Improvements in Tramway and Railway Switches.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 6th June, 1896
Improvements in Tramway and Railway Switches.
We, Dr. LUDWIG PRITZIUS, Gentleman, and FRITZ STRAUBE, Lawyer, both
of No. 9 Theaterstrasse, Heidelberg, in the Empire of Germany, 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 relates to switches or points for tramways, electric railways, and
the like in which in addition to the usual switch tongue a subsidiary switch is.
arranged between the rails of the main line and at a suitable distance from the
principal or usual switch tongue.
This subsidiary switch can be actuated from the train or car or other vehicle by
any appointed person such as the driver or conductor and according to the position,
into which the subsidiary switch is moved so is the tongue of the principal switch.
set so that the train or vehicle on the main line either proceeds on same or is
diverted on to the branch or other line whilst when travelling in the opposite
direction the setting over of the tongue of the principal switch and so of the
subsidiary switch is effected automatically as usual by the wheel.
In the accompanying drawings this improved switching arrangement and.
construction is shown.
Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of the subsidiary switch referred to and its
connection with the switch tongue in a track having a branch going off towards the
left, and
Fig. 2 the same in a track with a branch towards the right.
The switch tongue a Fig. 1 (or a' in Fig. 2) is connected by means of a rod c (or
c' in Fig. 2) or in any other suitable manner with the free end of the subsidiary
switch tongue d which is pivotally hinged at e onto the double channelled piece bbl.
The subsidiary switch d is placed as shown midway between the two rails of the
main line A at a suitable distance in front of the principal switch (assuming the
train to be advancing in the direction indicated on the drawing by the arrow) and
in such a manner that it can be set over or operated from the train when it is.
proceeding in the direction indicated by the arrow by the driver or conductor by
means of the contrivance presently described or other suitable arrangement
according as to whether a train or vehicle ou the main line A is to proceed along
same or on the branch B.
As may be clearly seen from the drawings (without further explanation being
necessary) the setting over or operating of the subsidiary switch similarly effects
that of the switch tongue a (or in Fig. 2, a¹) also by means of the connection
between them and thus the train or vehicle proceeds according as the subsidiary
switch tongue d is set.
One manner of setting over or operating the subsidiary switch tongue d is by
means of one or other of two rollers which are mounted on the engine or on one
of the carriages on separate and independent spring rods capable of adjustment in
such a manner as to admit of either one being depressed by the driver or conductor
so that the roller r enters either the channel b or the roller ¹ enters the channel b¹
as the case may be of the subsidiary switch. The roller r (or r¹) will then come in
contact with and push aside the free end of the tongue d and thus impart a
corresponding motion to the tongue a (or in Fig. 2, a¹).

page_text: 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 ;-
1. The combination with a switch or points for tramways electric railways and
the like of a central subsidiary switch which is actuated from the train or vehicle
and is connected with the usual or principal switch tongue and arranged and acting
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The combination with the main switch or points for tramways electric railways
and the like of a central subsidiary switch consisting of a tongue such as d (or d¹)
mounted in a channel such as 6 61 and connected with the ordinary switch tongue a
(or a) by means of a rod such as c (or c¹) and adapted to be operated by means of
either of the adjustable rollers or mounted on the motor or on one of the
vehicles substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
D1: ouh do of Donnmhan 1005
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Londoo W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.