US993428A - Stopping mechanism for railway-cars. - Google Patents

Description

I F. C. WILLIAMS, STOPPING MEUHANISM EOR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.26,1909.

Patented May 30, 19 11.

= 3 $11EETS-SEEET 1.

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A TTURNEV WITNESSES F. C. WILLIAMS.

STOPPING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS APPLIGATION FILED OCT, 26, 1909.

P8Jte11-ne 1vm 30, 1911.

WITNESSES Patented May 30, 1911 3SHEETSSHEET31 ATTORNEY F. G. WILLIAMS. 1 STOPPING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

' 6 1 APPLICATION FILED 0013.26, 1009. fiflcfifio WITNESSES UNITED; TES

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. WILLIAMS, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE "110 THE SAFETY BIJ P'JK SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPQRATION OF DELAWARE.

STOEPING MECHANISM FOR RAILYAY-GARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 1\Iay 30, 1911..

Application filed Gctober 26, 1909. Serial No. 524,707.

To (illicit/1m it may concern.

Be it known that l, 'FnANK \VILLIAMS, .a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Stopping Mechanism for Railway-Cars, of which the following is aspecilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsn i This invention particularly relates. to mechanism arranged to autoi'natically shut oil the motive power, and to contemporaneously actuate the brake mechanism to stop a railway car, or train. v

'lhe'priucipal objectot this invention is toprovide means whereby compressed airis utiliylcd to automatically control the motive po\\'er,. and to actuate the brake set ing mechanism, in accordance with the position of sig ials disposed at intervals adjacent to the track and"automatimlly actuated by movement of the canand arranged to effect shit'ted to norn'ial position,

the stopping of said car in eventof its ap preaching, danger or to eti'ect the stopping of said ear upon failure to properly actuate said signals. y

lhe form of this invention hereinafter described provides a car equipped with propelling,mechanisin actuated by convenient motive power-{and a, suitable air brake sys tem, and-a pneumatic motor automatically actuated inaccmdance with the position of.

the si nals of a block si nal svstem and convenient] y connected to be driven by compressed a1i.'.:trom the air b 'ake system, and

controlled by a. weighted valve automatically opened by tripping mechanism to start said motor. i Said motor valve shifted to closed position by the action ofsa-id motor, which is coimected to interi'nittently open and closc tho train pipe ialve, until stopped by the closing of said weighted val e. 'lhe movement of said train pipe valve is stopped in-such position as to render itoperative to -.uiaiutain the-ln'akes set. until manually brakes. p I

My inventionfurther includes thevarious novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified. The particular signal system, and the to release said wiring connections thereof, herein iown, are employed merely to facilitate the understanding of the operation of the stopping mechanism carried by the train, and form no-part of this invention, but are thesubject-matter of' a co-pending'application, Serial i\o. M36580, filed December 9, 1908.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure .1

is a fragmentary sectional view of a locomotive, with its tender shown in side elevation, together with a. diagrammatic illustration of a suitable block signal apparatus; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View showing the controlling mechanism illustrated in Fig. l on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the mechanical tripping mechanism arranged to be shifted. by engagement with n'ojections extending in its path from the signal apparatus; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the throttle releasing mechanism taken on the line 4: in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view, partly in elev: 7 tion, of an electrically propelled car conveniently embodying my improvements as arranged to break the motor circuit and set the brakes.

In theform of my invention shown in l igs. 1 to et inclusive, the locomotive l and tender 2 are arranged to traverse the track rails 3 and 4 between which, contact plates 5, (3, 7 and 8 are disposed. Said contact. plates 6 and 8 are in alineinentadjacent to the rail 3, and form the terminals of separate eleetrici circuits arranged to actuate the block signal, and the contact plates 5 and 7' are in alinement adj aeent to the rail 4, and form the terminals of separate circuits arranged to be closed through said signal in accordance with its position to electrically trip the stopping mechanism in said'locomotive, as hereinafter described.

' The signal. system lncludes the semaphore 10, pivoted upon the standard 11, which is 'mounted on the bracket 19, carried by the a similar reciprocatory bar 25, is connected by the flexible connector 26, with the lever 27, which is pivoted upon the support 28,

'disposedadjacent to the track, in advance of the support 13. Said lever 27 is arranged to engagethe contact .plate 30, and, is con-. nected to-.be shifted by the solenoid 31, having the double windings 32 and 33, which are electrically connected with the respective windings 19 and 20. Said solenoids are arranged to be energized to oppositely shift said lever 27 and semaphore 10 by electric circuits to be hereinafter described.

The stopping mechanism carried by each locomotive 1, is connected to actuate the throttle valve 35, to shut oit the motive power and contemporaneously actuate the train pipe valve 36, in the train pipe 37 to apply the air brakes. Said stopping mechanism comprises'the cylinder 38 having the piston 39, connected by the rod 40, with the lever 41. The piston 39 is arranged to be actuated by air pressure, and is conveniently connected by the pipe 42 with the air pressure tank 43, of' the air brake system, and said air pressure is properly admitted to the cylinder by the slide valve 45, having the valve rod 46, provided with adjustable collars 47 which are arranged to be engaged to shift said valve rod in accordance with the movement of the piston rod 40, by the rocker 50, which is centrally pivoted and engaged with said piston rod; to be shifted thereby. It may be here noted that the stroke of the piston 39 may be varied as desired by adjusting the collars 47 on the. valve rod 46.

The train pipe valve 36 is provided with a ratchet 51, having apertures 52- arranged to register with suitable apertures in the face of said valve, and said ratchet is intermittently rotated by the pawl 54, carried by the lever 41, and is so rotatively progressed that the valve 36, when actuated by the movement of the piston 39, is intermittently opened and closed to prevent the sudden application or jamming of the brakes, which effects a jarring of the train, when the train pipe is abruptly held open. The speed of the piston 39 may be conveniently re ulated by the valve 56, in the pipe 42, sai't. valve being provided with a suitable hand wheel for manual operation.

The admission of air through the pipe 42, to the cylinder 38, is automatically controlled by the motor valve 58, whose stem is provided with the arm 59, having a weighted ball 60 at. its free extremity, which overhangs one side of the axis of rotation of said valve. Said arm is normally maintained in position, to close the valve 58, by the book 62, which is arranged to engage the hooked end of the detent lever 63, normally upheld by the spring 64, but

arranged to be drawn downwardly against the tension of said spring by the solenoid 65, to release the arm 59 and permit the weighted ball to drop' to the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2 to open the valve '58, which opens communication from the pressure reservoir 43 to the cylinder 38; Said solenoid may be actuated by the battery 67 included in the circuit 68 having its opposite terminals re' spectively connected with the contact shoe 69 and a car wheel 70,toe'(ground.

The valve 58 is arrang to be automatically reset by theslide bar 75, which is provide'd with the projection 76, preferably a roller, and connected by the link 77, with the ratchet 51, ,and so arranged that the intermittent rotation of said ratchet by the reciprocation of the piston 39, shifts saidbar in the direction of the arrow indicated thereon, to engage the arm 59 of the valve 58, with theprojection 76 to shift'saidarm 59 to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 2, in whichposition the pressure in the pipe 42, is shutofi from the cylinder 38, and the piston 39 ceases to reciprocate, thereby leaving the ratchet 51, in position to maintain the' brakes set. Said ratchet 51, is arranged to be manually rotated by the handle 7 8, in the direction of the arrow indicated thereon, to reset the valve36, to normal position to release the brakes.

' To insure that the operator properly resets the train pipe valve 36,.the bar is arranged to engage the hooked end of the lug 80, depending from the detent lever 63, to retain said lever in such position as to prevent its hook engaging the hook 62,

carried by the valve arm 59, until after the 36 has been properly set train pipe valve as lndicated in Fig. 2

In order to retain the bar 75 has been withdrawn, as indicated in Fig. 2 and in such position as to permit the lever 63 to engage the hook 62, a plunger 82, having an inclined face, is provided to be pressed. down by the operator into engagement with the ball 60,.to hold the latter. Said plunger 82 has the handle 83 extending above the operators seat 84, and is normally'upheld in inoperative position by the spiral spring 85, and may be conveniently pressed downwardly by the operator, against the tension of said spring, to engage the ball 60, and hold the valve 58 closed until the operator has properly reset the mechanism by rotating the ratchet 51, by its handle 78 in the direction of the arrow, to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, as above described;

The means for closing the throttle valve pipe 97, which is COllllQCLQtl with the prossure side of the pipe 4-2. Sahlpipe. 97 is provided with the Jalve 98, arranged to be actuated to release'said pressure by outward movement of the piston ill) in the cylinder 100, which is connected by the pipe inn, with the pipe 42, between the valve 58 and the cylinder 38, so that as may be readily seen,

"when the valve. 58 is automatically shi'tted to .itsopen position, as indicated bythe dot and dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, air pressure is admitted into the cylinder 100, to shift the piston 99 toward the left, which closes the valve 98 to shut oil pressure from the cylinder 93, and open the pipe 97 to atmosphere, whereupon the spring 96 shifts the bolt- 94, out of engagement: with the aperture 95, and permits rotation of the disk 91, in the direction of the arrow indicated thereon relatively to the frame 92' effected by the steam pressure on the throttle valve 35, which then closed by said pressureoslt may be observed that; sa l throttle is thus permitted to close irrespective of the position of the throttle lever-.105, by which said throttle is normally controlled by the operator when the bolt fill engages the'aperture 95, and the disk bl and liamc 92 are norn'ially engaged as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Mechanical n'iechanisn'i is provided for automatically tripping the valve 58 in event of failure of the solenoid to trip said valve, and-comprises a rod 10o, comm-ted to the centrally fulcrumed lever 10?, which is connected by the'link 108, to the centrally t'ulcrumed lever 10!), connected by the link 110, with the spring plate .112, 'i'iounted upon thereof of the locomotive cab 1l3. As best. shown in Fig. 3, said spring plate 112 is arranged to be depressed by the lever 115, I whlch is'plvoted at 116 and normallyhcld in a position as shown in said figure by the spring 117. Said lever 115, extends substantially hor zontally tron) the side of the locomotive cab. and carries an arm 118 pivoted thereto. at

i 119: Said arm 118 is yieldingly held against the lug 120, by the spriuglill, and is arranged to engage either oi the reciprocatory bars 22 or 25, which shift said lover 115,

- upon its pivot 116, in the direction otthe arrow indicated thereon, to depress the spring 112, and throu 'h the levers and links above described shlltts the rod 106 downward to metrhanically depress tl'lQ'llt-liGIll; le-

ver 03, which releases the arm 59, and by the weight co; said arm 5. is shifted to the position indicated in dot 'and dash lines in Fig. 2 to open the *alve 58. as when released by the solenoid 35. e

In order to prevent the pressure in the H tankAli-l from falling below a prcdetcrmiucd limit, a sal valve 122 is provided having the weighted lever 123, having a contact point arran to contact with the contact plate 124-, whichis connected to the -.-ircuit. as, so that when the circuit is closed by the dropping of said lever [23, the solenoid 5 is energized to release the valve 58 to stop the train, which thus prevents the tzilling of the air pressure below a. pressure wallicient. to actuate the brakes.

The mechanism above described opera to; as follows: Assuming the semaphore ;l() to -occup v,the position shown in l ig. '1 oi the warning signal, endeavors to enter the block protected. thereby. tlu- -coutact shoe as ongages the contact plate 5, which closes the circuit (38 through lllO llllO 125, the. contact platc 1T, scnuiphore arm 15, and the line l:2(i. to ground. ll, howcvor, the signal is set, in thc sa'l'etvposition as indicated in dotted lines o'l Fig. l, of the. drawings, the locomotive is ;;-,lfllllllt'tl to proceed and the contact: snot- Mt) engages the contact plate (3, which closes the circuit.through the battery (37, line 131.,solenoidiwinding 1!), line 132, solenoid winding 32, contact plate 30, lever 27, line 133, to ground, whereby the solenoid cores lt andll are shittedto the positions indi ated in Fig. l to set tl'le signal' toprotect the block, thereby occupied and to withdraw the )ro'ertin bar 25 out. of i the. path of arm 118. it, h )wever, the move ment. ot the ngine "tails to set the signal' 10 as above dcmzribcd, the contact'shoe 9 contacts with the plate 7 and closes the circult (3 thr gh the line 134, contact plate 110, arm 15, and line l2t3, to ground, thereby releasing the valve and permitting it to open to c'll'ect the shutting otl' o'l" thoinotive power and selling 01 the brakes-in the same manner as when said shoe ca torn'xod a contact with the plate 5. Upon leaving the bloolt section the contact shoe 130 engages the contact plate 8 and closes the circuit including the line 135, solenoid winding 33, line too, solenoid winding 20', contact plate 1?, arm 15, line 126, to ground, whereby the semaphore '10 is reset to safety position as indi rated by the dotted'line in Fig. 1 and the lever 34- and its rod 25 are reset in opposition to the position shown n full lines in Fig. 1-.

in event-o1" the electrical mechanism failing to perform the. tum-lions as above set. forth, the movement. of the engine causes the arm 118 to engage one or the other of the rods or 25, one of which always extends Fig. 5, the

in its path to trip the lex'er 63, and permit the valve 58 to automatically open to effect the stopping of the train.

In the form of my invention shown in electrically propelled car 140 is arranged to traverse the track rails 3 and 4 andis arrangedto be driven by the electric motor 141,electr1cally connected by the third rail shoes 142, with the thirdrail 143, said motor being normally controlled by the rheostat 145, which is connected through the line 146, to ground. The motor line 144 includes the switch terminal contacts 147 arranged to be closed by the knife switch 148,

which normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 5, and is connected to the piston 149 in the cylinder 150. Said piston is normally maii'itained in the position shown in Fig. 5 by airgpressure from the tank 151 through the pipe 152, which includes the valve 153,

150, whereupon the piston mechanism operates precisely 1 -1n' Fig. 2, with the .exception'that the knife In event of the operator semaphore 10, the

' :arranged to be shifted by the piston "154, when pressureis admitted through the pipe 156, by the automatic opening ofthe valve 58-to release the pressure in the cylinder 149 is shifted by the spring 157 to throw the knife switch 148, to break the circuit through the motor line-144.

It may be observed that the stopping as illustrated switch lever 148 is actuated to breakthe motor circuit, which is the equivalent of the throttle shown in Fig. 2.

disregarding the contact shoe'161 engages the contactplate 5 and closes the circuit, from the third rail 143, through the line 162, semaphore arm 163. contact plate 164, line 40 165, contact shoe 161, line 166,'including the solenoid 65, to ground. However, if the semaphore 160 occupies the safety position as, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the

contact shoe 167 engages the contact plate 6 v and closes the circuit from the'third rail 143, through 163, contact plate 168, solenoid winding 169,

the line 162, semaphore arm line 170, contact shoe 167, and line 171, to ground, thereby shifting the semaphore 10 tothe danger position shown in full lines 5 causes the shoe 161 in Fig. Upon failure of the said signal to be shifted by the movement of the-car and the contact-of the shoe 167 with the plate 6, the further movement of the car to contact with the com tactplatc 7 ,which closes the circuit from the third rail 143, through the line 162, contact plate 163, line 172, contact shoe 161,

' line 166 including the solenoid 65, to ground,

which actuates the stopping mechanism to stopthe car as before. Assuming that the signals have been properly set, the 'car is permitted to proceed, and when leaving the block or division occupied thereby the conmy invention as tact shoe 167 engages the contact plate 8 and closes the circuit from the third rail 143,

line 162, the contact plate 164, semaphore arm 163, solenoid winding 176, line 177, contactshoe 167, and line 171', to ground, thereby resetting the semaphore from danger position to safety position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5.

I do not desire to limit myself to the'prev cise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modlfications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of defined in the appended described my invention, I

valve, to operative positionv by intermittent strokes.

3. The combination with stopping mechanism comprising an air brake system including a tram pipe, of avalve arranged to con-,-

trol said train pipe, a pneumatic motor ins cluded in said system arranged to shift. sald valve intermittently to operative position,

and tripping mechanism arranged to actuate said pneumaticmotor.

4. The combination with stopping mechanism, comprising an air brake system including a train pipe, of a controlling valve in said train pipe, and a pneumatically oper- 'ated motor connected-to be driven by the pressure in said system, arranged .to intermittently open and close said train pipe valve to gradually set the brakes.

5. The combination with stopping mechanism comprising an air brake system including a train pipe, ofa controlling valve in said train pipe, a pneumatic motor arranged to intermittently open and close said train pipe valve to gradually set said brakes, and a valve automatically actuated by the motor to control said motor.

6. Thecombination with stopping mechanism comprising an air brake system nclud-, a controlling valve in said system, a pneumatically operated motoring a train pipe, of

arranged to actuate said'valve to intermitt'ently open and close said train, pipe to set the brakes, a valve controlling said motor, and means arranged to actuate said motor valve, by the action of said motor.

7. The combination with stopping mechaQ n'ism comprising an air brake system, of a valve insaid system, a pnerpnatic mot r connected to be operated by the air pressure .in the air brake system. an automatically operated valve arranged to control said motor. means arranged to normally maintain said valve in closed position, means a rrauged to release said valve, and means including said motonto set said valve back to its normally closed position 8. The combination with stopping meeha- -nism comprising an air brake system, of a valve in said system, a pneumatic motor connected to be operated by the air pressure in the air brake system, an automatically actu ated valve arranged to control said motor, means to trip said 'alve to actuate said motor, and means actuated by said motor to closesaid valve to stop said motor.

S). The combination with stopping mechanism comprisii'ig an air brake s tem. ("t 'a valve in said system, a ratchet *arried by said valve, a pneumatic motor connected to be. driven by the air pressure in the brake system andarranged to rotate said ratchet valve in closed position. means act natcd byto intermittently open and close said valve toset the brakes, an automatically actuatevalve arranged to control said motor, a doten-t arranged to normally n'iaintain said said'motor arranged to close said motor valve, and maintain said dctent; in inoperative/position, and means aringed to hold said motor valve in closod position until said detent leveris released by resetting the valve in said system.

10. The combination'with stopping m ech-' position, a solenoid connected to shift said detent to release said motor valve, and means connected with the train pipe valve open: tive to close said motor valve as said train pipe valve is opened. i

ll. 'lhe con'ibination with stopping mechanism con'iprising an air brake system, of a valve controllii'i-g said system, a pneumatic motor arranged to successively open and close the train pipe by intermittently actuat-Z ing said valve to set the brakes, an automatically actuated valve arranged to control said motor, a dcteht arranged. to retain said motor valve in normal position, and means including an electric circuit connected to shift said detent to release said motor valve.

12. The combination with stopping mech anism comprising an apt" brake system, of a 'alve controlling said system, a. pnemnatie motor connected to successively open and close the train pipe by intermittently actuatmg sald valve to set the brakes, an automatic lly actuated valve arranged to control said motor, a. detent arranged to retain said motor valve in norma position. and means actuated toshit't said "detent o rc lea e said motor valve. 4 I l 13. The combination wuih'stopping m cl.-

anism for railway cars, comprising an air brake. system. ot a pneumatic motorcon' neeted to be driven by compressed air from said system and arranged to ope and close the train pipe of said system to set the rakes. a throttle, a cylinder having a piston arranged to control said throttle and normally held by air pressure, and means to actuate said motor and release the pressure from said piston to close said throttle, and

set the brakes. v

ll. The combination with stopping mechanism for railway cars, comprising an air brake system including a train pipe, of a train pipe valve,-a pneumatic motor eomprising a reciprocatory piston controlled by the movement of the ear, arrange to intermittent ly.1"otat'-(. said \7alve to open and close. .tl(l train pipe to set the brakes 15. The coniliiiiat-ion with stoppin r -iceh auism comprising an air brake system including a train pipe, of a'train pipe valve,

a pneumatic motor controlled by the move ments of a car, arrangcd'tointermittently rotate said valve to open and closesaid train pipe.

'16. The combination with stopping mechanism com 'irising an air brake system including a train pipe, of a train pipe valve, pneumatic mechanism controlled by the moven'ient of a car, arranged. to intermittently rotate said valve to open and close said train pipe.

17. A car provided with motive power, means .to control said motive power, and pneumatic means arranged to automatically shut oil said motive power independent; of said controlling means, comprising a dctent maintained operative by pneumatic pressure,

18. A car provided with motive power, the combinationwvith means connected to control said motive power, means actuated by pneumatic pressure to maintain the norma] connections of said controllingmeans,

and a valve automatic: lly actuated and ar-- ranged to release said pressure to break said connection vto shut oil said motive power.

It). A car provided with motive power,

automatically actuated to release said pressure and break said oint to shut ofi said motive power, and render said rod manually inoperative until the air pressure is reestablished.

20. The combination with stopping mechanism comprising an air brake system, of a valve controlling said system, comprising a rotary perforated disk having peripheral teeth, a pneumatic motor having a reciprocal pawl arranged to engage said teeth to intermittently rotate said disk, and register said apertures, with apertures in said valve to open and close the train pipe and set the brakes, and an automatically actuated valve arranged to control said motor, and means connected with said disk operative to close themotor valve.

21. A car provided with motive power, means to control said motive power, and pneumatic means arranged to automatically shut oil said motive power independent of said controlling means, comprising means maintained operative by pneumatic pressure.

22. A car provided with motive power, the combination with a :valve rod to control said motive power and provided with a joint, means actuated by pneumatic pressure to control said motive power, means actuated by pneumatic. pressure to maintain said joint operative to be actuated manually, comprising a qyhnder connected with pneumatic pressure and a piston maintained operative by said pressure, and means arranged to be automatically actuated to release said motive power, to shut ofl? the pressure to said cylinder and -to permit the escape of the pressure therein.

23. A car. provided with motive power, the combination with a valve rod to control said motive power and provided with ajoint, means actuated by pneumatic pressure to control said motive power, means actuated operative to be actuated manually, comprising a cylinder connected .with pneumatic pressure and a piston maintained operative by said pressure, means arranged to be autoand break said joint to shut off saidmotive power, comprising a valve operative to shut off the pressure to said cylinder and to mit the escape of the pressure therein, nd means comprising a cylinder and a piston connected with said valve actuated by pneumatic pressure to control said valve.

my hand this 25th day of October, 1909.

. FRANK O. .WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

' CLIFTON C. HALLowELL, ALsroN B. Mounron.

by pneumatic pressure to maintain said joint 7 matically actuated to release said pressure pressure and break said joint to shut ofi' said COmpI'lSlDg a valve operative- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set

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