US1065520A - Switch-stand. - Google Patents

Description

N. 0. GOLDSMITH. I SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION man APR. 15, 1912.

1,065,520, Patented June 24,1913.

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SWITCH STAND.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.15, 1912.

Patented June 24,1913.

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NATHANIEL O. GOLDSMITH, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEIR FROG- COMPANY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SWITCH-STAND.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHANIEL 0. GOLD- snrrI-r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SwitclrStands, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to switch stands for operating and controlling switch connection in railways, and one object of my invention is to provide a mechanical interlock for the switch points which shall positively lock the main track switch tight against its stock rail, so that the switch cannot be thrown to its opposite position until the lock is released.

Another object is to connect the target with this interlocking mechanism so that when the target is in a position to indicate that the main line is safe, the switch rails shall be locked in safe position, and also to provide that the target shall be moved to indicate danger upon the release of the interlocking devices, whether the switch rails have been moved or not.

A still further object is to provide that when the switch is reversed, the switch rails shall be moved to the main line position before the target is shifted to indicate safety, and in which it shall be necessary to lock the switch rails simultaneously with the movement of the target into safety position.

The mechanism involves in its essentials a revoluble barrel with cam surfaces or spiral grooves arranged longitudinally and transversely of the axis of the barrel, with connecting mechanism to the target rod, the main switch bar and the interlocking devices whereby the switch bar and the interlocking bar may be set at right angles to each other and be actuated in the same hori- Zontal plane by the rotation of the barrel, at the same time that the movement of the target bar shall shift the target to indicate the open or closed position of the switch.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved switch stand, showing the connection with one switch rail and one main rail. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913. Serial No. 690,764.

switch stand construction with the casing removed, showing the target rod in cross section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the target operating mechanism, with the easing in section. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the switch stand. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one end of the barrel. Fig. 7 illustrates a development of the longitudinal spiral groove of the barrel.

The main switch bar 1 is bolted'to the switch rail 2 in the usual way, one of said rails only being illustrated, with one of the stock rails 3, under which the switch bar passes to the switch stand. The other switch rail and the other stock rail are not shown, but it will be understood that the usual connecting bar connects the two switch rails together, so that they will be actuated simultaneously.

The housing for'the operating parts of the switch stand comprises a semicylindrical casing 4, with base flanges 5, 6, for securing the stand in position on "the ends of two cross ties, or on any other suitable support. The operating parts are inclosed by the semi-cylindrical cover 7, which is suitably bolted to the main casing. The base flange 6 of the housing is provided with an extension 10, formed with a rectangular opening 11, to receive and guide the inner end of an interlocking bar 12. This interlocking bar is connected by a clevis 13 with a screwthreaded connecting bar 14, carrying at either end an arm 15, each of which arms is securely bolted to its respective switch rail at the point 16. By this construction we have two bars, the main switch bar 1 and the interlocking bar 12, securely connected to each switch rail, and screwthreaded connection is made as illustrated in order that the length of the bars can be adjusted to take up any slack. The inner end of the bar 12 is provided with a hole 17, which, when the switch rails are in open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, registers with a transverse opening in the extension 10, in position to be engaged by a plunger rod 18, which is suitably guided in the housing of the switch stand, to be actuated as hereinafter described, to engage with the end of the interlocking bar 12 and lock it in position, or to be withdrawn therefrom to allow for the shifting of the switch rails.

Mounted in suitable bearings in the end and. parallel with the main switch bar is a shaft 19, upon which is mounted, or cast integral therewith, a barrel 20. This barrel is formed with a longitudinal, spiral groove 21, which extends completely around the barrel from one end to the other and back to the starting point. A development of this spiral is illustrated in Fig. 7, showing that the groove is provided with straight. portions 22, 28, at either end, whereby, under the rotation of the barrel, any stud or roller riding in the groove will be held stationary or in idle position when moving in the straight portions of the groove, and in which such stud or roller will be shifted lengthwise of the axis of the barrel when riding in the inclined portions.

Vl hile I have illustrated the barrel as provided with a complete longitudinal spiral, it will be understood that only half of the spiral groove is intended to be uti lized for any particular arrangement of the moving parts of the switch stand, and that the spiral is made complete in order that the barrel may be arranged to lock either right or left hand points.

The longitudinal spiral groove in the drum is engaged by a roller 24, mounted on stud 25, secured to the switch bar 1, and it will be understood, as just described, that as the drum is rotated, the roller and. with it the switch bar will be actuated to shift the switch bar in a direction parallel with the axis of the drum.

The head 26 of the barrel 2O provided on its outer face with a pair of cam grooves 27, 28, two grooves being formed as shown in Fig. 6, to provide for the use of the drum either for rightor left switch points, and only one groove being used for a single switch connection. One end 29 of each groove is eccentric of the axis of the shaft 19, while the remaining portion of the groove is concentric therewith, as shown in 6. Secured on the inner end of the locking bar 18 is a roller 30, which engages in this cam groove, and the parts are so assembled that when the roller 30 is in the outer end of the eccentric portion of the groove, the locking bar 18 will be in its loclrin position in engagement with the hole 17 in the interlocking bar 12. The bar 18 also carries, or has attached thereto, or connected therewith, a rack 31, which engages a segment pinion 32, secured on the lower end of the target rod 88, which rod on its upper end carries the target arms 34;. It will be evident that, from this construction, during the first part of the rotation. of t walls of the casing at me shaft 19, as hereinafter described, the roller 30 and with it the bar 18 will be shifted in a plane at right angles to the movement of the bar 1, and that this movement will rotate the target rod 33. During the subsequent movement of the shaft 19 and the barrel 20, the roller 30 will be in idle position. The spiral. and cam grooves are so arranged and the parts so mounted that the roller 2% riding in the longitudinal spiral will be idle at the time the roller 30 is under actuation in the eccentric portion of the cam groove 29, and the roller 24; will be actuated by the spiral groove to shift the switch bar lengthwise at the time the locking bar 18 is in idle position.

For rotating the shaft 19, I provide the switch handle 35, having the weighted end This handle is fixed on the end of the shaft 19 and is capable of moving through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, in order to give a half rotation to the actuating barrel 20. The parts are so mounted that during the first portion of the movement of the switch handle, say through an arc of fifty five degrees, the locking bar 18 will be shifted to be withdrawn from the interlocking bar 12 to release same and the rack 81 will be shifted to rotate the target rod through an arc of ninety degrees, and to change the target from a position indicating safety to the danger position. Then during the subsequent movement of the switch handle, the barrel will be rotated to carry the roller 24 from one end of the barrel to the other and thus to shift the switch rails into contact with the main rail. Upon the reverse move ment, the switch rail 1 is shifted to open the main line, and then the opening in the interlocking bar 12 being brought into proper position the locking bar 18 is caused to engage and lock the interlocking bar, and at the same time the target is rotated to safety position.

As heretofore stated, the special object of my invention is to positively lock the switch point for the main line which lies against the stock rail, so as to insure safety for the heavy and fast traffic on the main line. Inasmuch as the turnout for the switch may be either to the right or the left and therefore the main track switch rail may lie on the right or left side of the track, it is evident that as the switch stand in either event may be located on the right hand side of the track as the switch is approached, it will be necessary to shift the switch bar in one direction for the right hand turnout and in the opposite direction for the left hand turnout. As heretofore described, however, the spiral groove in which the roller or stud on the switch bar operates is provided with a straight portion to allow the switch bar to remain idle while the lock is released, while the spiral portion of the groove comes into play after the barrel has been partially rotated. As the idle portion of the groove is only at one end of the throw of the switch handle and this at the locking end, if we set up the switch stand in the same way for either right or left turnouts and attempt to operate the switch by reversing the movement of the switch. handle as the case might require, while the device would operate, the lock for the switch would be actuated in one case at the commencement of the handle throw and in the other case at the end of the throw. It would follow from this, that in one case I would lock when the main line switch rail was against its stock rail and the main line open for trafic, and in the other case when the main line switch rail was away from its stock rail and the main line broken.

As the object is to look the switch pointfor the main line traffic, I proceed as follows in setting up the switch stand for right hand or left hand turnouts: As illustrated in the drawings, the switch is set up for a left hand turnout and the movement of the switch lever from right to left first releases the lock and then shifts the switch bar to the right, the roller 24: traveling in the under groove. In this illustration, the main line switch point and the switch stock rail are not shown, but lie on the left. Let me assume a right hand turnout. In this event, the open switch point 2 would be shown on the right of the main line stock rail 3, and the switch point for the main line and the switch stock rail would appear between the switch stand and the rails 2 and 3. In this position, to open the switch, the switch bar :would have to be moved to the left. In order to accomplish this, I first swing the switch lever 35 in an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees. This brings the roller 24 into the other end of the spiral groove, the roller traveling in the under groove; then I detach the switch lever from the shaft 19 and bring it back to its original position and re-at-t-ach to the shaft, without rotating the barrel 20. Now when I swing the lever one hundred and eighty degrees as before, the barrel 20 has made a complete revolution of three hundred and sixty degrees, and the roller 24 travels first in the idle or straight portion of the groove at the opposite end from that shown in the drawing and then in the spiral of the upper groove and the switch bar will be shifted in the opposite direction as required. However when I performed the first operation of swinging the switch lever one hundred and eighty degrees before I detached it, by this movement I shifted the roller 30 into the concentric end of its groove and opened the lock and the head 26 of the barrel as shown in Fig. 6 is reversed. It is evident, therefore, that with the roller 30 in the end of the concentric portion of the groove, the barrel cannot be rotated in the same direction as before, and moreover the lock is open instead of in engagement with the interlocking bar 12 as it should be. I therefore re move the roller 30 from its former groove and place it in the eccentric end of the other groove. This at once shifts the lock bar to its engagement with the interlocking bar 12 and the switch mechanism is properly assembled for the right hand turnout.

The complete spiral groove in the barrel and the two grooves in the head, while only one groove of each set is used for any particular location of the switch stand, therefore, bear an important relation to each other and enable me to utilize the stand for either right or left turnouts, with the least possible adjustment of the parts. All that it is necessary to do is to change the location of the switch lever on the shaft 19 and to move the locking stud from one groove to the other, as just described.

While I have illustrated and described the barrel 20 with its head 26 as a single casting, it will, of course, be understood that the construction can be made of such number of parts suitably riveted or bolted together as may be desired and as may be found convenient in forming the parts.

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

1. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block wit-h cam surfaces lengthwise of and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intermediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surface and the locking bar, whereby the rotation of the block will reciprocate the switch bar and locking bar in planes substantially at right angles to each other.

2. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block with cam surfaces lengthwise of and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intermediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surface and the locking bar, with said cam surfaces formed respectively with straight and spiral portions for the one cam and eccentric and concentric portions for the other cam whereby the rotation of the block will reciprocate the switch bar and the lock ing bar intermittently in planes substantially at right angles to each other.

3. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block with cam surfaces lengthwise of and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intermediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surface and the locking bar, with said cam surfaces formed respectively with straight and spiral portions for the one cam and eccentric and concentric portions for the other cam, and with the straight portion of one cam cooperating with the eccentric portion of the other, whereby the rotation of the block will reciprocate the switch bar and the locking bar intermittently and at differcnt times, in planes at right angles to each other.

4:. In a switch stand, a switch bar and an interlocking bar, each attached at right angles to the switch rails, a revolulole block, with switch handle for rotating said block, ram grooves on said block arranged longi tudinally and transversely the axis thereof, a stud on the switch bar engaging one groove, a locking pin at right angles to the interlocking bar adapted to engage and lock the same, with a stud on the pin engaging the other groove, whereby the rotation of the block will release the locking pin and shift the switch bar and the interlocking bar.

In a switch stand, a switch bar and an interlocking bar, each attached at right angles to the switch "ails, a revoluble block, with switch handle for rotating said block, cam grooves on said block arranged. longitudinally and transversely the axis thereof, with said grooves formed respectively with straight and spiral portions for the one groove and eccentric and concentric portions for .the other groove, a stud on the switch bar engaging one groove, a locking pin at right angles to the interlocking bar adapted to engage and to lock the same, with a stud on the pin engaging the other groove, whereby the rotation of the block will release the locking pin and shift the switch bar in sequence.

(3. In a switch stand, a switch bar and an interlocking bar, each attached to the switch rails in parallel planes, a locking pin to lock the interlocking bar in fixed position, with a pair of cams for automatically releasing the locking pin and shifting the switch bar in sequence during one movement of the releasing and shifting means.

T. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block, with cam surfaces longitudinal and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intermediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surfa e and the locking bar, with the longitudinal and transverse cam surfaces arranged in pairs, whereby the engaging means may be forced to travel on opposite sides of the axis of the revoluble block for shifting the switch bar in opposite directions, in proper relation with the movement of the locking bar.

8. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block with cam surfaces longitudinal and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intermediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surface and the locking bar, with said cam surfaces form-ed respectively with straight and spiral portions for the one cam and eccentric and concentric portions for the other cam, with the longitudinal and transverse cam surfaces arranged in pairs, whereby the engaging means may be forced to travel on opposite sides of the axis of the revoluble block for shifting the switch bar in opposite directions, in proper relationwith the movement of the locking bar.

9. In a switch stand, a switch bar, and a locking bar, a revoluble block with cam surfaces longitudinal and transverse the axis thereof, engaging means intern'iediate one cam surface and the switch bar and the other cam surface and the locking bar, with said cam surfaces formed respectively with straight and spiral portions for the one cam and eccentric and concentric portions for the other cam, and with the straight portion of one cam cooperating with the eccentric portion of the other, with the longitudinal and turnsverse cam surfaces arranged in pairs, whereby the engaging means may be forced to travel on opposite sides of the axis of the revoluble block for shifting the switch bar in opposite directions, in proper relation with the movement of the locking bar.

10. In a switch stand, a switch bar and an interlocking bar, each attached at right angles to the switch rails, a revoluble block, with switch handle for rotating said block, cam grooves on said block arranged longitudinally and transversely the axis thereof, astud on the switch bar engaging one groove, a locking pin at right angles to the interlocking bar adapted to engage and lock the same, with a stud on the pin engaging the other groove, with the longitudinal and transverse grooves arranged in pairs, and the studs on the switch bar and locking pin, adapted to engage with a groove in each corresponding pair, to reverse the travel of the switch bar stud, upon changing the position of the switch handle.

11. lin a switch stand, a switch bar, a lock therefor, and an operating handle, with rotating mechanism comprising a pair of cams intermediate the handle and the switch bar and the lock, whereby the lock may be actuated and the switch bar operated in sequence with one movement of the operating handle.

NATHANIEL O. GOLDSMITH.

Attest:

L. F. Lnvrnes,

MansToN ALLEN.

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

Washington, ID. 0.

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