US526547A - sweet - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. W.SWBET. INTERLOGKING SAFETY SWITCH.

No. 526,547. Patented'Sept. 25, 1894.

n: NORRIS PEYERS 60..PHOYO-LII'HO.,WASHINGTON,I10.

T 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

I WE a in.-- 1 K m; 1 A fiw f m m a (No Model.)

B.,W. SWEET.

INTERLOOKING SAFETY SWITCH. No. 526,547.

W QRH 'WZZiwsses. @482 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I BENJAMIN WILLIAM S VVEET, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO S. S. CHISHOLM, OF'SAME PLACE.

INTERLOCKING SAFETY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,547, dated September 25, 1894.

Application filed February 6, 1394. Serial No. 499,290- (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WILLIAM SWEET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State switch rails and using only fixed rails, put

together in such a manner that at a point of siding, one of the rails of the main track will be curved outward to form one of the rails of the side track, and that rail of the main track be continued by, and the other rail of the side track formed of entirely independent rails, operates by virtueof the directive force of a pressure applied horizontally by a revolubly mounted directing guide bar to one or the other of the setsof wheels of the car; and also consists in an improved interlocking mechanism for operating the directing guide bar; both of which features of my invention will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The switches now in use have for their essential feature movable switch rails, which govern by their position the track over which the cars are to pass. These switches have many disadvantages. They are quite expensive to manufacture, and are subjected to a great deal of Wear and tear. Moreover, the locking mechanism, which has to be used in connection with the switch to insure its complete movement, frequently gets out of order, and is the cause of many accidents.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch which will be more simple in construction than those now inuse, which will be more durable, While at the same time permitting readier replacement of worn out parts, and in which the possibility of an open switch occurring will be much lessened.

In the accomplishment of the object of my invention, I depart entirely from the use of movable switch rails. I have found that if at the point of junction of a side track with the main track, one of the rails of the main track be curved outward, so as to form one of the rails of the side track, that side of the main track being continued by an independent rail, and the other side of the side track being formed by an independent rail, since or the other of the continuous rails of the main track at the point of their divergence, is sufficient to thus determine which track the cars shall follow. In the construction shown in this application, I obtain this horizontal pressure by the use of revoluble mounted directing guide bars placed in a suitable position on the track just preceding and at the point of divergence of the rails of the same, and so connected together that only one of them will be at anyone time in operative position to guide the wheels of the car; and it is in the locking mechanism which I employ to 0perate these directing guide bars that my invention resides, as well as in the new form of switch which I have invented.

My invention is fully illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, in which the same reference numerals refer to the same or corresponding parts, and in which- Figure 1 is a view of my improved switch, the switch guide bars being set for the main track. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line w at, Fig. 1, showing the mounting of the directing guide bar, and the interlocking mechanism which operates the same. The position of the parts indicated by full lines is their operative position, while in dotted lines is shown the position the guide bar and locking mechanism assume when the parts are not in operative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the journal boxes shown in Fig. l, and is taken on the line 1 'y. Fig. 4 is a view showing the means for supporting and securing in position the pointed end of one of the independent rails of the track. It is taken on the line a a, Fig. 1.

Referring to. the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the rails of the main track. 'Atthe point. where the siding begins, rail 21s bent outward so as to form the outer rail of the side track, that side of the main track being continued by rail 3, and the otherrail of the-side track being formed byrail 4. iIt'is necessary.

to commence rail 4 at a point somewhat in advance of rail 3, as shown in the drawings, for the reason that the gage of the tracks being uniform, the amount of jump of the wheels of the car in passing over the switch can be thus minimized. Rails 3 and-4 are.

which cause'thewheels of thecars topassby with ample clearance to be perfectly safe. The guard rails 5 and 6 also extendbesi'de rails 3 and 4 for a shortd-istance from their point of commencement, These guardrails receive in parttheimpact of the'wheels, thus lessening thewear upon the pointed rails 3 and 4, and also make the change of direction ;of the wheels more gradual than'if they were led off at once by the guidebars. The rightend of the guide rail 5, is bent "to form the portion 5, and the directing'guide bar- 16 iis correspondingly bent so:as to reachthe rail, thereby aiding, the guide rail to perform its function of gradually effecting thechangein direction of thewheels. As shown in Fig. 3

"malleable castings Tare fitted in betweent-he main rail, the pointed rails, and the guard,

rails in thecase of both rails 3 and-4t. These castings completely fill the placesassigned to them, and being bolted; as are the main and guard rails, to a flat metallic plate, which is in turn secured to the cross-ties, serve to strengthen andmake'firm anddurable the said pointed rails 4 and5.

The directing guide bars and 16, which in their operation determine the passage of the cars over the main track orover the side track, extend al'ong the track close to the rails of .the same just before'and at the point of divergence of the rails of the main track. It is the function of these guide-bars to apr ply a horizontal pressure to thewheels of the cars passing over the track, and each j is J placed in such close proximity to the rail in connection with which it'operates,that=when :in'operative position it will furnish such horizontal pressure Theyare so arranged in relation to each other that only onecanbe in operative position at a time.

The form of guide bar whichgis shown in the drawings need not nccessari'lybe' used, but'I have found it convenientbecause of f the extreme simplicity and strength of the design, and because a common rail section 'can'be used in the construction of the same. Eachof the guide bars, in the construction shown, consists of an ordinary rail revolubly mounted, and provided with means for being locked in its operative position. The method ofmounting the rail is shown in Fig- 2,where a sectionof'the rail secured tothe revolubly mounted'cli p fastening 8, the interlocking bell crank lever 13, and the journal box 9, which ,provides'bearingsfor the clip fastening and the locking lever, and which is formed with "aifiat bottom plate, by means of projections on which the'positionof the guide bar with relationto the fixed rail in connection with which 'it operates is determined, are illustrated. There are several of these bearing boxes wlth accompanying mechanism stationed at difier ent points along the rail to insuredts positive movement. The revolubly mounted clip fastening S is, as shown in the drawings,

formed with a claw 8, which embraces one side of the flanged base-of-the rail, 'and'with a projectingiportion 8 which embraces the other side of the flanged base of the rail. A' rivet 8 passing through a notch in the flange and the clip fastening, firmly securesthe rail to such fastening. On the lower sidefiof the clip fastening is formed the re-enteringportion 8 Which, as will presently be seen, aids *in locking the guide bar-in position.

pin on which: the clip fastening is *mounted does not extend entirely through the'journal :box, as shown" in Fig. 3, asthereby 'amore meat andattractive design is secured. The journal box itself'is formed with a bottom portion 9, which extends across the rail upon The which the box issituated, and has a hooked outer end, which embraces the outer bottom flange of the rail. A projecting boss 9 formed onsaid bottom portion, abuts'against,

the other side of the bottom flange of'the rail, and thus determines the position of-the jour-,

nal box, and therefore of the mechanism mounted thereon, With'reference to the rail.

The journal boxes 9'form bearings, for a position, of a crank arm 11 by t-he rod '12.

,This rod 12 extends across the track and operates both guide bars, the two being" so con- Ire I rod 10, which extends the length of the guide 'bar,'and which is operated through-the internected together that only one can be in op erative p'osition at a'ti'me. '10 passes through thejourn'al box 9, there is keyed to it a-bell crankj lever 13, the long 'arm-13' of-which bears against the stemor upright portion of the rail,'and thus moves the same up and down,and the'short arm 13 "of which, when "the guide baris raised, fits into the re-entering portion8 formed-on the l'owersurface of the clip fastening 8. When the-shaft 10 is'tu'rned so that-the long arm of the bell crank lever 13 moves upward into a vertical position, it will be seen, as shown in-F'ig; 2, that theguide bar is securely held in the position into which it has been forced,

and that the fastening is so strong that it would be utterly impossible to move the said Where the rod guide bar either up or down without crushing the metal intervening between the bearings. When the bell crank lever is turned downward, the position of the parts is as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To understand more fully the operation of the switch, consider the action of a train passing in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 1, the directing guide bars being set as shown. When the train reaches the point of divergence of the rails of the main track, each set of wheels naturally desires to follow the rail on which it is moving. This is now, however, impossible, but the horizontal pressure aiforded by the guide bar operating in connection with rail 1 is sufficient to continue the passage of the wheels over that rail, and in consequence to cause the other set of wheels to jump to rail 3, the train then passing onto the main track. A train going in the opposite direction on the main track will not be disturbed. If the position of the switch .be changed, the train will pass onto the side track. In either position of the guide bars, a train can pass from the side track to the main track.

The advantages of my switch are apparent. It is much cheaper and simpler in construction than those now in use, and can be used with greater dispatch and certainty. By d0- lng without movable rails a great cause of danger is overcome.

In case it is desired to clean out underneath the guide bars at any time, this can easily be accomplished by one man slowly turning the switch lever while another man raises or turns the guard rail, so that when the interlocking parts are in just the proper position, the man who is turning the guard rail can turn it clear up. This will permit the rail to be turned clear over.

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

1. In a switch, the combination with the track formed at a point of siding in such a manner that one of the rails of the main track curves outward to form one of the rails of the side track, the main track being continued by and the other rail of the side track being formed each by an independent rail, of revolubly mounted directing guide bars, coupled together so that only one of them shall be in operative position at a time, for apply ing horizontal pressure to either set of wheels passing over the said track at the point of divergence of the rails of the same to determine the passage of the cars over the main or side track, and means for operating the said bars, substantially as described.

2. In a switch,the combination with a fixed rail, of a revolubly mounted guide bar ex tending along and in close proximity to the same, and a lever for raising said guide bar so that it will apply a horizontal pressure to wheels passing over the fixed rail, substantially as described.

3. In aswitch, the combination with a fixed rail, of a rail secured to a revolubly mounted fastening, and a lever bearing against the stem of said rail to raise it to a horizontal position, so that it will apply a horizontal pressure to wheels passing over the fixed rail, sub,- stantially as described.

at. In a switch,the combination with a fixed rail, of a rail secured to a revolubly mounted fastening having a re-entering lower surface, and a bell crank lever, the long arm of which bears against the stem of the rail to raise it into a horizontal position in which it can apply a horizontal pressure to wheels passing over the fixed rail, and the short arm of which looks with the re-entering portion of the fastening, substantially as described.

5. In a switch, the combination with a fixed rail, of arevolubly mounted guide bar extending along and in close proximity to the same, a lever for raising said guide bar so that it will apply horizontal pressure to wheels passing over the main rail, and means for determining the position of the guide bar relative to the fixed rail, substantially as described.

6. In a switch, the combination with a fixed rail, of a revolubly mounted guide bar extending along and in close proximity to the same, bearing boxes for said guide bar pro vided with outwardly extending bottom por tions having projection thereon to grasp and

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