Improvements in and relating to Working Switch Points of Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Working Switch Points of
Railways.
I HENRY WILLIAMS of Gowanbrae Crosshill Glasgow Renfrewshire Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
My invention has reference to and comprises new and improved constructions or
arrangements and combinations of parts of mechanism acting in consort for the
fore easy graceful frictionless and almost noiseless actuating, setting, and adjusting
of switch points of railways. Thereby avoiding bumping and spasmodic move-
ments and giving greater safety to the working traffic by the more perfect and
frictionless working mechanisms than has beretofore been in use for any such
purposes.
According to one arrangement of my improvements applicable to the working of
the switch points I construct a box or case preferably of cast iron of suitable
shape in plan it would preferably be of rectangular form and have sides carried
down nearly vertical so as to form a space or pocket, the centre of which will be
vertical to the plan or to the top of such box or casing.
And in this pocket chamber near its bottom I will or may fulcrum or centre on
a pin a vertical hand working lever, or I will or may form the lower end of this
vertical lever of a claw, hooked, or bulbed shape, so as to fulcrum against its centre
pin or form convex projections on or in the sides or ends of this pocket, but so as
to allow of the vertical working lever being very easily and readily slided into its
position a horizontal travelling or reciprocating plate is fitted to slide by its longi-
tudinal side edges preferably in the upper sides of the box frame and is operated
by the aforementioned hand lever. This lever passes through a slot in the sliding
plate, and travels it to and fro according as the lever is operated by hand to the
one side or the other.
A horizontal transverse moving frame or housing is fitted preferably near the
centre of the box casing and has a vertical stud or pin formed on its upper surface,
preferably with an antifriction pulley mounted round it, and which passes through
an angled or other slot formed in the upper longitudinal moving plate.
When the hand lever operates this longitudinal moving plate, the travel of this
plate will through the medium of the slot and stud move the transverse moving
frame or housing at right angles to its motion. A transverse operating rod is
fitted to pass through the transverse housing frame and has mounted round it a
helical or spiral spring which is kept in its intended position by washers or
collars and cottars or keys at each end of spring the cottars being made to slide
in suitable receiving grooves formed in the sides of the moving housing. One of
the ends of this spring rod is formed so as to receive and be jointed to the ordinary
rod connections from the switches.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:
When the shunter desires to shift the switches from the one stock rail to the
other he operates the hand lever which lies parallel with the switches and this
travels the longitudinal sliding plate, which in turn travels the transverse moving
housing frame and this through its spring rod will directly operate the switches.
If the locomotive or train be shunted trailing ways through the points in the
contrary direction to that in which the switches are for the time being placed, the
spring within the housing will be put into compression either by the pull or push
of the transverse rod by the intervention of the washers and cotters, and instantly
after the passing of the flanges of the last wheels, the recoil of the spring will
instantaneously and automatically adjust the switches to the normal position in

page_text: which they were placed prior to the passage of the train through them, and by this
means cushioning will be effected and all spasmodic or bumping movement of the
switches and switch operating lever will be avoided.
By an alternative arrangement a bell crank be arranged to operate horizontally
and turning on or round a strong vertical centre pin or stud preferably of about
2 inches diameter. Round this centre pin or stud of the bell crank I will arrange
a suitable helical, spiral or equivalent spring preferably about inch in its metal
section, with about twelve coils in its construction to act in torsion or otherwisc
like a mouse-trap spring. The one end of this spring I will arrange to force
against the one arm or half of the bell crank and the other end of the spring
against or through the upper part of the casing or body of the box which shall be
so formed in its upper part as to receive this bell crank and centre pin and its
spring encasing them as much as is required to protect from all tampering of
mischievous persons and from the action of frost, snow, or dirt.
Instead of passing the centre pin or stud through the bell crank to work upon it
I will or may so form the bell crank with its centre pin or stud all in one piece and
arrange the part of the case or box to easily receive it into a slot in such form and
manner that will give and allow of the desired action of the bell crank in its
workings.
When being operated by the vertical hand lever or by the force of the flanges of
the wheels of a passing train or vehicle when forcing open the switch points of the
railway against the torsion or other operating force of the spring I will or may
employ a stud to act on this bell crank which will be connected to the switches in
the ordinary manner.
The working or operating of the switch points will be as follows, to shunt a train
or vehicle from one way or line to another facing ways of the points the shunter or
points-man will pull over the vertical hand lever which will operate the horizontal bell
crank and so through its centre pin or stud and rod connections transmit its working
to the switch points, and immediately on the leaving go or relaxing the pull of the
lever, the force of the spring on the fulcrum of the bell crank so put in operation
by the working of the lever will instantly and gracefully without noise, thud, or
bump move the switch points to their normal or standing position.
Also when the switch points are run through trailingways by any train or vehicle,
that is to say the switch points being closed to the way or road the train or vehicle
is running on and the switch points being moved or forced open trailing ways by
the flange or tread of its wheels, that such movement of the switch points in
consequence of being connected up to my improved switch point working or
operating apparatus or mechanism, will work against the wheel or flange and force
a constant direct automatic pressure that will give graceful and almost noiseless
action of the switch points themselves to their normal or standing position and
dispense with all that jerking or bumping and clatter or noise that is now
experienced by the use of the weight controlled switch point levers generally
in use.
A further feature of special safety to shunters or workmen working or performing
their duties or passing on the railway near to my improved switch lever point
apparatus at work is that on the train or vehicle so operating the switches trailing
ways, such movements of the switch points do not transmit any action or movement
whatever to the hand operating lever, and thereby stops the existence of a very
fruitful source of danger to such men by the swinging backwards and forwards
or to and fro of the hand operating switch point lever now very much in use.
By another alternative arrangement. I use a reciprocating rod with a horizontally
arranged helical spring coiled round it, and I connect near the one end of said
rod a bell crank through which the switch points are operated, and arrange the
vertical hand operating lever as previously described, to work within an elongated
slot in the reciprocating rod.
By a modified arrangement I mount the helical spring horizontally on a fixed pin
and fulcrum near the one end of this pin a one armed lever projecting either above

page_text: or below the pin, and which is operated in one direction by the spring, and in the
opposite direction by the vertical hand operating lever which is mounted by an eye
on the same pin.
In actuating the switch points for the train or vehicle to pass over them facing
ways the hand lever acts on a projecting lug formed on the spring lever arm and
thereby performs the required movement against the action of the spring, the recoil
of which brings it back to its normal position when the hand operating lever is
set free.
Or I may form a short arm on the spring lever to make it a bell crank working
vertically, and in this case the hand operating lever would be mounted horizontally
and its operating end act on the short end of the bell crank and suitable stop
projections would be arranged for the travel of the crank and operating lever.
And in any of these arrangements the hand operating lever will or may be
hinged so as to fall out of the way of obstruction on the railway.
Datel this 19th Mauch 1002
HENRY WILLIAMS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Working Switch Points of
Railways.
1 HENRY WILLIAMS of Gowanbrae Crosshill Glasgow Renfrewshire Mechanical
Engineer 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 :-
My invention has reference to and comprises new and improved constructions or
arrangements and combination of parts of mechanism acting in consort for the more
easy, graceful, frictionless and almost noiseless actuating setting and adjusting of
switch points of railways thereby avoiding bumping and spasmodic movements and
giving greater safety to the working traffic by the more perfect and frictionless
working mechanisms than has heretofore been in use for any such purposes.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended three explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 are an elevation and plan view respectively showing
one arrangement of my improved railway switch actuating apparatus; and
Figure 3 is a perspective elevation corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, while
Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent a side elevation end view, and plan respectively
detached of the transverse moving cradle and spring rod used in the apparatus
shown in Figures 1 to 3.
Figure 7 on Sheet 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 2 on Sheet 1 but
showing the motion communicated from the horizontal sliding plate to the transverse
cradle by rack and pinion and cam acting mechanism instead of by a diagonal
curved slot and stud pin as in Figure 2.
Figures 8 and 9 are an elevation, and plan view, partly in section, respectively
of a modified arrangement of my improved switch actuating mechanism and
Figure 10 a perspective view corresponding to Figures 8 and 9 and showing the
connecting fittings to the switches and
Figure 11 is a sectional plan view showing a slightly modified arrangement of
the mechanism from that shown in Figures 8 to 10.
Figure 12 is a sectional elevation, Figure 13 a sectional plan view, and Figure 14
a sectional elevation at right angles to that shown in Figure 12, illustrative of a
further arrangement of my improved switch actuating mechanism.
Referring to these drawings
According to one arrangement of my improvements applicable to the working

page_text: of the switch points as shown in Figures 1 to 6 on Sheet 1, I construct a box
or case A preferably of cast iron of suitable shape, in plan it would preferably
be of rectangular form as shown in Figure 2 and have sides carried down nearly
vertical so as to form a space or pocket A' the centre of which will be vertical to
the plan or to the top of such box or casing and in this pocket chamber A' near its
bottom I will or may fulcrum or centre on a pin a a vertical hand working lever a³,
or will or may form the lower end of this vertical lever a of a claw, hooked or
bulbed shape so as to fulcrum against its centre piu a or I may form convex
projections on or in the sides or ends of this pocket A' but so as to allow of the
vertical working lever a being very easily and readily slided into its position.
A horizontal travelling or reciprocating plate B is fitted to slide by its longi-
tudinal side edges preferably in the upper sides of the box frame A, and is operated
by the aforementioned hand lever a¹. This lever a¹ passes through a slot in the
sliding plate B and travels it to-and-fro according as the lever a' is operated by hand
to the one side or the other.
A horizontal transverse moving frame or housing C is fitted in a channel casing
or chamber A² formed preferably near the centre of the box casing A and has a
vertical stud or pin e formed on its upper surface preferably with an antifriction
pulley mounted round it and which passes through an angled or other slot B',
formed in the upper longitudinal moving plate B.
When the hand lever a' operates this longitudinal moving plate B, the travel of
this plate B will through the medium of the slot B and stud c, c', move the
transverse moving frame or housing C at right angles to its own motion (B).
A transverse operating rod D is fitted to pass through the transverse housing
frame C and has mounted round it a helical or spiral spring D' which is kept in its
intended position by washers or collars d and cottars or keys dat each end of
spring D', the cottars d' being made to slide in suitable receiving grooves C¹formed
in the sides of the moving housing C. One of the ends of this spring rod D) is
formed with an eye D2 so as to receive and be jointed to the ordinary rod con-
nections from the switches. A lid A³ is bolted on the top of the casing A.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-
When the shunter desires to shift the switches from the one stock rail to the
other he operates the hand lever at which lies parallel with the switches and this
travels the longitudinal sliding plate B which in turn travels the transverse
moving housing frame C and this through its spring rod D will directly operate
the switches.
If the locomotive or train be shunted trailing-ways through the points in the
contrary direction to that in which the switches are for the time being placed, the
spring D within the housing (will be put into compression either by the pull or
push of the transverse rod D by the intervention of the washers nud cottars d, d',
and instantly after the passing of the flanges of the last wheels, the recoil of the
spring D will instantaneously and automatically adjust the switches to the normal
position in which they were placed prior to the passage of the train through them,
and by this means cushioning will be effected and all spasmodic or bumping movement
of the switches and switch operating lever will be avoided.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 7 the slot B¹ is formed straight and rack
teeth B formed on one of its edges to gear with and turn a pinion wheel 2 carried
loose on a stud secured to the lid A³. A cam or eccentric plate c¹¹ is cast or formed
in one with the pinion 2 and communicates the motion of pinion to the concave
surfaces of the cradle C, to actuate it substantially as described in the previous
arrangement Figures 1 to 6.
By an alternative arrangement as shown in Figures 8 to 10 a bell crank E, E',
is arranged to operate horizontally and turn on or round a strong vertical centre
pin or stud e preferably of about 2 inches diameter. Round this centre pin or
stude of the bell crank E, E', I will arrange a suitable helical, spiral or equivalent
spring e preferably about or inch in its metal section, with about ten coils in
its construction to act in torsion or otherwise like a mousetrap spring.

page_text: The one end of this spring e I will arrange to force against the one arm E¹
or half of the bell crank, and the other end of the spring e against or through the
upper part A of the casing or body of the box A which shall be so formed in
its upper part so as to receive this bell crank E, E', and centre pin e and its
spring e encasing them as much as is required to protect them from all tampering
of mischievous persons and from the action of frost, snow, or dirt.
Instead of passing the centre pin or stud e through the bell crank E E' to work
upon it I will or may so form the bell crank E E' with its centre pin or stud e all
in one piece and arrange the part A" of the case or box A to easily receive it into
a slot in such form and manner that will give and allow of the desired action of the
bell crank in its workings.
When being operated by the vertical hand lever a or by the force of the
flanges of the wheels of a passing train or vehicle when forcing open the switch
points of the railway against the torsion or other operating force of the spring e
I will or may employ a stud to act on this bell crank E E which will be connected
to the switches in the ordinary manner.
The working or operating of the switch points will be as follows, to shunt a
train or vehicle from one way or line to another facing ways of the points the
shunter or pointsman will pull over the vertical handle a² of the lever a' which will
operate the horizontal bell crank E E' as shown in Figure 10 and so through its
centre pin or stud e and rod connections E2 transmit its working to the switch
points and immediately on the leaving go or relaxing the pull of the lever a¹ the
force of the spring e on the fulcrum of the bell crank so put in operation by the
working of the lever will instantly and gracefully without noise, thul, or bump
move the switch points to their normal or standing position.
Also when the switch points are run through trailingways by any train or vehicle,
that is to say the switch points being closed to the way or road the train or vehicle
is running on and the switch points being moved or forced open trailing ways by
the flange or tread of its wheels, that such movement of the switch points in
consequence of being connected up to my improved switch point working or
operating apparatus or mechanism, will work against the wheel or flange and
force a constant direct automatic pressure that will give graceful and almost
noiseless action of the switch points themselves to their normal or standing position
and dispense with all that jerking or bumping and clatter or noise that is now
experienced by the use of the weight controlled switch point levers generally
in use.
A further feature of special safety to shunters or workmen working or performing
their duties passing on the railway near to my improved switch lever point
apparatus at work is that on the train or vehicle so operating the switches trailing
ways, such movements of the switch points do not transmit any action or move-
ment whatever to the hand operating lever a' and thereby stops the existance of
a very fruitful source of danger to such men by the swinging backwards and
forwards or to and fro of the hand operating weighted switch point levers now very
much in use.
By another alternative arrangement as shown in Figure 11 I use a reciprocating
rod D with a horizontally arranged helical spring D' coiled round it, and I connect
through a slot at D" near the one end of said rod Da bell crank E E' through
which the switch points are operated, and arrange the vertical hand operating
lever a as previously described to work within an elongated slot D³ in the
reciprocating rod D.
By a modified arrangement as shown in Figures 12 to 14 I mount the helical
spring horizontally on a piu or rod e and fulcrum near the one end of the pin e
a one armed lever f. either mounted on it or forming part of same pin e, aud
projecting either above or below the pin e and which is operated in one direction
by the springe and in the opposite direction by the vertical hand operating
lever a' which is mounted by a segmental eye a³ round the boss of lever and has
a jaw or forked plate a" encircling the lever f.

page_text: In actuating the switch points for the train or vehicle to pass over them facing
ways the hand lever a¹ acts on or against a projecting lug fi formed on the spring
actuated lever arm f and thereby performs the required movement against the
action of the spring e¹ the recoil of which brings it back to its normal position
when the hand operating lever a¹ is set free.
Or I may form a short arm on the spring lever to make it a bell crank working
vertically, and in this case the hand operating lever would be mounted horizontally
and its operating end act on the short end of the bell crank and suitable stop
projections would he arranged for the travel of the crank an operating lever.
And in any of these arrangements the lever a¹ will or may be hinged to its
handle end a so as to fall out of the way of obstruction on the railway.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of lever or
operating mechanism for working the switch points of railways, consisting of a
fixed casing or housing a longitudinal moving plate operated by a hand lever, a
transverse moving cradle with connecting mechanism between it and the longi-
tudinal moving plate, and a spring rod carried by said cradle but free to move
independently thereof, and having connections to the switch points, substantially as
and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and by way of application
shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus or mechanism for working the switch points of railways, the
arrangement and use of a transverse moving cradle or frame in which works a
spring rod, the spring of which is always put into compression by the action of
the switch points being run through trailing-ways in either direction, substantially
as herein described in reference to and by way of application shown in Figures 1
to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus or mechanism for working the switch points of railways, the
arrangement and use of a transverse moving cradle or frame in combination with
a spring rod, said rod being operated respectively by the movement of cradle, and
by the action of the switch points when being run through trailing-ways in either
direction, substantially as herein described, in reference to and by way of
application shown in the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus or mechanism for working the switch points of railways, the
combination of a transverse moving frame, a spring rod with loose washers or
collars, and pins, cottars, or equivalent organs for retaining the spring mechanism
in position, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 1
to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination of a housing, bell crank and hand operating levers, and a
vertically mounted helical spring, the recoil of which operates the mechanism in
the reverse direction to the hand lever all for operating the switch points of
railways substantially as herein described, in reference to and by way of application
shown in Figures 8 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination of a housing, bell crank lever, reciprocating spring rod, and
a hand operating lever, for working the switch points of railways substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in Figure 11 of. the accompanying
drawings.
7. The combination of a housing, a spring mounted on a rod, a lever mounted
on or forming part of said rod, and a separate hand operating lever, for working
the switch points of railways, substantially as herein described in reference to and
shown in Figures 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of November 1893.
HENRY WILLIAMS.