US38435A - Improvement in safety-switches for railroads - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. WHITE, OF EMMETT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY-SWITCHES FOR RAILROADS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,435, dated May 5, 1863.

`following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in Which- Figure l is a perspective View, and Fig. 2 is a half-size cross-section, of one side of the track in the line x x.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

A A represent two switch-rails of the com- Inon T-pattern, which are pivoted at a a in the usual manner.

B B are two tie-bars.

O is the draw-bar, to be moved and locked by any of the known devices for that purpose.

D D D, Ste., are the wooden cross-ties of the road, and dd d, &c., are flat iron bars on which the switchrails` and attachments slide.

No particular description of the parts just enumerated is necessary, as with tritling modications they compose the switch in ordinary us i.

To convert this common switch, by the addition ot a few simple and inexpensive attachments, intoa safety-switch, by the use of which it will be impossible for a train to run off the track onto the ground, no matter how the Same is locked, is the gist of my invention; and the better to enable others skilled in this branch to construct and use said invention, I will now proceed to describe it.

H H represent what I call safety drawfrogs,7 one of each being fitted and attached to the inner side of each switch-rail A.

J J are what I term fiangesupporters/7 one of which is fit-ted and attached to the outer side of each rail A, and both H and J are firmly bolted to the rail, as shown at S, Fig. 2. As one side is an exact duplicate of the other, I will, to avoid prolixity, describe but one, premising, however, that one side is right and the other left, and will, of course, require parts to conform. I propose also to treat of the several parts as though formed in solid mass, although I usually construct a part of the surfaces of rolled iron, to be hereinafter explained.

The ordinary length of my safety draw-frog H is about six feet, its thickness being equal to the extreme height of the rail to which it is to be attached. The width of the outer or wide end, which is placed flush with the swing end of the switch-rail, is determined by the number and extent of the shifts, and the narrow end is usually about one and three-quarter inches wide, being equal to one and a halt` times the thickness of a wheel-deluge, or thereabout. A rabbet, u, forming a groove when in place, is sunk in the side next to the rail, of a sufficient width and depth to allow a free passage for the largest wheel-ange in use. A stout flange, I, is formed lon the opposite side by sinking a parallel groove, (marked e,) and as the rabbet and groove run together so as to form but one groove space between the flange I and rail A- at the narrow end of the frog, a taper tongue, n, is formed in the center like that of a permanent frog at the intersection of tracks. g

The ilangesupporter J is tapered sidewise, like H. It is a mere dat, level plate even with the tread ofthe switch-rail, to the side of which it must be so fitted as to leave no crack or depression on its upper surface in the line of the joint at the Wide end, (see b.) The plate is bent down slightly to form an incline, up which the wheels can readily ascend on their Ilan ges. I usually construct this part by using a heavy rolled plate (markedB) above, and a lighter plate, 4, underneath, with a wooden filling, W, between, the whole secured together by stout rivet bolts, and, if deemed necessary, one of the plates may be turned so as to cover the outer side.

Fig. 2 illustrates my general mode of constructing the safety draw-frog by swagin g the rolled plate 2 in the form required, and supporting this plate by interposing cast blocks k, in the upper side of which is a groove to receive the bolt S, between the under side of the plate, and the slide-bars d of the wooden crossties u are attached by rivets p. Ido not, however, w-ish to confine myself to any particular material or combination of materials, nor to any specific mode of uniting the several parts.

The mode of operation is as follows: Suppose f f represent the main track and g g a side track, to which the switch is locked, as seen in Fig. l, and a train on the main track is approaching in the direction of the arrow. The wheels, instead of ruiming ofi' on the ground, willon the one side roll on the tongue n, the iianges entering the groove e, during which time they are constrained to approach gradually the switch-rail A, being guided and governed in their course by the converging ange I until their treads take a tirm bearing on the rail. During 'this time the wheels on the other side are ascending the short incline b on their flanges, rolling over the smooth and even surface of the flange-supporter J, and dropping with their treads on the opposite switch'rail. 1t will be noticed, however, that when a iianged wheel has lost its bearing on the tongue a itis not quite near enough to the rail to take a reliable hold, but must be held up by its flange rolling along the bottom ofthe groove e until it approaches nearer and clears the frog.

As absolute uniformity cannot be preserved on any railroad as regards the depth of wheeliianges, it is absolutely necessary that the bottom of the groove e should toward its ternziaation near the rail be sufficiently elevated to hold up the treads of those wheels having the shallowest flanges at a level with or even a little higher than the top 'of the rail, for it is better for the wheels to drop a little after passing the groove than to risk jamming by being too low at the point where the tread begins to overlap the switch-rail.

In the case of Mulay 7 or tlangeless wheels it will be readily seen that by reason of their superior breadth of face they will, after passing the point of the tongue n, have a good bearing on the switch-rail A, and pass on with perfect safety. Should the switch be locked to the main track ff, and a train approach on the side track, g g, it would pass safely over the switch in a manner analogous to that heretofore described.

To adapt my improvement to any practicable number of tracks, the width of parts H J at one end mustbe proportionally increased, r. and an additional number of tongues u applied proportionally longer.

I am aware that a safety-switch, so called,

that moves with the switchrails, though not fastened to them, and which possesses some features similar to mine, was patented on the Sth of February, 1859, by Giles S. Appleton;- but as mine accomplishes some results independently of his, and others in a different, and, as I think, much superior manner, I propose to point out brietly the essential differences. Mr. Appletons switch requires an entirely new construction, involving much original outlay and enhanced cost for renewal of the switch-rails. My attachments can be readily and cheaply applied to almost every switch already in common use, and costs nothing` additional to renew the switch-rails. A Mulay or flangeless wheel, which, as drivers are extensively used on railroads, could not pass over Mr. Appletons switch, for as his traverse-rail, which corresponds with my frog, is required to be lower than his switch-rail, it follows that a driver having no flange would jam in between the switch and guard-rail or Han ge, and burst the parts asunder. In my switch the tongue a, 'which is on a level with the rail, furnishes a safe bearingtrack, besides, instead of allowing the wheels to roll on their flanges on the broad and even surfaces of the switch7 and traverse-rails in varying paths, which Mr. Appleton deems essential to safety, I insist that in my switch the wheels on one side shall roll on their treads over the tongue n in a straight unvarying path, being' guarded thereon by their anges in the groove c.

I do not claim, broadly, supplementary tracks applied to a switch to guide the train onto the switch-rails, but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The use of the anges I I, tongues a n, grooves e e, rabbets u a, and flange-supporters J J, in combination with the track switch-rails A A, when arranged relatively with each other and with the said rails, substantially as and for the purposes specied.

CHARLES Il. WHITE.

Witnesses:

.GEORGE JoHNsoN, l

EDWARD H. LAWRANCE.

Images