US3042348A - Readily movable railway switch - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1962 w. M. LUTTS, SR 3,042,348

READILY MOVABLE RAILWAY SWITCH Filed April 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WILUAM M. LUTTS, SR

BY ME. film/MK ATTORNEY y 1962 w. M. LUTTS, SR 3,042,348

READILY MOVABLE RAILWAY SWITCH Filed April 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WlLLIAM M. LUTTS,$F2.

BY z. W0

ATTORNEY 3,042,348 READILY MQVABLE RAILWAY WETCH William M. Lutts, Sr., 4102 Berkshire Ave, Louisviiie, Ky. Filed Apr. 11, 196i), Ser. No. 21,176 3 Claims. or. 246453) This invention relates to track switches for railroads and more particularly to an improved apparatus for supporting and readily moving the switch-point assembly.

The disadvantages present in the conventional type of switch employing a switch-point assembly which rests upon and slides across the tie plates have been long recognized. Various arrangements, for example, as disclosed in Hewes Patent 2,324,622, have been proposed to overcome these disadvantages, among which may be mentioned the necessity for maintaining of the tie plates in properly lubricated conditions; the need for heavy leverages in moving the switch-point assembly; and the undesirable wear which occurs during usage of the switch. The present invention has as a purpose the provision of an apparatus which not only substantially overcomes these enumerated disadvantages, but also avoids other disadvantage found in the friction-reducing, switch-throwing arrangements known at the present time.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved switch-point assembly supported upon a cross tie and movable into a selected switching position with a relatively small effort.

Another object is to provide an improved bracket of low overall height for supporting a tiltable switchpoint assembly upon a cross tie.

A further object is to provide an improved head rod arrangement for moving a switch-point assembly,

A still further object is to provide an improved reinforcing of the weaker portions of a switch-point assembly so as to permit camming of the switch points into close engagement with a rail and to reduce feathering of the switch point.

Other objects and advantages will become more ap parent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a railway track switch embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of a switch point embodying the invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one rail of the track with a switch point engaged therewith for passage of a train thereover and as taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3-A is a view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the relative positions of the parts as the switch point touches the rail in moving toward engaged position therewith.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the rails taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the rails taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view of the supporting bracket taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the bracket taken on line 77 of FIG. 6.

In accordance with the invention, a pair of spaced head rods attached in a pantograph-like arrangement to a pair of switch points adjacent the forward ends of those switch points carries between them a bracket which mounts a roller, and which roller is located approximately midway between the respective switch points and travels with those switch points as they are shifted from one rail to the other. The roller may move freely upon a flat plate located upon the upper surface of a cross tie between the head rods and thus supports the weight of the switchpoint assembly from an elevated point. By means of dates a vertical bolt 45 suitably sloped surfaces on the switch points engageable with the inner surfaces of the rails, those switch points are cammed into close engagement with the rails when in their switching position. Also, as one switch point is cammed into this engagement, the entire switch-point assembly tilts about the .roller as a flucrum thus holding the other switch point out of contact with the tie plates while the rail-engaged switch point settles at its rearward end into engagement with the tie plates. The bracket preferably has an overall height not exceeding the height of the tops of the rails and forms no obstruction to the movement of the train, but still permits the roller to be mounted on top of a cross tie requiring no modification.

Referring now to FIG, 1, the track rails 10, 11 and 12,

. 13 comprise the rails of two converging tracks which converage into the single track having rails 14, 15. Whereas rails 10, 14 and 13, 15 are continuous and are firmly fixed as by spikes 17 to the usual cross ties 18, the switch point rails 19 and 20 are movable and are movably attached in the conventional way at their rear ends, or heels, to the ends of the fixed rails 11 and 12. Fastened to the top surfaces of the ties and constantly supporting the fixed rails are elongated tie plates 21. As will later appear, those tie plates between the taper points 22 and 23 of the switch-point rails and the heels thereof, will also support the appropriate switch point nail when the train wheel is rolling thereover in accordance with the invention.

Extending forwardly of those taper points, however, both of the switch-point rails 19 and 20 are progressively reduced in cross section and at their forward ends have a configuration generally as seen in FIG. 3. Since these configurations for the respective switch-point rails are substantially mirror-images of each other, a description of the rail 19, as shown in FIG. 3, will suflice. The

' normal rail flange 24 of rail 19 seen in FIG. 4 is progressively cut away from its bottom at an elevation and slope permitting the bottom of rail 19 to rest upon the upper flange surface 25 of the continuous rail 14-10 when that switch-point is in engagement with that continuuous rail. The normal rail flange 26 of rail 19, however, remains substantially unchanged and helps to reinforce the rail at its forward end. The top of rail 19 is drastically reduced in size and tapers to a relatively thin fin 27 which in addition is bevelled downwardly along its upper edge 28 (FIG. 2) in the direction of its forward end. Between flange 26 and this fin, the rail 19 has a vertical web portion 28 provided with a plurality of holes therethrough.

Elongated reinforcing strips 29 and 30 are held in close engagement with the respective sides of the web portion by means of bolts passing through holes in those strips and in the web portion. Simple bolts (not shown) may be employed at the rearward ends of the strips to hold those strips against the rail 19, but at the points of attachment of the head rods to the switch-point rails, it is preferred to employ a bifurcated bracket 41) having a flat boss 41 on each leg thereof with a hole therethrough to receive a longer bolt 31, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A. Sufiicient space exists between the web section and the fixed rail 14 to receive the bolt head, and the threaded outer end of the bolt is securely aflixed to the composite structure by a castle nut 42 with the usual washer and cotter pin.

Bracket has its legs rigidly afiixed to a sleeve 43 having an aperture extending therethrough slightly larger than the head rod 44 received therein. A hole extending through both the sleeve and the head rod accommoabout which the head rod may pivot slightly in a horizontal plane for a purpose later to become apparent. The head rod 44 may comprise a rectangular cross-section and be mounted in the usual fashion below the rails and between adjacent cross-tics.

At its ends it may be provided with the usual apertured flat member for engagement with the clevis 46 attached to the operating rod 47 of a conventional switch stand 48 disposed along side the tracks, or to the linkage leading from a switch tower. When a switch stand is employed, the handle 49 thereof may be held in a selected position .by means of the usual foot-released latches t) and 51.

As a feature of the invention, the head rod 44 is attached to each of the switch-point rails adjacent the forward ends of those rails in the manner above described and a second rod '54 of like configuration and extending parallel to the first rod is similarly attached to those switch-point rails. As will be apparent, the head rods need not be attached to the switch point rail s precisely at the points as shown, but may be attached farther toward the heels of the switch-point rails without departing from the invention. The second head rod is spaced from the first head rod with an intervening cross tie 55 therebetween. Rigidly attached to the upper surface of cross tie 55 generally midway between the switch-point rails is an elongated flat plate 56.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a massive bracket, preferably formed in one piece as by casting or forging, is provided with a pair of depending extremities 57 and 58 located generally axially of the railway track and spanning the distance between the head rods. Between these extremities the bracket is smoothly curved upwardly into a hood section 59.

Formed in the hood portion and extending downwardly therebeneath is a pair of spaced web sections 62 and 63 having axially aligned holes therein for receiving with a snug fit the respective ends of an axle shaft 64. This shaft is received endwise into a self-lubricating roller 65 of comparatively small outer diameter, and which roller is in contact at all times with the upper surface of flat plate 56 and rotates about the shaft as a support. In one satisfactory installation, for example, the outer diameter of the roller was about 2 inches. In assembling the structure, the roller may first be placed in the space between webs 62 and 63, and the shaft 64, with a cotter pin 66 in place at one end of that shaft, may then be moved endwise through the roller and the holes in these webs, as from the left in FIG. 6. The head of the cotter pin 66 may then engage between spaced abutments 67, 68 formed at the outer side of web 62-. Thereafter, a second cotter pin 69 may be pushed through a hole at the other end of shaft 64- and spread apart to retain the shaft from endwise movement, the cotter pin 66 in its engagement between abutments 67 and 63 keeping that shaft from rotatable movement.

At the ends of the extremities of the thus-described bracket, holes are provided for reception of bolts 79 and '71 fastening the bracket securely to both of the head rods at a location on those rods substantially midway between the respective switch-points. The extremities preferably lie beneath the head rods and shim- like washers 72 and 73 may be employed in adjusting the bracket to the proper height with respect to the rods which, in turn, are connected to the switch-points. It will be understood that the thickness of flat plate 56, the plane of movement of the head rods, the size of the bracket, and the use of the shims, are all coordinated to the end that during the movement of the switch-points from one switching position to the other, the roller will carry a large part of the weight of the movable assembly, the flanges of the switch-point rails being lifted from engagement from their respective tie plates during that movement. The overall height of the hood portion 59 of the bracket, moreover, is preferably, but not necessarily, no higher than the tops of the rails of the track.

Having thus described a suitable modification incorporating the invention, the operation is as follows: With the switch stand set as seen in FIG. 1 the switch-point assembly is tilted toward the continuous rail 1410 about the roller 65 as a fulcrum. The switch-point rail 19 is cammed into close engagement with rail 14 and the lower flange 26 at the forward end of that switch point is out of contact with the tie plate 21, as seen in FIG. 3, but the lower flanges of the same rail 1* near its rear end, are in contact with tie plates 21, as seen in FIG. 4. On the contrary, the other switch-point rail 20 is completely out of contact with continuous rail 15-13 and is raised with its lower flanges being out of contact with its corresponding tie plates along its entire length, as seen in FIG. 5 for example.

Accordingly, when switch stand 48 is operated to the alternate switching position, the dual head rods pull switch-point 19 out of contact with continuous rail 1410 and push the switch-point 20 into contact with the continuous rail its-13. During this movement the roller 65 supporting the switch-point assembly moves along flat plate 56 and relatively little effort is required to throw the switch since the switch-points are not sliding along the tie plates during that movement. It will further be noted that, due to the pivotal engagement of each of the head rods through their bolts 45 with the brackets 4% attached to the switch-points, the pantograph-like action of the moving assembly is accommodated without binding effort, or without endwise shifting of the respective switch-points. Upon camming of the switclnpoint 2%) into its contact with continuous rail l5-13, the other switch-point 19 is, of course, raised out of contact with its tie plates along the entire length.

This camming action may *best be noted from FIGS. 3 and 3A. With the head rod 44 moving to the left in FIG. 3A and with the roller 65 holding the entire switchpoint assembly in its elevated position during the shift from one switch position to the other, the reinforcing strip 29 contacts the downward sloping surface of the top of the rail 14 and as further movement of the head rods occur, the switch-point rail 19 is moved into contact with the fixed rail, the tilting of the assembly about roller 65 meanwhile taking place. As rail 19 is cammed into contact with the fixed rail, the lower sloping surface under its web portion 23 comes to rest upon the sloping upper surface 25 of the flange on the fixed rail. Moreover, due to the laevel 28 of the upper fin 27 of the switch-point the flanges of the wheels passing over the end of the switch-point do not tend to cause feathering of that switch point at its thinnest end.

Having thus described the invention, various advantageous features inherent therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the roller functions at an elevated point above cross tie 55 and the likelihood of collection of snow, ice, dirt and the like on plate 56 is reduced over that found when the roller is disposed between cross ties. Expansion and contraction of the switch-point assembly is readily accommodated since, as seen in FIG. 6, the flat plate 56 is substantially wider than the roller 65 and provides an adequately large roller path under both summer or winter conditions; and no modification of the road bed is required for the installation of the switch-point assembly.

Moreover, as required for a given installation, various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, if used with a trackage involving an electrical signal system the head rods may be suitably insulated to prevent short-circuiting of that system.

Various other modifications and changes, such as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention may likewise be made without departing from the invention, and it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway track resting upon tie plates attached to cross ties and having two fixed double-rail tracks converging into a single double-rail track with a switch- 75 point assembly comprising a first movable switch-point forming a part of one converging double-rail track and a second movable switch-point comprising a part of the other converging double-rail track, a pair of head rods spaced from each other along the axis of said tracks and pivotally attached to and supporting each of said switch-points adjacent the forward ends of said switchpoints, a fiat plate resting upon the upper surface of a cross-tie disposed between said spaced rods and supporting said assembly for movement thereof, a rollermounting bracket movable with said head rods and extending above said supporting tie and having end portions attached respectively to and supporting said rods at points approximately mid-Way between said switchpoints, said bracket having a central portion containing spaced bearing recesses, a roller mounted beneath said central portion and having a shaft rotatably engageable at its ends in said recesses thereby to permit said roller to move along said fiat plate While carrying the weight of said assembly, said roller having a diameter sufficiently large to position said brackets, said rods supported by said bracket and said switch-points supported by said rods, at an elevation disposing said switchpoints out of contact with said tie plates during movement of said switch-point assembly from one switching position to its alternate switching position, and means for moving said first and second switch-points selectively into and out of engagement with the respective fixed rails of said single double-track, said switch-point assembly being adapted to tilt transversely about the axis of the roller whereby upon engagement of one of said forward ends of said switch-point assembly with its corresponding fixed rail, said one of said switch-points is lowered to bring the rear end thereof into contact with said tie plates and the forward end of the other switchpoint is raised to hold the rear end thereof out of contact with said tie plates.

2. A switch-point assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said switch-points includes a cam surface engageable with a curved upper portion of its corresponding fixed rail and serving to cam the said one of said switch-points downwardly into seated contact with its corresponding fixed rail during the tilting of said assembly about said roller.

3. A switch-point assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the attachments of said bracket end portions to the respective head rods are at an elevation lower than the axis of said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,382 Mock Aug. 22, 1916 2,213,500 Mock Sept. 3, 1940 2,324,622 Hewes July 20, 1943 2,979,295 Hewes Apr. 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 209,924 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1924 325,977 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1930

Images