US1738278A - Mechanical train signal - Google Patents

Description

. Dec.3, 1929. R. E. BARRETT 7 1,738,278

MECHANI CAL TRAIN S IGNAL Filed June- 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVEN TOR.

M41? m M/4% AA TTORNEY.

Dec. 3, 1929. R. E. BARRETT. ,7

' I MECHANICAL TRAIN SIGNAL Filed June 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3, 1929 [RICHARD E. .Bannnr'r, or noYKrns, mama MECHANICAL TRAIN SIGNAL Application filed June 4,

This invention relates to an improvement in mechanical train signals.

T-heobject of the invention is to provide a signal which will be automaticallyactuated ,5 by a train to turn a signal at 'a grade crosslng, in order to indicate to persons who maybe crossing the railroad tracks at that point of the approach of the train. The signal is actuated automatically by the train upon its 10 approach to the grade crossing and, again, when it reaches the crossing it automatically returnsithe'signal toits normal non-signaling position.

The invention lies-in thestructure and the 1.5 mechanical features for accomplishing these obiects.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig.1 "is a top plan View of the invention as applied;

F 1g. '2 is a side elevation ofa portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the frame work; and

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the main M5 lever detached.

The main tracks are designated generally by the numeral 1 and are mounted upon the cross-ties 2 and a road is designated by the numeral 3, as crossing the tracks 1 at the same and 6 extendupwardly from and are supported 'by the cross-ties 2 and are connected together at their upper ends by a connecting strip 7. A stop signal 8has a shaft 9 extending between and carried by the vertical supports 4 and .5, and a plate 10 extends upwardly from the signa'lxS in position to strike a bell 11 mounted upon the top connecting member 7 to indicate to anyone attempting to cross the tracks at this point that the signal is turning and that a the tracks. t

The signal plate 10 also indicates to the locomotive engineer that the signal has been tarned properly and this plate may be colored suitably for this purpose.

The ;outer end of the shaft 9 terminates in a crank' rm 12, to which a link 13 is connected b 7 means of a "lostinotion slot 14, as shown in Big; 3, the opposite end of said link 13.

did

level as the latter. Vertical supports 4, 5

train is approaching upon 192?. serial at. 196,514.

being pivotally connected as at 15 to the disk 16 rotatably mounted upon a pin 17 carried by the vertical support 5. This disk 16 is provided with a notch 18 in the outer surface thereof in position to be engaged by a pawl 1'9, pivoted as at 20, to the support 5 and having its outer free end connected by a link 21to an end of the lever 22. A spring 23 is also connected with the lever 22 for normally tending to hold this lever in the position shown in Fig. 3, as extending upwardly with the pawl 19 in position to engage the notch 18.

A pin 24 on the disk 16 extends into a slot 25 formed in a link 26, the free end of which is connected by a rope or cord 27, which passes over a pulley 28 in the vertical support 6 and around a pulley 29 mounted upon a plate 30 having its end connected with a lever 31 also pivotally mounted upon the plate 30. The opposite ends of this lever 31 are connected by cables 32 with the opposite ends of a main lever 33, the cables extending between guide rollers 34, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Springs 35 are interposed between the ends of the cables 32 and the main lever 33 to provide a resilient connection between these parts. The main lever 33 is held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring 36.

A plate spring 37 has one end thereof connected with an end of the main lever 33 and the free end of this spring extends between the arms 38 of the handle 39 pivoted to the main lever 33 as at 40. This spring 37 normally holds the handle 39 in the position shown in Fig. l, but allows movement of the handle relative to the main lever 33. Arms 41 are carried by the opposite sides of the locomotive {12 or other part of the train in position to engage and operate the handle 39.

In the operation of the invention, the arms 41 engage the handle 39 for moving the handle and the lever 33in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, to exert a pull on the rope or .cord 27 which, through the link 26 and pin 2a, turns the disk 16 into the position shown in Fig. 3, which transmits movement through the link 13, the cranlearm 12 and the shaft 9 to the signal 8 and turns this signal into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

This is all accomplished mechanically and automatically upon the arms 41 carried by the locomotive 42, striking the handle 39. As the locomotive travels toward the grade crossing or the road 3, these arms 41 engage the handle 22 and turn this handle, which turning movement pulls the free end of the pawl 19 downward, as shown in Fig. 3, releasing the' disk 16 and likewise the pulling action upon the signal, which causes the weight of the plate 10 to turn the signal up iBnto the non-signalling position shown in ig. 1. c

In the event that the train runs in the 0pposite direction along the track, the resilient mounting of the handle 39 allows a movement of this handle relative -to the lever 33, so that the handle will be moved relative thereto by the arm 41. I

vThe main control lever 33 will preferably be mounted approximately three hundred yards "from the road 3 so as to turn the signal sufiiciently in advance of the approach of the train to the grade crossing, so as to allow persons, who are contemplating crossing the tracks ortraveling along the road, an opportunity to stop and to indicate to them that the'train is approaching.

Thus it will beev-ident that a mechanical train signal is provided of an improved construction,.which is automatic 'in operation and likewise in releaseand'to cause an automatic signal of the approach of an oncoming train at a grade crossing, thus eliminating a great many accidents which occur at such po nts.

' A signal maybeprovided on each side of the track to be operated by trains going in either direction.

1. A signal of the character described ineluding a movable, visible signal, a disk operatively connected with said signal, a main control lever operatively'connected with said disk for movingthe signal into signalling position, a handle carried by the main control lever in position to be engaged by an arm on a locomotivefor actuating the lever, resilient means for holding said handle in normal position, and a secondary lever operatively connefeted withthe disk and extendin into posi- T tion-to be actuated by the armon he locomotive. for releasing the signal.

2. In atdevice ofthe character described, the combination 'of a supporting frame, a shaft carried thereby, a visible signal mounted on the'shaft normally held in non-signalling. position, a disk-.operatively connected with the shaft for moving said signal into signalling, position, f,a. main control lever mounted in spaced apart relation from. the

* disk and signal, flexible means connecting the main. control leverwiththe disk for actuating the same, ah'andlefpivotally connected with' thefmain control leverand extending into position to be'engaged by an arm carried by a train for causing an actuation of the main control lever, a spring for resiliently holding the handle in its normal position relative to the lever, a pawl connected with the disk for engaging and holding the same in signalling position, and a secondary lever operatively connected with the pawl for releasing the disk to allow the signal to return to non-signalling position.

3. A device of the character described including a supporting frame, a shaft carried thereby, a visible signal carried by the shaft in position to be normally held in non-signalling position by its own Weight, an audible signal mounted upon the frame in position to be actuated by the visible signal, the free end of the shaft terminating in a crank-arm, a

disk carried by the frame, a link pivoted to the disk having a lost mot-ion connection with the crank-arm of the shaft, 21 second link having a lost motion connection with the disk, a flexible rope connected with the free end of the said last-mentioned link and passing around guide pulleys, a lever connected with the free end of said rope, a main control lever pivotally mounted at a point spaced apart from the first-mentioned lever,'cables connecting said levers together, guide rollers for the cables, a handle pivotally connected with the main control lever and extending into position to be engaged by an arm carried by atrain, a leaf-spring having an end thereof fixed to the main control lever and having the opposite free end thereof engaging the handle for resiliently holding the handle in its normal position relative to the lever, the operating disk having a notch formed in the edge thereof, a pawl pivotally mounted on the frame in position to engage the notch and hold the disk in signalling position, and a secondary control'lever having an end there of operatively connected with the free endof the pawl and extending into position to be. engaged by the arm of the train to actuate the pawl to release the disk and signal.

4. A signal of the character described including a supporting frame, a shaft carried by the frame, a signal element mounted on the shaft and suspended therefrom, a plate extending outwardly approximately at right angles to the face thereof from said signal element and forming an additional signal adapted to be moved into signalling position with the movement of the first signal into signalling position and means I01 operating the-shaft for moving the signal element into and out of signalling position.

5. A signal of the character described including a signal member, an operating disk therefor, a lost-motion connection between the disk and signal member, an actuating lever for the disk, and a lost-motion connec tion between the actuating lever and disk 6. A signal of the character described including a signal member, a shaft support-

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