IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Young Black at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd February 1874.
I, WILLIAM YOUNG BLACK, of Borgue, in the County of Kirkcud-
bright, North Britain, Road Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES FOR RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
This said Invention has reference to new or improved constructions
and arrangements of the parts of switches or switch rails for railways,
and to the modes and means of actuating the same; and the nature and
novelty of this Invention consist mainly in the construction, application,
and use of two long strong swivelling switch plates (instead of the
laterally shifting and other switch points or rails heretofore in use)
having a rail formed or firmly secured on the middle of one side of each
plate, coinciding with and nearly abutting with the ends of the two rails
of the main line at the part where these are cut away to receive the
plates, and where the angle of the diverging line of rails begins; and in
forming similar rails on the opposite side of these blocks in such an
angled position that when they are turned half round (preferably

page_text: simultaneously in the same direction by strong end journals resting on
bearing blocks on a sole plate below) their one ends will coincide with
the rails of the main line, and their other ends with the near ends of the
diverging line of rails, and be in the same angle or curve with these, and
preferably in this case (or in the former also) with the acting inner
bearing edges of the rails at such a distance laterally over the longi-
tudinal axes of the swivelling blocks as to cause the weight of the
passing train and wheels to tend to hold and lock the blocks in the
position they were in and turned to.
For the security of the rails when in position and to keep them steady 1
under passing trains, the edges or parts of the horizontal body parts of
these swivelling switch plates and rails combined may be bevelled or
checked so as to rest on corresponding bevelled or checked fixed or
stationary parts to hold the blocks by the weight of the train in either
or both positions stated in line with either set or line of rails; or ]
otherwise lateral strong stops or arms may be formed or fixed to these
plates for the said purpose, either with or without the addition of positive
or spring or weighted acting locking bars or catches, which may, when
used, be released and inserted respectively by the first and last part of
the motion of the tilted lever or its connexions. These new or improved 2
switch plates are turned (preferably simultaneously in the same
direction) by the back or forward positive and direct motion of an
ordinary actuating and counterweighted lever, which would hold them as
placed in either or both of their tilted positions, such as at present used
for actuating switch points, or it might be other equivalent levers or
mechanism, connected preferably direct to the turned or axle parts or
ends of the blocks by reciprocating bars at one or both ends, connected
to the axles by short flat linked chains or wire ropes wound in reverse
directions round each axle, and having one end of each attached to the
axle, and the other to the reciprocating bars, which might be connected a
by cross frames and one or two connecting rods to the said first motion
lever.
Although this positive and direct connecting mechanism of reci-
procating bars and chains is preferred for thus simultaneously swivelling
or turning the said switch plates and rails combined, this might also be a
effected by other equivalent mechanism, such as by chains or wire ropes,
without the reciprocating bars; or by an arrangement of duplex

page_text: pinions to suit these, formed or fixed on the end journals or axles of
the blocks, or by other equivalent arrangement of gearing or levers,
cranks, and links, preferably connected direct, or through an intermediate
shaft and levers, segments, or wheels, to the single or double connecting
rod of the first motion setting and locking lever or mechanism, which
may, when desired, be further or otherwise connected and worked in
combination with the usual locking and block system of switches and
signals. Thus the main or essential part of the Invention consists in
the construction and use of substitution separate rails for each line at
the points of their junction, on opposite sides of a strong revolving or
oscillating plate or bar, so as to be used alternately as required by the
joint or simultaneous oscillation or rotation of the pair of plates (by any
of the means herein described, or other equivalent means or mechanism)
to bring the respective pair of rails pertaining to the separate lines
into proper position or line to form a connection with and constitute the
required line desired to be opened for traffic.