US573567A - Locking mechanism for switch-levers - Google Patents

Description

(No'ModeL) R; H. GANFIBLD.

' LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCH LEVBRS. No. 578,567. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

Fig.1. I

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT CANFIE'LD, OF CORNING, NElV YORK.

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCH-LEVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,567, dated December 22, 1896. Application filed April 7, 1896. Serial No. 586,505. (No model.)

To rzZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. CANFIELD, of Corning, county of Steuben, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Looking Mechanism for Switch-Levers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for looking a weighted switch-operating lever.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch-lock in which the padlock may be placed in the staple and locked while the switch is open, so that when the switch-operating lever is thrown over to set the switch in main-track position the switch will lock itself and the lever cannot be moved without unlocking the padlock.

The invention will first be described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch-stand with my improved. automatic lock applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the lockfraine, showing in full lines the switch-operating lever locked by the locking-latch and its retracting arm or hasp, the dotted lines showing the locking-latch and its retracting arm or hasp retracted. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the said locking-latch and its retracting lever or hasp detached.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a switch-stand; A, the switch-rod; A the signal-shaft, and A the shaft which operates the said signal-shaft and rod through the medium of the weighted lever D. These parts maybe of any approved construction and in themselves form no part of the present invention.

A is the lock or latch frame and is cast integral with the switch-stand or bolted thereto; This frame A is provided in its upper edge with a notch a, made somewhat flaring at its upper end to receive the switch-operating lever D. The outer side of lever D where it enters the notch a is provided with a recess (Z to receive a nose or hook of a locking-latch to be presently described. The outer side of the frame A is cored out or formed with a vertically-extending recess a, opening at its upper end into the notch a, as shown at a just where the recess (Z comes.

B is a locking-latch pivoted at its lower end, as at Z), in the lower end of recess a and having a hook B at its upper end projecting through the opening a into the notch a to enter the recess (1 and lock the switching-lever D.

The outer edge of the lower end of the locking-latch B, below the pivot 19', is formed with a shoulder b, engaged by an opposed shoulder c on the lower end of the inner side of a latchretracting arm or hasp O, which is pivoted by means of the inwardly-extending ears 0' to the axis or pivot 12', said arm or hasp extending upwardly along the outer edge of the frame A and closing the outer side of the recess a.

The upper end of the arm or hasp O is provided with a slot 0 to receive a staple E at the upper end of the frame, said staple being for the purpose of receiving a padlock, by means of which the arm or hasp C may be locked against outward movement.

F is a coil-spring between the adjacent sides of the latch B and arm or hasp O, with its ends seated in recesses b and c respectively. This spring serves to press the locking-la'tch B inwardly, so that its nose or hook B will normally project into the notch a. The latch B will therefore have an independent movement of its own when the retracting arm or hasp C is locked by the padlock, and when the upper end of the latch is pressed inward its 7 shoulder will be moved away from the shoulder 0, but when the padlock is removed and the arm or hasp C thrown out wardly the shoulder 0 will press inwardly on shoulder b and cause the upper end of the latch to swing outwardly and thus withdraw its nose or hook B from the recess cl in the switch-lever D and unlock the same.

It will be noticed that the notch d completely conceals the hook B and prevents it from being tampered with or reached by unauthorized persons.

When a switch is to be operated, the arm or hasp O is unlocked and swung outwardly, which will retract the locking-latch B and permit the trainman to throw the lever D, and as soon as this has been done the arm or lever O is swung up and locked by the padlock. The switch will now be automatically locked without further attention of the trainman when the switch-operating lever D is swung over into the notch, and the lockinglatch will be forced back andv then snapped into the recess (Z. This will prove a great saving of time, as the trainman will not have to wait until the train has passed the switch before applying the padlock to the switch, as is the case now.

Of course the arm or hasp C may be locked by any suitable lock instead of a padlock, if desired, and the retracting connection between said arm or hasp and the latch, as at c b, may be differently effected without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An automatic switch-lock comprising a fixed frame or support and a yielding lockinglatch sustained by said frame and adapted to engage and lock the switch-lever, in combination with a movable hasp or arm, also sustained by. the fixed frame, and adapted when locked to said frame to hold the latch yieldingly in the path of the switch-lever, connections between the latch and hasp to positively disengage the latch from the lever when the hasp is released from the frame and removed, and suitable means for locking said hasp to the frame, substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic switch-lock, the combination with a frame or support, and a latch to lock the switch-lever, of an arm orhasp adapted to be locked to the frame, or swung outwardly therefrom; the said latch, when the arm or hasp is locked, being held in position thereby to snap into engagement with and lock the switch-lever, and said arm or hasp when unlocked and swung out, serving to retract the said latch and release the switchlever, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic switch-lock, the combination with a frame or support, and a latch pivoted therein to lock the switch-lever, of a pivoted arm or hasp engaging with its lower end the lower end of the said latch to permit independent movement thereof, and allow the latch to snap into engagement with and lock said lever, a spring interposed between said latch and arm or hasp, and means for locking said arm or hasp to the frame or support; said arm or hasp when unlocked and swung outwardly causing the retraction of the latch from the switch-lever, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the frame or support having a notch to receive the switch-lever, and a pivoted locking-latch in the frame to enter said notch and lock the switch-lever, of an arm or hasp pivoted at its lower end in the frame and having means for locking its the said latch when the arm or hasp. is locked being adapted to yield to and snap into engagement with the switch-lever and to be retracted when the arm or hasp is unlocked and swung out, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the recessed frame having a lever-notch in its upper edge, and the locking-latch pivoted at its lower end in said recessed frame with its upper end pro- 3' ectin g into said notch, of an arm or hasp pivoted at its lower end in said frame-recess, and having means for locking its upper end to the frame; the lower ends of the adjacent edges of said levers below their pivots being shouldered to permit'independent yielding of the latch and to causeit to be positively retracted when said arm is unlocked and swung out, and a spring between the adjacent edges of the latch and the arm or hasp, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the frame having a notch in its upper edge to receive the switchlever, a recess opening into said notch and a staple on the upper end of its outer edge, of the locking-latch pivoted at its lower end in said recess, and having a hook or noseat its upper end to project into said notch, the arm or hasp pivoting on the same pivot with the latch and having a shouldered lower end to engage the latch below its pivot and press its upper end outwardly and having a slotted upper end to receive said staple, and a spring interposed between the adjacent faces of the latch and arm or hasp; the latch after the arm or hasp has been locked having a yielding movement to permit it to snap into engagement with the switch-lever, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the switch-stand, its switch-rod and switch-operating lever 100 having a closed recess in one side, of the automatic locking mechanism comprising a frame or support having a notched upper edge to receive the recessed portion of the switchlever, a latch in the frame to snap into said :05 lever-recess, and an arm or hasp adapted to be locked to the frame or swung outwardly therefrom to retract the latch and release the switch-lever; the said latch, when the arm or hasp is locked, being adapted to yield and no snap into engagement with the switch-lever and automatically lock the switch, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of March, 1896, in the pres- 1 I 5 ence of two attesting witnesses.

ROBERT II. CANFIELD.

\Vitnesses:

, THOMAS MCAVO-Y,

F. H. PERRY.

Images