USRE12901E - Switch-controlling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

J. M. LI EB. SWITCH GONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION TILED OCT. 22, 1908.

' ReissuedDec. 29, 1908.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

Witnesses Inventor. 7512 21 10k J. M. LIE'B, SWITGH CONTROLLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1908.

Reissued Dec. 29, 1908;

'a BEEETB-BHEET 72.

Wilnesses Inventor. 757232 Wield ICU-HIS PITI'ISCG. WASHINGTON D C A Horr'ley.

J. M. LIEB.

SWITGH CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. z 2,19ou.

Reissued Dec. 29, 1908.

3 BHEET8-SHBET 3 ,4, 6% V Inventor.

. aziznm b MW. 1 I Attorney.

JOHN M. LIEB, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SWITCH-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent.

Beissued Dec. 29, 1908.

Original No. 888,915, dated May 26, 1908, Serial No. 356,119. Application for reissue filed October 22, 1908.

Serial No. 459,101.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LIEB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Controlling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in switch controlling mechanism comprehending specifically a structure whereby the moving vehicle can absolutely control the position of the switch either from the siding or main track.

The main object of the resent invention is the production of a switc operating mechanism including a series of positively connected bars and levers whereby a setting shaft may be 0 erated to actuate the switch in the travel 0 the train.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan illustrating the application of my improved operating mechanism to a short section of the main track and siding, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3, is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a locomotive showing the trips carried thereby for operating the mechanism, Fig. 5 is a similar view of a car showing the trips carried thereby, Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the connection between the cam disks and the switch oints, Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in elevation illustrating the means carried by amoving vehicle for operating the switch levers, Fig. 8 is an enlarged broken sectional view showing the yielding connection between the lever setting plate and the manually controlled arm of the vehicle operating means, Fig. 9 is a bottom plan of said yielding connection.

Referring particularly to the drawings my improved switch operating mechanism is designed for use with a switch 1 leading from a main track 2 onto a siding 3, and is designed to provide a means whereby the train traveling on the main track or siding may properly control the switch.

In structure the operating mechanism comprises a setting shaft 4 supported in bearings beneath the main track and directly underlying the switch point. On the shaft secured in spaced relation are opposing cam disks 5, the relatively outer or remote surfaces of which provide cam surfaces to engage the respective switch points. For the purpose of this engagement each switch oint is provided with a clip plate 6 securely bolted to the point and provided with a depending stud 7, on which is movably mounted a roller 8 secured in place by a washer 9 held by a headed bolt 10 having threaded engagement with the stud 7. The disposition and arrangement of the cams 5 are such that in the revolution of the shaft in one direction the cam surface of one disk will force the switch points in one direction and in movement of the shaft in the opposite direction the cam surface of the other disk will force the points in the opposite direction, as will be apparent from Fig. 3. Beyond the rails and the main track 2 the shaft 4 is provided with gear pinions 11. Beyond the outer rail of the main track i arranged an operating rod 12, which at one end is connected to one arm of a right angle lever 13 pivotally supported at the juncture of its arms on any desired support. The other arm of the lever 13 is connected to the trip lever 14 which is a proximately of L- shape, the short arm of tlhe lever being connected to the angle lever 13, and the long arm thereof pivoted to a support secured upon the ties. The lever 14 is so arranged that in normal osition it will ro ect above the surface of tlie adjacent rail? The opposite end of the rod 12 is similarly connected to a right angle lever 15 which in turn is con-' nectecl to an L-shaped lever 16, similar to the lever 14. The bar 12 passes directly above one of the gear pinions 11, and at this point is formed with a rack bar 17 arranged to en gage said pinion, whereby in the reciprocation of the rod the pinion 11, and, therefore, the shaft 4 is partially rotated. Beyond the relatively remote rail of the siding 3 is arranged a second operating bar 18, which at a point sufficiently remote from the switch is connected to a right angle lever 19 in turn connected to an L-shaped lever 20, respectively similar to the levers 13 and 14 reviously described. In this instance the right angle lever 19 is secured upon a pivot rod 21 extending transverse to the siding track, and provided beyond the o ening rail of said track with a similar rig t angled lever 22, said lever 22 being in turn connected to an L-shaped lever 23. The levers 20 and 23' project in relatively reverse directions from .said pin serving; as a lower. su

the shaft 21, that is the lever 20 extends from the shaft in the same direction as the rod 18, While the lever 23 extends in the opposite direction.

The rod 18 at ap roximately the juncture of the siding With t e main track passes be-..

tween" guide pins 24 to insure alinement of said-rod'in operation, being beyondsaid pins extended lengthwise the main track. The rod 18 extends above the remaining pinion 1-1- and is-provided .with a rack. 2 5 continually in mesh with said pinion and adapted to operate. the same .in the reciprocation of the rod. At a point. remote from the pinion 11a therod 18: is providedwith a right angled lever 26 in turn connected to an b-shapeds lever 27 Levers 16- and16 and-14, which are connectedtothe rod;12, are so arranged that depression of any one lever willactuate the rod 12 to close the switch. LeverfZO isopposed to' lever 27 while lever 23 is opposed to lever. 20

The locomotive and rearcar of thetrainare provided witha trip plate 28, approximately of triangular shape in elevation and. carrying at the lower end aroller 29. to engage and operate any of. the operating levers previously-described. Thetrip plate. is concaved.

at its upper edge asat 30, andispivotally supportedzon the locomotive oncarstructure immediately below and centrally ofthe curved edge 30, as at31. The trip plate .on thelocornotive. is operated through. a. pivot bar 32-connected :at its upper end to arod 33 extending Within the cab. of thelocomotive and controlled through the lever 34 and'notched,

segmentBfi'. The lowerend 10f .thebar 32 is disposed incontactwith the. curved edge .30 ofrthe tripplate, the curvature of said edge being .on theiarc struck from the; pivotal sup.- port-of .the bar 32 as -a center.

' Thetrip plate supported .on-the-caris .op-r. erated throughya handcontrolled lever 3-5,

pivotally-supported at the center ofcurvature of :-the edge 30. ofthe plate and cooperatingwith the usual notch segment 36 formed to.secure the lever. in any one ofthree ad-.

j usted positions. The respective endsot the curved edge30. of the trip plate are recessed towformsocket members-37, reduced'in diameter at their lower. portion, as at 38'. Pzinsr39 are slidablysupported in the sockets, being provided. with heads 40. arranged in the path fof. movement of the respective lever rs and conform-ing on. theinupper surfaces tothe normal curvature ofcthe. upperedge 0t the-trip plate.-. A.pin .41is inserted transverse. the socketi walls, passingthrough a longitudinallydisposed slot 42' in the-pin 39, port for-aacoil spring. 43warranged .to encire ethe-rod and bear at its upper end beneath. thehead 40."

Owingzto t the; trip plate vit is obvious that :whenthe levels 32 01135: are disposed vertically," said I without affecting said operating lever.

e curvature orthe edge. 30. of-

plate is free to swing on its pivot in either direction, so if the roller 29 engages one of the operating levers with the parts in this position, s aid trip plate is swung on its pivpt n the event the lower end of the lever bar is moved into engagement with the rear end of the edge 30 of the trip plate, that is to overlie the head 40 of the pm at such rear end, the engagement of the roller 29 with either of the operating levers willinsure operation of; said levers, as the trip plateisprevented from movingv in. a. rearward direction. The reverse position of the lever bars prevents swinging of. the trip plate in the forwarddirection, hence will lnsure cooperation ofisaid plate and theoperating levers-inthe rear- Ward travel Ofthfi vehicle. Provision is thus made for controlling; and operating the sW-itchactuating mechanism during travel .of

-the.train.in either direction, as is, of course,

to bedesired under. ordinary uses of-sidings and switches.

Asignal post44 .is revolubly supported adjacentithe track rails of:the maintrack, and

the shaft. 4.is. terminally provided immediately beneath said postwith a gear 45 arranged-to mesh .with-agean46 secured on the post, whereby rotationofthe shaft 4 serves to similarly rotate the post 44. The signal lightsof'the post are so arranged that in one position of: the. latter, lightsindicating. a

clear main track will be displayed, while in the. opposingposition signals indicating an openswitch will be. displayed.

In operation itwill be understood'that a train traveling the main track from the. right asseen in.Fig,. 1, theswitch being open, de-

siring to throw the latter to enable the. train to. continue. along the. main line, will operate thetrip. carriedon the engine which will .en-

gage-the lever 14, thereby rocking the angle lever 13,. whereby the-rod 12 is actuated longitudinallyto. rockthe. shaft 4 and close the switch, and atz'the sametime the signal light .44" will be set to display the signals indicatinga closed switch. It is apparent that this signallight 4.45 may be. located atany desired oint, along 'the track, andit is not thong t to involve. invention to place the signal light at a remote point from the switch and connect the-same. operatively with the shaft .4. Assume. that the. train is. traveling towardsthe. right as shown. in Fig. 1, and thatjtheswitch mustbe thrown in order to permit: the-.train ,to. move alongthe main track, operation of. the. lever 16. by the trig) will. operate. tov throw the. switch as desire thereby permitting the train. to. move. along thesmain track. Assume thatatrain approaching from the leftain Fig. 1, desireste enter 1 the. switch; the lever. 27 will .be :de-

pressed to..open..the switch, whereupon the train. lmay. pass upon;-.the siding, and iafiter entering uponv the siding, operation; of 1 the lever 20 will cause the switch to be again closed. When the train desires to leave the switch, depression of the lever 23 by the trip will cause the switch to be thrown open to permit the train to pass off on to the main track, and after issuing on the main track, depression of the lever 16" will operate to again close the switch. In this manner provision is made for manipulating the switch as desired when the train is passing in either direction on the main track or in either direction on the switch. It is thus seen that a train moving towards the right on the main track in Fig. 1, may throw the switch to render it possible to continue on the main line or may throw the switch to render it possible to pass on to the siding, and after passin on to the siding, the manipulation of the lever 20 will enable the train thus on the switch to close the same. In passing from the switch on to the main line, the train may throw the switch to accomplish this purpose in passing out, and when u on the main line may operate lever 16* to c ose the switch again to make the main line continuous. When the train is approaching from the right as shown in Fig. 1, if the switch is so placed as to block the main line, depression of the lever 14 will cause the swltch to be thrown to render the main line continuous. There is no occasion, when the train is passing towards the left on the main track as seen in Fig. 1, to manipulate the switch after having passed by the same, for the reason that a train coming from the left as seen in Fig. 1 may manipulate the switch as desired.

The essential feature of the present invention is the connection of the track levers so controlled by the arrangement of the trip plates on the engine or cars that the train approaching a switch on the main line, or traveling from the sidin on to the main track may operate the swltch in any manner desired, and after traveling beyond the switch, may reset the switch as desired. I do not, therefore, desire to be limited in any particular as to the specific arrangement of the track levers 14, 16, 16, 20, 23, and 27, contemplating such arrangement of the levers as will permit any operation of the switch desired or most usual 1n the particular track arrangement to which the invention is applied.

by the vehicle and pivoted for Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A switch operating mechanism including a setting shaft, cam disks operated by said shaft and controlling the switch oints, a trip plate carried by the vehic e and pivoted for free movement in either direction, a lever adapted for manual operation to be positioned to permit free movement of the tr1p late, or to ock it against movement in one irection.

2. A switch operating mechanism including a setting shaft, cam disks operated by said shaft and controlling the switch points, a trip plate carried by the vehicle and pivoted for free movement in either direction, a lever adapted for manual operation to be positioned to permit free movement of the trip plate, or to lock it against movement in one direction, and spring pressed buffer plates carried by the trip plate to cooperate with the lever.

3. A switch operating mechanism including a setting shaft, cam disks operated by said shaft and controlling the switch points, a trip plate pivotally supported on the vehicle and adapted to engage and rock said shaft in either direction, a manually operable lever bar pivotally supported on the vehicle to cooperate with the trip plate, the lever engaging edge of said trip plate being curved on an are having the pivotal support of the lever bar as a center.

4. A switch 0 erating mechanism comprising a setting shaft, cam disks operated by said shaft and controlling the switch points, operating rods mounted lengthwise of the track rails and serving to actuate the cam disks, levers normally projecting above the plane of the rail and connected to and actuating the operating rods, a trip plate carried ree movement in either direction, means carried by the trip plate to engage the levers, and means carried by the vehicle and adapted for manual operation to permit free movement of the trip plate or to lock it against movement in one direction. x

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. LIEB. Witnesses:

G. E. TRUMP, E. F. BERRY.

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