Improvements in Means for Operating the Switches or Points of Tramways or Railways.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Operating the Switches or Points of
Tramways or Railways.
1 LUKE WARWICK of 25 Hilton Street Oldham Street Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Sewing Machine Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The principal object of this invention is to provide a ready means whereby the
driver or conductor of a tramway car can, without dismounting and whilst the vehicle
is in motion move or set the hinged switch or point of the tramway so as to guide
the car in the direction in which he desires it to travel, but the same invention is also
applicable to other railways where it is desirable that the driver of the engine or
vehicle should have control over the points or switches.
The point or switch of the rail is hinged in the ordinary manner and is capable of
horizontal movement as usual, but instead of its being necessary for the conductor to
dismount or for some other person to be provided to set the points as hitherto
required, I provide on the front platform or other convenient part of the tramcar
or vehicle a socket through which passes vertically a rod or bar, the head of which is
within convenient reach of the driver, and the lower end thereof is forked and carries
a small wheel with a sharp or knife edge and of a wedge like section.
The rod or bar is provided with a spring which has a tendency to hold the wheel
down so that it moves along just inside the edge of the tramway or rail without
touching it and in a position to clear the point or switch, but upon the rod or bar
being partially turned by a handle or otherwise, the knife edge will be brought into
contact with the side of the groove or rail and when it reaches the point or switch it
will pass between it and the rail and move the point as required.
On the other hand if the point or switch is open and it is desired to close the
same the rod or bar must be turned in the opposite direction.
When it is not desired to operate the points at all, the rod or bar is placed in the
central position, and preferably raised up out of the way of the rails altogether.
For this purpose a bracket is provided with three holes or notches and the head of
the rod or bar is furnished with a pin or other projection.
The side holes or notches are deep enough to allow the knife edged wheel to fall
down into the groove of the rail, but, the central hole or groove is more shallow and
will hold the wheel up above the rail.
A sheath or guard may be provided so as to form a casing for the rod and wheel.
It will be evident that a knife edged bar (either straight or curved) may be used
instead of the wheel and that the same may be actuated by the conductor if preferred
by means of a lever or rod extending to the rear end of the tramcar or vehicle.
I would also remark that the rod (instead of being actuated by hand) may be
placed lower down on the platform and be provided with a treadle so that it can be
depressed and moved sideways by the foot, in which case the spring must have a
tendency to raise the rod again when the foot is removed.
It will be understood that in all cases each side of the platform will be provided
with the apparatus so that the driver or conductor can work the switches or points on
whichever side of the track they may happen to be.
Dhi 17th day of October 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Operating the Switches or Points of
Tramways or Railways.
1 LUKE WARWICK of 25 Hilton Street Oldham Street Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Sewing Machine Manufacturer 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 principal object of this invention is to provide a ready means whereby the
driver or conductor of a tramway car can, without dismounting and whilst the vehicle
is in motion, move or set the hinged switch or point of the tramway so as to guide
the car in the direction in which he desires it to travel, but the same invention is also
applicable to other railways where it is desirable that the driver of the engine or
vehicle should have control over the points or switches.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the annexed sheet of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawings is a side elevation of part of the frame and one leading
wheel of a tramway car showing the application of my invention thereto; the
apparatus being shown as at rest or out of action.
Figs. 2 and
are front views of the same in and out of action.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the points showing the action of the apparatus when
in use.
Fig. 5 is a side view showing a modification of the apparatus and
Fig. 6 a side and front view of a modification of the tool or instrument for moving
the tongue of the points.
The point or switch a of the rails (see Fig. 4) is hinged in the ordinary manner
and is capable of horizontal movement as usual but instead of its being necessary
for the conductor to dismount or for some other person to be provided to set the
points as hitherto required, I provide on the front platform or other convenient
part of the frame 6 of the tramcar or vehicle a socket c through which passes
vertically a rod or bar d, the head of which is provided with a handle e within
convenient reach of the driver, and the lower end thereof is forked and carries a
small wheel with a sharp or knife edge and of a wedge like section.
The rod or hard is provided with a spring 9 (Fig. 1) which has a tendency to
hold the wheelf down so that it moves along just inside the edge of the tramway or
rail without touching it, and in a position to clear the point or switch a but upon
the rod or bar d being partially turned by a handle or otherwise (Figs. 2 and 4) the
knife edge will be brought into contact with the side of the groove or rail and when
it reaches the point or switch a it will pass between it and the rail and move the
point as required (see dotted lines Fig. 4).
On the other hand if the point or switch is open and it is desired to close the same
the rod or bar must be turned in the opposite direction.
When it is not desired to operate the points at all the rod or bar d is placed
in the central position and preferably raised up out of the way of the rails
altogether.
For this purpose the top of the socket c is provided with three holes or notches,
and the head of the rod or bar is furnished with a pin or other projection h.
The side holes or notches are deep enough to allow the knife edged wheel f to fall
down into the groove of the rail, but the central hole or groove is more shallow and
will hold the wheelf up above the rail.
A sheath or guard may be provided so as to form a casing for the rod and
wheel.
It will be evident that a knife edged bar f¹ (either straight or curved) may be
used instead of the wheel as shown at Figs. 5 and 6. and that the same may be

page_text: actuated by the conductor if preferred by means of a lever or rod extending to the
rear end of the tramcar or vehicle.
I would also remark that the rod (instead of being actuated by hand) may be
placed lower down on the platform and be provided with a treadle i so that it can
be depressed and moved sideways by the foot (see Fig. 5) in which case the spring
must have a tendency to raise the rod again when the foot is removed.
It will be understood that in all cases each side of the platform will be provided
with the apparatus so that the driver or conductor can work the switches or points
on whichever side of the track they may happen to be.
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:
The combination of a vertical sliding and turning rod provided at the bottom
with a wedge shaped wheel, shoe or plough and at the top with a handle lever or
pedal and a pin or projection with a socket provided with a spring and three holes
or recesses substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 16th day of July 1890.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.