US1613236A - Railway crossing - Google Patents

Description

` l 1,613,236 Jan. 4v 1927' E. M. METcALF l RAILWAY ACROSSING Filed Apri-1 2o 1925 Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

l'lE STATES lylit FFICE.

EDWN 1M. METCALF, OF KANSAS CTY, MSSORI, ASSGNR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDITH IVI. SPARKS, 0F KANSAS CITY, MSSOURI.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

Application filed April 20, 1925. Serial No. 24,625.

This invention relates to a railway cross-' ing signal and the primary object thereof is to provide means for positively preventing persons unconsciously .driving upen a railway track as they are liable to do, pecially at night, unless some definite barrier is in the path of travel of the vehicle.

rllhe ordinary signals are soinetiines hidden or the driver does not see the signal until he is practically upon the track. If this occurs at the time a train is passing a serious accident will occur. My invention contemplates a permanent barrier across a highway, at the intersection of the highway with a. railway track, of greater width than the highway so that the vehicle cannot pass without detouring around the ends of the barrier. The barrier will have appropriate sigi'ialling means, preferably a red prisinatic panel or panels which will be illuminated by the lights of the vehicle thereby warning the driver that the path of the vehicle, in a straight line, is blocked and the fact that the driver must detour around the ends of the barrier will be sufficient warning that he is about to approach the railway track and thus permit proper precaution to betaken in passing over the track.

The novelty of the invention will be apparent by reference to the following description in connection with the accompanying` drawings, in which- The figure is a perspective View of a highway, an intersecting railway track and the barrier on each side of t-he track.

l designates a conventional railway track. 2 a highway fenced in as usual by the fences 3 and 4. Across the highway are arranged two barriers 5 and 6, one on each side of the track, the width of the barriers being in eX- cess of the width of the highway and each barrier is provided with suitable indicia such as signal panels 7. These may consist of red prismatic glass so that the beams from the lamp of the oncoming vehicle will strike the prismatic glass signal and so apprise the driver that there is a barrier across the highway.

The highwayat this point is provided with two end jogs or detour points 8 and 9, one for the driver in each direction. It being understood, of course, that right hand turns are to be made around the detours, thus the driver is compelled to make a right hand turn in order to pass over the track which intercepts the highway. The necessity of ina king the turn compelling the driver to slow down to pass over the track with caution.

The barriers may consist of concrete struc` ture, wire or wood fence or any suitable structural details, so l do not wish to be limited to any particular type of barrier.

lt will be apparent from the foregoing that liability of accidents .in driving over railway crossings will be n'iiuimized by my invention if not entirely eliminated. y `What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A railway track and an intercepting highway in combination with a hollow rectangular barrier of greater width than the highway extending across said higliway and track so that said highway will be divided at said track and the passage of vehicles along the highway will be intercepted at the location of the barrier to thereby compel the driver of the vehicle to pass around the barrierin crossing the railway track.

2. A railway track and an intercepting highway in combination with a hollow rectangular barrier of greater width than the highway extending across said highway and track so that said highway will be divided at said track and the passage of vehicles along the highway will be intercepted at the location of the barrier to thereby compel the driver of the vehicle to pass around the barrier in crossing the track, and vehicle confining barriers on the outer sides of said highway extending away from said rectangular barrier and in substantially parallel relation thereto.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature.

EDWIN M. METGALF.

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