IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND SWITCH BOXES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John William Hartley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1878.
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Stoke-upon-Trent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
CROSSINGS AND SWITCH BOXES."
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved method of splicing together the two
rails at the point of a railway crossing, and so making a more enduring and rigid
joint, and this I effect by planing a projection upon one rail, and forming in the
other a corresponding recess. I first cut a clearance crosswise upon the flat side of
that rail which forms the nose of the crossing, and at a convenient distance from
the point. I then plane the rail lengthwise for a convenient distance up to the
clearance, leaving a suitable projection upon the top and bottom flanges of the rail.
The end of the other rail then cut in thickness to the depth of the clearance, and
is then formed with a recess corresponding to the projections upon the long rail.
By so doing the short rail instead of being supported only by the bolts as hitherto
is carried by the projecting ledge before described. In that class of crossing where
the short rail is merely hollowed to fit the natural exterior surface of the longer
rail a feather edge is ordinarily left upon the rail. It is however extremely
desirable to obviate this, as such feather edge is easily destroyed, and by my
improved method I not only dispense with the same, but I obtain a much stronger
edge and a better fitted and more rigid crossing.
My Invention relates, secondly, to improvements in the lever apparatus or switch
box used for working railway switches, which I so construct and arrange as to
automatically close the switches on either side as required, and to reverse the
switches with the least possible exertion of manual labour. For this purpose I
suspend the counterweight upon a lever having its fulcrum suitably attached, and
placed above the main fulcrum of the switch handle in such a manner that when
the handle is moved over either way so as to close the switches, the lever sup-
porting the counterweight swings over to the same side, and the counterweight
having thus passed to one side of the main fulcrum, thereby holds the switch hard
up to the stock rail. The lever and counterweight are held in this position by
I Duine 211

page_text: an automatic catch, and when so held cause the switch to close automatically
towards that side to which it has been propelled in the usual way, and works in
the manner of an ordinary switch box.
When it is desired to make the switches close automatically against the opposite
stock rail, the catch is reversed, and the switches by means of the handle are
closed the reverse way. The weight being released by the turning over of the
catch swings over to the opposite side, the catch locking it automatically as before
described in its new position.
The reversing of the switches as described is performed with far greater ease than
by any other method, as the counterweight during the operation has merely to be
raised about one and a half inches. Or if preferred I make the counterweight to
slide vertically up or down a rod fixed in the box or frame carrying the switch
handle. Such counterweight is coupled by a connecting rod to the end of a short
lever working upon the main fulcrum, in such a manner that when the switches
are opened by the handle, the end of the short arm and the connecting rod are
raised, and the weight is caused to slide up the vertical rod. When the handle is
released the weight slides down the rod by gravitation, and automatically closes
the switches.
In order to reverse the action of this,switch box, I make the end of the short arm
to which the connecting rod is attached to turn over to the reverse side of the main
fulcrum. This I accomplish either by a handle attached to the short arm, or by the
pointsman raising the counterweight to the required height, and then allowing it
to drop. By putting an ordinary padlock or stop peg through the vertical rod
immediately above the counterweight, the counterweight is prevented from rising,
and the switches are thereby dead locked. In reversing the action of this switch
apparatus, the counterweight is made to slide higher up the vertical rod than when
ordinarily worked, and by removing the padlock or stop peg to a higher position
on the vertical rod the reversing action is locked, and the switch will close
automatically only to that side on which the short arm is set, and thus the switches
cannot be reversed to work upon the other side. By this improved arrangement
Jess space is occupied than by any other method, as the counterweight has merely
a vertical motion instead of being carried upon an arm projecting from the main
fulcrum. It also offers greater facilities for locking than any other existing
arrangement.
Another feature of my Invention is that instead of the fixed points usually
employed, I place a suitable box beneath the level of the rail, and directly between
the rails. In this box I so arrange the lever and weight as to make it adjustable
to either side, as before described. The lever for transmitting the motion to the
points works through a slot in the point rod, and thus transmits the motion direct
without the usual connecting rod being required.