Improvements in Railway-switches, and Locomotive Attachments for Operating the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1895
.
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway-switches, and Locomotive Attachments for
Operating the same.
I EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of 38, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Thomas F. Rawls, residing at Barnett, in the County of
Clarke and State of "Mississippi, U.S. America, Engineer) to be as follows:-
My invention has relation to that class of railway-switches which are operated
automatically through the medium of a shifting device attached to the engine in
such a way that it may readily be manipulated by the engineer from the engine
cab, to close the switch.
My invention consists in the improved construction of the switch and the
locomotive appliances for operating the same, as hereinafter fully set forth, whereby
we greatly simplify the construction of the mechanism, and render its operation
absolutely certain and secure.
In carrying my invention into practice I secure upon the front of the engine,
just behind the pilot, guides slanting downward from each other to each side of the
engine, and in which guides engaging arms slide. To these arms are pivoted
toggle-jointed levers, and a lever is connected to the toggle-joint at one end and
its other end is pivoted to a rock shaft lever, operated by the engine driver
through the medium of a baud rod. When the latter is pushed forward the arms
are extended, and when pulled, they are retracted into normal position.
In a modification of this mechanism, a compressed air cylinder is secured upon
the front of the engine, and in which is operated a piston, having a piston rod to
which a cross head having depending arms is secured. To the ends of the arins are
pivoted engaging arms, which are in turn pivoted to the rear of the pilot or the
front portion of the engine. The piston is operated by compressed air or steam
controlled by the engine driver from his cab to raise the piston and lower
the engaging arms, or lower the piston and raise the arms into their normal
condition.
The track, and switch rails are supported by the usual sleepers, while one sleeper
is extended toward or fully to the switch stand.
Located between aud secured to one or both of two of the ordinary sleepers is a
bracket to which one end of a plate spring is attached, and to the same sleepers is
secured a guide hanger for the said plate spring, the other or free end of the latter
working in a hanger secured to the under side of trigger arms. These trigger
arms are secured in a slot of the trip which extends above the track and is
operated by the engaging arms from the engine, to close the switch as a train
approaches.
The trip is pivoted in a support, secured to and extending horizontally from one
of the said sleepers to which the bracket is secured.
In the essential form of our switch, the foregoing elements or devices are
duplicated, one on each side of the track, and their purpose, construction, and
operation are just the same, except that one end of the trigger arm is free to slide,
when the trip is struck by one of the engaging arms, and push the lug of a
connecting bar out of a notch of a tie bar to close the switch, while the end of one
trigger arm similar to the free end of the other trigger arm is pivoted to one end of

page_text: a rocking or oscillating bar, pivoted in the centre and extending across the track
beneath the rails and between two of the sleepers. To the other end of this bar is
pivotted a slotted lever, and in such slot is secured a right-angle projection of the
connecting bar aforesaid.
The said projection has a slot through which and the slotted lever a pin is
passed.
The switch or stand forms no part of my invention, as the connecting bar may
be attached to or connected to the ordinary switch so as to open the switch; but
the said connecting bar is provided with a coil spring fastened to the extended
sleeper, to return the bar to its normal position; while the pivot will allow the
said bar ample transverse motion.
Upon the opposite side of the bar from the spring is a plate which engages the
tie bar and prevents the spring from pulling the lug on the connecting bar clear
through the notch in the tie bar.
Secured to one side of the tie bar flush with its notch, or it may be made in the
same piece with the tie bar, is a flange or rest upon which the lug is supported when
not engaging the notch.
A coil spring is attached to the aforesaid extended sleeper and to the tie bar to
return the latter to its normal position.
Referring to another modification, the trigger arms are both located upon the
same side of the track so as to be operated by a train moving in either direction,
and in turn operate the switch by pushing the lug out of the tie bar notch; the said
tie bar being provided with an additional flange rest so that the lug may be
supported upon either side of the tie bar from whence it is pushed out of the
notch, the coil spring aforesaid in this form, being upon the opposite end of the
tie bar.
Dated this 26th day of April 1895.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway-switches, and Locomotive Attachments for
Operating the same.
1 EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of 38 Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Thomas F. Rawls, residing at Barnett, in the County of
Clarke, and State of Mississippi, U.S. America, Engineer and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention has relation to that class of railway-switches which are operated
automatically through the medium of a shifting device attached to the engine in
such a way that it may readily be manipulated by the engineer from the engine
cab, to close the switch.
The object of the invention is to provide a switch to be operated from one or
both sides of the track, by mechanism from the engine.
A further object of the invention is to provide a switch having a trip upon both
sides of the track to be engaged, one or the other, by switch-operating mechanism
upon the engine as the latter moves in either direction.
A still further object of the invention is to provide means attached to the engine
and operated by either hand or compressed air, from the engine cab, for actuating
the switch operating mechanism.
i
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the
novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

page_text: My invention consists in the improved construction of the switch and the
locomotive appliances for operating the same, as hereinafter fully set forth,
whereby the construction of the mechanism is greatly simplified, and its operation
rendered absolutely certain and secure.
The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, when
taken with the reference numerals marked thereon, form a part of this application,
and in which-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a railway switch track equipped with my switch
and its mechanism showing the front portion of an engine without the pilot, and
having the improved switch-operating mechanism attached.
Fig. 2 is a modification of the switch-operating mechanism upon the front of the
engine to be operated by compressed air, with the reciprocating arms shown
extended in dotted lines.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the front portion of an engine showing the switch
operating mechanism attached, and the pilot removed, the reciprocating arms
being shown extended in dotted lines.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of a track, the switch, and its connected mechanism in
normal or open position.
Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the mechanism in the position it is placed while
the engine device is in contact with the trip or contact lever.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tie bar, a portion of the trigger arm, the bar
connecting the tie bar with the switch stand, and the slotted arm and lever
attached to the said bar.
Fig. 7 is an inverted perspective view of the right angle projection 34 shewn in
Fig. 6 secured to the connecting bar 28.
Fig. 8 is a detached perspective of the switch rod engaged by the plate spring
and trigger arm, with the spring and arm partly broken away.
The same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the several figures
of the drawinge.
Upon the front of the engine 1, just behind the pilot, are secured the guides 2
slanting downward from each other to each side of the engine, and in which
guides the engaging arms 3 slide. To these arms 3, are pivotted the toggle-jointed
levers 4, and the lever 5 is connected to the toggle-joint at one end, and at its
other end is pivoted to the rock shaft lever 6, operated by the engine-driver
through the medium of the hand rod 7. When the latter is pushed. forward the
arms are extended, and when pulled, they are retracted into normal position. In
the modification of this mechanism shown in Fig. 2, a compressed air cylinder 8,
is secured upon the front of the engine, and in which is operated the piston 9,
baving a piston rod 10, to which the cross head 11, having depending arms 12, is
secured. To the ends of the arms 12, are pivoted the engaging arms 13, which
are in turn pivoted at 14, to the rear of the pilot or the front portion of the
engine.
The piston is operated by compressed air or steam controlled by the engine-
driver from bis cab to raise the piston and lower the engaging arms, or lower the
piston and raise the arms into their normal position..
7 :
:
The track, and switch rails are supported by the usual sleepers 15, while one
sleeper 16, is extended toward or fully to the switch stand 17.
Located between and secured to one or both of two of the sleepers 15, is a
bracket 18, to which one end of a plate spring 19, is attached, and to the same
sleepers is secured a guide banger or bracket bearing 20, for the said plate spring,
the other, or free end of the latter working in a hanger or bearing 21, secured to
the under side of the, trigger arms 22, and 23. These trigger arms are secured
in the slot 24, of the trip 25, which extends above the track and is operated by
the engaging arms 3, from the engine, to close the switch as a train approaches.
The trip 25, is pivoted in a support 26, secured to and extending horizontally
from one of the sleepers 15, to which the bracket 18, is secured.
.
In the essential form of the switch, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the foregoing

page_text: elements or devices are duplicated, one on each side of the track, and their purpose,
construction, and operation are just the same, except that one end of the trigger
arm 22, is free to slide, when the trip 25, is struck by one of the engaging arms 3,
and push the lug 27, of the connecting bar 28, out of the notch 29, of the tie
bar 30, which permits the switch to be closed, while the end of the trigger arm 23,
similar to the free end of the trigger arm 22, is pivoted to one end of the rocking
or oscillating bar 31, pivoted at 32, in the centre and extending across the track
beneath the rails and between two of the sleepers.
To the other end of this bar 31, is pivoted a slotted link 33, and in such slot
is secured a right-angle projection 34, of the connecting bar 28.
The said projection 34, has a slot 35, through which, and the link 33, the pin 36,
is passed as shewn in Figs. 1. 4. 5. 6. & 7, (or the slot as shewn in Fig. 10 may be
formed in the link 33) so that when one of the arms 3 of a train going in the
direction indicated by the arrow A Fig. 1. strikes the switch-rod nearest this
arrow, the trigger arm 23, will be pushed forward and cause the bar 31, to pull
the link 33, projection 34, and therefore the lug 27, of the connecting bar 28, out
of the notch 29, & so allows the switch to be closed. A spring attachment 41 or
other appliance may be employed for automatically closing the switch immediately
the locking device above described keeping same open is released by contact with
the engine arm.
When one of the arms of a train moving in the direction indicated by the
arrow B Fig. 1 strikes the trip nearest to this arrow, the free end of the trigger
arm 22, pushes the lug 27, as herein before described, and the projection:34, slides
upon the pin 36, without moving the link 33, or any of its connections to the other
trigger arm 23; and should one of the arms 3, of this train strike the trip nearest
the arrow, A, the trip will pull the trigger arm 23, and cause the pin 36, to slide
in the slot 35 without moving the projection 34.
The switch stand forms no part of my invention, as the connecting bar 28, may
be attached to or connected to the ordinary switch stands so as to open the switch;
but the connecting bar 28, is provided with a coil spring 37, fastened to the
sleeper 16, to return the bar 28, to its normal position; while its pivot will allow
the said bar ample transverse motion.
Upon the opposite side of the bar from the spring 37, is a plate 39, which
engages the tie bar and prevents the spring from pulling the lug on the connecting
bar clear through the notch in the tie bar. See Fig. 6.
Secured to one side of the tie bar flush with its notch, or it may be made in the
same piece with the tie bar, is a flange or rest 40, upon which the lug 27, is
supported when not engaging the notch.. See also Fig. 6.
A coil spring 41, is attached. to the sleeper 16, and to the tie bar to return the
latter to its normal position.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of the track & the switch closing mechanism
in which view the switch is shewn open.
Fig. 10 is a section through line A B Fig. 9.
It will be seen from these views how the switch is maintained in the open position
(after being opened from the ordinary switch stand 17) by means of the lug 27
And until the
fitting into the notch 29 of the tie bar 30 carrying the switch.
lug 27 is forced out of the notch 29 the switch will remain open. When by action
of either of the arms 22 or 23 the lug is forced out of the notch the coil spring 41
draws the tie bar 30 & closes the switch as shewn in Fig. 11 which is a plan view
& in Fig. 12 which is a section through line C. D. Fig. 11.
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. A railway switch mechanism comprising the spring-actuated tie bar, the
trips, the connecting bar engaging the tie bar when the switch is open, the trigger
arms slidably secured to the trips upon each side of the railway, and the oscillating

page_text: bar pivoted in its centre, to which one of the trigger arms is attached and the
connecting bar is secured, said mechanism adapted to be operated by means upon a
locomotive, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a railway switch provided with means adapted to be
operated from a locomotive, said means consisting of the spring-actuated tie bar
having a notch, and provided with a flange or rest, the bar connected to the switch.
stand having a slotted projection and a lug engaging the notch when the switch is
open, the slotted link having a pin extending through it and the slot of the said
projection, the trips, the trigger arms having a hanger, and slidably secured, one
upon each side of the railway, to the trips, the plate spring having its free end.
located in the hangers to return the trips and trigger arms to their normal position,.
and the oscillating bar to which is pivoted one of the said trigger arms and the
said slotted levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The guides secured to the front of an engine and slanting downwardly from
each other, the rock shaft and its levers, the toggle-jointed levers, in combination
with the reciprocating arms adapted to slide in the guides and pivoted to the
toggle-jointed levers, and the lever 5 having one end connected to the toggle-joint
and the other end pivoted to the rock shaft lever, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of January 1896.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.