Improvements in the Points or Crossings of Tramways.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1887.
Complete Left, 9th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th Aug., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Points or Crossings of Tramways.
I ALFRED DICKINSON of Tramway Depot Darlaston in the County of Stafford
Tramway Manager do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the points or crossings of
tramways which are so designed as to avoid any undue lifting of the vehicle as it
passes thus minimizing the shake or jar caused thereby.
I form the crossing where the tracks meet of a hollow inverted U section with a
long slot through the top and the wings flanged at the bottom to receive a plate which
is bolted to the said flanges. Inside this box I fit the loose point or junction piece
which is of substantial width at the top and opening out into a smaller inverted
U shape lower down the bottom edges fitting between two guide pieces on the bottom
plate and a solid tongue or crossing part at the top sliding in the substantial slot in
top of the crossing.
This solid top projection or tongue carries in a suitable groove a rubber or other
flexible ring for the purpose of keeping the joint around the top part quite tight.
Upon the bottom plate and fitting inside each end of this loose joint or junction piece
is a coiled or other spring which permits the loose piece to sink as the Car, Engine, or
other Tramway Vehicle passes along in the direction requiring it and the top is
formed with the natural groove a little way along the groove then rising sufficiently
to form the necessary obstacle against vehicles entering in the other direction.
thus able to obtain a substantial steady loose point to act vertically without fear of
injury from the water. If however any water does get inside it would pass away
outside the two flanges of the bottom plate before mentioned.
Dated this 4th dove of January 1887
I am
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Points or Crossings of Tramways.
I ALFRED DICKINSON of Tramway Depot Darlaston in the County of Stafford
Tramway Manager do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 has for its object improvements in the points or crossings of
tramways which are so designed as to avoid, any undue lifting of the vehicle as it
passes thus minimizing the shake or jar caused thereby.
I form the crossing where the tracts meet of a hollow inverted U section with a
long slot through the top and the wings flanged at the bottom to receive a plate which
is bolted to the said flanges. Inside this box I fit the loose point or junction piece
which is of substantial width at the top and opening out into a smaller inverted
U shape lower down the bottom edges fitting between two guide pieces on the bottom
plate and a solid tongue or crossing part at the top sliding in the substantial slot in
top of the crossing.
This solid top projection or tongue carries in a suitable groove a rubber or other
flexible ring for the purpose of keeping the joint around the top part quite tight.
Upon the bottom plate and fitting inside each end of this loose point or junction piece
is a coiled or other spring which permits the loose piece to sink as the car engine or
other tramway vehicle passes along in the direction requiring it and the top is formed
with the natural groove a little way along the groove then rising sufficiently to form
the necessary obstacle against vehicles entering in the other direction. I am thus
able to obtain a substantial steady loose point to act vertically without fear of injury
from the water. If however any water does get inside it would pass away outside the
two flanges of the bottom plate before mentioned.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and carried into practice
without difficulty I have appended hereunto two large sheets of drawings upon which
the crossing and its mode of action is sufficiently illustrated to enable any practical
man to further apply the principle.
Figure 1 is a plan of the crossing just as it appears when laid before the stones or
road is made.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on dotted line A B as shown at Figure 3 with the
point piece K in its normal position.
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line C. D looking to the left hand with the loose
point K in its normal position.
Figure 4 is simply a cross section on the line E. F with the point piece as in
Figures 2 and 3.
Figure 5 is a cross section on the line G. H. looking to the right hand with the
point piece as in the previous Figures.
Figure 6. Sheet 2 is a longitudinal section similar to Figure 2 showing the moving
point piece K as it appears when a wheel W is upon it.

page_text: Figure 7 Sheet 2 is a cross section similar to E F but with the loose point piece K
depressed by the flange w¹ of the wheel W as it passes over in the direction of the
arrow S.
Figure 8 is an inverted plan of the crossing showing the recess in which K fits
from the bottom.
The body of the crossing M is constructed with two ribs m³, m² so as to make it
U shaped especially at the part where the loose tongue piece K fits and it is swelled
out at this part when necessary as shown to make room for the point K to be formed
in a thoroughly substantial manner and to receive strong springs N without being
cramped in any way and so as to work very steadily without vibration. It will be
noticed that the crossing M has a complete hole cut through the top face as shown
by O at the supplimental broken off Figure 9 so that the top part of the tongue K
may enter from the under side and in which it fits fairly accurately. In order
however to seal it against wet or to make it work without jar I introduce the soft
rubber or other spring which does this very effectively and easily but the point will
act very well indeed without it. The point piece K is practically a box with four
sides k² and which are guided in their sliding action by the two webs m
and m² of the crossing and at the ends by four shoulder pieces m³ mª m² and m³
naturally formed by the enlargements m¹ and m² see the inverted plan Figure 8.
When the point K has been introduced from the under side the cover plate R is
screwed down upon the opening by bolts or screws which keeps the point K from
coming out and it is bound against the substantial shoulders m' and m10 by the
springs N. There are two projoctions, upon the plate R over which the
springs N fall so as to keep them steadily in place while working.
and 7
The action is as follows: When the wheel W is running over the point in the
direction of the arrow S the wheel W would naturally mount upon its flange w' and
rise falling into the groove beyond but by this simple arrangement the rising is
avoided as the point piece K is pressed downwards as shown by Figures.
thus allowing the wheel to run with most of its weight upon the tread w³ instead of
upon the flange w¹. It will thus be seen that I obtain entire freedom from the
objectionable drop of the vehicle and the greatest security in preventing the car taking
the wrong road with a point kept free from grit and protected against all kinds of
weather.
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:
-
First The improvements in the points or crossings of tramways in which a
point K works or sinks bodily in a casing formed in the crossing M substantially
as herein set forth.
Second-In the points of crossings the construction of the point in the shape of an
inverted box entered from underneath the crossing in which the springs work upon
the cover plate R bringing the point K against the dead stop or substantial shoulder
formed by M.
Third In the points of crossings the mode of constructing with the seating,
packing substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
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1007
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham
Agent for Applicant.