Improvements in Tramway Points.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Tramway Points.
I, WILLIAM TOWLER of the Globe Foundry Globe Road Leeds in the County of
York Engineer and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
-
This invention relates to points for Tramway Rails. A tramway point con-
structed in accordance with my invention consists of a triangular shaped base
piece or box and a lid fitting on the same. The upper surface of the lid is formed
in the usual manner to correspond to the junction to be effected by the point.
The moveable tongue or "point" is hinged by a pin passing through the top of
the lid, conveniently about one fourth to one third the length from the wider end
of the lid. The lower end of the pin beneath the lid contains a vertical slot, to
receive one end of a flat spring. The opposite end of the spring bears against a
bolt passing through a lug depending from one side of the lid or attached to the
base piece, or the bottom of the spring box to be immediately hereafter referred
to; so that the tension of the spring tending to move the tongue or "point" into
its normal position can be adjusted. Alongside the aforesaid spring, one side of
the base piece is left open for a length slightly greater than the length of the
spring, and this opening is enclosed by a box shaped portion, cast on or otherwise
attached to the side of the base piece. The upper sido of this box shaped portion
is closed by a loose removable lid. The length and breadth of this box shaped
portion are such, that when the said loose lid over the same is removed, not only
can the bolt be readily got at for adjustment, but on slackening back the bolt
sufficiently far, the aforesaid spring can be readily withdrawn from the vertical
slot in the pin of the tongue. The advantage of this arrangement is, that if found
necessary or desirable to withdraw the spring for inspection or replacement, this
can be readily done without stopping the traffic. The flat form of the spring and
the adjustable bolt device simplifies the arrangement, and makes it possible to use
a plain bar of spring steel cut to length from stock sizes without any further
preparation.
.
The lid may be secured to the base piece by a bolt passing directly through
both; the nut or head being situated in a circular recess formed in the top of the
lid to receive it. As however the traffic is liable to wear down the head or nut
and to render the fastening difficult to loose, I prefer to provide lugs on one or
both sides of the base piece and lid, and to pass the bolt or bolts through these.
The lugs are enclosed by a box shaped casting or attachment, covered in at the
top with a loose lid. In order to obtain sufficient room to withdraw the bolt and
for convenience in getting at the same, the lugs may be placed in a somewhat
inclined position, instead of horizontal.
Dated the 0th day of February 1897.

page_text: I WILLIAM TOWLER of the Globe Foundry Globe Road Leeds in the County of
York Engineer and Ironfounder 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: —
This invention relates to points for Tramway Rails. A tramway point con-
structed in accordance with my invention consists of a triangular or wedge shaped
base piece or box, the top of which may be loose, forming a lid or cover; but
which I prefer to cast in one piece with the box. The lid, or the upper surface of
the box, is formed at one end with converging flange grooves, terminating as
usual in the tongue space.
The moveable tongue or point is hinged by a pin passing through the top of the
lid, or box, conveniently about one third the length of, from the wider end of, the
box. The lower part of the pin contains a vertical slot to receive one end of a flat
spring. The opposite end of the spring bears against a bolt, passing through a
lug depending from the underside of the lid, or attached to the base piece or
bottom of the spring box, to be immediately hereafter referred to; so that the
tension of the spring tending to move the tongue or point into its normal position
can be adjusted. Alongside the aforesaid spring, one of the vertical sides of the
base piece
or box is left open for a length slightly greater than the length of the
spring and this opening is enclosed by a box shaped portion cast on or otherwise
attached to the vertical side of the base piece or box. This is the spring box above
mentioned, which is closed on the top by a loose removable lid. The length and
breadth of this spring box are such, that when the said loose lid over the same is
removed, not only can the bolt be readily got at for adjustment, but on slackening
back the bolt sufficiently far, the aforesaid spring can be readily withdrawn from
the vertical slot in the pin of the tongue. The advantage of this arrangement is,
that if found necessary or desirable to withdraw the spring for inspection or
replacement, this can be readily done without stopping the traffic. The flat form
of the spring and the adjustable bolt device simplifies the arrangement, and makes
it possible to use a plain bar of spring steel cut to length from stock size without
any further preparation. Moreover, by leaving out or removing the flat spring,
the point becomes a loose point.
The lid may be secured to the base piece by a bolt passing directly through
both; the nut or head being situated in a circular recess formed in the top of the
lid to receive it. As however the traffic is liable to wear down the head or nut and
to render the fastening difficult to loosen, I prefer to provide lugs on one or both
sides of both the base piece and lid, and to pass the bolt or bolts through these.
The lugs are enclosed by a box shaped casting or attachment, covered in at the
top with a loose lid. In order to obtain sufficient room to withdraw the bolt and
for convenience in getting at the same, the lugs may be placed in a somewhat
inclined position instead of horizontal.
And in order that my invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more readily and clearly understood, I have annexed hereto the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Fig 1 is a plan and Fig 2 a side
elevation, part in section on line A.B of Fig 1, of a tramway point constructed in
accordance with my invention. Fig 3 is a plan, and Fig 4 a side elevation of the
tongue and spring to a larger scale.
a is the box casting, which may be made with a separate removable top or lid;

page_text: or as I prefer and as shewn in the drawing, cast with the top in one piece. The
upper surface as shewn in Fig 1 is formed at one end with two converging
grooves C, which about d run into the tongue space.
d
b is the moveable tongue or point, at the thicker end of which a pin pivot d is
forged on or otherwise formed on, as shewn most plainly in Fig 4. The lower
end of the pin & contains a vertical slot, which receives the end of the flat spring e.
This end of the spring e fits at any time only loosely in the said slot, so that it
can be instantaneously inserted or removed therefrom by hand. The opposite end
of the flat spring e, when the tongue is in position, bears against an adjustable
bolt ; which passes through a lug cast, screwed, or otherwise attached to the lid,
or as shewn in the drawings to the base of the box a. One of the vertical sides of
the box immediately opposite the aforesaid spring and over a length somewhat
greater than the length of the spring is left open for a convenient height (see
Fig 2), and this opening is enclosed by a box shaped portion h, the top of which
is closed by a loose lid or cover g. The position of this opening and the size of the
box shaped portion are such, that when the lid 9 is removed, not only can the
bolt be readily got at for adjustment, but on slackening the bolt sufficiently far
the tension of the spring is sufficiently lessened to permit of the flat spring e being
readily withdrawn from the slot in the pin, and removed, and as readily replaced
or reinserted and adjusted to the desired tension. The rapidity with which this
can be done, is such, that the street traffic is not interfered with. Any longi-
tudinal movement, sufficient to draw the end of the spring out of the slot, is pre-
vented by inserting a loose wedge shaped block n, (see Fig 1.), which can be
readily moved to one side when it is desired to withdraw the spring. When such
a block is used, the adjustable bolt i is placed farther from the end of the flat
spring than as shewn in the drawings.
The nature of my invention is not essentially altered, if some other form of
adjustable stop than that shewn is used.
My invention has the further advantage, that by leaving out or removing the
flat spring, the point is converted into a loose point.
When the point is constructed with a removable lid as mentioned, the lid may
be secured to the box by means of bolts and lugs, m and p, as described, and
indicated by dotted lines in Fig 2; the former being cast on the lid and the latter
on the box. The lugs are enclosed with a box, either cast with, or loose from the
main casting a, and provided with a loose cover. With this arrangement the top
or lid can be renewed when worn out and the side opening and covered box / dis-
pensed with.
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:
In points for tramways:-
1 The combination of tongue b, pin pivot d provided with a vertical slot, flat
spring e loosely fitting in said slot, adjustable stop or bolt i and box a having a
side opening opposite the spring e, the opening being enclosed by a box portion h
provided with lid g, substantially as set forth illustrated.
or
and
2 The combination of tongue b, pin pivot d cast or formed solid or rigid with
the tongue and provided with a vertical slot, flat spring e loosely fitting at one end
ог
and
in said slot, and adjustable stop or bolt i substantially as set forth illustrated
in Figs 3 and 4.
3 The use of a flat spring e loosely fitting in a vertical slot in the pin pivot of
the tongue at one end, and at its other end bearing against an adjustable stop or
bolt ; said spring and stop being situated opposite a side opening in the main
casting of the point, substantially as set forth and shewn.

page_text: 4 The construction illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 modified by forming the top of
the box or separable and attached by lugs m and p (preferably inclined) to the
box a, whereby the top can be renewed when worn out, and the side opening and
covered box dispensed with.
5 In points as set forth and claimed, the use of the removable block n for the 5
purpose specified.
Dated this 8th day of November 1897.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
30 Park Row, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.