projected through a slot 29,

in the lever. A spring 30 in the recess serves to retain the handle in a normal position. A lug 31, having an opening or recess 32 therein is formed upon the handle, said recess being in position, when the handle is pushed forward, to receive the rear end 33 of the bar 25 and lock the two together. This feature is only intended to be used for the purpose of returning the car in an emergency, as above described.

An important advantage of my improvement is that it enables a much longer handle to be used than is ordinarily employed, thereby making the action easier, while the bar to which the wires are attached may also be made longer. All danger of injury to those standing near when the lever is unexpectedly reversed is avoided, as a result of this construction.

A further advantage is that a positive catch may be insured to hold the car at the station, while the lever enables the same to be positively released by a single act before spreading the wires and that with but a slight effort, whereas heretofore the release has required an excessive exertion on the part of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, I claim z- 1. In a store service apparatus, the combination of a double wire-Way, a car mounted thereon, a catch mechanism for normally locking the car at the station, a pivoted Wire spreading bar, an independently pivoted hand lever having its forward end in operative proximity to said catch for releasing the same when moved from a normal position and means for causing an engagement between said hand lever and wire spreading bar after the release of said catch.

4 2. In a store service apparatus, the combination of a double wire-way, a car mounted thereon, a catch mechanism for normally locking the car at the station, a pivoted wirespreading bar, an independently pivoted hand-lever, having its forward end in operative proximity to said catch for releasing the same when moved from a normal oosition, means for causing an engagement etween said hand lever and wire spreading bar after the release of said catch, and means for detachably locking said lever and bar together during a backward movement of the two, to return the'car by positive action to its normal position.

3. rI`he combination with a double wirewaygand car of the class described, of a pivoted wire-spreading bar, an independently pivoted'lever for actuating said bar to spread the wires, means for returning said lever to a predetermined position when released from the hand of the operator, and means for abnormally locking said lever and bar together to return the former to its normal position.

4. The combination with a double Wireway and car of the class described, 0f a pivoted wire-spreading bar, an independently pivoted lever for actuating said bar to spread the wires, means for returning said lever to a predetermined position when released from the hand of the operator, and a normally ing Witnesses, this 18th day of September disengaged catch mechanism for locking the 1909. lever to the bar to enable the latter to be positively reversed for returning the car in LONZO B BETHARDS' 5 an emergency. v lVtnesses:

In testimony whereof, I have signed this D. H. FLETCHER,

specification in the presence of two subserib- CARRIE E. JORDAN.

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