US1254250A - Automatic signal for railway-crossings. - Google Patents

Description

F. D. McGINLEY & J. J. MICHELS. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

. K APPLICATION FILED DEC.26.1916. 39254.25@

Patented Jan. 22', 1918.

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F. D. MCGINLEY I J. J. MICHELS. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

I APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26| 1916. 1&54525@ Patented Jan. 22,1918.

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F. D. IVICGINLEY &I. I. IVIICHELS. AUTOMATIC SIGN'AL FOR RAILWAY CBOSSINGS.

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Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

F. D. [VlcGlNLEY L J. J. MICHELS. AUTOMA'J'IC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS. APPLICATION msn DEcfzs. ma.

FREDRICK D. MCGINLEY, OF PLEASANT BEACH, AND JOSEPH J. MCHELS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGS.

Application filed December 2G. 1916.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that we, FnEDnIoK D. Mo- GINLEY and JOSEPH J. MICHELs, citizens oit the United States of America, and residents of Pleasant Beach and Syracuse, respectively, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Signals for Railway-Crossings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

rThis invention relates to certain improvements in automatic signals for railway crossings and involves the use of one or more caroperated semaphores mounted upon a suitable toweror towers at one or both sides of the track near the crossing or the purpose ot warning vehicle drivers and pedestrians of the danger of an approaching train or car along the track.

One ol the objects of our present invention is to` provide the signal-operating means `with one or more primary actuating devi es located some distance to one side, or as the object approaches to the crossing and in proximity to one or the other olf the rails oi the track, to be operated by the flange of the wheel of the lirst approaching car lor shitting the semaphore from its normally concealed or partially concealed position to its warning position.

Another object is to provide this signale operating mechanism with automatic means for locking the signal in its warning posi.- tion` until the approaching car or train reaches the crossing, and incidentally for locking said operating mechanism in its shifted position during the same period.

A further object is to provide suitable means for providing a primary restoring device located at or near the crossing adjacent one of the rails ot the track to he operated hy the wheel-flange ot the foremost car for releasing the locking means and restoring the signal and its operating means to normal position.

A still further object to prevent a repetition oi'i the operation of the semaphore to its warning position in case a train is ot sutlicient length to span the distance between the primary operating device and primary restoring device.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J1" an.. 22, Mills.

Serial No. 139,036.

Other objects and uses relating to specilic parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

ln the drawings-a Figure l is a perspective view of a portion ol' a railway track and highway crossing. together with the signal towers, the signais and their operating mechanisms being in their normal positions for a clear track and satte crossing.

AFig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vortical sectional view, partly broken away, along the track through one of the signal towers, showing portions of the signal-operating mechanism, and also showing in section the sub-surface housings for portions of said mechanisms at the opposite approaches to the crossing.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line tlv-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a transverse vertical sectional view through the towers at opposite sides ot the track, showing the latter in section, and the housing' -for one of the primary signalsetting devices in elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional vien', partly broken away, through one oit the housings for the primary signalsetting device, and a portion of the housing :tor the corresponding part of the signal-operating mechanism.

lfig. 6 is a side elevation of the housing shown at the right of Fig. 5, and the primary signal-setting device therein.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view through the hase of one of the signal towers and the housing for the primary signal-restoring device, together with the housings tor one of the primary sional-setting devices and corresponding portion ot the signalsoperating mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the housing for one of the primary signalrestoring devices.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the same housing and adjacent portions oi the signal-restoring device.

In order that my invention may he clearly understood, I have shown a portion of a railway track uit and a highway crossing B", near which is located at opposite sides of the track a pair of signal towers --loi similar construction having their ot' the lower weighted end of the lever-plunger Mi0-, but normally spaced a slight distance therefrom to allow a limited rocking movement of said lever-plunger by the tlange of the car-wheel, and then when the weighted end of said lever-plunger engages the shoulder -ll-, the continued action of the flange on the car-wheel will depress the same for effecting the operation ot' the signal.

lt will be noted, however, that this leverplunger is tree to swing in the opposite direction when encountered by the wheel of a `rain moving in that direction without efltecting the operation ot the bell-crank lever -13-.

The other arm ot the bell-crank lever w13- is pivotally connected to one end of a horizontal. rod 17- which extends transversely ot the track through a protec tive pipe or casing 1S-w beneath the surface ot the ground and some distance to the outside of the track where its opposite end is connected to a horizontally swinging bellV crank lever -l9 fulcrumed within a sepaA rate housing '20- and also beneath thi surface ot' the ground.

The other arm of the bell-crank lever -l9- is pivotally connected to one end ot a rod El which extends horizontally along the outside of the track beneath the surface of the ground and through a protective casing -Qiw into the hollow base of the corresponding signal tower -1- where it is pivotally connected to one of a pair o1 horizontal. rock arms -23- and 23'- projecting laterally from opposite sides of the same huh 24.- which is journaled within said tower base.

The mechanisms for transmitting motion from each of the primary signal-setting de- `vices H13- to the. hub of the rock arms 23M and -23- are ident-ical, except that they are arranged in reverse order,- that is, the bell crank l9 at the approach opposite thatV shown in Fig. 7 is connected by a rod -21- to the crank arm 23- on the hub Q4-.- and it,v therefore, follows that when the hub --2A is rocked by the depression ot one oli' the wheel-operated members -l0-, the other member l0- at the opposite approach of the roadway will be simultzineously depressed, partially under its own weight, assisted b v the rocking ot its hell-crank lever l3--, but even it it should not he so depressed, it would simply be rocked hy the flange of the carwheel against the action oi its counterweight without in any way modifying the action ot its bell-crank lever or parts connected thereto.

On the other hand, it is equally evident that if the train approaches Jfrom the opposite direction named, it will produce the same rocking motion of the hub -24- and arms Q3- and M23--, as previously described, through the medium of the connecting rod -21-. A

These actions are utilized to operate the semaphores in the following manne1',-tl1at is, the hub 2tis provided with an additional crank arm -25- which is pivotally connected to a rod -26- having one end connected to a similar crank arm 27M on one side of an upright hub -28-- This hub --28-- is ulcrumed within the hase of the tower -land, like the hub 2i-1 is provided with opposite radially projecting arms -Q9-- and m295- which a-re connected by links 430 and -30- to the lower arms ota pair of uprigl'it toggles M31- and -Bl--, respectively.

The lower arms of these toggles are piroted to suitable supports in the base oit' the tower, while their upper arms are pivotally connected to corresponding arms oit separate bell-crank levers 32- and -32- which are journaled cri-axially upon the same shaft -33-- The other arms ol' said bell-crank levers 32M and 3Q/ are pivotally connected to separate upwardly extending rods -344- and -Slwhaving their upper ends connected, respectively, to crank arms 35 and 35 on the hubs of the semaphore blades -2-- and -2, respectively.

The toggle joints of the toggles 3land -31- are provided. with stop plates M36- for limiting their movement in the direction necessary to set their corresponding signals, said Vtoggle joints being arranged to automatically lock their respective arms and corresponding signals in their setpositions, so that the one which is set will remain in such position until restored by an automatic restoring mechanism which will now be described.

Restoring mechanism.

As best illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, this restoring device comprises a lever-plunger Cir lli)

--37- which is very similar to the primary y signal-setting lever -10-, in that its upper end is normally disposed in close proximity to the inner side of one ot the rails, preterably th at opposite the one near which the levers; F10- are located, and is adapted to be engaged by the iiange of the foremost car-wheel which had previously operated one oit the levers -10- to set the one semaphore and restore the other.

he lower end ot this lever 27 is guided in an upright way -38-- and is weighted to restore the lever to its upright position, the intermediate portion ot said lever being tulcrunaed on a pivotal pin --39- having one end pivotally connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever --40-- and its other end provided with a roller bearing -tlmovable in a vertical slot 4:2.

This lever is adapted to be rocked and depressed by a car-wheel moving in either direction, and for this purpose both sides of the guide-way -3S- are provided with shoulders l8- in the path of movement ot' opposite edges of the lower weighted end ot' the lever -37-, so that after the carwheel has rocked the lever in one direction or the other a limited distance, the continued pressure of the fiange of said wheel will force the lever downwardly along the slot 4Q- thereby depressing the adjacent arm of the bell-crank lever &0-, it being understood that the connections between the stud or pin -39-, lever -37- and adjacent arm of the bell-crank lever 40 are substantially the same as that described for the primary signal-setting lever lO- The other arm of the bell-crank lever 40m is connected to a groove collar 44- which is loosely mounted on a rod -36- forming a continuation of the rod -26-, previously described.

The collar -44- is normally held against a stop -45- on the rod 2G- by means of a coil spring 46- surrounding said rod and having one end bearing against theadjacent end of the collar -AA- and its other end engaged with a stop collar 117- also on the rod --26-.

The primary restoring` lever -37, together with the pin 89 and bell-crank lever 4.0-- are mounted upon and within a housing *48m which is also embedded in the ground beneath the surface thereof, and preferably between the rails of the track, and is connected to the bases of both of the signal towers -1- by pipe casings 4Q- leading from opposite sides thereof'.

The rod -26 extends through these casings and into their espective towers, each containing` signals and operating mechanism therefor similar to those previously described, said rod -QS serving` as a means for transmitting motion from the setting and restoring mechanism of one tower to the corresponding mechanisms of the other tower.

As previously intimated, the distance between each primary actuator -10- for the signal-setting devices and primary signalrestoring actuator 37- is intended to be greater than the maximum length of any single train passing along the track, but in case a train should be of suflicient length to span such distance, then the action of the wheels of the rear cars upon one of the actuators -l0- would tend to hold the pri mary restoring actuator in its uppermost position in the path of travel of the flanges of the wheels of the forward cars, and it, therefore, follows that if the bell-crank lever `40- of the restoring mechanism was rigidly connected to the rod -26-, the depression of the actuator -37- by the car-wheels would in all probability break or bend one or more of the acting parts between said actuators and would also tend to vibrate the acting semaphore, and it is 'for this reason that the spring -etis provided between one arm of the bell-crank lever-/lO- and rod 26- which allows the primary restoring actuator -37- and said bell-crank lever to vibrate under the action of the wheels of the car without affecting the operation of the rod -26- or any of the connections between said rod and the primary actuators, it being understood that the spring 46- is of sutlicient tension to transmit motion from the bell-crank lever -fl0- to the rod -26-- in restoring the signal-operating mechanisms to their normal positions.

In operation, assumingfthat a train is approaching the crossing from the right-hand end of Fig. l, and that the semaphore signals are in their normal positions for a clear track or with the safety signal Go7 registering with the sight openings 4- and the danger signals down or concealed within the towers; then, as the liange of the vErst approaching car-wheel strikes the primary signal actuator -lO-, the latter will be driven forwardly and downwardly, thereby drawing the rod -Qlin the direction indicated by arrow *mfj Figs. 2 and 7, through the medium of the transverse rod -17- and bell-crank lever 19.

This movement of the rod --21- will rock the levers -23-, -f23- and Q5-in the direction indicated by arrow n, F ig. 7, which, in turn, will shift the rod -26- in the direction indicated by arrow -0-, to rook the levers -2, -`29- and -29- in the direction indicated by arrow --S-, F ig. 7, thereby forcing the toggle 31;` to its locked position for setting the danger signal --2- and restoring the safety signal *2* and. incidentally depressing the other primary signal-setting lever -l0- at the opposite approach through the medium of its connections with the crank arm -23,

The primary restoring actuator -37 is normally` depressed, but soon as the rod -2G"- is shifted in the manner just described, said actuator is elevated to bring its upper end into the path of travel of the `flanges of the car-wheels.

By automatically locking one of the toggles,-that is, by shifting its joint slightly beyond a direct line between the pivots at opposite ends of its arms, the semaphores and their operating mechanism together with the primary restoring actuator #-37- are locked in their adjusted positions, but

as soon as the foremost car-wheel encounters the primary restoring actuator -37-, the latter will be depressed, thereby shifting the rod -26 in the opposite direction to Hex the previously locked toggle andrestore the corresponding danger signal. -2- to Vits lOG magneto normal position, and at the same time forcing the other toggle to its locked position to set the safety signal Q, during which operation the setting mechanisms for the danger signal will be restored and the primary restoring actuator returned to its normal position.

In like manner, a car approaching from the right-hand of the crossing, Fig. l, will first operate the adjacent primary setting actuatorl -10- to effect the same movement of the setting mechanisms for the danger signal and restoration of the safety signal, as previously described.

What we claim is:

l. ln an automatic signal for railway crossings, the combination with a track, a signal tower and a signal on. the tower, of car-o iiierated means for setting the signal, including an automatic device for locking the signal setting means in its set position, and car-operated restoring means for the setting means, including a yielding member, to allow the operation of said restoring means while the setting means is locked.

E2. ln an automatic signal for railway crossings, the combination with a track, a signal tower at one side of the track near the crossingI and a signal on the tower, of caroperated means for setting the signal, and additional car-operated means for restoring the signal and its setting means to their normal positions, said restoring means in cluding a spring to allow it to be operated while the setting means is still held by the car.

3. In an automatic signal for 1ailway crossings, the combination with a track, a signal tower and a danger signal thereon, of a primary signal actuator arranged in proximity to one of the rails some distance from the crossing, to be operated by the car-wheel of an approaching car, means for transmitting motion from said actuator to the signal to set the same, said means including a selflocking toggle for holding the signal and its actuating means in their adjusted positions, and car-operated means near the crossing for breaking the toggle lock and restor ing said signal and its operating mechanism to their normal positions, said restoring means being spring-connected to the setting means to allow the restoring means to be operated independently of the setting means.

t. ln a signaling apparatus for railway crossings, the combination with a track, a signal tower near the crossing and a danger signal mounted on the tower, of a caractuated member distant from the crossing, means for transmitting motion from said member to the signal for setting the same, including a device for automatically locking the signal and its setting means in their set positions, a separate car-operated member near the crossing, and means actuated thereby for unlocking said device and restoring the sign al and its setting means to their normal positions, and including a spring connection with the first-named means for permitting the operation of the second-named member while the iirst-nained member is still held in its set position.

5. ln a signaling device for railway crossings, the combination with a track and a signal tower near the crossing, of distinctive danger and safety signals pivotally mounted coaxially on the tower, the safety signal being normally exposed and the danger signal normally concealed, car-operated means for simultaneously rocking said signals in reverse directions for setting one signal and restoring the other signal, and additional car-operated means for reversing the opera-- tion of the first-named means to restore the previously set signal and io set the other signal.

(i. ln a signaling apparatus for railway crossings, the combination with a track, a signal tower near the crossing, and a danger signal mounted on the tower, of car-operated means including a self-locking toggle for setting the signal and holding it in its set position.` a car-o]jierated member near the crossing, and means actuated by said member for flexing the toggle and restoring the signal and its setting means to their normal positions and including a spring connected lo the se :ing means to permit the operation of the restoring means independently of the setting means.

T. In a signaling apparatus for railway crossings, the con'lbination with a track and a tower near the crossing, of a danger signal mounted on the tower, car-operated means for setting the signal, a separate car-oper ated member near the crossing, and yielding connections between said member and the signal setting means for restoring the signal and its setting means to their normal positions when said member' is actuated by the car, the yielding connections serving to permit the operation. of said member in case it should be engaged by the car while the signal and its setting mechanism are in their set positions.

S. ln a signaling device for railway crossings, the combination of a hollow tower, a danger signal and a safety signal, both pivotally mounted coaxially within the upper portion of the tower, car-operated means for rocking said signals simultaneously in reverse directions, and additional car-operated means for restoring the firstnamed operating means and signals to their normal positions.

9. ln a signaling` apparatus for railway crossings, the combination of a tower, a danger signal and a safety signal, both pivotally mounted coaxially within and upon the upper portion of the tower and normally held so that the safety signal is exposed to view and the danger signal is concealed within the tower, car-operated means for sinuiltaneously rocking said signals in reverse directions to set the danger' signal and conoeal the safety signal, said means including separate devices for automatically locking the signals in their set positions, and additional car-operated means yieldingly connected to the first-named means for restoring the signals and their operating means to their normal positions.

l0. ln a. signaling apparatus for railway crossings, the combination of a hollow tower having an offset portion at lits upper end eX tending l `engthwise of the track and provided with a sight-opening in one of its upright sides, a danger signal and a safety signal, both pivotally mounted coaXially within the upper portion of the tower and movable alternately into and out of said oflset portion, the safety signal normally projecting into said offset portion and the danger signal normally extending into the upright portion of the tower, car-operated means for simultaneously rocking said signals in reverse directions from their normal positions so that the danger signal will assume a position within the offset and the safety signal will assume a position within the upright portion of the tower, said means including separate devices for automatically locking the signals in their set positions, and additional car-operated means for restoring the first-named means and signals operated thereby to their normal positions.

ll. In a signaling apparatus for railway crossings, the combination of a hollow tower having an offset portion at its upper end eX- tending lengthwise of the track and pro- A vided with a sight-opening in one of its up right sides, a danger signal and a safety signal, both pivotally mounted within the upper portion of the tower and movable alternately into and out of said offset portion, the safety signal normally projecting into said offset portion and the danger sigw nal normally extending .into the upright portion of the tower, oar-operated means for simultaneously rocking said signals in reverse 1 directions from their normal positions so that the danger signal will assume a position within the offset and the safety signal will assume a position within the upright portion of the tower, said means including separate devices for automatically looking' FREDRICK D. MCGINLEY. JOSEPH J. MICHELS.

Witnesses:

H. E. CIL-isn, Amon M. CANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for [ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. Y

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