Improvements in Tramway Switches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
-COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tramway Switches.
I, FRITZ HAKENBECK, Merchant, residing at Berlin, Yorkstrasse 44, Kingdom
of Prussia, Empire of Germany, 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:-
The present invention relates to a device for the setting of tramway-switches.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shows the arrangement of the device,
Figs. 2 and 3 show the details on an increased scale.
The connecting-rod of .the switch-tongues is working in a cast iron guide P
which is best arranged in the middle of the track.
This guide P is provided with grooves ff deepening towards the middle and
situated in the direction of the line. In their deepest point these grooves are
leaving the connecting-rod v free, so that the wheel with conical rim k, fixed on
it v, can be moved to and fro in suitable notches of the plate P, in order to thereby
effect the setting of the switch-tongues.
In order to actuate this apparatus, two holders h provided with tread-plates b
are arranged at the driver's stand M of the car from where they can be pressed
down by the foot of the driver.
Each of the holders h h has a fork carrying between its arms a conical
wheel R.R. The plate P is situated on a level with the street. If, for example,
before the car enters the switch, a wheel R is pressed down, it runs into the descend-
ing, groove f of the plate P, the conical faces of the wheel R and of the roller K
are gliding on each other, and wheel R presses the roller K to the side; the roller K
takes with it the rod v and thus sets the tongues of the switch.
In consequence of one roller acting on the other, this movement is carried out
very easily for the same reason the street dirt which may have collected, forms
no obstacle to the function, because it is easily pushed aside by the movement of
the roller, which would not he the case for instance if sliding wedges were employed
instead of the rollers..
The further advantages of this device are its most simple arrangement and con-
sequently its absolute reliableness, all which is necessary being the building in
of a comparatively small cast piece in the height of the street-level; the latter is
therefore in no way interrupted and offers no danger to the feet of the horses or
persons walking over it. It is indifferent to the pressure of heavily loaded
vehicles passing over it and safe against mischief. It requires no attendance what-
ever and is cheap as the arrangement can be made by the simple provision of a
roller and the cast piece; even the actuating rollers at the car can be provided
without any difficulty. The driver treads on the right-hand tread-plate when he
wishes the car to go to right, and on the left-hand one when he wishes it to go to
the left.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: _
In a device for the setting of tramway-switches, or the like, the arrangement of
a conical roller rotatable on the connecting-rod of the switch-tongues, guided in
a cast piece which is provided with grooves and embedded in the street-level in
such a manner that by pressing down a conical roller provided at the driver's stand
of the car this roller pressing another roller provided at the connecting-rods of the
tongues to the right or left, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Doted this 20th day of Tomo 1900
ERICH PETERS,
Agent for F. Hakenbeck.