US1089588A - Switch-point-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

D. SAMAIA.

SWITCH POINT OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 30, 1912.

1,089,588, Patented Mar. 10, 191i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DINO SAMAIA, 0F BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

SWITGH-POINT-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914:.

Original application filed. April 13, 1910, Serial No. 555,253. Divided and this application filed December 30, 1912. Serial No. 739,400.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DINO SAMAIA, a sub ject of the King of Italy, residing at Brussels, Belgium, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Point-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in switch point operating mechanism and the structure illustrated in the present application is divided out from my co-pending application filed April 13, 1910, Serial Number 555,253.

It is one of the objects of my invention to quickly and securely shift and subsequently anchor the switch point, from one position to the other, by mechanism which will dead lock the points in their adjusted positions. My invention involves the employment of springs, adapted to act in opposite directions, so as to facilitate shifting movement of the switch points from one position to the other.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a railroad track showing the switch points and connecting cross bars. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the track showing the actuating device for moving the cross bar, the top of the casing in which the actuating device is inclosed being removed. Fig. 3 is a similar top plan View as shown in Fig. 2, the casing being closed. Fig. 4 is a section through the rail and through the casing containing the connecting means between the actuating device and the cross bar. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a track. Fig. 6 is a view of the cross bar illustrated in Fig. 5.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the difierent figures of the drawings.

The switch points 18 in Fig. 1, are connected by a cross bar 14: which is adapted to be displaced by the oscillation of hell crank levers 15 engaging pins 14 on said cross bar.

The bell crank levers 15 are connected with a rod or chain 16 which leads to bell crank levers 18, disposed at the approach to the switch. The bell crank levers 18 engage with their arms, bell crank levers 17, the free arms of which project so that they may be operated by an element suspended from the approaching vehicle. If the bell crank levers 17 are actuated, they also oscillate the bell crank levers 18, and turning the bell crank levers 15, displace the cross bar14, which actuates the switch points. Springs 19 are preferably interposed between the bell crank levers 18 and the tension members 16.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the levers 17 and 18 are mounted adjacent'to the rail and are inclosed in a casing 20 which is adjacent to the web 24 of the rail. The free arm 22, of the lever 17, projects laterally from the casing and projects into a depression of the wheel flange groove 23;

A hook, movably disposed on a vehicle serves to actuate the point changing mechanism and may be allowed to engage the pro jecting arm 22, of the lever 17 as disclosed in my pending application, filed April 13, 1910, Serial Number 555.253. For the purpose of guiding the hook before it engages said arm 22, and after the release therefrom, inclined portions 26 are provided in the rail, as may be clearly seenby reference to Fig. 2.

The connecting means between the bell crank lever 18, pivoted within the casing 20, on the pin 39, and the bell crank lever 15, engaging a projection 14' on the cross bar 14, is inclosed within a casing 37 to protect the same against damages. In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the head of a rail 38 overlies the connecting means for the purpose of preventing damages to said means.

The cross bar shifting mechanism illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, is mainly adapted for steam railroads, the levers for actuating the same being substantially identical with the lever mechanism shown in Fig. 2, being adapted to be actuated by a hook suspended from the locomotive of the train. The connecting means between the cross bar 46, and the bell crank levers 18, are designated by 40, and are preferably in the shape of rods or bars. They engage levers 41, pivoted upon supports 42, fixed to the stationary rails, the levers 41 being movably connected to bell crank levers 43, which are pivotally mounted at 45, on the cross bar 14. A rod 44 connects the two bell crank levers 43. The pivots 45, of the levers-43, are attached to the moving cross bar 14, above which is placed a bridle rod 50 connecting the points, and provided with a bar 46, supporting two opposed springs 47 and 48. A projecting lug 49, supported by the cross bar 14, is located so that it projects over the portion remaining free in the middle of the bridle rod 50, between the springs 47 and 48. It will be seen that any displacement of the bar 14 moves the bridle rod 50 in the same direction, moving thereby the switch points attached to said last named bar.

Theoperation of the device is as follows:'-If the left track, for instance, is to a be opened, the left hook of the locomotive strikes against the arm 22, of the bell crank lever 17 exerting thereby a pull upon the rod 40. The lever 41 will assume a position of alinement with the adjacent arm of the "bell crank lever 43, so that the bar 14 is displaced to the right. In this movement of the bar 14, the bridle rod is carried in the same direction, shifting thereby also the bar 46 to which the switch points are connected. At the same time, the rod 44, drawn by the lever 43, actuates the system on the other track rail so that the entire switch is in a position required for placing the switch in the opposite direction. As the arm of the lever 43 and the lever 41 are in alinement with each other, the entire system is locked in-this position, also thereby locking the switch points in the required position. It is obvious that the switch is a spring switch,

' that is to say, the switch point will yield when a train passes from the butt to the point of the switch point since the springs 47 and 48 permit "suchyielding movement according as the switch is open or closed. As soon as the action of the flanges has ceased, the spring extends again and restores the points to their original position.

While I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, I

' 4 do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

' Y I claim:

1. The combination with a pair of railroad rails and a pair of switch points, of

erate said'switch points in either direction,

a member disposed adjacent one of said rails and adapted to be operated by a passing train, a link, operative connections -between said member and said link to transmit a movement to tension'said link,

connections between said link and said bar to throw said polnts in one direction when sa1d lmk is put under tension, a second 'member adapted to be operated by a train, a

second link, connections between said second member and said second link adapted to place said second link under tension when said second member is operated, and connections between said second link and said bar adapted to operate said bar in the other direction when said second link is placed under tension.

2. The combination of a pair of rails and a pair of switch points, of a bar placed transversely of said rails and adapted to operate said points in either direction, a pivoted bell lever placed adjacent one of said rails, one arm of said lever being adapted to be operated by a passing train, a second bell lever one arm of which is adapted to be operated by one of the arms of said first mentioned arm, a link, a connection between said second bell lever and said link adapted to place said link under tension when said first mentioned bell lever is operated, connection between said link and said bar adapted to operate said bar in one direction when said link is placed under tension, a second link, connections between said second link and said bar adapted to throw said bar in the other direction when said second link is placed under tension, and a second pair of hell levers one of which is adapted to be operated by a passing train and which are adapted to place said second links under tension when operated by a passing train.

3. The combination with a pair of railroad rails and a pair of switch points; of a bar mounted for transverse movement relative to said rails, a second bar fixed to said switch points, a resilient connection between the first and second bars, and a lever mechanism to move the first bar including a pair of plates each fixed to one of said rails, a pair of bell crank levers pivoted at their angles to the first bar, links each connecting one arm of a respective bell crank lever to the respective plate, a third link connecting the remaining arms of said bell crank levers, and operating rods connected to the first mentioned links.

4. The combination with a pair of railroad rails and a pair of switch points, of a bar slidable transversely of said rails, a pair of plates connected fixedly to said rails, a pair of bell crank levers pivoted at their angles to said bar, links each connecting one of said plates to an arm of a respective bell crank lever, operating rods connected to said links, a third link connecting the remaining arms of the bell crank levers, a second bar connecting said switch points, a centrally disposed lug on the first bar,

spaced lugs on the second bar, a bridle rod being arranged on opposite sides of the lug passing through the said lugs, adjusting on the first rod. 10 nuts adjacent each end of the bridle rod, In testimony whereof I aflix my signature and coiled springs surrounding said bridle in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

rod, each of said springs hearing at one end DINO SAMAIA. against the lug on the first rod and at the Witnesses:

other end against the adjusting nuts on the GASTON MAX.

respective end of the bridle rod, said springs CHARLES O. JOHNSON.

Copies of thil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addreuinz the Gommiu'ioner of Patentl. Washington, D. G.

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