US935843A - Switch-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. FRYBURG. I swmm OPERATING MECHANISM.

- APPLICATION FILED MAX 3, 1909. 935,843.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

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G.E.FRYBURG.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

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CHARLES EDWARD FRYBURG, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Application filed May 3, 1909. Serial No. 493,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FRYBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved switch operating mechanism, the object of the in vention being to provide improved means for throwing the switch point through the medium of mechanism on a car, before the car reaches the switch, so as to enable the car to proceed along the track desired, without the necessity of the motorman leaving his car.

A further object is to provide improved mechanism on a car which is normally elevated, but which can be quickly depressed to operative position, so as to engage switch throwing means below the surface of the ground.

A further object is to provide an improved cam wheel, which is always turned in the same direction, and given but a partial rotary movement at each operation, but which will upon one operation, throw the switch point in one direction, and upon another op eration, throw the switch point in an opposite direction, so that if the switch point is in a position to carry an approaching car on the track not desired, it is simply necessary for the motorman to depress his operating means on the car and throw the switch point, so that the car will travel upon the desired track. If the switch point is properly placed, the car can proceed without moving the point at all.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and ar rangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view partly broken away illustrating 'my improvements. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the track. Fig. 3, is a detail view in elevation illustrating the switch operating device on a car and its cooperation with the switch throwing crank below the 7, track. Fig. 4, is a view in cross section at point 3.

the switch point, and Fig. 5, is a view in elevation at right angles to Fig, 4.

1, 1, represent the rails of an ordinary trolley track secured upon ties 2, and 3, is a switch point located at the intersection of a branch track and the main track, such as is in ordinary use.

4 represents a casting fixed to the outside of rail 1, and providing a rotary support for my improved cam wheel 6, which latter is provided with a cam groove 7, said groove so shaped as to provide a number of cam faces of the same length, to transmit a reciprocating movement to a rod 8, having a roller 9 on one end mounted in the cam groove 7, and said rod is supported to slide in openings in the rail, and is provided with an upwardly projecting pin 10 located in a recess 11 in the under face of the switch This cam wheel 6 is provided around its periphery with ratchet teeth 12, with which a spring pressed dog 13 engages, so as to permit the cam wheel to turn in but one direction. The end face of the cam wheel is so shaped as to provide four ratchet teeth 14 to be engaged by a dog 15, pivotally supported upon a bolt 16, extending through the cam wheel 6 and casting 4, and elastically held against the face of said cam wheel by means of a spring 17 located outside the casting. This dog 15 is connected by a rod 18 with a crank shaft tripping member 19, supported in a bracket 20 secured to the rail 1.

A coiled spring 21 connects a fixed pin 21 on the rail with the dog 15, so as to return the dog to normal position after operation, and hold the upwardly projecting arm 22 of the crank shaft 19 in position to be operated, and stops 23 limit the turning movement of the crank shaft. The arm 22 projects up into a recess 24 in rail 1, registering with a slot 25 in the grooved portion of the rail, so that a plunger 26 on the car may be projected through said slot and engage the arm 22. This plunger 26 as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, is mounted to move vertically in a bracket 27 secured to the car truck 28, and is normally held in an elevated position by a coiled spring 29.

Rollersor pulleys 30 are supported upon bracket 27, and cords or other flexible connecting devices are secured at their ends to the upper end of plunger 26, then passed around pulleys 30, then secured together as shown at 31, and a single cord 52 extends from this point to a convenient place on the platform 33, where a handle 34 is provided, so that the motorman by raising the handle 34 will depress the plunger 26 into a position to engage the trip arm 22, and throw the switch point.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen the car is approaching a switch and the switch point is not as desired, the motorman depresses plunger 26 as above explained, and the latter engages arm 22 as the car moves forward, swinging the crank shaft 19 to draw the dog 15 to the left, which movement will move the cam wheel 6 a quarter turn, thus moving the roller 9 and rod 8, so as to throw the switch point and enable the car to take the proper track. As the car passes along and plunger 26 rides over arm 22, the spring 21 will throw the crank shaft to its former position, and .return the dog 15 to a position to engage the next tooth 141, ready for operation to throw the switch to another position when desired. In equipping a car for a railway provided with switch throwing mechanism of this kind, I would of course provide four plungers 26 at the corners of the car, so that the switches can be thrown from either end of the car and from either side according to the position of the switch points. My improved mechanism would be preferably inclosed in a casing 35 as illustrated in dotted lines, and would be below the ground level.

It will be observed that with my improvements the cam wheel 6 always turns in the same direction, and but a quarter turn at a time, the cam groove 7 being so shaped that one quarter turn will move the switch point in one direction, and the next quarter turn will move it in the opposite direction, so that if the switch point does not lie as desired, the motorman will depress plunger 26 and throw the switch as above explained Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not restrict myself to precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination with a switch point, of a rotary cam wheel having a cam groove in its periphery, a sliding rod connected to said switch point, a roller on said sliding rod located in said cam groove, ratchet teeth on the end face of said cam wheel, a ratchet dog engaging said teeth, means for throwing said ratchet dog to turn the cam wheel and throw the switchpoint, ratchet teeth around the periphery of said cam wheel, and a ratchet dog engaging said last mentioned teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination with a switch point, of a rotary cam wheel having a cam groove in its periphery, a rod, a pin on said rod located in a recess in the switch point, a roller on said rod located in the cam groove in the cam wheel, ratchet teeth around said cam wheel, a

ratchet dog engaging said teeth, whereby said wheel is permitted to move in one direction only, ratchet teeth on the end face of said cam wheel, a ratchet dog engaging said teeth, a crank shaft tripping mechanism adapted to be operated by means on a car, and a link connecting said tripping mechanism with said last mentioned dog.

3. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination with a switch point, of a rotary cam wheel having a cam groove in its periphery, a rod, a pin on said rod located in a recess in the switch point, a roller on said rod located in the cam groove in the cam wheel, ratchet teeth around said cam wheel, a ratchet dog engaging said teeth, whereby said wheel is permitted to move in one direction only, ratchet teeth on the end face of said cam wheel, a ratchet dog engaging said teeth, a crank shaft tripping mechanism adapted to be operated by means on a car, a link connecting said tripping mechanism with said last mentioned dog, a fixed support, a spring connecting said last mentioned dog with said fixed support, whereby said dog and tripping mechanism after being operated are returned to their former posit-i0 V 1. In a switch operating mechanism, the

combination with a rail and a switch point,

of a casting secured to said rail, a cam wheel having rotary mounting on said casting and provided with a cam groove in its periphery, a rod mounted to move transversely in said rail, a pin on said rod located in a recess in the switch point, a roller on said rod mounted in the said cam groove, ratchet means permitting rotary movement ofsaid cam wheel in one direction only, ratchet teeth on said cam wheel, a ratchet dog engaging said teeth, tripping mechanism operated by means on a car to move said last mentioned dog and move the cam wheel, a fixed support, and a spring connecting said fixed support with said dog, whereby said dog is returned to normal position after operation.

5. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination with switch throwing means, of a car, a truck on the car, a bracket secured to the truck, a vertically movable plunger in the bracket, a spring normally elevating said plunger, rollers on said bracket at opposite sides of the plunger,

flexible connecting devices secured at their In testimony whereof I have signed my ends to the upper end of said plunger,passed name to this specification in the presence of 10 around said rollers and secured together, two subscribing witnesses.

and a flexible connecting device connected to said first mentioned flexible connecting CHARLES EDWARD FRYBURG' devices at their junctureand extending to a WVitnesses: point on the platform, substantially as and CHAs. M. Jonson,

for the purpose set forth; J A. L. MULHALL.

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