US696589A - Bridge-gate. - Google Patents

Description

No. 696,589. Patented Apr. 1, I902.

F. I. PLECK.

BRIDGE GATE.

7 (Application filed Sept. 30, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

W'ih essas bares (Z 22/ n4: "cams pnzns coy, mmuumo" WASHINGTON, B4 c Patented Apr. I F. I. PLECK.

BRIDGE GATE. (Application filed sew. so, 1901.

2 Sheets8heei 2.

(No Model.)

\N QR \8 an, a c Q NQW o w Wiigzssas NITED States T FRANK I. PLECK, OF STURGEON BAY, WISCONSIN.

BRIDGE-GATE.

EZPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,589, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed September 80, 1901. Serial No. 77,110. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK I. PLECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sturgeon Bay, in the county of Door and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Bridge-Gate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in bridge gates of that class designed to be automatically opened and closed bythe draw; and the principal object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for effooting this operation, as more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the bridge structure, illustrating the application of my improved gate and the mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the same. Figs. 3, l, ,and 5 are views of details of construction.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a portion of a gate structure having as two of its elements vertically-disposed beams 6, arranged at either side of the roadway and adapted to guide and support a suitable gate or barrier 7 Mounted in suitable bearings at the upper portion of the beams or columns 6 are shafts 8, carrying suitable sheaves 9, over which pass cords or chainslO and 11, the former being secured to the upper portion of one side of the gate 7 and the cord or chain 11 extending to the opposite side of said gate. The two cords or chains are connectedat 11 to a link belt 12, passing over a guiding-wheel 13 to an operating sprocketgear 14.. The extreme end of the chain is provided with a counterbalance-weight 15,which weighs somewhat less than the gate, so that the latter if left free will slowly descend from the elevated position to the roadway.

The gate is normally held in the elevated position while the draw is closed by a spring catch 16, carried by one of the columns (5 and connected through a bell-crank lever 17 and a cord or wire 18 to a bell-crank lever 19, fulcrumedat 20 to a fixed pin or stud. The vertical arm of the bell-crank lever 19 projects upwardly into the path of two operatingfingers 21, depending from the draw 22, and one of such fingers being placed at each side of the center of the draw, so that one or other will operatively engage with the bell-crank lever 19, no matter what the direction of opening of the draw may be. The result of the contact between one of the fingers 21 and the vertical arm of the bell-crank 19 is to efiect a pull on the cord or wire 18 and the consequent withdrawal of the catch 16 from ongagement with the gate or barrier 7, the latter gradually sinking to the ground. A sudden dropping of the gate is prevented by making the counterbalance-weight 15 just a trifle less than the weight of the gate. The neces sary frictional resistance to the turning of the sprocket-wheels and sheaves will then permit only a slow and very gradual movement of the gate. In some cases where a quick descent of the gate is necessary the counterbalance may be lightened to any desired extent.

The sprocket-wheel 14 is rigidly secured to a shaft 22, and on said shaft is loosely mounted a pinion 23, connected by ratchet-gearing 24: to said shaft, so that in one direction of movement the pinion will turn the shaft and in moving in opposite direction will rotate freely on said shaft.

The shaft 22 is arranged centrally of a suitable frame 25, arranged at the end of the bridge in proximity to the draw-section, and in said frame are mounted two rack-bars 26, said bars being guided by and movable independent of the frame and adapted for contact with the pinion 23. Each of the rack-bars is connected by a chain or pulley 27 to a suitable counterbalance-weight 28, which acts to return the bar to which it is attached to an initial position after each operation. Each rack-bar isprovided with a hook29,fulcru med on a stud 30 and normally kept in an enga ing position by a spring 31, any suitable form of stop-pin or other device being employed to prevent excessive movement, and at the head of each hook is an antifriction-roller 32., which is adapted to be engaged by an antifrictionroller 33, carried by the frame 25, the engagement of the two rollers acting to force the hook 29 to an inoperative position.

On the draw are two pins 35, arranged in different vertical planes and on either side of l the longitudinalcenter of the draw, one pin being adapted for engagement with each hook and such operative engagement taking place as the draw is closing and at a very short time before the fully closed position is reached. The operation of this portion of the mechanism will be readily understood. As the draw approaches the closed position one of the pins 35, engaging a book 29, causes a movement of one of the rack-bars 26 toward the center of the roadway. The rack-bar engages the pinion 23 and causes a movement of the ratchet-wheel 14, drawing down the link belt 12 and raising the gate 7 to the position shown in Fig. 1. When the gate has reached the full-up position, the catch 16 automatically engages and holds the same in position until the draw is again opened. Just at the time the closed position of the drawis reached the, antifriction-roller 23 of the hook 29 is engaged by the fixed antifriction-roller 33,'and said hook is moved from engagement with the pin 35, the latter passing a short distance beyond the hook, so that therewill be no danger of its engaging the same if the draw is opened in the same direction. When the hook 29 is disengaged, the rack-bar 26 is returned to its initial position by the counterbalance-weight 28 in readinessfor the next operation. When the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 2, the hook is about disengaging from the pin 35, and when this occurs the rack-bar 26 moves said hook to its initial position, and both the rear faces of the hook and pin are rounded, so thatif the drawis open in such manner as to cause the rear'face of the pin to make contact with the. rounded face of the hook the latter will swing on its pivot-pin 30 andpermit the passage of the pin 35. The pin 35 might also have pivotal movement, so as to yield in one direction only, as will be readily understood.

The rack-bars 26 are guided on a suitable antifriction-roller 37 in the frame 25, and such bars may be of any required length necessary to raise the gate to any-desired position from the roadway.

While the construction herein described,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form, it is obvious that many changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be made without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with a partly-counter balanced gate, of a catch for norm allyholdin g the same in anelevated position, and mechanism adapted to be operated by the opening of the draw to move said catch to releasing position.

2. The combination with a gate and means for elevating the same, of a catch for holding said gate normally in elevated position, oper ating-fingers carried by the draw and mechanism for connecting said fingers to the holding-catch to effect the release of the gate upon the movement of the draw in either direction and permit the gate to descend by gravity to the surface of the bridge.

3. The combination with a gate and means for holding the same in an elevated position, of a bell-crank lever having one arm oppositely connected to said holding means, and operating-fingers carried by the draw and adapted to engage the opposite arm of said bell-crank lever.

4. The combination with a gate, of a shaft, a sprocket-wheel thereon, a link belt connected to said sprocket-wheel and having its upper end connected to the gate, counterbalanceweight arranged at the lower end of said link belt, a pinion, ratchet mechanism connecting the same to the shaft, and racks adapted to be operated by the draw for engagement with said pinion.

5. The combination with the gate, .of-a'shaft, a sprocket-gear thereon, a link belt passing over said sprocket-wheel and connected at one end to the gate, a pinion, ratchet mechanism connecting the same to the shaft, .oppositely-disposed loose rack-bars for engagement with said pinion, mechanism carried by the draw for engaging with and moving said rack-bars, and means foreffecting the disengagement of such mechanism, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with the gate, of a shaft, a sprocket-gear thereon, alink belt passing over the sprocket-wheelandconnected at one end to the gate, a pinion, ratchet mechanism connecting the same to said shaft, loose rackbars for engagement with said pinion, pivoted hooks carried by said rack-bars and pins carried by the draw for engagement with said hooks, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the gate, a shaft, a sprocketgear thereon, a link belt passing over said sprocket-wheel, cords or chains connecting the upper end of the linkbelt to the opposite ends of the gate, a counterbalance weight connected to the lower end of said link belt, a pinion,.ratchet mechanism connecting the same to the shaft,loose racksarranged on each side of and adapted to engage said pinion, means for supporting and guiding said rack a counterbalance weight connected to each rack for returning the same to initial position, a hook carried by each rack,.pins projecting from the draw for engagement with said hooks, and. means for efiecting the disengagement of said pins and hooks, substantially as specified.

8. The combination ofthe gate 7 means for guiding the same, a link belt 12, cords or chains 10' connecting said linkbelt to the op posite ends of the gate, a sprocket-Wheel 14 for driving said link belt, a counterbalance weight 15 carried at the lower end of the link belt, a shaft 22 on which said sprocket-gear is secured, a pinion 23, a ratchet mechanism 24 connecting the same to said shaft, a fixed frame 25, loose racks 26 guided in said frame and adapted to engage the pinion, counter- IIC) balance-Weights 28 for said racks, hooks 29 carried by said rack, pins 35 cari'ied by the draw for engagement with said hooks, antifriction-rollers 23 for effecting the disengaging of the hooks from the pin, aspring-catch 16 normally acting to maintain the gate in an elevated position, a be1l-crank lever 19 having one arm connecting to said catch, the

fingers 21 carried by the draw and adapted to engage with the opposite arm of said bell- 1o crank-lever; substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK I. PLEGIL Witnesses:

EDITH NELSON, THos. W. MOOULLOUGH.

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