US1053596A - Automatic railway-switch. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

2 BHEETS-BHBET 1.

COLUMMIA PLANDUIIAIH CQ-IWAHHINQTON. n. c.

L. HASSELL. 1

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 111m: 27, 1011.

1,053,596, Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

full it I F A/ Q- 3' I Mai/ I] V Z? '1 1"" 3514 I Otfovuct COLUMBIA ILANOCll IAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED sTAtpns PATENT oemon.

LON HASSELL, OF ADGER, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 ELIAS M. PARSONS, 0F ADGER, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27, 1911.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Serial No. 635,645.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LON I'IASSELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Adger, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway switches and particularly to automatic switches 0perated automatically by the car when approaching a switch.

The improved switch is particularly designed to be used on turnouts, though not necessarily limited thereto, and the primary object of the invention is the provision of a switch which shall be automatically shunted to connect a right hand turnout with the main track by a car approaching from either direction on the main track, or to connect either of the turnouts with the main track by the approach of a car on either turnout.

Another object is the provision of positive means for guarding the junction of the turnout rails so that the car wheels are not only supported continually from the switch point to the junction of the inner turnout rails, but a guard is provided preventing the inner ear wheel from leaving the track and guiding it positively onto the turnout rail, or onto the switch point, depending upon which direction the car is running.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a main track provided with turnouts having my improved switch system applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 1 but showingv a car upon the track. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking device for the switch.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in. all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these drawings, A designates a single track, A the continuation of the single track and B, B turnouts placed in the length of the single track so as to permit the cars to pass from the single track or main line onto the right hand turnout.

My invention consists in the provision of a switch or switches arranged at each end of the turnout and adapted to connect either one of the turnouts with the main track, the switches being automatically actuated so that as a car approaches from the right in Fig. 2, it will automatically shift the switch so that the car may be directed from the track A onto the turnout B, or so that a car approaching from the track A will be automatically directed from the right onto the turnout B, the turnouts being provided with means whereby as the car nears the main track, the switch will be shifted to connect the turnout with the main track. The mechanism whereby this is accomplished is as follows: The inner rails 2 and 3 of the turnouts B and B meet at the points l. Supported on ties extending beneath these rails 2 and 3 and laterally shiftable with re lation to the rails 2 and 3 are the frog rails 5 and 6. These rails are angular in form and are spaced from each other a suflicient distance so as to permit the passage of the flange of a wheel. The rails 5 and 6 are pivotally mounted or connected to the rail sections 16 and 17 by means of fish plates or angle bars in the ordinary manner, or these rails may be pivoted as at 7'to a cross tie. I have shown the rails as being pivoted to the cross tie but I wish it understood that any pivotal support for the butt ends of the rails are within the terms of my invention. The free ends of the rails 5 and 6 are pivotally connected to a switch rod 9 which passes beneath the rails 2 and 3, and which in turn is pivoted to a lever 10 pivoted at its middle as at 11 to a cross tie 12 which extends out beyond the outer rails of the turnouts B or B. The other end of the lever 10 is connected by a rod 13 to certain switch operating devices to be later described. Preferably the frog rails 5 and 6 rest upon the cross tie 12 upon which is placed the wear plate 15 upon which the frog rails rest and slide. I do not wish, however, to be limited to the use of these wear plates.

It will be seen that by shifting the switch rod 13, the frog rails 5 and 6 will be shifted so that in one position the angular end of the frog rail 5 will contact against the side of the rail 2, while the main body of the frog rail will be in line with the rail 3, and

in the other position the angular end or wing of the frog rail 6 will be in line with the rail 2. The frog" rails 5 and 6 are spaced so far apart that when one, as for instance the rail 5, is in contact with the adjacent main rail as the rail 2, a space will be left between the other frog rail 6 and the rail 3 sufficient to permit the passage of a wheel flange. It will also be seen that in this position the frog rail 6 for instance will act as a guard rail, guarding the junction of the rails 2 and 3 with the frog rail 5 and positively guiding the wheel either from the frog rail 5 onto the rail 3 or vice versa.

Extending divergently from the butt ends of the frog rails 5 and 6 are the rail sections 16 and 17, and extending from these rail sections are the switch points 18 and 19 which are pivotally mounted at their butt ends in any suitable manner. As shown, these switch points are pivoted as at 20 to one of the cross ties but I wish it under stood that I can pivotally support the switch points by means of fish plates or angle bars if desired. These switch points 18 and 19 are beveled at their ends so as to fit closely against the inside faces of the main rails of track A or A, and the points are supported at their forward ends upon wear plates 21 mounted upon the supporting tie 22. The switch points 18 and 19 are pivotally connected near their ends to the transversely extending switch rod 23 which preferably extends between the tie 24; and

the tie 22, and which passes beneath the switch points and beneath the rails of the turnouts.

The extremity of the switch rod 23 is connected to a. bell crank lever 25 pivotally mounted upon a support which may be the extremity of the tie 24. The switch rod 13, previously referred to, is pivoted to a bell crank lever 27, which is mounted upon the extremity of the tie 12. These bell crank levers 25 and 27 are connected by means of the connecting rod 28 which is bifurcated at its ends and pivotally connected by means of pins or bolts to the bell cranks 25 and 27. It will thus be seen that when one of the switch rods is actuated, the other switch rod must be also actuated. Thus when the switch rod 13 is moved in a direction to bring the frog 5 into contact with the rail 2, the switch rod 23 will be moved in a direction to carry the switch point 18 into engagement with the main rail and that thus a connection will be made between the main line and the left hand turnout. When, however, the switch point 19 is moved into engagement with the main rail, the frog rail 6 will be thrown over into contact with the rail 3 and a car approaching upon the main track will take the right hand turnout.

For the purposeof automatically throwingt-he switch points and the frog rails, I provide devices which are mounted adjacent to one of the main rails and adjacent to one of the turnout rails whereby a car as it approaches a switch, either on the turnout or on the main line, will operate the switch. As shown, the devices for operating the switch from the main line each consist of a support having the form of a block designated 29 upon which is mounted an operating lever 30 pivoted at its rear end as at- 31 to the block 29, the free end of the operating lever being preferably supported upon a wear plate 32 on the block. The inner face of the operating lever 30 is somewhat rounded so that it may be wedged outward. The free end is connected by a link 33 to a bell crank lever 34 mounted upon one of the cross ties, the free end of the bell crank lever being connected to a bell crank 26 connected in turn to the switch rod 23. VVhen the free end of the lever 30 is moved outward, or to 'the right, by an approaching car, the bell crank lever 34 will be turned, shifting the switch rod 23 to the left, thus moving the switch point 19 into engagement with the main rail and disengaging the switch point 18 from the main rail. At the same time the switch rod 13 will be shifted to the left, thus shifting the wing of the frog rail 6 into engagement with the rail 3 and shifting the wing of the frog rail 5 out of engagement with. the rail 2. Thus a car approaching on the track A for instance will so actuate the switch that it will be guided from the track A onto the turnout B, while a car approaching on the track A will so shift the adjacent switch that it will be guided onto the turnout B, that is, to the right.

In order that a. car upon either turnout may automatically actuate the switch to connect the turnout with .the main line. I provide each turnout with an actuating lever 35 pivoted upon a supporting block 36 and having a rounded inner face. The free end of this actuating lever is connected by a link 37 to a bellcrank 38 mounted upon the end of a cross tie or in any other suitable manner, and connected by means of a connecting rod 39 to the bell crank 27. Thus a car on the turnout B moving to the right or toward the track A will, if the switch be pen, hrcss outward on the lever 35 thus actuating the bell crank 38 so as to throw the rod, 13 inward, thus shifting the frog rail 5 so as to bring its wing into en gagement with the rail 2 and at the same time shift the switch point 18 into engagement with the corresponding rail of the main track. Each of the turnouts is provided with similar mechanism for operating the adjacent switch points. i

For the purpose of permitting the operation of the switch by hand, I may connect each of the switch rods 23 to any suitable switch stand. I have shown for this purpose a switch stand having a vertical shaft 40 provided with ahandle l1, the shaft 40 being cranked and connected by aconnecting rod L2 to the switch rod 23. By turning the shaft -:t0 in one or the other direction, the switch points 18 and 19 and the frog ails 3 and (5 may be shifted as before described. At the same time the switch stand will not. prevent the automatic actuation of the points and frog rails as before described unless the switch lever be locked.

In order to prevent the accidental shifting of the points and frog rails to an intermediate position by the jar of a passing train, I provide yielding locking mechanism For the switch points. As illustrated, the switch bar 23 is formed with the notches 43 on opposite sides, these notches being longitudinally spaced from each other when placed on the opposite side of the switch bar 23. Resilient detents ist and at?) are attached to the ties 2i and 22 respectively and resiliently bear against the side edges of the switch bar When the switch is in one position. one 0t these detents will engage with the notch 4 -3. Then it is in the opposite position. the other detent will engage with the notch. As illustrated in Fig. 6, two pair of notches may be provided in the switch rod 23 and the detents will engage simultaneously with one of each pair of notches. Thus the action of both springs is used to hold the point in position. I have found by experiment that one spring detent is usually sutlicient. As illustrated, each detent simply consists of a strip of spring metal attached at one end to the adjacent tie and its free end formed with a- V-shaped bend which engages with the notch 43. I do not wish to be limited. however, to the exact t'orm of these detents.

My invention is very simple, easily made, cheaply applied and is entirely effective in practice. Ordinary railroad material is used for the purpose and the switch does not necessitate any peculiar r'orm of frog or switch point. It may be applied to tracks already in use and does not readily get out of order. The levers 30 and 35 may be shifted by any suitable appliance upon the car, but. preferably 1 provide each car with a downwardly projecting actuating member such as a post, metallic roller, lug or other like. actuating device as may be desired which is disposed upon the right hand side of the car, preferably attached to and beneath the lower arch bar and which will always engage with the lever 30 or the lever 35 it the free end of the lever is turned. inward. I have not believed it necessary to show the car with the actuating device thereon but have indicated this actuating member diagrammatically and designated it 46.

One of the principal advantages of my invention lies in the fact that by using the double frog rails 5 and 6 and by shifting these frog rails, I secure not only a continuous bearing surface from the points to the rails 2 or 3, but also provide a guard positively preventing derailment at the junction of the rails 2 and 3.

My invention is best adapted to electric street car systems. It is also adapted to lramways and particularly to mine trainways. It permits cars and trams to pass each other without interruption and without the necessity of a switch tender.

\Vhile I have shown the switch as applied to a double turnout connected at opposite ends to a main line, it will be of course understood that it might be used for the purpose of connecting two branch lines to a main line, or connecting a main line to a branch. It of course can be used on steam railroads where it is desired to provide for trains passing in each direction. Vhere it is desired to run a t'ain in at either end of the switch, of course the switch would have to be thrown by hand.

It will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to any'specific means for pivotally supporting the switch points as these switch points, as before explained, might be attached to the adjacent rail sections by .means of fish plates or angle bars, or a pivotal joint might be provided between the ends of the switch points and the rail sections, and it is within the intent of my invention that the switch points may be supported in any suitable manner which will permit the points to shift laterally. Neither do I wish to limit myself to any particular means for actuating the operating levers as there are a large number of different devices which could be applied to a car and which would act to throw these operating levers.

\Vhat I claim is:

In an automatic switch, the combination with two relatively converging tracks and a main track whose rails connect with the outer rails of the converging tracks, of frog rails disposed one on each side of the junction of the converging tracks, each frog rail being pivotally supported at its butt end by diverging lead rails permanently supported and extending from the butt ends of the frog rails, divergent switch points coacting with the lead rails and disposed between the rails of the main track, a rod connecting the free ends of the frog rails. a lever pivoted at its middle and connected at one end to said rod, an operating rod shit'table in the direction of its length and connected to the opposite end of the lever, a transversely extending switch bar connecting the switch points, bell crank levers, one for each frog rail connecting rod and switch point connecting rod, each bell crank lever having an arm thereof connected to the adjacent switch rod, the other arms of the bell crank levers being connected to each other by a longitudinally extending connecting rod, a longitudinally extending, horizontally movable pivoted switch operating lever mounted adjacent to and parallel With the outer rail of one of the diverging tracks, a bell crank lever, and a connecting rod operatively connecting said switch operating lever to the bell crank lever opposite the frog, a longitudinally extending, horizontally movable switch operating lever mounted adjacent to and parallel with one of the rails of the main track, and bell crank levers and connecting rods operatively connecting the last named switch operating lever with the switch bar of the points, and means for yieldingly holding the switch points in either of their thrown positions.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. LQN HASSELL. [1,. a] Vitnesses W. S. VVELon", J. A. Es'rns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

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