US437974A - Railroad-crossing - Google Patents

Description

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No. 437,974. Patented Oct. 7. 1890.

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G. R. CAMPBELL.

' RAILROAD CROSSING.

No. 437,974. Patented Oct. '7, 1890.

I 710:2? tar 1 'UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

GEORGE E. CAMPBELL, OF BUOYRUS, OHIO. I

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,974, dated October 7, 1890.

Application filed December 19, 1889. fierial No. 334,329. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-crossings; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of myinvention is to provide a railroad-crossing in which the track having the right of way will have continuous rails, and the wear and pounding of the ends of the rails consequently reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crossing in which all the parts will be simultaneously operated and which can be easily manipulated; also to so construct the several parts that the crossing will be strong and durable.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved crossing. Fig; 2 is a sectional View. Fig. 3 is a detail per spective View of one of the corner blocks or castings, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the central supports for the rails.

. In constructing a crossing in accordance with my invention I secure upon the ties 0r supporting-beams at the several points of intersection of the meeting track-rails the triangular castings or blocks A, the sides of which are at the proper angles to each other to correspond to the intersecting angles of the track-rails. These castings consist of the baseplates B, provided with suitable openings, through which spikes are driven into the ties or supporting-beams to secure the castings in position, and the V-shaped rail-sections O on the upper sides of the base-plates and formed integral therewith. These rail-sections, when the castings are in place, abut against the ends of the track-rails, and so form practically continuations of the track-rails. The baseplates are further provided on their upper sides near their inner ends with the L-shaped lugs D, which are preferably formed integral therewith and engage the outer flanges of the sliding rail-sections E, the inner flanges of said rail-sections bearing against and being guided by the edges of the triangular blocks or guides F, which are secured on the upper sides of the base-plates at the inner corners of the same. r

The sliding rail-sections E have their outer ends resting upon and supported by the, corner castings, as just'described, and their inner meeting ends are supported by and move 5 upon the central supports or chairs G. It Will be observed that two pairs of these sliding rail-sections are provided for each traclz one pair on each sideand they are so manipulated by mechanism hereinafter referred to that the rail-sections of one track will be separated and abut against the corner castings, while the rail-sections of the other track are pushed together and drawn from the cor ner castings.

the smaller member I secured thereon. The outer member is composed of the base-plate J which is secured to ties by suitable spikes,

and the longitudinal rib H on the upper side of the baserplate and bearing against the outer sides of the sliding rail-sections. The upper edges of the ribs H are slightly raised at their centers, so as to lift the car-wheels from the rails, and thus prevent pounding of the, ends of the'same, and this injurious pounding of the rails is further obviated by the construction of the inner ends of the rails, which are tapered longitudinally, as shown at L, so that Thecentral chairs or supports G consist of the outer or larger member H and the car-wheels run gradually from one rail to 1 the other, as will be readily understood. The central chairs or plates are provided in their inner sides with longitudinal grooves M,which engage the flanges of the rails, and thus guide the rails in their movements. The smaller members I are bolted or otherwise secured shall hereinafter refer to one of the tracks as the longitudinal track, and to the other one as the transverse track, the construction of both tracks and their connections being the same. The pairs of sliding rail-sections of the transverse track are connected by the longitudinal bars 0, which are provided with T-heads P at their ends bearing against and bolted to the webs of the rails, and the sliding rail-sections of the longitudinal track are connected by the transverse bars Q, which are similar in construction to the bars 0. A rotary head-block or turn-table R is pivotally mounted in the center of the space inclosed by the rails forming the crossing, and is connected tothe bars 0 by the links S and to the bars Q by the links T, as shown. The links of each pair are pivoted to the opposite ends of the turn-table, so that the sliding rail-sections of each pair will be simultaneously moved in contrary directions, and thus separated or drawn together. It will be observed, also, that the links are connected to the head-block or turn-table in such a manner that the pairs of links will be simultaneously given contrary motions, and consequently the rail-sections of one track will be separated when those of the other track are pushed together. The turn-table is provided in its ends with horizontal notches U, and the ends of the links are pivoted in said notches, upward movement of the links being thus prevented.

At its bottom the rotary block is provided with an integral horizontal arm V, which projects to one side and has its end pivoted to the end of a pitman W, which extends longitudinally beyond the crossing, and is connected to a target or switch-stand X, by means of which the crossing maybe operated.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts of my device being thus made known, the operation and advantages of the same will, it is thought, be readily understood.

If a train be approaching the crossing on the transverse track, the sliding rail-sections of that track are separated and pushed against the corner castings, thus providing a continuous track for the train, so that the carwheels will not be caused to jump and pound on the ends of the rails, and consequently wearaway the same. The same movement which separates the sliding rail-sections of the transverse track causes the sliding railsections of the longitudinal track to come together and move away from the corner castings, thus providing open spaces to permit the flanges of the Wheels to pass.

It will be observed that my improved crossing is very simple. and efficient and can be easily operated, and the construction of the Several parts gives them great strength and durability. By employing sliding rail-sections the snow, ice, or dirt that may accumu late in the chairs will be automatically pushed away as the crossing is operated, and clogging of the device is consequently prevented. The rail-sections are supported in such a manner that they will be prevented from moving laterally and be caused to move directly to and from the corner castings, thus insuringa straight track for the train at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the stationary cor ner castings, the central chairs, the sliding rail-sections moving to and away from the corner castings and between the central chairs, and mechanism for operating said railsections, as set forth.

2. The combination of the stationary corner castings, the central chairs, the sliding rail-sections, and mechanism for 7 operating said rail-sections, the upper edges of the central chairs being slightly above the treads of the rail-sections, as set forth.

3. The combination of the sliding rails, the bars connecting the parallel pairs of said rails, the rotary block having notches in its ends, the links pivoted in said notches and to the bars, and mechanism for rotating said block, as set forth.

4. The combination of the corner castings having V-shaped rail-sections on their upper sides and provided with L-shaped lugs at their inner ends, the blocks secured on the said castings, the sliding rails moving between said blocks and the L-shaped lugs, and

mechanism for operating said rails, as setv forth.

5. The combination, with the sliding rails, of the central chairs consisting of the outer members provided on their upper sides with ribs having grooves in their inner faces engaging the outer flanges of the rails, and the inner members secured on the outer members bearing against the inner sides of the rails and having longitudinal grooves in their upper edges, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE R. CAMPBELL. \Vitnesses:

ISAAC CAHILL, G. A. MoNUTr.

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