US26270A - Kailro ad-switch - Google Patents

Description

'STATES PATENT y orric RAILROAD-SWITCH. 1

Specication of Letters Patent No. 26,270, dated Novembe 29," 1859:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. JOYNER, of Richmond, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Switch; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specilication, (which drawing is a perspective view of said railroad-tracks and switch,) and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

(a) and (b) represent two continuous rails, constituting at the end near the observer a single track, and, at the other, the outside rails of two tracks. (c) and (d) are the inside rails of those tracks, (d) forming with (a) the left, and (c) with (b) the right track. They are continued toward the observer until they come so near the outside rails, and (b), as barely to permit the flange of the car wheel to pass freely between them. They are then tapered to a point still preserving the same distance from the outside rails, and are plated with steel.

" Where they terminate the rails (a) and (b) are so near, that, while one car-wheel is running on the rail (a) approachingthe beholder, the tread of the other, which has been running on (cl), will lap over and be sustained on the rail (E) and (e) are switch rails with the nearer ends slightly curvedinward, and resting on chairs, in which they have some slight play as on pivots. The other ends curve inward still more, and slide on suitable chairs, and are moved by a switch rod infany `usual manner. The curve is such that, when thrown to the left, the left rail presses against the left wheel of a car going out and forces it into the left track; and the reverse when thrown to the right.

When the switchis `adjusted for theglefty` l track, it is obviousthatna.locomotivecomf` ing over that track willbelsafely conducted j upon the single track. And, if it comes fin f that case on the" right track, thegsame result i will follow, sincethe` rails (a.) `l and `(6)""arel 1 y so near together as tosustain bothwheels, l where it leavesthe rail.(`0).\` `Bi1t`,inorder .y to securelthis more ei'ectually, such a curve must be given to the switch rails that, while 1 a carwvheelcan passbetween the rail(o)` and the switch rail `that:1side,\whenf`` thrown to the leftQyet, y efore" the wheel drops oft' the rail (o it willst 'k rail, and "be forcedupon r The advantages of this -rr y y l. that the bearing rails ar tionary and rm ,that the switch rail may` bemade `ligh and less expensive and especially that, :whil the trains` maybe directed with suiicien certainty upon eitherbranch,"as` desired, it is practically impossiblefor them `to runzoif l y the track, whichever way they are moving,` and however the switch may be adjusteda Switches have heretofore beenconstructed with stationary yrailsf, the `inner `approaclrling the outer ones, and"`1`nadeltapering`and1th whole arrangedtlike they.stationary.rails..1 y y above described.` Butno adequateprovision y y was made inthemfor the safetyoftrains coming on one sidemtrack,...whenythe switch was adjusted for `theother.` 1 y Therefore, what `Iiclaimas lmy invention,` i and desire to secure by` Letters Patent, is@` y A pair` of switch rails, in connection witl structed `and arranged asis describedabove; y f Flr-1. JoilfNnn.

Witnesses: c l l l l WM. WESTON, J. GUERIN.

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