An Apparatus for Adjusting Tram Rail Points.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Adjusting Tram Rail Points.
I, JOSEPH EDWARD MACAULAY, 3, Sorento Terrace, Dalkey, Co. Dublin,
Accountant, 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:-
Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 is a cross section, Fig. 3 is an elevation of attachment
to cai. Fig. 4 18 a longitudinal section, Fig 5 18 a cross section and Fig. 6 is a
plan of the rail point.
This apparatus is intended to adjust rail-points and can all be worked by the
hand levei at top of 1ound shaft A, which can also be raised by the foot lever Y
at the option of the operator When shatt A is raised it can be tuined eitheı
to the right hand on to the left hand as requued, by the hand level, but this
second motion will be traced later on to save complication.
The foot level 1 is fitted to the crank lever C in such a manner that when
not required it can be turned over on to the top of crank levei C as indicated by
dotted cuire and is then out of the toot way.
Near the lower end of shaft A 18 a shifting block B fitted to shaft A and in
which shaft A tuins. The shifting block B 18 kept from running on the shaft A
by a pan of collais
Projecting from the sides of shifting block B are two pins which work into
slots in end of crank lever C.
On shaft A, from shitting block B to the lower end of the shaft, is a key fitted
to a keyway cut in the hub of bevel cog wheel F which prevents the
wheel tiom turning on the shaft A while admitting of the shaft A being diawn
up and down though the bevel cog wheel I' without moving it
18
Ciank lever is made shaped and has a hole dulled at the angle through
which is passed a bolt. The ends of this bolt are fastened into a bracket and
thus forms the fulcium of the level C. The lower end of the cıank level
attached to one end of the draw bars 1) also by means of a bolt The other end
of the diaw bais D) are fastened to a shifting block E which is attached to round
shaft I in the same manner as the shifting block B is attached to round shaft A,
so that when shaft A 18 1aised it draws shaft I forward and when shaft A 18
lowered it pushes shaft I backward.
On shaft tiom shitting block E to the end of the shaft which passes through
the bevel cog wheel G 18 a key hitted to a keyway cut in the hub of bevel cog
wheel G which is made long to allow of the the shaft 1 iunning This key prevents
the bevel cog wheel G from turning on shaft I while admitting of the shaft being
diawn to and fro without shifting the bevel cog wheel
Where shaft I passes through the hub of the cog wheel J it is also keyed and
a corresponding keyway cut in the hub of cog wheel J which prevents the cog
wheel J hom tuining on the shaft I while admitting of the shart I being diawn
forwards and backwards without shifting the cog wheel J
Further back on shaft 1 is fastened a shifting block K in the same manner as
shifting block B, which works in level L in the same manner as shifting block B
works in level C.
The level L 18 slotted at one end so as to allow the pins of the shifting block K
working freely up and down and the other end of the lever L 18 rigidly fixed to
of shaft

page_text: The ends of shaft M pass through the fiame and are rigidly fixed to one end
The other end of the
of the levels N in a rectangular duection to level L
levers N are slotted similarly to lever L and works on the pins in the shifting
blocks O.
Shifting blocks O are attached to shafts in the same manner as shifting
block B is attached to shaft A so that they work shafts P up and down but yet
do not turn.
On the lower end of the two shafts Pare 11gidly fixed shoes Q which are raised
and lowered by the shafts P
When shoes Q are lowered they fit into the groove in the rail where the
flange of the bar wheel runs and is then in position to be acted upon by the
second motion mentioned on sheet (1). Immediately under the shifting blocks 0
between the shifting blocks and the lower collar is a small spiral sping V on
shafts P to allow of the shafts P 1aising or falling slightly in the event of any
unevenness in the groove of the rail
Fitted to the cog wheel J is a toothed rack S which is shifted to and fio as
the cog wheel J is turned.
The rack S 18 igidly fixed to the centre of the shaft R and so shaft R 18
shifted from side to side by the cog wheel J being turned.
At each end of shaft R are lacks T toothed in the same manner as lack
which slide on shaft R and are moved to and fio by the spiral springs W.
The spiral springs W work on shaft R one end being fastened to racks T and
the other end to rack S
The racks T work into cog wheels U which are toothed to correspond and in
the hub of the cog wheels U 18 cut a key way and 18 fitted to the top of shafts l'
in the same manner as cog wheel J 18 fitted to shaft I thus admitting of shafts P
being raised or lowered without shifting the cog wheels U.
Thus when shaft A 18 1aised it raises crank lever and ciauk lever C being
connected by diaw bars 1) to shaft I as before described it draws shaft I and
shaft I being connected with lever L, shaft M and levers N as before described
it lowers the lever N at 0, and the lever N being connected with shafts Pas
before described, lowers shafts P and shoes Q which are then in position to be
tuined as before stated
At the top of shaft A is fixed a long koy which works through a keyway cut
in bracket which prevents the shaft A from being turned until the key is raised
out of the keyway but when 1aised thus it can be turned to the night or left us
far as may be required and is then held in position by a spring ratchet, the pawl
of which can be drawn by the operator when the shaft A 18 requned to be put
back into its original position without taking his hand off the lever attached to
top of shaft A.
When the shaft A is turned round either way the bevel wheel F is turned by
it, being keyed on to the shaft A in the manner before described and the bevel
wheel G being worked by the bevel wheel F, turns shaft I, being keyed on it as
before described, and as the cog wheel J 18 keyed on shaft I in the manner before
described, it is turned when the shaft I is tuined, and when the cog wheel J 18
turned, it shifts the rack S and 1acks T as before described, and the 1acks T
being shifted, tuin the cog wheels U, and the cog wheels U being keyed on
shafts Pas before described turn shafts P, and so the shoes Q are turned inwards
or outwards at will, but not until the shoes Q have been lowered into then proper
position, as the key at top of shaft A prevents them from being turned until it
is raised above bracket X as already stated.
When the shaft A is raised the shoes are lowered into the grooves in the
ail as already stated, where the flange of the wheels runs and when the shaft A
as turned either to the right or to the left the points of the shoes piess either
on the night side or the left side of these grooves but as the shoes Q cannot turn
in the grooves of the regula 1ail the spings Ware compiessed or expanded
until the shoes reach the point leveis 1 which being moved by the pressure
of the springs W adjusts the points as will be seen later on.

page_text: The point lever 1 18 flanged at one end as shewn by the cross section of the
ail, the width across the centre of the flanged part between the inner faces of
the flanges being about twice the width of the groove in the rail, but from the
flanges to the other end of the point level, need only be of sufficient width to
bear the strain of adjusting the point At the centre of point lever 1 it is
hinged by means of a bolt 3 to the under part of the rail 2 and at the other end
it is bolted upwards to point 5 by means of the bolt 4 these bolts are left a little
slack in the point lever 1 to allow of its tuining fieely as required on the bolts.
The point 5 18 bolted by bolt 4 as above stated at the narrow end to the
point lever 1 and at the wide end it is bolted downwards to the rail 2 by the
bolt 6. The bolt 6 forms the hinge of the point 6 and 18 left slack in the point 5
so that the point may work to and fro freely.
The flanged end of point lever 1 works to and fro in a box in the 1ail 2, this
box is made sufficiently wide to allow of the inner faces of the flanges being brought
into line with the sides of the groove in the rail 2, and from this box in tail 2 along
as far as bolt is a groove made in the rail to allow of the point lever working
to and fro as required.
The groove in the rail 2 where the point lever 1 works is made deeper than
the groove in the line generally so as to allow depth for the shoes Q to work
under the surface of the rail into the box where the flanged end of point lever 1
works and also to allow of sufficient thickness of metal over the box to bear the
weight of the car
The point level 1 being hinged to the rail 2 by the bolt 3 and being hinged to
the narrow end of point 5 by the bolt 4 as before described. When the shoes Q
piess against the flange of the point lever 1 it shifts the point lever 1 and thus
adjusts the point 5
Thus the point 5 is adjusted by shoe Q at the will of the operator by the hand
lever on shaft A.
The fore part of the apparatus is fixed to the body of the car including the
fiame work which holds the bevel cog wheel and G but the rest of the
apparatus is held by a frame suspended on the axles of the car wheels and so
keep the shoes Q free from the oscillation of the body of the cai.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) A device for adjusting tram rail points from the car while in motion as
described.
(2) A device for placing the shifting shoe in position while the car is in
motion when required and removing same while the car is in motion when not
required-thereby saving friction.
(3) A device for a rail point adjuster combining the motions of placing tho
shifting shoe in position while the car 18 in motion, with the adjusting thereof
for action.
(4) A device for a 1ail point adjuster for shifting the rail points by means of
a shifting shoe without impeding the motion of the car.
(5) A device for a rail point adjuster by means of which the shifting shoe
can be set in position any where while the cat is, o 18 not in motion and which
will adjust the point automatically when the point lever is reached.
(6) A device for a rail point adjuster which is not affected by the oscillation
of the car as described.
(7) A device for a nail point adjuster which adapts itself to any unevenness
in the groove of the rail as described.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1899
JOSEPH EDWARD MACAULAY,
3, Sorrento Terrace, Dalkey, Co Dublin, Applicant.