US674567A

US674567A - Railway-switch.

Info

Publication number: US674567A
Application number: US3835400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isaac Wantling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1900-12-01
Filing date: 1900-12-01
Publication date: 1901-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1918-05-21

Description

'No. 674,567. Patented May 2|, 19m.

' I. WA'NTLI'NG. v

RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application Med Dec. 1 1900.) I an: Model.) 2 sheds-shoe: I.

l as

' UNiTnD STATES ATE/NT i FFICE.

ISAAC VVANTLING, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

.RAlLWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,567, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed December 1, 1.900. berial No. 38,354. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, ISAAC WANTLING, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to improvements in street railway switches and to automatic switching mechanism for moving the switch point or tongue from the platform of a car.

The object of my invention is to produce an improvement in switch points or tongues whereby at comparatively small cost a simple, strong, and durable article of the kind may be produced and whereby mechanism supported by the car-body and traveling in a path above the switch point or tongue may be intermittingly actuated to engage an auxiliary point of the tongue to shift it to change the direction of a car traveling over it as may be desired; and a further object of my improvement is to avoid the possibility of the operating arm or bar which contacts with the tongue coming into contact with the pavement or ground caused by the platform of a car assuming a lower level either by the oscillation of the car while in motion or by the variable loads; and a still further object of the invention is to provide a switch point or tongue which may be applicable for switching cars where the current is derived from an overhead system or from beneath the pavement, as in an underground system, where a center slot or groove is used for carrying a shoe depending from the car, as is necessary to make provision to carry the current or other power to the car and to insure the shoe following the slots at curves, all of which is fully described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and drawings and claimed in the appended claims.

Figure 1 illustrates in ground plan myimprovements as applied to streetrailways. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my automatic shifting mechanism carried by the platform of a car. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, of similar parts.

Fig. 4.is an enlarged detail view of certain parts. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a modified form of mechanism supported by the car-body for engaging the switch-point.

In the present invention it is my aim to produce a device for switching street-railway cars, especially motor-propelled cars, either the overhead-trolley type or where the current is fed to the car from beneath the pavement, where it is possible for the motorman as he approaches the switch with his car and desiring to take the curve to actuate mechanism either by foot-power or by hand which will engage an auxiliary point of the switchtongue and automatically adjust it to permit the car to change its course from a direct line,

provision also being made that upon the approach of a succeeding car the motorman, if it is his wish to continue in a straight course, may actuate a duplicate of the mechanism necessary to send the car around the curve which is so arranged that it will shift the tongue in a direction just opposite to that previously mentioned and permit the car to remain in a straight course. This arrangement will insure a perfect switching apparatus and enable the car to travel at an ordinary speed, approach the switch, and continue in either desired direction without the motorman getting from the car or causing him to pay any particular attention to the switch other'than actuate a mechanism which will insure the tongue being shifted in a direction to cause the car to continue its proper course, thus saving a great deal of time, with the slightest additional cost, if any, to the road, and in instances where underground power is employed doing away with the services of additional help who stand ready to shift the switch-point as may be necessary. Referring more particularly to the switching device, 1 refers to the main track, and 2 to a curved extension of same, forming a branch or siding thereof. It is customary at the j unc tion where the main track and branch or siding come together to have a switch point or tongue to switch cars from one track to another or to permit the cars to travel in a direct line, and it is with reference to this switch point or tongue that I have made my improvement and refer to the switch point or tongue as 3, which is pivotally carried in the base of boxing 4, the same being pivoted in the boxing at 5. In the construction of the boxing 4 I have shown the same provided with a guard-rail 6, which extends the length of the same, with the exception of the open way 7, arranged for a purpose described. On the inner side of boxing 4 I have provided the short guard rail or flange 8, extending from a point at the front of the boxing to a point somewhat near the center of the same, as shown. It will be noticed by examination of the drawings that very little extra room, if any, is required for the use of my boxing.

The tongue 3 is provided with the switchpoint 3, and at a point somewhat removed from the point I have shown a lateral ex tension 9, extending a short distance from the body of the tongue and arranged to pass through the open way 7 of the guard-rail and terminate at a point near the inner edge of the boxing, and extending forwardly from the center body portion of the extension 9 I have shown an auxiliary switchpoint 10, which may be half-diamond or wedge shaped, and the arrangement is such that it is carried in a groove 11, formed by the guard-rails 6 and 8, purposed to be engaged by a mechanism depending from a car-platform which will shift the point either to the right or left in the boxing 4. It is to be noticed that space is left between the straight side of the tongue 3 and the guard-rail 6 to permit a flange of the wheel to traverse when a car is going in a straight line and also to make provision for the shifting motion of the tongue to allow the flange of the wheel to take the curved rail 2 when the auxiliary point 10 is shifted to the right, it being understood that when the mechanism from the car engages the auxiliary point between the guard-rail 6 and the point 10 the tongue will be shifted to the right and that when the mechanism is caused to engage the point between the guard-rail 8 and the point the tongue will be shifted to the left, or as in the position now illustrated;

The extension 9 adjacent to the tongue ischamfered at 9 and has sufficient depth to allow the flange to hug closely to the straight side of the tongue when traveling in a direct I course, and to permit of the swinging movement of the extension 9 in the boxing I have made suflicient space between the ends of the guard-rails 6 and 8 to permit of such movement, so that there will be no binding.

The automatic mechanism for actuating the tongue from the body of the platform comprises a bar or shoe l2, pivoted at 13 to permita vertical swinging movement of the same. The bar is carried in an inclined position, and the rear portion of the same forms an arc with the convex side to the track and is made tapered at 14:, with the end forming a wedge 15. A socket 16 extends up from the bar or shoe l2, and connected with it, so that the bar may have a pivoted relation to permit side thrust, is an operating-rod '17, which extends up through the platform of the car and has a foot-tread 18 attached thereto, and 19 is a coil-spring around the rod, located between the floor and the tread 18, which is designed to hold the rod 17 in an upward position. 20 isa bracket-support bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom of the platform and has the perforation 21, through which the rod 17 passes.

It will be noticed that I have described in detail the above elements as forming one device for shifting the tongue; but itis to be also understood that this is arranged in duplicate and so claimed, with corresponding parts to be carried and actuated as above described, which is arranged alongside the previouslydescribed apparatus, one to be actuated for throwing the tongue to permit a car to travel in a straight course and the other actuated when it is desired to shift the tongue to cause the car to take the curve of the rail, all of which is located on the platform a good way ahead of the wheels and in such position that the tongue is shifted some time in advance of the wheels reaching the same. The bars 1'3 are carried in such a position beneath the car that they may in traveling, if depressed, pass into the base-plate or boxing containing the tongue and auxiliary point in such a manner that the tapered portions 14 will travel in paths between the auxiliary point 10 and the guard-rail 6 and guard 8, which will insure the tongue being shifted, and they pass into the base-plate and engage the extension 9 and will, if still depressed, be forced upinto their normal positions.

I have made provision, as above indicated, to adapt my device to street-railways using the underground electric system, where contacting shoes depending from the car through a center groove or slot (which is here referred to as 1) will be caused to follow the slot corresponding to the movement of the car when switched or traveling in a straight course.

23 refers to a shiftable bar,which is arranged to be located transversely across the main track and may be carried in the box 25, which is located in the pavement between the rails and is connected or attached to the inner end of the lateral extension 9 from the tongue, and located at or near the center of the bar 23, I have shown two grooves or slots, (designated as 26 and 26%) the slot 26 being straight and the slot 26 forming an arc, and depending from the center of the bar I have shown What may be termed as a stirrup 27, and in the same I have seated a contact-plate 28. This arrangement is such that a car passing over the rails having a shoe which traverses the center groove or slot 1 will be engaged by means when the tongue is shifted to direct a shoe in a straight course or directed around a curve. This is accomplished through the shiftable bar 23, the slots of which when the same is moved either to the right or to 25 els in the path of the auxiliary point.

depending lug 32.

IO having an auxiliary engaging point capable of being acted upon on opposite sides to move the switching-point by means of automatically-carried mechanism from the car-platform, and I do not know of any device of the above construction that is carried in a box such as I have herein illustrated and described.

Fig. 5 of the drawings illustrates a modified form of mechanism which I plan to employ and wish to cover as part of my original device, in which I provide only one depressing-rod, (referred to as 29,) having suitable connection at its lower end with an anchorshoe 30, having a convex surface, which trav- I carry the depressing-rod up through the platform of the car and have the upper end arranged to be within easy reach of the motorman and provide thereon a hand-lever 31, having the I employ a foot-tread, as is already described, and a spring carried between the same and the platform of the car to insure the depressing-rod assuming its normal position after the tongue has been shifted. The upper part of the rod 29 may be squared and have a loose connection with the lever 31, for the' reason that I design to carry a notched plate fixed to the dashboard of the car, which is referred to as 33, the notches 40 of which are purposed to be engaged by the lug 32 of the lever. When it is desired to shift the point of the tongue, the motorman first shifts the lever in the direction in which he wishes the shoe to engage the point-that 43 is to say, the right or left side thereofand then to cause the shoe to engage the point he presses upon the foot-tread, the depressingbar is lowered, the point is engaged, and the tongue shifted, and as soon as the rod assumes its normal position he throws the lever forms a support and brace for the shoe and lower edge of the rod.

It is obvious that various changes may be made both in the construction of the tongue, the auxiliary point, and the switching mech- 6o anism and that the tongue may be constructed to work either on the right or left hand track and the connecting mechanism with the switch-bar varied to meet the various conditions on different railways either in the method of operating the same, as shown, or

by the provision of levers to accomplish the same result,and that the same may be used in connection with cable, steam, or electric roads or for underground electric mining purposes without affecting the principle of invention herein set forth.

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

1. In switching mechanism, a tongue or similar device having a switching-point pivoted in a partioned base-plate, a lateral extension of said tongue extended inwardly and an auxiliary point from said extension located on the opposite side of the partition arranged to be engaged by suitable switching mechanism carried by a moving body, substantially as described.

2. In switching mechanism, a tongue or similar device having switchingpoint, an extended body portion of said tongue and an extended point of said body, the extended body portion chamfered as shown, in combination with a base-plate having a guard-rail and a guard and arranged to have the extended point of the body lie between the guard-rail and guard, substantially for the purpose herein described.

3. In combination with intersecting maintrack and track rails, and switch mechanism, of a tongue having a switch-point arranged to engage the rail and pivoted in a partitioned base-plate, an auxiliary point lying parallel with said tongue and on the opposite side of the partition, arranged to be engaged by auxiliary mechanism traveling in the shifting path of the auxiliary point for shifting the same, in the manner and for the purpose .de-

scribed.

4. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a pivotal relation with a base-plate or boxing, aguard-rail of said boxing and an open space therein, an auxiliary guard lying parallel to the guard-rail and forming a chamber between them,an extension of said tongue, and a tapered point of said extension lying in. the aforesaid chamber in such a manner as to be engaged on opposite sides, substantially for the purpose set forth.

5. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a switching-point and an auxiliary point carried by an extension of said tongue, the said extension movable in a chambered portion of a base-plate to which said tongue is pivoted and arranged to be engaged upon opposite sides by mechanism carried by a car and traveling in a plane above the chambered portion of the base-plate, of one or more bars or shoes suspended from the platform and mechanism for depressing said shoe or shoes to engage said auxiliary point or tongue as they are depressed in the chamber of the base-plate, substantially as described.

6. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a pivotal relation with a base-plate or boxing, a guard-rail of said boxing, and an auxiliary guard separated therefrom, a lateral extension from the body of the tongue, a transverse Wedge extending therefrom and lying in the base-plate between the guardrail and guard, swinging shoes depending from a car-body, traveling in the path of the wedge and depressing mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

7. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a switch-point arranged to engage the rail, an inwardly-carried lateral extension thereof and a supplemental point from said extension arranged to be engaged by auxiliary mechanism for shifting said tongue, a shiftable bar arranged to be connected with said lateral extension located transversely across the track and provided with a groove or grooves located in the center body portion thereof, substantially for the purpose described.

8. In combination with a switch-point a tongue having an auxiliary point carried by an extension from the tongue, a reciprocating bar lying transversely in a box across the track and suitablyconnected with the tongue, and provided with a straight and curved groove or slot about central therein arranged in the side movement intermittinglyimparted to said bar to coincide with a centrally-disposed slot or groove in the track.

9. In combination with the tongue 3, provided with the parallel extended switch-point 10, lying in a chambered base-plate, switching mechanism supported in a moving body, one or more shoes of said mechanism provided with beveled engaging faces arranged to be depressed for alternately engaging opposite sides of the point 10, and means for depressing the shoe or shoes, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the box 4 having a split guard-rail 6 and the auxiliary guard or flange 8 and the tongue 3 having points carried upon opposite sides of said guard-rail 6, substantially for the purpose described.

11. In combination, the boxing 4 provided with the split guard-rail 6 and the auxiliary guard or flange 8, a tongue 3 having the point 3*, an extension 9 carried through the split portion of the guard-rail 6, and an auxiliary point 10 lying parallel with the point 3 and between the guard-rail 6 and the guard 8, substantially for the purpose described.

12. A switching mechanism comprising the following elements: a base-plate with a guard-rail and a guard, an open way in the guard-rail, a tongue pivoted on one side of the guard-rail, an extension passing through the open way in the guard-rail and arranged to have connected therewith a transverselyslotted bar, a point extending out from said extension lying in the base-plate between the guard-rail and guard, in combination with engaging mechanism supported by a car-body for engaging the point on opposite sides, substantially as described and shown.

13. In combination with the boxing 4, provided with the split guard-rail 6, and guard 8, the tongue 3, extension 9, and point 10, from said extension lying between the guardrail 6, and guard 10, of the switching mechanism comprising the shoes 12, with tapered portions 14:, depressing-rods 17, to which the shoes are attached, and a foot-press for said rods and springs 19, all arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

14:. Switching mechanism, comprising a base-plate having a split guard-rail and a guard forming a compartment between the guard-rail and guard, of a tongue provided with an extension and an auxiliary point from said extension lying in said chamber, a chamfered portion of said tongue, a bar suitably connected with the extension of the tongue and arranged to be rociprocated across the track, a depending stirrup of said bar and a straight and curved slot in the body thereof, substantially as described.

15. In combination with a switch-point having a lateral extension, and an auxiliary shifting-point from said extension, of a bar capable of reciprocation lying across the track and suitably connected to the switch-point or extension thereof, the same provided with transverse slots, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

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

ISAAC WANTLING.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. LA Pours, JUSTIN I-I. WANTLING.