US310613A - Railroad frog-crossing - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

7 O. B. PRICE.

RAILROAD FROG oaossme.

Patented Jan. 13, 1%85.

N. PETCRS PhcKmLiKhogmpbur, Wnshmglun. D. C.

IiNTTEn STATES PATENT UEETcE.

CHARLES R. PRICE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROADFROG-CROSSITNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,613, dated January 13, 1885.

Application filed May 31, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES l3. Pinon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Frog-Orossings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is t a frog-crossing constructed and adjustable,as fully described hereinafter, so that trains passing along the main line may have an unbroken, and continuous rail, and trains passing from one track to another may be carried over the main railwithout cutting it, while the possibility of accident occurring from carelessness in adjustment is effectually guarded against.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing the tracks and switch at a railway junction or siding with my improved frog arranged to permit the passage of trains upon the main track only. Fig. 2 is a view showing the parts as arranged when the trains are to be directed to a siding. Fi 3 is an enlarged plan of the crossing-frog. 4 is a part sectional elevation on the line 1 2, Fig. 1.

A AA are rails of themain track. B B B are rails of the siding; and the rails or sections 13 A terminate at the same point, and are connected together to constitute an ordinary point-switch, which may be set to either of the positions shown in the drawings by swinging the crank switch-lever D, which is connected bya rod, (1, to a bell-crank lever, b, jointed to the switch-rod c.

In place of the usual permanent frog occupying a position across the main rail A and between the sections B B of the siding, I use a crossing-frog, E, so constructed that it may be thrown wholly to one side of the main rail A leaving the latter unbroken and unobstructed, or may be brought into position to connect the rail-sections B B and at the same time cover a portion of the rail A", to constitute a bridge over the said rail, upon which the wheels may pass in lines coinciding either with the sections 13 B or with the rail A. The frog adapted for this purpose may be constructed, supported, and operated in different ways. Itis desirable, however, to connect it with the switch, so that the two shall be adjusted simultaneously.

lNo model.)

As shown, the frog consists of a rail, (1, pivoted at 00 near the end of the section B", and ofsueh length that when in the position shown in Fig. 2 it will extend to the end of'the railsection B and rest in a seat in the chair 6 of the said section, the said rail (1 being cut away at the lower side, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when the frog is set in the position shown in Fig. 2 the narrow portion of the same will extend or bridge over the rail A. p The face of the rail (1 of the frog is inclined at the opposite ends, so as to meet the faces of the railsections 13 B and afford an easy ascent for the wheels of the car, which are thus carried upon said surface across the rail A? without any cutting of the latter.

To the ties adjacent to the rail A? are secured chairs 1?, which, when the frog is in the position shown in Fig. 1., support the elevated portion of the rail (6 in its proper position. While the bridgerail (I alone would constitute a bridge frog-crossing adapted to permit cars upon the siding to cross the main rail A with out cutting, it would alone interfere with and tend to derail ears passing upon the main track, to avoid which I provide the frog with arms 1' f, the faces of which are centrally flush with that of the rail (1, but inclined downward toward the ends, which arms are set at such an angle that when the rail (1 is in line with the sections 13 B the said arms f f will be in line with and cover the main rail A and constitute a bridge upon which ears traveling along the main track may travel without interruption.

By the use of a hog-crossing constructed as thus described I am not only able to avoid the wear and expense resulting from the use of the ordinary permanent frogs, but I am enabled also to avoid the cutting of the main track and the injury which results from the use of frogs upon the main'track where trains pass at a high rate of speed.

As one means of securing a unisonol' ac tion between the switch and the frog, I connect the operating-rod g of the frog-crossing to a belhcranl; lever, b, the other arm of which is attached to aprolongation of the rod (1, whereby the sliding movement of the latter swings the switclrlever b and imparts a like motion to the frog-lever b; and in order sition shown in Fig. 1.

to compensate for lost motion and avoid the necessity of throwing back the frog to the position shown in Fig. 1 wholly by athrust upon the rod a, I connect a spring to the frog in such manner as to tend to hold it in the po- Such spring may be a coiled spring, 8, encircling a projection of the rod 9, and confined within a box, I, secured to the ties between one end of the box and a head upon the rod, as shown.

Although I have shown a frog-crossing in connection with an ordinary switch, it will be apparent that it may be employed in connection with that class of switches intended to direct the cars to a siding without any separation or break of the main-track rail A A, and I can thus maintain a continuous, .unbroken main track along the whole length of the line.

A most important feature of my invention is the construction of the frog in such manner that when laid over the main rail, as

shown in Fig. 2, its arms constitute a practical continuation of the main rail, so that in the event of a train passing on the main line while the frog-crossing is set for the siding as may happen in practice by error of operatives) these inclined or sloping arms will guide the wheels safely over what would otherwise be a dangerous obstruction.

The frog, instead of being pivoted at one end, so as to swing into position, may be arranged to slide upon bearings upon the ties in the same manner as ordinary sliding switches. IVithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown,

I clain1 1. The combination, with the main rail A and with the siding-sections B B of a frog consisting of a rail jointed at one end near the end of one of the sidi-ng-seetions,and provided with arms arranged to cover the main rail when the frog is in position to connect the siding-sections, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the siding-sections and rail of the main track, of a frog having a. rail adapted to extend over the main rail, and with arms arranged to occupy a position above and in line with said rail when the main rail is crossed by the frog, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the frog adapted to be carried over the main rail,and provided with arms, as set forth, of connections between the frog and the switch, whereby the simultaneous adjustment of both is secured, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the continuous main rail of a track, and a crossing-frog adapted to be moved to cover the main rail, switch, and immediate connections, of a spring connected to the frog and tending to hold it in position away from over the main rail, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. PRICE. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, ROBERT S. MACRUM.

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