US434692A

US434692A - Street-railway switch

Info

Publication number: US434692A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1907-08-19

Description

(No Model.) 6-Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. WILLIAMS. STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

' No. 434,692. Pa'tented Aug. 19,1890.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. H. WILLIAMS. STREET RAILWAY SWITGH.

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(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 3. J. H. WILLIAMS.

STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 434,692. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

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No. 434,692. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

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J. H. WILLIAMS. STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 434,692. Patented Aug 19,1890.

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JOHN H. WVILLIAMS, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR OF TW'O-THIRDS TO BENJAMIN F. BARNARD, OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

STREET-RA] LWAY SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,692, dated August 19, 1890.

Application filed April 12,180. $eria1No.347,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. \VrLLIAMs, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Railway Switches, of which the following in a specification.

This invention relates to street-railwayswitches in which a circular table provided on its upper surface with suitable rail-treads is incorporated into a track, the table being adapted to partly rotate, so that it can occupy two positions, one of which causes it to make the main line continuous, while the other I 5 causes it to open the main line, or, in other words, connect it with a branch or siding.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and compact switch of this class adapted to be set in either position by the use of a movable attachment on a car moving over the track; and to this end it consists in the improvements. which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a 2 5 part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the switch-table and track with a portion of a car and the switchoperating attachment thereon. Fig. 1 represents a top view of the casing under the ta- 0 ble, showing a modification, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 2 represents a top View of the table. Fig. 3 represents a top view of the easin g with the table removed. Fig. 4 represents a bottom view of the table. Figs. 5 and 6 5 represent top views of the table and portions of the track. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7, Fig. 2, looking toward the left. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 8 8, Fig. 2. Fig. 9 represents asection on line 9 9,Fig. 2. Fig. 10 representsa section showing the table when turned to its switch-opening position. Fig. 11 represents a front view of the switch-operating attachment on the car. Fig. 12 represents a top view of the switch-table and a portion of the track. Figs. 13 and 1e represent top views of the casing, the switch-table being removed, while the parts connected with the table are shown in their proper positions. Fig. 15 represents a perspective view of the casing and table, parts being broken away.

The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, it represents a circular casing composed of a horizontal flat base and a circular wall, the base having at itscenter an upwardly-projecting socket or bearing 4, concentric with the wall.

1) represents a circular table or platform having a central stud 5 entering the bearing l, the platform being thus adapted to rotate, its marginal portion bearing on the upper edge of the wall of the casing, which edge is provided with a groove 0, receiving a tongue or rib (Z on the under side of the table. Said groove receives oil, which constitutes a seal to prevent the entrance of water into the easing between the upper edge of the wall and the under side of the table. The upper surface of the table is provided with track-tread sections, preferably arranged as shown in Letters Patent No. 41.15%, dated October 22, 1889, to permit the table to serve as a switch, which in one position makes continuous the main-track rail, of which it forms a part, and when in another position connects one division of said main-track rail with a branch rail diverging from the main track, as described in the above-named patent.

The casing a is supported on a suitable bed, and is provided with ears or brackets'e e, which are attached to the periphery of the casing and project outwardly therefrom in pairs, the ears of one pair being arranged to bear on opposite sides of the web f of one division g of the main-track rail with which the switch is connected, while the ears of the other pair are arranged to bear on the web of the fixed frog h, which constitutes the connection between the switch-table, the other division g of the main-track rail, and the branch rail g", said ears being securely bolted to said rail and frog-webs. The switch-table is normally held bya spring i in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, making the main track continuous, said spring being attached at one end to an ear j on the casing and atits other end to an arm 70, projecting downwardly from the under side of the switch-table. Said arm in is formed to bear against a shoulder or stop m in the casing, said stop determinroo ing the position in which the table is held by the spring.

n 0 represent two vertically-movable studs, which are adapted to slide in sockets in the switch-table at one side of the center of rotation thereof, each stud being adapted to project above theswitch-table far enough to be engaged by an attachment on a car. Said attachment is shown as a shoe 1), attached to a rod g, which is vertically movable in aguide or socket 0', attached to the car-platform, the upper end of the rod being formed as a pedal to be depressed by the driver or motor-man. The shoe is provided with two acting faces 2 3, the face 2 beinglower than theface 3. The lower face 2 has at its front end a shoulder adapted to strike the side of the stud it when the shoe is depressed and is moving over the switch-platform for the purpose of moving said platform from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The higher face 3 of the shoe presents an inclined surface adapted to strike the other stud 0 of the switch-table anddepress said stud for the purpose of releasing the switch-table from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and permitting the spring 1' to restore it to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the table being automatically locked when moved to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and requiring an unlocking or releasing operation before it can resume its normal position, as presently described. When the table is in its normal position, Figs. 2 and 5, the stud n is held in its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 9, by means of a curved guide attached to the bottom of the casing and presenting two inclines s 8, said guide being arranged to support the lower end of the stud n, the incline 3 being formed to raise the stud nwhen it is moving from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 0. WVhen the switch is to be turned to its open position, Figs. 1 and 6, the driver depresses the shoe and causes the shoulder on the face 2 to strike the stud n, as shown in Fig. 9, and thereby turn the switch to its open position, the said stud being depressed below the face 2 just as the table reaches said position by the contact of a lever twith a fixed incline u in the casing, said lever being pivoted at one end to the stud n and at its center to an car on the ca ble. The contact of the lever with the incline it forces the stud n downwardly, as shown in Fig. 10.

During the last-described movement of the table the other stud o is raised from the position shown in Fig. 9 by contact of its lower end with the incline s. Said stud 0 is pivoted at its lower end to one end of a lockinglever 1*, which is centrally pivoted to an ear on the table. The other end of the lever o is depressed by the upward movement of the stud 0, and is thereby caused to engage a fixed shoulder win the casing and thereby hold the switch-table in its .open position against the pull of the spring 1', which tends to restore said table to its normal position. The switch-table is now locked in the position shown in Figs. 1 andli, and remains in said position until the shoe of an approaching car is depressed by the driver. this is done, the inclined face 3 of said shoe strikes the stud 0, as shown in Fig. 10, and by depressing the latter throws the lockingleverv upwardly, thus releasing the table and permitting the spring 2' to restore it to its normal position.

It will be seen that by thus providing the rotary switch-table with a spring adapted to hold it yieldingly in its normal position,with

a stud which is elevated when the table is in its normal position and permits the movement of the switch from its normal position by an attachment on the car, and with a looking device which acts automatically to lock the switch in the position to which itis moved by the car and is adapted to be made inoperative by an attachment on a succeeding car, the apparatus is made much more simple and compact than heretofore, and that the expense and difficulty of applying the switchtable to the track are materially reduced.

A modification of the spring which holds the table in its normal position is shown in Fig. 1, said spring being coiled at its inner end and there attached to the casing, while its outer end is attached to the arm of the table.

To prevent the entrance of water into the casing around the studs n 0, I secure packings m, Fig. 8, to the under side of the table I), said packings being here shown as rubber rings surrounding and bearing closely on the studs and held by metallic rings y, which are secured to the table. These packings and the oil-receiving grooves in the wall of the casing and the rib d onthe table entirely exclude water from the interior of the casing.

I claim-- v 1. A pivoted switch-table yieldingly held in its normal position and provided with a ver- IIO tically-lnovable stud and with a locking device, both adapted to co-operate, as described, with attachments on approaching cars, com bined with a casing or support below the switch-table, and devices on said support whereby the stud is raised by the movement of the table to its normal position and permitted to descend during the movement of the table from its normal position, as set forth.

2. A pivoted switch-table yieldingly held in its normal position and provided with a A vertically-movable stud n, adapted to be engaged by a switch-moving attachment on a car, and with a pivoted locking-lever having a vertically-movable stud 0, adapted to be depressed by an unlocking attachment on a car, combined with a fixed support under the table, having an incline, as .9, adapted to raise the stud nduring the movement of the switchtable to its normal position, and another in- I cline, as 8, adapted to raise the locking-lever stud during the movement of the table away from its normal position, as set forth.

3. The combination of arotaryswitch-table, a spring which yieldingly holds the table in its normal position, a vertically-movable stud carried by said table, means for raising said stud when the table is in its normal position, said stud when raised enabling the table to be moved from its normal position by an attachment on a car, and a locking device carried by said table, whereby the latter may be locked when out of its normal position, said locking device being adapted to be made inoperative by an attachment on a car following the one which caused the movement of the table from its normal position, as set forth.

4. The combination of a rotary switch-table,

a casing below the same having a curved.

guide, as s s, a vertically-movable stud n in the table, arranged to be raised and lowered by said guide, a spring yieldingly connecting I the table and casing and adapted to hold the table in its normal position, a locking-lever pivotally connected to the table, and a stud 0, connected with the locking-lever and passing through the table, as set forth.

5. The combination of the rotary switch-tabie, the casing below the same, the curved guide having inclines s s and incline u, attached to the casing, the stud n, vertically movable in the table and adapted to be raised by the curved guide into position to be acted on by a switch-moving device on a car, and

the lever 15, pivoted to the table and to the stud n and adapted to cooperate with the fixed incline uin depressing said stud at the end of the movement imparted to the switch-table by the device on the car, as set forth.

6. Thec'ombination of the rotary switch-table, the casin g below the same, the curved guide having inclines s s and incline u, attached to the casing, the stud n, vertically movable in the table and adapted to be raised by the curved guide into position to be acted on by a switch-moving device on a car, the locking-lever v, pivoted to the table, and the stud o, pivoted to said lever and adapted to be raised by the incline s, and thereby engage the locking-lever with a fixed shoulder in the casing, the raising of the stud o adapting it to be subsequently depressed by a device on a car to make the locking-lever inoperative, as set forth.

7. The combination of the switch-table, the casing supporting the same, and the rail securin g ears or brackets e e e 8, attached in pairs to said table, the ears of each pair being separated bya space of sufficient width to receive the web f of a rail, as set forth.

8. The casing having a circular wall grooved at its upper edge, combined with the circular switch-table having an annular rib entering said groove, the latter being adapted to receive oil to seal the joint between the walls of the groove and the surfaces of the rib, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 4th day of April, A. D. 1890.

v JOHN H. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

(J. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON.