US1682693A - Support for light signals - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2s, 192s. 1,682,693

. S. M. DAY

SUPPORT FOR LIGHT SIGNALS pri inal Filed Oct. 17 1921 FIG. 1..

Patented Aug. 28, 1-928.

UNITE s'rars rrsnr eerie.

SALISBURY M DAY, or noonnsrnn, new onir, Assren'oa TO GENERAL RAILW Y SIGNAL COMPANY, or nocnnsrna, new YORK.

SUPPDRT FOR LIGHT SIGNALS.

Original application filed October 17, 1921, Serial No. 508,184. Divided and this application filed December 29; 192%.

This invention relates to light signals for railway signalling purposes, and more par ticularly to adjustable supporting means for such signals. a

Color light signals in their typical form comprise a number of light projecting units with different colored lenses, as red, green, yellow or the like, and the different signal indications are given by lighting the electric lamps of these units one at atime as desired so as to project a beamof colored light. Signals of this kind because they must be visible at a distance during the daytime as well as at night are required to emit a rather intense beam of light, and inorder to keep the energy consumption within practical limits it is necessary to make this beam of rather narrow spread.

In view of the factthat the beam of light emitted from the light signal which is to be supported by a support embodying the present invention is rather narrow, it is important to have the signal properly positioned so. that it will throw its beam of colored light along the track in the proper direction and atv the proper angle so as to be isible to the best advantage by the engineers of approaching trains. The signal support embodying the present invention is constructalso that the signal may be easily swung or tilted with respect to its support to any desired position, and a simple sighting arrangement is provided to facilitate such adjustment without the need of a distant observer.

In the practical application of light signals to the varying conditions of railway signaling, it is found that various aspects and difij'erent applications and the like of support for the signal are required. Forexample, at one time one may want a signal capable of giving two different indications commonly termed a two-position signal, at another time a three-position signal, and sometimes one may want the signal mounted on the top of a post or pole, and at other times on a bracket. Inorder to get these require ments in the snnplest manner, and more particularly obviate necessity oi manufacturing and keeping in stock a large number or parts to. make up the various combinations required, it is-proposed to design the light signal casing and other partsso thatv they vention will Serial No. 758,666.

are symmetrical and interchangeable and any oneot the component parts may be combined together directly and without affecting previous adjustments to makeup a large variety of combinations or assemblages. p 1 i Other features and advantages of the inappear as the description progresses.

In describing the invention in detail,

y 05 Fig. 1 shows a rontelevation ofa two This application is a division of the applicationof Salisbury M. -Day for color light signals filed Oct. 17, 1921, Ser. No. 508,194.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the signal is made up in its various combinations of identical light pro- Jecting units, with casings and various adapters such that these units may be asselnbled together to provide signals giving any desired number and arrangement of indications, and mounted on top of a pole, on a bracket, or the like.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, each casing C, which is preferably made oil. case lron so as to have the necessary strength and rigidity. This casingC is formed with a large circular opening in its front wall, and is provided with an'open back closed by a movable door 1. This door 1 may be con nected to the casing C in any suitablemam ner, but in the construction shown the door is formed Wlllll integral lugs at one side which are hmged on cotter pins or the like 35 s gnal unit comprises in general a box-like.

supported by pairs of lugs integral with one side wall of the casing C, so that the door may be swung back and expose the entire inside of the casing. The door 1 is also preferably provided with a suitable spring hasp fastener 2 for pressing the door inward with a gasket.

The top and bottom walls of the casing G.

are constructed identically, and have a raised ridge 0 around the edge which is accurately machined in manufacture, a central beveled or cup shaped opening 6, and four holes 7 (only two of which have been'shown). By reason of this construction, two. casings C may be fastened together by bolts .8, as

shown in Fig. 1, withtheir machined ridges 5 contacting andlining up these casings.

A light projecting unit comprising, a lens barrel 9 having an outer lens 11 secured thereto by. abezel. ring 12-and bolts 13, is fastened in the large opening in the front wall of the casing C. This light projecting unit also includes a suitable incandescent electric lamp which for conveniencehas not been shown in the drawings. Reference should be made to the parent application for further details "as to the construction of this light unit. The bezel ring 12 is provided with a projecting send-circular ridge upon which is secured hood or sun shade 15.

In order that the signal may be visible at the desired distance and throughthe desired angle of. spread, it is obvious that the 1 signal should be pointed accurately in the right direction; andon accountfof'variations in conditions, it is ordinarily neces sary to adjust and sight each signal. The usual practice of havinga workman at the signal to adjust it, andan observer at a distance to check up the adjustment, is cumbersome and inefiicient. Not only are experienced observers refguired for this purpose,but also great di' cultyis encountered in providing a simple and effective Way of communicating the necessary unformation from the observer to thesignal. Tofacilitate suchadjustment a simple and effective sighting device includingaglass disc 26 is fitted in a small circular opening in the front wall. of' the signal casing C near one upper corner, this 'disc being held in place by a suitable bezel ring fastened to the easing. At the rear end of the casingC, back of the disc 26, a smallpeep hole27 is bored in a small web. integral with the casing. The glass disc 26 is preferably provided with aring sand blasted thereon, painted or otherwise made, opaque or nearly so.

While one pair of these sighting apertures is sutlicient for any one signal, regardless of the number of units making up that signal, for simplicity and convenience n manufacture, it is preferred to provide each unit with these sighting apertures.

.Upon looking through the small peep hole 27, thecclear glass of the disc 26 outsideof thering 26 affords a relatively large field for spotting objects and determining a coarse adjustment, while the small hole'inside .of the ring 26" forms :a small fieldfor accurate sighting. If desired, the large field -may be proportioned to correspond a proximately with the area of the bean e light frlomLthe signal," so that .an observer can determine roughly, atleast, how to point the any desired direction. Referringto Fig.1,

this-support oradapter 30 comprises a tubular portion tapered at the upper end and on the inside so as to receive poles orother round supports varying in diameter, the ends of these poles seating tightly against this tapered surface. A plurality of adjusting screws 31, two. being shown, are threadedin the tubularportion of the support 30 and are provided with theusual lock nuts. WVhen-these screws 31 are loosened, the whole support 30 may be turned around the pole, and by adjusting these screws, the support may-be tilted at any desiredangle in any vertical plane. When these screws are tightened, the support 30 is rigidly fastened to the pole. a i

i The upper end of the support30 is formed with a shelf or tablejin-the middle of which is a raised rounded boss32, having a hole therein through which wires may pass.

This table of the support 30 {is provided with four holes toreceive bolts 8 for securing the casing C thereto. This boss 32 is a fine adjustment for setting the signal at any desired angle to throw thebeam along the. track for short or long range, up or downgrade, and the like. Any signal casing C, either end up, may be attached to the support 30;=and by reversing the light projecting unit, including the lens barrel 9, bezel ring 12,,lamp rece tacle'and theliood 15, the same parts may e used to makeup a signal in which the doors swing either right or left handed. j q

Although alarge number of signal as semblage-s may be made up out of the interchangeable elements described and with any desired number of signalunits, the specific arrangementshown in Fig. 1 illustrates a two position signal mounted on a bracket. In this specific assembly a bracket 33 .is clamped-to the signal pole or other round support, and the whole signal is carried by this bracket The bracket 33, in the par: ticular form shown, comprises a tapered arm of I beam construction having an integral upstanding tubular extension 33 atone end, and a V-shaped saddle 35 at The tubular extension 33 of the bracket is adapted to receive the support 30.

Two of the light projecting units hereinbefore described are bolted together, one

above the other, to form a two position signal. The wires are carried through a flexible conduit 85 from the pole, through the tubular extension 33, through holes in the boss 32 of the support 30, andbeveled hole 6 into the lower signal casing, and thence to the upper signal casings through the hole 6 in their adjacent walls, bushings 36 of wood or similar insulating material being preferably inserted in theseholes, as shown. The top of the uppermost signal casing C is finished with a simple cover plate 38.

Various other combinations .ofsignals, capable of giving any desired number or arrangements of indications, can be made up out of the unitary signal embodying this invention. Two, three, or more of these signal units may be fastened together oneabove the other, and the whole signal may be mounted upon the upper end of a pole, or upon a. bracket, or on a suitable flat supporting member, or on top of another signal, adj ustment for every direction being provided. Two groups of signals, if desired, may be placed back to backand supported on two brackets 33 clamped to the same pole; or a signal made up of any desired number of units may be suspended from a bridge by bolting the top directly to the bridge, or by using the adapter and a short piece of pipe, and so on. In short, by providing interchangeable parts, and by. employing a unitary const uction. a large variety of sig nals may be assembled out of a relatively small number of parts, so that little stock is required to meet demands for repairs or installations. Also, signals alreadyYinstalled may be added to, or otherwise modified as changing conditions may require.

It should also be noted that the bracket33 constitutes a support whereby the distance between pole and the signal transverse to the trackway can be conveniently changed.

The particuar construction oflight signal supporting structure shown and described is susceptible of considerable modification and adaptation in practice, and I desire to have it understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments herein disclosed exceptas indicated by the claims.

What I claim is:'

1. An adjustable mounting for light signal casings, comprising, a socket member having an upwardly tapering conical internal surface, a substantially cylindrical perforated support of smaller diameter than the largest internal diameter of said socket member universally adjustable therein, bolts threaded into the walls of said socket member for clamping said member to said sup port,a,centra1 perforated ball member on the upper surface of said socket member, a signal casinghaving a matching perforated socket member, and adjusting and fix-y ing means for, and spaced from, said ball and socket members. a

2. A light signal for railway signalling ur JOSSS com arisin acasin havin :1. 'er

a a a: forated openmg 1n its bottom wall, a supporting member for said casing having a substantially fiat upper surface, a central ball member on said upper surface of said' member receivable into said perforated openings in said casing and having an opening therein, and bolts for adjustably securing said casing to said'supporting member and passing through said flat upper surface of said I supporting member at points remote from said opening therein.

3. A mounting for light signals, comprise ing, a hollow cylindrical post, a support, an upwardly tapering conical socket in the lower face of said support for universally adjustably receivingthe said post, means for fixing the support to the post in adjusted position, a base member on the upper face of said support, a matching socket member on a light casing, matching perforations in the ball and socket members, adjusting and clamping means connected between said casing and support and positioned Iandspaced from said ball and socket members.

In testimony y y V SALISBURY M. DAY.

whereof I-affix my signature.

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