US1205470A - Cattle-guard for railroads. - Google Patents

Description

E. C. MITCHELL.

CATTLE GUARD FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION man FEB. 10. me.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916;

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E.C. MITCHELL.

CATTLE GUARD FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET Z- Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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CATTLE-GUARD FGR RAILROAIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedNoV.-21, 1916.

Application filed February 10, 1916. Serial No. 77,506.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at De Quincy, in the parish of Calcasieu and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cattle Guards for Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improve ments in cattle guards for railroads, and is designed to provide an efiective barrier to prevent trespassing of cattle beyond their allotted territory, which is comparatively inexpensive in, cost and maintenance, and which may be assembled, or repaired, with facility and despatch.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more clearly pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, wherein the guard or barrier is so constructed that the angle plates of which it is composed are of sufiicient depth to permit the foot of a cow, or other animal, to slide down the plane of the plate before it is possible for the guard teeth of the plates to strike above the hoof of the animal. In this manner of constructing and arranging the angle plates a guard is provided that will be effective in striking the animals leg, above its hoof, to reach a vulnerable part and halt the animal and turn it back, and thus prevent its undesirable eXit from an inclosure.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the cattle guard, foreshortened, and parts omitted or broken away for the purpose of clear illustration. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the railway rails showing the cattle guard in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view at line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is an enlarged view showing in section the means for securing the notched center bar to the center angle plates.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I have illustrated the rails 1 and cross ties 2, the latter being cut away, or notched as at 3 between the rails in order to better accommodate the guard, and insure sufficient depth to the guard so that it will be effective, and yet not project into the way of passing chains, etc., on the railroad trains, The guard is made up of numerous angle plates 4: arranged in sections as A, B, C, the first between the rails and the two latter at the sides of the rails, and all angle plates are placed parallel with the track rails. 'Each angle plate has a notched or toothed upper edge 5, and a lower, horizontal flange 6, and these flanges are properly perforated 'for the fastening means used in connection therewith. The angle plates are fastened together by means of a series of transverse bars, as those designated 7 for the plates of section A, and those designated 8 for the plates of sections B and C. These bars are perforated to align with the perforations in the flanges 6, and bolts 9 and nuts 10 are utilized to secure the flanges to the transverse bars. In this manner the sections are made up independently of each other, and it will be apparent that the width of the sections may be increased by the addition of angle plates and the extension of transverse bars, and it is also apparent that the number of angle plates in a given width may be increased by altering the space between the plates.

It will be noted that the plates of the outer sections point inwardly toward the rails, and the plates of the section A are arranged at each side of 'itslongitudinal center to point toward the respective rails of the track. Because of the arrangement of the plates of section A, a valley is created at the center of the section, and this valley is occupied by a longitudinally extending center bar 12, preferably of metal and formed with a serrated edge 13 at both its sides. The ends 14 of this serrated or toothed bar are bent under and perforated, and the bar itself is also perforated to accommodate the securing bolts 15, four of which are illustrated. These bolts are passed through thebar 12, through two flanges 6, 6, of the two center angle plates, and through one of the center transverse bars 7. A strengthening sleeve 16 encircles the bolt between the upper portion of the center bar 12 and the bent ends of the bar and flanges, at the ends of the bar 12, and similar sleeves 16 are used between the bar 12 and the flanges, in securing the parts to the transverse bars, and nuts 17 are employed to tie the parts together. In this mannera rigid and strong combination of parts is effected, and the sections, which are in themselves unitary structures are attached to the cross ties by means of bolts 11 passed through the perforated ends of the flanges 6 as shown.

As thus arranged, it will be observed that there are no unguarded valleys for the animal to walk through, but on the other hand, the hoof of a cow, for instance, will slide down the inclined plane upon which it is placed, and the teeth of the adjoining plate will be sure to strike above the hoof and frighten or hurt the animal, with the desired eflect.

What I claim is A railway cattle guard comprising angle plates arranged parallel with the rails and each angle plate formed with a toothed upper edge and a flange having perforations therein, said plates having their toothed edges pointed from the center at each side thereof and the two central plates having;

EDWIN CALHOUN MITCHELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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