US1796164A - Railway-crossing gate - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1931.

A. ROHALY I 1,796,164

RAILWAY GROSS ING GATE Filed Sept. 16, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l Andre mdohd/y ,5? 43 March 10, 1931.

A. ROHALY RAILWAY cnossme GATE Filed Sept-Q 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 10, 1931.

A. ROHALY RAILWAY CROSS ING GATE I I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1929 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 TUNITIED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDREW ROI-IALY, OF HARDIEV'ILLE, ALBERTA, CANADA RAILWAY-CROSSING GATE Application filed SeptemberlG, 1929, Serial No. 393,035, and in Canada July 20, 1929.

' This present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a railway crossing gate.

The primary object of the invention resides 6 in the provision of a railway crossing gate which will be positively operated by a locomotive or the like approaching the crossing from either direction p Another object of the invention resides in 1 the provision of a railway horizontally swinging crossing gate ofthe character stated which will be automatically closed as the locomotive or the like approaches the crossing from either direction and again automati- 1'5 cally opened as the locomotive leaves the crossing, travelling from the same in either direction along the track.

A further object of the invention resides in theprovision of a railway horizontally 0 crossing gate of the character stated which will be automatically actuated by means carried by the locomotive to actuate controlling mechanism located along the track at either side of the crossing. r I

A still further-object of the invention resides in the provision of a railway crossing gate of the character stated in which horizontally swinging gate for the opposite approaohes to the crossing will be operated simultaneously and horizontally swung to closed or opened position in a positive manner as the locomotive approaches and moves away from the crossing.

The invention has for a stillfurther object the provision of a railway crossing gate of the character stated which is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and operation as well as highlyeflicient and accurate and completely automatic in its operation. The invention has for a still further object the provision of a railway crossing-gate of the character stated which may be installed at small cast and maintained in efiicient operation at the minimum expenditure of time, labourfor money, thus providing a proposition which is extremelyattractive to railway companies,'government oflicials and the public 'in general.

Tothe accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds my invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be herelnafter more fully described, illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the draw1ngs:

Figure 1 is a plan view, showing the arthe crosslng;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1,

showing the horizontally swinging gate members in closed position and a locomotive ready '7 to move away from the crossing and cause automatic opening of the gate members;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the plane of line 3-8 of Figure 1, looking cated by the arrows;

in the direct-ion indiand Figure 4 is a detail transverse section, showmg the actuating means, carried by the locomotive for actuating members for the gate operating mechanism.

the fulcrumed control Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1t 1S to be noted that a transverse control rod 6 is carried by the locomotive or the like,

with a control roller either end thereof, 0

7 rotatably carried at utwardly of the main rails 8 of the track and above the same. As

the locomotive appro roller 8 at one end en reversely bevelled in aches the crossing, the gages and rides on the ner side wall or face 9 of the elongated actuating bar 10 which is located at the side of intermediate its ends the track and mounted on the upstanding fulcrum bolt 11. This wall or'face 9 of the bar 10 is bevelled outwar dly from its centre toward its opposite end, thus providing a bar 10 which constantly increases in width from its centre toward its opposite end, although its outer side wall or a plane parallel to the nal axis of the bar face is straight and in plane of the longitudi- 10. Connected to the cars 12 on the end of the bar 10 nearer to the railway crossing13, is one end of the flexible cable 14, which extends around guide rollers 15 arranged adjacent the side of the track and then connectswith the main sectional cable 16 which extends and is attached to large pulley wheel 17 on the upstanding shaft 18 for one'of the horizontally swinging gate members 19, which latter are arranged at either approach to the railway crossing. The horizontally swinging gate members 19 are arranged at opposite sides of the track, adjacent the crossing 13 and each includes spaced depending flexible straps 20 so as to prevent in ury to persons, animals or the like near the'crossing when the horizontaliy swinging gate members 19 are closed;

The upstanding shaft 18 for the horizontally swinging gate members 19 are connected by the transverse connecting bar 21 having its opposite ends pivoted to the radially extended arms 22 providedncar the bottom of the upstanding shafts 18. These upstanding shafts 18 extend through supporting and bracing brackets 23 and have their lower ends rotatably mounted in appropriate bearings 24; within the housings 25 which also enclose the arms 22 of the upstanding standards 18; A transverse housing 26 is also provided between the housings 25 to enclose and protect'the connecting rod 21. for the upstanding shafts 18 of therhorizontally swinging gate members 19. This housing 2.6 extendstransversely beneath the-track rails so as to prevent interference with the travel of the rolling stock over the track. Extended from the remainingor outer ends of the bars 10, are ears 27 with which are connected the flexible cables 28 passed around guide rollers 29 and then connected and attached to the other or remaining end of the main flexible cables 16,

' oppositethefartheSt connection of the cables 14. with said fie xible cable 16. It is thus apparent that the bars 10 operatetogether as one is actuated to either open or close the horizontally swinging gate members 19, according to the movement and direction of travel of the locomotive or othermember carrying' the control bar 6, with respect to'the crossing13; I

" As the. construction of the device-has thus I been described in detail, brief reference is now had to its use and'modus operandii The actuating bars 10 are normally in theposition shown in Figure 1, that is Wltll the ends nearest the crossing 13 located near the side of :the track while their opposite'o'r outer ends are in their outermost positions with respect j to'the side of the track. Thus, a. locomotive approaching the crossing from either direction will move toward the crossing unti'lthe roller 8 on that end of thecontrol rod '1 directed toward the side of the track on which the actuating bars 10 are located reaches a position oppos te the fulcrumed centre of sides of the track the first actuating bar 10. The roller Swill then act upon the other half of the bevelled face 9 or of said actuating bar 10 and force the same outwardly, turning the actuating bar 10 on its fulcrum boltfll. This causes actuation of the cable 14 connected to said ends of the actuating bar 10 and results in operation of therewith, as well as compelling rotation of the upstandingshafts'18,-for swinging the gate members 19 horizontally toward the to close said gate members 19. Thus, it will be seen that both ofthe gate members 19 will be automatically swung the main flexible cable 16 and all of the other cables 14 and 28 connected" horizontally to closed position in unison and the .actuatingbars 10 will also be correspondinglyoperated to reverse the position of the inclined end portion thereof. As the locomotive continues its movement and crosses the crossing 18 and moves away from the same, the roller 8 will in turnpass the outwardly swung end of the other actuating bar 10 and then operate upon the remaining end or half of the second actuating bar 10 to swing the second actuatingbar 1O inja reverse direction on its fulcrum bolt 11. This results in the returning of all the cables 14 and 28' together with the main sectional cables 1.6 to their normal positi ons,'thus re versing the rotation of the upstanding standards 18 and the horizontal swingingof the gate members 19 and reopening the latter, in unison. The 'operationis entirelyautomatic and the horizontally swinging; gate members 19 will be closed in unison as a train approaches from either directionand then automatically opened'in unison as the train leaves the crossing and moves either way from the same. Owing to the control bar 7 having 'a roller 8 at eitherend, the roller 8 at one end functions when the locomotive is moving in one direction on the track and the roller 8 at theother end of the control bar 7 functions whenthe locomotive'moves in the other direction on the track, that is, when the locomotive is turned around or re versed iii'its position with respect to the crossing 13. It is also to'be noted that no electrical current or other power is required for the'railway crossing gates when they are not being operated. V V V From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that a railway crossing gate isprovided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended cla'imswithout' departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A railway crossing gate including horizontal swinging gate members each composed of a horizontal bar and flexible straps depending in spaced relation therefrom; rotatable upstanding shafts having limited rotation in either direction and each supporting thereon an end of the horizontal bar of one of said gate members; link connections between the lower ends of said shafts to assure operation of said shafts in unison in opposite directions; an elongated actuating bar arranged along the railway track to either side of the railway crossing; each of said elongated actuating bars having its edge facing thera-ilway track bevelled from each end inwardly toward the centre thereof, said actuating bars being fulcrumedat their central points; and flexible operating means connected with either end of each of said actuating bars and operatively connected with one of said shafts to cause operation of the latter and horizontal swinging of said gate members toward the railway crossing and across the approaches thereto as a train approaches the crossing from either direction and reverse operationof said shafts and said gate members as the train leaves the crossing after passing over the same.

2. A railway crossing gate including a pair of upstanding shafts arranged to the side of each approach to the railway crossing; a gate member mounted on the upper end of each of said shafts and including a horizontal arm and flexible straps depending from the latter in spaced relation; a link connection extending beneath the track between the lower ends of said shaft; said link connection being oppositely connected to the said shaft to cause a reverse movement of the latter; a pulley wheel carried on the lower end of one of said shafts; alooped flexible member extending around and attached to said pulley wheel; the said looped flexible member having each end divided into a pair of branches extended in arcuate directions along the railway track; and a pair of elongated actuating bars fulcrumed at their centres adjacent one side of the track and on opposite sides of the crossing; one branch of each of the ends of said looped flexible member being attached to the endof one of the elongated actuating bars nearer to the crossing, while the other branch of each end of said looped flexible member being attached to the far end of one of said elongated actuating bars; and guide means for the branches of the said looped flexible members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

FL. sl

ANDREW ROHALY.

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