Improvements in Lever Boxes for Railway Points.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1 94
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Boxes for Railway Points.
JOSEPH WALWYN WHITE of Ditton Chambers, Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, F.I. Inst., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
A rocking beam is mounted in a suitable frame or box to which beam the
connecting rod to the switch is suitably attached. A rolling weight (or weights)
rolls along this rocking beam, so that when either end of the beam is lifted up,
the weight runs down to the other end, the momentum of the rolling weight
assisting or entirely moving the point tongues over, and preventing any possibility
of the points being left open or only half closed.
A suitable stop may be placed at either end of the beam to secure the weight
at that end, if required, so that the point tongues will always return to any desired
position.
The frame can be placed underground with the top even with the ground
surface, so that a horse & cart could go over, the handles for moving the beam,
being countersunk in the top or falling down flat out of the way.
The beam can be moved by handles or by the foot.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Boxes for Railway Points.
I, JOSEPH WALWYN WHITE, of Ditton Chambers, Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for operating railway
points, and to that type of such apparatus known as lever-boxes, which contain
the actuating mechanism and to which is led the rod which operates the point
tongues or switches.
A rocking beam is mounted in a suitable frame or box, to which beam the
switch rod is suitably attached. A rolling weight (or weights) rolls along this
rocking beam, so that when either end of the beam is lifted up the weight runs
down to the other end, the weight assisting to or entirely moving the point
tongues over and preventing any possibility of the points being left open or only
half closed.
A suitable stop may be placed at either end of the beam to secure the weight
at that end if required, so that the point tongues will always return to any desired
position.
The frame can be placed underground with the top even with the ground surface,
so that a horse and cart can go over, the handles for moving the beam being counter-
sunk in the top or falling down flat and out of the way.
The beam can be moved by hand or by the foot.
The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying
drawings in which are illustrated some forms of lever-box constructed according

page_text: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an improved lever-box according to this
invention, and Figure 2 is a cross section of same.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified arrangement of
lever-box.
Figure 4 is a perspective view shewing a further modification.
a designates the containing box or case, provided with a lid or cover a¹ and
securing lugs a². bis the rocking beam, whose trunnions 6' are pivotted in the
side of the case at a³. The rocking beam b (which may be straight or curved)
comprises two side members 62 which are connected together by a central web or
floor 6, the latter being perforated. Between such side members, and rolling upon
the floor 63 of the beam, a weight c is free to travel from end to end of the beam as
the same becomes inclined, the extent of such travel being limited by the turned
up extremities 6 of the side members 63, which come into contact with the
pins c formed on the weight c. Forming a part of the beam b and rising vertically
therefrom is the actuating arm d which is of arched construction to permit of the
weight passing underneath it, and is provided at its upper extremity with a
link d, passing through a slot in the cover a¹, and an operating handle d². The
pin d³ works in the slotted end of the lever-rod e, and as the arm d sweeps through
an arc of a circle the rod e is correspondingly pulled or pushed over by it. The
rode is connected in any suitable manner with the point tongues to be operated,
and such point tongues are assumed, for the purposes of this description, to be a
pair of tongues of ordinary construction, placed at a single junction.
The action of the lever-box is as follows:-Assuming that the position of the
arm d shewn in Figure 1 is that which it occupies when the points are set for the
straight line, then in order to set the points for the branch line the handle d' is
grasped by the hand or by the hook of the shunter's coupling staff, and the arm d
is pulled over in the direction of the arrow. Before the arm d reaches the middle
of its travel the weight c begins to run down the now inclined surface of the
beam b. Up to this point the pin d³ has been travelling idly in the slotted end of
the rod e but it now reaches the end of the slot and commences to pull the rod e.
The weight chaving commenced rolling immediately runs down to the other
extremity of the beam b, weighs down that end of the beam and pulls or assists to
pull over the arm d, the rod e, and point tongues, and so sets the points for the
branch line, and retains the points in that position. The reverse action serves to
reset the points for the straight line.
It will be seen that the primary effect of the pull exerted by the shunter on the
handle d' is to raise that end of the beam which contains the weight e and to
cause the latter to roll towards the other end of the beam. The weight c is thus
available for assisting to or for entirely moving the point tongues, and in the
latter case the act of raising the weight c is the only exertion required of the
shunter.
"
When it is desired that the lever-box should operate as an ordinary "drop"
lever, by which the points automatically re-set themselves, for say the straight
line, a pin which may be an ordinary chair spike-is inserted into one of the
lugs f, as shewn in dotted lines, and thus the weight c is retained at either end of
the beam b.
In the modification shewn in Figure 3 a vertical lift is substituted for the
horizontal pull in order to lift the rocking beam b, and for this purpose a handle d
is provided for each end of the beam and is connected thereto by a chain or other
suitable means.
Figure 4 illustrates the arrangement employed when it is desired that the
direction of the horizontal pull on the handle d² shall be parallel with that of the
railroad and not at right angles thereto, as would be the case with the arrangement
shewn in Figures 1 and 2. For this purpose a bell-crank lever g is employed, one
limb of the lever being connected with the rod e, whilst the other limb works in a
staple g or slot formed on the actuating arm d. The bell-crank lever g is
fulcrumed at g' upon the side of the containing box a. Sufficient play is allowed

page_text: to the end of the lever g within the staple to permit of the arm d nearly attaining
its central position before exerting a pull upon the rod e, whereby the weight c
becomes available for moving over the rod e, as previously described with
reference to Figure 1.
The apparatus above described is adapted to be disposed wholly beneath the
surface of the ground, the operating handles being countersunk and adapted to lie
flat and out of the way of vehicular and other traffic, and in order to afford a
good foothold for horses the cover a¹ of the case a is suitably grooved or
roughened.
In Figure 5 is shewn an arrangement of lever-box adapted to be placed above
ground and to be operated by the foot. The beam 6 is carried upon brackets h,
the latter being mounted upon sleepers or other suitable foundation. A step i is
formed upon each end of the beam 6, and the lever-box is operated by the shunter
placing his foot upon the step which is uppermost and depressing it. The
connection of the rod e with the arm d consists of an ordinary pin joint, but the
slotted arrangement above described may be substituted if desired. In other
respects the action of this lever-box is similar to that of those previously described.
Guard rods k extend from end to end of the beam, above the pins c¹ in order to
prevent removal of the weight.
In place of the beam 6 being trough shaped, it may consist of a single member,
as shewn in Figure 6, the weight c being of dumb-bell form and adapted to travel
astride of the beam 6; or, in another modification the weight may be adapted to
slide along the beam instead of rolling thereon.
By the use of a lever-box according to this invention point tongues or switches
are pulled or pushed quite home, as the presence of the weight c on one side or the
other of the beam 6 ensures that the points are accurately set for either the
straight or the branch line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The employment in connection with a lever-box for actuating railway points,
of a rolling weight and rocking beam, operating as set forth.
2. A lever-box or apparatus for actuating railway points, comprising a containing
box such as a, a rocking beam such as b, rolling weight such as c, arm d, and
handles d² or d, arranged, combined and operating substantially as herein set forth
with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.
3. A lever-box or apparatus for actuating railway points, comprising a rocking
beam such as b, rolling weight such as c, arm d and steps i adapted to be operated
by foot, arranged, combined and operating substantially as herein set forth with
reference to Figure 5 of the drawings.
Dand this with d of A 1001
J. A. COUBROUGH,
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.