Cable driven railroad switch indicator
OwnerDavid A. Schalkinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A railroad switch indicator, that operates independently of the mechanism for operating the switch, for signaling the position of the switchpoints via a flexible mechanical cable connected to a railroad switch amplifier mechanism. The railroad switch amplifier mechanism has linkage members attached to a crossbar connecting inner stockrails and to a pivoted lever arm, the output arm of which is attached to the mechanical cable. The flexible mechanical cable allows the railroad switch indicator to be positioned remotely from the switchpoints and switch amplifier mechanism in a highly visible and easily serviced location.
Claims10
A railroad switch indicator for switchpoints between outer and inner stockrails that operates independently of the mechanism for operating the switch comprising
- a signal having first and second visual indicators and an indicator shield that is spring biased in neutral position such that a portion of the first and second indicators are visible;
- a switchpoint distance amplifier having an operator connected to the inner stockrails and a linkage including first and second spaced apart linkage arms pivoted to a frame and to a cross member, said cross member adapted to apply a force between a pivoted end and an output end of a lever arm, said operator contacting the first linkage arm when the switchpoints are in switching position and the second linkage arm when the switchpoints are in nonswitching position, said operator contacting neither the first linkage arm nor the linkage second arm in neutral position when the switchpoint are in a mid position;
- and,
- a push and pull cable attached to the output end of the lever arm and to the indicator shield, said cable pushed by the lever arm when rotated in a first direction and pulled by the lever arm when rotated in a second opposite direction, said cable moving the indicator shield over the first visual indicator when the operator pushes on one of said first and second spaced apart linkage arms rotating the lever arm in the first direction signaling that the switchpoints are in switching position and said cable moving the indicator shield over the second visual indicator when the operator pushes on the other of said first and second spaced apart linkage arms rotating the lever arm in the second opposite direction signaling that the switchpoints are in nonswitching position, said linkage defaulting to neutral position by action of the spring biased indicator shield through the cable when the switchpoints are in mid position and the operator is contacting neither the first linkage arm nor the second linkage arm.
A railroad switch indicator for switchpoints between outer and inner stockrails that operates independently of the mechanism for operating the switch comprising
- a signal having a base plate and upstanding spaced apart flanges upon which green and red reflectors are mounted to form an upper green ring and a lower red ring, a pair of spaced apart bolts upstanding on the base plate outfitted with upper and lower compression springs, said compression springs being substantially equal in strength, a reflector shield base plate sandwiched between the compression springs and mounted on upper and lower telescoping pipe sections upstanding between the bolts, cross plates attached to one of the pipe sections and passed through the spaces between the flanges, a reflector shield mounted on the cross plates outside of the flanges, said reflector shield vertically movable and covering the upper green ring when the switchpoints are in switching position, covering the red ring when the switchpoints are in nonswitching position and covering a portion of both the green ring and red ring when the switchpoints are in a mid position;
- a switchpoint distance amplifier having an operator connected to the inner stockrails and a linkage including first and second spaced apart linkage arms pivoted to a frame and to a cross member, said cross member adapted to apply a force between a pivoted end and an output end of a lever arm, said operator contacting the first linkage arm when the switchpoints are in switching position and the second linkage arm when the switchpoints are in nonswitching position, said operator contacting neither the first linkage arm nor the linkage second arm in neutral position when the switchpoint are in a mid position;
- and,
- a push and pull cable attached to the output end of the lever arm and to the reflector shield base plate, said cable pushed by the lever arm when rotated in a first direction and pulled by the lever arm when rotated in a second opposite direction, said cable moving the indicator shield over the first visual indicator when the operator pushes on one of said first and second spaced apart linkage arms rotating the lever arm in the first direction signaling that the switchpoints are in switching position and said cable moving the indicator shield over the second visual indicator when the operator pushes on the other of said first and second spaced apart linkage arms rotating the lever arm in the second opposite direction signaling that the switchpoints are in nonswitching position, said linkage defaulting to neutral position by action of the spring biased indicator shield through the cable when the switchpoints are in mid position and the operator is contacting neither the first linkage arm nor the second linkage arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.