US1317268A - Gep kgb a - Google Patents

Description

G. A. COLE. SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJG IQII.

ri avmm l-m-entwlssemf :30, 1919.

' the objects of the invention being to provide ED STATES PN y GEORGE COLE, OF NEW YORK, Y.

SIGNAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GroRcE A: COLE, a c1t1 zen of the United States of America, re-

siding at New York, N. Y., have invented a new and useful Signal, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signals generally,

a simple and practical form'of signal apparatus which may be used wherever a signal device ofsome sort is necessary or desirable. My invention particularly has in vlew the provision of a signal suitable for railway.

crossings, draw bridges, railway trains and other vehicles.

Briefly considered, the invention comprises an oscillating member or hub, as

have termed it,-car rying a resilient flexible stay supporting-a slgnal h ead, together with a motor for positively oscillating the hub in opposite directions.

. ably in place so that it may be easily re '25 moved and be replaced by anew one whenwould have it understood that many changes- .A special feature of the invention is the securing of the resilient flexible stay detachin'nee'd of repairs or the like. 7

Other features ofhe invention will appear, asthe specification'proceeds. In the drawing 'accompanyi'ngthe specification, I have illustrated my invention-as embodied ina practical andpreferred form, but I and modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. 1 A y In said drawing:-- a Figure 1 is a face view of the apparatus,

with the protective housing or casing shown in section and showing further in diagrammatic form a suitable arrangement of circult connections.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the signal head and the os-- cillatinghub which operates the same.

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view of the oscillating hub memberv Fig. 4 is a detail view of the base member of the resilient signal arms.

In the construction illustrated, 10 de'signates the signal head, as I have termed it constructed to form a suitable signal. In

the illustration, this head is of generally cir.

. cular form and may be colored red or marked in any other'distinguishing way. It is made hollow as indicated in the present caseto-contain a signal lamp l1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16, 1917. Serial No. 186,443.

Patented Sept. 30*, I919.

The signal head is carriedby a resilient -flexible support which here is made vup of two flexible stays 12 and 13, said stays being carried by an oscillating support or hub 14, as I'havc termed it, this hub being journaled at 15 insuitable supports 16.

The signal head is givena swinging or 'osclllating movement by means of a motor 17 connected with the"oscillating hub by suitable gearing consistin in the illustration of-a worm 18 on the shaft 19of the motor, meshing with a worm gear20 on the shaft 21, said shaft 21 carrying an eccentric 22 with which is engaged a rod 23 connected with the oscillating hub at 24:;

'Ihe efi'ect of the connections thus detion, the oscillating hub israpidly vibrated back and forth and this, through the resil- 'scribed'is that when the motor is in operaient flexible stays imparts a swinging catsaid signal head to vibrate rapidly through a wide rangeofaction.

By varying the speed of the motor or the ratio of gearing connections, it will be evi apult movement to the signal head, causing dent that the rate of vibration maybe changed to produce different signal eflects. The motor or power device maybe of any suitable construction and while I have shown an electric motor employed in the present instance, I would have it understood that any other type of motor may be employed. In- .any event, the motor is governed by a suitable controller, said controller consisting in the disclosure, of a circuit closer, made up of a bridging member 25-, adapted to complete the circuit between two contacts 26, one of which is connected'directly with the motor by wiring 27 and the other of which is connected with the motor by wiring The controller forthe Iriotor may be operated, according to the use to which the signal is put, as by the movement of a passing train, for a crossing signal, as by the movement of some part of the operating .28, having a battery or other'source of cur- .rent 29 interposed therein.

mechanism of a draw bridge, or by the ap- 'plication of brakes on the slowing down of a 31 which may be connected as indicated with the same source of current which supplies the motor.

As the more'or less continuous flexing of the resilient stays has a tendency to wear them out and as said stays sometimes break, due to over-tempering, flaws in the metal, etc., I have provided for the ready renewal of the entire signal'carrying arm by securing said arm to the. oscillating hub' in such a way that it may be readily attached to and detached therefrom.

In theillustration this is accomplished by securing the ends of the stays in a base piece 32 which is detachably secured to a corresponding base .part 33 on the oscillating head as by means of securing screws 34. I have also provided for the completion of the electric circuit by the simple attachment of onepart to the other by providing on the base 3Q'circuit terminals 35, adapted to 'engage contact sockets 36 on the oscillating hub when the parts are brought together. This provides for an easy attachment of new signal heads and without the necessity for independently manipulating any electrical connections. This feature of ready interchangeability is of considerable value in the case of railway, draw bridge, and the like signals, which are more or less exposed to the weather, and enabling a quick repair by the substituting of new parts, and permitting of the old parts being taken away for purposes of repair at a more convenient time and place.

Another feature of the structure illus-,

trated is the provision of curved guides 37 at opposite sides of the flexible signal arms which form fulcrums' over which the signal arms may bendin the oscillation thereof, substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This imparts a more gradual bend to the signal arm and thus to a certain extent frees the signal arm of strain and prevents breakage thereof.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention is adapted to a wide range of uses and it is capable of being easily installed wherever desired. i

. The signaling action may be controlled either manually or automaticallyin this latter connection as by the opening of a draw bridge, approach of a train, the appli cationof brakes, etc. Also the controller in the case of railway trains may be arranged to be operated in conjunction with the throttle or controller of the train in such a Way that when power is reduced or cut-01f the signal will be thrown into operation.

The resilient signal carrying arms may be tapered in thickness or in width toward their free swinging ends so as to provide an extra degree of resiliency at the signal end of the arms. This strengthens and provides a certain degree of reinforcement at the base gearing connections between the motor and the oscillating hub that the signalhead will vibrate substantially at the true rate of vibration of a pendulum of thatparticular length. This provides for a uniform move ment of the swinging signal head and avoids the erratic action which would occur if themotor and swinging arm were not properly timed with respect to each other. Also with this construction, where the swinging signal arm has a resilient catapult action it is only necessary for the motor to impart a relatively slight oscillating movement to the oscillatinghub, the full swing of the-signal head being provided by the fiexure of the signal arm at the end of the stroke in each direction. -This swinging catapult movement also is assisted by thus swinging the signal arm as a pendulumQ Another advan tage of this inverted construction is that the parts "can 'be practically completely housed at all times.

I claim- 1. Signal apparatus comprising, a movable support, a signal head, a resilient flexible connection between the signal head and support, and a power device for impartingv posltlve movement to said support in opposite directions whereby an amplified swlnging movement will be imparted to the signal head in both directions.

' Signal apparatus comprising, an oscillatmg support, a signal head, a resilient flexible connection between the signal head and support, and a power device for imparting positive oscillating movement to said- .support in opposite directions whereby an amplified swinging movement will be imparted to the signal head in both directions.

3. Signal apparatus comprising, an oscillatmg support, a signal head including an electric light, a resilient connection between saidsuppm't and head, a power device including an electric motor for imparting a positive movement to said support in both sides of the 15 lating hub, a resilient flexible support'carried by -said hub, a signal head carried by the resilient flexible support, a motor for positively oscillating the hub in opposite directions and curved guides on the oscillating hub at opposite sides of the resi ient flexible support forming bearings over which Said resilient flexible support may bend in the oscillation thereof.

7 In a signal apparatus, a swinging pendulum comprising a pivoted support, a resilient flexible sta carried thereby and a signal head carried y the lower end of said stay, a power device and operating connections from said power device for positively swinging said pendulum in opposite direction with a double catapult movement.

resilient flexible stay carried by one of said hub portions, a signal head carried by said stay, a motor, gearing from said motor for oscillating the hub and a controller for the motor, an electric lamp carried by the signal head and a controlling circuit for said lamp, said stay and insulated hub-portions forming part of said circuit.

5. Signal apparatus comprisingan oscillating hub, a resilient flexible support carried by said hub, a signal head carried by said resilient flexible support, and curved guides on the oscillating hub at opposite resilient support and adapted to form bearings over which said resilient support may bend in the oscillation of the signal head.

' 6. Signal apparatus comprising an oscilenonen A. oonn.

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