Improvements in and Connected with Points for Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Points for Railways and
Tramways.
WILLIAM SOUTHORN Engineer Church Square Guisborough Yorks, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Consisting of a moveable fillet pivotted on outside of point, and grooved centrally
or thereabouts, and dovetailed under face of point both at pivotted and loose end.
Loose end fastened to a chain (or other use) passing over a roller, and carrying a
weight allowing a certain lateral movement to loose end of fillet.
Dated this 13th day of November 1888.
WILLIAM SOUTHORN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Points for Railways and
Tramways.
I, WILLIAM SOUTHORN of Church Square, Guisborough Co. of Yorks, Engineer and
Iron and Steel Founder 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 in writing, reference being at same time made to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My invention refers to the use of a particular form of moveable point for the
junctions, passing places and other parts of street tramways, and other railways, but
more particularly to steam tramways, employing a rail with a grooved head; its
object being to render it absolutely certain that the engine and cars shall take the
proper road; and not enter the facing points when running towards them, and to do
away with the shock caused by cars coming off the "drop" or dummy point in common
use, and which drop is so damaging to the axles, and to the general structure and
mechanism of the engines and cars; and also to the permanent way.
The diagramatic sketch marked C on plan will fairly show one end of an ordinary
passing place, and A the position that my point would occupy, the arrows showing
the direction of motion of vehicles upon entering and leaving the points. And in order
that my invention and the manner of carrying it into effect may be understood, I have
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings Figs. A and B showing a plan and
elevation of an ordinary tramway point with my improvements. Fige. C is diagramatic
only of point at A³. Figs. D and E detailed view to a larger scale showing tongue or
fillet, rollers, and other parts to be hereafter particularly mentioned and described.
Fige. F is a section through tongue or fillet-Referring to the drawings Figs. A, B
and also to Figs. D and E. 1 is the pin placed outside main part of point, 2 is the
moveable tongue or fillet pivoted on pin 1, at one end and free to move at the other
end; sufficiently to allow flange of wheel to pass through at 3 on Fige. D. Note:
This part is shown open in Fige. D, and closed in Fige. A.
End of tongue 2 is attached by means of a chain or other connection passing over
a roller 4 to a weight 5. This weight holding the tongue in the position it is shown
in figure A. 6 is a pipe placed under weight box, and preferably connected with a
drain, so that the box may be kept free from water and dirt, and also that it may be
at times flushed out.
Having now referred to the main parts, and to the drawing explaining the same, I
would further state (first explaining that in the following discription the term tongue
refers solely to the part 2 on the drawing; and the term point to the main casting)

page_text: so far as any other parts are concerned, other than the tongue, and its connections;
it in no way differs from ordinary points for either the girder or other section of
rail.
The loose tongue is flat on underside, and also on the top, with exception of the
groove to admit the flange of wheel of entering car or engine, which is either cast or
planed out, about centrally in top of tongue. In plan this tongue is a parallel bar
(2" wide or thereabouts) with the exception of the protuberance at the end of tongue
nearest to the wide end of point. This is made, sufficiently large, to admit of a
substantial pin for it to turn upon.
The tongue is somewhat longer on the underside than on the top; so that it can
only be put into position sideways: but when in position owing to this extra length,
it cannot rise, or jump, on the cars passing over it.
The pin is fastened down by a cottar, passing below a suitable projection on side of
point, and is thus easy of access.
The loose end of tongue is held against the main body of point by the suspended
weight in weight case; and is only temporarily opened or displaced by the flange of
the outcoming car or vehicle, and is then at once pulled back to its original position
(by the weight) to close the point, so that incoming vehicles, can only take the left
hand road, the certainty of taking which road is the main object of this invention.
The weight must have sufficient weight to bring the tongue back quickly, and to hold
it firmly in position as shown in drawing A; but no greater weight is needful, or
desireable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
1. The construction of a loose tongue or fillet with a central groove, to permit of a
wider base to insure steadyness; and to give lateral stiffness.
2. The pivotting of the said tongue to one side of centre line of tongue, and on out-
side of point itself, to insure freedom of access and to shorten (and thereby strengthen)
the tongue itself by making it unnecessary to continue it in length until it is wide
enough to take in a pin of sufficient strength.
3. Although the application of a dead weight to a moveable point is not new, the
particular combination and arrangement as shown is claimed as new.
Dated this 10th day of August 1889.
WILLIAM SOUTHORN.