IMPROVE- MEDANG LOCKTA AD STANDIN MONADED DAINING OF RATTWAY RADO OD MENTS IN LOCKING OR SECURING THE MOVABLE POINTS OF RAILWAY BARS OR THE SWITCHES OF RAILWAYS.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Luke, of 3, Cave's Terrace, New Road,
Shepherd's Bush, Assistant Engineer, for the Invention of." IMPROVE-
MEDANG LOCKTA
AD
STANDIN
MONADED DAINING OF RATTWAY RADO OD
MENTS IN LOCKING OR SECURING THE MOVABLE POINTS OF RAILWAY BARS OR
THE SWITCHES OF RAILWAYS.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said. Richard Luke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the.
30th June 1873.
I, RICHARD LUKE, of 3, Cave's Terrace, New. Road, Shepherd's Bush,
Assistant Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING OR SECURING THE MOVABLE POINTS OF RAILWAY
BARS OR THE SWITCHES OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
I mount a longitudinally sliding bar of suitable section or form by the
side of and so as to work against the inner face of cach rail, or it may be
partly under and partly by the side of each rail, against which or under
and against which it is free to slide back and forth whilst there is no
train or load upon it, it being suitably supported in chairs or bearers.

page_text: These two sliding bars are connected together and moved simultaneously
in opposite directions by means of reversed bell cranks mounted on a
cross sleeper or bed. The end of each sliding bar nearest to the switch
points is so bevilled as to mitre with the lower portion of the movable
point or switch corresponding thereto.
The movable points or switches instead of being thinned or made
wedge shape to their full height are to the extent of the depth of the
lower part or broad portion of the longitudinally sliding bars thickened
or made broad so as to mitre with the ends of the sliding bars.
The horizontal vibrations of the movable points or switches from one
side to the other between the rails, and the sliding motions of the two
bars are simultaneously and jointly effected or operated by means of bell
cranks connected together and worked by rods. These rods in turn may
be actuated through a motion bar or rod directly or indirectly in
connection with the point or switch lever handle. The mitred ends of
the sliding bars are reversed, or made right-and-left handed, and the
mitres on the point ends correspond therewith.
:
An engine or a train of carriages on approaching or coming up to,
and whilst passing over the points will prevent any movement or change
in the position of the points being effected, and by reason of the
overlapping of one or other of the ends of the switch points by one or
other of the bevilled ends of the sliding bars, according to the road that
is to be opened, the actual point of the switch by which the intended
translation or the direction of the movement of the train is to be effected
is actually and positively locked and held secure until the sliding bar is
withdrawn or drawn back and the point released, and during this
movement, and simultaneously therewith, the opposite switch point is
"moved over" into its proper position, and the bevilled end of the
sliding bar corresponding therewith overlaps and "locks over" it and
secures it, as was previously done or effected by the other bar on the
other switch point, but no such movement can take place, nor any
change in the position of the points be made whilst an engine or carriage
is passing over the points.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Luke in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 27th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
LUKE, of 3, Cave's Terrace, New Road, Shepherd's Bush, Assistant
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-'
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Luke, Her special licence"
that I, the said Richard Luke, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Luke, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKING OR SECURING THE MOVABLE POINTS OF RAILWAY BARS OR THE SWITCHES OF
RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard
Luke, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under.
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Luke, do hereby declare ·
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to :
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, and the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings:-.
I mount a longitidinally sliding horizontal bar of suitable section or
form by the side of and so as to work against the inner face of each rail,
or it may be under the main rail, or partly under and partly by the side
of cach rail, against which, or under which, or under and against which
it is to free to slide back and forth whilst there is no train or load upon
it, it being for that purpose suitably supported or carried on chairs,*
i

page_text: carriages or barrows. These two sliding bars are connected together,
and moved simultaneously in opposite directions by means of reversed
bell cranks or double arm levers, which may be mounted on a cross
sleeper or other bearer or bed. The end of each sliding bar nearest to the
switch is so beveled as to mitre with the lower portion of the moveable
point or switch corresponding thereto.
The extreme points of the movable points or switches instead of being
thinned or made wedge-shape to their full depth (or height), arc to the
extent of the depth of the lower part or broad portion of the longi-
tudinally sliding bars, thickened or made broad, and to project so as to
mitre with the ends of the sliding bars, whilst the upper portion of the
actual point is thinned off and left wedge-like as usual, for the purpose
of diverting the engine or train on to the proper road.
The horizontal vibration of the movable points or switches from one
side to the other between the rails, and the sliding motions of the two
bars, fitted as before mentioned to or under cach rail, or otherwise in
connection therewith, are simultaneously and jointly effected or operated
by means of bell cranks connected together and worked by rods. These
rods in turn may be actuated through a motion bar or rod directly or
indirectly in connection with the point or switch lever handle, or with
the point and signal working gear or apparatus. The mitred ends of the
sliding bars are reversed, or made right-and-left handed, and the mitres
on the point ends correspond therewith.
•
An engine or a train of carriages on approaching or coming up to,
and whilst passing over the points, will prevent any movement or change
in the position of the points being effected, and by reason of the
overlaping of one or other of the ends of the switch points by one or
other of the beveled ends of the sliding bars, according to the road that
is to be opened, the actual point of the switch by which the intended
translation (or change in the direction of the movement) of the train is
to be effected, is actually and positively locked and held secure until the
sliding bar is withdrawn or drawn back and the point released; and
during this movement, and simultaneously therewith, the opposite
switch point is "moved over" into its proper position, and the beveled
end of the sliding bar corresponding therewith overlaps and locks over
it and secures it, as was previously done or effected by the other bar on
the other switch point; but no such movement can take place, nor any

page_text: change in the position of the points be made whilst an engine or carriage
is passing over the points, and whilst the longitudinally sliding horizontal
bar or rail having the mitred projection on its end overlaping and
securing the corresponding projection on the point of the switch remains
in its place, and in which place it may be retained securely, as
described.
The bevel projections on the lower part of the extreme point of each
switch or moveable point of the rail may be riveted or otherwise
fastened thereto, or be welded thereon, or be forged or swaged out of the
solid, or be planed and slotted out of the rail employed to form the point
or moveable switch.
The longitudinally sliding bars or rails, whatever their cross section or
form may be, and howsoever they may be fitted to or in conjunction
with the permanent rails, have their ends nearest the movable points or
switches made bevel, by preference to a mitre, or angle of 45°, to agree
with and correspond to the bevel of the projection on or from the
lower portion of the inner face of each movable point or switch, and
these bevel ends are made right and left hand, according to the side
at, against, or in conjunction with the inner face of each permanent rail,
and as the one bar is moved forward the other is correspondingly with-
drawn, so that whilst the one movable point is held firm the other is
released and left free as it is moved from the inner face of the permanent
rail.
In the accompanying 2 Sheets of Drawings I have shewn the appli-.
cation of the Invention to several forms or varieties of rail sections, and
also to the mixed broad and narrow guage lines (such as at present
exists on the Great Western Railway), as well as to a narrow guage line-
having double-headed rails of the ordinary form.
On Sheet 1 I have shewn at Figure 1 a plan of a single junction of;
mixed guage with the bridge rail; and on Sheet 2 I have shown a plan
and side view of a narrow guage line with double-headed rails.
In both.
of these views the Invention is applied. In each Sheet the same letters
of reference are employed to indicate like or corresponding parts; thus,
the capital letters A and B refer to the 2 mitre bevels. A indicates
the mitre bevel piece added to or forming part of each point of the
switch or movable point, and a refers to the body of the movable point :
or switch. B is the mitre bevel end of the sliding bar which locks into
:
J

page_text: or overlaps the corresponding projection on the extreme point A of the
switch a.
b is the body of each of the longitudinally sliding horizontal
bars; cis the permanent rail; co is the guard rail, as shewn only in
Sheet 2; d is the chair or guide for the sliding bars or rails; e, e, &c.,
are the bell cranks (and their stud plates) or apparatus for moving the
switches and sliding bars, and are of suitable lengths of arms so as to
give the requisite double motion to the points or switches (a) and the
sliding bars (6) simultaneously in opposite directions; f is the bed or
continuous plate upon which the bar (6) slides. All the moving parts
that are shewn in section in the several Figures are cross-hatched,"
whilst the fixed parts that are drawn in section are simply cross-
lined."
66
*
Figure 1, in Sheet 1, is a plan of a mixed broad and narrow guage
junctions, the points being shewn as set for the branch line, whilst the
positions the points would assume when reversed for working the main
line traffic are shewn by dotted lines.
The mode in which the horizontal vibrations or movements of the
three movable points or switches a, a, a, and the longitudinal sliding
action of the three bars b, b, b, by which the mitre beveled end B of the
sliding bar corresponding with the point to be locked and secured against
the permanent rail is brought firmly against and to overlap correspond-
ingly the mitred projection A of the point a is shewn as being through
the interposition of the bell cranks e applied to the movable points and
horizontally sliding bars respectively through or by means of the con-
necting rods interposed for that purpose, and by which simultaneous
action of the points and the sliding bars is produced, the two bars and
their corresponding points on the one side separating, whilst the sliding
bar and point on the other side are approaching each other.
This plan (Figure 1) shews the usual form of Great Western Railway
bridge rail, Figure 2 being a section of a bridge rail c showing the flange
of a wheel running upon the horizontally sliding bar b, and the chair or
guide d for retaining the sliding bar (6) in its place, the sliding bar being
beded throughout the whole length so as to prevent deflection by the
rolling load passing over it. Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an elevation or inside view of the permanent rail c, the
switch a; the sliding bar b, and the guide chair d, shewing the point B
of the sliding bar 6 interlocking with the point A of the switch a. In

page_text: this view the projections A and B are not shewn as projecting to the
bottom line of the switch and of the sliding bar respectively, as in most
cases they may, and I prefer they should do.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of Figure 4, shewing the permanent
rail c, the beveled projection A of the movable point a, and the beveled
end B on the sliding bar 6; the flange of the wheel being shewn riding on
the sliding bar 6 throughout its length, and thus securing it and the
points from being moved. Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.
In Figure 7 I have shewn a transverse section of a single headed, flat
bottomed rail, carried in chairs, which act as bearers, and the longi-
tudinally sliding bar, instead of being mounted or placed at the side of
the permanent rail, is in this view fitted under the rail, as shewn, and so
as to be capable, when there is no superimposed load upon the rail, of
sliding back and forth for the purpose of effecting the locking of the.
extreme point of the switch or movable point, as previously described.
Figures 8 and 10 represent a front elevation and plan respectively of
Figures 7 and 9, shewing the permanent rail c and the mitre piece A of
the switch a interlocked by B of the sliding bar b.
Figure 9 is a cross section of the permanent rail cand the point of the
switch a, where it is beveled down, and lies under the head of the rail
and shews the mitre beveled piece A.
1
Figure 11 is a transverse section shewing another modification of the
longitudinally sliding bar as applied to a single-headed rail. In this
instance it is intended that the permanent rail c shall, for the necessary.
length of the sliding bar b, have the inner portion of the head and foot.
only planed off so as to leave the body or mid section of its original
thickness, and then replace the portion removed by a sliding bar of the
section there shewn, leaving it slightly higher than the permanent rail
c, so that the treads of the wheels, when passing over these sliding bars,
ride on and roll over them, and by their weight hold them securely in
their respective places.
Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15, are different views of the parts of the
apparatus when applied in the manner shewn in transverse section at
Figure 11.
In Sheet 2, Figure 16 is a plan of a single narrow guage line with the
Invention applied to the switches, and Figure 16ª is an elevation of the

page_text: inside face of one rail and switch, the sleepers being shown in section.
In this arrangement a guard rail is shewn in addition to the permanent
rail, as is seen in transverse section at Figure 17; a modification in the
arrangement of the longitudinally sliding bar bis there shewn as adapted
to this particular arrangement or combination.
Figures 18 and 19 are respectively an inside elevation of Figure 17,
shewing the permanent rail c and the switch point and the sliding bar
with their beveled pieces interlocked, and Figure 19 is à plan view of
Figures 17 and 18.
Figure 20 is a transverse section shewing a modification in the 1
application of the Invention, somewhat similar to Figure 11, Sheet 1,
but as here applied to a double-headed rail.
Figure 21 is an inside elevation of one rail, shewing the permanent'
rail c with the extreme point of the switch a and its mitre projection A
overlaped and secured by the beveled projection B on the end of the 1
sliding bar b, which is shewn as being guided and held against the per-
manent rail c by means of bolts, nuts, and washers, and slots.formed in
the sliding bar; the supporting chair is also shewn.
Figure 22 is a transverse section of Figure 21 looking towards the
sliding bar b, and showing the point of the switch where it is tapered
off so as to pass below the head of the rail; and it also shews the beveled
projection A.
Figure 23 is a transverse section of a double-headed rail carried in
an ordinary chair, and shewing a modification in the mode of applying
a horizontally sliding bar, somewhat similar to that shewn in Figure 7,
Sheet 1, but applied to the double-headed rail.
Figure 24 is an inside elevation of Figure 23, showing the locking
of the projection A from the point a by the mitre beveled end B of the
sliding bar b.
Figure 25 is a transverse section of the rail c of Figures 23 and 24,
looking towards the sliding bar b.
Of course other arrangements and dispositions of the sliding bar may
be made to suit the particular form of rail, or the views of the engineer;
the arrangements which have been shewn in Sheets 1 and 2 are only
given as illustrations of some of the modes or methods in which the
Invention can be applied in practice..

page_text: In no case does the longitudinally sliding bar have any other motion
than that of sliding horizontally backwards and forwards, or from and
to (or against), or from and against the mitre beveled projection on
and from the extreme point of the switch to which it corresponds,
and over which beveled projection it is moved or shot forward and
against so as to hold or retain the point firmly in its place. There
are two such bars, each having a mitre beveled end, one right and
the other left handed, corresponding with each movable point; and
these longitudinally sliding bars have their beveled ends projecting
on the inside face of each permanent rail, so as to overlap or project
over the reverse bevel piece projecting from the lower part of the
extreme point of the switch.
Although I have described the bevels on the ends of the sliding
bars, as also those on the extreme points of the switches or movable
points, as being mitred or formed each at an angle of 45 degrees,.
and the relations of the longitudinal motions of the two sliding bars
moving alternately in opposite directions with those of the horizontal
vibratory motions of the points or switches in the arc of a circle, as
being effected simultaneously through the combination and connection
of the whole together by means of bell cranks and connecting rods,
as herein described, which may be operated by or through one or more
hand levers (and I prefer to use or employ mitre bevels), yet other
angles than those of 45 degrees may be employed if the times and
relations of the movements of the two working parts are correspondingly
changed to suit the altered angles, and suitable levers and mechanism
be interposed and employed for the purpose.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and
some of the modes or methods in which the same may be applied and
put into practical use, and also having in the two Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, by way of illustration, shewn some of the modes of
applying and working my said Invention, I wish it to be understood
that what I claim is,―
First. The improvements in locking or securing the movable points
of railway bars, or the switches of railways, as herein described and set
forth.
Secondly. The use or employment of two longitudinally sliding hori
zontal bars or rails, each having a beveled end to fit against and

page_text: overlap (in turn) a corresponding beveled projection on the extreme
point of one of the movable points or switches when against the
permanent rail working in combination, as herein described for the
purposes herein set forth.
Thirdly. Combining together mechanically and working simultaneously
the movements of the switches or points in an arc of a circle with the
longitudinal motion of two sliding bars or rails, each having a bevel
on its end for overlaping and securely holding the extreme point (in
turn or alternately) of one of the switches or movable points at a railway
crossing, as hercin set forth.
Fourthly. The modes or methods hercin described of firmly holding
and securing the extreme point of a railway switch, point, or cross-
over rail against the permanent rail, and preventing its being opened
or moved during the near approach to or the passage of a train, or of
an engine or carriage over the junction or point of crossing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Luke, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
three.
RICHARD LUKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY HERBERT MONTAGUE SMITH,
Assistant to Mr. W. Smith, C. E.,
19, Salisbury Street,
Strand,
W.C.