US926459A - Safety locking-switch. - Google Patents

Description

D. A. BEEZLBY. SAFETY LOGKING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

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D. A. BEEZLEY.

SAFETY LOCKING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED $1113.17, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 7

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UNITED STATES r PATENT OFFICE.

DOLPHYFUS A. BEEZLEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD 'lO FRANK II. FARRIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SAFETY LOCKING-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed February 17, 1908. Serial No. 446,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOLPI'IYFUS A. BEEZ- LEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locking- Switches, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates generally to railway switches and more particularly to switch operating mechanism, and a safety locking means therefor, and the object of my inven tion is to provide simple means whereby the movable rails of a switch are shifted by an approaching engine so that the latter will pass along the main track, and which switch rails are automatically locked after movement, thus insuring the passage of the engine over the main track rails, which action reduces to a minimum the danger of the engine running into an open switch.

To the above purpose my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1. is a plan view of a portion of a railway track with my improved switch arranged therein; Fig. 2. is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is an enlarged section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1. is an enlarged section taken on the line 4@4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5. is a side elevation of a spring connection made use of between two sections of a switch shifting bar. Fig. 6. is a detail plan View of a portion of one of the track rails and showing the locking plate. Fig. 7. is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8. is a plan view similar to Fig. 6. and showing the locking plate moved into a locking position. Fig. 9. is a perspective view of a portion of the switch stand used for manually operating the switch rails. Fig. 10. is a detail section showing the means carried by the engine or car for engaging the switch operating mechanism.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings 1 designates the main track rails, 2 the movable switch rail, 3 the movable switch point of the main track which latter is connected to the switch rail 2 by the transverse bars at. Connecting the movable rails 2 and 3 adjacent their points is a switch bar 5, to one end of which is pivotally connected the main end of a connecting rod 6, made in two parts with the meeting ends overlapping and arranged to slide on one another by providing loops 7 on the ends of the two sections, which loops pass around the bodies of the sections. A still spring 8 is arranged on the overlapping parts of the rod 6, the ends of which spring are rigidly fixed to the loops 7, (see Fig. 5). The outer end of the outer section of the rod 6 is pivotally mounted on the end of a crank arm 10 formed on the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft 11, which is arranged for rotation in a switch stand 12, of ordinary construction, and said shaft 11, is operated by a hinged handle 13, which engages in notches 14, formed in the edge of a plate 15, carried by the stand 12.

16 designates a locking plate which is hinged to the bar 5, immediately adj acent the point where said bar passes beneath the main track rail, which is adjacent the switch stand 12, and the rear edge of this plate is slightly inclined lengthwise and rounded in cross section as designated by 17. Formed on or fixed to the underside of the plate 16, is a strap 18, which lies parallel with the bar 5, and fitting loosely through said strap is a finger 19, which is formed integral with and projects laterally from the inner end of a rock shaft 20, operating in the bearings 21, and provided on its outer end with a laterally projecting pedal 22. This pedal occupies a position immediately in front of the stand 12, and connecting said pedal and stand is a retractile spring 23.

24 designates a bell crank fulcrumed on a in 25, between the main track rails 1, and adjacent the bar 5, which pin is fixed in a suitable base 26, and supported at its upper end by braces 27, anchored to the ties or track rails. Formed in the end of the short arm of this bell crank is a slot 28, through which passes a pin 29, carried by the switch bar 5. Pivotally connected to the end of the long arm of the bell crank is an end of a tube or red 30, which extends a suitable distance away from the switch, and supporting said tube are rollers 31, arranged in boxes 32, which are fixed to the ties and arranged at suitable distances apart. The end of the tube 30, opposite the end connected to. the bell crank passes through one end of a tubular housing 33, and fixed on this end of said tube within the housing is a disk 34. Pass ing through the opposite end of the housing 33, is a tube or rod 35, which is a counterart of the tube or rod 30, and fixed on the end 01' said tube 35, within the housing 33, is a disk 36. Loosely arranged between the disks 34, and 36, is an expansive coil 37, which is weaker or of less resistance than the spring 9. The tube 35 is in direct alinement with the tube 30, and pivotally connected to the end of said tube 35, opposite the end provided with the disk 36, is the short arm of a bell crank 38, fulcrumed 011 a pin 39, fixed in a suitable base 40 and held at its upper end by braces 41, anchored to the ties or track rails. The long arm of this bell crank 38, is elevated relative to the short arm and the outer end of said long arm being rounded off as designated by 42.

The means carried by the engine or car for actuating the switch throwing mechanism just described is shown in Fig. 10, and comprises a hand lever 43, located so as to be readily grasped by the engineer and pivotally connected to said lever is the upper end of a rod 44, operating through a housing 45, and said rod being normally drawn down by a retractile coil spring 46, connected at one end.

to the bearing and at the opposite end to the rod. Hinged to the lower end of the rod 44, in such a manner as to swing forward and upward is a contact finger 47, which as the engine moves toward the switch, engages against the long arm of the bell crank 38.

The operation is as follows; Assuming that the switch and switch operating mechanisms are in the positions seen in Fig. 1, and that an engine approaching the switch is operating on the main line the fingercarried on the engine 47, will contact with the elevated long arm of the bell crank 38, thus shifting same on its pivot, which movement moves the tubes 35 and 30, lengthwise toward the switch. The shock and jar of this contact and movement, are materially reduced by the yielding resistance offered by the spring 37. The movement of the tube 30 swings the bell crank 24, on its pivot, and by reason of the pin and slot connection 29, and 28, the bar 5, is shifted toward the switch stand, thus shifting the rails 2, and 3, so as to close the switch and open the main line. As the bar 5, is shifted the inner part of the rod 6, is likewise moved toward the switch stand, and as the outer part of said rod is held against movement by its connection with the shaft 11, which is held locked by the handle 13, the result will be the expansion of the spring 8, thereby storing power therein. The locking plate 16, carried by the bar 5, will be withdrawn from its position beneath the track rail 1 which movement is possible owing to the sliding connections between the plates 16, and the finger 19, on the end of the shaft 29, and as soon as the said plate is free from the rail it will be swung into a vertical position as shown by dotted lines in 7, owing to the rotractile action of the spring 23, which rocks the shaft 20, and causes the finger 19, to bear against the under side of the plate 16. i/Vhen the plate 16, is thus swung upward its beveled and rounded rear edge bears against the edge of the track rail thus locking the switch rails in their closed positions and leaving the main track open.

To open the switch after the operation just described has taken place, the pedal 22, is depressed, which movement swings the plate 16 downward into a horizontal position beneath the track rails 1, and the spring 9, which was previously expanded will now contract thus shifting the switch rails into open position and causing the various parts to return to their normal positions when the switch is in proper position to receive an approaching engine, the engineer elevates the finger 47, by engaging and lifting the hand lever 43, and thus the bell crank 38 will not be engaged. The end of the bell crank 38, is rounded oil? in order that the finger 47, will readily ride over the bell crank when the engine is backing.

A switch of my improved construction is simple, easily installed, positive in action, and operates and locks automatically when the bell crank 38, is engaged by the contact finger carried by an approaching engine.

I claim 1. The combination with movable switch rails, and a switch stand, of a flexible switch bar connecting the rails and stand, means ada ted to be engaged by an approaching car ior shifting the switch bar, and a locking plate carried by the switch bar for engaging one of the track rails to hold the switch rails looked after movement.

2. The combination with movable switch rails, and a switch stand of a flexible switch bar connecting the rails and stand means adapted to be engaged by an approaching car for shifting the switch bar, a locking plate carried by the switch bar for engaging one of the track rails to hold the switch rails looked after movement, and means connected to the locking plate for disengaging the same from the track rail.

3. In a switch operating mechanism of the class described; the combination with movable switch rails and a switch stand of a flexible bar connecting the rails and stand, a retractile coil spring arranged between two portions of the flexible bar, and a locking plate hinged to the flexible bar and adapted to engage against one of the track rails.

4. In a switch operating mechanism of the class described, the combination with the movable switch rails and a switch stand or" a flexible bar connecting the rails and stand, a

926,459 retractile coil spring arranged between two name to this specification in the presence of fiortions of the flexible bar, it loekin plate two subscribing witnesses.

inged t0 the flexible bar and adapteef to engage a 'einst one of the track rails, and means DOL1 HYB Us BBELLLY' 5 locatel in front of the switch for imparting l/Vitnesses:

movement to the flexible bar. J. T. WILLEY,

In testimony whereof I have signed my S. HOLLAND.

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