Improvements in or relating to Tramway and similar Switch Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
UUMI LEIM
DIEUIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tramway and similar Switch
Apparatus.
A Communication from LEO BRAUN, of 24 Alexandrinenstrasse, Berlin, S.W. in
the Empire of Germany, Merchant.
I, Alfred JuliuS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to switch apparatus and is particularly applicable to
tramways.
The switch shown in Fig. 1 in longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2
and in plan in Fig. 2 is intended chiefly for tramways and is operated by means
of a switch plate connected with the switch and by one of two discs or rollers on
the car, possesses the following advantages which as far as my correspondent is
aware no previous device possessed in its entirety:-
1. The movement of the switch takes place in a smooth manner, without shocks
by gradually moving a switch plate unlike the violent movement of levers and
the gradual opening has been found (with the usual switches) to work very well.
2. The path of the roller is a straight one parallel to the direction of the line.
There is no lateral strain on the roller which fills up the whole width of the
groove and acts as a wedge on the switch device.
3. The driver can as long as he depresses the proper roller pass to the line desired
whatever may be the position of the switch.
4. The device consists of a minimum of movable parts and connections which
consist only of the auxiliary rail pivotted about a fixed point and a connecting
rod.
5. The device can be easily arranged in the roadway. All movements take
place in a horizontal plane therefore the apparatus is very flat and of little depth
so that no extensive holes are required to be made in the roadway or openings
wider than the requisite width of the groove. Only the flat switch plate is exposed
which plate owing to its shape and to fitting into its support is not subject to
injury by traffic passing over it.
6. The result of this latter property is that the device is as little liable to being
damaged or impaired by dirt etc. as is possible in a device inserted in into a
roadway.
In the accompanying drawing A is the line rail B the branch or siding, C the
switch D the front portion of a car with an axle D₁e and e¹ the vertically,
adjustable rollers in front on the platform of the car (shown one above the other
in Fig. 1) for moving the switch plate.
The switch plate or rail F has as may be seen in Fig. 2 somewhat the shape
of a sector of a circle and is pivotted about the fixed pin f. This plate fills a

page_text: recess in the central part of the main plate Grand is on a level with the roadway
(Fig. 1). A rod fl connected F and the switch C.
There are formed in the plate G two grooves,g and parallel to each other
and to the main line A over which grooves are arranged the rollers e and e¹ on
the car.
The switch plate F is of such width that it always closes either one
or the other of the grooves g or g¹ for instance g in Fig. 2. At their ends the
grooves and are preferably widened as shown to readily guide the rollers e e¹
into the groovès.
Figure 2 shows the position of the parts when the car is to pass to the rails B:
The driver has accordingly depressed the roller e¹ which passing along the groove gl
has moved the switch plate F from its original position shown dotted into the
position shown in full lines so that the switch Cis moved into the position shown
and the way to the branch rails B is thus opened. When the wheels of the car
arrive at the switch, the disc has already passed through the groove g¹. If the
switch was already open before the depressed roller passes through the groove
without affecting any movement of the switch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
'
A tramway or like switch device operated from the car by bringing into action
one of two rollers operated from the car characterised by a bed plate provided with
two grooves yg parallel to each other and to the main line a flat switch plate F
arranged between said grooves and pivotted to oscillate in a horizontal plane
about a pin the width of said switch plate being such that only one groove can
be open at a time and a rod f¹ jointed to the switch plate and to the switch C
for the purpose of moving the switch in a smooth manner and without shocks by
the depressed roller gradually laterally pressing against the switch plate
substantially as described.
r
Dated this 10th day of September 1897.