US550131A - Herbert peace - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

HPBACB. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

- lNo. 550,131. Patented-Nov. 19, 1895. K-

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UNITED STATES f PATENT OFFICE;

HERBERT PEACE, OF LODI, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO CORNELIUS VAN LOON, OE SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,131, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed April 8, 1895. Serial No. 544,874. (No model.)

To au whom t may concern/:-

Beit kno'wn that I, HERBERT PEACE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Lodi, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railroad- Switches'; 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to anew and useful improvement in automatic railroad-switches, and especially (adapted to be used in connection with street-cars, and has for its object greater simplicity, cheapness, and durability, as well as to facilitate the operating the switch from the platform of the car,without the necessity of getting off of the car to turn the switch.

With these ends in view my invention consists of the peculiar features and combination of parts more fully described hereinafter7 and finally pointed out in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,l

in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures where they occur, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved automatic railroadswitch, showing the track and the switch or siding, also showing the connecting mechanism for operating the switch in dotted outlines. Fig. 2 is a part section on the line a: of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the working mechanism not showing the rail. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modification.

In said drawings, a represents the main track having a switch or siding b, situated at any desired place and having a switch-tongueV c, pivoted as at d, and connected at its forward end e to a lever f, placed and secured on the under side of the rail and having a fulcrum g on the case h, inclosing the working parts. At the forward end c' of this lever f is secured a rod or rope j, which passes over a pulley k, secured to the said casing h, the other end of said rod or rope being secured to an adj ustable rod Z, passingv through one end of a lever m, having a fulcrum, as at n, and the forward end 'n' of said lever passing through the rail o and extending beyond the same, so as to come in contact with the surface of the wheel as soon as the same is directly on the same. On this end ovare secured covers o2 to better enable the wheel to press the said rod or lever downward, so that said depression will cause the rod or rope j to draw backward, thereby closing said switch in case the same is opened.

Between the extending end o and the point of the switch-tongue c is placed a presser p to Abe operated from the platform of the c ar by the operator pressing upon a plunger secured to the bottom of thecar'and forward of the wheels, the said presser being secured at the rear end 29' of the lever f and said plunger when being forced by the action of the operator between the outer edge of the railand the inner edge of the presser, so that said lever is forced back, and thereby open the switch and allow the car to enter the siding, as fully shown in Fig. 1 in dotted outlines. Upon the said forward end 'L' of the lever fis secured another rod or rope q, which is connected to a 'similar pulley r, secured to the casing h and having another rod or rope s connected to an adjustable rod s', passing through the end As2 of the lever s3, having its fulcrum, as at s4, in the box S5, and the forward end s6 of the lever passing through the rail and extending beyond the same, so as to come in contact with the surface of the wheel. On this end S7 is secured cover S8 to better enable the wheel to depress the lever downward, thereby drawing the rod or rope backward, thereby closing the switch-tongue, as will be readily seen upon referring to the drawings. By this construction the switch is always in a closed position, and it will be necessary to use the plunger secured to the car to open the switch, and as soon as the first wheel passes over the rod extending above the surface of the rail the switch is. again closed for the next proceeding car to remain on the main track. These rods are placed at a distance sumcient away from the point of the switch, so that as soon as the rst wheel passes over the rod the last wheel is out of IOO engagement with the switch, as will be manifest.

Should the car come from left to right on the siding, the action of the flange on the wheel will tend to open the switch without the aid of the plunger.

In Fig. 4 I have shown that the lever f may be 011 the outer side of the rail and in a perfect straight line and having at its forward end a small connecting-piece t, secured to the underside of the switch at the forward end thereof, and in this case the rods or ropes 7' and q are secured permanently, as fully shown in said figure.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction shown, as various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switch tongue, a lever connected at `one end to the forward end of the switch tongue and the other end being secured to a presser placed along' side of the rail to open said switch, a rod or rope secured to the forward end of said lever and said rod or rope passing over a pulley secured to the casing, said rod or rope being also secured at i its other end to a lever having on-e end eX- tending beyond the surface of the rail to close j said switch, substantially as aud for the purposes set forth.

2. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switch tongue, alever l connected at one end to said switch tongue, the other end being attached to a presser` placed along side of the rail to open said rod or rope that goes to the left being secured to the lever secured on the siding, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switch tongue, a lever connected at one end to a presser placed along side of said rail, the other end being connected by an arm to the forward end of said switch tongue, rods or ropes secured permanently to said forward end of said lever and passing over pulleys, the other ends of each of said rods or ropes being connected to levers, said levers having one end extending above the surface of the rail, said presser being operated by a plunger secured to the platform of the car to open said switch, substan tially as and for the purposes as specified.

4. In an automatic railroad switch the com bin ation with a pivotal switch tongue c, a lever f, one end of which being secured to the forward end of the switch tongue, said lever being fulcrumed as at g on the casing 71, rods or ropes ,7' and q secured to the forward end of said lever j', said rods or ropes passing over pulleys k and fr, said rod being' secured to an adjustable rodl passing through one end of a lever m having a fulcrum fn, the other end of said lever passing through and extending above the surface of the rail, the other rod or rope s permanently secured to the other pulley 1' and said rod or rope being secured to an adjustable rod s passing through one end of a lever s3 having a fulerum s", the other end passing through and extending above the surface of the rail, said ends o' and s7 coming in contact with the surface of the wheel to close the switch, all of said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of February, 1895.

HERBERT PEAGE.

lVi tnesses:

OSCAR A. MICHEL, l. Il. WILCoX.

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