US30117A

US30117A - Substitute for railroad-frocr

Info

Publication number: US30117A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1860-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1877-09-25

Description

No. 80,117. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1860. S. A. BLACK & P. 0. FORD. SUBS-TITUTE FOR RAILROAD FROGS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL A. BLACK AND FREDERICK G. FORD, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUBSTITUTE FOR RAILROAD-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,117, dated September 25, 1860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL A. BLACK and FREDERICK O. FORD, of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Substitute for the Railroad-Frog; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.

Our invention is designed to perform all the functions of the frog ordinarily used on rail-roads for guiding the train in its passage on the track in crossing another track, and to be operated by the wheels of the locomotive. An examination of our invention will show that its operation is very perfect and safe and always reliable, and that its use will entirely prevent the occurrence of any accident and injury in the crossing of tracks by a train of cars.

Our invention is clearly shown by the drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 being a top view of a straight track and an oblique track at the point of crossing, and Fig. 2 being a view by vertical section taken through the center of the inner rail of the straight track.

In each of the figures like marks and letters are used to indicate like parts.

The two rails of the straight track are lettered (a, a), and the two rails of the oblique track (6, b

In carrying out our invention we cut-oif a section or piece (0) of the inner straight bar (a), or of the inner oblique bar (6), whichever of the tracks being complete, and if both complete and having in use the ordinary frog we remove so much of the rails of both tracks as will give space for the fitting in of the piece (a) and for its proper motions. By a chair ((1) we give the piece (a) a suitable bearing upon which it may be turned. Within the piece (0) we fit a recessed plate (3)) which will rest upon and over the bearing and chair.

To each end of the piece (0) we attach plates (9, g), the outer ends of which 1 (h, h) are bent down and by pins or screws are connected to one end of double headed horizontal levers which have fulcrums (j) on blocks (is). These horizontal levers while they are apart of the means for giving motion to the piece (0) also form a support to the ends of that piece. To each of the heads (Z, Z) of these levers are attached bars (m, m) which connect them to vertical levers (n, n). One of these vertical levers (n, n) at each end is attached to a straight rail and one to the oblique rail, the point of attachment being the fulcrum (0) of the lever. The upper arm (p) of each of these levers is flattened so as to present an operating surface for the flange of the wheel of the locomotive. Now it will readily be seen that when the piece (0) is in line with the inner rail (6/) of the straight track, the arms (p) of the straight track are depressed and those of the oblique track elevated, so that a train of cars coming along on the oblique track from either direction would operate, by the flange of the wheel striking and forcing down the arm (p), the piece and place it in line with the inner rail of the oblique track and thus provide for the safe crossing of the train; and when the train on the straight track came along the arms (7)) of that track being elevated and those of the oblique track depressed the piece (0) of the rail supported upon the rail of the oblique to that of the straight track and afiord like safe passage on that track.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the levers and bars herein set forth in combination with the piece (0) of the rail supported upon the chair and operated as described.

This specification signed this 17th day of August 1860.

SAM. A. BLACK. F. O. FORD. Witnesses:

SAML. H. METCALF, R. M. BROWN.