Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES SEVER DRAKE, of No. 6, Eddy Street, San
Francisco, California, United States of America, Inventor.]
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means or mechanism for controlling and operating
switch points or rails in a line of railway by or from the moving train, and the nature
of my said improvements consists in a spirally twisted plate or rail set in line with
and alongside of one of the rails of the track with the edge of the spiral in close
relation to the face of the track rail and in such position that the wheels of the train
by impinging on the edge thereof will produce rotation of the spiral in passing over it
from end to end.
The shaft or axis of the spiral is set substantially in line with the track rail in
suitable boxes or bearings on the ties and the end of the switch is connected with the
shaft by a crank or eccentric or other mechanical movement by which rotation of the
spiral under the wheels becomes converted at the end of the shaft into rectilinear
movement at right angle to the spiral at the switch and the same is moved thereby
with the required length of throw. In connection with these parts a weight or a
spring is applied to the spiral or its shaft to produce reverse movement of the same
and thereby bring the switch back to the main line after the wheels of the last car in
the train have passed the switch.
:
These parts the spirally formed plate or rail set to engage with and be traversed
by the rim or tread of the car wheels, the crank or eccentric connection of the shaft
of the spiral with the switch, and a weight or spring for turning back the spiral
when released constitute the essential features of my improved mechanism for
го

page_text: operating railway switches by or from the wheels of the trains. When the mechanism
is applied to control a switch from a side track on to the main line the spiral is set
with its edge at the leading or forward, end down to the track rail in order that
the wheels of the train on the side track shall engage with the spiral and turn the
switch before the main line is reached.
In this position of the spiral rail the switch will always be thrown as the wheels
of the train strike and run over the spiral. But where this leading end of the
spiral rail is set normally upwards or away from the track rail the switch will not
be operated except as the spiral is turned down into the position before described.
The spiral is brought in either case to its normal position by the weight or spring
applied to the shaft of the spiral.
Where the leading end of the spiral set upright or away from the track rail so
that its face is clear of the train wheels the switch to which it is connected will
remain set in normal position on to the main line until the end of the spiral is turned
down into line with the track rail.
The shaft of the spiral is therefore connected with a hand setting lever at one side
of the track for throwing the leading end of the spiral down to the track when the
switch is to be turned. In this position the wheels of the train as the switch is
approached will engage with and run over the spiral and after passing off from its end
the reverse movement will take place by the reaction of the spring and the spiral
returning to its normal position will reset the switch.
My said mechanism is applicable also for setting signals of various kinds that can be
operated by or from the rotative movement of the spiral.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Operating and Controlling Railway Switches
and Signals.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:
:-
My invention relates to improved means or mechanism for controlling and operating
switch points or rails in a line of railway by or from the moving train and the nature
of my said improvements consists in a spirally twisted plate or rail set in line with
and alongside of one of the rails of the track with the edge of the spiral in close
relation to the face of the track rail and in such position that the wheels of the train
by impinging on the edge thereof will produce rotation of the spiral in passing over
it from end to end. The shaft or axis of the spiral is set substantially in line with
the track rail in suitable boxes or bearings on the ties and the end of the switch is
connected with the shaft by a crank or eccentric or other mechanical movement by
which rotation of the spiral under the wheels becomes converted at the end of the
shaft into rectilinear movement at right angle to the spiral at the switch and the same
is moved thereby with the required, length of throw. In connection with these parts
a weight or a spring is applied to the spiral or its shaft to produce reverse movement
of the same and thereby bring the switch back to the main line after the wheels of
the last car in train have passed the switch.
These parts the spirally formed plate or rail set to engage with and be traversed
by the rim or tread of the car wheels, the crank or eccentric connection of the
shaft of the spiral with the switch and a weight or spring for turning back the spiral
when released constitute the essential features of my improved mechanism for operating
railway switches by or from the wheels of the trains and the same being combined and
applied for operation as herein set forth and as shown in the accompanying drawings
place all the switches along a main line of railway under complete control of
the trains.
.
The mechanism is applicable also for setting signals of various kinds that can be
operated by or from the rotative movement of the spiral.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. represents a two throw railway switch at the junction of a siding with a
single line of track with my invention applied to control and set the switch both
from the main line and from the siding on to the main line.
Figure 2. is a plan or top view on a larger scale of a switch with my invention
applied to operate the same on the main track, the switch being arranged to be set by
hand to make the siding from the main track.
Figures 3 and 4. are perspective views of the opposite ends of the spiral rail and
.

page_text: Taking o
crank end at the switch.
Figure 5. shows the spiral rail applied to operate a signal.
Figure 6. shows the hand setting lever and connections.
A. represents the main line of a railway and A× a siding or branch track at
a switch.
B. is the switch point or section having its movable end connected by a rod or bar
with the shaft of the spiral rail by a crank C.
D. is the shaft on which the spiral Dx is fixed. In'constructing the spiral it is best
produced by twisting or rolling a flat plate or rail into a long spiral and fixing the
same along the rod or shaft D, portions of the spiral plate being slotted or cut away
at intervals apart. as shown at d, to let the shaft into boxes or bearings g. g. which are
secured to the ties or to bed timbers along the side of the track on the outer side of
one of the rails. The length of the spiral is governed by the pitch and the length or
amount of rotation required to operate the switch and this being determined the
remainder of the plate from the spiral out to the end of the shaft ( to y) is left flat
and is set on the shaft in such manner that it forms a straight continuation of the
spiral plate for a holding down surface. Upon this surface the wheels of the train
after leaving the spiral will run and will hold the shaft from reverse movement until
the last wheels of the train run off the end of the plate.
The spiral is set with its edge close to the side of the track rail and its face on a
level with the top of the rail so that the part of the rim of the wheel projecting beyond
the rail shall engage the face of the spiral along the edge.
In this position however the spiral takes the wheels only when its forward or leading
end is brought down to the horizontal or on a plane with the top of the track rail;
for when that end of the spiral is turned back so that the plane of its face stands
upright away from the rail the car wheels will clear it and no movement of the spiral
will take place. At each switch on the main line the spiral is arranged in this manner
with the leading end standing away from the track rail when the switch controlled by
it is set to the main line; but in the "sidings" branches or feeders to the main line
the spiral situated at a point beyond the switch, to operate it from the side track, is
set with the face of its leading end down to the track rail as in such position the
switch is open and the spiral of the siding must be in suitable working relation with
the path of the wheels to be struck and turned in running from the side track to the
main line.
The spring E applied at the end of the shaft produces movement in a direction the
reverse of that made by the spiral after the wheels have passed from its end and being
compressed or coiled up by the first movement of the spiral and accumulating
sufficient force for throwing the switch back it operates, as soon as the spiral is released,
to bring the switch back to its normal position.
It is obvious that a weight could be used for this purpose in place of a spring as is
illustrated at F. figure 5. of the Drawings.
A hand setting lever H is connected to the spiral for turning it down to the track
rail whenever it is required to set the mechanism for throwing the switch from the
main line to a side or branch. The construction and operation of which will be
understood from figure 6 of the Drawings.
The end of the setting lever is connected with an arm I on the shaft of the
spiral by the rod K and this arm when moved by the lever produces partial rotation
of the spiral to bring its face at the leading end down on a level with the top of the
track rail.
As thus constructed and applied it will be seen that the main line of a railway can
be kept open and clear for travel without relying on the attention of switchmen as
every switch on the main line will stand closed.
In like manner a train running from a branch or siding on to the main line is made
to set its own switch to the main line and after passing the switch the spring operating
as before described on the spiral brings back the switch from the siding to the main'
linc as soon as the train wheels leave the spiral rail..

page_text: when the switch is set the crank stands on the dead center and thus forms a lock
to hold the switch firmly in place.
A semaphore or other signal can be operated by the same mechanism either in
connection with the switch or at any point in the road where it may be desired.
Figure 5. illustrates a simple connection to move a signal carrying arm M. by the
spiral rail at a point ahead of the train.
The power derived from the rotation of the spiral may be transmitted directly by a
rod or shaft or by a wire cable or other mechanical means that may seem most
convenient in any particular case.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent I
declare that what I claim is
1st. The combination with a railway switch point or switch section of track of a
plate or rail having a longitudinally twisted or spiral face around a shaft or axis set in
position alongside of the track with its edge in close relation with the top of the
track rail to take the rim or tread of the train wheels as described and a crank or
eccentric and rod connecting the said spiral with the switch section as a means of
producing movement of the switch from the rotation of the spiral and a spring applied
to reverse the movement and restore the switch substantially as described for operation
as specified.
2nd. In a railway switch or signal setting mechanism a spiral plate or rail on a
longitudinal shaft and mounted in position alongside of a track rail with the edge and
face of the spiral in such relation to the top of the track rail and the path of the
wheels of the train that the face of the spiral engaging with and being run over by
the wheels is turned on the axis and rotation thereof is produced substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3rd. In a railway switch operating mechanism the spiral plate or rail D× on a
shaft D. having connection with a switch section as described in combination with the
switch section and a spring or weight constructed and applied to operate substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1000