US1041951A - Automatic switch. - Google Patents

Description

D.- BEAUDENON.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1910.

1,041,951. I Patented Oct. 22, 1912..

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DIDIER BEAUDENON, OF ST. OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

Application filed February 1, 1910. Serial No. 541,300.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dmnm BEAUDENON, a citizen of the Republic of France, of 131 Avenue Frayce, in the city of St. Ouen-sur- Seine, Republic of France, engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic car controlled switches and has for its object the provision of a novel track switch provided with actuating devices arranged adjacent the rail in a new manner and adapted for operation, by suitable apparatus carried by the car.

The invention is set forth fully hereinafter and the novel features are recited in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of track and switch points with my invention applied thereto, the actuating levers being in section. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation looking toward the actuating mechanism, and Fig. 3 is a detail showing the connection between the switch point and the coupling rod.

The rails are shown at B and the switch points at O.

M is a coupling rod for the switch points, said rod being provided with eye bolts N secured to the switch points. Slidable on the rod M is a sleeve or tube K which is adapted to play between and to engage the collars L on the rod M and, according to the direction in which it is moved to shift the switch points O one way or the other.

H represents springs secured to a track member and I toggle links engaged with the springs and with the sleeve K.

G is a bellcrank lever, suitably pivoted at its elbow, and connected to the sleeve K. Disposed longitudinally of the rails is an actuating bar E which is pivoted to the bellcrank lever G, and has vertical slots 6, e which receive an arm of each of the bellcrank levers D, D, the said levers being connected by a spring F. On their other and upper ends the levers carry rollers or wheels C, C which are engaged with the under-side of the head of the rail or disposed adjacent thereto.

The roller A is carried by the car and adapted to be positioned to engage either of the rollers C, C. If the car is moving in the direction of the arrow 64, the roller A passing over the roller C, actuates the lever D which then moves in the slot 6 and against the end 0 thereof. When the roller A passes over the roller C, the lever D which is then against the left-hand end 0 of the slot 6 by virtue of the previous shifting of the bar E, is actuated, thereupon causing shifting of the switch points to a position shown by dotted lines. The movement of the bar E throws the bell crank lever G and actuates the sleeve K. The longitudinal movement of this sleeve causes the toggle links I to push the springs H apart, thereby putting them under tension, so that as soon as the middle line or dead center is passed, said springs clamp the toggle links again and throw the sleeve to the end of its stroke. In so doing it strikes one of the collars L on the rod M and thereby suddenly and forcibly throws said bar lengthwise and shifts the switch points. The springs thus not only throw the switch, but serve to lock it against any return movement until the bar E is thrown in the other direction by the action of the levers D D. The same effect is produced if the car is moving in the direction of the arrow 1), in which case, the moment the bar E is displaced by virtue of the engagement of the roller A with the roller C, the righthand end 0 of the slot 6 is thereby thrown into engagement with the lever D and consequently, when the roller A strikes and passes over the roller O, the lever D will shift the bar E in the direction of the arrow 6 and the switch points 0 will be shifted to their original position shown by full lines. The spring F serves to return and maintain the rollers G, C against the under-side of the head of the rail B after the car has passed for the purpose of preventing mud or stones from the track getting in between the rollers and the head of the rail, which would thereby interfere with the operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic track switch, the combination with a movable track switch member, of means for shifting said track switch member, an actuating mechanism therefor having movable members both normally in position to be actuated from the car while moving in either direction, spring means 00- operating with said movable members, an actuating bar, and a lost motion operative connection between said movable members and said bar.

2. In an automatic track switch, track switch operating means embodying an actuating bar, levers having a lost motion operative connection therewith and both positioned normally for operation from the car, and spring means for holding said levers in engagement with the bar and biasing them toward each other.

3. In an automatic track switch, track switch operating means embodying an actuating bar, levers positioned and adapted for actuation from the car, loose operative connections between the respective levers and the bar, and a coil spring connecting the said levers together.

4. In an automatic track switch, the combination with switch points and a coupling bar therefor, of a member movable in rela tion to said bar and having a loose operative connection therewith, whereby the bar is actuated at the limits of the movement of said member, an actuating bar operatively connected to said member, and spring-actuated movable members adapted to shift said bar and themselves adapted for operation from the car.

5. In an automatic track switch the con1- bin-ation with two switch points, of a rod connecting the same, collars on said rod, a sleeve sliding loosely between said collars, springs adjacent to said sleeve, toggle links connecting said sleeve with said springs, an actuating bar connected with said sleeve and means for actuating said bar upon the passage of the car.

6. In an automatic track switch the combination with two switch points, of a rod connecting the same, a sleeve sliding on the said rod and adapted to actuate it, springs adjacent to said sleeve, toggle links pivoted to said sleeve and to said springs, and arranged to pass the dead center at each actuation of said sleeve, and means for ac tuating said sleeve upon the passage of the car.

The foregoing specification of my improvements in switching signed by me this 21st day of January, 1910.

DIDIER BEAUDENON.

*Witnesses ADoLrHE OI-IEVANET, J. GUSTAVE EHOUVENIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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