Improvements in Working and Adjusting Railway Switches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Working and Adjusting Railway Switches.
LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS Darlington Works 237 Southwark Bridge Road
Engineer, London S.E. ARTHUR HENRY JOHNSON The Johnson Railroad Signal Co.
Engineer Rahway, New Jersey do hereby declare the naturo of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention has for its object the better adjusting and keeping adjusted of
switches of cross over roads and other points where more than one pair are actuated
by one lever, by equalizing the pressure given to each pair of switches against the
stock rails and consists of an appliance or appliances fixed in any convenient part of
the rod connections between the lever locking apparatus and the switches or attached
to the lever or to the switches as desired. This appliance we will can an "Equalizer"
and it preferably consists of a vertical sway beam or cross bar centred in a slot joint
in the run of rod from the lever near to the first pair of switches, to the lower end of
this sway beam we attach by means of a double eye joint and pin a short rod
connection to the bell crank actuating the nearest pair of switches to the upper end
of the said sway beam we attach by means of a double eye joint and pin a short rod
connection ending in another double eye joint which is attached by means of a lug
joint and pin to the rod that continues on to the far pair of switches the action being
that, when the lever in the locking apparatus is pulled over it gives motion to the rod
connection to which the sway beam is attached this in turn gives motion to the short
rod connection on the lower end of the sway beam and also to the rod connection on
the upper end of the sway beam so shifting over both pair of switches but if the tongue
of one pair strike its stock rail before the tongue of the other pair or pairs the action
of the sway beam is such as to still give motion to the other pair of switches until an
equal pressure is given by the tongues of both sets of switches against their
respective stock rails whereas at present the switches that first strike the stock rail
prevent the other pair from going home and taking a pressure against the stock
rail.
The aforesaid bell cranks or the sway beams where desirable we fit with an
eccentric form of adjustment either at the ends or at the centre. In some cases we
use a horizontal sway beam or cross bar instead of a vertical one or use a toggle joint
or use a double rack and pinion or other suitable motion instead of the sway beam
motion for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated thin 1-2
1 1000
LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS.
ARTHUR HENRY JOHNSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Working and Adjusting Railway Switches.
We LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS of Darlington Works 237 Southwark Bridge
Road in the County of Surrey Engineer and ARTHUR HENRY JOHNSON of The
Johnson railroad signal Company Engineer of Rahway in the State of New Jersey,
United States of America do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention for improvements in working and adjusting railway switches has for
its object the better adjusting and the keeping adjusted of the switches of cross over
D

page_text: roads and other points where more than one pair of switches are actuated by one lever
by equalizing the pressure given to each pair of switches against the stock rails and
preferably consists in applying a cross bar or sway beam in any convenient part of
the rod connections between the lever locking apparatus and the switches or attached
directly to the lever or to the switches as may be desired.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1 represents in perspective an
arrangement for actuating two pairs of points from one switch lever constructed
according to our invention. A vertical cross bar or sway beam 9, centred in a
joint 10 in the run of the rod 6 connected to the switch lever near to the first
pair of switches, has its lower arm connected by a rod 12 to a bell crank 13 actuating
the nearest pair of switches through the rod connection 7, the upper end of the said
sway beam being connected by the connecting rod 15 to the rod 8 actuating another
and farther pair of switches. The forward end of the rod 6 is fitted into the hollow
back end of the rod 8 which thus serves as a guide to maintain the rods 6 and 8 in
true alignment as will be clearly seen.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the lever in the locking apparatus is pulled over it imparts motion, through
the rod connection 6 sway beam 9 rod connections 12 and 15 and bell crank 13, to
the rods 7 and 8 actuating the near and farther pairs of switches respectively.
Should however the tongue of one pair of switches from any cause strike its stock
rail before the tongue of the other pair actuated from the same locking lever, the
action of the sway beam 9 will cause the motion of the other pair to continue
until the pressures of the respective switch tongues on their stock rails are
equal.
a
Fig. 2 represents an arrangement for actuating three switches simultaneously,
sway beam 9d being centred on the rod 7 and connected by the rods 7ª 75 to
separate pairs of switches, the other parts being similar to Fig. 1.
It will be obvious. that the before described arrangements are capable of con-
siderable modifications and extension to meet the requirements of special cases.
Fig. 3 shews a modification of our apparatus. in which a horizontal sway beam gb
is joined directly to one arm of a bell crank 13, the other arm being provided
with an eccentric bush 18 secured by a set screw for varying the effective length
of the rod 7. It will be obvious that this adjustment may be effected at either or both
ends of the bell crank or at its axis as may be preferred.
Fig. 4 represents another modification in which a vertical sway beam 9 is
connected by a toggle joint directly to one arm of the bell crank 13 as clearly
shewn.
Fig. 5 represents another modification in which a pinion 9e working between
two racks in suitable guides is substituted for the sway beam 9 in Fig. 1.
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 :-
1. The use of the vertical sway beam or cross bar herein figured 9, 9 substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
2. For the purpose specified the use of vertical or horizontal sway beams or cross
bars herein figured 9 9 attached direct to the cranks.
3. The combination of vertical and horizontal sway beams herein figured 9.9d for
the purpose of equalizing the pressure of more than two sets of switches worked by
one lever substantially as described.
4. The combination of two or more vertical sway beams for the above purpose.
5. The combination of two or more horizontal sway beams for the above purpose.
6. The use of the rack and pinion herein figured 9 or any mere modification thereof
for the purpose specified.

page_text: 7. The employment of an eccentric bush inserted in a lever for varying the effective
length of the rod connections substantially as described.
8. The arrangement and construction of apparatus as shewn in Figs. 1 to 5
inclusive for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of December 1889.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents