US416162A - Ground-lever for switches and signals - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. T'. HAMB'AY. GROUND LEVER FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS. No. 416,162. Patented Dec. 8, 1889.

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JAlllES '1. HAMBAY, OF VVILKINSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SXVITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GROUND-LEVER FOR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,162, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed Febrnary21, 1889. Serial No. 300,706- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. I-IAMBAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or dis covered certain new and useful Improvements in Ground-Levers for Switches and Signals, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in locking mechanism for switch and signal operating mechanism, being more especially applicable to that class or kind known as ground-lever machines, and has for its object a construction of mechanism whereby the switch-operatingmechanism is relieved either wholly or in part of the shocks and strains incident to the passage of trains over or through the switch.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction and combination of mechanical devices, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

I11 the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a switch and its operating mechanism having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the switch-operating mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale,

' the plane of section being indicated by the line 03 cc, Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention abed-plate 1, having blocks 2 formed thereon, is secured to one of the cross-ties inconvenient proximity to the switch, as shown in Fig. 1. On the outer ends of pins 3 and 4, secured in said blocks 2, are loosely mounted atdisk 5 and a pulley 6, respectively, said' disk and pulley having handles 7- and 8, whereby they may be is loosely mount-ed in the blocks 2, between the disk and pulley. This pin is made a little longer than the distance between the ad jacent sides of the disk and pulley, and in said adjacent sides of the disk and pulley are formed conical recesses 13 and 14, which are so located as to be in line with the ends of the pin 12 only when the switch-rails are properly set for clear main line and when the signal is at normal or danger.

It follows from the foregoing that in order to shift the switch-rails for the siding the signal must be at danger,so that the lockingpin 12 may enter the recess 14 in the pulley, and thereby permit of the rotation of the disk 5 and consequent shifting of the switch. As the pin 12 is longer than the distance between moved, one end of the pin 12 being in engagement with the recess 14, and any longitudinal movement of the pin being prevented by the disk until said disk is so rotated as to bring its recess 13 in line with the end of the pin, such movement restoring the switch to clear main line. If now the pulley be rotated to clear the signal, the pin 12 will be shifted longitudinally into engagement with the recess in the disk, thereby locking the disk and switch-rails until the signal be returned to danger.

In the mechanism described it is necessary to secure the switch-rod rigi'dly to the rails, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in order to insure a complete movement of the switch-rails when a lock is effected, and hence all shocks or strains to which the switch'rails are subjeoted by the passage of trains are transmitted to the pin 1.0, which is sometimes broken off by such shocks. In order to overcome this objection, I rigidly secure a locking-bar 15 to the switch-rails, said bar extending out supported by guides 16, formed on the plate 1. In one edge of the locking-bar are formed 18, formed on the side of and extending partially around the pulley, will pass through the notches when the pulley is rotated to shift the signal to safety, provided the switchrails have been shifted into proper position for clear main line, but not otherwise, the lockalongside of the pulley (3, its outer end being notches 17, which are so located that a flange the disk and pulley, the latter cannot be ing-bar being so located that the end of the flange 18 will engage the side of the bar when the switches are in any other position than for clear main line. Thus it will be seen that my improved lock will effect the same functions as the lock hereinbefore described, and that as the signal can be moved only when a full movement of the rails to clear main line has been attained, the switch-rod can be yieldingly connected to the rails, as shown at 19, Fig. 1, Where spring-cushions are employed to take up shocks imparted to the rails.

The, locking device last described can be used in connection with the locking-pin 12,

. that shown and described may be employed for shifting the switch-rails.

I claim herein as my invention 1. In a switch and signal apparatus, the

combination of a signal-shifting pulley having a flange 18, a locking-bar notched as described and connected to the movable switchrails, a switch-rod connected to the switchrails, and mechanism for shifting said rods, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch and signal apparatus, the combination of a signal-shifting pulley having a flange 18, a locking-bar notched as described. and connected to the movable switchrails, and an oscillating disk having a springconnection to the movable switch-rails and interlocked with the signal-shifting pulley, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES T. HAMBAY.

lVitnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLooTT, W. B. CoRwIN.

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