IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SWITCHES AND PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SWITCHES AND PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
A communication from abroad by Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New
Jersey United States of America.
Sealed the 1st September 1876, and dated the 6th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SWITCHES AND
PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication.
This Invention relates to apparatus for causing the carriages or vehicles on a
railway to cross the rails by the automatic action of their wheels, or by the action
of their weight upon movable rails of the track.
Movable guard rails or clevated rails are arranged in connection with mechanical
devices for forcing the rails to be travelled over in the line of the rails on which the
carriages or waggons are moving, and for holding them in proper position by
devices of similar construction, and for holding the switch rails in such a position as
to keep the main lines intact, except when positively held differently by a superior
power, and for protecting the main line so as to prevent the carriages running off
the track at any point of the switch or crossing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th September 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SWITCHES AND
PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A. communication from abroad by Joseph Stokes
Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America.
0

page_text: This Invention relates to, apparatus for causing the carriages or vehicles on a
railway to cross the rails by the automatic action of their wheels, or by the action
of their weight upon moveable rails of the track.
Moveable guard rails or elevated rails are arranged in connection with mechanical
devices for forcing the rails to be travelled over into line with the rails on which
the carriages or waggons are moving, and I provide suitable devices for holding the
said rails in the proper position, and for holding the switch rails in such a position
as to keep the main lines intact, except when positively held in a different position
by a superior power, and for protecting the main line and preventing the carriages
running off the line at any point of the switch or crossing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of part of a railway, showing my Invention applied to the
sane.
The remaining Figures illustrate details and modifications of the said Invention,
and are herein-after described.
In Figure 1, A, A, represent the rails of the main track; B, B, the rails of the side
track; C represents the rail crossing. At the switch rail or rail crossing C, the rail
of the side track is forced into line with the main line rail A, causing the carriages
to enter the siding or side line, and then to move all the switch rails into line with
the rails to be travelled over automatically by the weight of the vehicles upon
inclined planes, wedges, screws, cranks, wheels, and axis, levers, pulleys, or other
mechanical devices, through the medium of clevated rails.in such positions as to
operate all the rail switches, and make the rail crossings automatic, both in going
upon the siding and in coming from the same, and to keep or make the main line
intact.
Some of the devices for the above purpose are shown in Figures 1 and 2. By
opening the switch rail at C the rail A of the main line, with the guard rail D, will
move the switch rail, so that it automatically comes in line with the rail B of the
siding at x. In passing over towards the rail crossing E the carriage presses on the
elevated rail F forcing the switch rail to meet the rail of the siding at y, so as to
give a continuous rail bearing, also elevating the rail F¹ which acts as a protection
on the main line when the vehicles run in an opposite direction over the crossing.
In coming off the siding by the elevated rail at G, the switch rail at crossing E is
made to meet the line upon which the vehicles are passing, and again make a
continuous rail bearing; or the same result will be effected by connection with the
elevated rails H, H, either in going on or coming off the siding, and by connection
with the rail J the main line is kept intact by the vehicles travelling over the
main rails, provided the switch rail or rail crossing does not resume its position so
as to make the main line otherwise whole. The switch rail at a is again operated
by the vehicles passing on the rails K or K', or both, causing the said rail to meet
the rail B, and then drawing or forcing rail B at C to meet the main rail A; by
connection with L or L', or both, the main line is protected, transferring the vehicles
to the main line, effecting all rail crossings automatically, and leaving the main linc
intact.
It will be seen that in effecting the rail crossings at the points of switching off,
the main line rails at C and the main line rails A, A, have solid and inflexible
bearings at N, N1, to prevent the moving of the main line rail outside of main line.
In Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the switch rails have solid and inflexible bearings, as
at P, Figure 2, for supporting the main line. The same result is obtained
in the arrangement shewn in Figure 6. Rail crossings are effected similarly by
mechanical devices in connection with the rails of the line on the inside of the line
upon which the vehicles are passing; if upon side line to effect the switching and
rail crossing; if connected on main line to protect and keep main line intact at all
switch rails or rail crossings.
In Figure 3 moveable guards are shown to effect the same result in operating
switch rails and protecting main line.

page_text: In the arrangements shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 7, the same result is obtained by
moveable rails alone, or by moveable rails in combination with stationary guards.
In Figure 8 the switch rail or rail crossing is effected at both ends automatically
by springs or other mechanical devices.
Figure 9, 10, and 11, represent means for effecting rail crossings, unlocking and
securely locking the same automatically.
In Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, and 8, the crossing at x is effected by a taper rail
forced closely to the main line rail on the same side of line, which furnishes an
immovable main line rail instead of the moveable one to effect the crossing, and
crossings as at C are effected by stationary guards at the back of the taper rail, as
in Figure 8, or with mechanical devices as at x to force the side rail B to
meet the main line rail A, as at C. It will be seen that the rail crossings
in Figure 8, at A2 and A³ are effected by switch rails operating and effecting a rail
crossing at both ends, while in other arrangements it is effected at one end or the
other, in one case giving a solid bearing for main line, if at the other end, as at y,
in Figure 1, the switch rail must extend outside of the main line. At y¹ in
Figure 7, both main rails are moved at or with switch rails or rail crossing.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, the construction and arrangement of the switch and parts connected
with the same for causing the carriages or vehicles to cross the rail by the
automatic action of their wheels, or by their weight exerted upon moveable rails,
which parts comprise the moveable or stationary guards or elevations in connection
with mechanical devices for forcing the rails to be travelled over in line with the
rails whereon the vehicles are moving or are to move, and for holding thein in proper
position, and for holding or forcing the switch rails into such a position as to keep
the main line intact, except when positively held in a different position, and for so
protecting the main line as to prevent the vehicles running off the line at any
point of the switch or crossing, and making a continuous rail at any or all the
switch rails or rail crossings, either on the main line or side line, as shewn in
Figure 1, or in either of the modidifications thereof shewn in the other Figures of
the Drawings, and as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand oight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
ROWLAND GEO. BROWN,
London.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)