Wayside signal apparatus with adjustable signal position

• US 20060251454A1
• Filed: 11/12/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ashton, Michael Lee, Keck, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 5/1863 Lamp mountings on a mast

Abstract

A railroad wayside signal cantilever (10) including an arm (22) with a signal mounting apparatus (28) that provides a degree of horizontal movement of the signal (26) relative to the cantilever mast (12). The available range of locations for securing the signal on the arm is sufficiently broad to allow a single cantilever design to be used for a wide range of site-specific locations. An extendable catwalk railing (54) is provided to accommodate movement of the signal without creating an unsafe gap between the railing and the signal.

Claims

1. A railroad wayside signal apparatus comprising:

a mast;

an arm supported in cantilever fashion from the mast for extending over a rail line;

a signal;

a mounting apparatus for securing the signal on the arm at any of a plurality of horizontal positions relative to the mast.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a catwalk along the arm;

a railing disposed along the catwalk and comprising an opening proximate the signal; and

a railing insert selectably extending the railing to at least partially close the opening when the signal is secured at any of the plurality of positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting apparatus further comprises:

a pedestal comprising a vertically extending portion;

a sleeve attached to the signal and receiving the vertically extending portion of the pedestal; and

a fastener selectably securing the pedestal to the arm at any of the plurality of positions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fastener comprises a U-bolt extending around a member of the arm and through an opening in a mounting plate of the pedestal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the opening comprises an arcuate opening receiving an end of the U-bolt and allowing rotation of the pedestal relative to the arm member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting apparatus provides a plurality of discrete positions for securing the signal relative to the mast.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting apparatus provides a continuous range of positions for securing the signal relative to the mast.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of signals each attached to the arm by a respective mounting apparatus, each mounting apparatus securing its respective signal on the arm at any of a plurality of horizontal positions relative to the mast to provide a range of horizontal adjustment for each signal; and

the range of horizontal adjustment provided for a first signal is less than a range of horizontal adjustment provided for a second signal disposed on the arm farther from the mast than the first signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting apparatus provides for securing the signal on the arm within a range of ±

six inches from a nominal position on the arm.

10. A railroad wayside signal apparatus comprising:

an arm for extending over a track;

a signal mounting pedestal;

a fastener adapted for fastening the signal mounting pedestal to the arm at a plurality of horizontal positions relative to the track; and

a signal connected to the signal mounting pedestal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the arm comprising a tubular member extending in a horizontal direction; and

the fastener comprising a U-bolt assembly extending around the tubular member and through an opening in the signal mounting pedestal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the opening comprises an arcuate opening allowing rotational movement of the pedestal relative to the tubular member as the pedestal is moved between alternative positions on the arm.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a catwalk along the arm;

a railing disposed along the catwalk and comprising an opening proximate the signal; and

a railing insert selectably extending the railing to at least partially close the opening when the signal is secured at any of the plurality of horizontal positions.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fastener may be secured to the arm at a plurality of discrete positions.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fastener may be secured to the arm at any location within a range of horizontal locations.

16. A railroad wayside signal apparatus comprising:

a mast;

an arm supported in cantilever fashion from the mast for extending over a rail line;

a lower catwalk and an upper catwalk supported on the arm;

a railing supported along each catwalk, each railing comprising an opening;

a signal secured to the arm within each opening by a mounting apparatus operable to secure the respective signal at any of a plurality of horizontal positions within the respective opening; and

an adjustable insert associated with each railing that is selectably extendable to at least partially close the opening when the respective signal is secured at a selected location.