US977001A - Railway-gate. - Google Patents

Description

W. E. GEDDES.

RAILWAY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED IBB.1'7, 1910. 977,001 Patented N0v 29, 1910.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1. m

WUWMMA @mam a. 644,

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, WASHINGTON, 1:. CV

W. E. GEDDE RAILWAY GATE. APPLICATION FILED 313.17, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910. v

. NH Q ms ivmams PETERS c W AsHINGTON, u c

- W. E. GEDDE S. RAILWAY GATE.

- APPLIOATION FILED FEB.17,191-0. 977,001

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

' @Xifficuw 4% L14,

AU Litre 11.53

s F TERS cc, WASHINGTON, n c.

llll'lE El? WILLIAM E. GEDDES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY- GATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. GEDDEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railway gates and has for its object the production of a gate of this character which shall be closed and opened automatically by a moving train before and after a crossing respectively.

A further object of my invention is to provide a railway gate which shall be ineX pensive of manufacture and efficient in its operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in View my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts which shall be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificatio-n, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railway and my improved railway gate in its preferred form, F 2 is a top plan view of a double track railway showing the car-wheeloperated devices which control the operation of the gate mechanism, Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one of said devices taken on line of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the gate mechanism, Fig. 5 is an end elevation, Fig. 6 is a top plan view, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line ma: of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings 1 designates track No. 1 and 2 track No. 2, and trains run thereover as indicated. Each car-wheel-operated device comprises a shoe 3 pivoted to the side of a rail as shown in detail in Fig. 3. A perforated lug 4 projects from the side of the shoe 3 and to which a link 5 is pivoted at its upper extremity.

The bell-crank lever 6 pivoted as at- 7 to a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 17, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 544,349.

Fig. 3. To limit the upward movement of the shoe 3 a screw head 12 and a spring 13 is provided, the latter surrounding the screw. The wires 11 have bell-crank connection to the wires 14 and 15 which lead to the gate-operating mechanism, the wires 14 connecting with the rods 14 and 14 and the wires 15 with the rods 15 and 15". The gate-operating mechanism is provided with a housing 16, and to said mechanism is connected the gate arm 17, shown in Fig. 1, the dotted lines therein indicating the vertical or open position. An adjustable weight 18 is mounted on the gate 17 and is held in any desired position thereon by means of a set-screw 19, a stop 20 being provided to limit the movement of said gate.

21 designates the main frame of the gateoperating mechanism and 22 collars secured to the rods 14, 15, 14 and 15 and serve to react on the compression springs 23 surrounding said rods. To the inner end of said rods are pivoted bell-cranks 24 which in turn are pivoted to the supports 25. provided in the main frame 21.

One arm of the bell-cranks 24 is pivoted to vertically disposed pawls 26 by means of the screws 27, springs 28 secured to the main frame 21 being provided to maintain said pawls in normal engagement with the ratchet teeth 29 provided in the periphery of the oscillatory member 30. The oscillatory member 30 is secured to the shaft 31 which is journaled in the main frame. Teeth 32 are provided in the oscillatory member 30 and with which the spur gear 33 meshes, the latter being secured to the shaft 34 journaled in the main frame 21 in a manner similar to the shaft 31. Squared portions 35 are provided at each end of the shaft 34 in order that the gate members 17 may be rigidly secured thereto. Loosely mounted on the shaft 34 is a sector-shaped weight 36 the movement of which is limited by radial arms 37 and 38 which are secured to the shaft 34, the object of said weight being to hold the gate member 17 more positively in either the closed or open position. Pins 39 and 40 projecting laterally from the oscillatory member 36 engage respectively the arms 37 and 38 for obvious reasons.

The gate arm 17 in Fig. 4 is shown in closed position and the pawl 26 connected with a rod 14 leading from track No. 2 is in a position ready toopen: said; gate arm whenatrain. running on track No.2 actuates one of the car-wheel-operated devices provided thereon. downwardly as each wheel passes shoe 3 and will rotate the oscillatory member. 30; the

closing of the gate arm l7 the, short arm 43 was moved to the position as shown in Fig. 7,hencethe pawl 41 will} be in the proper position to perform its function; The arm 43 is frictionally pivoted on the screw 44 in such a manner-thatit will remain in any position after being moved. The spring 45 is secured rigidly to one end of the arm 43 and is adapted to pressthe'pawlsadapted to engage the ratchet wheel 42- into engage.- ment therewith. When the gate. is being closed the ratchet Wheel 42 will rotate the reverse direction and; during this time the stop pawl 4 6 will engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel sin-cethe pin 4:7 will cease to act; on the arm 43} and the pin'LS' will act on the-same to causethenecessary rotation.

The arm 43 moves the pawl's- 4:1- and; 46- by means of pins 439- projectinglaterally therefrom. The oscillatory member 30; will continue to rotatefor openin the gate arm 17 until pawls 26 engaging t e lever 50? which isprovided with the-slot 51- stops suchmovement; To; said levera transverse wire 52 is soldered, which wire engages the arm 53. The arm 53 is pivoted to the main frame as at 5% and is provided with a notch 55 adapted toengage the wire; 52. Securedin the periphery of the oscillatory member 30' is an obliquely disposed pin 56 the-point of which is adapted to engage the point of the arm 53 after the gate has been fully opened. This causes the arm 53 to rise which causes thenotclr 55 to disengage the wire 52, thus allowing the springs 28- to force the pawls 26 totheir engaging-positionfor closing the gate. The peripheral proj ection 57 provided in the oscillatory member 30* adapted to contact with the lever 50; "for forcing the pawls26 into their inoperative position after the gate is closed; and the projections 58 secured to the side ofi' said member are adapted to=en gage the levers 59 and to press the same outwardly, said levers being provided with a stopshoe' 60 adapted to engage the periphery of the oscillatory member 3G. Levers 61 are pivoted to the main frame 21 andareprovidedwith notches62 in the lower edges thereof, which notches are adapted to engage pins 63 provided in the levers 59 for holdingthe same in their outermost positions. It is apparent that when the notches 62 engage the pins 63' that the pawls 26 adjacent thereto are inv the inoperative position. 7

s: v1 2m w l be: pull dend of said levers being adapted to engage pins 66 projecting laterally from oscillatory members 67 which members are provided with peripheral teeth 68. hen the teeth 68 engage the main frame 21 at the points 69 the small ends of levers 64 will be raised, and in order to depress one of said ends a tooth 68 must be moved to its former position by one of the levers 70. Each lever 70 is provided with a projecting pin 71 which engages a spring 72 for normally lIfi olding said lever in position as shown in I n order that a lever 7 0 shall move to engage a tooth 68 the pin 73 projecting laterally from a pawl 26 must engage the lefthand side of the upper end thereof, and in order that this may be eii'ected the lever 53 must be raised to allow the pawls 26 to move to the left.

As aforesaid the lever 53 is raised after the gate is fully opened so as to allow the pawls 26 at the right to engage the member 30 and tobe in a position ready to close the gate. Supposing now that the gate is-closed by the actionof one of the pawls at the right, then it must also be opened by the pawl diametrically opposite or, in other words, by the same train. The reason for this is evident since during each operative down stroke of the pawl the pin 73 in its side engages and oscillates the lever 70. During the first stroke the lever 70 engages the tooth 68 and oscillates the member 67 which oscillation causes the lever 64 to assume the position shown in Fig. t which causes the corresponding pawl 26 to assume its operative position. The small end of the member 64: onthe other side of the member 30' will simply pass over the corresponding member 61-. Thus the desired selective action is produced with no interference of trains on tracks 1 and 2.

In order to explain the operation of the device, the cycle of operations which takes place as a train passes the gate on track 2 will now be traced. As the train approaches the gate in the direction of the arrows on Fig. 2 the corresponding track shoe is operated by the wheels of said train to cause vertical reciprocations of pawl 26. Under these conditions said pawl 26-:is free toengage the teeth 29 on the oscillatory member 30'to cause partial rotation thereof and consequent rotation of" shaft 34. to elevate the weight 36 and lower gate 17, until the center of gravity of weight 36 passes over the center of shaft 34, whereupon said weight will fall-to continue the movement of gate 17. At the first downward movement of said pawl 26 pin 73 passes to the left of member holding said member in such a position that the beveled side of projection 68 will contact with the lower end of member 70 to cause rotation of member 67 and the setting of lever 64 in position to contact with trigger member 61 near the end of the oscillatory movement of member 30. This elevates trigger 61 to release lever 59 and thus release the corresponding pawl 26 for engagement with oscillatory member 30. hen the train passes the gate, its wheels contacting with the corresponding track shoe 3 causes vertical reciprocations of said released pawl 26. During these reciprocations said released pawl 26 engaging with the corresponding teeth 29 on the oscillatory member 30 causes rotation of said oscillatory member to cause the elevation or opening of gate 17, the fall of the weight 36 serving to complete said movement of said gate as before. Near the end of this oscillation of member 30, member 58 contacting with the upper end of lever 59 throws said lever outwardly to throw the corresponding pawl 26 out of operative relation with teeth 29 and said pawl is held in inoperative relation by the engagement of notch 62 on trigger lever 61 with pin 63. At the first movement of member 30 to effect the raising or opening of the gate projection 57 will have actuated lever 50 to throw both of the pawls 26 on the corresponding side of member 30 out of operative relation where they will be held by trigger arm 53 engaging wire 52 so as to permit of the opening or raising movement of member 30. Near the end of the opening movement of member 30, pin 56 contacting with trigger arm 53 to release corresponding pawls 26 and to render them operative, and at substantially the same time member 68 engaging shoulder 69 operates lever 54 to place the latter in inoperative position. This places the operating parts in normal or initial position ready for another operation through the same cycle upon a passage of a train over track 2 in the direction indicated. The other side of oscillatory member 30 is provided with duplicates of the parts already described which serve to coperate with the corresponding pawls 26 to perform the same cycle of operations during the passage of a train over track No. 1 in the opposite direction to the passage of that over track No. 2. Thus it will be observed that the passage of a train over either track in the directions indicated will automatically close and open the gate to prevent accidents.

It will be noted that the foregoing described device is simple and effective and that the movements are eflected by a minimum number of parts.

While I have shown what I deem to be the preferable form of my improved railway gate I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be various changes made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts described without departing from the spirit of the invention, and hence I desire to .avail myself of such changes and modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, an oscillating shaft, a gate fixed thereto, a weight loosely mounted on said shaft, means on said shaft for limiting the movement of said weight thereon, means actuated from points remote from said gate for imparting initial movement to the gate and to shift said weight to complete the movement of the gate.

2. In a device of the class described, an oscillating shaft and a gate fixed thereto, in combination with a Weight loosely mounted on said shaft, a pair of spaced arms fixed to said shaft and adapted to limit the move ment of the weight thereon, means for imparting initial movement to said gate and shaft to shift said weight whereby said weight shall complete the movement of the gate. I

3. In a device of the class described, an oscillating shaft, a gate* fixed thereto, a Weight, loosely mounted on said shaft, a pair of spaced arms fixed to said shaft, stops projecting from said weight and adapted to engage said arms to limit the movement of the weight, and means actuated from points remote from said gate for imparting initial movement to said gate and for shifting said Weight.

4. In a device of the class described, an oscillating shaft, a gate operatively con.- nected thereto, means for imparting a step by step rotation to said shaft in one direction from a point remote from said gate and for imparting a like rotation in the opposite direction from another point remote from said gate, a double ratchet member fixed to said shaft, a pair of pawls arranged adjacent said ratchet, means for simultaneously throwing either of said pawls into engagement with its respective ratchet and for disengaging the opposite pawl, and means on said shaft for shifting the pawl throwing means, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, an oscillating shaft, a gate operatively connected thereto, means for imparting a step by step rotation to said shaft in one direction from a point remote from said gate and for imparting a like rotation in the opposite direction from another point remote from said gate, a double ratchet member fixed to said shaft, a pair of pawls arranged adjacent said ratchet, a member pivotally mounted adjacent, said pawlsand adapted in one position to. throw one of said, pawls into engagement, with. its respective ratchet and to disengage: the opposite pawl, and in another position to reverse said pawls, and a pair of spaced members on said shaft adapted to engage and operate the pawl shiftin-gmemand means for disengaging one of said pawls from its respective ratchets as the other pawl is thrown. into engagement with its ratchet,

, substantially as described.

' 7. 1-11 a device of the class described, a

" pivotallymounted gate, an oscillating memher operatively, connected thereto,oppositely disposed sets of ratchet teeth; formed on said member upon opposite sides thereof, a pair of; reciprocating pawls arranged adjacent each set of'ratchet teeth, means for actuating each of said pawls independently from different points remote from, said gate, the pawls of one pair being adapted to operate singly to. close the gate and the'pawls: of the other pair being *adapted to operate singly to open, the gate, means for throwing the gate closing pawls into and out of operative position: simultaneously, means for maintain: ing thegate opening pawls out of operative position when the gate closing pawls are in operative position, and selective means for throwing the gateopening pawl: corresponding to the previously operated gate closing pawl into operation as the gate closing pawls are thrown out of operation, substantially as described.

8. In a d'eviceof, the class described,, a railway track and; car-wheel-operated olevices; mounted adjacent thereto, a gate arranged adjacentv said track, mechanism adapted to operate said gate, and, means connecting said devices with. said mechanism for controlling the operation of the latter, each of said devices comprising a shoe pivoted to a. side of a rail of the track, a vertically disposed. link pivoted to said shoe, a bell-crank adapted to move in a vertical plane pivoted to said track and: to said link, a; link adapted to move in a horizontal plane pivoted to said. bell-crank, a second, bellr crank adapted to move in a horizontal plane pivoted to saidbellcrank, a second bell crank adapted, to move in a horizontal plane pivoted to said last. named. link, resilient means for normally maintaining; said shoe in ltshlghest position, and a; stop to limit the upward movement of said shoe consisting of the head of a screw which is secured in a. tie of' the track, said resilient means consisting of a compression spring surrounding said screw, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, a gate operative mechanism comprising a main frame, horizontally disposed rods slidably mounted in said frame and projecting therefrom, bell-cranks pivoted in said frame and to said rods, substantially vertically disposed pawlsv pivoted to said bell-cranks, an oscillatory member mounted in said frame having a segment gear and ratchet teeth on the periphery thereof, said teeth being adapted to engage said pawls, resilient means adapted tonormally press said pawls into engagement with said. teeth, stop pawls adapted to prevent retrograde movement of said oscillatory member after the same is moved by said vertical, pawls, a spur gear and shaft therefor mounted in said frame in meshwith said segment gear, and a sectorformed oscillatory weight mounted on said last named shaft,,substantially as described.

10; In a device of the class described, a gate operativemechanism comprising a main frame, four horizontally disposed rods slidably mounted in said frame and. projecting therefrom, four bell-cranks pivoted in said frame and to said rods, four substantially vertically disposed pawls pivoted to said bellcranks, an oscillatory member mounted in said frame having a segment gear and ratchet teeth on. the periphery thereof, said teetlr being. adapted to engage said pawls, resilient means adapted to normally press said pawls into engagement wlth said teeth, a stop pawl mechanism adapted to prevent retrograde movement of said oscillatory member, a spur gear and shaft therefor mounted in said frame in mesh with said segment gear, an oscillatory weight mounted on said last named shaft, two of said vertical pawls being adapted to engage said oscillatory member diametrically opposite the other two, and means for disengaging one of said last named pawls when a diametrically opposite pawl is positioned to engage said oscillatory member, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described, a gate opening and closing mechanism comprising: a main frame, reciprocatory rods mounted: in said frame, an oscillatory member having gear and ratchet teeth formed in theperiphery thereof, pawls connected with said rods and adapted to engage said ratchet teeth for oscillating said member, a shaftjourna-led in said frame carrying said oscillatory member, said ratchet teeth being in two series which are arranged diametrically opposite on the periphery of said 0soillatory member, the teeth of one series being disposed opposite to those of the other,

means for releasing the engagement of said In testimony whereof I have signed pawls engaging one series of ratchet teeth bename to this specification in the presence of fore the pawls adapted to engage the other tWo subscribing Witnesses. series of teeth are in engagement, and a gate WILLIAM E. GEDDES. pivotally mounted in said frame in 'opera- Witnesses:

tive connection with said gear teeth, sub- HELEN F. LILLIs,

stantially as described. JOSHUA R. H. Po'r'rs.

Images