US713854A - Lever-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

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LEVER OPERATING MECHANISM.

(Application filed lJuly 8, 1902.;

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Patented Nov. I8, |902.

c. A. .cHmsTuFFEBsorL LEVER UPEBATING MEGHANISM.

\Application filed July 8, 1902.:

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(No Model.)

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CHRISTIAN A. CHRISTOFFERSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH d: SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANI- LEVER-OPERATING MECHANISNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,854, dated November 18, 1902. Application tiled July 8,1902. Serial No. 114,709. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHRISTIAN A. CHRIsToF- FERSON, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, State ot' Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Lever-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forminga part of this specication, in Which- Io Figure 1 is a plan View of a derail, showing my improved operating connection applied thereto.. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the adjustment which I employ; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the I5 same.

The object of my invention is to improve the connection between the main operating device and a switch or other railroad appliance and to provide mechanism by which the zo movement of said main operating device may be fully or only partially transmitted to the switch, and a further object is to provide a construction which permits the relative position of the device operated to be adjusted z5 with relation to a iXed portion of the track or other structure without disturbing the operation of the connections.

In the drawings, 2 2 are the tracks.

3 is a derail, alongside of which is placed 3o the single-pointed switch 4:. The switch-rod 5 is connected to an arm 6 of a bell-crank lever '7, which is pivoted upon a suitable bracket 8, secured to one of the ties. A jaw 9, having a screwthreaded connection with the switch-rod 5, joins the rod to the arm 6, and the adjustment thus afforded permits the switch-point to be adj usted with relation to the stock-rail, thereby compensating for the wear on the stock-rail, and thus faulty 4o adjustment of the switch is prevented.

To the arm 11 of the bell-crank lever 7 I secure, by means of a pin 12, the operating connection 13, by which the amount of stroke given to the switch-rod 5 is regulated, and

consequently the movement of the switch 4,

attached thereto. This connection 18 comprises a pair of jaws 14 and 15, the former being secured to the pin 12, while the latter is provided with slots 16 16, through which the piu 12 passes. This pin l2 also passes through 5o the arm 11 of the bell-crank lever and secures the parts 14 and 15 thereto. The jaw 14 is provided with a short stem 17, which enters a smooth socket or bore 18, formed therein. The opposite end 19 of the bore or socket is 55 threaded to receive the screw-threaded stem 2O of the screw-jaw 21. To the opposite end of the screw-jaw 21 is secured by a suitable screw-threaded connection 22 the main operating rod or pipe 23, which is supported in 6c the usual carriers 24, secured to the ties. The rod 23 is operated in any of the usual wellknown Ways, and by its movement the switch is opened or closed. The threaded stem 20 of the screw-jaw is screwed into the threaded bore or socket 19 the desired distance, and thereby the stroke that is to be given the switch-rod and the switch connected thereto may be regulated to a nicety not heretofore possible. The slots 16 16 afford the desired 7o amount of lost motion, so that although the stroke of the main operating-rod 23 may be considerably greater than the desired switch movement it is not effective to move the switch-rod and switch until the `end of the stem 17 strikes the end of the stem 2O of the screw-jaw 21. It will thus be seen that the whole or onlya small portion of the stroke of the main operating-rod may be used in manipulating the switch. 8o

The advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those familiar with the operation of switches and the necessity of regulating the amount of movement of the same; also,the desirability of providing means 8 5 by which the switch-point may be adjusted with relation to the stock-rail in order to take up wear. These ends I accomplish in a simple and efficient manner, and I have shown in the drawings one form of the ap- 9o paratus which I believe to be best adapted to railway-switch operations; but as my invention is applicable to many uses other than the operation of railway-switches where it is desired to afford like adjustments and a greater or less amount of movementto an operated part I do not desire to limit myself to a railway-sWitch-operating device nor to the vexact construction and arrangement of parts,

as these may be varied in many ways by the skilled mechanic; but

1. In railway-switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of a main operating connection extending longitudinally of the rails, a switch-operating connection, and an adjustable connection between the same, whereby the movement of one of said connections may be adjusted to give the same, or a diierent, amount of movement, relatively, to the other, thereby controlling the amount of movement given to the switch.

2. In railway-switch-operatin g mechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of a main operating connection extending longitudinally of the rails, a switch-operatin g con'- nection, a lever, an adjustable connection between said lever and one of said operating connections, whereby the movement of one of said operating connections may be given the same ora different amount of movement, relatively, to the other, thereby controlling the amount of movement given to the switch.

3. In lever-operating mechanism, the combination with a lever and an operating-rod, of a mcvementregulator, comprising a member loosely connected to said lever, a stop on said member, said operating-rod also being secured thereto, and a second member secured to the lever, and provided with means for en-l gaging the slot in the other member and with a projecting portion adapted to engage the stop on the slotted member, whereby the amount of lost motion of said first member is determined, and the amount of positive movement of the lever is regulated.

4. In lever-operating mechanism, the combination with the lever and an operating-rod, of a movement-regulator between said operating-rod and said lever, comprising a slotted member loosely secured to said lever, a stop carried thereby, and a second member secured to said lever by a pin which is also adapted to engage the slot in the other member, thereby permitting lost motion for a portion of the movement of said slotted member, said stop being arranged to engage said second member after said lost motion is ended and to move the lever positively through its engagement with said second member, thereby giving to said lever the desired amount of motion.

5. In railway-switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of an operating-lever, a main operating-rod secured to one end of said lever, and a switchoperating rod to the other end, a lost-motion connection between the main operating-rod and said lever, whereby the opposite end of lever may be given the same or a different amount of movement from the main operating-rod, thereby controlling the movement of the switch, and an adjustable connection between said switch-operating rod and said lever, whereby the position of said switch is uniformly maintained with reference to the stock-rail; substantially as described.

6. In railway-switch-operatingmechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of an operating-lever, a main operating-rod secured to one end thereof, an adjustable lostmotion connection between said main operating-rod and said lever, whereby the amount of movement of the opposite end of the lever is regulated, a switch-operating rod connected to this end of the lever, and an adjustable piece connecting said lever and switch-operating rod, whereby the position of said switch is uniformly maintained with reference to the stock-rail; substantially as described.

7. In railway-switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of an operatinglever, a movement regulator, comprising a slotted member loosely secured to said lever, an operating connection adapted to impart motion to said member, an adjustable stop carried by said member, a second member secured to said lever and having a pin which engages said stop, a stem in said second member adapted to engage said stop and to limit said lost motion and by said engagement to move said lever positively during the remainder of the movement of the main operating connection, and a switch-operating rod secured to the opposite end of said lever, which imparts movement to the switch; substantially as described.

8. In railway-switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the rails and switch, of an operating-lever, a movement-regulator,

comprising a slotted member loosely securedv to said lever, an operating connection adapted to impart motion to said member, an adjustable stop carried by said member, a second member secured to said lever and having a pin which engages said stop, a stem in said second member adapted to engage said stop and to limit said lost motion and by said engagement to move said lever positively during the remainder of the movement of the main operating'connection, a Switch-operating rod secured to the opposite end of said lever, which imparts movement to the switch, and an adjustable connection between said lever and the switch-operating rod, whereby the switch is maintained in uniform relation to the stock-rail; substantially as described.

9. In lever-operating mechanism, the combination with the lever, of a main operatingrod, and adjustable mechanism connected to the operating-rod and loosely connected to the lever, whereby the movement of the lever vmay be varied so as to be equal to or different from that of the operating-rod; substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHRISTIAN A. CHRISTOFFERSON. Witnesses:

ALF. MUNTHE, T. A. PoLLEYs.

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