Improvements in Apparatus for Locking Railway Points or Switches.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Locking Railway Points or
Switches.
I, EDUARD WEISSKOPF, of Pratteln, near Basle, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Locksmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :--
My invention relates to apparatus for causing railway points to be locked by the
passage of trains.
In the present method of working railways accidents of the trains leaving the
metals are often occasioned through the pointsman moving the points whilst the
train is passing over them. The object of my invention is to prevent this by
providing an arrangement by means of which the train, as it passes, causes au
automatic locking or bolting of the points.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for locking railway points constructed
according to my invention :
Figure 2 is a plan; and,
Figure 4 is a cross section of the same:
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 but shewing the points in another position;
and,
Figure 5 is a cross section illustrating the manner in which the apparatus is set
in action by a passing train.
The apparatus is constructed as follows:-
A bar A is jointed to one of the rails by means of a bolt B and is subject to the
action of a spring C which normally keeps the bar A pressed upwards so that the
bar A projects somewhat above the rail by the side of which it lies. The bar A is
provided at its free end with a pin D which is jointed to one end of a lever F
fulcrumed at b to a fixed cross-bar E.
At the other end of the lever F is fixed a pin G which works through an eye in
a fixed plate H when the lever F is operated. Round the pin is a spring I which
constantly tends to lift the free end of the bar A above the rail which lies by the
side of it.
On the lever F is fixed a vertical pin K which serves to lock or bolt the
points or switch by being brought by the lever F to lie against one or the other
side of the switch-rail L. If, for instance, the points be in the position shewn
in Figures 1, 2 and 4, and a train comes in the direction of the arrow a, the
wheels of the locomotive will press the spring-bar A downwards, the lever F will
turn on its fulcrum b and the pin K will be raised and hold the switch-rail L
pressed against the rail M, as shewn in Figure 5, that is to say, it prevents any
movement of the points so that the pointsman cannot shift the points so long as
a wheel of the train rests upon the bar A. If, however, the points be in the
position shewn in Figure 3, as a train passes over them, the pin K will be raised
on the other side of the switch-rail L and the other switch-rail L' will be pressed
against the corresponding rail, and will thus keep the points locked. As long
as the train is passing over the bar A, the pin K kept in its raised position,
and the position of the points can, consequently, not be altered; when, however,
the train has passed, the bar A and lever F are brought back to their normal
position by the springs C and I.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for locking railway points or switches by the trains passing over
it, consisting essentially of a bar jointed to the outer side of one of the rails,
which bar is subject to the netion of a spring or springs, whereby it is; raised
somewhat above the level of the line of rails, the said bar being also connected
with a lever which carries a pin so that upon the passage of a train the wheels
of the latter will press the bar downwards and consequently raise the pin into
position against one or the other side of the switch-rail, substantially as set
forth.
2. The improved apparatus for locking railway-points or switches herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 24th day of Anvil 1902
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.