US1151898A - Signal or switch operating device. - Google Patents

Description

J. L. NEAL.

SIGNAL 0R SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5. 1914.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915..

WITH/E885: i INl/E/VTOR p i L/TZNGCLL A TTOR/VE Y JAMES L. NEAL, OFNEWCOMERSTOWN, OHIO.

SIGNAL OR SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

This invention relates to signal or switch operatingdevice, and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this class referred to, with means for reducing friction to a'minimum when the device is operated.

In switch or signal operating devices, the

outer or inner pipe is employed, the outer pipe being stationary and the inner pipe being shiftable within the outer pipe, but when said inner pipe is shifted owing to the contact thereof with the inner pipe, considerable friction is set up and under such conditions considerable power is necessary to shift the inner pipe to operate the signal or switch.

To overcome the foregoing objection, the inner pipe is dispensed with and a rod having longitudinally extending peripheral grooves carrying bearing balls is employed, the balls engaging the inner face of the outer pipe, and under such conditions reducing friction to a minimum when the rod is shifted to actuate the signal or switch.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a switch or signal actuating device which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, efiicient in its use, readily set up, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in longitudinal section of the switch or signal operating device in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is'a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31-, 1915.

Application filed June 5, 1914. Serial No. 843,268.

- similar view upon an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the outer pipe or inclosing casing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, eldenotes an elongated hollow longitudinally extending casing, or outer pipe, which is stationary and which constitutes an inclosure as well as a protector for a longitudinally movable actuating rod for operating the signal or the switch. The casing 4 may be of any desired length, the rod being of greater length than the casing and having connected to one end a;shifting means therefor and at its outer end being connected to the switch or signal. The rod which is referred to by the "reference character 5 has portions of its periphery provided with sets of longitudinally extending grooves 6. Each set of grooves being spaced from an adjacent'set and by way of example, but two sets of grooves are illustrated. In each of the grooves 6 is arranged a bearing ball 7 and the said bearing ball 7 rides against the inner face of the casing l, and in view of the manner of setting up the bearing balls, it is obvious that when the rod 5 is shifted, friction is reduced to a minimum. The grooves 6 as before stated are arranged in axial sets with the ends of the grooves of each set being spaced from the ends of the grooves of the adjacent set. It is to benoted that the bearing balls 7 are limited in their movement relative to the rod 5 by engaging the endwalls 6 of the groovesfi. By such a construction the positioning of the balls 7 is controlled by the rod 5 and the casing may be open at each end, with danger of the balls becoming misplaced or falling out obviated.

One'end of the rod 5 as at 8, is secured to the switch or signal operating arm and the other end as at 9 is secured to a shifting means for the rod. The rod 5 may be of one piece or formed'of a plurality of sections coupled together in any desirable manner.

The length of the casing 4 with respect to the rod 5 is such that when the rod is shifted the ball 7 will never leave the casing 4:.

What I claim is A device of the class described compris- I ing in combination, 'a cylindrical casing open at both ends, a rod circular in cross of the rod with the grooves of one set in In testimony whereof I afiix my signature aligerlrjient with tle grooves ofhthe otgller set in the presence of two Witnesses.

an ein" snace a art at t eir a 'acent ends, and hnt i-frictio r i balls mounted iii said JAMES NEAL grooves adapted to have a rolling contact Witnesses:

with the inner Wall of the casing to hold the S. B. MULVANE, rod spaced therefrom. H. G. MUCHELNUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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