IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND SWITCHES, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United
States of America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND SWITCHES, AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
Sealed the 27th November 1877, and dated the 22nd September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Stokes William at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd September 1877.
JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America,
now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
CROSSINGS AND SWITCHES, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH."
The present Invention relates to improvements in railway crossings and switches,
and in apparatus used in connection therewith, and is chiefly designed to be used
in connection with the crossings and switches described in the Specification of my
former Letters Patent, dated August 27, A.D. 1877, No. 3256, to increase the
security of the locking of the shifting or adjusting parts of the rails, and to give a
sure and reliable indication to the switchman or signalman of the adjustment of
such shifting parts, or of their failure or derangement.
It also provides novel means, whereby the movement of the shifting parts or rails
is prevented while a train is passing over the same, or the parts adjacent thereto.
It also affords other advantages, which will be apparent from the following
description; and although my present improvements are chiefly designed to be
used as additions or auxiliary to the crossings and switches, and other apparatus
described in my said former Specification, yet I wish it understood that they may
be advantageously used for the purposes specified in connection with other crossings
and switches, or adjusting parts of railways:-
It will be seen by reference to the said former Specification that the shifting
parts are not only adjusted, but are also locked or bolted firmly in position to either
main or side line.
By my present improvements I provide effective means for testing the adjust-

page_text: ment, and indicating the same to the operator or signal box, or on the line of road,
as desired, as follows, that is to say:-I connect directly to such shifting parts,
independently of the lever and connections which operate such shifting parts, as is
desired, to test the adjustment of or to lock a cord, chain, or rod, which may be
operated automatically to signal or indicate the adjustment or non-adjustment, or
the exact position of such shifting parts. This result may be obtained in various
ways, but a simple and effective method of so indicating the adjustment or non-
adjustment of the shifting parts may be obtained by a cord or rod attached to the
shifting parts, and provided with a weight or its equivalent, at the point where
information or indication may be desired, or elsewhere, to ensure the desired result,
so that the lever which adjusts, or both adjusts and locks the shifting parts, will in
one case produce the movement of the connection against such weight, and thus
cause the indication of the exact position of the shifting part. If the parts are
reversed the weight will cause the movement of the connections, and thus cause
the indication again of the exact position of such parts; this indication may be of
various kinds, and may be audible or visual, or both; but a lever or arm which is
operated by the movement of such cord or connection must indicate not only the
failure, but the exact adjustment.
This testing device may be attached to any form of switch or shifting part, so as
to inform the operator of the exact positions of such shifting parts.
It will be seen by the above description that if the lever which operates the
inoveable parts fails to give the desired adjustment, though it may have completed
the necessary movement, such failure is correctly and positively indicated; and if
the said testing device should become impaired by. breakage or otherwise, not
only the fact of such impairment, but the exact extent thereof, will be communi-
cated to the switchman, so that it not only tests the proper adjustment, but
indicates any imperfections in the test.
The testing, the adjustment, and the bolting of the shifting parts of the rails are
obtained by means of a single bolt, so adjusted as to measure the throw or distance
of the shifting parts; that is to say, if the switch, signal, or other movable part is
interlocked or bolted by such bolt, upon withdrawing the said bolt from the socket
or aperture with which it engages the said bolt cannot complete the distance
through which it will have to move, being prevented by a wall or surface until the
shifting parts, whose position it has to test, or which it has to bolt, shall present a
similar engaging wall or surface, which will indicate the positive adjustment of the
parts.
This result may be obtained in various ways:-In one instance it is effected by
shifting the position of the bolt in the direction of the adjustment of the shifting
parts to be tested or interlocked, that is, after such bolt (having been withdrawn
from the first locking surfaces, which indicate the complete adjustment of the
shifting parts in one position) such shifting parts are adjusted completely to another
position, the said bolt can then be shifted to meet the second locking surfaces. The
direction of movement of this bolt after being withdrawn from the locking walls
or surfaces may be in a direct line with the shifting parts, or otherwise; or this
bolt may be located between shifting or adjustable parts, which present obstructing
and bolting walls or surfaces, that is to say, after withdrawing the said bolt from
the engaging walls or surfaces which measure or test the adjustment of the shifting
parts in one direction, such bolt cannot engage with the other bolting walls or
surfaces, and complete the distance of its movement until the adjustment of the
shifting parts to their other position, and when the said bolt can be thrust in the
locking aperture the shifting parts must be properly located, as will be indicated by
the position of the lever which actuates the said bolt.
If desired the said testing and bolting device may be connected with the locking
cord or wire, which is kept from moving by a passing train, and it will thereby
prevent the withdrawing of the bolt, and consequently the adjustment of the
moveable parts, either of the rails or signal, or such other parts as may be so
interlocked.

page_text: One part of this Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of levers
in such a manner that the movement of one lever will prevent the movement of
another lever, and when such moving lever shall have completed its movement,
some other lever, which would have been prevented during the movement of the
first lever, may be moved, and in its movement will prevent another lever from
being moved; any number of levers may be thus controlled if properly connected.
This result is obtained by forcing a bar or piece across another bar or piece with
which it engages, and which it shifts and retains until the engaging faces or walls
are released.
In order to cause the shifting of a bar or piece by imparting movement to a
crossing and engaging bar or piece one of the said bars or pieces has an inclined or
angular surface, which acts upon the surface of the other bar or piece.
It will also be seen that while necessary to cause such faces to engage with each
other it is also necessary to provide releasing spaces, so that some other lever of the
series may be moved, and in turn lock other levers in the series; these releasing
spaces serve not only as means for adjusting the engaging surfaces to the desired
positions of the movement of a lever, but also prevent the movement of the lever
with which such releasing spaces are connected; or, properly speaking, the said
releasing spaces are releasing and locking devices in their turn.
The signalman or switchman first adjusts the said bar by pulling on a cord
on the opposite end of the lever to the weight, so that the engaging surfaces
thereof shall be in a position to engage with the bars connected to the said lever.
The said levers will, after engaging together, hold the locking bar, and by the move-
ment of the said lever will force one of the engaging faces to further engage with
the inclined or cam faces, and thereby shift the locking bar, and through such
shifting prevent action between similar engaging surfaces of the other levers of the
series.
It will be understood that in all cases the said bars or pieces must be guided by
walls or surfaces to ensure the desired movement and operation of such bars.
According to another part of my Invention I make use of projecting faces upon
bars, rods, cords, or wires, so that in the movement thereof they are necessarily
directed from a straight course, or cause other parts to be moved, and in such
movement will be acted on by some impediment offered by a passing train, and any
part connected to or interlocked by such connection will thereby be prevented from
being moved while the train is passing by by the use of a light rod, cord, or wire.
This device may be used to any reasonable limit, which has not heretofore been
feasible, and will not be of such weight as to prevent ready adjustment from the
lever. The said rod, wire, or cord, being connected or interlocked with either the
switch or the shifting piece at the crossing, or the signal or combination of any or
all of the same, the movement of any part so connected or interlocked or retained
will be impossible while a train is passing. The said cord, wire, or locking bar,
may be the signal cord or the operating connection between the shifting parts, and
may be operated in any preferred manner.
By connecting a locking bar, cord, or rod, with a lever independent of the lever
which adjusts the switch, this independent lever is connected with the locking bar,
and actuates a bolt which interlocks the switch or shifting parts, whose movement
have been tested by any desired means, and the withdrawing of the bolt necessitates
the movement of parts which the passing train will prevent, thereby rendering it
impossible to move such parts as are connected or interlocked by the lever which
actuates such locking cord or bar.
In a modification of the device for raising the cord or light rod I employ a small
arın, which during the movement of said cord or light rod will elevate the same.