US663906A - Lever-locking mechanism for switch-stands. - Google Patents

Description

W. F. KNOX.

Patenta nec. la, |960.

LEVER LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCHASTANDS.

(No Model.)

(Application led Apr. 9, 1900.1

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Inl/animi' jzOf/Z llNTTi-in FTATns lFnTnNT @Tricia WLLIAM F. KNOX, OF LEAVENVORTH, KANSAS.

LEVER-LOCKING MECHANISIVI FOR SWITCH-STANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,906, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed April 9, 1900- Serial No. 12,064. (No model.)

To 1f/ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. KNOX, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Leavenworth, Leavenworth county, Kansas, have invented a new and useful Lever-Locking Mechanism for Switch-Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-stand locks, with particular reference to mechanism for automatically locking the target-rod lever when thrown to the desired position, my object being to produce a construction whereby said lever may be handled with great despatch and convenience and which is simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whih Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the iop or table ot' the switch-stand, the standard and targetrod thereof being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the top or table of the stand and the contiguous parts, taken on the line Il Il of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of a part of the lever with its lock. Fig. 4 is a similar View with the face-plate of the lock omitted.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the base portion of the stand of the usual or any preferred construction and provided with the laterally-projecting ears 2 at its upper end.

3 is the top or table of the stand, approximately semicircular in form, provided with a central opening 4, to snugly fit on the top or table of the stand, and a communicating recess or opening 5. (See Fig. l.) At opposite sides of opening 4 lugs 6 depend and are bolted, as at 7, rigidly to ears 2 of the stand to bolted reliably, as at 14, to the stand and forming, in conjunction with thelatter,a bearing for the vertical target-rod l5, said rod being provided at its upper end with the usual or any preferred style of target or signal (not shown) and at its lower end adapted to be connected with the switch (not shown) in the usual or any preferred manner.

15 designates a crank-arm for the targetrod, said arm being keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the rod at the upper side of the top or table and provided with the longitudinal notch 17, adapted to register with but extend farther inward than either of the notches 8, 9, or 10 of said top or table, and pivoted, as at 1S, in the notch of said crankarm is a lever 19, said lever when occupying a substantially vertical position (see Figs. 1 and 2) engaging the registering notch S, 9, or 10, as the case may be, to prevent the movement ot' the target-rod, aud consequently of the target and switch, as will be readily understood. When the lever is thrown to a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, it forms practically an elongation of arm 16 and permits the switch and target to be thrown as desired.

All of the parts thus far described, with the exception of the bolt-sockets 11, are common in switch-stands as now constructed, and to said lold parts alone or in combination I make no claim.

20 designates a spring adapted to be interposed between the inner ends of the notches and the lever, and for reducing the number of parts and for economic reasons one spring only is employed and is secured to the rear orunder side of thelever, preferably as shown at 21. The function of this spring will hereinafter appear.

Formed in the face or upper side of the lever are the communicating recesses 22 and 23, the latter having a centrally-disposed keyguide 24 and the former a bolt 25, adapted to be advanced and projected beyond the side of the lever by the spring 26, bearing against the closed end of recess 22 and against the bolt, being retained reliably in position by fitting for the greater part of its length in the longitudinal hole 27 of the bolt, and to prevent the spring from throwing the bolt clear out of the lever the latter is provided IOO with a shoulder 28 to limit its advance movement and with a notch 29 to receive the bit of the key. (Not shown.) The bolt is retained in position by a face-plate 30, riveted or screwed to the face of the lever, said faceplate being provided with a keyhole 31, by preference of the type to receive the keyl most common in use on switch-stands of this type, keyhole-guard 32 being connected to the faceplate, so as to normally close said keyhole and prevent the entrance therein of snow, which would interfere with the manipulation of the lock.

Assuming that the target stands inoperative or parallel with the track and is locked in such position,it will be understood that the lever occupies the position shown in full lines, Figs. l and 2, with the bolt 25 engaging socket Il and the spring 2O compressedv between the lever and the rear wall of notch S. To raise said lever to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, preliminary to the operation of the target-rod, it is necessary to insert the key in the keyhole and turn it until its bit enters notch 29 of the bolt and turns the latter against the resistance of spring 26 until it is totally withdrawn from socket l1. As this takes place the spring automatically throws the leverto the position shown in dotted lines c, Fig. 2, from which position lit is raised by hand. This spring is particularly useful on yard switchstands, where it is frequently desirable to leave they lever unlocked, but at the same time occupying the notch 8, 9, or 10, as the case may be, so as to prevent the switch from accidental operation, as frequently happens as soon as the lever is totally withdrawn from the notch of the top or table. It sometimes occurs also that it is desirable after setting the switch to secure it reliably without locking it. In this case, assuming that the switch 4has been set, the operator may permit it to swing down into the notch below, the spring by reason of its position preventing it from swinging sufficiently far into the notch for the bolt to enter socket l1. Furthermore,

the operator byinserting the key in the lock may unlock the lever without handling it and pass on ward with the assurance that the switch will be reliably maintained and that he or another operator may afterward operate the switch without going through the preliminary operation of unlocking it, as the spring, as

hereinbefore stated, throws it to the position shown in dotted lines c after the key is'turned.

At the present time padlocks are most commonly used for securing the lever in its vertical position, but these are objectionable for the reason that the piece projecting from the top or table to which they are usually'secured frequently breaks and leaves the switch free to be operated by any mischievously or criminally inclined person.

While I have designated the parts common to switch-'stands at present in use, I prefer# ably substitute a new top or table anda new switch arm and lever with notches 8, 9, 10, and 17, said lever being of greater width'in order to provide sufficient room for a strong switch-lock.

From the above description .it will be apparent that I have produced a switch-stand lever-locking mechanism which ein bodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, and while l have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, detail Construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*- A switch-stand, having a top or table provided with notches and with bolt-sockets opening intr-o said notches, a target-rod jonrnaled in said top or table, an arm mounted on said rod and provided with a notch to register with the notches of the top or table, a lever pivoted in the notch of said arin and adapted to extend through one or another ofthe notches of the top or table, a bolt carried by the lever t0 engage the corresponding bolt-socket, and a leaf-,spring 2 0 arranged at the rear side of the lever near its pivotal point, anda screw 2l for securing Said spring at one end to the lever, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM r. KNOX.

, ,Witnesses:

JAMES MILETT, HARRY ABBOTT.

IOO

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