Safetran Systems Corporation

Willard O Reinitz

Leland G Phillips

By securely holding a gate arm connected pivot bar in a retaining and supporting assembly which supportingly holds the pivot bar in one position and allows the pivot bar to drop free when the bar has arcuately rotated into a second position, a universally applicable, pivoting breakaway coupling system is achieved which assures controlled, repeatable, impact breakaway of a roadway crossing gate arm from the control system. The universally applicable, breakaway coupling system of the present invention incorporates a crossing gate arm having a breakaway adapter securely mounted to one end thereof, with the breakaway adapter incorporating a pivot bar which is quickly and easily securely positioned in the retaining assembly for secure, supporting retention thereon when in a first position. Also, the breakaway coupling system preferably incorporates a pivot pin, about which the pivot bar rotates, and two support ledges, aligned with each other and lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the pivot pin, thereby assuring supporting retention of the gate arm in its first position, and complete disconnection when rotated into a second position.

Pivoting breakaway coupling system

A traffic crossing signal mast for railroad-highway grade crossings incorporates a sturdy cantilever arm extending over the highway and supporting a maintenance catwalk. A short, horizontal jury mast at the end of the cantilever arm is pivotable about its axis parallel to the highway direction through limited angular sectors of one-quarter turn clockwise and counterclockwise. A junction box assembly mounted at each end of the jury mast suspends a pair of warning flasher crossing signal lamps on each side of the catwalk aimed down the highway axis. Pivoting movement of the jury mast from its locked, detent position to a latched quarter-turned position raises one of each pair of signal lamps for initial cable connections, repairs or replacement of flashing lamp heads. A lockable clamping cam lever disengages the detent for jury mast rotation and re-engages it to secure the signal lamps in their aligned position for use. A novel catwalk-and-frame assembly is provided for ease of fabrication, incorporating aluminium chord extrusion frame members with integral concave ledges for supporting catwalk panels of expanded metal or perforated plates.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Willard O Reinitz