US324411A - Railroad-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. R. PARK.

RAILROAD SIGNAL.

No. 324,411. Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. R. PARK.y RAILROAD SIGNAL.

#ETZTHV N4 PETERS. Phamunhugnph l VUNITED STATES PATENT @ENCEe JAMES R. PARK, OF LAVERGN E, TENNESSEE.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,411, dated August 18, 1885. v

Application filed April 30,1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs R. PARK, of Lavergne, in the county of Rutherford and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Railroad-Signals; and I dohereby declare therfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in railroad-signals, the object being to provide a device of this character which shall be lsimple in construction, which shall be capable of being easily and readily handled, and which shall be durable and efficient in use; and with these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in per# spective of my improved signal. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal vertical section of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a View partly in section and partly in plan, taken on the line x 0r of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a rear view.

A represents the upright standard, constructed, if desired, of one piece of material, and of any suitable height, to the top of which is secured the horizontal box or casing B.

Through the support A and casing B extends the horizontal shaft C, provided midway between the uprightA and the end of the casing B with a gear, D, and also provided on the end which extends beyond the casing B with a drum, E. On the opposite end of this shaft is secured a double pulley, F, to which is secured the rope or chain a, carrying a weight, I), and also the rope or chain c, which extends down near to the ground or within easy reach f of the operator, said ropes or chains being secured on opposite sides of the pulley and passing through'guides d, secured to the rear of the support A, in order to keep them in position and guide them in their operation. When the Weight?) is lowered, the chain c'will be wound up, and when the chain c is pulled down the weight will be raised.

To the drum E is secured a iiag, G, which,

when the chain c is pulled down, is wound upon the drum, and when the weightb is lowered is caused by the revolving of the shaft G to unwind and lower. /Vhen the flag is wound up, it is hidden from view by means of a shield, H, adapted to fit over the drum and held in position by means of the depending guides I, the upper ends of which pass through the guides f, one of which is secured to the outer end of the casing B and the other to the shield H, the latter being curved, as shown in the drawings. In these guides I are adapted to move the ends of the metal rod K, secured in the lower ends of the flag, and adapted to keep the latter in proper position, the said rod K being provided near its ends with iiange c,

vadapted to prevent the rod from coming out of the guides I.

` M is a vframe-piece, moving between the grooved strips or guides J, secured to the upright A, to which piece M are secured the horizontal piece N and the inclined piece or brace Q, which latter is also secured to the outer end of the piece N, and assists in supporting the same.

Tol the horizontal piece N is rigidly secured the table or platform P, to which is removably secured the base or reservoir g of the lamp. To the base or reservoir g of the lamp are secured the four uprights h, connected near the tops and held in position by the cover B.

Through the cover R passes the vertical shaft S, to the lower end of which is secured the lamp-casing T, and provided with a shoulder, 7c, adapted to strike the bearing Z, secured to the cover R, and adapted to hold the said casing T in suspension between the base g and said cover R, and allow the casing to be rotated. This casing consists, essentially, of a rectangular metallic frame provided on diametrically-opposite sides with red kor other colored glass faces, and on the two remaining sides with white glass faces. The base or res ervoir y of the lamp is provided with anfup- Wardly-extending circular ange, m,caround which fits a downwardly-extending flange, n, formed on the lower end of the lampcasing, said iianges being adapted to keep the Wind from entering the lamp. The cover R is also provided with a downwardly-extending circular ilange, o, fitting around an upwardlyextending flange, j), formed on the upper end of the lamp-casing and performing the saine function as the flanges lm n..

It will now be seen that by this construction and arrangement of parts the casing may be revolved independent of the top and base, and by securing the lights and reliectors to the base or oil-reservoir gthe lamp-casing may be turned without disturbing any other portion of the device.

To the horizontal piece N, or any other suitable point, is secured a rope or chain, fr, adapted to pass over a pulley, s, secured to the upright support A, and down the rear side of said support to a drum or windlass, U, sccured to the support and operated by a crank, f. To this wiudlass is also secured a chain or rope, u, carrying a weight, t, adapted to counterbalancc the weight of the lamp and facilitate the raising and lowering of the same.

Vhen the crank tis tnrnedin one direction, the weight yv will be lowered and the rope or chain r wound around the windlass U, andthe lamp thereby raised. If the crank is turned in the opposite direction, the lamp will be lowered and the weight e raised. In the present instance I have shown two pulleys, s and s', over which the chain or rope r passes; but if the support A is made solid the latter pul ley may be dispensed with.

To the extension or casing B are secured the four depending arms V, the lower ends of which are bent at right angles and each provided with a hole adapted, when the lamp is raised, to receive the ends of the posts It and assist in keeping thelamp in position,a ratchet, fr, secured to the end of the windlass, and pawl y, secured to the support A, being adapted to hold the lamp in any desired adjustment.

To the casing B is secured the bearing NV, through which passes the shaft X, the upper end ot' which is provided with a gear-wheel, Y, adapted to mesh with the gear D 011 the shaft C, the lower end being provided with the square shoulder Z, adapted, when the lamp is raised, to iit in the socket t', formed in the upper end ofthe shaft S.

\Vhen the lamp is in its raised position and the chain c or a is pulled down, the shaft C will be turned, and, through the intervention of the gears D Y and the shafts S and X, rotate the lamp, at the same time raising or lowering the flag, as `before described. If, however, the lamp should be in its lowered position, the rotation of the shaft C would only operate the flag.

By slightly lowering the weight b the lamp may be turned quarter-way round, thus exposing to the side either the white or red glass of which the lamp is composed without bringing the flag to view the shield H extending downwardly a suitable distance to hide it. One of said glasses is hinged, forming a door.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I am enabled to operate both the flag and the lampcasing by a single shaft and shaftoperating mechanism. As the fiag is for use during the daytime and the lamp at night, there is no necessity for gearing the parts so as to present the colored glass and the flag at the same time; but if it is so desired, by simply employ- .ing gear-wheels between the shafts C and X of such relative size that the flag will be unfurled while the larnp-casing is making a qnarterturn, and so constructing the connection Z that the latter will only join or come together when the parts are in a predetermined position, this end can be accomplished.

NVhen reflectors SAl are employed, they are preferably secured to the central portion of the base or reservoir g, and the burnel's S" placed outside of same.

By this improved construction the 'flag and lamp may be operated from the ground and the use of ladders obviated. Again, when it is desired to light or clean the lamp, itis simply lowered within easy reach of a person on the ground, being much more convenient than transporting a ladder to and from the lamp.

I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but consider myself at liberty to make sach changes as fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a railroad-si gnal, the combination,with a standard having a guideway i n one face thereof, a support adapted to move vertically in said guidcway, a lamp seated onv said support, a rotating casing surrounding the lamp, a vertical shaft rigidly secured to the casing, and devices for vertically elevating the support, of a horizontal shaft journaled in the upper end of the standard, devices for rotating the horizontal shaft, and a vertical shaft geared with thehori- Zontal shaft and adapted to engage the vertical shaft of the lampcasing, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railroad-signal, the combination, with alamp-support, lamp,andlamp-casing, a drum having a flag thereon, and a horizontal shaft for winding and unwinding the flag and rotating the lamp-casing, of a rope or chain secured to the lamp-support and passing upwardly over a pulley, and secured at its lower end to a windingldrum, and a counter-balance suspended from said drum, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a base and top respectively p rovidcd with upwardly and downwardly projecting flanges, of a lamp-casing snspended between the base and top, and provided with iianges iitting within or around said former flanges, and means for rotating said casing, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a support, of a box or casing secured to the top thereof, a

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shaft passing through the latter, and provided In testimony whereof I have signed this specion one end with a flag and on the othe1` with cation in the presence of two subscribing Wita pulley, means for turning the shaft and Windnesses.

ing or unWindngv the ag, guides for the flag JAMES R. PARK. to move in, and a shield secured to the guides, Witnesses: and adapted, when the flag is wound up, to W. A. GOODMAN,

conceal the same, substantially as set forth. S. H. WALKER.

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