US1582208A - Automatic train-stopping device - Google Patents

Description

April 27 1926..

, 1,582,208 G. W. EDWARDS h AUTOMATIC TRAIN sToPlfING DEVICE Filed June 27. 192i s Smets-sheet 1y W am@ IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

April 27 1926. 1,582,208

G. w EDWARDS AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING DEVICE Filed June 2'?. 1921 s`sneets-sheetz n o m Q R Y INVENTOR.

BY', MQW 2 ATTORNEY.

April 27 1926.

G. w. EDWARDS v AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING DVICE Filed June 27,1921 3 sheets-sheet a IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

*UNITED STATES PATEN-r rrier..1v

Groes EDWARDS. or rompe 01ste, estaremos, er @resserrer To. remesa CHRISTENA GILli3lfirl, GNEENTH TQ;y(IZEEARLE,ESKV Q; HERMANE. molten, am; @NE-reame re FRANK o.

Gamesa; ONE-Tram ro, MONAHAN, ONE-Terre ro GARBE., ALL 0F TQLEDQ, oH-Io.

.'AUTQMATIG TRAITN-STOPPING BEVCE Application filedi .Tune 27, 1921. Sehial' IIQASQSSG;

Tol all whom t may cof/wcm:

Be known that If, Geenen W. lmmros,

a. citizen of the United States ot Ameries-t,V

residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have mwentedf certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Devices, of which the foll wing is a speciicetion Mymventi-on relates to an :nutomatlc tram stopping dey-ice andaims to prov-ide a de- Y vice of this nature which lits. .inV with the ail-'brake equipment of a train and which necessitates Very little mechanism .in addition to such equipment in 'order to attain thel desired results.V The apparatus. provided by me is peculiarly sini-ple and cientin that it comprises merely a portable flagging blockor a permanent tripping device, operated in co1; ection. with the regular block system or t ,om signal 'towers7A piston and cyliuider construction of the type commonly utilized: inv air-brake systems, and valve Controlled piping that may be applied without diliicul-ty;

Furthermore, my invention contemplates" `the use of' a trip` Valve 'having a hollowv handle and a locking-'device in combination therewith and so arranged that when the operating valve handle ,of any oncoming train enga-ges with. the flagging block, the said valve handle will either be tripped and locked or the hollow handle broke-11,. .ln either case,` the oncoming train will be posi .vely stopped and the engineer or somo one` from the trai-n will be compelled to descend from the train to the groundl to reset appropriate mechanism in order to release the brakes andV to placel the engine parts in condition for further operation.

A still further object of my inver consists providing means for resis closing of the throttle and with v:

-trip Valve, the.

the portable llagging block.

ping` valve will be entirely free from mois-` ture ol condensatmn at all stages of oper-1- tion. Furtl'iernore7 h l have` provided a meansy that vwill practically ensurek ak report of every accidentor stopping of the engine due to the operation.. et' the. tripping valve. My device is of such a nature that the ilagging bloclr may be. carried toa point back of or in front ol?y a stalled train or in trance to, a. block or at some distance from.

a derail or other dangerous point isfronr a signal tower by an operator.

The preferred embodiment of my tion isv shown in the 'accolnpanyingT craw- Hset?? innen i ings wherein similar characters of reterence e designate corresponding parts and wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a loco-mo` tive sliioWin07 my invention attached ia proper relation thereto.` lit illustrates the small cylinder in the'cab and Figure 2 is a detail View showing` my antomatic mechanism for closing the throttle and' the properluY tensionedV springV containedy therein. n

lligiiref, isa side elevation of the portable flagging block.

Figure l is a detail View olf the trip valve showing the safet i locking device thereon.' a longitudinal section on lino Figure 5 Asn/'i oit Figure 45.

Figure G is a detail View deviceof modified form.

In the drawings, my invention is shown as of an operating comprising a pipe l; connected through ait elbow 2 to the. airbrake pipe system 23V ot the train. This pipe passes upwardly from the pipe 3 and then downwardly over the steam chest and through the cylinder lagging A. There is aluf'ays more or less moisture in compressed air. This moisture condenses` especial-ly in col-d Weather, and tends to owto the lowest level. An important aspect of this invention arises from the tact that the upward loop 2 prevents any condensed moisture in the nain pipe from passpipe 1 passing through ing into pipe 1, and l prevents any moisture the cylinder lagging accumulated in pipe 1 from freezing and Y cock 6 is normally open and is to be closed only in case the operating valve 5 at the lower end of this pipe 1 becomes damaged. By closing this cock 6 the train could be operated until repairs could be made.

The operating valve 5, attached to the lower end of the branch pipe 1, consists of a body 7 a Vertical inlet port 8, a tapered outlet port 9 and a horizontal tapered socket or valve seat 10. Fitting andy turning in this tapered socket 10 is a hollow tapered valve handle 11, the outer end 12 of which is bent at right angles to the horizontal tapered portion 11 and containing in this tapered portion 11 an inlet port 14 which registers with the main inlet port 8 when the valve handle extends vertically downward as shown in Fig. 5. A lock nut 47 on the end of the tapered valve 11 holds the valve on the valve seat 1() by means of a spring 48. A cover 49 adapted to be secured to the boss 50 of the valve body 7 serves as a protection for the lock nut 47 and spring 48.

Attached to and extending from this valve handle 11 is an arm 13 the outer end of which rides on an arcuate shaped leaf spring 15. This leaf spring is fastened at its ybase to the body extension 16 and extends upwardly and close to the stop 17. An ear 18 extending out from the tripping arm 12 of the valve handle 11 registers with the ear 19, extending out from the body of the valve, when said valve handle is in its downward normal position. ln this normal position of the valve handle, the two ears 18 and 19 are preferably linked by a seal 20. The tripping arm 12 extends down a suicient distance to ensure contact with a 'llagging block 21.

This flagging block 21 is of such construction that it will extend about eight (8) inches above the rail 22 and is desirably located outside oi the rail about 27 inches from the inside of the rail to the center line of the block. The base of the block 21 extends along the edge of a tie 23 and the end of this base is bent upwardly in hook form to lit over the inner flange ot the rail as shown in Figure 3. A clamp 24 and nut 25 ensures a solid fastening of the flagging block 21 to the rail and the plate 26` attached to the base of the block 21 holds the block in its proper relation to the rail.

In the operation of this automatic mechanisin, the proper location ot the ilagging block 21 will cause this block 21 to engage with the trippng arm 12 of a moving train. The moving of the tripping arm 12 of the valve handle 11 will rotate the valve stem 10, release the compressed air through the port 9 and thus automatically effect lowering of the pressure in the brake pipes. This lowering ot' the pressure causes shifting of the triple valve 27 and allows the compressed air in the tank 28 to expand into the brake cylinder 29, thus setting the brakes. The hollow valve handle 11, having a port opening 14, will contain compressed air while the tripping arm is in its normal downward position. Thus, if this hollowr tripping arm 12 should be broken, from engagement with the ilagging block 21 or from any other cause, the compressed air would escape through the broken handle and likewise etl'ect a lowering ot pressure in the brake pipes.

1n case the flagging arm 12 is'rotated, the connected arm 13 (Figure 4) will ride along the spring quadrant 15 unt-il it strikes the stop 17 when it will slip over the upper end of the spring 15 thus causing the valve handle to be locked and the valve to remain open until the engineer descends to the ground and releases the saine. Furthermore, a turning of the valvev handle and the subsequent breaking ot the attached numbered seal, or the breaking of the valve handle, will necessitate the making of a report by the engineer and the reasons therewith.

It will be evident that the breaking ol' the seal and the subsequent necessitated report is an important feature in that it will be instrumental in causing the engineer to operate the train with the greatest possible caution and safety.

ln connection with this mechanism, I have provided a cooperating mechanism for automatically moving the throttle toward closure (see Figures 1 and 2). It consists ot a branch pipe 30, connected to and passing upwardly from the airhralre pipe connecting the tank 28 and cylinder 29, a` small cylinder 31 connected to the branch pipe 30 at its upper end and a piston 32 working in this cylinder 31 connected to the throttle lever 40 by means of its rod 33 and a flared sleeve 34. Connecting the sleeve 34 to the throttle rod 41 is a latch 36 fulcrumed to the throttle lever at 37. The throttle rod 41 co-operates with the serrated quadrant 39 and is held in any adjusted position with relation thereto by means ot the dog 38. Regulating the motion of this throttle lever 40 and contained in the cylinder 31 is a properly tensioned spring 42 desirably inade to withstand about forty-live pounds pressure. The flared sleeve 34 contains a cushion spring 35 in the small end adjacent the throttle lever 40.

Tn the operation oli the cooperating throttle closing mechanism, the opening of the operating valve 5 and the subsequent lowering of pressure and shifting of the triple valve assasea 27 will not only allow expansion of the ycoinpressed air inthe brake cylinder 29l but will Simultaneously force the high pressure air through thebrake cylinder 30. cumulated pressure o nv the piston 32 will force the piston rod 33 forward against the definite pressure exerted by the spring 42. This forward motion of the piston striking the cushioned sleeve 34 ywill cause the fulcruined latch 36 to be pressed downward. The subsequent downward motion of the throttle rod 41 will withdraw the dog 33 from Vthe quadrant 39. Thus, further inotion by the piston rod 33 closes the throttle lever to fixed position as determined by the strength ot the resisting spring 42. This position is preferably that of a drifting throttle or slightly open valve so that a small quantity of steam flows to the eyliir ders. Upon closure of the operating valve 5 or cutout cock 6, the triple valve 27 is,l

closed by the resulting increased pressure in the main airbrake line and the tensioned spring 42 will automatically torce the piston back to normal position.

The modified operating device 43 is des signed to replace, it desired, the preferred operating device attache-d to the pipe l as shown in Figures 4 and 5. It consists et a section of standard pipe adapted to be attached to the lower end ot the branch pipe fl as at 46 in Figure 6. This pipe 43 depends downwa Id a sufficient length to ensure contact with tlieiiagging block 2l and is provided at the bottoni end thereof with a drain plug 45. It contains at a point adjacent the 'branch pipe l a liacksxiwed groove 44 encircling the pipe and of sufficient depth to ensure a positive bieaking of the pipe at this point when struck by the llagging block.

lt should be understood that this modiiied operating pipe may be used either temporarily or permanently and may be of any suitable material such iron, steel or glass, the breaking et which, Yby engagement with a. flagging block, will automatically release the compressed air and thus eitect a lower-V ing ot the pressure in the brake'pipes.

The simplicity ot my invention is un usual in that results are attained by the mere addition ot two branches to the airbrake pipe system and a piston working against a properly tensioned spring For operating the throttle lever. This closing ot the throttle lever and the setting of the brakes is attained by a lia-gging block either portable or permanent.

The portable flagging block is particularly advantageous because, in the event that a train becomes stalled, a brakeinan can readily carry this block forward and one rearward ot the train on a single track line and rearward on a double track line, and bysettiiig it be sure that any oncoming train' This acwill` be' automatically stopped. Nothing' a trainV is once stopped by mydevice, thev cannot restore running conditions while in his cabfbut musty descend to the greundi. Etty device gives the conductor full control of the train for by opening the conductors valve, t-lie 4brake pipe pressure is lowered causing` the brakes to be applied and the throttle automatically closed. The saine results will `tollow if the trainbreaks in two.

lt will be obvious that with my apparatus, whenever pressure inthe air brake system is reduced .sufiiciently to set the brakes, regardless of the cause, the throttle will be' moved toward closed position. The extent et such movement maybe varied by varying the strength of the spring 42. It will also be obvious that with my device the air control lever is not yatlected by my tripping operation but the brakes are set without the application of any torce to such lever. I n

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l

l. In an automatic train controlling system, means operable by a trip for setting the brakes and closing the throttle, said means comprising a trip operated valve, a branch pipe connecting said trip operated engineer valve to the system and a vertical loop coiinecting said branch pipe to said systeinfor preventing any condensed moisture ktrom passing into said branch pipe.

2. The combination with the air brake system of a locomotive; of a pipe connected into the main air line of said system and extending downwardly therefrom and through the laooing of the locomotive cylin-` *ab der the said i e connecting with the u a er portion of the said air line whereby a loop is formed, and a. detent actuated valve on the lower end of said pipe.

3. Tn a detent operated valve tor train control systems; a valve casing connected in iioy the air line ofsaid system, a hollow valve plug in said casing adapted when in a certain position to vent the system by passage oi the air through said plug, the said plug being extended beyond the casing to provide a trangible handle and hollow throughout its length', and the said plug having an opening therein at all times in communication with said system. v

4. In a detent operated valve for train control systems; a valve casing connected in said system, a handle for operating said valve, an arm connectedto said handle and movable therewith, a spring secured at one end to said casing and pressing against said arm, astop limitingthe travel of said arm,

and the free end ot said spring terminating inwardly from said Stop a distance slightly stoppingthetran, said pipe passing through greater than the breadth of Said arm at its the lagglng of the locomotive cylinder be- 10 point of Contact with said spring. tween its connection tothe main air line and 5. In an autolnatle traln eontrolhng syssind trlp operatlng valve, teln the, colnblnatlon Wlth the zur brake sys- 1n testunony whereof I hereby afx my tem of a pipe connected into the main air signature. Ime or sind System, and a trlp operated valve connected to seid pipe for automatically GEORGE WV. EDWARDS.

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