A New or Improved Method of and Means for Carrying and Connecting Strikers to Motor Vehicles for Mechanically Operating Electric Switches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, Doo,
12th
4000
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1900
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Means for Carrying and Connecting
Strikers to Motor Vehicles for Mechanically Operating Electric
Switches.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of 8, Breams Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the City
of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention refers to a new or improved method of and means for carrying
and connecting strikers to motor vehicles running on rails, by means of which
strikers, switches may be mechanically operated, for opening or closing electric
circuits, and the object of my invention is to so arrange the said strikers that
their position is maintained constant, relatively to the rails, and to the tappet
or other mechanism upon which the said strikers are to act.
According to my invention I provide that the striker, instead of being attached
directly to the motor vehicle, is attached to, or carried by, a small wheel, or
wheels, or by a "bogie" which runs upon, or is guided by, one or more of the
rails upon which the motor vehicle travels.
The bogie or wheels carrying the striker is or are attached to the motor vehicle
in such manner that the striker is not affected in its position upon the rails, by
the rise and fall of the motor vehicle, or by the passage of the same round a
curve.
The striker or the part carrying the striker, may be fitted with a spring or
springs to enable the said striker to yield somewhat to the blow or impact against
the switch mechanism.
T
1071
1
C Daban 1900
A New or Improved Method of and Means for Carrying and Connecting
Strikers to Motor Vehicles for Mechanically Operating Electric
Switches.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of 8, Breams Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the City
of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In electric traction, I have before proposed to provide motor-vehicles running
upon rails, with depending bars, which in this specification I term strikers, the
office of these strikers being to mechanically operate electric switches, for opening
and closing electric circuits as the vehicle passes along the line of rails. Such
strikers operate by tappet action upon mechanism by which the switches are
moved, and it is therefore desirable that the strikers should be maintained
always in one position relatively to the rails, and to the tappet or other mechanism
upon which the said strikers are to act. Moreover in some cases it is also desir-
able that the strikers should have a certain amount of yielding or resilient motion
in the direction in which they act upon the switch operating mechanism.
Now my invention refers to means as hereafter described and claimed whereby
the strikers are maintained in a constant relative position to the rails, and are
not affected by the rise and fall of the motor-vehicle, or by the passage of the
same round a curve, while the striker when required is so fitted as to yield
somewhat in the direction of its action to the blow or impact against the switch
mechanism.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
whereon Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing an
arrangement of my invention, where the striker is carried by a small wheel or
wheels or by a "bogie." Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation and Fig. 4 is a
side elevation showing the striker elastically controlled and fitted upon the axle
of the motor-wheels, and Figs. 5 and 6 show respectively in sectional front
elevation and inside elevation a striker fitted according to my invention but
without the means for elastic control.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings A is a frame-work, either forming
part of the motor-vehicle, or fixed, or connected thereto, in any suitable position
relatively to the said motor-vehicle. Above one of the track rails B there are two
parallel slotted guide plates A A¹ to carry bearing blocks or brasses C C cap-
able of vertical motion in the guide plates A¹ A' against the action of springs D D.
The bearing blocks C carry a shaft E capable of revolving therein, and carrying
a small wheel F which runs upon the track rail B. The shaft E is capable of
lateral motion to some extent in the bearings C, and the wheel F being keyed
upon the said shaft between the bearings, the lateral motion of the shaft Eis
thereby limited.
Loosely upon the shaft E, and adjacent to the wheel F, I mount the striker G,
the said striker G extending upwards, and the position of its upper end being
normally maintained by means of springs H H.
By this arrangement the vertical and lateral position of the striker relatively
to the track-rail is always maintained constant, because any rise and fall of the
car (by reason of the varying weights carried therein), is allowed for by the
motion of the frame A upon the bearing blocks C, and any change in the lateral
position of the striker relatively to the rails is obviated by automatic lateral
motion of the shaft E.
A is
As previously stated the striker may in some instances be carried upon the
axle of the motor car wheels and this is shewn at Figs. 3 and 4. J is one wheel
and J the axle of the car. Loosely upon this axle J' I mount the striker G as
shewn, its upper end being maintained in position by the springs H H.
the framework of the vehicle, and C is a bearing block upon which the frame A
may have a vertical motion and the position of the striker relatively to the rail
and to the switch operating mechanism is maintained, and the striker is
resiliently carried as with the construction previously described with reference
to Figs. 1 and 2.
It is obvious that the striker need not be in all cases elastically held, but may
he otherwise supported, thus as shewn at Figs. 5 and 6 the upper end of the

page_text: striker G may be controlled by a rigid guide formed by for example, a pin G
fixed in the frame A and entering a vertically extending slot G3 in the striker.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
:―
1. In operating electric switches by tappet action from a motor-vehicle running
on rails the combination of a striker carried by an axle, a wheel upon the axle
to run upon the track rail, a frame connected to the motor-vehicle to carry the
axle, and means for permitting the frame to have vertical motion relatively to
the axle, whereby the position of the striker is maintained constant relatively
to the track rail and to the switch operating mechanism, and means for main-
taining the acting end of the striker in a working position in the direction of its
action substantially as set forth.
2. In operating electric switches by tappet action from a motor-vehicle running
on rails a striker carried by an axle, a wheel upon the axle to run on the
track rail, a frame connected to the motor-vehicle to carry the axle, means for
permitting the frame to have vertical motion relatively to the axle, whereby the
position of the striker is maintained constant relatively to the track rail, and to
the switch operating mechanism, and means for elastically maintaining the acting
end of the striker in a working position in the direction of its action, substantially
as set forth.
3. In operating electric switches by tappet action from a motor-vehicle running
on rails; the combination of a striker mounted upon an axle, a wheel upon the
axle to run on the track rail, a frame connected to the motor-vehicle, vertical
guides on the frame, and sliding bearing blocks in the guides to carry the wheel
axle so that the frame may move vertically upon the bearing blocks which it
carries, and whereby the position of the striker is maintained constant relatively
to the rail and to the switch actuating mechanism, and means for maintaining
the acting end of the striker in a working position in the direction of its action,
substantially as set forth.
4. In operating electric switches by tappet action from a motor-vehicle running
on rails: the combination of an axle, a striker mounted upon the axle, a wheel
fixed upon the axle to run on the rail track, a frame connected to the motor-
vehicle, bearings in which the striker-carrying axle is free to revolve and to
have lateral motion in the direction of its axis, guides in the aforesaid frame
to carry the bearings and allow of the frame having vertical motion upon the
said bearings, and means for maintaining the acting end of the striker in a
working position in the direction of its action, substantially as set forth.
5. In operating electric switches by tappet action from a motor-vehicle running
on rails; the combination of an axle, a striker bar loosely mounted upon the
axle but prevented from lateral motion thereon, a wheel fixed upon the axle to
run on the track rail, a frame connected to the motor-vehicle, bearings in which
the striker-carrying axle is free to revolve and also to move laterally therein in
the direction of its axis, guides in the aforesaid frame to carry the bearings and
allow of the frame having vertical motion upon the said bearings, and means
to connect the freely carried striker to the frame-work of the vehicle to maintain
the acting end of the striker in a working position in the direction of its action,
substantially as set forth.
1000
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.