US1793976A - Rail switch - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 24, 1931. STRONG 1,793,976

' RAIL SWITCH Fi ed Aug. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-5heet l 1931 I J. B. STRONG 1,793,976

RAIL SWITCH Filed A112. 20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I \WW Patented Feb. 24', 1931 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES B. STRONG, 0F FEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGId'OB TO BAIAIPO AJAX. CORPORATION,

03' NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK RAILSWITGE Application filed August 20, 1930. semi Io. 470,417.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of This invention relates to switches, and more particularly to a new and improved system of switch point planing by which a switch point of increased strength is obtained.

A switch point constructed in accordance with the present invention is provided with a head which is cut or beveled on the inside at a substantial angle to the vertical to engage with a rail having a head which is undercut and provided with a complementary surface adapted to engage the inclined surface of the switch point. The outer surface of the switch point is inclined to engage the flange of a car-wheel and in a preferred form the angles of inclination of the inner and outer surfaces are approximately equal. This provides a comparatively large quantity of metal in the head of the switch point which strengthens the assembly and lessens the liability of the point becoming warped or injureddue to frequent contact with the car wheel. Strengthening members are also preferably provided along the web of the switch point and extend into engagement with the head'of the switch point adjacent said inclined surfaces. The construction accordingly provides a substantial quantity of metal in all parts of the switch point and materially increases the strength thereof.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organiaation may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the switch constructed in accordance with the present invention; F Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken on the line 3-3 ofFig.1;

Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of F1g. 1; and y 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a stan ard rail head showing the amount of undercut and increased metal contained in the improved switch point of the present invention.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the following description and in the claims parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention is shown as applied to a switch comprising a pair of stationary rails 10 of standard construction and a pair of switch points comprising a pair of movablelrails 11 which are connected to rails 12 in any standard manner and. are adapted to be thrown into contact with eitherof the rails 10 in response to suitable actuating mechanism, not shown. Each of the rails 11 comprising a switch point includes a web ortion 15, head 16 and base flange-17. Said base flange extends downwardly in an inclineddirectlon and is adapted to contact with and rest on base 18 of rail 10- when the switch point is in engagement therewith.

Head 16 of the switch point is formed with an outer surface 19 which is inclined to engage the flange of the car-wheel andis provided with an inner surface 20 having a substantial inclination to the vertical opposite to that of surface 19. The inclinations of surfaces 19 and 20 are preferably such that the base of head 16 is of substantial width, preferably in excess of the width of web 15. Head 21 of rail 10 is rovided on the inside with an undercut sur ace 22 which is complementary to the inclinedsurface 20 ofthe switch omt and is adapted to engage the same when the switch is in closed position. The inclinations of surfaces 19 and 20 are preferably equal, although it is obvious that the inclinations may vary in difierent in- Y switch point, however, it is noted that head 16 rogressively increases in width, as shown in igs. 2 to 6, and also increases in elevation with respect to the elevation of rail head 21, so that before the point becomes separated from the main rail the weight of the wheel is entirely supported on head 16 and not by I the outer rail 10.

A pair of strengthening members 25 are referably mounted on the switch point adacent web 15 and extend upwardly into engagement with head 16. Said members are also provided. at their upper edges with inclined surfaces 26 and 27 preferably forming continuations of surfaces 19 and 20 respec-.

tively. Said strengthening members may be secured to the web 15 of the switch point in any desired manner as by bolts 28 which are extended throughsaid members and through said web and secured by nuts 29 and lock washers 30.

Referring to Fig. 7 the portion 31 indicates the amount of inclination of the standard rail and the amount of material which must be removed therefrom to form the inclined surface 22. It will be noted than an equivalent amount of material is added to the inner surface of the switch point and serves to materially strengthen the same. A type of switch point commonly used with a standard rail head is provided with a head 32 which has an outer inclined surface 33 similar to surface 19 of head 16, but has an inner surface 34 which is inclined in the same direction as surface 38 and provides a head of extremely thin cross section. It will be noted that the material which is added to the switch point in the above construction more than doubles the cross sectional area thereof at. the free end'and increases the strength of said switch point by an even greater amount due to the efficient distribution of the metal.

The reeuforcing members 25 also cooperate with .the enlarged head 16 to form a articularly rigid and firm structure in w ich the tendency to warp and the possibility of injury is reduced to a minimum.

While certain novel features of the inven tion have been shown and described and are What is claimed is:

1. A switch structure comprising a switch point, said switch point havlng an outer inclined surface adapted to contact, with a wheel flange and an inner surface oppositely inclined to said first mentioned surface and adapted to contact with a com lementary inclined surface on a railhea 2. A switch structure comprisin a switch point having an u per incline surface adapted to contact w1th the flange of a carwheel and an inner surface inclined to the vertical opposite to said first mentioned surface, the angles of inclination of said inner and outer surfaces being substantially equal whereby a substantial quantity of metal is sition.

4. A switch pointpomprisinga rail having head and web portions, said head portion having oppositely! inclined surfaces and being substantially wider at the base than at the top and strengthening members located adjacent said web section and extending substantially to'said head section, said strengthening members having surfaces formed as continuations of said inclined surfaces.

5. A switch structure comprising a rail, a switch point associated therewith and having a head provided with oppositely inclined surfaces, said rail also being provided with a head having a surface complementaril -inclined to receive the head of said ,switc inted out in the annexed claims it will. be

understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details without departing from the spirit of the ing vention. 1

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