US514191A - Three-position signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. JOHNSON.

THREE POSITION SIGNAL. No. 514,191. Patented Feb. 6, 1894.

(No Model.) H.

THREE POSITION SIGNAL.

Patented Feb. 6, 1894.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

n: NATIONAL 'LIYNOGEAFNING com m.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY JOHNSON, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

TH REE-POQSITION SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,191, dated February 6, 1894.

Application filed March 21, 1892. Serial No. 425,773. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY JOHNSON, of Rahway, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Three-Position Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in three position signals in which provision is made for utilizing gravity to return the signal to danger both from its position of caution and from its position of safety. A practical embodiment of my invention 1s represented in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view of the signal mounted on a post as it appears in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the signal and top of thepost showing in full lines the signal at danger and in dotted lines its positions when at caution and when at safety. Fig. 3 is a view of the same in end oredge elevation. F1g.4 represents the positions of the parts when the signal arm is at caution, and Fig. 5 represents the position of the parts when the signal arm is at safety.

A represents the signal post, shown in the present instance as provided at its top with a lamp B, which for purposes of explaining the operation of the signal I will assume to be provided with a white light.

For mounting the signal I provide a plate C fixed to the post and provided with a leg or abutment c. A spindle D is either rigidly fixed to, or loosely secured to the plate 0 and projects outwardly therefrom to receive the movable parts. The signal blade E is fixed to a plate F, mounted on the spindle D so as to rock up and down from its horizontal position. The plate F has fixed to rotate therewith a pair of lenses or translucent shades f and f, the former red and the latter green, and so arranged that when the signal blade is at danger the red lens or shade f will cover the white light, at caution the green lens or shadewill cover the light, and when at safety the white light will be revealed. An arm G carrying a counterbalance weight g, is pivoted to thepost A, in the present in-' stance on the spindle D, and between the parts F and O. A stop or an abutment g on the arm G is adapted to engage the leg or abutment c on the plate 0 and prevent the weighted arm G from falling to any great extent below the position to hold the blade E horizontally at danger. A stop or an abutmentf on the plate F is adapted to engage an abutment on the weighted arm G, the abutment g for example, when the blade swings from its horizontal danger position down to safety and cause the weighted arm to rise as the blade lowers, so that, should the operating wire a break the blade E would be promptly returned to danger under the impulse of the weighted arm G. When, however, the blade is raised to caution by the operating wire a, the weighted arm G remains at rest with its stop g in engagement with the abutment c, the blade and the plate F moving independently of the arm Gin this direction. If the operating wire -ct should break when the signal blade is at caution the blade would, under the impulse of its own weight, drop to danger when it would be arrested by engagement with the stop on the weighted arm G. The operating wiresa and a conveniently work over a grooved pulley H fixed to rock with the plate F, and the said operating wires are attached to the pulleyH in such a manner as to cause it to positively rock in one direction. or the other as the one or the other of the wires is pulled. The blade is provided with an adjustable counter balance weight X. By adjusting it at different distances from the pivotal connection of the blade, the latter may be made to drop with the desired pror'nptness from any slightly varying degrees of upward inclination. 7

What I claim is- 1. A three position signal, comprising a swinging signaling device, means for positively moving it from a horizontal or danger position to either a downwardly inclined or upwardly inclined position, and a counterbalance weight arranged to act upon the arm to hold it at danger and to return it to danger from its downwardly inclined position, the arm being free to fall from its upwardly inclined position to danger position by its own weight, independently of the counterbalance weightsubstantially as set forth.

2. The three position signal, comprising a rocking support carrying the signaling device, a counterbalance arm pivoted to the rocking support independently of the signaling device and having an interlocking engagement with the support whereby the counterbalance arm is raised when the signaling device is lowered and allowed to remain at rest when the signaling device is raised, means for limiting the downward movement of the counterbalance arm and means for positively rocking the signal carrying support, substantially as set forth.

3. The three position signal, comprising the rocking support provided with a signal blade and with dilferent colored lenses or shades, the rocking counterbalance arm having an interlocking connection with the rocking support, by which it acts upon the signal blade FREDK. HAYNES, GEORGE BARRY.

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