US794869A

US794869A - Means for operating tramway-points.

Info

Publication number: US794869A
Application number: US23462304A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jacob Levy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-11-28
Filing date: 1904-11-28
Publication date: 1905-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1922-07-18

Description

No. 794,869. PATENTED JULY '18, 1905.

J. LEVY.

MEANS FOR OPERATING TRAMWAY POINTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28,1904.

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NITEDI STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB LEVY, OF JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL.

M EAN$ FOR OPERATING TRANIWAY-POINTS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 794,869, dated July 18, 1905. Application filed November 28, 190 1- Serial No. 284,623.

To whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JACOB LEVY, a subject of the King of England, residing at Johannesburg, in the Colony of the Transvaal, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Operating Tramway- Points, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for mechanically operating tramway-points.

The invention is particularly applicable to single-track systems in which loops are provided along the main track to allow cars traveling in opposite directions to pass. With such single-track systems a large amount of wear and tear takes place on the points and curves or loops of the permanent way, as well as on the wheels, axles, axle-boxes, and other parts of the car.

Now the object of the present invention is to obviate the necessity for the vehicles turning off the main track or negotiating the points and traveling the curve and loop lines except it be necessary to overtake or pass a car traveling in the same or opposite direction. By this means a quicker and more regular and efficient service is obtained, as it prevents the detention of the cars on the loops and obviates the necessity for reducing the speed at which the car is traveling to transfer or run on to the loop-line, and it very materially prolongs the life of the permanent way and rolling-stock.

In order that the invention may be the more readily understood, I append a sheet of explanatory drawings marked with letters of reference corresponding to the following description thereof, wherein- Figure 1 represents a plan of the permanent Way, loop, and point, showing the apparatus in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, showing it operating to turn the car on to the loop. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the apparatus out of use, so that the car is permitted to traverse the main track past the point; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation of a part of the car, showing the means for operating the mechanism.

In the drawings, A represents the main line or track comprising the parallel rails a a,

and B represents the loop comprising the rails Z) 6'. I

O represents the point, which is pivoted at 0. By placing the outer or free end of the point C against the rail a of the main line A at the point a the cars pass along the main line and are not diverted on to the loop B, and by placing the point C clear of the main line A it operates to direct the car on to the loop B in a manner that will be well understood on reference to the drawings. The point C is shown in the latter position in Fig. 1.

At one side of the track at or in proximity to the point C is erected a pillar, post, or standard D of hollow or tubular construction. This pillar D is preferably fitted with a cap d, closing it at the upper end to make it weatherproof.

At a suitable height in the pillar D is fixed an arm or bracket E, which bracket E is constructed with a vertical slot 0.

F is a lever pivoted on a pin j, which is normally located in the bottom of the vertical slot 6. The long arm f of the lever F at its outer extremity carries a roller G. The arm f of the lever F projects in the direction of the track A, so that the roller G is more or less over the inner rail 66 of the main line A and above the point C. The other and shorter arm f of the lever F projects into the interior of the pillar D through a vertical hole d,

formed therein.

In the bottom of the pillar D on the pin 7: is pivoted a triangular plate H. One corner h of the plate H is pivotally connected to the inner arm f of the lever F by means of the link or rod J. To the other corner ]L2 of the plate H is pivotally connected the rod K, which rod K is arranged in a conduit or underground passage between the lower end of the pillar D and the point C. The other end of the rod K is fixed to the point C at or in proximity to its free end.

L is a hinged plate which serves for inspecting the connection between the rod K and the point O and at the same time serves as a stop for the point C when it is moved into the po sition shown in Fig. 1 to divert the car onto the loop B.

On the top or roof of the car M at one side are fitted two or more'brackets m, to which is hinged or pivoted a board or plate N, which at its extremities is inclined downward, as is shown at a in Fig. 4. On the bottom edge of the board or plate N is formed or fixed a lug or bracket m, to which is attached one end of a spiral spring of, the other end of which spring m is attached to a fixed nointon the top or roof of the car M. The springs m which are preferably provided at each end of the board or plate N, serve for raising said board N into a vertical position, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, to engage the roller G. At or in proximity to the top edge of the board or plateN is attached a chain, cord, or its equivalent m which at its other end has attached to it a ring or loop of. A hook m is provided in a convenient position at the end of the car M, on which the ring or loop mmay be placed. The chain of is made of such a length that when the ring 122 is in engagement with the hook m the board N is retained in a more or less horizontal position, in which position it does not engage or come into contact with the roller G as the car M passes along the main line A. The lugs or brackets m operate to prevent the board or plate N being drawn over beyond the vertical by the springs m as shown in Fig. 2.

To each end of the pin or pivotf' for the lever F is fixed one end of a spiral spring the other end of which is fixed to the arm E below the pivot f. The springs f serve to take up any jar that may be produced when the plate or board N first strikes or comes into contact with the roller G. These springs f also permit the pivot-pin f to rise in the slot 0 should the link J be prevented from moving downward when the roller G is engaged by the plate or board N should the point C or leverKstick. The springs f are sufiiciently strong to keep the pinf at the bottom of the slot ein the normal working of the apparatus.

The top horizontal edge of the plate or board N and the inclined edges a may be serrated or be formed with transverse grooves or flutes, so as to rotate the roller Gr when it is in engagement with it or them.

The top horizontal edge of the board N commences at a point some distance in advance of the wheels 0 of the car M, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the roller G is raised suificiently high to operate the point 0 some time before the wheels 0 reach the point C to divert the car M on to the loop B.

To bring the mechanism into operation to cause the car to pass from the main line A on to the loop B, the ring on is released from the hook m whereupon the springs m raise the board N into a vertical position, as slfown in Figs. 2 and 4:. As the car travels along the main line A the inclined edge n of the board N comes into contact with the roller G, and the roller riding up the inclined edge at on to the top edge of the board N raises the arm f of the lever F, which lowers the arm f and depresses the link J and rotates the triangular plate H aboutits pivot-pin /L. This throws the lever K forward, and the latter being attached to the point C throws @the point C away from the line a, so that the wheel 0 of the car M at the point a (see Fig. 1) passes from the rail a to the rail 6 of the loop B, the other wheels at the other side of the car passing on to the other rail 6 of the loop B. As soon as the board N has passed clear of the roller G the arm f of the lever F falls, raising the arm f and with it the link J, and rotating the triangular plate H and drawing the lever K backward to place the point C against the rail (0 of the main line A at the point a (See Fig. 1.) When it is desired to traverse the rails a a of the main line A, the board N is held down by the chain 777, and hook on, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the point C is not operated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, a lever pivoted thereto, means connecting said lever with the point, the point and main and loop lines, a vehicle, and a board or plate carried by the vehicle adapted when raised to operate the lever to move the point, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, an arm or bracket fixed thereto, a lever resiliently pivoted to said arm, means connecting said lever to the point, a point and main track and loop, a vehicle traversing said main line and a board or plate carried by the vehicle adapted when raised to operate the lever to move the point, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, an arm or bracket fixed thereto having a vertical slot formed therein, a lever pivoted in said vertical slot, a spring attached to the lever-pivot which. allows the lever-pivot to rise under certain conditions, a roller mounted on the end of said lever, means connecting said lever to the point, a point and the main line and loop, and a vehicle adapted to travel thereon, a board or plate hinged to the vehicle which is adapted when raised to engage the roller to raise the lever which operates the point to divert the vehicle on to the loop, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar, a bracket or arm fixed thereto having a vertical slot, apin located in said slot and a spring for retaining said pin under normal conditions in the bottom of said slot, a lever pivoted on the pin, a roller carried by the end of the lever, a point and main line and loop, means connecting the lever with the point, a car or vehicle, a plate run clear of the roller so that the vehicle will traverse the main line past the point, substantially as described and shown.

5. .In apparatus for operating tramwaypoints, in combination, a pillar arranged in proximity to the point, an arm or bracket carried by said pillar, having a vertical slot, a pin located in said slot, springs attached to said pin for keeping said pin in the bottom of the slot and allowing it to rise in the slot under certain circumstances, a lever pivoted on the pin, a roller mounted on the end of said lever, a triangular plate pivoted in or in proximity to the bottom of the pillar, a link connecting one corner of said plate to the inner arm of the lever inside the pillar, a lever attached to the other corner of the plate at one end and to the point at the other end, the point and the main line and loop, an inspection-door which serves as a stop for the point, a car or vehicle adapted to traverse the main line or loop, a plate or board hinged on the top or roof of the car or vehicle, a chain attached to said plate or board and a ring attached to said chain, a hook affixed to the car adapted to be engaged bythe ring to retain the plate or board in its inoperative position and springs fixed to the plate or board at one end and to a fixed part of the car at the other end for raising the plate or board when the ring is disengaged from the hook so that the plate or board engages the roller on the lever to operate the point to divert the car or vehicle on to the loop, substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB LEVY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. OVENDALE, R. OVENDALE.