US1083751A - Switch. - Google Patents

Description

J. s. LOGKARD.

SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILED JAILIZ, 1912. RENEWED DBO. 23, 1912. 1,083,751. Patented Jan.6,1914.

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SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN.12,1912. RENEWED DBO. 23,1912.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

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JAMES S. LOGKARD, 0F SPARTANBURG, SOUTH- CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF 0NE-FOURTH TO ELI CHAPMAN AND R. M. ALEXANDER.

SWiTCI-L Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application filed January 12, 1912; Serial No. 670,870. Renewed December 23, 1912. Serial No. 738,361.-

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,JAMEs S. LooKAnD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spartanburg, in the county of Spartanburg and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway switches and more especially to operating mechanisms thereof and the object of my invention is to improve the construction and increase the efficiency of devices of the above described character.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch operating mechanism which will be automatically actuated to throw the switch upon the approach of a train and which will afterward return the switch to its original position, the operating mechanism being actuated by means of a suitable attachment carried by the train and operable by the engineer or motorman.

lVit-h these and other objects in View, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show' a preferred embodiment of my device and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my switch operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout, 10 designates the rails of the main track which as shown, are supported upon a plurality of ties 11 in the customary manner and 12 designates the rails of the switch track, said rails having switch points 13 pivotally connected as at 14 to swing in and out of engagement with the main line rails.

Positioned between adjacent ties and beneath the free ends of the switch points is a casing 15 in which the switch mechanism proper is located. This mechanism consists of a pair of spaced blocks 16 and 17 each of which is provided with a centrally located longitudinally extending bore. These blocks are slidably mounted within the casing and the free ends of the switch points are secured to their upper faces by means of clamps 18 and bolts 19, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Positioned centrally within the casing and firmly secured to the bottom thereof is a metallic block 20 provided with a longitudinally extending, internally threaded bore in alinement with the bores of the blocks 16 and 17 and a shaft 21 passes through the bores of the blocks 16 and 17 and of the block 20 and is provided intermediate its length with a worm gear 22 which engages with the threads of the block 20 whereby any rotation of the shaft will cause the same to move longitudinally through the block 20. The blocks 16 and 17 are secured against longitudinal movement upon the shaft 21 by means of collars 23 secured to the shaft one upon each side of each of the blocks. Keyed upon the ends of the shaft 21 are sprocket wheels 24 and 25.

Positioned between adjacent ties of the main line and spaced from the switch structure previously described is a second casing 26, provided with suitable bearings 27 in which is journaled a shaft 28 upon one end of which is keyed a fly wheel 29 and upon the other end of which is keyed a sprocket wheel 80. Keyed upon this shaft 28 and intermediate the length thereof is a spur gear 3 1 which extends above the level of the road bed in position to be engaged by a suitable actuating device carried by the train. Coacting between the sprocket wheels 25 and 30 is a sprocket chain 32 by means of which any rotation of the shaft 28 is transmitted to the shaft 21 causing the latter to swing the switch points into engagement with the rails of the main line.

Positioned between adjacent ties of the switch line and spaced from the switch points thereof is a casing 33 and journaled in this casing are a pair of parallel shafts 34L and 35. A spur gear 36 is keyed upon the shaft 34: and meshes with a spur gear'37 keyed upon a shaft 85. One end of the shaft 34: is extended beyond its bearing and keyed upon this extended end is a fly wheel 38, while one end of the shaft 35 is also extended beyond its bearing and keyed upon this extended end is a sprocket wheel 39 and coacting between this sprocket wheel and the sprocket wheel 24 is a sprocket chain 40.

In operation, the operating attachment of a train passing along the main line toward the switch, may be actuated to engage the spur gear 31 causing the shaft 21 to rotate in such a manner as to move the switch points into engagement with the main line rails, thus causing the train to pass over the switch points onto the branch line. The train attachment is then again operated to engage with the spur gear 36 which, because of the intermediate gear 37, will counter-rotate the shaft 21 to swing the switch point back to original position. As will be readily seena train passing along the branch line toward the switch will first operate the gear 36 to close the switch, and will then operate the gear 31 to open the same.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and eflicient form of switch operating mechanism and one which may be readily and inexpensively installed.

It will of course be understood that minor changes in details of construction may be made without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In an automatic switch throwing device for connecting a main track and a branch track, the combination with swingingly mounted switch points, of blocks upon which the free ends of said points are secured, a shaft extending through said blocks, means whereby the rotation of said shaft will reciprocate said blocks, and means operable by the passage of a train to rotate said shaft.

2. In an automatic switch throwing device for connecting a main track and a branch track, the combination with movable switch points, of a casing positioned beneath said points, a block secured within said casing and provided with a longitudinally extending internally threaded bore, additional blocks slidable in said casing and provided with longitudinal bores, the free ends of the switch points being secured to said latter blocks, a worm shaft threaded in the bore of the first block and having its ends extended through the bores of the latter blocks and secured against longitudinal movement therethrough, and means operable by the passage of a train for rotating said shaft.

3. The combination with a movable switch point, of a shaft mounted to slide and rotate and connected to the point, a block, a worm on the shaft and engaging the block, said block being fixed, a gear adjacent the point, car supported means movable into engagement with the gear to rotate the same, and means for transmitting motion from the gear to the shaft.

4. The combination with the rails of a track and a movable switch point, of a shaft in the presence of two witnesses.

J AMES S. LOOKARD. Witnesses Rosana" J. GAULT, J. P. DARDEN, Jr.

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

, Washington, D. C.

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