Improved Means for Operating Railway and Tramway Switches.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Operating Railway and Tramway Switches.
1, Dr. HEINRICH KUCHER, of 5, Katharinen Strasse, Dresden, Saxony, in the
Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the methods of, and in
means and appliances for, switching and shunting railway and tramway rolling
stock.
My invention consists in fitting to the underside of the locomotive, or other
carriage, levers with wheels or rollers attached thereto or operated thereby, and
capable of being raised and lowered by persons in charge; such wheels or rollers,
on being lowered operating certain mechanism which moves the switches or pointe,
as required.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of.
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figs. 1 to 8 illustrate the application of my invention to railways.
Figs. 9 to 21 illustrate the application of my invention to wagons, cars, and other
tramway rolling stock.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3; 1, 1, are two plates fitted to the underside of the
locomotive, tender or other carriage, each plate having a slot 2 formed thereia.
3, 3, are two forked levers pivoted to the underside of the locomotive at 4, 4.
6, 6, are two other forked levers, the upper ends of which are capable of sliding in.
slots 2. The forks of the levers 3 and 6 are attached to the axles of the wheels 5, 5:
the forks and wheels being placed a certain distance apart, as shown in Fig. 2, such
distance corresponding with the gauge of the resilient rails 15, hereinafter described.
The plates 1, 1, carry segmental forked guides 12 for guiding the levers 3, 3. Fig. 3
shows an arrangement for enabling the engine driver to raise or lower the wheels 5, 5.
9 is a hand wheel fitted to an axle 10, suitably mounted upon or near the
foot plate of the engine. One of the bearings of the axle 10 is screw threaded, as
shown in Fig. 3, and carries a head 11.
The chain 7 is wound upon the axle 10, and the diameter of the axle, and the
thread of the screw are so relatively arranged, that when the head 11 butts against
the outer frame 13, one of the wheels 5 is raised, and the other wheel is at the
same time pressing one of the resilient rails 15 downwards; and, when the head 11
is drawn against the frame 14, by a contrary movement, the wheels 5, 5, are reversed
in position. When the head 11 is midway between 13 and 14, both of the
wheels 5, 5, are raised clear of the rails. The endless chain 7 passes round pulleys
under the frame shown in Fig. 3; it is also linked to each of the levers 6, 6, as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and is kept in tension by the pulley 8.
Referring to Figs. 4, and 8, 15, 15, are the resilient rails, consisting of short
lengths of rails fitted between, and rising slightly above the level of the ordinary
rails 17. 16, 16, are short permanent rails inclined upwards towards the rails 15,
to prevent violence of contact with the wheels 5, 5. Three (or more) rods 18
extend downwards from each of the rails 15, working in guide plates 19; the rails 15
being supported by springs 20. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the springs 20.
The rails 15 are tapered off at each end. The rails 21 (shown in sectional elevation
in Fig. 6) are mounted and supported in a similar manner to those numbered 15,
except as to their position, which is next to one of the ordinary rails. When the
rails 15 are pressed downwards by the wheels 5, nuts or other projections on the
vertical rods 18 act upon levers 22 mounted on vertical supports 23. The axles

page_text: of these levers carry vertical arms which are attached to: horizontal rods 24.
These rods are attached to and actuate levers 25 mounted upon toothed wheels 26,
gearing into a toothed rack 27. The ends of the rack 27 are attached to the
switches in such a manner as to direct the engine to the right or left.
Chains 28, 28, are linked to the levers 25, 25, and to the double-ended lever 30.
31 is a box containing a spring with a piston and rod attached. The double-ended
lever 30 is attached to the rod of the spring, in such a manner that, when one of
the chains 28 is slackened by the action of a lever 25, the spring takes up the slack
by pressing 30 outwards in a diagonal direction, until the chain resumes its normal
position.
After the engine of a train has operated upon the rails 15, the flanges of the
wheels depress one of the rails 21. This depression operates upon its chain 29, by
means of the levers attached to the springs 32 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) which operate the
levers 25 by means of the chain 29, and thereby retains the toothed rack 27 in
position for shunting until the train has passed the points.
It is also sometimes necessary in shunting trucks, to divide them, and shunt a
portion only. In this case the front wagons are shunted forward, as required, and
the engine is taken back with other trucks, or otherwise.
In applying my invention to tramcars, and other tramway vehicles, I fit one, and
sometimes two wheels or rollers under the floor of the vehicle, which may, when
required, be caused to press upon certain plates attached to levers, and which levers
operate the points of the rails.
Referring to Figs. 9 to 14; 33 represents the platform of a tramcar. 54, 35, are
two levers pivoted to the floor, as shown in Fig. 9.. 36 is one end of a bar attached
to the frame 38 supported by the axles of the car. 37 is a wheel or roller, supported
by a spring frame 38, and capable of being lowered to the permanent way by the
levers 34, 35. 39 is a foot plate attached to the lever 35, upon which the person
in charge presses his foot when he wishes to shunt the vehicle. Fig. 10 is a trans-
verse view of the frame, spring and roller, attached to the axle. Fig. 11 is a plan
of the levers 34, 35, and foot plate 39. Fig. 12. is a plan of a portion of the
permanent way, and Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional views of the same, Fig. 13.
being a longitudinal, and Fig. 14 a transverse section. 40 is a mid-rail, which is
made of several metres in length, and is laid down at each of. the junction lines.
When a roller 37 is lowered, in order to shift the point of the switch tongue,
the roller travels along the rail 40 until it arrives over the plate 41, working, in
a slot in the rail 40. This plate is supported by a spring 42. When the plate 41
is pressed downwards, the bell-crank lever 43 (Fig. 14) shifts the tongue 44, by
means of a connecting rod 45. In order to prevent the return of the tongue
before the vehicle has passed the point, a second plate 46 is provided, which
repeats the operation by incans of the levers 47 and 48.
Figs. 15 to 21 illustrate another modification of my invention as applied to
tramways. In this arrangement two rollers 37 are attached to spring frame 38
supported by two longitudinal bars 49, attached to the axles of the car. 50, 50,
are two levers pivoted at 51, which lower-one of the wheels 37 when one of the
treadles 39 is depressed, the force being communicated by means of one of the bell
crank levers 53 and chain 52. Fig. 15 shows the arrangement in elevation:
Fig: 16 illustrates the frames 38 and rollers 37, in transverse view; and Fig. 17
a plan view.
is
Fig. 20 is a plan of the permanent way and switch. 40, 40, are two intermediate
rails of several metres in length. 41, 41, are the plates working in grooves upon
which the rollers 37 press, when lowered. 54 (Fig. 18) is one of the levers
attached to the plate 41. The levers 54 operate upon the two ends of the mutilated
toothed wheel 56. This wheel actuates the toothed rack 57, (Fig. 19) and the
latter operates the tongue 44. 55 is a spring, the ends of which are attached to
the levers 54, as shown in Figs. 18 and 21. This spring returns either of the levers
to its normal position when raised.

page_text: 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. In switching and shunting appliances for railways and tramways, the com-
bination of wheels or rollers attached to the rolling stock, such wheels or rollers
being capable of being lowered upon and actuating switches and switch tongues,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The general construction and arrangement, and the several combinations of
the respective parts, constituting my invention of improvements in switching and
shunting railway and tramway rolling stock, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C.,. Agent.