Improvements in Railway Switches.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
Improvements in Railway Switches.
We JOHN WILSON and HENRY HAIN the former of 203, Keys Street,
Jamaica Plans of the City of Boston, Suffolk County, State of Massachusetts,
and the latter of 41, Baxter Street Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts both in
United States of America 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 :-
In a railroad switch the essential feature of this invention, consists in a horizontal
swinging segment or quadrant of a circle being positioned to present suitable
surfaces for a depending arm retained on a car in front of the wheels, to contact
such surfaces respectively, in such a manner as to cause such quadrant to swing
on its axis, and to both make a clearance for said depending arm, and to actuate
suitable levers or rods beneath such quadrant adapted to shipp the switch blade,
and to automatically release said switch blade before being shipped, and to lock
said switch blade after being shipped, and:
The object of this invention is to obviate the necessity of having to employ
individual switchmen.
In the drawings a part of this application Figure 1., represents a plan view of
this invention, and Figures 2., 3., and 4., are cross sectional views of Figure 1.,
taken on or about the line ., ., drawn on said figure, which said sectional views
illustrate the several positions of the switch mechanism.
The switch mechanism case is designed to enclose the switch operating mechanism
as illustrated by the drawings, to protect such from the effects of dirt etc., and
this case as a whole has other features which will presently appear. The top
surface of the covering of the case is roughened or can so be as represented by the
numeral 1., to prevent slipping thereon, as is usually done on other surfaces for the
same purpose.
In the drawings this case cover consists of two sections (2)., and (3)., bolted by
ordinary bolts (4)., to the box portion (5). These two sections have their
divisional ends respectively overlapping each other as represented by (6), which
is to make one set of bolts secure both said ends, which are so secured to the cross
brace (7) secured to the box portions as shown by the said drawings.
(8) represent elevated surfaces from the plane of the section covering plate (2).,
which are so situated as shown by the drawings especially Figure 1., for to guard
the device (A) above the lower plane of said section plate.
These raised surfaces are in height sufficient to cause vehicle wheels to mount
and pass over the plane of the device (A) above mentioned in any direction; and
such elevations are further designed so as to permit said vehicle wheels to ride
over their surfaces with ease by causing their outward sides to the case to incline
as shown by the drawings; and these elevated surfaces or parts are still further
designed to form passages (9)., and (10)., with curved enterances, which are to
permit a depending arm represented by (11) more fully described latter on,
to pass through said passages or ways, which have always the device (A) accross
their way respectively, i.e. alternatively, or accross either one or the others path.
This device (A), which will be more fully recognized hereafter is axially
engaged with the aforesaid cover portion (2) equal to the center of the width
between the outer sides of both passages aforesaid, so as to efficiently swing on such
center to respectively close the path of aforesaid passages, which are in width too
The other case covering
narrow to permit the wheels of vehicles to enter.

page_text: portion (3) is designed so as to complete the junction of the track rails as repre-
sented by (12), and to permit the switching blade (J) to efficiently perform its
function.
Having now described the features of our switch mechanism containing case,
the following matter relates the movable means to actuate the switch blade (J).
The depending arm above mentioned, and merely shown in detail in the
accompanying drawings as represented by the numeral (11), should be situated
rigidly in a vertically movable manner at both ends of a car in front of the
truck wheels to enable the manipulator to either cause the depending arm to engage
the straight part of the device (A) to operate the switch mechanism, or to permit
such arm to clearly pass over, not engagedly, the said device before the first wheels
of the car engage the switching point of the track.
Further, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate any one application
of the means that can be variably designed to act as a shipper on the front of
a car to operate the aforesaid device (A.), other than the depending portion (11).,
which let it be understood, represents a stationary, or a vertically movable means
in detail, to cause the device (A) to swing on its axis to shipp the switch_blade.
This device (A) more properly should be termed a segment or quadrant of a
circle, which will be hereafter so termed.
(B) represents the vertical shaft to which is rigidly secured the aforesaid
quadrant, also the arm (C), which has the elongated slot (c) therethrough.
(13), and (14), are the aforesaid shaft bearings. In the above elongated slot (c)
works the vertical stud or pin (D); and to this stud is engaged the horizontal rods
or levers (E)., and (F). The former is the key lever to this mechanism, and the
latter is the switch operating connecting rod.
The key rod is engaged with the vertical stud (c), so as to travell or move the
complete throw created by the arm (C), through the quadrant (A), while the under-
neath connecting rod aforesaid is designed to lag a portion of the complete throw
aforesaid, by having the elongated slots (f)., and (f)., equal in length, engaging
the aforesaid stud, and the depending stud (e) which is secured to, or is a part
of the key lever, of which the object will presently appear. The opposite end
of the key lever or rod to that which engages the stud (c), has a A shaped head
designed to act as operating inclined planes with the locking lever (G) that has
corresponding walls (9) to engage such head, for such purpose.
These shaped walls on the locking lever are located to equal the complete
travelling distance of the key-rod so that when the key rod has been oppositely
moved or the switch been shipped as clearly represented by Figure 2., and 3., the
locking lever will be in locking engagement with the connecting rod as illustrated
by said views.
This locking lever has one end pivotally retained on the vertical uprights (15)
as represented by (g), and the other end which is the swinging end, depending
vertically and of such length as to enter through the openings or holes (2) in the
aforesaid connecting rod, which said holes are in width apart, equal, to the throw
of the switch tongue (J). The above mentioned uprights (15) also act as with the
uprights (16) to guide the movement of above mentioned levers, and have also the
cross portions (17) below the connecting rod for such to move ou or over but which
is optional.
(H) represents the switch blade moving lever which is rigidly secured to
the switch blade vertical shaft (I) and suitably engaged with the other end of the
connecting rod. This vertical shaft is provided with suitable bearings (18),
and (19), on the switch case or frame, and has secured to its upper end, as
illustrated the switching blade or tongue (J).
When the travelling car provided with the depending arm (11), previously
déscribed, is required to travell in a certain direction different from that indicated
by the switching blade of the switch; the depending arm (11), will contact the
swinging segment or quadrant (A) and cause such to first move the key-lever and
effect a releasement of the locking lever from the switch blade connecting rod (F),

page_text: and then move such connecting rod and effect a shipping of the switch blade, and a
locking thereof when shipped, and the depending arm aforesaid becomes disengaged
from said swinging quadrant after such action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
First. In a switch, the combination with a suitable switch mechanism case or
frame, of a sector or quadrant of a circle secured to a vertical shaft horizontally
above the top surface of said case or frame, such shaft having suitable bearings on
the case, an arm secured to said vertical shaft, a connecting rod suitably connecting
said arm and a switch blade moving lever, such lever being secured to a vertical
switch blade shaft, such shaft having suitable bearings on said case or frame, and
the switch blade or tongue being secured to said vertical shaft operatively, substan-
tially as described.
Second. In a switch, the combination with a suitable switch mechanism case or
frame, of a sector or quadrant of a circle secured to a vertical shaft horizontally
above the top surface of said case or frame, such shaft having suitable bearings on
the case or frame, levers or rods operatively engaging each other, the said case or
frame, the aforesaid vertical shaft and a vertical switch blade shaft, so as to
reciprocally unlock, oppositely shipp and lock the switch blade automatically,
the switch blade being secured operatively to said vertical shaft, and such shaft
having suitable bearings on aforesaid case or frame, substantially as described.
Third. In a switch, a switch mechanism case, such having suitable raised
surfaces to shield a swinging switch actuating sector, and provided with the switch
part of the track, and with suitable lever guide trunnions (15) and (16), a sector
or quadrant of a circle secured to a vertical shaft, said vertical shaft having
suitable bearings on aforesaid case, au arm secured to said vertical shaft, said arm
having a slot therein, a vertical pin engaging said arm in said slot, a connecting rod
connecting said vertical pin and a switch blade moving lever, said connecting rod
having suitable slots therein for aforesaid vertical pin and a depending stud to
engagedly enter, also suitable holes spaced apart equal to the throw of the switch
blade, the switch blade lever having its other end secured to a vertical switch blade
shaft, such shaft having suitable bearings on aforesaid case and the switch blade
being secured to said shaft, substantially as specified, in combination with a rod
having one end engaging aforesaid vertical pin, and the opposite end provided with
a A shaped head, and a depending stud, a locking arm having one end pivotally
retained by the case and the opposite end designed to enter the aforesaid connecting
rod, and said arm having suitable surfaces to engage the aforesaid Ʌ shaped rod
head, substantially as, and for the purpose described.
Dated the Eleventh day of October A.D. 1893.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
JOHN WILSON.
HENRY HAIN.
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.