US1646971A - Safety device - Google Patents

Description

oct. 25,1927. 1,646,971

J. c. MENDONCA SAFETY- DEvxcE Fild Dee. 51, 192e s sheets-sheet 2 2" .01 ze @y JM/vendio@ JMendonca 1,646 971 Oct' 25 1927 J. c. MENDONCA SAFETY DEVICE Filed Dec. 5l, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ffnung Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED S'illia'ih PATENT FFICE.'

SAFETY DEVICE.

Application led December 31, 1925. Serial No. 158,380,

The invention has for an object to provide a device adapted to be readily installed on engines of various types for use to positively prevent accidental operation of the engine from any cause whatever, such as a leaky throttle, casual opening of the throttle, loosening of the brakes while the engine or train is on a grade, or other causes tending to cause the train to move alone.

It is a further important purpose to provide such a device which will be applicable to use in emergency as a train stopping means. In this connection it is an aim to give a desirable mechanism whereby the action of the device will be synchronized with the engine action whereby positive operation is assured regardless of the position of the engine part-s when a controlling device is operated. This particular embodiment of the invention aims to present a chock or locking member movable to be interposed between the cross head of the piston rod, and the adjacent cylinder-head or adjacent framing, with means cooperative with the 'cross head at will to cause locking of the engine mechanism.

It is an important aim to enable the operation or control of the device with ay minimum of physical effort and in an extremely simple manner.

A further purpose is to enable the construction ofsuch a device in a very compact form, so that it may be accommodated to spacealready available, without modification of customary engine construction, and without projections extending to an undue distance laterally.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and shown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine equipped with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top `view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the cross-head guide and adjacent parts, including the locking mechanism, with resetting parts removed.

Figure 4l is a top view of the parts in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section centrally of Figure 3 looking forward.

Fig-ure 6 detail of a latch lifter.-

Figure 7 is a side view showing the mechanism in position.

Figure 8 is ai cross section centrally of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail of the detent.

There is illustrated an engine 10 of a standard type now in use, including a cylinder head 11, cross head guide 12, piston rod 13, cross head 14 connected thereto and operable in the guide 12, and the connecting rod 15 pivoted in the cross head, these elements being of the customary construction. The cross head guides are supported kby the usual guide yoke 16. Slidably engaged with the respective guide bars of the cross head guide there are upperl and lower sliding blocks 17 and 18, the latter carrying three horizontal laterally projected guide boltsal middle one 19 and two end ones 20. The upper block 17 has a single horizontal bolt 21, similar to and alined vertically with and over the one 19. A frame piece 22 is in the Vform of an inverted T-apertured` at each end of its stem and at the outer ends of the ybolt-s 19 and 21 there `are engaged helical springs 23 confined between the frame piece 22 and the heads of the bolts, by which the frame piece is pressed forcibly inwardly against the blocks 17 and 18. Two horizontal arms 211 are formed on the inner side of the stem of the frame piece 22, one above and the other below the piston rod, and proi jecting beyond a vertical plane coincident with the axis of theA rod. Carried by each of these arms there are two horizontal shafts 25, parallel to the piston rod and on opposite sides thereof, around the ends of each of nient of the block under presente of 'the to seat snugly thereagainst at thesaine time. The length of the bolts 19-20-21 is such as to permit the outward movement of -thepiece 22 until lthe blocks 27 clear theV path of the'cross head, and it is normally so held against the action of the springs 23 by a detent yoke 31, including a centrally Apivoted lever portion 32 carried by a suitable exten-l sion of the block 17. The yoke fits snugly around the bolt, bearing both against the block 17 and the frame piece 22. The lever portion Vincludes an'operating arm 33 extending rearwardly, and arranged to be engaged and depressed by 'a rocker arm 34 when .moved forwardly, for lifting of the Vyoke and inward movement of the piece 22 ,under action of the springs 23.

` proper and the arm 33 may be fixed on 0pposite ends Vof a shaft 35 i'evolubly mountedV 0n the block 17, as shown. The rocker armV is similarly mounted on Vthe inner end ofa shaft 36 also revolubly mounted on'the block 17, the outer end-ofwhich hasiixed Ythereon asimilar arm 37 extending downwardly and 'engaged by a contractile spring 38"attached tothe `bracketplate 16, and tending todraw Y *the arm rearwardly. i The arms-34 and 137 arejheld against this movement normally by means of a `detent deviceV 39 mounted on the yoke 16 and adapted to engageand hold the'4 arm 34k at the rearmost limit yof its .move- .nient7 and being releasable by al link 40, Vbell crank.,41, rod 42 and connected level' 43 in the engine cab 44, as will be described. AV

latch bill-45 is mounted pivotally on the shaft' 36, adapted whenY lowered to engage over the Vupper edge of the plate 16 andhold the blocks 17 and 18 against sliding movement on the cross head guides. On the shaft 136 `there is `fixed a shouldered collar-46, the

shoulder'46 of whichfis arranged so as toA strike'the latch at a certain point in the forward movement of the arm 34 and lift the' latch. The arm'37 is'of sufficient radius V'and spaced outwardly `ofthe guide bars 12 enough toengage a striker block'47 on the outer side'of the cross head,'this vblock being yinclined at fits rear part as at 48. The.

i y spring 38 is connected to a lug 50 on theside :of the'arm 37, wherebyzwhen the detent) is released the'earin 37 will be drawn rear- Vwardly` to the position shown inFigure 7.

This armis of such-length as to Vswing into :thepath'fof thezblock 47, and tendsto remain in this path so that rearward movement of the block 47 f will swing the arm 37 with The yoke ithe engine cab `44 and it, the inclined face 48 fending the arm upwardly until the block may pass thereunder. The block is of a length teclear the arm entirely in its rearward movement until the return of the crosshead under resetting of the device as will be described.4 The movement of the arm 37 rotates the shaft 36, and causes the arm 34 to bear downwardly on the arm 33 of the .member 31 and permits inward movement of the frame piece 22 so that forward vmovement of the crossliead is checked. By means of a suitablespringf the members 17 and^18 are held at'th'e rear limit of theirinoveinent, so that upon the rotation of the shaft 36 to initial position, thel latch 45 will engage over theV bracket plate 16 holding the parts against loose movement on. the crosshead guide. The detent '39 coinprises a lug 54 on the yoke l16, having a crank dog 55 pivoted thereon, fthe pivot axis being within thera'dius ofthe arm 34.

vThe dog has an eccentric block 57 Y projectingY across the path of the arm 34, and borne into thepath of the arm by a spring 58 seated against the bracket 16, a check lug 59 being 'formed on the'lug 54 to limit the movement `of the dogby: the spring.: The dog has also a crank arm and wrist 60, the latter being engaged in the slotted end of a: link 40, the

upper end of which isV connected toaii'outV lwardly projecting arm on the rod 42 connected thereto, the latter being extended into `connected to a suitable operating lever 43.

through the stem of the frame piece 22. The yoke is provided with a stem64 extend- Ving upward and I'inclined Vinward slightly when the device is in released position, 'and carried on the i'od 42 there is an'arin` 68 at the forward end of which there .is fixed the elongatedY crank 'pin 'orv stub shaft 6.9 movable in an are of such'radiusthat it `will strike thearm 64 when the blocks 17 land 18 are at either limit off their movement, thus "inovngthe frame piece 22 outwardly and removing Vthe impediment from the pathof the piston cross hea-d.'V ltlis onlynecessary for the engineertoinoveA the lever .43 to Yinitial position 'while lie-opens the throttle and moves the: piston to the forward limit i of its movement. 4ln order to permit operaftion of thelever 43it maybefnecessaryiiirst toinove the erosshead to rearinost position,

depending upon thecircunistances attending thefreleasei of the device previously.

In use, the device may be usedas a safety appliance on standing engines to prevent casual operation of the train,'and 'it should be a requirement thatthe device is toi-be released whenever a terminal is reached, or

Foijfresetting the device therefis Vpivo'tedr on the block 17 abifui'cated lever yoke 61 carried'by Vsuitable bracket arms 62 on the :block 17,theextremities of the furcations Acarrying revolubly a short shaft 63 engaged when a stop of more than a predetermined duration is to be made, and whenever the engineer leaves the cab. The device may be released quietly by use of the lever 61 when the cross head is at real-most position.

ln case ot emergency it is only necessary to move the lever a?) to operate the detent, and the blocking action will not occur until the crosshead is in proper position for etieient operation of the device. The lever t?) should be arranged so that it will remain in. released position, and it desired any suitable means may be provided whereby it will tend to moveto released position and will be held in set position by a detent, the release of which will cause automatic operation ot the device.

In emergency action, or' whenever the engine tends to move when the device is in released position, if the crosshead is at an intermediate or forward position, as soon as the detent 39 is operated, the spring moves the arm 34 forwardly until. near or against the arm 33, but without suiiicient force to lift the detent yoke 31. The arm 37 has then fallen into the path oi the block 17, and the rearward movement oli the block will move the arm 34: with suilicient force to lift the yoke 31 just after the cross head has cleared the path of the blocks 27 when moved inwardly. The connecting rods are then on dead center at the respective sides ot the engine, and the springs 26 and 53 will allow the cross head to move forwardly approximately halt a stroke under sutlicient pressure, the 'frame piece 22 and blocks 17 and 18 being carried therewith part way. The cross head will be checked at a point where resistance to the rotation of the drivers of the engine may be exerted with the maximum etliciency, the resilient action of the springs 2G serving to reduce the shock and minimizing the liability of -fracture of the main rod 1 5.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive, the combination oit a reciprocating power member, a lined element, a member movable into the path of the reciprocating member between said reciprocating member and the fixed element, means to move the movable member, and means to hold the movable member in inoperative position at times.

2. In a locomotive, the combination of a crosshead guide and cross head and supporting means therefor, a blocking device movably mounted on the supporting means for engagement in the path of the cross head at times, means tending` to move the blocking device into engaged position, releasable means to hold the blocking device in disengaged position, and means to release the last named means.

3. A device oit the class described comprising a cylinder element, a cross head operatively associated therewith, a support, an elemeiit-movably mounted thereon including members movable into the path ot the cross head, and means to ope-rate said movable element.

4l. A device of the class described comprisino` a cylinder element, a cross head operatively associated therewith, a support, a movable element thereon including blocking means movable into the path ot' the cross head, yieldable means engaged with and tending' to move the movable' element into blocking posit-ion, a dote-nt normally engagefl therewith to hold the movable element in inoperative position, detent releasing means cooperative with the cross head to move the detent out ot engagement when said releasing means is in a predetermined relation to the orosshead, means to move the releasing means into suoli relation. and means to hold it out ot' such relation.

5. A device of the class described comprising a cross head guide and supporting framing, a crosshead reciprocable therein, a blocking device movable into the path of the crosshead including longitudinally spaced elements, a cushioning device therebetween, and means to operate the blocking device.

6. A device of the class described comprising a cross head guide and supporting framing, a cross head reciprocable therein, a longitudinally movable support on the guide, a blocking device carried thereby movable into the path of the crosshead including longitudinally spaced elements, a cushioning device therebetween, and means to operate the blocking device.

7. A device of the character described comprising a cross head guide and supporting framing, a cross head reciprocable therein, a longitudinally movable support on the guide, a blocking device carried thereby movable into the path of the cross head including longitudinally spaced elements, a cushioning device therebetween, yieldable means engaged with and tending to move the blocking device into blocking position, a detent normally engaged therewith to hold the blocking device in inoperative position, detent releasing means cooperative with the cross head in certain positions of the releasing means to move the detent out of engagement, means to move the releasing means into one of said certain positions, means to hold it out et such positions, and a check device to hold said longitudinally movable support at a predetermined limit of its movement, cooperative with the said detent releasing means to release the longitudinally movable support.

8. A device of the class described comprising a cross head guide, and supporting framing, a crosshead reciprocable therein, a movable support reciprocable on the guide, a laterally reciprocable frame piece carried by ltll) the movable support, including an inwardly projected part arranged to Vengage across the path of the cross head when the frame piece is at the inner limit of its movement, at least one horizontal shai't carried by the Y inwardly projected part, longitudinally re- Yio ciprocable members thereon on opposite sides of the frame piece and outwardly of the ends ofthe shaft, means-to limit their outward movement on the shaft, resilient means active thereon Vto bear them outwardly, and means to operate the frame piece for the purposes described.

l `9. A device of the class describedV comprising a crosshead guide and supporting means including' an end piece across one end, a cross head reciprocable in the guide, a movable support reciprocable on the guide, means to hold the movable support in initial position at times, a blocking device engageable with the crosshead at times, means tending to operate the blocking device cooperative with the crosshead when in a predetermined relation thereto and means `on the supporting to operatetthe movable member'including cabfcontrolled devices.V Y

'In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

. JOHN C. MENDONCA.

Images