US79812A - Improved eailbo ad-switch - Google Patents

Description

J. DAM PMAN.' RAILROAD SWITCH. v

Patentd July 14, 1868.

T E HORN! PETERS CO. VNOTO-LITNO WASNINOTON D C Winnie. L

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pitch globes igatentffi Letters Patent No. 79.812, dated July 14, 1868.

IMPROVED RAILROAD-SWITGH.

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TO ALL WHOM I'r MAY CONCERN; I

Beit known that 1,- JAMES ,DAMPMAN, of Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certaiu'new and useful Improvements on Railroad-Switches andties therefor; and I do hereby declare that the following is a'full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference heing had to the acoonipa nying drawings, making a part, of this specificatiomin which-r Figure 1 is aplan-view of the improved switch applied to the main-traole 'ails at a turnout or siding, showing the switch-rails adjusted for themain track. 5 a A Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the switch-rails adjusted for the siding track. 1 t

Figure 3 is an enlarged view, showing the construction of theimproved tie-rod, andthe manner of applying it tothe rails. a i Y Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. I y

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements on railroad-switches, which are applied at the junctions of sidings with main tracks, for the purpose of allowing trains to lea-1e a main track and Pass safely upon a siding, and also to pass from a siding. upon a main track.

The nature of my invention consists in bending a part of the rail-section on one side of a switch, so as to adapt it to serve as a safety-rail for the main-track rail when the switchis adjusted fora siding, and in applying on the inner side 0'! such bent portion an auxiliary pointed and movable rail-section, in such inanner that, when the switch is adjusted for the main track, this pointed and movable section will form 'a' partof'the maintrack rail, and when the switch is adjusted for a siding, this pointed and movable section will form a junction or continuation of the siding and main'track, and, while in this position, will yield, and allows. train running upon the main track to pass safely over the switch, as will be hereinafter explained.

And in conjunction with said bent-rail'se ctionand movable safety-rail on one side of the switch, the invention consists in the employment of a straight-rail section on the opposite side of the switch, and in securing. to the inner side'of this section a pointed safety-rail and frog or guard, so constructed and applied, that, should the'switch be adjusted for a siding, and a train pass upon it from one direction, the pointed safety-rail and its frog-will giiide the wheels safely upon one of the switch-rails, while the pointed'movablc section on the opposite side of the switch will spring inward, and allow the flanges of the wheels to pass between it and its safety-rail, as will be hereinafter described. i it v i The invention further consists in a switch-tie rod, which is so constructed that while it will firmly gripe both sides of the base of each switch-rail, and tie the rails securely together, it can be readilyapplied to or removed from said rails without removing thern from theirvp lacesupon the bed of the switch, as will be hereinafter described. i

To enableothers skilled in the art to understand iny invention, I will describeits construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings,figs. 1 and 2, I have shown my switch in two positions. Fig. 1 shows it adjusted for the main-track ,rails A A, and fig. 2 shows the some parts adjusted for the siding or-turnontrails B B. The objects which I have accomplished by toy-improved switch are simplicity, in that there are very few parts composing the switch, andthese parts can be'made and put together in a substantial and durable manner; irecdorn from derangement by clogging with ice and snow, in that the several parts of the switch are made and'put together in such manner that such obstructions cannot find a lodgment; and safety, in that the switch cannot be so adjusted as to endanger a train passing over it, whether it be adjusted for-the main track or siding. v

The two main rails QC of the switch are spiked down firmly to the cross-tics D D, at c c c, 150' that in vibrating or adjusting those end, which are not spiked down the rails will spring, and, for this purpose their bases may be reduced in width near theholding-down' spikes c. The rail Gfo'n one side of the track, is bent outward from the points to its-free extremity, so that when the two rails are adjusted for the siding, the bent portion, 0, will bein line. with a mainitraclirail, A, and the rail 0 will be in line with the siding-rail li-yand when the switch is adjusted for the main track, the bent portion, 0, willbe outside ofthe line of the main track,

' and the rail G will be in line with main-track rail A. i

To the inner side of the bent portion, C of switch-rail Q, a short rail-section, N, is secured by means 01 transverse boltsf and interposed filling-blocks g g, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. This rail-section is pointed at one end, so that it shall fit snugly into the bend at i, and form a straight continuation of the straight portion of the rail 0, thereby occupying the position which the portion,'C would occupy if it was not bent'as shown- This section N therefore forms a continuation of the main-track rail A and switch-rail 0, when the switchis adjusted for the main track and when the switch is adjusted for the siding, said section N forms a continuation of the siding-rail B" with said'rail C, as shownin the drawings.

.The bolts ff, which connect the parts of rails C? N together, are'somcwhat longer than the width of the webs of the rails, and India rubber or other suitable springs, e e, are interposed between the heads of said bolts and the bent portion, G for the purpose ofhllowing the pointed end of the rail-section N'to yield laterally inward, should the flanges of wheels pass between the section N and bent portion 0 which would occur should a train pass over the switch running in one direction on the main track when the switch is adjusted for the 1 siding, as shown fig. 2.

On the inner side of the switch-rail C, opposite the yielding pointedrail-s ection N, is a safety-rail, P, which is constructed upon and forms an extension of one end of a frog, P'.- This frog' and its rail aresecui'ed'rigidly tothe rail 0 in any suitable manner. I prefer to use bolts passing transversely through" the frog and rail 0, d also employ a transverse tie-rod, b, which is slipped upon the ends of rails CN P (Land constructed with jaws, which will embrace and firmly hold said parts against lateral thrust, v

The rail-extension P is tapered to a po int which terminates upon the recess 'or-cli'annel S of the frog P, i

in the middle of the width of said channel. Theinner edge. of this rail P is parallel "to the bent fportiou, C of rail 0, and forms, in conjunction therewith, a continuation of the main traekA A upon. the'switch,..when the latter is adjusted, as shown infig. 2. j I I v I The eleiratioua on the frog. scig ves as a guard for the flanges 0t car-wheels after leaving the safety-rail P, at the sometime that the rail-section N'is sprunginward, as above described. i r

By means of-the-bent portion, 0 the rail-section N, the safety-rail P, and the guard a, a train running on the main track will be conducted safely over the switch in one direction, when the swi'tchisadjustedfor the siding.

The ends of the channel in the frog are-made flaring, and otherwise so formed that neithersnow nor ice will materially. clog this passage. There is a space left betwccn'the safety rail P'and rail C, for the'purpose of preventing accumulation of snow and'ice, and also to receive the flanges of car-wheels. The channels is made so that the frog will support'acar-wheel by its flange,"until the tread of su'ch wheel-passes upon and is supported by the rail 0, thus preventing the wheel from losing its support while passingfrom the pointed end .of safetyrail P to and upon the-rail C. The pointed rail P is intended also to prevent "flat'whcels 'fromjidropping into the neck of the frog. v I

Atintermediate points between the laterally-vibrating portions of the switch, tie-rods, b, are interposed, which are constructed with embracing lips, jj, upon them, for receiving the rail bases, and preventing lateral spreading or contraction of the rails. I p Y j The rod 6' may 'b'e slipped upon the ends of its rails, and for this reason it may be constructed with permanent griping-jawsh h it upon it; but this could not well be done with the tie-rods b b, without removing the switchrails from their places. "Each tie-rod b is constructed with two lips or griping'jawsJj, permanently upon it, and on the ends of this red screws l are formed, for receiving movable.griping-jawa'jj, and clamping-nuts, k k, as shown in fig. 3. The-rod b is applied to the switch-rails before the jaws jj are slipped upon it, which can be readily done by holding the rod obliquely between the switch-rails, so as to bring the flanged'bases thereof in the jaws jj, and then adjusting the rod in proper position, after which the jaws j'j are adjusted in place upon the screw-portionsl l, and set uptightlyto the rail-bases, by means of nuts 70 It. Pins, keys, or jaw-nuts will prevent the nuts -Ic kifrom becoming loose. 3

Tie-rods thus constructed will practically serve the purpose-for which theym'c used, and may be removed and replaced at pleasure, without taking up the switch-rails,

Having described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The bent switch-rail C 0,and straight rail 0, in combination, when the formcr'has the tapering section N applied to it by means of rodsff and springs ee, and-the latter has the frogP' and pointed rail-extension P applied to it, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The fi'og P, and pointed rail-extension P, constructed-and adapted toserve the purposes substantially as described. v i

3. The switch-rod 'b, constructed with removable shoulders jj, and with removable griping-jaws j, and screwthreads and retnining nut sl substantially as described andshown.

JAMES DAMPMAN;

Witnesses:

Geo. GLEIM, I. .T. WORTH.

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