Improvements in Switches for Street Railways and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches for Street Railways and the like.
We, WILLIAM RENISON DAGGETT, Inventor of 415 E. Third Street and
WILLIAM HENRY HEINZ, Salesman of 37 South Ringgold Street, both in Dayton,
State of Ohio, United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention consists of improvements in electric switches for street railways as
bereinafter described.
Referring to the annexed drawings which illustrate said invention,
Figure 1, is a view in perspective of a switch having our shifting mechanism
thereon.
Figure 2, is a top view showing in section the case in which the electro-magnets
are placed.
Figure 3, is an end elevation of a track, showing the switch and inclosing case in
section.
Figure 4, is a view in perspective of the trolley wires, and the conductor wires
that are connected to the magnets.
In the detailed description of the invention, 1 and 2 designate respectively maiu
and diverging tracks of a street railway. 3 designates tubular posts or poles to
which the cross wires 4 that support the trolley wires 5 and 6 are connected.
7 designates an inclosing case which is provided with a suitably insulated seat in
the ground to a depth that enables the upper side 8 thereof to lie flush with the
surface of the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, and provides a flat surface for the
switch tongues 9 and 10 to slide upon. 11 and 12 designate two electro-magnets
that are inclosed within the case 7. To one end of the helix of each of said magnets
there are connected wires 13 and 14, and the other end of said helices have ground
connections g and gl. The wires 13 and 14 are inclosed in and suitably insulated
from the posts 3.
The upper ends of these wires extend upwardly through
said posts and horizontally above the trolley wires 5 and 6, and are connected to
a nou-conducting piece 15. 16 designates an armature that lies between the
magnets, and rests upon flanged rollers 17 that are suitably mounted and insulated
in the case 7. 18 and 19 are lugs or stops on said armature, and on the bottom of
the case which are adapted to limit the movement of the armature as it is
attracted in either direction by the magnets. 20 and 21 are pins that project from
the upper side of the armature and penetrate slots 22 in the upper side of the case 7
and which have their upper ends secured to the switch tongues 9 and 10. It will,
therefore, be seen that as the armature is alternately attracted by the electro-
magnets, the said tongues will be shifted accordingly.
The magnets are excited by the trolley wheels making contact with the conductor
wires 13 14, and conveying current from said trolley wires. For example, referring
to Fig. 1, assuming that a car is approaching the switch in the direction of the
arrow, and is using the diverging track; the trolley wheel in contact with wire 5,
when it reaches the wire 13, will convey current thereto thus making a circuit
for an instant, between the said trolley wire, and the electro-maguet 11, which
attracts the armature, and therewith the switch in line with the diverging track.
The trolley wheel in contact with wire 6 will perform a similar function.
The switch tongues 9 and 10 are pivoted at a a, their free ends being farthest
from the approaching car, therefore we are enabled to dispense with the use of a
frog.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
.claim is
In electric switches, the switch tongues, electro-magnets on the outside of said
switch tongues, an armature between said electro-magnets, and connected to said
switch tongues, flanged rollers upon which said armature rests and is guided,
conductor wires 13 and 14 in the path of the trolley wheels and adapted to convey
current from the trolley wires to said electro-magnets.
Dated this 16th day of June 1896.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.