US403907A - Safety-guide for railway-cars - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. G. BLAU.

SAFETY GUIDE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

'No. 403,907. Patented May 28, 1889.

n. PETERS. Phnto-ulhogn her. Walbinghm. 0.4;

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. G. BLAU. SAFETY GUIDE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 403,907. Patented May 28. 1889.

N: PETERS. Mal-Menu in Washington. DJ;

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GODFREY BLAU, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY-G UIDE FOR RAI LWAY-CAFS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,907, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed December 20, 1887. Serial No. 258,535. (No model.)

To all 10/1/0772 it may concern:

Be it'known that 1, JOHN GODFREY BLAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Machine called a Railroad Safety-Guide, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for the purpose of preventing railroad passenger-cars from leaving the track or derailing, and the several parts of my invention, in combination, are dependent upon each other and mutually contribute to produce a single result; and the objects of myinvention are, first, to cover the rail with the flanges of a self-acting guideblock, which rests suspended upon a crossblock with a handle connected thereto; second, to secure the exact elevation and proper adj ustment of said handle to a square-sided tube or socket forming part and being connected with the handle of the guide-holder; third, to hook said guide-holder to the so-called equalizingbar and bottom brace of the car-truck; fourth, to secure a strong fastening of said guideholder by means of a fish-tail reverse-plate and lock-plate jointly, the latter being provided with a bevel, upon which, in connection, a screw with a flat-faced rim will cause a forward pressure and strong fastening. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

. Which- .thereto in vertical line.

Figure 1, the guide-holder, represents a side view toward its rear, showing its tube or socket with guide-handle and guide-block attached Fig. 2, the guideblock, is a View in perspective, showing its sides and its bevel in blunted extended form. Fig. 3, the guide-handle, with its cross-block, is a vertical view. Fig. 4:, the fish-tail reverse-plate, is a rear view, when placed in position, showing its reverse or inner side. Fig. 5, the lock-plate, is a top view showing its bevel. Fig. 6, the screw-head, is a View indicating its position in connection therewith. Fig. 7 shows the device applied to a car-truck. Figs. 4 and 5 placed on top of the handle of the guide-holder in Fig. 1 will show the entire machine in vertical line.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

The guide-block B, with its two flanges in parallel line and crescent form, at their base a I) cover the rail, and to act as aguide, a, the outside flange is provided with a blunted extended bevel, G, (see Fig. 2.) It is intended that its extended bevel shall slide over the rail of a siding, particularly where such siding rail and main rail form a sharp angle, and be of sufficient depth in vertical line to be even or correspond to the base-line b of the inside flange of crescent of the guide-block, thereby securing a much-desired resistance of the guideblock on the outer rail. The use of said extended bevel, both ends of which are sufliciently elevated to pass over obstructions, will cause the guide-block a lifting or free motion over all sidings, while Z), the inside flange of the guide-block, being smooth, takes the inside of rail, but both are sufliciently Wide apart to allow the free passage of the rail.

The guide-handle f, Fig. 3, with its crossblock R, its two acute angles, 0 0, being blunted and of such form and shape as to exactly fill the upper cavity of the guide-block,

is passed through the-cavity of said guideblock from below, which said guide-block will have a rest upon it, and in turn, by its two wardly in a diagonal line until they touch the sides of the guide-handle f, act as a balance and permit a slidingor up and down motion, by means of which the guide-block becomes self-acting and rests suspended over the rail, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7.

The guide-holder, Fig. 1, is one casting, showing its outer part in vertical parallel form N N. Said parallel formis united in its center in horizontal line by m, the upper parts of said parallel form to right angles P P to a short extent, then terminate in obtuse angles in form of hooks q q, the object thereof being for said guide-holder to rest and fasten on top of the equalizing-bar of the car-truck. To that part m in its center on reverse or inner side at right angles is connected a bar or handle, S, extending in a horizontal line, which handle has on its under or reverse side, near its starting-point, in form of obtuse angle, a lug, t, provided, the object thereof being to permit said handle to rest on top of the so-called bottom braceof the car-truck, on which said lug is pressing and resting. The aforesaid handle verse-plate is provided at both ends at right S has at its terminal end on its under side a square-sided tube or socket, E, provided, vertical but in line with handle, and its narrow sides are a little shorter and a trifie more apart, so as to leave the tube or socket halfopen at its sides, to receive and to adjust the guide-handle f, in Fig. 3, after whichboth are secured and fastened by a pin or rivet of softer metal. I

As regards the fastening of the guide-holder,

I refer to the fish-tail reverse-plate A, Fig. 4,

which is a casting or barplate, in form to exactly fill the vacant space existing between the equalizing-bar and the so-called bottom brace/F and has a notch, 00, in the center of its base-line to permit the passage of handle S of guide-holder in Fig. 1. Said fish-tail reangles with two short and square pieces, y y, of similar thickness, in fish tail form, of suflicient extent that its points either above or below will press against the so-called equalizing-bar and bottom brace from within; but the principal fastening is done by what is called the lock-plate W, Fig. 5. Said lockplate is intended to secure a strong fastening of the fish-tail reverse-plate and guide-holder jointly to both the equalizing-bar and bottom brace. Said lock-plate is placed on top of the handle S of the guide-holder .and immediately in the rear and center of the fish-tail reverse-plate, against which it is pressed, and is provided at its widest end near or at its corners with two extending prongs, 'v U, which, being square and in line of said plate, pass through square holes h h in the fish-tail reverse-plate correspondingly opposite. The said lock-plate at its other or narrow end has a bevel,',z, and is to correspond in width to the handle of the guide-holder, each of which is provided with a screw hole correspondingly opposite in diagonalline, through which provided with a fiat-faced and'round extending rim, e, which in pressing against the bevel gives a forward pressureand strong fastening.

To make an additional fastening after the above forward pressure is given, a round hole, 0, is made through the center of lock-plate W and handle S of guide-holder, Fig. 1, in vertical line, through which a pin is passed.

I am aware that prior to my invention pins, rivets, and screws have been in use. I therefore do not claim them, broadly.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The guide-block B, provided with the two diagonal braces g g and with the two flanges a b, the flange a being also provided withthe lateral extension G, all substantially as set forth.

2. The guide-handle f, with its cross-block R, its two acute angles being blunted at c 0, upon which the guide-block will rest, substantially as described.

3. The guide-holder N N, consisting of the plate m, having hooks q q, in combination with the horizontal handle or bar S, having the square socket E,and provided with the fastening-rivet and the lug if, all substantially as described.

4. The fish-tail reverse plate A, having square-sided notch win the center of its baseline, two short and square sides at right angles extending in fish-tail form, y y, and two square holes, h h, correspondingly opposite the prongs of the lock-plate, all substantially JOHN GODFREY BLAU. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. J ONES, FREDK. SMITH.

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