US928238A - Railroad-crossing. - Google Patents

Description

J. W. BALDWIN, In.

RAILROAD CROSSING. I APPLICATIOK FILED A2123, 1908. 928,238. P Patented July 20, 1000.

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J. W. BALDWIN, In. RAILROAD CROSSING.

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JOHN w. BALDWIN, JR, 0F TOLEDO, 0111(1- RAILROAD-CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

i Application filedltpri123, lace. Serial No. 423,779.

Be it known that. I, John .lV. lannwnv', J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo. in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings; and- I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventioinsuch as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to railroad crossings, and the objectof the. same is to provide simple a-ndefl'ect-ive means whereby the rails of either of "two intersecting tracks may be made continuous with absolute safety.

T 0 this end the invention embodies the novel arrangement and construction hereinaftershown, described and claimed.

-In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 a is a plan view of my invention showing a means ofoperation; Fig. 2' is an elevation partly in section on line wm, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the operating mechanism, the section being indicated by the line y'-y, Fig. 2; Fig. 1 is a plan view of the girder support for the movable rails, this view showing the girder support before being placed in position.

.1, 1 and 2, 2 indicate the rails of two intersecting tracks, and 3, 3 are the rails of a movable track adapted to be operated inthe manner hereinafter described to register with either of the intersecting tracks to render the same continuous. The 'ails of the movable track are connected by a yoke 4 and tie-rods 5 to maintain them rigidly in position, and the yoke 4 at a central point is mounted to tilt slightly on a horizontal axis in either direction, the construction employed being a cross-pin 6 carried in the head 7 of the centerbolt 8. By this means the movable rail sections adapt themselves to differences of ele vation in the tracks 1, 1 and 2, 2. The centerbolt is mounted to rotate freely in a sleeve 9 externally screw-threaded to raise or lower when rotated in the casting 10, the pitch of I the screw upon the sleeve being steep preferably to reduce the rotation'to a minimum in the operation of the mechanism. The means for rotatingthe sleeve consists of a segmental gear 11 secured thereto and a rack 12 meshing therewith, the rack bemgmoved backward or forward to raise or 'lowerthe' sleeve by a rod 13 actuated by a suitable lever (not shown) connected with its oppo- .the rails 1,. 1 and, 2, 2. The girders, 17, may be cast of {steel with the top sides 18 prefer ably tapered in opposite directions to shed any particles of material that may fall there 011.,and the lower sides of the movable rail sections are shaped complementary to the top sides of the girders, sothat when the nio'vahle rails are in position thereon. there will be perfect alinement between the movable rails and the ails 1, 101' 2, 2, with no tendency toward lateral or rotative movement.

To shift the position of the movable mile, the first operation is to elevate them by rotating'the screw-threaded sleeve, the degree of elevation required being the height at :ivhich they will readily clear the girders and also the ends of the rails 1, 1 and 2, Then by a quarter movement of the lever upon the head of the center bolt the movable rails will be in the required direction, the final operation to bring the rails into position being to lower them in place upon the girders by actuating the sleeve in a reverse direction.

The operation of shifting the movable track to form a continuation of'either intersecting track involves as has been shown, the movement of two levers only, one to raise and to lower the movable track supporting structure and the otherto impart a quarter movement thereto. It is apparent from the description that when the movable track is lowered in either direction, the same ,will be firmly locked against vertical movement and also against rotating or lateral movement.

Although I have described a means-for raising and lowering and a means for rotating the movable track-supporting structure,

I do not intend to confinemy invention to the means shown, since it is'obvious that.

changes and alterations may be made therein without being a substantial departure from the invention.

Having described my invention, what I Upon the head supports the.

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railroad crossing, the combination with intersecting trackways, of a rotating and vertically moving trackway disposed at the intersection of said trackways and adapted to render either continuous when said rotating trackway is in lowered position, supports for the rotating trackway interlocking with the said rotating trackway for holding it against rotation when in lowered position, and means for imparting ver tical movement to the rotating trackway, and mechanism for rotating the same.

2. In a railroad crossing, the combination with intersecting traekways, of a rotating trackway disposed at the intersection of said trackways and ada ted to render either continuous, vertical alining means to support and hold the rotating trackway' against rota- .tion when alined 'with either of the intersecting trackways, and means for elevating the rotating trackway to render the alming means inoperative, substantially as described.

3. In arailroad crossing, the combination with intersecting trackways, of a rotating traekway disposed at the intersection of said trackways and adapted to render either continuous, and a support for the rotating trackway, said support and the rotating trackway having complementary alining faces adapted to hold the rotating trackway against rotation when alined with either of the intersecting trackways, substantially as described.

4. In a railroad crossing, the combination of intersecting trackways, of a rotating trackway disposed at the intersection of said trackways and adapted to render either c011- tinuous, a. support for the rotating trackway, said support and the rotating trackway having complementary alining faces to hold the rotating trackway against rotation when alined with either intersecting trackway, means for elevating the rotating trackway abov'e its support to disengage .the same therefrom, and means for rotating the rotating trackway, substantially as described.

In a railroad crossing, the combination of intersecting trackways, of a rotating traekway disposed at the intersection of said trackways and adapted to render either continuous, a support for the rotating trackway,-the support and the rotating trackway having complementary alining faces to hold the rotating trackway against rotation when ,alined with either intersecting trackway, means for elevating and lowering the rotatin'g trackway, means for rotating the same, and means for positively locking the same when in alined position with either intersecting trackway, substantially as described.

6. In a railroad crossing, the combination of intersecting trackways, of a rotating trackway disposed at the intersection of the said trackways adapted to render either continuous, supports for the rotating trackway, seats in the under surfaces of the rails of the rotating trackway for receiving the supports of said rotating trackway, and means for adjusting the rotating traekway vertically with relation to the supports, and means for turning the rotating traokway.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN V. BALDVIN, JR.

Witnesses CARL II. KELLER, Geo. D. Palmer.

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