Improvements in Apparatus for Closing and Opening Railway and Tramway Points or Switches.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing and Opening Railway and
Tramway Points or Switches.
I JOSHUA DOBSON, Westfield Terrace, Penistone in the County of York
Railway Official do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I refer and have regard to my Letters Patent No. 13565 of 1889.
This invention has for its object improvements in and the simplification of and
the rendering more effective apparatus for closing or opening points or switches of
railways and tramways and is a development or extension of the ideas and devices
of some parts of the Letters Patent to which I refer and such development or
extension is made without the use of springs and is more automatic and efficient
in action than any method heretofore in use.
In carrying out my invention in the manner which I consider the most efficient
I construct a metal box or casting (hereinafter called the box) preferably by
casting it to the required shape which is rectangular and oblong so that the box
has sides and ends. The box is provided with a lid or cover plate having double
lugs fixed parallel to the sides of the box to carry a weighted hand lever (herein-
after called the first lever) which is fork shaped, and the two prongs of which are
provided with bolt holes through which pass a pin and which pin (hereinafter
called the first pin) also passes through bolt holes provided in the double lugs the
two prongs being fixed astride and outside of the double lugs. The first lever
moves on the first pin as its axis. On the same axis there works a second lever
(hereinafter called the second lever) which has three arms being shaped like the
letter Y, the first pin passing through a bolt hole in the second lever the bolt hole
being placed in that part of the second lever which is common to its three arms.
The second lever is placed in the middle of the double lugs leaving two short arms
outside the box and having its third and long arm inside the box.
The two short arms of the second lever have the first lever between them and
project sufficiently so that whichever way the first lever is moved it comes in
contact with one or other of the two upper arms of the second lever.
The long arm of the second lever is provided at its end with a bolt hole.
Through this bolt hole is passed a pin (hereinafter called the second pin). The
second pin also passes through the two prongs of a forked rod (hereinafter called
the rod) which passing through the end of the box is extended and connected with
the four foot rod or it may be directly attached to the point or switch rail if
desired the box being intended to be fixed in a suitable position on one side of
the stock rails. The second pin also passes through bolt holes in the corresponding
ends of two similar crank levers the order of the various parts of mechanism on
the second pin being first the second lever in the middle, second one crank lever on
either side of the second lever, and third next to the crank levers on the sides
furthest from the middle the two prongs of the forked end of the rod one prong
being on one side and the other on the other side. The order of the crank levers
and the prongs may be reversed. The two crank levers are made solid and through
the angle of each of these crank levers there runs a pin (hereinafter called the
third pin) either fixed on lugs from the bottom of the box or preferably into the
sides of the box. At the ends of the crank levers farthest removed from
the second pin are fixed equal and similar weights. The weighted ends of the
crank levers must both be in one direction.
The first second and third pins are fixed parallel to the ends of the box while

page_text: the first lever, the second lever, the crank levers and the rod are fixed and move
in planes parallel to the sides of the box. The forked rod could be immediately
connected with the points or switches but it would be better to work it with the
following intermediate apparatus.
First add to the end of the rod a vertical pin (hereinafter called the fourth pin)
secondly let there be fixed on to such pin a crank lever (hereinafter called the
external lever) having a bolt hole at each end and at its bend or angle and fixed
on to a standard at its angle as its axis in front of the box. At the end of the
external lever remote from the forked rod the points or switch rod is fixed. The
object of the weighted crank levers is to draw back the rod and the points to
which it is connected to its original position after being forced open by a passing
train or the like.
To illustrate the working of the apparatus assume that we are looking on at
the side of the box and that it has been sufficiently opened to show mechanism.
First. The first lever is moved from left to right .until it comes in contact with
the right of the upper and projecting external arms of the second lever and being
pushed to its limit in that direction the long arm of the second lever moves in the
interior of the box from right to left moving with it the rod and thus moving the
points or switches and at the same time pushing the upper ends of the crank levers
and making the other and weighted ends thereof describe about a sixth of a circle
with the third pin as axis. As soon as the pressure to the right is removed from
the first lever the weights at the ends of the crank levers restore the rod to its
former position so that if by a motion to the right the points or switches have
been opened by the automatic work of the weighted crank levers the points are
again closed or vice versa.
Secondly. If the first lever be removed from right to left until it comes in
contact with the left of the projecting arms of the second lever and being pushed
to its limit in that direction the long arm of the second lever moves in the interior
of the box from left to right moving with it the rod and if in the first case the
points or switches were opened in this case the points or switches are shut and by
the same motion the raised weighted ends of the crank levers are brought down to
their normal position.
The apparatus as hitherto described is most useful for shunting purposes in goods
yards and sidings for as the first lever is weighted it can be thrown over in either
direction by hand and the points retained either closed or open as may be required
whereas some points require to have a man standing at the levers attached to the
points to retain the points in a fixed position while wagons or other rolling stock
are passing. In yard and sidings shunting work the rolling stock is generally
moving slowly and in this case when the points are forced open the first lever is
only slightly moved and not thrown over to the other side and the crank levers by
their weights automatically close the points again.
For catch points or sidings points where trains are likely to pass quickly the
following apparatus (which is a combination of the first described apparatus and of
my invention in the said Letters Patent dispensing with springs and using to
accomplish the work of the springs in the said invention the weighted crank levers)
is suitable.
In this apparatus instead of the first and second levers in the first described
apparatus there is substituted a hand lever (hereinafter called lever D) partly
inside and partly outside the box being a lever identical with lever D described
in the Complete Specification of my said Letters Patent. In this form of the
apparatus the internal end of the rod need not be fork shaped and the second pin
can be made a crosshead to it and the forked end of the lever D can then fall
astride of the rod and move the rod by means of the crosshead. Upper and
lower guide or slide bars will have to be used as in the said patented invention.
The purpose however of the guide bars can be accomplished by making corre-
sponding slits in the side of the box and letting the second pin now made into a

page_text: crosshead project through these slits and move along them the crosshead being kept
in its place by means of nuts to the ends of the crossbar to prevent it from sliding
irregularly. The crosshead can also be supplied with rollers. When this form
of the apparatus is in its normal or closed position the lever D is upright or slightly
inclined and when the points are forced open by a passing train the rod and the
crosshead may be forced inwards by a vehicle passing through the points without
disturbing the lever D which is unaffected as it is supported by a cross piece
fastened to the lugs at right angles to them or retained in its normal position by
means of springs and the crosshead at the end of the rod moves away from the
lower end of it. The rod and the points with it are restored to their normal or
closed position as soon as the train has passed, by the action of the weighted crank
levers. If it is desired to open the points this can be done by pushing the lever D
in the direction in which it acts on the crosshead. A bell could be used in both
the forms of apparatus hereinbefore described and made to ring every time the
points are moved.
The action of the whole apparatus may be reversed by reversing both crank
levers.
Dated this Nineteenth day of August 1801
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing and Opening Railway and
Tramway Points or Switches.
I, JOSHUA DOBSON of Westfield Terrace Penistone in the County of York,
Railway Official 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 :-
This invention has reference to apparatus for closing or opening points or
switches of railways and tramways, its object being to improve upon my invention
described by me in Letters Patent numbered 13565 of 1889, in such a manner that
the automatic action of the said apparatus is more reliable and effective, and the
general construction thereof simplified, to attain which I construct my present
apparatus in the manner set forth in the accompanying sheets of drawings,
in which
Fig. 1. is a cross sectional elevation, and Fig. 2. a sectional plan taken on
line a a of said Fig. 1. of my present improved switch box for automatically
operating what are technically known as, jack-catch points.
Fig. 3. is a sectional elevation of my present improved point box, and Figs. 4, 5,
and 6, are respectively sectional elevation, sectional plan on line a, a, of Fig. 4,
and cross sectional elevation on line y, y, of Fig. 5. of a modified form of apparatus
constructed in accordance with my present invention.
Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view.
Referring to Fig. 3. I construct a metal box or casing B, which is provided with
a lid or cover plate 6', having double lugs, or a vertical extending flange b2, arranged
to carry a weighted hand lever C, which is forked shape at c², the latter being
provided with bolt holes through which passes the pin or bolt d, which bears in
said lugs b'. The prongs of the forked end of the lever C. are preferably
arranged astride of the lugs 62. The weighted lever C is free to move on the
extended parts of the pin or bolt d, and on the said pin d there is supported a
lever E. having three arms e' e² and e², the lever E being shaped somewhat like the
letter Y as shown. The lever E is arranged so as to be centrally between the
lugs 6 in order that its two arms e² and e³ may extend outside of top of box B, and
its arm e¹ within said box B. The forked end c² of the weighted lever C is
arranged so that it comes between the arms e2 and e³ in order that whichever way

page_text: the said lever C is moved, it comes in contact with either the arm e² or e³, as will
be well understood. The lower end of the arm e', is provided with an oblong hole,
through which passes a pin or bolt f, the said pin passing through the forked end of
the connecting rod G also. The said rod G extends through the end of box B and
is connected to the point rail or switch K, either direct in the manner shown at
Fig. 3; or it may be connected to a bell crank lever J, in the manner shown
at Fig. 2. In order to move the points K one way or the other it is only necessary
to move the weighted lever Cover in the opposite direction to which the switch
rail K is required to move when the forked end of the said lever C presses
against either the arm or arm e³ and moves the lever E thus operating the
connecting rod G and moving the point K accordingly. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2
which relate to apparatus I employ to operate jack-catch points or switches I use
a lever C which extends partly inside and partly outside of box B. This lever C
is carried on the lugs 62 made with the cover b. The lower end of lever C has an
oblong hole through which passes the pin upon which also fits the oblong ends of
two levers L, and the latter are carried upon a cross pin or bolt M extending across
the box B and bearing in the sides thereof as shown at Fig. 2. The bolt or
pin M has also secured to it two levers P, which are arranged with weights p'.
When the box B is arranged for the lever C to move parallel with the rail or
switch K I couple the connecting rod G up to the bell crank lever J which latter I
connect to the point K, by the rod g', in the usual manner as shown at Fig. 2. but
when the lever C is arranged to move at right angles with the switch K the rod G
may be coupled direct thereto as shown at Fig. 3. Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6
which represent an improvement upon my switch box described and illustrated in
the Specification of Letters Patent numbered 13565 of 1889 and a modification of
the apparatus shown at Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. I arrange the
connecting rod G, to work on a cross head d¹, which latter is carried in a slide
or slides preferably made in webs 64, cast with or secured to the box B. The
lever C is pivotted at d and has a forked end c³ similar to the lever D, described in
my Specification No. 13565 of 1889. The cross head or pin d', is arranged so
that its ends d' bear in the slotted ends p² of the levers P which are in this case
pivotted to the pin d and have arms p³ to which are secured the weights p¹. A
train passing and opening the switch point causes the cross head d' to move to
the left and lifts the weights p', which as soon as the train passes the points cause
the rod G to close the same automatically.
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) In apparatus for moving switches or points of railways or tramways the
combination of a lever C with levers L and weighted levers P operating a
connecting rod G substantially as described and illustrated at Figs. 1. and 2. of
the drawings annexed.
(2) In apparatus for automatically moving switches or points of railways or
tramways the combination of levers I, and weighted levers P working on pin M
substantially as described and illustrated at Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings
attached.
(3) In apparatus for moving the switches or points of railways or tramways
the combination of a weighted lever C with a Y shaped lever E operating
the rod G substantially in the manner described and illustrated at Fig. 3 of the
drawings annexed.
(4) In apparatus for automatically moving the switches or points of railways or
tramways the combination of a weighted armed lever P with cross head d¹ and
rod G substantially as described and illustrated at Figs. 4 5 and 6 of the drawings
annexed.
(5) In apparatus for automatically moving the switches or points of railways or

page_text: tramways the combination of a forked lever C weighted lever or levers P with a
cross-head slides 63 and connecting rod G substantially as described and
illustrated at Figs. 4 5 and 6 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this Seventeenth day of May 1892.
H. F. BOUGHTON, M.I. Mech. E.,
Agent for the Applicant.