US1076982A - Track-switch. - Google Patents

Description

M. J. HBNEHAN.

TRACK SWITCH.

APPLIUATN FILED DEO.16| 1912. 1,076,982, Patented 0015.28, 1913.

commun PLANOGRAPH co., wAsulNzrnN. n. c,

.7 /7 ////7 NN. 11---, f l kw um N mw .Wm m. uw m\ MARTIN J. HENEHAN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

TRACK-SWITCH.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

Application filed December 16, 1912. Serial No. 736,929.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN J. HENRI-IAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

rlfhis invention relates to improvements in railway switches, and its object is to prevent the derailnient of railway cars by the dislocation of the switch tongue.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of switch actuating and locking mechanism whereby the switch tongue isA yieldiiigly secured in either of its extreme operative positions, as fully described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, and linally set forth in the appended claim.

ln said drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of apparatus embodying` my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in to-p plan of the saine partly broken away and with the cover' of the cusing removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 2 with the oscillatory controller removed. Fig. 4t is a detached perspective view of a detail of the invention.

Referring to said dra-wings, the reference numeral 1 designates a switch-base and 2 the switch-body supported in said base and cushioned therein by soft metal or other lining 3. Flanges l and 5 of said base lead respectively to the main and branch line rails. 6 indicates a switch-tongue pivoted at one end and adapted to have its opposite end 7 vibrate into close relation with either of said flanges which are respectively provided with recesses 41 and 51 for its reception. Rigidly secured at one end to said switchbase adjacent the end 7 of said tongue is a` metal boX or casing 8 provided with a removable cover 9. Extending through reg istering apertures in the casing, switch-base 1 and body 2, is a bar 10 provided at its outer end with a notch 11 adapted to receive therein the switch-tongue 6. Said bar could obviously be extended to similarly engage a pair of switch-points, as will be readily understood. Within the casing the inner end of said bar is rigidly connected at 15 with a rectangular frame 12 whose legs 13 and 14 are disposed in parallel planes.

16 and 17 indicate a pair of oppositely ai ranged sleeves slidably mounted in alined apertures formed iii said legs 13 and 1li, re spectively. Said sleeves extend mainly outwardly of said faiiie and are formed on `their inner ends with peripheral flanges 18 to provide a bearing about said apertures upon the inner face of the respective legs and prevent their passage outwardly there through. A rod 19 is slidably mounted within the bores of said sleeves and is provided with a head 2O at one end to act as a stop against the outer end of sleeve 16. The opposite end of said rod is rigidly secured at 21 to a block 22 which, in turn,

acts as a stop for sleeve 17. A coil-spring Q3 is mounted upon rod 19 within frame 12 and its opposite ends engage under some tension the flanges 1S of said sleeves.

The block 22 is provided with parallel grooves 2a in its underside adapted to slidably engage corresponding ridges 25 arranged longitudinally in the bottom wall of said casing. Said block is formed on its upper side with a transversely disposed channel 2S to receive a downwardly protruding Vpin 27 of an oscillatory controller 2S. Said controller is rotatively mounted in said cover 9 and formed with a l ey-seat 29. ltis provided with a peripheral flange B0 within `the casing which is formed with a pair of abutments 31 adapted to respectively engage upon opposite sides of a stop 32 upon thecasing wall which limit the oscillatory movements of the controller in either i direction to somewhatinore than one-half of a complete revolution. The vertical airis of said controller is apigiroxin'iately in line with the longitudinal axis of the rod 19. The pin 27 is arranged within the channel 2li to `actuate the block 22 longitudinally of the casing through the oscillating movements of the controller. lit the termination of the respective said actuating movements said pin passes beyond the longitudinal axis of the rod 19; that is to say, the dead center of revolution and when brought to rest by the impingement of the respective abutment 31 upon the stop 32 secur s said block from further movement in either direction until again manually operated by the reverse oscillation of the controller.

lt is thought that the operation of the in ventioii will be apparent from the foregoing description of the invention. Assuming that the described devices are in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the pin 27 is indicated in dotted lines by @7LL in its rearmost position and being beyond the axial lines of rod 19, is secured by the interference of the respective abutment 31 with the stop 32. In such position of the controller and pin 27 the block is retracted to its rearmost position and the switch-tongue 6 is retained upon the adjacent side of the switch-body 2. Said controller being given a partial revolution by the application of a suitable key-wrench within the key-seat 29, the pin 27 wit-hin the channel 26 influences the block 22 forwardly to its advanced position; the pin being again secured in the position indicated by 27d in F ig. 2, which, in turn, locks the block in such advanced position. The described forward movement of the block similarly actuates the rod 19 and the sleeve 17. The movement of the latter is communicated to the bar 10 through the spring 23 and frame 12 to advance the switch-tongue to the opposite side of said switch-body, the tongue and its actuating parts being shown in such position in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In reversing the switch to return the same to its original position, the block 22 influences the rod 19 rearwardly and the stop 20 similarly impels the sleeve 16 upon the spring 23 which forces the frame 12 and bar 10 to their eXtreme rear ward positions.

It will be seen that the switch-tongue is yieldingly held in either of its operative positions and that in case of a car accidentally backing through the closed switch, the latter will yield and allow the same to pass Vthrough without in any way damaging the apparatus or leavingit in dangerous condition for subsequent trafiic.

Referring to Fig. 2, should a car-wheel be backed through the switch, as represented in full lines in the view, the bar 10 would be drawn outwardly which, through its rigid connection, would similarly affect the frame 12 which, in turn, through its relation with the flange 18 of the sleeve 17, causes the latter to slide forwardly upon the locked rod 19 while sleeve 16 is held in lixed position and said frame slides thereupon. The spring 23 is thus compressed between the sleeves 16 and 17 and immediately the interposed object is removed between the switch tongue and the respective switchflange the power of the spring asserts itself to force the frame and bar back to its proper position. The parts will operate in analogous manner under like conditions when the switch-tongue is positioned upon the oppo` site side of the switch-body.

Vhile I have described my invention with some detail, I do not intend to limit myself to the exact construction shown, as obviously various changes in detail and modilications of parts within the scope of the claim may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrilicing its advantages. v

Having described my invention, what I claim, is-

In combination with a switch-tongue, a reciprocative bar operatively connected with said tongue, a U-shaped frame having two legs each formed with an alined aperture,

one of said legs rigidly connected to said bar, a sleeve slidable 1n each of sa1d apertures formed with a flange upon the innervside of the respective leg, a rod slidably mounted in said sleeves and provided with a stop for each of the opposite outer ends of said sleeves, a spring on sa1d rod conlined between said sleeves, a sliding block rigidly connected with said rod, and moving in a longitudinal plane therewith, said block provided with a transverse groove, an oscillating disk disposed above said block and carrying an eccentric pin to engage said groove whereby the bar is reciprocated upon manipulation of said disk.

Signed at Seattle, Vash., this 29th day of November, 1912.

MARTIN J. HENEHAN.

IVitnesses PIERRE BARNES, E. PETERSON.

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

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