US546990A

US546990A - battey

Info

Publication number: US546990A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1912-10-01

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

S. B. BATTEY. SWITCH MEGHANISM.

Patented Oct. l,

TOI?

/NVEN A TTOHNEYS.

(No Model.)

S. B. BATTEY.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

/W fg: 5.

AN DREW BJSRAHM. PHOTO UTHO.WASMINGTON.D C

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Oct. 1,1895. Y

A TTOHNE YS.

NtraY rari-ts SUMTER B. BATTEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,990, dated October 1, 1895.

Application filed December 15, 1894. Serial No. 531,910. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, SUMTER B. BATTEY, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to switch mechanism such as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States granted to me November 20, 1894.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved switch mechanism more especially designed for use on streetrailroads and arranged to enable the operator in charge of the car to conveniently and accurately set the switch according to the direction in which the car should travel.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement as applied and with parts broken out. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a reduced perspective view of the improvement as applied and part of the cover-plate removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of the improvement on the line 4 d of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the lever and its adjustable fulcrum, and Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of part of the casing.

The pivoted switchrail A is arranged to open and close the main track B to the side track C in the usual manner. The free end of the said switch-rail A. is provided with a downwardly-extending arm A', connected by an adjustable link D with one end of a lever E, extending longitudinally in a casing F, set in the track between the track-rails, as is plainly illustrated in the drawings, the top of the said casing being flush with the pavement of the track. The other end of the lever E extends into a socket G', formed on the under side of a block G, secured in place on a transverse bar H by a screw G2, as plainly illus trated in Fig. 5. The end of the lever E may extend into a recess or opening formed in the barHinstead of engaging the socket G. The bar l-I engages a bottom extension G4 of a second block G3, likewise secured in place on the bar I-I by a screw G5, the said blocks G and G3 being arranged opposite each other and adapted to slide in and out of housings F and F3, formed in the casing F, near the top thereof, as plainly shown in the drawings; The bottoms F4 of the housings F' and F2 are pret'erablyslotted, as at F3, to permitany snow, dirt, or other matter passing into the housings in the rear of the blocks G and G3 to drop into the casing F, which latter is provided with a drain-pipe to carry off water, moisture, and other matter.

Between the housings F' and F2 is arranged a centrally-extending partition or rail F3, forming, with the outer curved faces of the blocks G G3, guideways or slots for the passage of the lower ends I2 and I3 of rods I and I', fitted to slide vertically in suitable bearings .I and J', respectively, attached to the under side of the platform of the car K. The rods I and I' extend to the top of the platform and are provided with foot-arms I4 and l5, respectively, adapted to be engaged by the operators feet to press the corresponding rod I or I' downward to bring the lower end I2 or I3 in contact with the corresponding block G or G3.

The upper ends of the rods I and l' are connected with springsLand L', respectively, held ou the dashboard of the car to normally hold the said rods I and I' in an uppermost position-that is, above the track-pavement` to readily pass obstructions in the track. The bottoms F4, on which the blocks G and G3 are fitted to slide transversely, are formed at their ends into upwardly-curved extensions F6 and F7, respectively, of which the continuations F3 and F9 extend horizontally as the covers for the casing F. It is understood that as the two blocks G and G3 are secured on the same bar H both blocks are moved transversely whenever one is engaged and 'shifted laterally by the corresponding lower end I2 or I3 of either rod I or I'.

The fulcruln for the lever E is preferably made adjustable, as indicated in detail in Fig. 6, and thus for this purpose the lever E is TOO e 546,9eo

provided with a longitudinally-extending slot E', engaged by the square block E2 of the vertically-disposed pivot E3, having its pointed ends set in steps in guide-blocks E, titted to slide longitudinally in suitable guideways E5, arranged within the casing F and secured to the top and bottom thereof. On the block E2 isheldarod E6,extendingforwardlyand adapted to engage with its forward downwardlybent end ET one of a series of apertures E2, formed in the forward end of the lever E. (See Fig. 2.) New itwill be seen that,by lifting the forward end E7 of the rod Ery out of engagement with the corresponding aperture ES, then the fulcrum E2 can be moved forward or hackward in the guideways E5, the block E2 of the said pivot sliding in the slot E of the lever E. Vhen the desired position is reached, the rod E6 is again engaged, with its end E7, with one of the apertures E2, so as to lock the fulcrum or pivot E3 to the lever. New in case of wear on the faces of the blocks G and G3 the throw of the said blocks and lever E is considerably diminished, whereby the switchral A will not be moved to a full open or shut position, and hence accidents are liable to occur, owing to the imperfect shifting of the said switch-rail. Now by being enabled to shift the fulcrum of the lever E more or less throw can be given to the forward end of the lever E, so as to move the switch-rail a greater or less distance. For instance, if more throw is necessary, owing to wear on the blocks G and G2, then the pivot E3 is shifted rearwardly-that is, toward the blocks Gand G3, so that it requires but a slight lateral movement of thesaid blocks to impart a sufficient throw to the lever E to shift the switch-rail A properly-that is, into a full open or closed position. The link D is made adjustable, so that when the switch is set the operator is enabled to readily adjust the switch-rail A relative to the lever E to cause the proper throwing of the switch-rails when the blocks G and G3 are shifted laterally.

The operation is as follows: When the car is approachinga switch, as illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and the switch-rail A is closed, and it is desired that the car should go from the main track to the side track C, the operator in charge of the car and standing on the platform presses the foot-piece I4 of the rod I, so as to move the latter downward to bring the lower end I2 into contact with the horizontal part F2 of the top of the casingleading to the extension F6 for the housing F. The lower end I2 of this rod I will on the further forward travel of the car come in contact with the side of the housing E', and finally onto the side face of the block G, so that the latter, owing to its curved face, is shifted laterally-that is, to the right into the housing F. In doing so the bar II, with the block G3, is moved in a like direction, and by the socket G a swinging motion is given to the lever E, so that the latter moves with its outer end inward to exert a pull on the link D, so that the switch-rail A is shifted to connect the main track B with the side track C. Now it will be seen that when the next car coming along the track B desires to follow the latter then the operator in charge of the second car presses the rod I to cause the lower end thereof to finally engage the block G2, extending.r with its face out of the housing, so that the block is shifted and the bar Il, with the block G, is moved laterally to the left, and the lever E is returned to its normal position, so as to close the switch-rail A to disconnect the side track from the main track B. Now it will be seen that by the arrangement described the operator is not liable to make a mistake in pressing the proper rod I or I', as he presses the rod on that side of the platform corresponding to the direction i'n which he desires the car to travel.

The rail E5, directly opposite the innermost faces of the blocks G and G3, is cut out, as at F10, to correspond to the curvature of the faces of the blocks G and G2. Now by this arrangement it is possible for the lower ends I2 and I2 of the rods I and I to suiciently yield or bend in case the switch-rail A is locked in place by a stone or other obstruction between the switch-rail, guard-rail, or side-track rail C. The lower ends I2 and I3 of the rods,being made of spring-steel, will readily yield sulciently when traveling along the faces of either block G or G3, so as to spring toward the outer portion F10 of the rail F5 to prevent injury to any part of the mechanism.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A switch mechanism, comprising a lever, an adjustable link connecting one end of the said lever with the switch rail, a block formed with a socketengaging the other end of the said lever, a cross bar carrying the said block, and a second block similar to the first named block, substantially as shown and described.

2. A switch mechanism, provided with a casing formed with housings on opposite sides of a central rail, the said housings being adapted to receive blocks, the said central rail of the easing being separated from the said housings by spaces adapted to receive the edges of said blocks, substantially as shown and described.

3. A switch mechanism, provided with a lever formed with a series of apertures and a longitudinally extending slot, a pivot for the said lever loosely engaging said longitudinal slot, and havingbloeks mounted to slidelongitudinally in guideways, and engaging the ends of the said pivot, and a rod held on the pivot and extending along the said lever to engage with'its outer end one of the said apertures to lock the pivot in place in the slot, substantially as shown and described.

4e. In a switch mechanism the combination of a lever extending parallel to the track and having an adjustable fulcrum, the forward end of said lever being connected to the switch IOO IlO

rail, and a slide block connected to the rear end of said lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a switch mechanism the combination of a lever extending parallel to the track and having a sliding pivot, the forward end of said lever being connected to the switch rail and a block connected to the rear end of said lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a switch mechanism, a casing provided with a central rail and recesses on 0pposite sides thereof said recesses adapted to receive slide blocks, and having their bottoms inclined upward toward their front and rear ends, substantially as set forth.

7. In a switch mechanism the combination of a lever, extending parallel to the track and connected at one end to the switch rail, a casing having housings, the bottoms of which are slotted, slide blocks mounted in said housings and adapted to be struck and moved by a passing car, brackets on said slide blocks extending through said slots in the bottoms of the housings, and having sockets below the same, a tie-bar having its ends engaging said sockets, and a connection between the slide blocks and said lever, substantially as set forth.

8. In a switch mechanism a slotted lever having a series of perforations and a pivot for said lever slidingly engaging said slot and provided with a rod adapted to engage one of the said perforations, whereby said pivotis held in place, substantially as set forth.

SUMTER s; BATTEY. Witnesses:

THEO. G. HosTER, JN0. M. RITTER.