IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY POINTS OR SWITCHES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Joseph Curtis, of Holloway, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
POINTS OR SWITCHES.”
Sealed the 30th June 1874, and dated the 7th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Joseph Curtis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th February 1874.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH CURTIS, of Holloway, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY POINTS OR SWITCHES," to be as follows:-
The first part of these improvements relates to improved means of
securing the points of what are commonly called facing points or
switches, so that when the engine or train runs against or upon them,
the point is locked or immoveable, at the same time when the engine
and train run off the points or switches the switch is self acting as at
present. This object is accomplished by connecting each separate

page_text: switch bar with a separate link communicating with a crank, working
the switches, so that the locking is effected by the centres of the con-
necting rod being at or near the centre of motion of the crank. The
crank or connection of the other switch rail or bar being at the same
time at an angle with the other crank in somewhat the same way as the
cranks of an engine, whereby one is at half stroke when the other is at
the dead centre.
According to another part of my improvements, I connect the two
bars or switches of the cross line by forming the ends like wedges, which
work upon the upper surface of the main line, the wedges rising from 1
the point to a distance of 4 or 5 feet a space of about 2 inches, sufficient
to allow the flanges of the wheels to cross the main line of rails; by this
means an unbroken line of rails may be preserved throughout the main
line of railway as far as the switches are concerned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Joseph Curtis in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOSEPH CURTIS, of Holloway, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Joseph Curtis, Her
special license that I, the said William Joseph Curtis, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Joseph
Curtis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY POINTS OR SWITCHES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Joseph Curtis, my executors
.

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent"
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Joseph Curtis, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of these improvements relates to improved means of
securing the points of what are commonly called facing points or
switches, so that when the engine or train runs against or upon them
the points are locked or immoveable, at the same time when the engine
or train runs off the points or switches the switches are moveable or
self acting as in the ordinary manner. This object is accomplished as
shown in the accompanying Drawing, where Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2
an end view and cross section of a pair of switches, each separate switch
bar a, B¹, is connected with a separate link g, g', and separate crank F, x,
F, x, by which the switches are worked, the locking being effected by the
centre of the connecting rod and crank being in a line or nearly so with
the centre of motion of the crank F, the crank and connections of the
other switch being at the same time at an angle with the other crank in
somewhat the same way as the cranks of a locomotive engine in which
the cranks being at right angles with each other one is at half stroke
when the other is at the dead centre, thus, as shown in Figure 1, when
an engine or train runs against the points the points of the switch
bar B¹ is jammed by the action of the crank x³ against the rail a',
when the engine or train passes in the opposite direction the flanges of
the wheels push the switch a against the rail B, as shown by the dotted
lines, by means of the link g acting on the crank x, the switch B', link g',
and crank x, assume the opposite positions shown by the switch, link,
and crank a, g, x, then when the engine and train have passed by means
of the counterweight and lever m the switch resumes its former
position, the switch being in such case self acting as in the common
way.
but

page_text: switches, the base plate and pivots fixed upon the sleeper to which the
rails are fixed, but the crank may be vertical, placed in a box or in other
suitable manner at the side of the rails, or by means of the ordinary bell
cranks in any desirable position.
The switches are worked by the lever m hung upon the centre pin 7 of
the standard %, the link h being connected with the crank i hung also
upon the centre pin 1; on the inner central side of the bar m projections
or lugs are formed, which as shown by the dotted lines n in Figure 2,
pressing against the side of the crank i by means of the counterweight 1,
the crank i is kept in the place shown in the Drawing, and when the
switch bar a is moved the weight and lever occupy the positions shown
in ¹, the normal position of the switch being thus against the rail a¹, but
when the lever m and weight r are moved into the position 11, then the
normal position of the switch is in contact with the other rail B; by this
arrangement (which is in common use) to shift the switches, the lever m
has to be thrown to the other side, making an arch of about 180°; but in
order to expedite and facilitate the working of the switch by means of
the screw or bolt o, I bolt or fasten the lever m and the crank i together,
so that to alter the switch it is only necessary to move the lever m from
to r¹ about 45°, this will be of very great use in shunting operations in
order to prevent from accident or design the switches being moved by
other than the party appointed to work them. I apply locking bolts the
positions of which is shown by the small circles q, q', when the points
are facing points and the switches are to be immoveable; the bolt q¹ is
protruded so that the crank i cannot move unless the party entrusted
with the working of the switch draws the bolt back by means of the key
or handle especially supplied the purpose, but when they are back or off
switches the bolt q¹is drawn back and the bolt 9 pushed out; in this case
the engine and train may pass out of the siding, the switch resuming its
former position when the engine and train have passed, but the bar m is
prevented from moving beyond r³, being there stopped by the bolt q, so
that in this case neither by accident or design can the switch be
disarranged or altered, excepting by the person entrusted with the key
or handle for moving the fastening bolts. These bolts are formed
somewhat after the manner of back centres of a lathe; as they will be
required to move only about an inch they may be moved back or forward
in a second or two, or the bolts may be made like those of a door or
door lock, moved by a key; D is the base plate into which the pivot Ę is
fixed, upon which the crank F works.

page_text: It is very important that the apparatus should be fixed in the most
solid manner; with this view if possible the whole should be fixed on the
same sleeper to which the rails are fastened.
My second improvement is shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, in which
Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 a side view, and Figure 5 an end view and
cross section of the rails. a, a¹, are the rails of the main line; B, B¹, the
rails of the siding or cross line; the two switch rails of the cross line are
connected together by the bar or link h; the rails of the siding or cross
line are raised above the level of those of the main line about 2 inches,
so that the flanges of the wheels in crossing do not touch the main rails;
the ends of the switches or rails of the cross line or siding are formed as
inclined planes or wedges for the length of 4 or more feet, as shown in
Figure 4; when the rails or switches of the siding or cross line are in
the positions shown in Figures 3 and 5, the inclined or wedge-shaped
ends project over and upon the rails of the main line, and then the
engine and train would pass from the one line to the other, but when
the switches are drawn off the main line and occupy the position shown
by the dotted lines in Figure 3, then the main line is unbroken and so
far as the sidings, cross lines, and switches are concerned a perfectly
unbroken main line may be preserved throughout the line of railway.
The apparatus for working the switches or cross bars shown in Figures
3 and 5 is of the ordinary kind, but the arrangements described and
shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be applied in order to make the switch
self acting; one of the bars is made longer than the other, as shown by the
dotted lines in Figure 3, so that in running off the switch the flange of
the wheel pressing against the long rail moves both rails into the
required positions before the wheels run upon the short rail.
The same letters refer to like parts in each Figure. a is the main
rail; B, the siding or cross rail; C, the sleeper; D, the standard to
which the working apparatus is connected; E, the centre upon which
the lever works; h, the link or bar connecting the cross rails or switches;
i, the crank or bent lever; m, r, counterweight; 8, the handle; q, the
locking bolt.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice, what I claim. as my
Invention is,-

page_text: stantially as and in the manner described and shown in Figures 1 and 2
of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly. I claim the mode of locking switches by hand, substantially
as and in the manner herein-before described and shown in Figures 1 and
2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Thirdly. I claim as my Invention the mode of forming and arranging
switches so as to act substantially as and in the manner herein-before
described and shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Joseph Curtis, have here- ]
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
W.C.
W. J. CURTIS. (L.S.)