US806567A - Switch-operating apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

y No. 806.567. 1 K f PATENTBD DEG.5,1905.' 'I J.. I. PITTMAN &VE. HARRISON. SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS.` I

v APPLICATION FILED NAYS, 1905.

' l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

110.806.567. PATBNTBD DBG.5,19o5.l

- J..1. PITTMANJLE. HARRISON.

SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1905.

A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8, screwed on their outer ends.l

n UNITED STATES.

vPATENT OFFIOE.

yJAMES I. FITTMAN AND ELIZABETH HARRISON, OF VALDOSTA, GEORGIA.

v y SWITCH-OPERATING. APPARATUS.v

Patented Dec.` 5, 1905.

Application filed Mey 6. 1905. Serial No. 259,202.

'the switch to be set in the desired position from the moving car, thereby to obvia'te the necessity of the conductor or motorman having to leave the car forthis purpose or of providing an attendant at the switching-station to operate the switch.

With the above object in view the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In order that our invention may he clearly understood, we have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a car having our improvements applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a frame carv Fig. 3 is a broken sectional ried by the car. end view showing the latch for holding the operating-bar, and Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement ofI the switch-rails" and the manner in which the switch-point is moved from the car.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates the bottom of the car, extending` centrally be# neath which and longitudinally ofv the car isv an operating-bar 2, which near opposite ends of the car projects upward through suitable apertures formed in the bottom of the car, as

indicated at 3, and has its outer vend portions bent to extend parallel with the floor of the car, as indicated at 4.

(shown in detail in Fig. 2,) which frame is provided at opposite ends with central apertures 6. i

7 indicates headed pins which extend through the ends 4 of the operating-rods 2 through suitable apertures in the Hoor of the car, and through the apertures 6 in the frame 5, and support said frame by means of nuts A coil-spring 9 is interposed between the floor of the car and the projecting end 4 of the operating-bar frame 5 to fall. the car Vthe appropriate foot-piece 12 will 'strike the switch-point 15 and cause it to be 2 at each end of the car, said springs serving to lnormally hold the frame upward substantially against the bottom of the car. Secured centrally to the operating-bar 2 is a headed pin 10, which projects upward through the floor of the car a suitable distance, this pin 'being used for depressing the operating-bar from the interior of the car. Secured to and depending from the frame 5 are legs 11, located, respectively, at the front and rear of each of the -fou'r wheels of the car and carrying at their lower ends foot-pieces 12, said foot-pieces being directed inwardly or toward the longitudinal center of the car, as shown..

13 indicates the 'rails of the main track, and 14 the rails of the curve or switch, one ofthe rails 14 having pivotally mounted at its end a l switch-point 15, which is normally held away Yfrom an adjacent main rail 13 by means of a spring 16. At the 'point of junction of the main rail and switch-rail 14, on the side of the track Opposite to that at which the switchpoint 15 is located, we dispense with the ordinary switchpoint and simply cut away the 'rail 13, so that Vt-he wh'eel mayeither take the curved rail 14 orcontinue on the straight rail 13, according as the switch-point 15 is operated tov switch the car or not. In Operation as the car approach es the switch 'the pin 10 willbe stepped upon by the motorman, who 'passes to the interior of the car for this purpose, and upon being depressed `will press down the. coil-springs 9 and allowr the In thel further progress of pressed rmly against the rail 13, so that the wheels of the car will pass onto the switchpoint and the car will be caused to take the switch. As soon 'as the wheel passesoff the switch-point the spring 16 will throw the same essary to provide arms 11 and foot-pieces 12 for the front and rear wheels, so that after 5 indicates a frame rectangular in shape,l

the front wheel has passed ofi' of the switchpoint the latter may again be operated to cause the rear wheel to pass onto the same. By providing arms 11 and foot-pieces 12 on both sides of the car we provide for operating the switch- Vpoints from the car when the latter is traveling in either direction and Valso for operating switch-points located on either side of the track. kIf the car has a conductor as well as a motorman, the conductor will press upon one of the pins 7 while at the same time the motorman will press upon the other pin 7 and .away from the rail 13, and it is therefore nec- IOO IOS

IIO

the frame 5 be lowered accordingly. In some sections of the country, however, where traffic is not heavy it is common to have only a motorman on the car, and for this reason we provide the central pin 10, so that the operating-bar 2 may be depressed by pressure thereon. In order to prevent this pin 10 being accidentally or improperly depressed, we provide a locking device consisting of a rockshaft 17, extending substantially from end to end of the car and journaled at opposite ends in bearings 18, and secure to said rock-shaft lever-arms 19, each of which has a lug 20, which engages beneath the bent end 4 of the operatingbar. Before said operating-bar can be depressed it is necessary to throw one or the other of the lever-arms 19 to one side, which operation will carry the lug 2O from beneath the part 4 of the operating-bar and permit the same to be depressed.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a car, a depressible frame located beneath the car and extending substantially from end to end and side to side thereof, legs depending from each side of said frame, said legs being` respectively, disposed in front of and behind each wheel, and footpieces mounted on the lower end of each of said legs for actuating a -switch-point.

2. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a car, a depressi ble frame located beneath the car and extending substantially from end to end thereof, springs located at each end of the car and tending normally to hold the frame in an elevated position, means for locking said frame in its elevated position, and means carried by the frame for operating a switch.

3. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a car, a depressible frame located beneath the car and extending substantially from end to end thereof, an actuating-bar extending beneath the car and having en d portions projecting upward through and above the car-floor, springs interposed between said projecting end portions and the oor'of the ear, push-pins passing through said projecting end portions and the floor of the car and supporting said frame, and means carried by the frame for actuating a switch.

4. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a car, a frame located be neath the same and extending substantially from end to end thereof, an operating-bar located beneath the car and projecting through and above the car-licor at each end of the car, springs interposed between said projecting end portions and the floor of the car, pushpins passing' through said projecting portions and the ioor of the car and supporting said frame, a central push-pin secured to said operating-bar and projecting upward through the iioor of the car, and means carried by the frame for operating aswitch.

5. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a car, a frame located beneath the same and extending substantially from end to end thereof, an operating-bar located beneath the car and projecting through and above the iloor of the car at each end ol the car, springs interposed between said projecting end portions and the lioor of the car, push-pins passing through said projecting end portions and the licor of the car and supporting said frame, a rock-shaft extending substantially from end to end ol the car and mounted at its opposite ends in bearings, levers secured to said rock-shaft and provided with lugs normally engaging under said projecting end portions to lock the operating-bar against depression, and means carried by the frame for operating the switch.

6. Switch-operating apparatus comprising, in combination with a pivotally mounted switch-point normally held from the main track by means of a spring, a car, a depressible -frame carried by said car, and switchpoint-engaging members carried by said frame and located, respectively, in front of and behind cach of the wheels of the car, substantially as described.

In testimony whereotl we have-hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witn'esses.

JAMES I. PITTB'IAN. ELIZABETH HARRISON. Witnesses:

CAMILLA STEVENS, VIVIAN STEVENS.

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