Improvements in Automatic Switches for Overhead or other Rails. used for the Transmission of Suspended Goods.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Switches for Overhead or other Rails.
used for the Transmission of Suspended Goods.
We, ANDREW KESSON, Engineer, DUNCAN CAMPBELL, Engineer, and WILLIAM
MAXWELL, Foreman, all of Carntyne Foundry, Parkhead, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that
is to say:
This invention has for its object to provide improved switch mechanism which is
automatic, for the transference from one rail to another at a right angle or other
angle, of a pulley or flanged wheel fitted with a depending hook for the suspension
of goods which have to be moved along under the rails. The improved apparatus
may be used for various purposes; an important application of it, however, is in the
case of dead meat stores for the transmission of carcases from and to different parts
of the store.
When a
In carrying out the invention the switch piece is made in the form of a lever
with a curved rail part and a counterbalanced arm which latter keeps the curved
part tilted up, so that a suspensory pulley can pass along the rail which is at right
angles or other angle to the rail that has the switch jointed to it.
suspensory pulley approaches the switch it simply turns it down into connection
with the other rail; whilst at the same time a movable part of the latter is shifted
out of the way by the action of a lever having one end connected to such movable
part, and the other end connected to the switch. In order to allow of a pulley
being moved on to the switch and rail to which the switch is jointed from the other
rail, the switch is connected by a rope passing over guide pulleys to a weighted
If the movable part
hand lever by moving which the switch can be turned down.
is raised when a pulley is moving towards it along the rail to which it is jointed it
turns it down and passes over it.
Dated this Third day of November 1892.
TLITATE
EDMUND HUNT,
Per pro David Ferguson,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Switches for Overhead or other Rails
used for the Transmission of Suspended Goods.
We, ANDREW KESSON, Engineer, DUNCAN CAMPBELL, Engineer, and WILLIAM
MAXWELL, Foreman, all of Carntyne Foundry, Parkhead, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object to provide improved switch mechanism which is
automatic, for the transference from one rail to another at a right angle or other
angle, of a pulley or flanged wheel, fitted with a depending hook for the suspension
of goods which have to be moved along under the rails. The improved apparatus
may be used for various purposes; an important application of it, however, is in the
case of dead-meat stores for the transmission of carcases from and to different parts
of the store.

page_text: Our improved apparatus is represented on an accompanying sheet of explanatory
drawings,
Figures, 1, and, 2, being respectively sectional elevations as at right angles to
each other, and Figure, 3, a horizontal section.
In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out the invention the switch piece, A, is made in the form of a lever
with a curved rail part and rocks on a pin, B, fixed in the side of the rail, C. The
switch piece, A, is formed with an arm, D, to the end of which is jointed a rod, E,
having on it a counterbalance weight, F, (if required) and being connected to a
lever, G, above it. The weight of the parts is arranged so that the curved switch
piece, A, is kept tilted up to allow a suspensory pulley such as the one, H, shown
on the rail, C, to pass along a rail, J, which is at right angles to the rail, C, that
has the switch, A, jointed to it. When the suspensory pulley, H, on being moved
along the rail, C, approaches the switch, A, it simply turns it down into connection
with the other rail, J, whilst at the same time a movable part, K, jointed to the
latter rail, J, is turned up out of the way by the action of the lever, G, which
rocks on a pin, L, in the upper part of an upwardly extending arm, M, fixed to the
rail, J, and which has one end connected by the rod, E, to the switch, A, as herein-
before mentioned, and another end by a rod, N, to an arm formed on the movable
part, K, which can thereby be raised or depressed by the switch. The rail, C, has
a part cut away so that when the switch, A, is turned down to rest on it the upper
edge of the switch, A, is flush with the upper part of the rail. The rail, J, is
similarly formed to receive the movable part, K, and it is also made with a
V-check, P, into which the point of the part, K, or switch, A, can enter when
either is turned down. In order to allow of the pulley, H, or other similar pulley
being moved on to the switch, A, and rail, C, to which the switch is jointed, from
the other rail, J, the end of the lever, G, which is connected to the switch is
connected by a rope, Q, passing over guide pulleys, R, to a weight, S, (or it might
be a weighted hand lever) which on being freed from a pin, T, by which it is held
causes the lever, G, and rod, E, to turn the switch, A, down so as to rest on the
rail, J.
If the moveable part, K, is raised when a pulley is moving towards it
along the rail, J, to which it is jointed it turns it down and passes over it.
pulley, H, is formed with a leg, V, at one side only to support the depending
hook, W, and the rails, C, and, J, and their accessory parts are all shaped so as to
allow the pulley to pass freely along the rails.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, constituting the
improved automatic switch mechanism for overhead or other rails used for the
transmission of suspended goods, substantially as hereinbefore described, and as
shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirty-first day of July 1893
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.