US150649A - Improvement in portable railway-switches - Google Patents

Description

Gym. wn|aH'T. Portable*Railway-Switches.

Patented May 5,1874.

UNITED ,STATES PATENT EFIGE eEoEeE M. WEIGHT, oE'oswEeo, NEw Yoan.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,649, dated May 5, 1874; application tiled November 10, 1873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. WEIGHT, of Oswego, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved-Portable Railroad-Switch; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specitication, in which drawing'- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my invention, when the same is applied to a railroad-track ready foruse.- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the elbow in the plane m0 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inside View of' the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same in the plane y y, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a similar section in" the plane z z, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of the bridge or leg in the plane x x', Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 9 is a detached plan of the shoe, which abuts against one end of the crossingrail. Fig. 10 is a side view of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. This invention consists in the arrangement of an elbow, one arm of which overlaps one of the main rails of a railroad-track, while the other arm receives the end of one of the siding-rails, said elbow being provided with buttons or latches, which can be made to catch under the heads of the rails in such a manner that the elbow can be readily applied or removed. It consists, further, in the arrangement of a tapering tongue or foot, which rests upon a supporting-plate, serving to keep said tongue elevated above the bottom liange of the main rail, and above the spike-heads, said tongue being. applied to the inner side ot one of the main rails, with its head abutting against the end of the crossing-rail, in such a manner that by said tongue the wheel is gradually switched off from the main track to the crossingrail, or viceversa, and at the same time a device is obtained which can be readily taken up or replaced, as may be required.

Before I proceed with the description of my switch I will remark that the same'is not intended for a regular station-switch, nor for cars running at great velocity, but simply as a temporary connection between a main line and a siding for work, wood, water, and construction trains.

In the drawing, the letters AA designate the main rails of a railroad-track, and the letters B B designate the siding-rails. Between the main rails AA is placed the crossing-rail C, which forms a continuation of the siding rail B. The crossing-rail G and the siding-rail B are connected by a bridge, D, Figs. l, 7, and S, which is so formed that its ends overlap the ends of the rails C and B, while its middle portion is cut out underneath to allow said bridge to pass over the main rail A. In the sides of the bridge D, near its ends, are fastened buttons or latches b, (best seen in Fig. 5,) which turn on pivots o, so that the same can be made to catch under the heads of the rails, to which the same are to be applied. By these means the bridge D can be readily secured to the rails B (l, whenever the connection is desired. On the inside of the main rail A is placed a tapering foot or tongue, E, which abuts against the end of the crossing-rail C, and serves to guide the wheel from the main rail to the crossing-rail, or vice versa. `This tongue rests upon a supporting-plate, F, Figs. 9 and 10, from which rises a stud, d, that catches in a hole in the tongue, while a stop, c, holds said tongue up against the main rail. By means of the supporting-plate the tongue E is retained clear above the bottom flange of the rail A, and above the spike-heads, and its point can be made to bear close against the main rail. By means of the supporting-plate F the tongue E can be readily adjusted in position. The connection between the siding- Y rail B and the mainrail A is edected by an elbow, G, Figs. l to 6, inclusive, one arm of. which is made to overlap the main rail, while its other arm overlaps the siding-rail B being fastened to said rails by means of buttons or latches b, Fig. 5, as previously. described.

Said elbow is also provided with a lip, f, Figs. 3 and 6, which catches under the head of the main rail, and gives an additional hold to the elbow. The position of the elbow is further strengthened by a toe, g, which bears down upon the sleeper, (see Figs. l, 4, and 6,) andwhich extends from the elbow near its bend. By these means the siding-rails B B and the crossing-rails C can be readily laid down at any desired point, and they een be connected to, or disconnected from, the main y rails in a short time, and with comparatively littie expense.

The bridge D and the elbow Gr are, by preference, so constructed that their bottom edges rest upon the bottom eng'es of the rails, te which the seme are applied, while the spaces between the tops of the rails andthe bridge or elbows may be filled with metal or Wood, as strength or lightness may be preferable, thus bringing the pressure of the Wheels upon the mils. My switch may also be used as e valuztble assistent in replacing cars upon the track.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The elbow Gr, provided with the lip f, latches or button b, and toe g, in combination With the main rail A end siding-rail B', substentielly es end for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the tapering tongue E and supporting-plate F with the crossingaill() and mein rail-A, substantially as set Ort i.

GEORGE M. VRGHT.

XVitncsSes HENRY L. DAVIS, FRANK MAT'rooN.

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