US502441A - Arthur g - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A. G. LEONARD.

v RAILWAY SIGNAL. .No. 502,441. Patented ug. 1, 189

Wwssea. Q hwenzwt UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ARTHUR G. LEONARD, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

$PEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,441, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed May 1, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G. LEONAnD, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in railway signals in which an audible danger signal is given to the engineer in the cab of the passing locomotive.

My invention contemplates the forming of a contact between a movable part either alone or in connection with a visual danger signal, located along the track, and a part carried by the locomotive, so as to sound an alarm within the hearing of the engineer upon the passing locomotive when the movable part along the track is set to indicate danger, or stop.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a view in rear elevation of a portion of attack and locomotive thereon showing the position of the movable contacting parts arranged in their relative positions along the track and on the locomotive. Fig. 2 is aview of the same in side elevation showing in dotted lines the position of the tripping device when thrown out of position to contact.

The rail which forms a part of the railway track, is denoted by A, the cab of the locomotive by B, and the locomotive drive wheel by C. These parts are represented herein without any attempt at showing their specific constructions and connections, for the purpose simply of more clearly illustrating the location of the movable contacting parts for giving the audible danger signal.

In proximity to the outside of the rail A a tripping device D is located, shown in the present instance as of U-shaped form, the ends of the branches of the U-shaped portion being pivotally secured in suitable bearings d nearer to and farther from the rail A, so as to admit of the swinging of the tripping device up into a position above the top of the rail and down into a position below the top of the rail. A shaft d formed integral with or fixed to the U-shaped portion of the tripping device extends to a signal post Serial No. 391.229. (No model.)

E located at the side of the track and is there connected with suitable operating mechanism so that the U-shaped portion of the tripping device may be elevated above the rail or below, out of position to trip, at the pleasure of the train dispatcher or the signal operator as the case may be.

I have chosen in the present instance to represent the connection of the shaft d with a rotary signal post E, such as is commonly used to support signal lights, and either with or without a connection with a switch. To this end I have provided the shaft d with a bevel gear (1 adapted to intermesh with a corresponding bevel gear e, on the post E, so that when the post E is rotated to bring a danger light to show along the track it will at the same time throw the U-shaped portion of the tripping device up above the rail in position to trip. It is obvious in this connection that if the tripping device were used in connection with the swinging arm of the semaphore in common use, it might be connected with the vertically movable arm operating rod by any well known or approved means, such for example as an ordinary crank connection, so as to be rocked to elevate the tripping device whenever the tripping arm was raised to danger.

Depending from the side of the engine or cab frame are suitable supporting arms F in which a bell crank lever G is pivotally secured. The longer arm g of the bell crank lever, when set to point toward the ground, is intended to extend downwardly to such a distance that its free end will contact with the elevated U shaped portion of the tripping device and thereby cause the said lever to rock. The shorter arm g of the said bell crank lever is connected by means of a suitable rod 9 a tubular rod being preferred, with the arm h of a valve operating lever H. The valve operating lever II is fixed to the stem of a rotary valve or cock seated in a chamber K. It is intended that the valve chamber and valve shall be located at such a part of the locomotive as to be within convenient reach of the engineer for re-setting and at the same time where it will be the most out of the way. It may, as shown in the pres ent instance, be the same valve which is commonly employed to sound the signal whistle for the engineer to start or stop, and be operated by the bell rope extending through the train.

The valve chamber K is connected at one side by means of a suitable pipe 75 with the compressed air reservoir and at another point, in the present instance at the opposite side, with a suitable pipe 76 leading directly to the signal whistle which is intended to belocated in such position as to be readily heard by the engineer, when on duty in the cab.

The valve operating lever H is provided with a suitable handle h so that it may be manipulated by hand as well as by the rod connected with the bell crank lever G.

When for any reason, the engineer wishes to supplement the visual signal by an audible signal or to depend upon an audible signal alone, as for example where the air is foggy or smoky, so that a visual signal could not be depended upon, he may manipulate the valve operating lever H so as to rock the bell crank lever G through the connecting rod 9 into position with its longer or tripping arm or finger G pointing downwardly, its free end being then in position to engage the tripping device at the side of the track in case the lat-' ter be set to danger. If such contact takes place, it will rock the lever G and thereby rock the valve operating leverH and the valve, so as to admit air from the compressed air reservoir to the signal whistle and the engineer will be thereby Warned that the signalhe has just passed is set to danger.

In order to hold the tripping finger or arm of the bell crank lever Gr, either in position to trip or out of position to trip, as may be desired, I have provided the rocking pivot or pivotal shaft of the lever G with an angular shaped projection M and have provided a spring actuated plunger N with a head it adapted to engage the corner and sides of the projection M according as the lever G is rocked to trip or not to trip, and thereby hold it yieldingly in its adjustments. I prefer to provide the plunger head n with a notch n adapted to receive the corner m of the angular projection M, when the tripping arm or finger is set to trip, so that the moment the arm is swung, the corner mwill be carried out of the notch n and the head of the plunger will rest upon the flat side of the projection M and thereby hold the lever G and hence the valve in position to continue the danger signal until the valve shall have been positively manipulated by the engineer or his attendant, to shut it off. In the present instance I have shown the spring actuated plunger N as supported in a cylinder 0 secured between the supports F which depend from the engine or cab frame.

My present invention has been constructed with a view to its adaptability to the engines and signals now in common use,but it is evi dent that it is susceptible of numerous slight changes in its formation and arrangement to suit other than a Whistle signal, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth, but,

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a bell crank lever carried by the locomotive and pivotally seunder the control of the engineer to operate it and hence set the bell crank lever, and means for holding the bell crank lever in different adjustments, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a signal operating lever carried by the locomotive, and an angular projection secured to rock with the le ver, of a yielding plunger having a recessed head adapted to engage the angular projection and hold it in its different adjustments, substantially as set forth.

ARTHUR G. LEONARD. Witnesses:

H. F. HENRY, J r., Tnos. S. WINSLOW.

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