US1252329A - Switch-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

A. T. DE WITT..

SWITCH CPERATING MECHANISM.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY18,19I6. 1352329.

Patented J an. 1, 1918.

NTTE

STATES PATENT OEFTCE ARTHUR T; DE wrr'r, or roam whYN I ND A AssIeNoR, BY ijI Ec: AND JVESNE ASSIGNMENT& or TWO-THIRDS VTO. FRE!) L. DE WITT AND ONE-THIRD TO M. SCHIFFER, BOTH OF CI-IICAGO, ILLINoIs.

swITcH oPERATING MEcHAN'IsM.

Application filed May 18, 1916.

To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. DE HT, a citizen of the United States,` residi-ng at Fort vVayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The present'inventionhas to do with improvements in' switch Operating mechanism of the general type or classification of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 908,'T56, issued to me January 5, 1909, for' improvements in switch Operating mechanism. The present invention, however, has to do with certain improvements and features of invention not shownor'disclosed in the aforesaid Letters Patent.

I may further' state at this point that the present invention relates to improvements in switch Operating mechanism of' that type in which the switch can be thrown autonatically from the car and without the necessity of stopping the car, thereby 'dispensing with the services of a switchman who would otherwise berequired for throwing the switch.

One of the objects oi" 'the invention is to simplify the Construction of a device of this type, while at the sametme giving it such mechanical Construction and principles of operation that it will be positive and definite in" its action.

In this connection another object is to lower the cost of manufacture and construction of the switch and eliminate as far as possible the liability to mechanical derangement in service.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of Construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the switch Operating mechanism being taken on the lines m-n and 0-p indicated on Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2 is a top View of the two boxes containing the main operative parts, the covers being removed; and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan View of the roller carried by the car, and which serves to op- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jarl;1918. Serial No. 98,467.

eratethe switch from the car and under the control of the motorman or other person on the car. p

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 2, the switch is designated by the letter E; The switch point of this switch is designated by the letter h. Located in the street pavement or right of way at a point' adjacent to the switch is an operating box A containing certain operative mechanisms. In' advance of the switch is another Operating box B which is also located in the pavement or permanent structure of the right of way; A tube or pipe or the like C joins together the interier portions of the boxes A and B and carries an operative connection which extends be'- tween them. 'It will be understood that the covers have been removed from the boxes A and' B so as to expose or reveal their interior Construction lVithin the box A is a double cam member e having a central point e' and two side wings 6 and 6 respectively. This double cam is pivotedin its central portion at. the point 6 shown in F ig. 1, so that, as it is swung in the one direction or the other, its rear end'e will be thrown back and torth.

Behind this double cam is a lever or the like f pivoted to the point f. A pin f extends upwardly from the rear end 6 ot' the double cam' e and engages a slot or reccss in the lower face ofthe lever f, so that the said lever is swung back and forth in the one direction or the other by the movements of the double cam. 'A link g has one end connected to the free end of the lever at the point f and its other end connected to the switch point at the point ft Consequently, the switch point will be thrown back and forth according to the movements of the double cam. With the parts shown in the full line position of Fig. 2, the switch point stands in the position for the main line of the track. Upon swingng the double cam into the dotted line figure, the switch point will be drawn back into the dotted line position indioated.

The movements of the double cam are effected through the instrumentality of a finger d which can be forced back and forth. This finger is pivoted at the point d' to one end of a rod c extending from the Operating box B through the pipe or tube C. Upon reosition shown in said" tracting the rod C, the finger always assumes the central position shown by the .full linos in Fig. 2, and it will swing the double cam e into the position reverse from that which it formerly occupied. This is because the swnging of the double cam will carry the central point e' to one side or the other of the position occupied by the finger d.

VVithin the Operating box B is a plate a pivoted at the point a. The upper portion of this plate extends somewhat above the upper surface of the box, and also a slight distance above the street level, so that it is exposed to the operation 'of the roller D. This roller is carried on the lower end of an arm D' which is a portion of ,the equipment of the car, and normally stands in raised position elevated sufiiciently to insure' that the roller D will clear the upper edge of the operating plate a. Upon clepressing the arm and rollerthe roller will be thrown down, so that it will strike against the point a of the Operating plate a', so as to throw the same forward against the force of the spring Z). The rear end of the rod 0 is pivoted to the plate a at the point ic, so that the swinging of the plate will automatically Swing the double cam 6 through the instrumentality of the finger d. As soon as the arm and roller have passed away from the plate a, the same will be retracted by the spring b.

It is to be observed that the cover plates for the boxes A and B are shown in position 'in Fig. 1.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, the

and a pair of side cam faces, a lever pivotally mounted in said Operating box to swing on a vertical pivot behind the double cam member, an operating connection from the double cam member to the lever for Swing-` ing the 'lever in direction opposite to the direction of movement of the double cam member and simultaneously therewith, a link connection from said lever to the switch point, a hollow tubular member connecting the Operating boxes together, an Operating plate pivotally mounted in the other operating box to swing about a horizontal pivot,

said plate having a tooth projecting 'above the upper surface of said Operating box, a

e finger mounted in the front portion of the when said lever is depressedsubstautially as described. r i

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a switch point and an operating lever carried by a vehicle traveling toward the switch point, there being a' contacting portion on' the lower end of said le ver, of an Operating box adjacent to the,

switch point, another Operating box in advance of the switch point, a double cam pivi otally mounted in the first mentioned operating box to Swing about a vertical pivot, an

operative connection from said double cam*` to the switch point for the purpose of moving the switch point back and forth according to the movements of the double cam, an Operating plate in the second mentioned operating box, said plate being pivoted to swing about a horizontal pivot, and having a contacting portion extending above i the Operating box' wherein it is mounted and adapted for engagement by the Contacting portion of the lever when the same is lowered into operative position, an oscillatable finger in the first mentioned Operating box mounted in position to engage the double cam member and throw the same in one direction or the other, an operative connection from 'said finger to the Operating plate, and a spring normally retracting the Operating plate into inoperative position, substantially as described. V

In testimony whereo'f I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR T. DE WITT.

Witnesses:

C. A. BEATY, L. A. Tor'r.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh,`by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

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