US1377452A - Railroad-switch-operating device - Google Patents

Description

I. BAKOVICH.

RAILROAD SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FB.28, 19'21.

1,377,452. Y. Patented May10,1921,

E FlG. 1 T l 1f l l l UNITED STATES JOSEPH IB'AKOVICIEI, OF 'HERMINIR PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

y.Application filed February 28, 1521. lSerial No. 448,638.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH BAKovIoH, a citizen of JugoeSlavia, residing at Herminie, in the county of `llestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania,y have invented certain new and useful mproveinents in Railroad-Switch (.)perating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe primary object of the inventionis the provision of ready means for operating a switch from a moving car whereby the motorman may control the travel of the car either` upon `the main track or a siding or branch track at will and without the aid of a switchman.

A further object of the invention is the provision of switch operating mechanism installed adjacent a railroad track, whereby a distantly positioned switch may be opened or closed at will during the travel of the car, thereby saving time and expense in connection with the operation of Switches.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a switch operating mechanism operable from a moving train and possessing great strength or durability, as well as being simple in construction and easy and inexpensive to install.

I Vith the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed. i Y

ln the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 isa plan view of a railroad track partially broken away and shown withthe present switch operating mechanism 1nstalled, y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view drawn on a larger Scale and taken upon line Il--H of Fig. 1, f

Fi g. 3 is a still further enlarged view taken upon line III-III of Fig. 1, and

llig. 4; is a vertical sectional view through a portion with the side of the car showing the adjustable actuator for theswitch mechanism. y

Referring in detail to the drawing the 1nvention is herein illustrated in connection with a straight line of track having rails 10 and 11, the rail 11 being laterally curved to form one rail of a switch track or siding 12 in connection with the rail 13 parallel therewith. A movable switch point 14 is pivoted as at 15, to the end of the straight line track 4railA 11l for cooperating with the rail 11,

while a similarswitch point 16 is pivoted as at 17 to the rail 13 for coperating with the rail 10. Theswitch points 1/1 and 16 are connected by a transverse switch operating rod 18 which extends beyond one side of the rail 11 where it is provided with the usual weigthed lever 19 for manually throwing the switch points should occasion so require. The construction thus far described is old and well known in the art, and the present invention provides an improved mechanism for the automatic Shifting of the rod 18.

The actuating mechanism for the switch points 14 and 16,' constituting the present invention, is mounted adjacent the straight track 10-11 at a suitable 4distance from the switch points 14 and 16 and includes a horizontal base 2O preferably in the form of a metal plate which is embedded in cement as at 21 substantially flush with the surface of the roadbed, the base 2O being provided with apertures at the ends thereof through which project upright posts 22 which have their lower ends embedded within the cement 21 and which are provided with alined apertures through which a double rack bar 23 is slidably guided, the rack bar 23 being disposed parallel with the track rails 10 and 11 and being extended at one end to a point adjacent the hand lever 19 where it is at.- tached slidably and pivotally as at 24 to one Patented May 1o, 1921.y

end of a bell-crank lever 25 which has its other end Similarly connected asfat 26 to the rod 18. ln order to resist accidental move ment of the rack bar 23, downwardly curved leaf springs 27 are attached to the upright members 22 so as 'to have their lower free ends bearingupon the upper surface of the rack bar 23, the attaching means for the spring 27 preferably including` yadjusting screws 28 whereby the friction of the'springs upon the rack bar may be regulated.

The rack bar 23 has its opposite side edges toothed as at 29 and 30, and a pinion 31 meshes with the teeth 29 while a similar pinion 32 meshes with the teeth 30, the pinions'31 and 32 being respectively fixed upon l the lower ends of vertical shafts 33 and 34 which are ournaled in suitable bearings 35 carried by upright posts 36 and 37. rlhe posts 36 and 3,7 extend through suitable openings provided therefor in the basey plate 20 and have their lower ends embedded within the cement 21, and the post 36 extends upwardly to a greater height than the post 37 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. rIlhe shaft 33 has a lever 38 fixed thereto adjacent the top of the post 36 softhat the lever 38 normally projects inwardly toward the rail 11 as shown in Fig. 1. In a similar manner, the shaft 34 has a lever 39 secured upon the upper end thereof directly beneath the lever 38 so as to normally project inwardly toward the rail 11 as is also shown in Fig. l. If desired, the shaft 33 may be extended t0 a point above the lever 38 so as to have a signal lantern 40 mounted thereon whereby the motorman of a carV may readily ascertain whether or not it is necessary for him to throw the switch in order to proceed in the desired direction.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated the carrying actuator for the levers 38 and 39 consisting of a lever 41 extending through an opening 42 in the side 43 of a car and pivoted therein as at 44, the lever 41 being provided with a releasable spring catch 45 for cooperating with a curved rack 46 which is suitably fixed to the inside of the car concentric with the pivot 44. The lever 41 is provided with a transverse bar 47 upon its outer projecting end, the bar 47 being suitably braced as at 48and being disposed for engagement with a desired one of the levers 38 and 39 when the lever 41 is shifted from the neutral position of Fig. 4 to a position wherein the catch 45 engages either the upper notch 49 or the lower notch 50 of the rack 46.

With the parts positioned as shown in the drawing, we will assume that a car is approaching the switch moving toward the right of Fig. 1, it being the intention of thc motorman to keep upon the straight line track. With this view, the catch 45 is released and the lever 41 is swung so as to engage the catch 45 with the notch 49, whereby the bar 47 is lowered so as to strike the lever 39. This causes rotation of shaft 34 so as to move the rack bar 23 toward the left, thereby swinging bell-crank lever 25 for causing movement of rod 18 whereby the switch point 14 is brought adjacent rail 11 and the switch point 16 is moved away from rail 10. Had the motorman desired to turn into the siding or branch track 12, he would have positioned the lever 41 in its neutral position as shown in Fig. 4 so that the bar 47 would pass between the lever 38 and 39 without striking either one of the same. However, supposing that the switch points had been actuated as above outlined, and that another approaching motorman wishes to turn into the siding or branch track, he will set the lever 41 vwith the catch 45 engaged in the notch 50 so that the bar 47 will strikethe lever 38 for rotating pinion 3l and causing return of the rack bar 23, bellcrank 25,.rod 18 and switch points 14 and 16 to the position of the same shown in Fig. 1. From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the iiivention as claimed.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. Train-actuated operating mechanism for switches comprising operatively connected switch points, a rack operatively connnected to said points adaptedfor shifting the points for permitting travel upon the main track or a siding at will, operating levers for the rack inwardly projecting tol ward the track in different horizontal planes and a bar carried by the train adapted for adjustment for selectively engaging said levers whereby the switch points are shifted in either desired direction.

2. In combination with a railroad track having a siding, switch points controlling travel between the straight line track and siding, an operating rack for the switch points, pinions in constant mesh with the opposite sides of the rack, shafts carried by said pinions, and inwardly projecting levers upon said shafts positioned at different elevations adapted for selective contact during the travel of a car upon the main track whereby the switch points are actuated in either desired direction.

3. In combinati-on with a railroad track having a siding, switch points controlling travel between. the straight line track and siding, an operating rack for the switch points, pinions in constant mesh with the opposite sides of the rack, shafts carried by said pinions, inwardly projecting levers upon said shafts positioned at different elevations, a bar pivoted for vertical shifting upon the car traveling upon the track adapted for selectively engaging said levers` and adjustment-retaining means for said bar. 4. A device of the class described comprising switch points for a rack, actuating levers therefor at different horizontal positions adjacent the track adapted' for moving the switch points in either desired direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH BAKOVICI-I.

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