Improvements in and relating to the Crossings of Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov.,
1897
Complete Specification Left. 5th Aug. 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Crossings of Railways.
I, HENRY WILLIAMS, of the Railway Appliance Works, Cathcart, Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the crossings
of railways, and has for its object the blocking of the gap of diamond or obtuse
crossings and protecting the exposed dead end.
As applied to two lines of rails crossing each other at an angle, I fit on each
line of rails at the opposite diagonal corners or crossings, a lever fucrumed on a
stud pin, passing through the ordinary rail and protecting guide or check rail, at
its one end. The other end of said lever extends to close up the opening or un-
protected side gap in the crossing so as to give safety side ways or running sur-
face to the wheel flanges of rolling stock, by making the guiding rail sideways
complete in the gap.
Each pair of these levers would be simultaneously actuated by and in time
unison with the ordinary point rod connections.
This would or may be effected by having a bellcrank lever connected to the
ordinary point rod connections, and having a rod connection from an arm on said
bellcrank lever formed with a tapered or wedge surface at its other end and work-
ing through a slot or opening in the free end of lever so as to raise the latter
into working position.
A lever and rod connection would be taken from this operating rod to similarly
actuate the lever on the opposite line of rails, and so arranged that when the one
lever of permanent way is covering up the gap, the other is free or inoperative.
Or both levers of permanent way may be similarly worked by connections from
the same point rod connection.
Dated the 12th day of November 1897.
Improvements in and relating to the Crossings of Railways.
1, HENRY WILLIAMS, of the Railway Appliance Works, Cathcart, Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by
the following statement, that is to say ;—
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the crossings
of railways, and has for its object the blocking of the gap of diamond or obtuse
crossings and protecting the exposed-dead end.

page_text: And in order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two sheets of
explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to denote like
parts. Figures 1 and 2 are views in perspective showing my improvements
applied at the diamond crossing of a railway. Figures 3 and 4 are a side eleva-
tion and plan respectively of the lever arrangement for closing up the gap in the
crossing. Figure 5 is a transverse section to an enlarged scale of the permanent
way in front of the diamond protecting lever. Figure 6 on Sheet 2 is a view in
perspective of the permanent way showing a modified arrangement of my im-
provements. Figure 7 is a plan view, Figure 8 a side elevation and Figure 9 a
transverse section of my improved fittings corresponding to Figure 6, while
Figure 10 represents a side view and plan of either end of the actuating levers.
Referring to these drawings:-
As applied to two lines of rails crossing each other at an angle as shown on
Sheet 1, I fit on each line of rails at the opposite diagonal corners or crossings, a
lever a fulcrumed on a stud pin a¹ passing through the ordinary rail A and pro-
tecting guide or check rail A¹ at its one end. The other end of said lever a
extends to close up the opening or unprotected side gap in the crossing so as to
give safety side ways or running surface to the wheel flanges of rolling stock, by
making the guiding rail A' sideways complete in the gap. Each pair of these
levers a would be simultaneously actuated by and in time unison with the ordi-
nary point rod connections so that the one pair of diagonal levers a shall be up
in position filling up the gap, while the other pair is lowered out of action.
This would or may be effected by having a bellcrank lever B B¹ having its
one arm B connected to the ordinary point rod -connection Z while its other
arm B is attached to a connecting rod B2 which has its other end coupled to a
lever or arm C. formed on an oscillating rod or rocking rod or shaft C, while
links connect the aforesaid lever to a similar lever C and rod C¹. These
rods are carried in brackets C3 at their ends, and have levers-c near each end
to which are attached links c¹ which are connected to the gap protecting levers, a.
The levers c on each rod C are set in reverse directions to accomplish the object
of raising the one' set of levers a-while the other set is simultaneously lowered
'out of position. A filling up piece b is fitted to the flange of rail at the side of
gap protecting lever a to form a vertical sliding surface, while a guiding finger a
is formed on the opposite side of lever a to bear on the web of the adjacent rail,
and thus ensure its true working position.
In the arrangement shown on Sheet 2 the point rod connection Z is attached
to the one arm B of the bellcrank lever B B, and the other arm B₁ is coupled to
the connecting rods B2 B². Levers EE fulcrumed at E are secured at E2 to and
actuated by the rods B2B and these levers E work through horizontal slots e in
brackets e, and through vertical slots a³ in a tail piece formed on the under
side of the gap protecting lever a, so as to raise and lower the latter for the
objects previously described. The part of levers E working in the slots a³ is fitted
with an anti-friction pulley E3: For properly guiding the gap protecting levers a,
links a³ are attached at 61 to the bracket e and at a to the lever a, while a con-
necting link a ensures its true parallel movement, and an adjustable bolt a³ with
enlarged head is screwed through the web of the adjacent rail to bear against and
guide the link a².
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. In connection with the diamond or obtuse crossings of railways, the use
of vertical acting gap filling up levers, arranged and actuated substantially as
set forth.
Second. In connection with the diamond or obtuse crossings of railways, the
arrangement and use of vertical acting levers which are simultaneously operated

page_text: to close up the opposite diagonal openings or unprotected side gaps, and lowered
out of action respectively, substantially as set forth.
Third. In connection with the diamond or obtuse crossings of railways, the
general arrangement and combination of devices for operating and filling up the
openings or unprotected side gaps, substantially as herein described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In connection with the diamond or obtuse crossings of railways, the
construction and use of vertical acting levers substantially as herein described in
reference to Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In connection with the diamond or obtuse crossings of railways, the
arrangement of slot operated lever substantially as herein described in reference
to Sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the day of August 100.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.