US1959107A - Heating device for railway switches - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1934. E. R. PACKER HEATING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Dec. 19, 1950 Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,95a1o7 HEATING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY swI'ronEs Eben Ray Packer, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application December 19, 1930, Serial No. 503,423 is Claims. (Cl. 219-19) This invention relates to the protection of railway switches from interruption to their proper operation by the accumulation of snow and ice under winter weather conditions and consists of improved electrical heating devices and installation thereof adapted for obtaining a high degree of heating ef ficiency with a minimum of current consumption.

An important object of the present invention is to more successfully employ a simplified and relatively economical type of electric heating device or member which structurally allows of permanent installation without interference with track maintenance operations. To this end I have designed an improved heating member adapted to be secured to the rail web in position underlying the rail head and having structural provision for the concentration of the heat at the region of the switch or slide plates so as to 20 obtain a more effective distribution of the heat where most required. For this purpose I employ I a tubular type of heating member having enclosed therein a resistance wire of a special form and arrangement as distinguished from the continuous coil of similar type heating devices or members now in use and which resulted in an excessive current consumption for the beneficial heating effect obtained. a

In my improved form the resistance wire within the tubular heating member is of a form providing a plurality of heating coil sections in spaced relation and conforming to the normal tie spacing of switch installations so as to concentrate the heat generated immediately adjacent to each tie whereby a greater ratio of heat conduction to the switch slide plates is obtained and in consequence greater protection against interruption to proper switching operation is given in proportion to the heat generated and which conversely allows of effectually operating with reduced current consumption.

A further important feature consists in providing an improved form of resistance heating member adapted to be economically manufac-y switch installation having my improved heating members incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of an improved resistance heating member of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view in vertical cross section showing my improved heating members in an approved manner of installation;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view in side elevation of my improved heating members connected up in double arrangement;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a portion of the switch installation having my improved heaters incorporated therewith in a modified form and arrangement;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of a heating member of modified form as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the heating member as initially formed;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the manner in which my improved heating member is deformed to increase the heat conduction to the rail;

Fig. 9 shows in cross section a desirably modifiedform of the heating member wherein a plurality of parallel conductor wires and resistance heating elements are contained within a single heating member or tube;

Fig. 10 is a partial view thereof in side elevation, and

Fig. 11 is a view of the resistance element of Figs. 9 and 10 in side elevation.

My improved heating elements are here shown in conjunction with the usual type of railway switch installations, including the ties 1, slide' plates 2, of usual form spiked to the ties and having inwardly extended slideway extensions 3 providing a slideway bearing for the movable switch point 4 operated by connecting rod 5 from a switch stand in the usual manner. At 6 is indicated the track or running rail bearing upon the slide plates in the customary manner. In accordance with the present invention the improved heating members are secured in position against the inner side of the web of the track or running rail and are of a small cross sectional size so as to be received between the switch point and the rail without interference with the former when in closed position. These heating members are shown at a and are formed of elongated metal tubing 7 which may initially be of circular cross section and within which is positioned to extend therethrough an electric conductor 8 with a packing of powdered magnesia interposed between the wire andthe irmer wall of the tube for electric insulation.

In accordance with the present invention the conductor 8 is formed at spaced intervals with resistance heating elements here shown as coils 9 formed in the conductor of continuous resistance wire. These resistance elements or coils 9 are spaced apart proportionate to the distance of normal tie spacing of a switch installation to provide when installed for the positioning of the heating coils in centered position with relation to the respective ties and slide plates thereon.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the heating members a of my improved construction may desirably be of the length corresponding to the length of the area to be heated, that is, each heating member is formed as a continuous tube extending the full length of the switch area to be heated, and as best shown in Fig. 3, two of the heating members may be employed in superimposed relation and clamped in position against the rail web by means of suitable bracket members 10 having a threaded shank 11 passed through an aperture in the rail web and secured by clamping nuts 12. The end portions on each of the tubular heating members are closed by suitable insulating blocks 14 through which the resistance or conductor wire is outwardly extended for terminal connection with suitable wire leads and the blocks 14 are secured in position by means of metal caps 16 threaded on to the' end of the tubes.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the tubular sheathing of the heating members may be initially formed of circular cross section, as shown in Fig. 7 and as a final operation it is flattened, as by pressure rolling, on one side to obtain an enlarged flattened area adapted for close contact with the face of the rail web soas to obtain the maximum of heat conduction to the rail. As shown in Figure 3, two of the heating members are clamped against the rail web with their flattened sides in contact therewith and with the heating members connected at one end to the respective circuit leads and connected at their opposite end, as shown in Figure 4, by means of a bridging conductor or connecting wire 16 for connecting the two members in an electrical series arrangement.

The described improved construction of heating members of the simple tubular type shown, allows of permanent-heater installation while obtaining the important advantages and economies incident to localizing the heat generation immediately at the positions of the slide plates whereby for the given amount of heat generated, a greater portion or ratio thereof is conducted to the plates from the track rail with the result that the slide plates may be maintained at an effective protecting heat without excessive current consumption.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a desirable modification of my improved heater construction containing a plurality of resistance heating elements spaced with relation to the ties but wherein the individual heating members are formed to be each of a length proportioned to take care of two tie plates and wherein they are installed as similar capacity units in such number and series arrangement as required for the particular installation and voltage of the circuit available. This arrangement oflers a desirable and economical standardization from the standpoint of manufacture.

In Figures 9 to 11 I have shown a further desirable modification wherein, as shown, two parallel conductors, formed in accordance with my invention with longitudinally spaced resistance heating elements, are positioned within a single enclosing tube or sheathing with the resistance heating elements thereof in similarly disposed spaced relation to correspond in position to the tie spacing and which under test has demonstrated very high heating efiiciency. In this modified construction instead of forming the spaced resistance heating elements by providing coiled sections in a continuous resistance and conductor wire, separable flattened, bar form resistance wires 18 are employed as the resistance heating elements which are connected by wires or conductors 19 for completing the electrical connection. It is accordingly intended in the appended claims that the term resistanceheating element shall be interpreted to include the forming of the heating elements in the form of coiled sections of a continuous resistance wire wherein the straight portions are essentially conductors in function with a negligible heating value as well as the employment of the separable resistance elements as shown in Figs. 9 to 11.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A protective heating device for railway switch installations including the ties, slide-plates and rails, consisting of a heating member secured to the rail in the switching space, said member consisting of a tubular casing, an electrical conductor positioned therein and insulated from the Walls of the casing and formed with longitudinally spaced resistance heating elements positioned to correspond to the normal tie spacing of the switch installation to localize the heat generation at points adjacent the slide plates.

2. An electrical resistance heating member adapted for the protection of railway switch installations comprising an elongated tubular casing, an electrical conductor enclosed therein with insulating material interposed between the conductor and the inner wall of the casing, said conductor being formed with longitudinally spaced resistance heating elements positioned to correspond to the normal tie spacing for local concentration of the heat.

3. An electrical resistance heating member adapted for the protection of railway switch installations comprising an elongated tubular casing, a resistance wire enclosed therein with powdered magnesia insulation between the wire and the inner wall of the casing, said wire being formed with longitudinally spaced heating coil sections positioned to correspond to normal tie spacing for localizing the heat generation and said casing being formed with a flattened surface for contact with the surface of the member to be heated thereby.

4. A protective heating device for railway switch installations including the ties, slide-plates and rails, consisting of a heating member adapted to be secured to the rail in the switching space, said member consisting of an elongated tubular casing, an electrical conductor positioned within the casing and provided with a plurality of resistance heating elements positioned to correspond to the normal spacing of the ties and said casing being formed with a flattened side surface positioned in engagement with the rail surface.

5. In a protective heating device for railway switch installations including the track rails, movable switch points and slide plates therefor, a heating means consisting of a plurality of similar heating members secured in contact with the rails, each of said members consisting of an elongated tubular casing, a conductor positionedtherein and insulated from the casing, said conductor being formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced resistance heating elements positioned to be in proximity to the slide plates and said members being connected in plural number and series arrangement to give a resistance value proportioned to the voltage of the circuit to which they are connected.

6. An electrical resistance heating member adapted for the protection of railway switch installations comprising an elongated tubular casing, a plurality of conductors positioned to extend longitudinally through. the casing in paralleled relation, each of said conductors being formed with similarly spaced and positioned resistance heating elements longitudinally spaced to correspond to the normal tie spacing of a switch installation.

comprising an elongated tubular casing, a plurality of resistance heating elements enclosed within the casing in longitudinally spaced relation corresponding to tie spacing and insulated from the casing. v

EBEN RAY PACKER.

the protection of railway switch installations;

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