IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Hartley, of Bradford, in the County
of Yorkshire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES AND
CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Hartley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1880.
CHARLES WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Bradford, in the County of Yorkshire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES & CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
At a crossing the line would not end with a fixed point & a gap, as at
present, but this apparatus would form a continuous & firm rail for trains passing
on either line.
I cut off the end of the V crossing some 2 feet, & in its place substitute a
rail working on a sufficiently powerful centre at the end of the shortened V,
terminating in a point at the opposite side of where the gap now exists with the
end of opposite rail symmetrically shaped as a bearing. The substituted rail
would be held over against the main rail by one of the many well known modes,
so as to leave a continuous rail for the line most used, say, East to W, & when
a train approached from the North the flange of the wheel would push the rail
over & leave a gap for the wheel to pass, & form a continuous rail from
North to S.
The bed plate could be slightly elevated to form a back support for rail in either
position. For shunting purposes it could be worked by a hand lever at the side,
automatically by a curved rail inside opposite rail; or the whole appliance could
be worked from the signal box. At the 1st V crossing on double lines the rail
would always at rest form a continuous track on main line, but for the branch it
would have to be moved by a lever at the side, or from the signal box, or by a
curved rail on opposite side, whilst for shunting purposes the flange of the wheel
would push the rail over & form a continuous line. If it were all worked from
signal box they could be connected with points near at hand, & if desired they could
be locked over against the main line rail by an automatic contrivance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles William Hartley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th May 1881.
CHARLES WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Bradford, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SWITCHES AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
My Invention has for its object the formation of a continuous rail at the
junction of railway or tramway lines, and consists in placing a movable switch at
the angles where the rails of the main and branch lines join, which switch when
set for the train to pass along the main line or to and from the branch will form
a continuous rail over the crossing from one line to the other.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view of a railway
crossing fitted with my improved switches at the junctions of the lines; Figure 2 is
a side view of my switch, the bed plate being shewn in section through line a, b;
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
The
My improved switch A is formed at the underside with a projecting circular
pap B, which is inserted in a socket in bed plate C, and secured therein by means
of set screw B', or if pap was made longer a cotter might be passed through the
pap and thereby retain the switch in socket. At the underside of A is another
lug D for the purpose of attaching the jointed ends of bars F hereafter described,
which are similar to what are now used for actuating the rails at crossings, and to
which connections are made with the signal box in the ordinary manner.
bed plate C may be made in various ways. In the Drawings Figure 3 represents
a plan of the crossing 1 in Figure 1 shewing the ends of main and branch lines A'
cast with and forming part of bed plate C. The ordinary rails or plates joining
to these short ends are held in position by chairs in the same manner as when
ordinary V crossings are used. I form a hole P through the plate C near the point
of switch A as a receptacle for snow or solid matter.
As the switches are shewn in Figure 1 both the main lines W to E and E to W
are clear, that is, the rails are continuous over the junctions with the branch lines.
Should it be necessary to reverse the switches in order that a train may run from,
say, N to W in the direction of arrow No. 1, the ordinary rods and levers F and F¹
are actuated, moving the switches to the opposite side against the other rails, thus
forming continuous lines of rails over the crossings from N to W between the lines
2 and 3, 4 and 5, and 6 and 7.
In case a train is passing from W. to N. in the direction of arrow No. 2, the
rods and levers in connection with switch 1 are actuated in the same manner as
before described, moving the switch against the opposite rail, forming a continuous
line between the rails G and H. The ends of rails G and 5 are actuated by the
same rods and at the same time as the respective switches, simultaneously locking
with them, and the weights on levers attached to rods F for keeping the ordinary
points on main line open will also keep the switches open, always allowing a clear
course on the main line over the switches when normally at rest.
My improved switch is also applicable for tramway junctions, and when used
for this purpose is formed in the same manner as the one described and illustrated
by Figures 2 and 3, excepting the lug D, is not required, the switch being actuated
from the top, as at present:
Figure 4 represents a plan of a modified form of switch rail as applied to branch
lines rising at an incline from the main line. In this case the main lines are
shewn open, the switches K slide over the main line rails, are connected to the
ordinary rods and levers, which when actuated from the signal box will move the
switches connecting the branch lines as desired, the ordinary weights on levers

page_text: connected with rods F keeping the ordinary points on main line and switches
open, allowing a clear course on the main line when normally at rest.
What I claim as my Invention is,―
A radial switch forming a continuous rail over the junction crossings of rail-
ways, such switch being actuated in combination with ordinary points worked
from the signal box, substantially as described.
A radial switch for tramways, constructed substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Hartley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineer & Patent Agent,
Tunbridge Chambers,
Bradford.
CHAB. W. HARTLEY. (L.S.,