Aug- 7, 1934-
1,969,089
J. F. MERKEL
LIGHT SIGNAL FOR RAILROADS
Filed Aug. 25, 1926
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1,969,089
LIGHT S-IGNAL FOR RAILROADS
Filed Aug. 25, 1.926
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1,969,089
Patented Aug. 7, 1934
UNITED STATES PATENT GFFEQE
. 1,969,089
LIGHT SIGNAL roanmitoans
Joseph Fred Merkel, RochesteiyN. Y.,> assignor '
to General Railway Signal Company, Roches
ter, N. Y.
Application August 25, 1926, Serial No. 131,465
5 Claims.
(Cl. 177-329)
This invention relates to light signals for rail the ~back of the optical unit, viewed'in the direc
waysignaling purposes, and has more particu tion of the arrows 3.—-3 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the device,
lar reference to means for adjustably supporting
a light source in a light signal, and means for de
6 termining when the light source is properly posi
' tioned in such signal with reference to light con
centration and projected means.
The usual light signal, as used in railway sig
naling, generally employs a light concentrating
10 and projecting means having a de?nite focal
point, at which point the light source should be
located in order to obtain the desired range and
spread.
Incandescent electric lamps however,
such as commonly used as light sources in light
15 signals, are not usually manufactured to have
their concentrated ?laments always hear the
same space relationship to the lamp base, so that
the position of the ?lament relative to the lamp
base differs in different lamps. On replacing a
20 lamp in a light signal, it therefore generally is
necessary to adjust the position of the lamp sup
port in order to bring the concentrated ?lament
in focus. In connection with adjusting the ?la
ment to the focal point, a ?nding means is neces
25 sary for determining when the ?lament is at
the desired point.
With the above and other objects in View, it is
proposed according to the present invention to
provide means in light signals satisfying the
on line 3—-3 of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional .view on line 30
4-4 of Figs. 1 and 3.
.
.
The light signal shown inv the drawings as ex
emplifying the present invention brie?y com
prises a mainv casing C, mounted on a signal post
P, with a support frame F held in the casing and
carrying an optical unit U, an adjustable light
source support S, and a ?nder means.
The ‘device, as described more in detail, and
with reference to the drawings, includes the main
casing C mounted by means of a universal joint 1
on a cap. 2 adjust'ably supported by, means of
screws 3 on the upper end of the signal post P.
‘The post, the universal joint, and the bottom of
the casing, are perforated in a usual manner to
accommodate lead-in wires for an electric light 75
unit, while at the top of the casing is an outlet
opening 4 for thepassage of wires into a second
lighting unit positioned on top of the oneshown
when it is desired to form a multiple aspect light
signal, the opening being shown in- the drawings 80
as closedvby a covering plate 5.
_
The casing is open at the rear and carries
closing door 6, hinged to the casing at 7, and
having asp'ring hasp 8 for holding the door in
closed position. Packing gasket 9 is carried by 85
above requirements.
One object of the invention is to provide an the door for effecting a tight joint between the
adjustable lamp support permitting of position ‘door and casing, and a ventilating opening 10 is
ing the lamp ?lament at any point in space providedvin the door together with a usual pro
within the limits of the construction employed, tecting hood 11 and screen 12. The casing C
35 which can cheaply be manufactured, is compact, has a large opening in its front wall de?ned by
‘can be easily manipulated with great precision, an inwardly projecting flange 13, to which the
and which has means for readily and securely support frame F is connected by bolts 14 passing
locking the various parts in adjusted positions. through its flange 15.
The front or outer end of the support frame has
A further object of the invention is to provide
a ?nding means which is simple in construction, an enlarged opening de?ned by a grooved ?ange
cheap to manufacture, very satisfactory in op 16, with a cover glass 1'7 carried in the groove of
eration and including ?nder members .permitting the ?ange. A visor or sun hood 18 is fastened
interchange of such members without changing to the front of the support frame by screws 19.
Bolted to the ?ange 16 of the support frame by
the adjustment of the ?nder as a whole and thus
bolts 20, are three parallel, rearwardly projecting, 100
4 facilitate re-assembly of the ?nder parts.
Further objects, purposes and characteristic rods 21, 22, ,23, arranged as most clearly shown
in Fig. 4 in triangular form, with a central upper
scription progresses, reference being had to the rod 21 and-two lower rods 22 and 23 in a sub
~
accompanying drawings showing solely by way of stantially horizontal plane.
For concentrating and projecting the light 105
example one form which the present invention
from the light unit employed in this signal, there
may assume, and wherein:—
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, is a combined lens and re?ector 24, shown in the
with parts shown in elevation, through a light drawings as being of the well known Lebby type,
which is held in a grooved receiving ring 25, by
signal embodying the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of _means of a dished rear metal plate 26, clamped 110
features of this invention will appear. as the de
1,969,089
to the ring about its periphery by bolts 27 to the light source 56 which is shown in the draw
thereby hold the re?ector in place and protect it ing as an incandenscent bulb with a concentrated
from any injury at the rear. The ring 25 has two ?lament 561. The end 57 of the bulb is prefer
downwardly extending integral ears 28 received ably made of varying thickness in order to con
(-il in slots in the inner ends of the two lower rods 22 stitute a lens to aid in concentrating and pro
80
and 23 and is pivoted to these rods by bolts 29, as jecting the light from the ?lament. The bulb
best shown in Fig. 2.
'
1
_
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is supported in a socket 58, carried by a ?at strip
At the upper edge of the ring 25, is an apertured bent to form two arms 59 positioned with their
portion 30, positioned to ?t over a reduced end ?at sides 60 parallel to the direction of light pro
19 portion 213 of the upper rod 21 and bear against jection and bolted to the socket arm 52 as shown 85
the shoulder 31 thereon. To hold the re?ector in (Fig. 4).
operative position against thegshoulderyon the;
, In ‘order to rock the socket arm about its pivot
rod, a manually operable catch member 32, is pin 53, an adjusting screw 61 is furnished, which
carried by springs 33 ‘connecting the'_ catch ‘is carried by the arm 35 adjacent its pivot end,
member to a transverse pin‘34 inthe upper rod. and operates in connection with the socket arm 90
The catch member can be readily pulled rear in substantially the same manner as does the ad
wardly against the tension of the supporting justingscrew 44 for the carrier arm, and includes,
springs, and snapped over the end of the rod 21 in the same manner, a lock nut 62, a washer 63
so as to hold the ring against the rod shoulder-31, bearing against the lower surface of the arm
20 and by a reverse operation, the re?ector can be 52, and a spring and washers 64, 65 and .66. The
95
readily released so as to permit it to swing about ‘adjusting screw'61, however, passes through a
its pivots 29 down into a substantially horizontal circular aperture in the socket arm, since in this
position, when the door 6 of the casing is swung case, there is no necessity for a slot, such as slot
4'7 of the carrier arm.
out of the way.
_ '
_
‘
With the structure described just above, it 100
For adjustably suporting the light source so
25
as to permit independent or simultaneous move will be seen that with carrier arm 35, and with it
ment of the same in three directions in space, the socket arm‘ 52,]can be moved rectilineally
conveniently chosen at substantially right angles parallel to thevdirection of light projection by
so
as
to one another, for focusing the light source rela
tive to the re?ector, the following structure is
provided.v A carrier arm 35 having a hollow ‘hub
36, has an elongated sleeve 437 entered into the
hub and ?xed thereto. 'I'hesleeve and hub are
sliding arm 35 along the rod, 22, so as to posi- _
tion the ?lament of the incandescent bulb in
various vertical'p'lanes substantially at right an
gles to the direction of light projection. By
105
means of the carrier arm 35 and the socket arm
slidably and pivotally mounted on lower rod 22 52 and their adjusting screws 44 and 61, the ?la
and the parts are proportioned so that the sleeve ment can be moved along circular arcs of rela
forms a snug ?t on the rod, free from lost mo tively long radii positioned substantially at right.
;tion. A spring 38 is sleeved on the rod and sleeve, "angles to each other, and in a common vertical
bearing at one end against an abutment 39_ inte plane. Thus provision is made for readily and ac
gral with the rod, and at the other end against the
'curately- moving the ?lament in three directions , _
hub 36 of the carrier arm, so as towno'rmally bias in space conveniently selected substantially at 115
the arm and the sleeve to slide toward'the rear right angles to each other, with the said adjust
end of the rod. 22. An adjusting nut 40 is car.. ‘ing screws and adjusting nut 40 permitting mak
ried on-a threaded portion 41 of the rod 22, and ing the adjustments with great precision.
in order that it may be readily determined when ,
bears, through a washer 42,‘agains_t the hub’ and
sleeve, so as to permit readyand accurate sliding the light source is positioned at the focus‘ of the 120
adjustment of the arm 35 along the rod and optical unit, a ?nding means is provided in the
following character. Pivoted to the flange 16 by
'
The carrier arm extends substantially horizon means‘ of‘ screws 67, is a plurality of ?nder units
tally to bridge across the two lower rods 22 and 63, all exact duplicates of each other so as to per
23, and has a semi-circular end portion 43.pass— mit their interchangeability. The ?nder units
ing ‘over the upper side of the rod 23 (see Fig. 4). are pivoted to the ?ange 16 of the carrier frame F
against the tension of the spring 38.
An adjusting screw 44, with a knurled head 45, so as to project inwardly of the flange in order
is threaded upwardly through the rod 23 and to securely hold the cover glass 17 in place, a suit
can be ?rmly locked in position by nut 46. The able gasket 69 being employed in the usual man- ,
adjusting screw passes throughv an elongated
slot 47 in the portion 43 of the carrier arm, and
ner.
130
Each of the ?nder units has a hole 70 drilled
has a washer 48 bearing against a shoulder on through it at a point bearing exactly the same re
the screw, and arranged to bear against the lation to the pivot screw in the case of each unit.
lower surface of the arm.
A coil spring 49. is The units each have a projecting end 71 bearing
carried on the outer end of the adjusting screw notched shoulders 72, de?ning an index. line 135
between an outer washer 50, held on the outer across the projecting end '71. The individual
end of the screw, and an inner washer 51, slidable units are held in ?xed position by means of dowel
0n the screw and pressed against the outer sur ' pins '73 passing through the holes 70 in the ?nders
face of the arm by the spring 49. Operation of and registering holes drilled in the inner face of
the adjusting screw to move it in rod 23 will cause the ?ange 16. In determining the positions of 140
the ‘arm to rock about its pivot rod 22 in a sub the individual units, the light source, shown in
stantially vertical plane.
.
the present case as an electric bulb, is adjusted
Connected to the carrier arm 35, is an arm 52, in position, by means of the light support struc
conveniently designated a socket arm. This arm ture S, until its ?lament is in focus, as determined
isjrnade of insulating material of, any suitable
character and is pivoted adjacent the free end
of the carrier arm at widely spaced points by
means ofa pin 53 passing through spaced aper
by any convenient and well known photometric 145
method. The individual ?nder units are then
swung on their pivot screws 67 until the edge of
the projected light beam cuts across the shoulders
tured lugs 54 onthe socket arm. The socket arm 72 so as to illuminate the reduced tip 74, of each,
carries terminal posts 55, for lead-in wires for while leaving that part back of the shoulders, in 150
3
1,969,089
darkness. A hole is then drilled in the ?ange 16 a carrier arm, means slidably pivoting the carrier
directly in line with the hole '70 in each ?nder arm pivoted to one of the two rods, a socket arm
unit, and the dowel pins 73 are inserted in place means pivoting the socket arm at spaced points
to securely hold the units in position. At'any to the carrier arm, a light socket on the socket
future time, when it becomes necessary to focus arm, and means‘for adjusting the arms.
80
the light source, this can be readily done without
2. In a light signal, a casing, two rods ?xed
the aid of a darkroom or usual photometric to the casing and extending therein, a reflector,
equipment, by adjusting the position of the light means pivoting the re?ector to the two rods, a
source, by means of the structures, until the pro carrier arm, means slidably pivoting the carrier
1.0 jected beam of light assumes the position just arm to one of the two rods, a socket arm, means 85
described with reference to the various ?nder pivoting the socket arm at spaced points to the
units.
'
carrier arm, a light socket on the socket arm,
In practice it has been found very advantageous means for sliding the carrier arm along its rod,
to use the indicating means de?ned by the shoul an adjusting screw threaded through the other
15 dered portions of the ?nder units instead of a of the two rods and engaging the carrier arm for 90
mark placed on the surface of the unit as has swinging the carrier arm on its rod, and a second
heretofore been done. It is much more readily adjusting screw threaded through the carrier
and accurately determinable when the edge of the arm, for swinging the socket arm about its piv
projected light ‘beam cuts across the shoulders,
20 than‘ when it just reaches a given mark on the
otal axis.
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3. In a light signal, a support, a carrier arm,
95
?nder unit surface.
means slidably and pivotally mounting the arm
A very decided advantage is obtained by having on the support, means for adjustably sliding the
the individual ?nder units all exact duplicates, arm on the support, an adjusting screw engaging
and furnished with pivot holes and fastening holes the arm for swinging the arm about its axis‘, a
‘ positioned in exactly the same position relative to
each other in each ?nder unit. With such a con~
socket arm carrying a light socket, means pivot 100
ing the socket arm to the carrier arm, and an
struction, should it become necessary, due to adjusting screw mounted in the carrier arm and
breakage of the cover glass, or for any other rea
engaging the socket arm for swinging the socket
son, to dismount the ?nder units in order, for arm on its pivot.
example, to ?t a new cover glass in place, the
1i. In a light signal, two spaced rods, optical 105
?nder units can be interchanged when fastening means, means pivoting the optical means to two
them back on the ?ange, without disturbing the ends of the rods, a casing ?xed to the other ends
adjustment of the ?nder as originally determined of the rods, a carrier arm having an elongated
by photometric methods. This would not, by, any sleeve means, slidably and pivotally connecting
means, be the case if the fastening holes 70 in the
the sleeve to one of the rods, adjusting means on 110
individual ?nder units were drilled at the same the two rods for respectively sliding the carrier
time as the holes in the ?ange, and without any arm along and pivoting it about its support rod,
particular reference to their position relative to a socket arm, means pivoting the socket arm to
the pivot screw for each unit.
the carrier arm, and adjusting means on the
The above speci?c description of one form of carrier arm for swinging the socket arm about its 115
device embodying the present invention has been pivot.
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given solely by way of illustration, and is not in
5. In a light signal, two spaced rods, a re?ector
tended in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting means pivoting the reflector to two ends of the
sense. Obviously this invention can assume rods, a casing ?xed to the other ends of the rods, a
many different physical forms and is susceptible ‘carrier arm connected to an elongated sleeve
of numerous modi?cations, and all such forms which is slidably and pivotally connected tonne
and modi?cations are desired to be included by of the rods, adjusting means on the two rods for
the invention, as come within the scope of the respectively sliding the carrier arm along and
appended claims.
pivoting it about its support rod, a socket arm
59
Having described my invention, I new claim:— pivoted to the carrier arm, and adjusting means
1. In a light signal, a casing, two rods ?xed to on the carrier arm for swinging the socket arm
the casing and extending therein, optical means, about its pivot.
JOSEPH FRED MERKEL.
means pivoting the optical means to the two rods,
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135
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