US2155820A - Adjustable connection for rail points - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1939;

s L. EASTBIURN ET AL ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION FOR RAIL POINTS Original Filed April '7, 1956 l N VE N TO s Samuel Z. Easilwrm flange/1 (w M ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5. L. EASTBURN ET AL Original Filed April 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vi 5 w; m I m m imgl \N :5 WM Mm A @m Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION FOR RAIL rom'rsv ration of Delaware Original application April 7, 1936, Serial No. 73,062. Divided and this application October 10, 1936, Serial No. 104,980. r

1 Claim. (011246-452) The invention relates to railroad track equipment, and more particularly, to adjustable connections between a looking or operating device and the track member connected thereto.

According to the invention, the connecting or lock rod may be provided with a suitable extension which is clamped against the switch point or other track rail by a suitable clamping bar. Suitable shims may be provided which, when transferred from one side to the other of the connecting rod extension, permit the necessary adjustment. Although capable of other uses, the invention is particularly applicable to safety locking devices for locking a switch point in main line position, wherein a notch is provided in the connecting rod in which seats the latch member of the locking device.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 73,062, filed April 7, 1936.

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 claim appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, 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 illustrating the adjustable connection used with a single switch having its normally closed point adjacent the safety locking device;

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating a vertical section through the adjustable connection;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of adjustable connection used when the safety locking device is applied to a single switch having its normally closed point remote from the locking device.

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

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

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific diSClOr sure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the form shown in Figs. 1-4, theadjustable connection is applied to a singleswitch wherein the locking device 20 is located on the same side as the normally closed switch point. The switch used for illustration may be of any well known construction. It will be understood that the invention may be applied to other track points, as for example, derailing switches.

The switch shown for purposes of illustration comprises the usual stock rails l and II and switch points 12 and E3 resting on ordinary ties I l and extra long ties IS. The switch point 13 is the normally closed point, rails I0 and I3 constituting main linerails and rails H and I2 constituting branch line rails. The safety locking device 2!], as will be understood by those skilled in the art, is used for the purpose of locking the switch in safe position for traffic on the main line.

The switch points. l2 and I3 are connected by the usual switch rod I6. There may be a plurality of such switch rods, but only one is shown for purposes of illustration. Connected to the switch rodis a connecting rod ll extending to the switch stand I8 supported by the ties l5. This switchstand [8 has a handle IQ for manually operating the switch. This particular type of switch stand is shown merely for purposes of illustration, it being understood that other types of switch stand may also be used. The switch stand may have its own locking device for locking the switch points.

The safety locking device 20 is directly connected by rod H to the normally closed point 13. Any common or Well known locking device may be used with the adjustable connection, such as, for example, the type disclosed in Stolle and Manley Patent No. 1,581,036, but it is preferred to use the locking device disclosed and claimed in the parent application above referred to.

Such locking devices comprise in general a base 22 bolted to the tie l and have ears for pivoting the locking lever 24. A foot pedal 26 is formed on locking lever 24 adapted to be engaged by the switchmans foot for operating the locking device. The base 22 has a depending sleeve (not shown) providing a guideway for the connecting rod 2|. The lock rod 2 I has a notch into which the looking lever 24 engages to lock the switch in main line position.

The connecting rod 2| is attached to the nearer switch point I3 by an adjustable construction permitting an adjustment of the switch point with respect to the locking device 20. The fiat rod 2| is bent, as at bend 40, to provide an upstanding lug 4i fitting between bar 42 and switch point l3.

The bar 42 may have lugs 43 and 44 through which pass bolts 45 and 46, these bolts passing through the web of switch point l3 as well as the reinforcing plates 50 and 5|. In case the clip 38 of the switch rod I6 is in close proximity, the bolt may also pass through this clip, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. A plurality of flat shims, whose tops 34 are bent, are located on opposite sides of the lug 4|. Those shims on one side are indicated by 41 and those on the other side by 48.

Transferring these shims from one side to the other serves to adjust the switch point I 3 with respect to the safety locking device 20. The shims may be transferred simply by loosening bolts 45 and 46 and locating the shims so as to provide the desired adjustment. The bent tops 34 aid in handling the shims and prevent them dropping down before the bolts 45 and 46 are tightened. It Will be noted that the end of the connecting rod 2| is tightly clamped in position by bolts 45 and 46 and that any vertical movement of the lug 4i is prevented by engagement on one hand with the lower edge of locking bar 42 and on the other hand by engagement with the base flange 49 of switch point I3.

Referring now to Fig. 5, this form illustrates the use of the adjustable connection when the normally closed switch point is remote from the locking device. In these figures like parts have numbers corresponding to the first form. The construction of the switch is the same as in the first form, except that point [2 is the normally closed point. This makes I l and I2 serve as main line rails and l 0 and I3 serve as branch line rails. In this form, the switch stand l8 and locking device 20 may be located in the same positions on the extra long ties 15, as in the first form.

In the second form, the connecting rod is longer, being indicated by 52, and may have incorporated in its length an insulating connection 53. The connecting rod 52 is connected to the switch point I2 by an adjustable connection similar to that used in the first form. The con-- 50 necting rod 52 has its end bent to form a lug 51 which is clamped between the locking bar and the switch point I 2 in exactly the same way as the lug 4! in the first form, the rod being locked against vertical movement by the base flange of switch point l2 and by bar 42.

Thus, there has been described and illustrated a construction in which adjustment may be easily made by simply loosening the bolts 45 and 46, removing shims 4'! or 48, as the case may be, and transferring them from one side to the other. This adjustment is necessary as the parts become worn in use so as to make sure that the safety locking device always holds the switch point in safe position for main line trafiic. Furthermore, the adjustable connection is applicable for use both when the normally closed switch point is on the same side of the switch as the locking device and when remote therefrom. It will furthermore be understood that the adjustable connection may be connected at other points along the length of the switch point without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In an adjustable connection for a safety switch lock, a movable switch point, a stationary rail, a rod having a flat connecting end, said end being bent to form a fiat lateral portion and being further bent to form a flat head, a clamping bar having apertured ends, said head being disposed between said clamping bar and the web of said switch point, said lateral portion being located between said clamping bar and the flange of said switch point, bolts passing through said apertured ends and the web of said switch point on opposite sides of said head, and shims between said head and said bar or switch point according to adjustment, said shims having upper shoulders engaging over the members adjacent thereto to prevent said shims from dropping down should said clamping bar become loose, said rod extending to a safety switch lock.

SAMUEL L. EASTBURN. GEORGE M. COOPER.

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