US1562097A - Ramp device for automatic train-control systems - Google Patents

Description

6. a. KENT ET AL RAMP DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 15; 1922 Nov. 17", 1925.

Patented Nov. 1?, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS B. KENT, OF WASHINGTOE, IDISTRIGT OF COLUMBIA, AJlTD BOBERTL. IJIILLER, OF

SIOKAIIE, VJ'ASEENGTOH; SAID HELLER ASSIGNOR T0 OTIS AUTOMIATIC TRAIN CONTROL, INC., 4')? SPOKANE, WASZZIl lGTON, A .CGBIEORATIQN OF WASHING-TON.

RAM? DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEMS.

' Application filed January 13, 1922. Serial No. 529,011.

tain new and useful Improvements in Ramp Devices for Automatic Train-Control Systems, of which the following is a specification. 4

Our invention relates to improvements in track mechanisms automatic train control systems, and it consists more particularly rt. 4 L

of a ramp device which is capable of movement into and out of the path of travel of a shoe constituting a part of the train carried mechanisms whereby, under predetermined conditions, said shoe may be actuated to cause the train carried mechanism to act on the air brakes of the train thereby to control the travel of the latter.

An important purpose of our invention resides in the provision of a ramp device of the character mentioned which is of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction,

possessing few parts compactly arranged and unlikely to get out of order, which is gravity-operated to a normally active shoe actuating position, and which may be electrically or otherwise operated to inactiveposition, being capable of quick recovery fromthe latter position to normal or active position.

Other purposes as well as the nature and advantages of ourimprovements will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains when the accompanying drawings are considered in the light of their related detailed description,

' in which connection it will be understood hinged ramp rails associated with our device to be actuated thereby; and V Fig; 3, a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification of our invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

particularly to Figures 1 and 2,10 designates "an elongated :hollow casing which serves as a housing and support for the movable elements of our device and which is adapted to be secured in any suitable mannerv at adesired location along the tracks of a railroad to dispose said inovable-elements inposition to actuate a train carried shoe 11 connected in any preferred manner to suitable mechanism whereby actuation of said shoe Wlll, under predetermined conditions, act through said mechanism to controlthe travel of the train. The specific type of mechanism to be actuated by our improvedv ramp device constitutes no part of our presentinvention and we have therefore il-' lustrated only the shoe element of one form of such mechanism to show the relation being '10 isprovided with a slot 12 opening through its upper surface and that operating I in said slotis a member 13. This member consists of a lever which is intermediately pivoted as at 14c for swinging movement in a vertical plane, and one end of the same is weighted as at 15 thereby to cause its other end portion 16 to project through the slot 12' and be disposed normally in shoe actuating position. The upper edge of the end portion 16 is of rounded cam shape whereby the shoe 11 will ride upward'thereon as it moves over the mechanism 1n either direction. I i

Flexibly' connected in any' suitable man- 1 nerv with the end portion 16 of the member 13 is the core 17. of a solenoid winding 18, which latter when energized effects a pull on the core 17 and thereby depresses the end .16 of member 13 out of the path of travel of the shoe 11. The winding 18 may be connected with a block signal system in any preferred manner whereby it will be energized upon predetermined movement of the semaphore arms or'signaling devices of the system, or the same may be energized at rect engagement with the shoe to effect its operation, in which event, as shown in Fig. 2, we have provided an arrangement embodying ramp rails which may be moved to active and inactive positions by the member 13. This arrangement consists of a ramp rail 19 hinged at one end to the easing 10 and at its other endto a second ramp rail 20, the free end of which latter rests slidably on the casing. The pivotal or hinged connection between the rails overlies the cam end of member 13 so that as said member is raised or depressed corresponding movement is imparted to said rails.

In Fig. 3 a slightly different structural arrangement is illustrated for accomplish ing the same purpose in substantially the same manner as the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This modified arrangement includes a hollow casing 10 having pivoted therein a cam member 13 of peculiar shape for raising and lowering a pair of ramp rails 19 and 20*, both of which are pivoted at their outer ends to the'casing and have their inner ends disposed relatively in juxtaposition in overlying relation to the cam 13 The cam member 13 is of substantially horseshoe shape and its pivot is near the free end of one of its arms and its other arm is weighted as at 15 whereby a part of its intermediate portion which is formed into cam shape similarly to the member 15 is normally disposed above the casing and holds the rails 19 and 20 normally elevated.

The means for depressing the'member 13 into thecasing to allow the ramp rails to drop down from their elevated shoe actuating position consists of a rod 21 pivoted at one end as at 22 to the casing and extending past the member 13 toward a solenoid winding 18 On or near the free end of this rod is provided a core 17 for the winding 18 and a pin 23 on the memher 13 is disposed in a slot 24L in the rod whereby upon energization of the winding 18 a pull is exerted on the core to move the free end of the rod downward and thereby transmit such movement to the member 13" by reason of said pin and slot connection. The member 13 is operable to actuate a shoe either with or without the ramp rails 19 and 20 the same as member 13.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction and operation of our device will be clearly understood, and while we have herein illustrated and described one specific embodiment of our invention the same is not limited to the details shown, except to such limitations as may be contained in the appended claims.

We claim 1. A ramp device for automatic train control apparatus including a pair of upwardly projectible ramp rails pivotally connected together, a weight operated member normally exerting an upward force at the point of pivotal connection of said rails to maintain the latter normally projected, and electro-magnetic means to retract said member thereby to permit retraction of said ramp rails under the influence of gravity.

2. A ramp device for automatiotrain control mechanisms comprising a casing, a pair of pivoted, proj ectible and restractible ramp rails carried by said casing, an intermediately pivoted member one end of which is of cam shape and the other end of which is weighted to normally project its cam shaped end into direct contact with said ramp rails to normally project the latter, and means to retract the cam shaped end of said member thereby to permit depression of said ramp rails under the influence of gravity.

3. A ramp device for automatic train control apparatus comprising a casing, a member within said casing pivoted intermediately and having one end weighted whereby its other end is maintained normally elevated, a pair of projectible, gravity depressible ramp rails carried by said casing, said ramp railsbeing pivotally connected together, an operative connection between the normally elevated end of said member and said ramp rails whereby the latter are maintained normally projected, and electro-magne'tic means for retracting the normally elevated end of said member whereby said ramp rails may be depressed by gravity.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

OTIS B. KENT. ROBERT L. MILLER.

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