US232176A - Switch attachment - Google Patents

Description

l(No Model.) -2 Sheets-Sheet l.

HQE'. COX.. Switch Attachment.

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H. 1:". COX.

Switch Attachment.

No. 232,176. y Patented Sept. 14,1880.

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Y set for the siding.

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. COX, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH ATTACHMENT. u

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,176, dated September 14, 1880.

Application filed July 20, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. COX, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Switch Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of an automatic switch set for the main line and having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents a similar view, the switch being Fig. 3 represents a detail view, on an enlarged scale, through the line mx of Fig. 2, and Fig.4 represents a similar view, but with the operating parts in different relative positions. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged detail view through the line y y ot' Fig. l; and Fig. 6, a side elevation ot the drum or wheel, showing the guide-piece for the arm or finger.

My invention has relation to automatic railroad-switches and their attachments; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement ot' an attachment to an automatic switch, whereby the switch maybe operated from a distant point, and yet so arranged as to permit of an automatic action of the switch by a passing train in the event ot' its being misplaced;

and it further consists in certain details of coilstruction, which will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents an automatically-operating switch, and which consists, in connection with the main-track rails a b, of the switch-rails c d, the automaticallyoperating rail c, switch-rods f g, cranks f and 7L', .and connecting-shaft h.

Ihe operation of this switch is such that upon the switch being set wrong or misplaced for a train coming in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 2, the flange of the advanced wheel will strike the pivoted rail c, (which lies adjacent to the rail 0,) forcing it inward or between the rails, (see Fig. 1,) and causing the switch to open by the rail c having connection with rod g, crank 7i', shaft h, crank f', and rod f, and thereby allowing the train to pass.

(No model.)

This construction of switch is well known, and is not, therefore, necessary to be here minutely described, my invention consisting in v providing this form of switch or any other form of automatic switch operated upon like principles with an attachment by means of which the switch may be operated by a rod or chain or equivalent at a distance without intert'ering with its proper manipulation by han d or by the action of the train itself.

In carrying out my invention, therefore, I provide the connecting-shaft h, by means of which the switch-rods f g are operated, with a loosely-mounted drum or wheel, B, carrying an arm or finger, C, of novel construction. This arm C is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and is mounted upon the drum B, upon a guide piece, b', the arm being formed with a corresponding guide-slot, b2, thereby allowing to the arm C a inovementin theline ot its length. The outer end ot' the arm G is provided with thumb and finger projections c2 c3, for a purpose shortly to be described.

D represents a stationaryeccentric and guideway arranged at the side ot drum B in any suitable and known way, for the purpose ot' receiving the pin d', projecting from the arm C.

E represents a lever ot' peculiar construction rigidly attached to the operatin g-shat't 71,. Near its outer end this lever is bent or curved, at c', so as to extend over and across the face or width of eccentric guideslots D; and at this point, on the side next the drum B, is secured a pivoted arm, F, with its pivotal point at G, the construction of which will be pointed out in connection with its operation.

i represents the ordinary weighted lever of an automatic switch, the switch-rod heilig connected thereto at some distance from the pivotal point, the etfect of which and ot' the weighted end being to prevent its being inadvertently or accidentally misplaced or being thrown by a passing train.

Upon the drum or wheel B is secured a wire, rope, or chain, or equivalent, by which the wheel may be opera-ted, and which is led to a signal cabin or tower or the switch may be actuated from any other suitable and desirable point.

The operation of my device is simple and easily understood, and is as follows: In Fig. l the switch is shown set for the main track,

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which is open and the main line unbroken. In this position the switch-lever E is at the outer end of its throw, and the arm or finger C, carried by the drum B, engages the pivoted arm F of the switch-lever E. When, however, it is desired to set the switch for the siding, the rod or chain passing over the drum B is worked so as to revolve the drum, and this carries the switch-lever E to the position shown in Figs.2and 3. This operation just described is effected as follows: Upon the drum B being -revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 5, the arm of finger G ofA the drum engages the lever E by its shorter projection o2 coming in contact with the pivotal arm F of the lever E, the drum still'continuing to revolve till the lever E reaches a horizontal position, when the pin d of the arm C will enter a cam portion, d2, of the guide D and cause the arm C to be thrust radially outward at the saine time that it is revolving, thereby completely embracing the peculiarlyformed head of the pivoted arm F ofthe lever E. The arm C will thus engage the switchlever E until said lever has reached the position shown in Fig. 3, when the pin d of the arm C enters the cam portion d3 of the guideway D and .withdraws the arm C radially inward, thereby disengaging the. switch-lever. In this condition (Figs. 2 and 3) the switch is free to be operated automatically by a train coming in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 2; or the switch may be operated by hand without interfering with the attachment to the switch. In the event of the switch being operated by a passing train or by hand so as to carry the switch-leverE to the other end of its throw and set the switch for the main line, the

drum B is made to revolve so as to bring the arm C to the position shown in Fig. 5, and in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in the last-named figure, where it will engage the switch-lever E. This peculiar operation is effected as follows Vhen the pin d of the arm G reaches the cani d2 the arm C will arm F. This it will do by the lower projection, c2, striking the portion f2 of the arm F and causing said arm, by the peculiar arrangement of its pivot, to be oscillated outwardly, when the projection c2 of the arm G will pass below the head f2, thereby engaging the lever' E, when it is again in position to be operated from the signal-cabin or other point in the manner before set forth.

When the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and it is desired to reset the switch from the signal-cabin so as to leave the main line unbroken, the operation is as follows The arm O and switch-lever E are in the relative positions shown by Fig. 3. The arm C, carried by the drum B, is made to revolve, when said arm C will be carried from the position in Fig. 3 to that in Fig. 4, where the pivoted arm F of the switch-lever takes into the arm C, and, upon the arm G still continuing to revolve, the arm C and switch-lever E will be brought back again to the position indicated in Fig. 5.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a railroad-switch, a connecting-shaft uniting the switch-rods and provided with a switch-lever and with a loosely-mounted drum or wheel carrying an arm or finger adapted to engage and disengage the switch-levei-E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a railroad-switch, a connecting-shaft uniting the switch-rods and provided with a loosely-mounted drum or wheel carrying an arm or finger adapted to engage and disen gage the switch-lever at one end of its throw and to engage the same at the other end or limit of its throw, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the switch-rails c, d, and e, switch-rods]l and g, and cranks f and h", connected by the operating-shaft h with a loosely-mounted drum or wheel carrying an arm orfin ger adapted to engage and disen gage the switch-lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. An attachment to an automatic switch, consisting of a drinn or wheel loosely mounted upon an operating-shaft and carrying an arm or finger adapted to operate a switch-lever, ail being so arranged with respect to the switchlever that a train, in passing through the switch when misplaced, will be free to operate it without operating said drum or wheel and its arm, substantially as set forth.

5. A druin or wheel loosely mounted upon the operating-shaft of a railroad-switch and cari-yin gan arm or iin ger having alimited movement in the line of its length, and provided with a pin working within an eccel1tric,where by the arxn disengages and engages a switchlever at one end or limit of its throw and engages the same at the other limit of its throw, substantially as specified.

6. A drum or wheel loosely mounted upon the operating-shaft of a railroad-switch and carrying an arm or finger having a limited movement in the lille ot' its length, and provided with a pin working within an eccentric,

in combination with a switch-lever having a pivoted arm at or near its outer end, whereby the arm or finger of the drum disengages and engages the pivoted arm of the switch-lever at one end or limit of its throw and engages the same at the other limit of its throw, in the manner substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. HENRY F. COX. Witnesses:

F. B. BROCK, H. A. HALL.

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