Improvements relating to Automatic Railroad Switches.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Automatic Railroad Switches.
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by
Nathaniel Belcher of New York, State of New York, United States of America,
Engineer, to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to automatic railroad switches and consists in certain improved
mechanism or gear more especially intended to replace the system of levers shown and
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 6298 of 1889 for operating the
switch therein shown.
In place of having central levers located between the rails in the manner shown in
the said Specification the following gear is placed on the single line end of the switch.
Two levers vibrating in vertical planes are hinged respectively at a short distance
outside of each rail, parallel thereto and so that either of them, when raised
be met
may
and pressed downward by the respective one of two small wheels on the engine which
the driver by suitable mechanism from the cab or platform may cause to be lowered
for that purpose. These levers are connected to vertical bell cranks the other arms of
which are respectively connected by rods to horizontal bell cranks carrying pins
engaging in or between lateral lugs on the movable bar connecting the switch rails
so that the said bar is moved to the one direction or the other by the depressing of
the respective lever and the engine passes onto the one or other line.
Similarly on the branching line end of the switch like gear is arranged and
connected but the vertically movable lovers are placed close to the rail to be depressed
by the rim of the leading wheel on the right or left of the engine respectively as the
latter arrives on the one or other line, so that if the switch is not already set for
communication with that line on which the engine is the lever will be in its raised
position so that by its depression the switch will be automatically shifted into the
necessary position for communication with the branch on which the engine is.
Dated this 13th day of Fahru 1840
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Automatic Railroad Switches..
I, REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street Strand W.C. London, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, a communication to me from abroad by Nathaniel Belcher of New York;
State of New York United States of America, Engineer, 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 automatic railroad switches and consists in certain
improved mechanism or gear more especially intended to replace the system of levers
shown and described in the Specification of Letters Fatent No. 6298 of 1889 for
operating the switch therein shown.
In place of having central levers located between the rails in the manner shown in
the said Specification the following gear is placed on the single line end of the switch.
Two levers vibrating in vertical planes are hinged respectively at a short distance
outside of each rail, parallel thereto and so that either of them when raised may be
met and pressed downward by the respective one of two small wheels on the engine
D

page_text: which the driver by suitable mechanism from the cab or platform may cause to be
lowered for that purpose. These levers are connected to vertical bell cranks the
other arms of which are respectively connected by rods to horizontal bell cranks
carrying pins engaging in or between lateral lugs on the movable bar connecting the
switch rails, so that the said bar is moved to the one direction or the other by the
depressing of the respective lever, and the engine passes onto the one or other line.
Similarly on the branching line end of the switch, like gear is arranged and
connected but the vertically movable levers are placed close to the rail to be
depressed by the rim of the leading wheel on the right or left of the engine.
respectively as the latter arrives on the one or other line so that if the switch is not
already set for communication with that line on which the engine is, the lever will
be in its raised position so that by its depression the switch will be automatically
shifted into the necessary position for communication with the branch on which the
engine is advancing.
In the annexed drawings the method of carrying this invention into practice is
fully shown
Fig. 1 is a plan.
Fig. 2 an elevation showing the pilot wheel of an engine passing over the shifting
lever m and so opening the switch.
Fig. 3 an elevation showing pilot truck of engine coming from facing the point
end of the switch with the small wheel o down and beginning to run on the shifting
lever n so as to move the switch accordingly.
Fig. 4 is a cross section showing signal stand shifting attachments and cam locks.
a a is the vertical bell crank, all all horizontal bell crank, bb bell crank standards,
11 shifting lever standards, c c surface plates, d d holding plates, dd holding
plates to points, e e cast fillers between rails, connecting rods, g automatic signal
stand, locking cams, i i signal on switch stands m. m shifting beam, trailing
end n n shifting beam point on, o small wheel on end of lever p, p lever connected
with the cab, so that a train coming from main line on to a side track can do so by
pressing down the lever on that side when the small wheel o will press on the shifting
lever n as the engine passes over it and so opens the switch. If the switch is already
open for the side track the engineer can open the main line by lifting the lever
already down and pressing down the corresponding lover for the main line and as the
engine passes over the lever the wheel o will open the switch accordingly.
The switch is operated from the trailing end by the pilot wheels on the engine
pressing down the lever m which is pivoted. at one end in the standards 6116". The
other end of the lever being connected by a pin with the vertical bell crank a which
pulls the connecting rod f and moves the horizontal bell crank all which moves the
switch.
,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination with the cam lock switch of levers n n parallel to and at a
distance from the rails at the entering end of the switch, vertical bell cranks a rods f
and horizontal bell cranks a adapted to operate the switch in connection with
movable wheels or equivalents o on the locomotive or vehicle as set forth.
2. The combination with the cam lock switch of levers m m parallel to and close to
the rails at the trailing.end of the switch, vertical bell cranks a rods fand horizontal
bell cranks a adapted to operate the switch in connection with the pilot wheels of
the locomotive or vehicle as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
HERBERT & CO.,
Agents to Applicant.