IMPROVEMENTS IN THE POINTS AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William McGregor at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st July
1865.
I, WILLIAM MCGREGOR, Civil Engineer, of Kidbrooke Villas, Blackheath,
in the County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE POINTS AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to produce a crossing for railways, such that
a continuous surface is presented for the wheels to run upon instead of their
having to jump across a gap or gaps as usual, whereby the crossings will be
rendered more durable, the passage of the carriages safer, and less damage
result to the wheel tyres than is the case with ordinary crossings. I produce
the crossing by making parts of the rails movable, which are moved by
the wheels in their passage over the line, and are, so to speak, self-acting. In
the points also I make parts of the ordinary line movable, and provide a
bearing of the full breadth and size of the rail for the traverse of the wheels
instead of the ordinary point or switch rails, which are of a wedge-like form,
and come to a sharp point and present a narrow surface for the support of the
wheel.
My Invention is illustrated in the Drawings annexed, from which the prin-
ciple of construction of my improvements in points and crossings, and their

page_text: application to railways will be readily understood. First, with reference to
the crossing, which is represented in plan, Fig. 1, a, a, a, a, is the main line
of way, and b, b, b, b, the line of rails crossing; in the main line of way two
sections or parts c, c', are made movable sideways, and jointed to the parts a, a,
at d, d, which joints allow the abutting ends of c, c', to move sideways, being
there supported by a chair e, in which they can so slide. Each of these movable
parts are furnished with a broad sole in which they rest; f is a movable part
of the crossing rail which is hinge-jointed to the fixed part b, like the other
Inovable parts; part f is united to c by a rod or bolt g, and keeps at a uniform
distance therefrom. The sole plate off is extended beyond the rail surface
at and passes below c. to point h, where it is connected by a vertical pin in
a slot hole; part c¹ is supported by a chair or bearing i, on which it is free to
slide laterally. The several parts are kept in the position shown in line by a
rod and weight as well understood in such apparatus, and remain so during
the working of the main line, whereas when a train or engine passes on from
the rails b, b, b, b, the leading wheels press the part c sideways until it assumes
the position shown dotted, when the end of part c' will abut against the end
off, and form a continuation of the line of rail b, b, which position it will
keep while the carriages are passing across. When the train has passed
the parts c, c', and f will immediately resume their original position, leaving
the main line intact; by these means, whether the carriages are travelling on the
main line or passing thereon from a siding, a continuous surface bearing of the
uniform breadth of the rails is presented at the crossing for the support of the
wheels. Fig. 2 represents a diagram showing a plan of my improved points.
1, 1, 1, 1, represent the fixed parts of the main line of rails, while m, p, q, are
movable parts or sections of the same; r, s, are fixed parts of the line, diverg-
ing from the main line, and with which the points are to be placed in com-
munication, while t is a movable part or section of the rail s. Parts m and p
are connected directly by a cross-tie u; parts m and t are in communication
with each other, and act together through the medium of lever v, disposed
below, lever having a fixed fulcrum at w, and connected to t and m by
joint pins; p and q are in like communication by means of a lever x, mounted
on a fulerum at y. The movable parts are retained in the position represented
in line by weight levers and rods as usual in railway points, and keeping the
main line always open. If it is desired to pass from the main line on to a
siding or crossing the points are held over and in the position shown dotted,
.forming a perfect continuation of the main line rails with those of the siding,
.and presenting a single and uniform breadth of rail for the support of the
wheels throughout, the same as main line. When an engine or train

page_text: enters from the siding the wheels of the engine or carriage bears sideways on
part t, and force it to the dotted position which is thus self-acting in forming
the connection. The parts m, p, q, and t are jointed at 2, 2, 2, 2, so as to
allow of the motion required in those parts, and at same time to firmly unite
them to the fixed rails.