US939939A - Point-operating mechanism for tramways. - Google Patents

Description

T. N. ATKINSON. POINT OPERATING MECHANISM FOR TRAMWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1908. v

Patented Nov. 9. 1909.-

2 8HEBTSSHIJET 1.

I I 7 1 3 7 W- ATKINSON. POINT OPERfiTIHG MECHANISM FOR TRAMWA YS.

APPLICATION FILED ROY. 11', 1808.-

I Patented Nov. 9; 1 909 a pcrspecii vc ZJNETEE} s ra ns PATENT carton- 'ZI-EOMAS ZICI'OLS 13' ATKINSON, OF ST. MARGAEETS-ON-THAMES, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR Oi? ONE-HALF TO OTTO LIST,

OF ST. PETERSBURG. RUSSIA.

YOINT OPERATING MECHANISM FOR TRAMWAYS.

"1 'c all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Tnonixs NICHOLSON Armxsox. a subject of the King of England. residing at. St. Margarets-owThams, Surrey. England. have inv nted certain new and useful improvements in Point-Operating- Mechanism for 'lramways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to poin operating mechanism for tramwzrrs, rail'w'ays and the like, and has for its objectio provide mechanism for more readily etlecting the shift of the pointsthan has heretofore been possible.

lhe invention has more particular application to tramways, although it may be used with any rail system over which vehicles travel. According to the present methods of I controlling the Joints for trams an operator is either placed at the points for shifting them as required. or the tram conductor has to alight and shift his points before the tram can proceed.

According to this invention the. points are controlled from the vehicle itself by mechanical means which do not necessitate stopping the vehicle.

According to one method of carrying out this invention the vehicle causes an operating member which may be displaced by the driver or conductor to bring it into the path of a coiiperating switch member disposed on the track, and connected with the point mechanism. The member on the track is prefers-ihly sunk in a trough, and is pivoted about a vertical axis. The switch member has on it one or more lateral cam faces wherewiih the operating member comes into contact with the result that the switch memher is displac d laterally. The switch memher on the track also. may have another cam face. for guiding the operating member out of the trough.

In the accompanying drawing":Figure l is a plan showing the track andits cooperating parts constructed according to one "method of carrying out this invention. Fig.

view of a detail. Fig. 3 is :2 is a perspective of the parts carried by the vehicle. and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the same parts.

Like letters indicate likc'parts throughout the drawings.

vided with points U. The )OllltS are connected by a link C that carries a pin C Sunk in a trough D in the track is aswitch member D. This is pivoted about a vertically disposed pin 1) a cam face I), 1) respectively. The pivot I) is situated at that end of the switch member that lies toward the vehicle as it ap-' D to forma seat for the reception of the pin C on the link C. In addition to the two laterally disposed cam faces DD the switch member D is provided with side flanges D that lie level, with the base of the member at that end occupied by the pivot pin D, but which rise at the other end and provide vertically operating cam faces D.

I cured to the floor of the vehicle is a. socket E that carries a sliding rod E that constitutes the operating member. The lower end of the rod has on it a roller and at its upper end is a spring E that tends to maintain the rod in a raised position. Engaging with the upper end of the rod E 'is a pedal plate E whereof one end is hinged at E to the floor of the vehicle while the other end is forked at. E to receive the end of the rdd E. The rod has on it a bears.

The operation of this mechanism is as fol lows :The operatin plane that is just to one side (say to theleft) of the narrow end of the switch member D" its spring E sufiiciently to bring it into engagement with the cam face D". As-the vehicle approaches the points the conductor depresses the pedal E and if the points C are to the left oi Fig. 1, as shown, so as to convey. the vehicle along the direct. line A, whereas he desires to turn off on 'o the line B. the member E coming the cam face D will displace the switch member D to the right carrying with it the points C. This movement is etl ected before; the frontwvhecls of the -tlehicle reach the points, and thus a safe transfer from the lines A to B is eti'ected. If the vehicle is intended sometimes to continue along the track l and at other times to turn otf to the line B,

preaches and the opposite end is forked atshoulder or collar whereon aforked end E member E is so situated on the vehicle tiat it lies in a vertical and it can be depressed against the action of Specification 0! Letters 13mm. P t t d 9, 1909, Application filed November 17, 1908. Serial No. 463,099. i i

The track A is branched at. B and proand has on each side.

into contact with 7 member remote from y it is desired,

two pedals may be provided onesituate in a vertical plane to the leftof the switch member D as before, and the other in a vertical plane to the right of the switch member; the conductor would then select which pedal to de ress according to the route he had to take.

ihe roller E" on the base of the operating member E engages a flange D on .the switch member so as to hold the member down, and as it approaches that end of the the pivot D it rises on the cam face D. The end of the cam face Dl' islevel with the track, so that should the pedal'i et be released before the end of the troughD is reached the operating member will be guided safely out of the trough.

In Fig. 4 an alternative form of pedal is shown, the socket F being provided with lugs? for securing it to a vertical member, and instead of the hinge plate E a usb piece F fixed'to the operating rod 3 is provided.

Although, this invention has been mainl describedas applicable to trainways, it wi 1 be understood t railed track for vehicles.

The details of this invention may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of this invention, for instance, the operating member E may have a yieldin lateral control if desired, and again instea of two 0 crating members one only may be employe and the points may be provided with a spring control that always brings them into the reverse po 'tion to that given to them by the operating member.

Obviously any number of sets of oints with their operating mechanism may arranged in' series, and one set may be placed as close to the adjacent set as practicable if it is desired to pass rapidly across one or more tracks intermediate; of that upon which the vehicle has been running and that to which it is to be transferred.

The 'fianges D" on the member D' may have cam faces corresponding to the face D atthe pivoted end of the switch member if so that the operating member can be gradually brought down into the trough D.

Preferably the is independent mechanism described above of ordinary signal and switchingdevices, but if desired it may be arranged for control by means other than that at the disposal of the driver or conductor. For example, the spaces at the sides of the switch arm D that admit the operating memberE' may be provided with covering plates that can be shifted by any responsible erson so as to preventthe operating memer E from entering the trough. Thus if one line'was blocked the vehicles cculd be made to takeanother line irrespective of any iat' it can be used w th any to operate the points.

What I claim as my invention'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1'. The combination. with a switch point, of a swinging actuating member connected to the point and provided with a longitudinal cam and a lateral flange below the cam, and a car member arranged to travel on the; flan e and again t the cum to move the actuating member and throw the switch point.

2. The combination wi h aswitch point, of a swinging actuating member connected to the point and provided with an elevated longitudinal cam portion having its opposite edges diaergiqg toward the free end of the ll1(llll)(l-,": 5fli i itClllililllg member having a lateral longitudinal liange below and at each side of the'cam. and a car member arranged to travel upon one of the flanges and against the cum to move the actuating member and .throw the switch point.

3. in point mechanism for railways the combination of. a switch-member that can be displaced laterally in relation to the direction of travel of ,the vehicle, means operativcly connecting such member with the points, an operating member carried by the vehicle and that can at will be depressed, such member being so alined that. when depressed it is in the path of the switch member. one of these members presenting to the other a cam-face that .is disposed laterally in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and the switch-member having a vertical cam-face to receive the foot of the operating member and rising to the level of the track at that end last passed over by the vehicle, for the purpose set forth.

4. In point mechanism for railways the combination of, a switch member pivoted at one end and having on each side a cam-face that is dispo ed laterally to the direction of travel of the vehicle, an operating member on a vehicle so disposed relatively to the switch-member as to strike one of the camfaces as the vehicle passes and thus displace the switch-member laterally, a second operating member on a vehicle so disposed as to strike the other cam-face to displace the switclrmember in the opposite direction, and

member with the points, the switch-member having at each side a. flange upon which the respective operating members are rtravel. substantially as set forth. 5. The combination with a switch point. of raswinging actuating member connected to the point. and a ear member arranged to engage and move the swinging-actuating member, the latter having a vertically-disposed cam portion to lift the ear member as it leaves the swinging member.

6. An actuating member for switch points means operatively connecting the switch adapted to effort on the-part of the driver or conductor the member, and a longitudinal cam lying having one end provided with a pivot por-' tlon, an upstanding cam extending longi- I tudinally of the member and having one of its upright faves disposed obliquely of the t member, and a longitud izmlly extending transverselv-disposed flange below the cam. i. -\n actuating member for switch points pro ided at one end with a pivot portion for swinging movements on a vertieal'ai nis and i atits opposite end with a cam portion inf clined upwardly toward the free end of the member. l 8. -\n actuating member for switch points provided at one end with a pivot portion, and at its opposite end with a cam portion inclined upwardly toward the tree end of bttween the pivot portion and the first-mentioned c.1111 and having a face disposed obliquely of the member. 7

U. A swinging actuating member for switch points provided at one end with a pivot portion and at its opposite end with a cani portion inclined upwardly toward the free end'of the member, a longitudinal cam lying between the pivot portion and the first-mentioned cam and having its opposite upright sides diverged toward the free end of the member, and a longitudinally-extending laterally-disposed flange at each side i of and below the longitudinal cam. 10.;1 swinging actuating member for I switch points provided at one end with a.

pivot portion for swinging movements on a vertical axis and atits opposite end with a seat, there being a cam portion inclined upwardly toward the free end of the member and located adjacent the inner side of the seat.

11. A swinging actrating member for switch points provided at one end with a pivot portion and at its opposite free end with a seat, a cam inclined upwardly toward the free end of the member and located at the inner side of the seat, an upstanding longitndinally-disposed cam lying between the first-mentioned cam and the pivot portion and having its opposite sides diverged toward the free end of the member, and longitudinally extending transversely disposed flanges at opposite sides of and below the longitudinal cam.

12. An actuating member for switch points provided at one end with a pivot portion and at its opposite end with a cam, the axis of the pivot portion and the inclination of the cam being in substantially the same directions. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THGZIAS NICHOLSON ATKINSON. Witnesses:

Amman J. BOULT, HARRY B. SLIDGE.

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