US972866A - Railway-switch. - Google Patents

Description

G. 0. JOHNSON.

y RAILWAY SWITGH.4 APPLIUATION FILED DEU. 12, 1908. RENEWED MAB. 19, 1910.

Patented 0011,18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

rn: NoRRls PETERS co., wAsmNm'oN, n. c.

C. C. JOHNSN. RAILWAY SWITH.' PPLIUATION FILED 11110.12, 1908. RBNBWBD 11.411. 19, 1910. Y

4 Patented' O'C. 18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CYRUS C. JOHNSON, OF TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Application led December 12, 190B,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUs C. JOHNSON, a citizenV of the United States, residing at Taylorville, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Railway-Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway switches and more particularly to means for actuating the same, the mechanism being especially adapted for use in combination with street railway systems.

The invention is of that type disclosed in an application filed by me on August 31st, 1908, Serial No. 451,000, and wherein means are employed below the track for actuation by a member carried by the car approaching the switch, whereby the tongue of the switch can be shifted in a desired direction without the necessity of bringing the car to a stop prior to passing over the switch.

The object of the invention is to provide mechanism of this character utilizing a single slot for the reception of the actuating arm carried by the car, whereas devices of this character such as heretofore employed have necessitated the use of two slots.

Another object is to simplify the mechanism utilized for transmitting motion to the switch tongue, said mechanism being simple durable and compact and capable of being readily placed in position. N

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter' more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings z-Figure 1 is a plan View of a railway switch, the switch-actuating mechanism being also shown in plan, but the casings or housings thereof being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus taken on the line A-B Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line C-D Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, through the drive disk and sprocket of the mechanism. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the disk.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1, 1, designates the track rails and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 467,254. Renewed March 19, 1910. Serial No. 550,512.

2 indicates the movable switch tongue. Arranged between the rails and in advance of the switch is an elongated trough-like guide member 3, the end walls of which are inclined downwardly toward each other and provided with a series of drain openings 4 whereby the accumulation of moisture within the guide device is prevented. A substantially V-shaped housing 5 extends inwardly from one wall of the guide casting 3, and a slot 6 is formed in that end of the housing adjoining the guide casting, said slot being parallel with the top of the casting and the walls thereof constituting guides for a lever 7 fulcrumed as at 8 in one end portion of the housing, while the other end of said lever is designed to project across the slot when the lever is in its normal position, although, by swinging the lever out of its normal position, the free end thereof can be withdrawn from across the casting, as indicated by dotted line in Fig. 1. A tubular casing 9 extends from the housing 5 and has a spring 10 fastened therein, one end of the spring being attached to the lever 7 so as to hold it normally across the casting 3. This spring also serves t-o hold the lever normally pressed against a cushioning device 11 secured within the housing 5.

Located between the rails 1 close to the switch and below the surface of the street is a housing 12. This housing is extended laterally at one end as indicated at 13 for the recept-ion of a shiftable bar 14 mounted on rollers 15 which are journaled within the housing. This bar 14 has a pitman 16 pivotally connected to it, one end of the pitman being mounted upon a wrist-pin 17 extending upwardly from a disk 18. This disk has a stem 19 extending through the center of a sprocket wheel 20 designed to rotate freely upon the stem, there being a ratchet wheel 21 secured to the stem and designed to be engaged by a pawl 22 for the purpose of preventing the disk 18 and stem 19 from rotating in one direction. Angular recesses 23 are formed in the lower face of the disk close to the periphery thereof and at diametrically opposite points, two of these recesses being utilized and the saine being designed to be successively engaged by a spring-pressed pawl 24.

A chain 25 is mounted on the sprocket 2O and one end thereof is connected by means 12 and has a chain or oth-er flexible device of a spring 26 with one of the lateral eX- tensions 13 of housing 12 while the other end portion of the chain extends at right angles to the bar 14 and is connected by means of a cable, rod or other suitable device, 27 with the lever 7, said device 27 being designed to work within a tubular connection 28 interposed between and secured to the housings 5 and 12. The bar 14 is secured in any suitable manner to the tongue 2.

In order to effect the manual actuation of the switch operating mechanism, a drum 29 is mounted for rotation within the housing 30 attached to it, and also to the chain 25, said device being designed to be wound upon the drum for the purpose of pulling the connection 27 longitudinally and thus allowing the spring 26 to throw the switch tongue in the manner hereinafter set forth. The upper neck or trunnion 31 of the drum 29 is angular in transverse section and designed to project into a correspondingly shaped socket formed in one end of a stem 32 mounted to rotate within the top plate 33 of housing 12. A head 34 is secured to the upper or exposed end of this stem and has a lever 35 pivotally connected to it, both the lever and the head being normally seated within a. recess 36 formed in said top plate 33.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1, that end of the guide casting 3 farthest removed from the switch tongue 2 is enlarged laterally, the walls of the groove or recess within said casting converging gradually toward the center of the casting, so as to efficiently guide the actuating arm hereinafter described into engagement with the lever 7.

The mechanism utilized for actuating lever 7 is preferably of the construction shown in my application hereinbefore described, the same consisting of an arm 37 pivotally connected to a car 38 and provided, at its lower end, with a hook 39. A spring 40 is provided for holding the hook 39 normally above and out of contact with the ground, and any suitable means may be utilized for shifting the arm 37 downwardly so as to cause it to travel within the guide casting 3. This shifting mechanism may consist of a bell crank lever 41, one arm of which is connected to the arm 37 by means of a link 42, while the other arm of said lever is connected by a rod 43 with a bell crank lever' 44,

designed to be actuated in any preferred manner as, for example, by the depression of a knob 45 connected to the lever.

When a car approaches the switch and it is desirable to shift the tongue 2, the motorman or other person on the car having charge of the switch-throwing mechanism, depresses the knob 45 so as to force the hooked end of arm 37 against the ground. When the car arrives above the casting 3 the hook 39 will travel into the groove or recess therein and, by continuing the downward pressure on the knob 45, the hook 39 will be caused to travel downward upon the inclined bottom of the casting 3 until it is brought into engagement with the lever 7. As the car continues its movement toward the switch the hook 39 will pull the lever 7 out of its normal position and into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, this movement causing the free end of the lever to pass out of the slot or groove within the casting and thus permit the hook 39 to becomedisengaged therefrom. When the lever 7 is actuated in this manner the spring`26, which is normally under stress, pulls the chain 25 and causes the sprocket 20 to rotate one hundred and eighty degrees in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 4. The pawl 24 will thus be depressed and move out of the recess 23 in which it is seated unt-il it assumes a position within the opposite recess 23. The disk 18 remains stationary during this movement of the sprocket. As soon as lever 7 is released from engagement with the hook 39 the spring 10 operates to return it to its normal position, and, as this spring is of greater strength than the spring 26, it will of course return the`chain 25 to its initial position, and, at the same time, place the spring 26 under its normal stress. During the return movement of the sprocket 2O caused by this return of the chain 25, the pawl 24 produces a one-half revolution of the disk 18 and the pitman 16 will thus shift the bar 14 in one direction asufticient distance to throw the switch-tongue.

It will be seen that the switch mechanism will always operate in the same manner, no matter what the speed of the car may be. The throwing of the switch-tongue is accomplished by the spring 10 and the parts operated thereby and the co-action of the parts carried by the car and the lever 7 is merely utilized for the purpose of setting the switch-actuating mechanism, so that as soon as the lever 7 is released the spring 10 will shift the switch-tongue. There is thus no danger of the mechanism being injured by a car approaching the switch at high speed.

When it is desired to shift the switchtongue by hand it is merely necessary to swing the lever 35 upwardly out of recess 36 and then rotate the drum 29 therewith so as to cause the chain 30 to wind upon the drum and pull lever 7 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The switch-throwing mechanism will thus be set in the manner hereinbefore described, and as soon as the drum is returned to its normal position the spring 10 will operate to shift the switch-tongue.

It is ofcourse to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction `and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacricing the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is 1.- A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, mechanism movable in one direction for shifting said member, means for automatically moving said mechanism in said direction, a car-actuated device for overcoming the action of said means, and means for automatically setting the mechanism during the actuation of said device by a car, to shift the switch member during the movement of said mechanism to normal position.

2. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, mechanism for automatically shifting the same into active position, said mechanism including` means for holding the said mechanism yieldingly in a predetermined position, means for relieving the mechanism from the action of said holding means to shift the switch member into active position, and means for automatically setting said mechanism when relieved of the holding means.

3. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, mechanism for automatically shifting the same into active position, said mechanism including means for holding the same yieldingly in a predetermined position, means for overcoming the action of said holding means to shift the switch member into active position, and means for automatically setting the mechanism while relieved of the action of the holding means.

4. A railway switch comprising a shift-l able switch member, mechanism for automatically shifting the same into active position, said mechanism including means for holding it yieldingly in a predetermined position, means for overcoming the action of said holding means, and means to shift the switch member into active position for automatically setting the mechanism when relieved of the action of the holding means, said holding means operating to shift the mechanism and switch member, when released.

5. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, revoluble means for actuating the same, ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent revoluble movement to said means, and automatically and mechanically operated means for actuating the ratchet mechanism in opposite directions alternately.

6. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, revoluble means for shifting the same, ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to said means, mechanically opposed means for automatically shifting said ratchet mechanism in opposite directions respectively, and mechanically operated means for overcoming the action of one of said automatically operated means to permit the actuation of the other automatically operated means.

7. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, ratchet mechanism, means actuated by said mechanism for shifting the member, opposed connected elastic devices for actuating the ratchet mechanism, one of said devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and means for relieving the device under stress to permit actuation of the mechanism thereby.

S. A railway switch comprising a shiftable switch member, revoluble means for actuating the same, ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to said means, mechanically opposed elastic devices for actuatingthe ratchet mechanism, one of said devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and means for relieving the device of the stress to permit actuation of the ratchet mechanism thereby.

9. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, revoluble means for actuating the same, ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to said means, mechanically opposed elastic devices for alternately actuating the ratchet mechanism, oneV of said devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and car-operated means for releasing the device under stress to permit actuation of the mechanism thereby. l

10. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, a revoluble actuating device, a pitman connection between said device and the switch member, ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating said device, mechanically opposed elastic devices for actuating the ratchet mechanism, one of said devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and means for releasing the device under stress to permit actuation thereby of the ratchet mechanism.

11. In a railway switch a shift-able switch member, a revoluble actuating device, a pitman connection between said member and device, ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to said device, mechanically opposed elastic actuating devices, a connection therebetween and engaging and disposed to actuate the ratchet mechanism, one of said elastic devices being held normally Vunder stress by the other device, and means for relieving the device under stress to permit actuation thereby of the ratchet mechanism in one direction.

12. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, a slidable bar shiftable therewith, a revoluble actuating device, a pitman connection between said device and bar, ratchet mechanism for imparting intermittent rota- CIY tion to the revoluble device, mechanically opposed elastic actuating devices, a connection therebetween engaging and disposed to actuate the ratchet mechanism, one of said elastic devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and means for relieving the device under stress to permit actuation thereby in one direction of the mechanism.

13. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, a disk mounted for rotation adjacent said member, means for transmitting` motion to the member from the disk, means for holding the disk against movement in one direction, pawl and ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to the desk in the opposite direction, mechanically opposed elastic devices, a connection therebetween engaging and disposed to actuate the pawl and ratchet mechanism, one of said elastic devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and means for relieving the device under stress to permit actuation thereby of the pawl and ratchet mechanism and the revoluble device.

14. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, revoluble means mounted adjacent thereto, a connection between said means and the switch member for transmitting motion to said member, pawl and ratchet mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotation to said revoluble member, mechanimit actuation thereby of the pawl and ratchet mechanism and the revoluble device, and means for holding said revoluble device against movement under the action of the other elastic device.

l5. In a railway switch a shiftable switch member, means for automatically shifting said member into either open or closed position, means for automatically setting the shifting means and holding it against operation, and car-operated means for assisting said setting means and for subsequently releasing the shifting means to automatically throw the switch into either open or closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. CYRUS C. JOHNSON. Witnesses J. H. MORGAN, T. II. WEITZEL.

devices being held normally under stress by the other device, and car-operated means` for relieving the device under stress to per-1`

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