US615101A - Railway-switch - Google Patents

Description

No. 6l5,l0l. Patented Nov. 29, I898. G. A. &. T. F. PENROSE.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application filed. Mar. 16, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sh,eBtsSheet I.

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No. 6|5,|0|.' Patented Nov. 29, I398.

' G. A. & T. F. PENROSE.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

Application filed Mar. 16, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES 1'7 7 n4: NQRBiS PLTERS co, PNOTO-LITD-Kl, WASHING on n r NITED STATES PATENT Fine.

GEORGE ALBERT PENROSE AND THOMAS FLORISTON PENROSE, OF MEREDITH, ARKANSAS.

SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,101, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed March 16, 1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE ALBERT PEN ROSE and THoMAs FLORISTON PENROSE, of Meredith, in the county of Woodrufi andState of Arkansas, have invented a new and Improved Railway Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is a railway-switch having switch-points operated by the usual switchstand,but constructed without the usual frog, the switch having instead means for lifting the wheels of the car from one rail to the other.-

This specification is the disclosure of one form of our invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

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

Figure 1 is a plan View of the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the switch-points at the stand. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of the frog end of the switch. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is fragmentary section on the line 7 7 of Fig.

The main rails 8 and 9 of the track are unbroken, as shown in Fig. 1. The switch-rails 10 and 11 run into the rails 8 and 9, as shown, the rail 10 having a raised wheel-lifting rail 12, which has an overhanging end 13, capable of projecting over the main rail 9, as shown in Fig. 3. Crossing diagonally between the rails 8 and 9 and forming a continuation of the rail 10 is a rail-section 14, which leads to the rail 8 and has a hinged switch-point l5, movable toward and from the rail 8. Adjacent to the switch-point 15 a stationary guardrail 16 is arranged to engage the flange of the wheel and throw the wheel from the point 15 to the rail 8. The rail 11 has a hinged switchpoint 17, located at the outer side of the rail 9 and movable toward and from the same. The rail 11, as best shown in Fig. 2, is raised above the rail 9, so as to be engaged by the tread of the wheel immediately before the truck of the car is swung laterally by the engagement of the wheels with the switch-point 15. The switch-point 17 has a rigid arm 18 Serial No. 674,009. (No model.)

projecting laterally and guided in an eye 19, fixed on one of the ties. The points 15 and 17 are connected with each other by bracebars 20. The switch-stand 21 maybe of any desired construction and is coupled with and adapted to throw the points 15 and 17 through the medium of bars 22 and 23.

The opposite end of the rail 14 terminates in a guard portion 24, which, as well as the main portion of the rail 14, is raised above the rails 8 and 9, so as to permit the flanges of the wheels to pass over the rails 8 and 9 in the act of switching a train. The switchpoint 15 tapers from the increased height of the rail 14 downward to the height of the rail 8, and the switch-point 17 is shaped in the same manner. The rails 10 and 11 at the switch are also raised like the rail 14, and when the switch is passed the rails 10 and 11 are of course dropped down to the normal height. The overhanging rail 12 is also raised to the same height as the rails 10 and 14, so that the wheel will be permitted to roll directly from the one to the other.

The rail 12 is hinged by means of fixtures 24 to one of the ties, and its inward movement is limited by a stop 25, fast to one of the ties, as shown best in Fig. 3. The rail 12 is provided with a rigid arm 26, sliding in an eye 27, fast to a bed-plate 28. Pivoted to a bolt 29 are two links 30, each of which carries at its opposite end two eyes 30, respectively slidably receiving rods 30", in turn respectively pivoted to two guardrails 31, mounted to swing on pivots 32 at their inner or adjacent ends. Each rod 3O carries a rubber or other spring 30, which is situate between the corresponding eyes 30". Each rod 30 is also provided with nuts 30, limiting the independent movements of the links and springs. Such a construction provides a yielding connection between the parts 31 and 12, which compensates for the different thicknesses of the flanges of the car-wheels passing over' the switch. Two studs 33 are respectively made fast to adjacent ties and are arranged, respectively, at the inner sides of the guard-rails 31. Extending between each stud 33 and the rail 11 is a curved rod 34. (Best shown in Fig. 7.) These rods 34 are passed loosely through the guard-rails 31, and

each of the guard-rails 31 carries a housing 35, in which is placed a rubber or other expansive block 36. As shown in Fig. '7, each rod 34: has a washer 31 bearing against its spring 36 to confine the same. These blocks 36 normally press the guard-rails 31 to the positions shown in Fig. 1, and when the flange of the wheel rolling on the rail 11 engages the guard-rails 31 the guard-rails are moved to swing inward, compressing the block 36, as shown in Fig. 7. This movement of either one of the guard-rails 31 causes the overhanging rail 12 to swing inward to the position shown in Fig. 3, which is to overhang the rail 9. It will thus be seen that the rail 12 is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 3 whenever a truck passes over the rail 11 irrespective of the direction in which the truck is going, since if the truck approaches from one side one guard-rail acts and if the truck approaches from the other side the other guardrail acts.

It will thus be seen that our invention provides a switch that has no frogs. The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1 a train passing over the tracks will be caused to take the switch by the action of the points 15 and 17, the one serving to slide the train laterally toward the switch and the other serving to lift the corresponding wheels up from the rail 9 and onto the rail 11. As the train proceeds to the other portion of the switch the wheels strike the near guard-rail 31 and throw the same inward to permit the flanges of the wheels to pass. At the same time the overhanging rail 12 is thrown inward to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the corresponding wheels may roll from the rail 14 to the rail 12. This portion of the switch is entirely automatic in its action. Should a train be passing from the switch onto the main rails, the action of the parts 31 and 12 is the same as that described, except that the movements are produced by the opposite guard-rail 31. The train passes over the points 15 and 1.7, and such points being adjusted as in Fig. 1. cause the train to be rolled readily onto the rails S and 9.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a railway-switch, the combination with the main and switch rails, of a swinging wheel-lifting rail forming a continuation of one of the switch-rails and overhanging the adjacent main rail, two guard-rails mounted to swing on independent axes and located adjacent to the remaining switch-rail, two rods attached to said remaining switch-rail and passed loosely through the respective guardrails, springs respectively bearing between each rod and the coacting guard-rail, and connections between the guard-rails and the wheel-lifting rail, such connections consisting each in two sliding sections with a spring interposed between them.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination with the main and switch rails, of a wheellifting rail forming a continuation of one of the switch-rails and overhanging the adjacent main rails, two guard-rails mounted to swing on independent pivots adjacent to the remainin g switch-rail, two rods projecting inwardly from said rel'naining switch-rail and respectively fitted in the guard-rails, a rigid stud to which each rod is attached, a housing attached to each guard-rail and surrounding the rods, a spring inclosed by each housing and pressing between the adjacent guard-rail and stud, and connections between the wheellifting rail and the guard-rails, each connection consisting in two slidably-connected sections with a spring interposed between them.

3. The combination with the main and switch rails of a swinging wheel-lifting rail forming a continuation of one of the switchrails and overhanging the adjacent main rail, two guard-rails mounted to swing on independent axes adjacent to the wheel-lifting rail, and a connection attached to each wheellifting rail, the connections converging toward each other and extending to a common point on the wheel-lifting rail at which point the connections are pivoted to the wheel-lifting rail whereby to transmit movement directly to the wheel-lifting rail.

GEORGE ALBERT PENROSE. THOMAS FLORISTON lENROSIl.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM S. HUNT, SILvnsTER O. HUNT.

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