Improvements in Cattle Guards for Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 15th Jan, 1898
Improvements in Cattle Guards for Railways.
I, JOE WALKER BRIGHTWELL, Foreman Carpenter, of Milton, in the County
of Cabell, and State of West Virginia, one of the United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements for use at crossings, or at such places
as it may be desirable to have them, in cattle guards, and the object of the same
is to provide an improved guard which is simple in construction and easy of
attachment, the same serving to effectually prevent the passage of cattle across
the track.
The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter more
particularly set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the invention,
Figure 2 is a top plan view, and Fig. 3 is an end view of the latter.
Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the ties and 2 the rails of the track.
Secured to the ends of the ties on either side of the rails are the stationary
guards 3, which extend longitudinally of the track. These guards are located
at an inclination, the same diverging at their upper ends from the track and
are secured to the ties.
Secured at their lower ends upon the ties are the pairs of brackets 4, in the
present instance one pair being on the outside of each rail and two pairs being
therebetween. These brackets are positioned on the ties at the opposite ends of
the stationary guards and extending upwardly, the brackets on opposite sides
of said stationary guards being inclined toward each other. The hooks 5 are
formed on the upper extremities of the brackets, and adapted to engage the
hooks are the links 6, which at their lower ends are pivotally secured in the
eyes 7, carried by the swinging guards. These swinging guards are composed
of the blades 8, which are secured together by bolts 9, the said blades being
positioned the proper distance apart by the collars 10 which are placed there-
between. Each section of the swinging guards is attached at each end to one
pair of the securing brackets and at its opposite end to the opposite pair of
brackets, upon which brackets said guards have a swinging movement to a
limited extent, permitted by the links by which they are suspended from the
bracket hooks 5.
The blades of the swinging guards are painted alternately black and white, in
the present instance to serve to frighten the cattle and prevent them from attempt-
ing to cross the track. These blades may be composed of metal or wood as desired,
and if constructed of wood their upper ends should be capped by a metal plate
to strengthen the same.
It will be understood that all that is necessary when it is desired to position
the guards upon the tracks, is to insert the links carried thereby within the

page_text: hooks of the brackets and the same will serve as an effectual guard to prevent
the passage of the cattle upon the track. As soon as the cattle place their feet
upon the guards, the same begin to swing, and the cattle will not attempt to cross
upon the swinging guards.
It will be understood that a single guard might be used between the tracks
instead of two as here shown, and any number of supporting brackets might
be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. The combination of supporting brackets adapted to be attached to the ties
of a track, and swinging sections adapted to be pivoted to said brackets, sub-
stantially as described.
2. The combination of brackets secured at one end of the ties, hooks formed
in the opposite ends, sections composed of blades or strips secured together, the
same being retained the proper distance apart, and links pivoted to said sections
and attached to the hooked ends of the bracket, substantially as described.
.
3. The combination of the stationary guards secured in either side of the track
and extending longitudinally the same, brackets secured at one end to the ties
and adjacent the ends of the stationary guards, movable guard sections com-
prising blades or strips secured together by bolts, collars upon said bolts for
holding the strips the required distance apart, eyes carried by the sections upon
opposite ends, and links pivoted at one end to the eyes and at the opposite ends
pivoted to the brackets, substantially as described.
4. The combination of stationary guards secured upon opposite sides of the
track and extending longitudinally the same, said guards diverging at their
upper ends, brackets secured at one end to the ties adjacent the ends of the
stationary guards, said brackets extending upwardly and inclined towards each
other, hooks formed in the extremities of said brackets, detachable sections com-
prising blades suitably secured together and properly spaced, and links pivoted
to the ends of said sections and adapted to be attached to the hooks of said
brackets whereby said sections may be attached or detached from the brackets,
Bubstantially as described.
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