Year: 1889

page_text: I, WILLIAM SIDNEY PHELPS of 17 Drumm Street, City and County of San
Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Engineer, 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 the substructure of the crossings and junctions of those
railways which have subsurface tunnels or tubes to give passage to part of the car
mechanism as the grip of a cable railway or the collector of an electric railway.
The invention consists in the combination of parts constituting what are called the
"points" i.e. the portion of the substructure between the two intersecting or joining
slots through which the grip or collector shank passes, from the point where the two
slots intersect or join each other to a short distance back whereby these points are
made more substantial than heretofore and capable of being adjusted both
horizontally and vertically so that when they become displaced by reason of heavy
loads passing over them, they may in a simple manner without reconstruction or
repairs be restored to their normal position in truc alignment with the surrounding
structure.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification ;-
Fig. 1 is a plan partly in section of a roadway at the point where a branch cutors
the main line.
Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of the same through main line slot.
Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 1. 2 Fig. 1 at a larger scale.
Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 3, 4 Fig. 1 same scale.
of
Fig. 5 is a detached detail in perspective of a single plate hereinafter referred to.
In all the figures the same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts.
The usual way of constructing and supporting these "points" has been to introduce
pillars of iron of various shapes; unsupported sidewise and without means
adjustment when thrown out of alignment these pillars forming part of the sub-
structure but so disconnected from their surrounding parts as to be capable of an
independent movement, the result being that frequently the "point" would be so far

page_text: thrown out of line as to obstruct the passing grip or cause it to enter the wrong slot,
indeed seldom have these "points" been found in proper relation with the surrounding
roadbed after being in use, where heavy vehicles pass over them for any considerable
length of time.
The present invention overcomes these difficulties, the "point" being designed with
an especial view of maintaining its position however heavy may be the strain brought
upon it by the surface traffic.
In the drawings A A are the slots main and branch in which the grip shank moves
thes slots being formed by the angle irons a a¹a a¹ the two adjoining centre irons a a¹
are those to which the substructure of the "point" is secured.
BB are the yokes or frames of the subway; bb the frame sills and C the track
rails these parts being constructed in any of the prevailing methods.
The point support is formed by the two vertical side plates D D which conform to
the shape of the slots they are related to with respect to their being straight or curved
accordingly as the slots are straight or curved. The upper edges of these plates will
be bolted to the vertical flange of the slot irons a' a' and also the plates will be bolted
at their lower edges to the bars E which stretch across at least three of the yokes and
are supported by and bolted to the cross-bars F which in turn are made fast by bolts
or rivets to the frames or yokes B. The rear ends of the plates D are joined by a
diaphragm or cross plate & which is secured to the side plates through the medium of
the angle irons g which are rivetted to both.
HH are flat iron braces bolted to the plates D D and to the cross bars F and yoke
frames as shown. The bolts fastening the foot of each brace should be long enough
to allow of thin plates or "shims" being inserted between the foot of each brace and
the bar F for by means of these shims the vertical adjustment of the point is
effected.
I is a brace rod which serves to adjust the point horizontally. This rod is secured
to the plates D by being passed through them and the projecting end having a head
rivetted thereon a shoulder or collar being formed on the opposite side of the platos
and between the plates to prevent them being drawn together a short socket piece i
will be provided. The opposite end of this brace rod will pass through the bar J
which bar is fastened to two adjoining yokes as shown. Where the rod passes
through the bar J it will have a screw thread cut upon it and nuts on each side of
the bar so that as theso nuts are screwed back and forth so the rod and the attached
point will be drawn in or forced out to the effect of nicely adjusting the point
horizontally.
Care must be taken to place these rods below the path of the grip.
A single plate as illustrated in figure 5 may be substituted for the double plates DD
by having the upper part of the plate slit into sections and these sections alternately
bent to the left and right to join on to the slot irons in this case the end diaphragm
is avoided otherwise the remaining parts will be the same.
K is the usual cover which is bolted over the structure at the surface but
removable whenever it is desired to get at the substructure of the point to
adjust it.
When the point terminates in a long movable tongue L as where a branch enters
the main line the usual steel tongue is provided and bolted to the main part of the
"point" in the usual manner.
Where the bolts move in adjusting the "point" the holes for them must be slotted
holes, thus where the foot of the braces H H are bolted to the cross bars F at h and
yoke frames at h¹ the holes for the bolts will be slotted holes to accomodate the vertical
and horizontal adjustments.
In adjusting the "point" first loosen the bolts fastening the bars E to the cross
bars F then loosen the bolts at the foot of the braces H, then slack up the nuts
on the brace rods I until the point can be moved into the desired position, then
put in shims wherever it may be found necessary and screw up all the nuts of the
bolts tight again. For the purpose of getting at these bolts the cover K must be
removed as before suggested.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In street railways having subways for the passage of the mechanism of the
car such as the grip in a cable road or collector in an electric road the substructure
of the "points" which are bounded on each side by the diverging slots of either
cross or branch lines as herein described consisting of a vertical plate iron point
support secured to the yoke frames braced in a perpendicular position by diagonal
braces and being adjustable horizontally and vertically substantially as and for the
purpose herein sot forth and described.
2. The point support herein described consisting of vertical plates or plate D
bars E and F braces H and rod 1 in combination with the yoke frames B the whole
arranged and connected substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1889.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Agent.