Improvements in Railway Switches or Points.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
Improvements in Railway Switches or Points.
I, JOHN MOWERY DEAL of James Street, Fernwood, Delaware County, State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Electrician, 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of railway switches termed automatic safety
switches, in which are provisions whereby the switch is automatically operated by
approaching trains; my object being to provide a simple and efficient construction
of mechanism whereby the operation of the switch shall be effected under all
conditions, as will hereinafter appear.
In the drawings-
Figure 1 is a two-part plan of my improved switch mechanism.
Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections on the lines a-a and b-b of Fig. 1,
respectively.
Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sections on the lines c-c and d-d, respectively.
The numeral 1 denotes the main trackway; 2 the siding or branch trackway, and
3 the switch, the several parts being supported and relatively arranged in the usual
manner.
The switch rails are connected, near their points, by means of a bar 4, which is,
in turn, connected eccentrically with a centrally disposed head 5. This head is
constructed in two parts, which are concentrically mounted on a vertical stud 6
fixed to and between an open frame 7, the latter being firmly supported upon a
suitably-located cross-tie 8. The connection of the head with the bar is such that
if the former be partially turned, to the right or left, the bar, and perforce, the
switch rails will be moved toward or from the adjacent rails respectively, for the
purpose of opening or closing the switch, as desired.
Fixed to the bases of the rails of the main track, a suitable distance in advance
of the switch points, are boxes 9 in which is mounted a transverse rock-shaft 10
provided with a depending crank-arm 11. This arm is connected eccentrically with
the head by means of a rod 12, whereby when the shaft is properly turned, the
switch, if open, will be closed to preserve the continuity of the main track. On the
shaft 10, adjacent to the inner sides of the respective rails, are forwardly extending
arms 13 upon which rest the free ends of levers 14 pivotally connected at their
The parts are so
opposite ends with the webs of the rails respectively, as at x.
constructed and relatively arranged that when the switch is open the arms extend
upwardly and maintain the ends of the levers at a level with the treads of the
adjacent rails, or nearly so. Hence the flanges of the wheels of a train approaching
the switch will bear upon and depress said levers, and, in consequence, through the
intermediate connections, they will positively close said switch.
The head 5 is similarly connected with corresponding controlling devices A, B,
located in the siding, and in the main track beyond the switch, respectively,
whereby if a train be approaching the switch, from the rear, and the switch be
open, the flanges of the wheels will bear upon the levers of the devices B and effect
the closing of the switch. The several connections are such that the levers occupy
the raised or active positions to meet the respective requirements mentioned.
By the described construction it will be seen that a train approaching the points
of the switch will close the latter. Now, in order that the switch may be opened
by the next approaching train, if desired, I provide the following mechanism, viz.:
Located in the main trackway intermediate the rock-shaft 10 and the points of the

page_text: switch, is a similar shaft 10%, the distance between said shafts being somewhat
greater than the length of the longest train. The shaft 10 is provided with
arms 13 similarly to the first described shaft, upon which arms levers 14 corre-
spondingly rest. Depending from the shaft is an arm 11" which is provided with a
laterally extended lower end, as seen. Normally the levers 14ª are depressed and
the arm 11 depends forwardly. Located directly below the rock-shaft, so as to
embrace the lower end of the arm 13ª is a U-shaped box 15, upon the bottom of
which rests the expanded end of a rod 12ª. the other end of which is eccentrically
connected with the head 5. The expanded portion of this rod is provided with a
transverse groove 16, which lies immediately beneath the lower end of the arm 13°
when the switch is closed, to the end that this portion of the rod may be raised to
engage its groove with the arm, as hereinafter described. Fitted to the box is the
inner or free end of a bar 17, the other end of which extends laterally beyond the
trackway and is connected with one limb of a three-armed lever 18 which is
mounted in a suitable base 19. The inner end of the bar is provided with a
bevelled step or cam portion 20, which is normally out of engagement with the
rod 12. When, however, the cam bar, as it may be termed, is forced inward, by
properly moving the lever 18, the step takes against the opposed edge of the rod
and raises the grooved portion of the latter into engagement with the arm.
same time it moves the arm slightly upward and, perforce, elevates the lateral
levers to the levels of the treads of the rails, or practically so. Hence the wheel
flanges of an approaching train will depress these. levers, and, through the
intermediate connections, open the switch.
At the
One arm of the lever 18 is connected by means of a rod 21 with a crank arm 22
on a standard 23 located adjacent to the track. This standard is mounted in a
bearing 24 so as to be partially rotatable, and it is provided with an inwardly-
extending operating arm 25. As the train approaches the standard, the engineer
projects a tappet arm, or other appropriate device, which, striking the arm 25 of
the standard, turns the latter sufficiently to insure the requisite projection of the
cam 'bar.
When the switch is opened as just described, the switch-controlling levers in the
side-track are caused to assume their down or idle position, in order to permit the
passage of the train over the same, and the switch-controlling levers in the main
track are caused to assume their raised or operative position.
That the intermediate or supplemental switch-controlling mechanism shall be
released by the operation of an approaching train (running in either direction) on
the main line, I arrange, near to the track, a bell-crank lever 26 and connect one
arm thereof with the remaining arm of the lever 18 by means of a rod 27, and
connect the other arm of the lever 26 with the head 5 by means of a rod 28.
Hence when either set of switch-controlling levers on the main track is depressed,
the said connection effects the retraction of the cam-bar, and releases the rod 12"
from the engaged crank-arm 13ª of the supplemental controlling devices. Rod 26
is joined with the bell-crank lever by a pin and slot connection to permit the
requisite play or lost motion during the operation of the parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination with the main trackway, the siding and the switch, of a main
switch-controlling mechanism arranged in the main trackway beyond the switch,
connected with the latter and constructed to be actuated by the passing train to close
the switch, a supplemental normally-inactive switch-controlling mechanism arranged
in the main trackway intermediate the switch and the main controlling mechanism,
operating devices for said supplemental mechanism located intermediate the latter
and the main controlling mechanism, and connections between said operating
devices and the supplemental mechanism, said operating devices being constructed
to be operated by the train under the circumstances stated to connect the

page_text: supplemental mechanism operatively with the switch, and said latter mechanism
being constructed to be actuated thereupon by the passing train to open the switch,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with the main trackway, the siding and the switch, of a set
of switch-controlling mechanism arranged in the main trackway forward of the
switch, a set arranged therein rearwardly of the switch, and a set arranged in the
siding (or branch track) a rotatable head eccentrically connected with the switch
and eccentrically connected with each set of switch-controlling mechanism, said
mechanism being constructed to be actuated by the passing train at predetermined
intervals, a supplemental normally-inactive switch-controlling mechanism arranged
in the main trackway intermediate the forward controlling mechanism and the
switch, operating devices for said supplemental mechanism located intermediate
the latter and the forward controlling mechanism, connections between said
operating devices and the supplemental mechanism, said operating devices being
constructed to be actuated by the train under the circumstances recited to connect
the supplemental mechanism operatively with the switch, the said latter mechanism
being constructed to be actuated thereupon by the passing train to open the switch,
together with lever and link connections between the said head and the said
operating devices constructed to release the operative connection of the
supplemental mechanism with the switch under the circumstances stated,
substantially as described.
3. The combination with the main trackway, the siding and the switch, of a
mechanism connected with the switch and adapted to be actuated to open or close
the latter, and intermediate or supplemental switch-controlling mechanism
comprising a rock-shaft, arms thereon, levers adapted to actuate said arms, a
depending crank-arm on said rock-shaft, a head eccentrically connected with the
switch, and a rod connected with said head and extended to the said crank arm, and
means for engaging said rod with the latter and disengaging it therefrom, at
predetermined intervals, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the trackway and the switch rails, of a supplemental
switch-controlling mechanism, comprising a rock-shaft, arms thereon, levers adapted
to actuate said arms, a depending crank arm on said shaft, a head eccentrically
connected with the switch rails, a rod connected with said head and extended to
and below the crank arm, a reciprocative cam-bar adapted to act upon said rod to
engage it with the crank-arm, a lever with which said cam-bar is connected, and
means for operating said lever at predetermined intervals, substantially as
described.
Dated this 25th day of March 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.