US756316A - Electromagnetic railway-switch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 756,316. PATBNTED APR. 5, 1904.

- R. BALDWIN.

ELEGTROMAGNETIG RAILWAY SWITGH.

APPLICATION EILEE DBO. 1a, 1902. RENEWED JULY 24. 1903.

H0 MODEL.

511-10011 l'or [fa/Z1}? A. Ba/clw/n 5513A illfozllcl 776 UNITED STATES Patented April 5, 1904.

ROLLIN A. BALDWIN, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO BALDW'IN AND ROWLAND SWITCH COMPANY,

NEW YORK.

A CORPORATION OF ELECTROMAGN ETIC RAI LWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,316, dated April 5, 1904.

Application filed December 18, 1902. Renewed July 24, 1903- Serial No. 166,912. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoLLIN A. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Railway-Switches, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electromagnetic IO switch-throwing mechanism for railways especially adapted for electric railways where the power-current is available for operating the device.

The invention involves two sets of solen- 5 oidal magnets acting upon a common core or cores to reciprocate the same first in one direction and then in the other as the circuit is changed from one set of magnets to the other, and thus throwing the switch-point in corresponding directions.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple form of device for automatically setting or establishing the circuits after each operation of the switch, so that for the suc- 5 ceeding operation of the switch the opposite set of magnets will always be energized.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the maintenance of the circuit through one set of magnets until such time as it can mg.

3 ularly be shifted therefrom.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of electricrailway track, showing the location and some of the circuits of the switch-throwing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the switch-throwing mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a detail.

Referring to Fig. 2, A and B are two sets of solenoidal magnets having their axes in line with each other and acting upon the common movable cores or armatures C. These cores move together as one structure and carry a cross-heads, connected by means of a link 0? with the switch-point c. This mechanism is especially designed to obtain a long throw of the armatures C to meet certain conditions involving a system of leverage between the cross-head and the switch-tongue. This system of leverage, however, is omitted from the drawings as not forming a part of the invention, and the connection with the switchtongue is conventionally shown as direct.

The magnets are supported upon four standards f, g, 72 and 2', firmly secured upon a suitable base D, of masonry or otherwise, and inclosed in a protecting-box, the latter not being shown.

The cross-head 0 has an extension containing a slot 0. In the same plane with this slot are two other slots g and h, located, respectively, in the standards g and h. j is alight, preferably wooden, long bar extending from a point near the standard f freely through the slots 9 0, and h and to a point near the standard 2'. This bar is supported and pivoted in the slot of the cross-head and is adapted to tilt in one direction or the other, depending upon the position of the cross-head with respect to the center of gravity of the bar. When the cross-head moves from one position to the other, it slides or drags against the under side of the bar along that portion between the standards 9 and h, and to prevent longitudinal movement of the bar when this takes place pins is are provided, which bear against the standards g and h and prevent such movement. Beneath each extremity of the bar and suitably fixed to the base is an electromagnet'and a pair of contact posts, the magnet in one instance being lettered Z and the contact-posts Z, while in the other instance the magnet is lettered m and the posts m. Each end of the bar carries an armature 0 0', respectively, and a circuitcloser 0 and p, respectively. The circuitcloser consists of a plate carrying two metallic springs adapted to bear, respectively, upon the tops of the contact-posts Z" and m to bridge the circuit between said posts.

The circuits will be described in connection with the operation, which is as follows: This switch can be operated from any suitable source of current. by means of the propelling-current which supplies the cars of the railway. A section of As shown it is operated the track or return circuit is insulated, as shown in Fig. 1, and from this section awire 1 leads to the point 2, where it branches into two paths, one leading by wire 3 to one of the posts Z and the other by wire 4 to one of the posts m. From the other post, Z, a wire leads to magnet Z and thence by wire 5 through solenoids A and wires 6 and 7 to the returncircuit. From the other post, m, a wire leads through magnet m and by wire 8 through solenoids B and wires 9 and 7 to the returncircuit. With the apparatus in the position shown the posts 171/ are bridged by the con tact device p and the bar is tilted so that the contacts rest upon the posts. If a car now enters the insulated section of rails with the power on, current will obviously flow through the magnet on and the solenoid B. The magnet will strongly attract and hold the end of bar j, while the solenoids will draw the crosshead 0 to the left-hand position. In making this movement the right-hand end of the bar 3' Will be shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the bar swinging, as it were, upon the head of magnet on as a fulcrum. This movement also-throws the switch-tongue to the opposite position. The magnet m being in circuit with the solenoid holds the circuit closed while the cross-head makes its long stroke. It also continues to hold the circuit closed as long as the motorman keeps the power on and his car is in the insulated section of rails. When the car passes out of this section or if the motorman cuts oil the power while in thesection, magnet m becomes deenergized, and the preponderance of weight of barjbeing then to the right of the cross-head said bar will tilt to the opposite position to that shown in Fig. 2, thus opening the circuit across the posts m and closing it across the posts Z. The mechanism is now set so that when current again flows through it it will take the path through the magnet Z and solenoid A and throw the switch in the opposite direction under the same action as before described. If the motorman finds the switch-point properly placed for his car, he will allow his car to pass over the insulated section of rails by momentum only and the switch will not be thrown.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a railway-switch, the combination of two electromagnets for throwing the switch in opposite directions, two cut-outs, two electromagnets for the respective cut-outs, said magnets being in circuit with the respective switchthrowing magnets and an armature common to said switch-throwing magnets and cooperating with the other magnets to control said cut-outs, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination of two electromagnets for throwing the switch in opposite directions, an armature common to both magnets, a tilting bar having a movable pivot located on said armature and' electric contacts in circuit with each magnet and adapted to be closed and opened alternately by the tilting of said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a railway-switch, the combination of two electromagnets for throwing the switch in opposite directions, an armature common to both magnets, a tilting bar having a movable pivot located on said armature and electric contacts in circuit with each magnet and adapted to be closed and opened alternately by the tilting of said bar, and electromagnets in circuit with the first-mentioned magnet and the contactsrespectively and adapted to hold said bar in one position when the center of gravity thereof would tend to tilt it to the opposite position. i

4:. In a railway-switch, the combination of two electromagnets for throwing the switch in opposite directions, an armature common to both magnets, a cross-head carried by said armature, a bar having a sliding pivotal engagement with said cross-head whereby it may be caused to tilt first in one direction and then the other by the shifting of the pivot and circuit-closers for the respective magnets operated by the tilting bar, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROLLIN A. BALDWVIN.

Witnesses:

JAooB M. LAYTON, JAMEs PAUL.

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