US1300307A - Railway-switch-operating apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

I. M. WALDRON & J. P. COLEMAN.

RAlLwAY SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS.

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mmm W ffi W 7 w Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2' INVENTOR aqq? J. M. WALDRON & J. P. COLEMAN.

RMLWAY swlTcH OPERAHNG APPARATus. APPLICATION FILED DEC.12. 1917.

WITNESSES J. M. WALDRON 841. P. COLEMAN.

BAILWAY'SWITCH 'OPERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. L2. 1917.

.Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.'

INVENTOR WITN ESSES f' Q'Z- KTM f ms mmms zu-ns ca., mimo-ufam, wAsmmzmn, m c.

I. M. WALDRON & J. P. COLEMAN.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPE'RATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED DEc. 12, 19W.

1300,307. Pat-Guma Apr.15,1919.

4 sHEcTs-SHEET 4. V

WITNESSES INVENTOR WWW Wfflw ixm W cz' WM W JAMES M. WALDRON, OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, AND JOHN P. COLEMAN, OF EDGEWOOD BOROU'GH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH-OPERATING- APPARATJ'S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Apr. 15, 1919.

Application filed December 12, 1917. Serial No. 206,725.

To aZZ w/wmr t may 0072067111:

Be it known that we, JAMEs M. WALDRON and JOHN P. OOLEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, and at Edgewood borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch- Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i

Our invention relates to railway switch Operating apparatus. t

One feature of our nvention is the provision, in combination with a switch the points of whose switch rails are staggered longitudinally with relation to the track, of two separate Operating members, staggered to correspond to the staggering of the switch points, for positively and directly actuating said switch rails, and a motion plate having two cam slots spaced in accordance with the staggering of the rail points for actuating said Operating members.

Another feature of our invention is the provision, in combination with a railway switch and an Operating mechanism therefor comprising a motion plate, of a novel and improved circuit controller governed separately by the two switch rails and by the motion plate for insuring that one switch rail or the other, depending on the position of the motion plate, shall be closed properly against its stock rail in order that the indication circuit may be closed.

Still another feature of our invention is the provision, in switch Operating apparatus, of an easily replaceable weak member of novel construction in the connection between the Operating mechanism and a switch-rail, for avoiding injury to the Operating mechanism in the event that the switch rail is moved by a car or train trailing through the switch, and for insuring that the Operating member shall yield in case of such trailing and so avoid the danger of derailment due to the Wheels mounting` the switch rail without opening it.

We will descri'be one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view' showing a railway switch having appliedtherete one forte of Operating apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a Vertical longitudinall sectional viewtaken on the line Ill- II in Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a transverse Vertical sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig.

4 is a top plan view, with cover removed, of a circuit controller O shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of F ig. ;1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, the drum 28, however, being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI- VI of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the means for Operating a portion of the circuit controller O. Fig. is a sectional view taken on the line VII- VII of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the means for Operating the two other parts of the circuit controller O. F ig 8 is a diagrammatic view showing one arrangement of circuits which may be used in connection `with the circuit controller O shown in certain of the preceding views. w

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to F ig. 1, we have here shown a railway switch comprising the usual stock rails 1 and 1a, and the usual movable rails or switch rails 2v and 2a. The points of these switch rails are staggered longitudinally with respect to'the track, that is, the point of rail 2' is some distance, preferably about 18 inches, in advance of the point of rail 2a. As is already understood in the art, the purpose of this staggering is as follows: When 'the switch is set for the turnout from the straight track (which is the position in which it is shown in the drawing), and a car or train is moving toward the right as viewed in the drawing, the defiection of the wheels from the straight track is begun by switch rail 2 before the wheels reach the point of rail 2a, so that all danger of the wheel flanges encountering the point of rail 2a is avoided, and the Operation of cars Or trains over the switch is smootherthan when the points of the twoV rails are directly opposite each other.

Thelmovable rails 'of this switch are actuated by a switch o erating mechanism which; as here shown, is located wlilly berod =far describedv will vnow be clear.

track. This plate may lbe reciprocated byl any suitable means, this means as here shown belng a fiuid pressure motor device comprismg a cylinder 6 and' a piston 7, the plston -being operatively connected with the motion plate 3 by means of a jaw S on the motion plate and a button 9 on the end of the piston Thermotion plate 3 is provided with two cam slots 10 and 10a spaced longitudinally along the plate as shown in Fig. 1, the middle portion of each slot being disposed at an angle to the direction of movement ofV the plate, and the end portions Qf each slot being parallel to this direction of' moven'ient. These two cam slots coperate with two switch rail Operating members A and B whereby reciprocationof the motion plate causes the switch rails to be actuated. Each Operating member comprises a socket 16 attached to the switch rail as nearly at the rail point as possible, a. rod 11 connected at one end with the socket in a maner hereinafter eXplained, a member 19 connected with the other end of the rod and the structure and function of which will appear hereinafter, and two b'ars 17 and 18 attached to member 19 and arranged to straddle the motion plate l 3, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Passing through these two bars 17 and 18 is a pin 12 (see Fig. 3) which carries a. roller 13, which roller is located in the corresponding cam slot 10 or 10;L and coacts therewith to actuate the Operating members A and B.

The two Operating members A and B are connected with the two switch rails at substantially the points of these rails, and the two members project inwardly from said rails at substantially right angles thereto, so that these members are Staggered to correspond to the staggering of the points of the switch rails. The spacing of the cam slots 10'and 10a along the motion plate 3 corre- -sponds to the staggering of the operatmg rods 11 and 11a, so that the two rollers 13 always occupy corresponding positions in the two slots 10 and 10a.

The operation of the mechanism as thus w VVhen the motion plate 3 occupies' the position, in lwhich it is shown in Fig. 1, the rollers 13 occupy the left-hand ends of the slots 10 and 10a, so that the switch rails arelocked in the positions in which they are shown. When the motion plate is shifted tofthe left, no

movement of the switch rails takes place during the first portion of the movement of the plate because the enids ofl the slots are parallel to the direction of the plate movement; vduring the .middle portion of the movement of the plate, however, the operating members A and B are shifted transversely with respect to the rails due to the i angular disposition of the middle parts of the cam slots, so that the switch rails are then shifted to the positions io-pposite to those in which they are shown in Fig. 1; during the last portionrof the movement of the motion plate, no movement of the switch rails takes place, but these rails then become positively applied to the rail at substantially f the' point of the rail, in spite of the staggered relation of these points. Another valuable feature of the structure is the'provision it possesses for minimizing the evil effect of creeping switch rails upon the adjustment of the Operating mechanism. In the present structure the actionv of the motion plate is transmitted directly to one end of each Operating member and not, as in previouS devices employing motion plates, in` directly through the medium of a transversel slide 'loar in which the pin and roller are mounted. By virtue of this direct method of operation, materially longer Operating members may be used than heretofore, and, consequently, a given amount of creeping of the switch rails causes a correspondingly lesser defiection of the Operating members from their true paths, these paths being at right angles to the rails. Excessive defiection of these members, of course, foreshortens them in effect, and, hence reduces the pressure with which the switch rail is held closed. The greater the length of the operating members, tlierefore, the more constant may the switch rail pressure be maintained.

Fitting overthe upper ends of the studs 14 is a cover plate 15, which plate is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 but is removed in Fig; 1 to more clearly show the parts of the apparatus under the cover. The studs are reduced at their upper ends toform shoulders 14a on which this cover rests, and the reduced portions of the studs are threadedto receive nuts 14b which hold the cover in place. This' 17 and 18, and the cover plate is provided with two similar transverse Channels 152315a directly above the channels in the base plate. Each pin 12 carries two additional rollers 20 and 21, located respeetively above the bar 17 and below the bar 18, which rollers are located in the Channels 15a and 4a respectively. The diameter of these rollers is Only slightly less than the width of the Channels, so that free longitudinal movement of the Operating members A and B is permitted, while movement of the motion plate ends of these members in the direction of movement of the motion plate 3 is prevented. Obviously, upward movement of the motion plate and operating members is prevented by the engagement of the upper surfaces of rollers 20 with the seats of the channels 15a, 15a.

Inasmuch as the locking of the switch is accomplished by the Operating members A and B, it is desirable to provide means for avoiding failure of the looking function in 'the event of breakage of the pin 12 or roller 13 of either of these members. For this reason, we preferably provide two' steel blocks 22, 22 (Figs. 1 and 3), which are attached to the motion plate 3 by rivets 23, which blocks are so located On the motion plate that when either switch rail is against its adjacent stock rail, the inner end of tJhe corresponding Operating member A or B abuts against one of these blocks. In Fig. 3 the end of bar 18 vof member A is shown abutting against one of the blocks 22. In other words, these two blocks are located adjacent 5the left-hand end of cam slot 10 and the right-hand end of cam slot 10al as viewed in Fig. 1. The looking of the switch is accomplished, then, by these blocks as well as by the coaction of the cam slots and rollers 13, and will be accomplished by the blocks alone lin the event of shearing of pin-12.

It will be clear that if the switch rails are Vrevensed by the trailing of a car or train through the switch, serious damage will be done to some part of the Operating apparatus unless means are provided to avoid such damage, or if the switch fails to open the car or train will mount the switch rails and be derailed. For these reasons we preferably provide each Operating member A and B with the member 19 (see Fig. 1) which constitutes a weak link in the member. Each member 19 is in the form of a stirrup, the arms of which are attached to the bars 17 and 18, and the cross piece of which is attached to the rod 11. In the event that a train trails through the switch when the latter is set for the other route, the cross pieces of these members will collapse and so allow the switch to open but prevent serious damage to the Operating apparatus. The members 19 can then be easily replaced, whereupon the switch will again be ready for` service. Thisprovision also' rendersrmore certain the' switch rails, after being trailed through by a train, being left in their open positions and hence more certain the intended function of a cireuit Controller actuated by the rails to open signal circuits in event ofl this occurrence.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rods 11 of the Operating members A and B are not rigidly attached to the sockets 16. On the contrary, each socket is provided with a recess 16 in which a head 11a on the rod is free to move. Each switch rail is positively moved toward and 'held against its adjacent stock rail by the engagcment of the corresponding head 11a with the bottom of the socket 16a, but each switch rail is drawn away from its adjacent stock rail by the other switch rail through the medium of the tie members 24, 24a, etc. connecting these rails together. As will be observed from the gap between the head of rod 11 and the base of socket 16 at rail 2a, the throw of the switch rails is less than the stroke of the Operating members A and B. The switch Operating members are made adjustable for length. It follows, then, that a greater stroke may be given to the Operating members than is necessary for a newly fitted switch, in order to meet the inereasing thirow made necessary by wear during the life of the switch. Another feature of this construction is that it lpermits of varying the throw of the switch rails without necessitating the substitution of a new motion plate 3. That is, the switch rail throw may be varied by merely varying the length's of the members 24:, 24a, etc.

In Fig. 1 we have shown a circuit controller C, which Controller is illustrated in detail in F igs. et, 5, 6 and 7. This circuit Controller is mounted on a plate 25 (see Figs.

V2, 6 and 7) which is attached to the under side of base plate 4 'by bolts 25a. The controller comprises a box 26 attached to an overhanging part of the plate 25, which box is closed by a hinged cover 27 (omitted from some of the views). The box contains a drum 28 of insulating material journaled to oscillate in bearings 28a mounted in the walls of the box, and On the drum are two pairs of contact members 29, 29a and 30, 30a. C0- Operating with these contact members are a plurality of contact fingers designated 31, 31a, 32, 32a, 32h, 32, 33 and 33a, which fingers are mounted in a way which will be explained hereinafter.

The drum 28 is operatively connected with the motion plate 3, to be rocked thereby, in the following manner. The under surface of the motion plate 3 is provided with a cam groove 34 shaped as shown in Fig. 1, the middle portion of this groove being parallel to the direction of movement of the plate and the ends being at angles toI this direction as shown. Co-acting with this cam slot is a follower 35 V(Figs. 2 and 6) in thev form of a roller which is mounted on a stud 36. This stud is carried in one end of an arm 37 the other end of which is attached to a journal pin 38 pivotally mounted on the base plate 4 (Figs. 1 and 2) vt will be seen, therefore, that reciprocation of the motion plate 3 will cause oscillation of the stud 38 around the stud 38 as a center. This movement of stud 36 causes reciprocation of abar 39 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) which is pivotally connected with the stud 36 and which slides in a groove 40 inl the plate 25, this groove being wide enough, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit of the slight lateral motion of the bar due to the fact that the movement of stud 36 is in an arc of a circle. The end if the bar 39 opposite to the stud 36 is provided with teeth to form a rack 39a which meshes with a segmental gear 41 attached to the contact drum 28, so thatreciprocation of the bar causes oscillation of the drum about its journals.

The parts of the drum Operating apparatus are so proportioned that contact members 29, 29a, or contact members 30, 30a, are contiguous to the free ends of contact fingers 31 to 33, according as the motion plate is in one Aextreme position-or the other, that is, accordilrg` as the switch is locked in 'one eXtreme position or the other. In Fig. 4 the drum is shown in an intermediate position wherein none of the contact members V are contiguous to the contact fingers, in order to illustrate all of the contact members in this View.

The four middle contact fingers 32, 32a, 32b and 32c are constantly in the path of the drum-carried contact members, these fingers (see Figs. 6 and 4) being attached to a block 42 of insulating material which is rigidly attached to a frame '43, which frame in turnV is fiXed to the bottom of the controller box 26.

The outer pair of contacts 31, 31a is, however, so mounted that these contacts may be raised out of the path of their coperating drum-carried contact members, and Vthe 'other outer pair of fingers 33, 33a are mounted in a similar manner. The fingers 31, 31a (see Fig. 7) are mounted on a block V44 of insulating material which is attached to a frame 45 mounted to swing about arod 46 carried in thecontroller box. This frame is biased by a spring 49 to such position that the fingers are in the path of the drum carried contact members, but may be raised out of such position against the action of the spring by a tappet 47 which is controlled as hereinafter explained. Fingers 33 and 33 are carried by a block 44a (Fig. 4) which is pivotally mounted and Controlled in the same manner as block 44.

The tappet 47 for fingers 31, 31a .and vthe corresponding tappet (not shown) for the other movable fingers, are Controlled by the two movable lswitch' rails 2 and 2a respectively, this control being through the medium of two slide-bars 48 and 50 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 7). Bar 48 is connected directly with switch rail 2 by a rod 51, while bar 50 is connected with a rod 52 which turns back on itself and is attached to rail 2a. The two bars 48 and 50 reciprocate in slots 53 and 54 respectively in the plate 25, and pass directly under the two tappets 47. These two bars are provided with V-shaped transverse grooves 48a and 506M respectively (Fig. 7 which coactwith the V-shaped ends of the corresponding tappets 47. When a tappet .47 is in the groove of its :corresponding bar, the contact fingers controlled by such tappet are in the path of the drum-carried contact members, but when the bar is moved so that its groove does not register with the tappet, the tappet raises its fingers out of the' lpath of the contact members. The rods 51 and 52 which connect the bars 48 and 50 with the switch rails are adjustable for length, so that the proper relation may be secured and maintained between the switch rails and the contact fingers. p

The slide bars 48 and 50, and the grooves 48 and 50a in these bars, are so arranged that the groove in bar 48 registers with the corresponding tappet 47 only when switch rail 2 is tight against its stock rail 1. Ifthe motion plate 3 is then in Vthe position for looking this rail in such position, contact members 29 and 29a are contiguous to fingers 31 and 31a, so that the contact between these members and fingers is closed. Similarly, the groove 50.a in bar 50 registers with the tappet for fingers 33 and 33a only when switch rail 2EL is tight against stock rail 1a, whereby if the motion plate 3 is then in corresponding looking position these fingers engage with contact members 30 and 30a. In other words, when the mot-ion plate and switch coincide in position, one pair lof contact fingers 31 or 33 engages the corresponding pair of contact members 2970r 30, and the other pair of fingers is raised out of the path of its correspo'nding contact members. Then if the switch rails should be moved while the motion plate remainsstationary,

' the fingers which engaged their contact members would be raised away from suchmembers; and if the motion plate should be .moved while the switch rails remain staand the switch rails are in the positions shown in Fg. 1, the drum 28 occupies the position in which it is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and contact fingers 31 and 31a are down so that these fingers are in engagement with drum-carried contact members 29 and 29. Assume now that the motion plate 3 is shifted to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1 to reverse the position of the switch. During the first part of this movement, no motion of the switch rails takes place, because of the parallel end portions of the cam slots 10 and 10a, but during this first portion of the movement of the motion plate (while Vthe switch is being unlocked) the circuit controller drum 28 is shifted to its middle position wherein none of the contact members carried thereby are contiguous to the contact fingers. This movement of the drum is, of course, due to the inclined end portion of cam groove 34, which operates the slide bar 39 (Fig. 6). All contacts in the circuit Controller are now open and will remain open as long as the roller 35 occupies the straight middle portion of the cam slot 34. The switch rails are then shifted by the further movement of the motion plate 3, and when this shifting is completed, that is, after the end portions of the cam slots have reached the rollers 13, the circuit controller drum 28 is shifted through the remainder of its stroke (while the switch is being locked), so that contact members 30 and 30a are contiguous to contact fingers 33 and 33a. If the switch rails have completed their movement in response to the movement of the motion plate, contact fingers 33 and 33?L will be released by the registry of slot 50a in slide bar 50 with the tappet 47 which controls these fingers, so that these fingers will then fall into engagement with their contact members 30 and 30a. The first part of the movement of the switch rails.l of course, raised contact fingers 31 and 31 out of the path of contact members 29 and 29a, but this is immaterial so long as the mechanism operates in the manner intended, because these contact members were shifted out of engagement with their contact fingers before the movement of the switch rails beg'an (during the unlocking of the switch).

Referring now to Fig. S, we have here shown one arrangement of circuits which may be used in conjunction with 'the circuit Controller C shown in the preceding views. KN and KR represent the usual indication magnets included in an interlocking machine, which magnets govern the movementg of the lever,` which in turn governs the switch Operating mechanism. SN and SR are two signals governing traflic through the switch.

Indication magnet KN is controlled by a circuit from battery B through contact finger 32, contact member 29a, finger 31a, magnet KN, to common wire O. This circuit is closed when the drum 28 is in the position shown in the drawing, provided that finger 31a is in engagement withmember 293; i that is, provided that the switch rails are in' the extreme position co-rresponding to the position of the motion plate 3. The circuit for the signal SN is from battery B through contact fingers 32a, contact member :29, fin-- of the collapse of 'the yielding member 19 of the switch openating member already referred to.

It is understood, of course, that the circuits for the indication magnets and for the sign'als will usually be governed by apparatus other than that `shown in Fig. 8, but inasmuch as such other apparatus forms no part of our present invention vit is eliminated from this view in order to simplify the drawing.

Although we have he'rein shown and described only one form of switch Operating apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without depanting from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we 1claim is:

1. In combination, a railfway switch having switch rails the points of which are staggered longitudinally with relation to the track; and a switch operaiting mechanism complrising a motion plate movable in a direc'ti'on substantially parallel to the track and having two longitudinally spaced ycam slots, and two operating members one lfor each switch rail and coper-ating with said two cam slots respectively. i

2. In combination, 'a railway switch having switch rails the points of which are staggered longitudinally with relation to the track; and a switch Operating mechanism comprising two members connected with said switch rails respectively adjaoent he points thereof and disp'osed substantially at right angles to the rails, a motion plate movable longitudinally with respect to said rails and having two longitudinally disposed cam slots coperating with said two members respectively, and means for reciprocating said motion plate.

3. In combination, e ra-ilwa'y switch comprislng movable switch raile rlgldly connected by tying members for slmult-aneous Vmovefrnent; and means for moving said switch rails in reverse clirections compi'ising two operatng members'one for each switch mil for moving the switch -rail tofwarcl the corresponcling stock rail but not for movement of the `switch rail in the otherdrecti-on.

4. In combination, a reilway switch comprising moweble switch rails rigiclly connected by tyng members for simultaneous movement; and `an Operating mechanism com-prising Operating members one for each switch mil, a socket attached to each switch mil end having a, recess opening toward the micl'dl'e of the track, and' a headV on each operating member oOperating with the bottom of said socket recess to positively drive the switch mil towa'rd and hold it against the aicljiacent stock ral.

5. Railwfay switch operaxting mpparatus In testimony whereof `we affix our signn- 30 t-ures, each in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M., lVALDRON. i J'O'HN P. COLEMAN.

VVitnes/ses ae to lValdron:

FRANK HOLLINGWORTH, REUBEN A. SPANGLER.

Witnesses ns to Coleman:

A. HERMAN VVEGNER, E. P. CRUM.

G'opies of `this patent may be obtained for five eents each, ,by addressing lthe Commissioner of Patent,

ashing'ton, D. 0.

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