CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD SWITCHES
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD SWITCHES." A communication from
abroad by Edwin Gordon, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, and John A. Duggan,
of Quincy, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th June 1878.
"
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD SWITCHES."
A communication from abroad by Edwin Gordon, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts,
and John A. Duggan, of Quincy, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
This Invention consists in the use of a combined switch rail and guide rail so
constructed, that when turned against a main-track rail a complete track is formed
diverging from the main track. In this position a train moving along the main
track in one direction will be turned by means of this switch, on to a siding or
branch track, while a train moving from the opposite direction on the main track
will pass the switch safely; so that with this switch in the position mentioned in
one direction it will offer no impediment to the safe passage of trains in the main
track; in the other, trains will securely pass from the main track to a siding or
branch track to the main track. When this switch is turned away from the main
track, this main track is a perfect track with rails fixed and immovable. With
the switch thus turned away from the main track it forms a secure guard for
trains passing along the main track, and a train can pass safely over it from a
siding or branch track to the main line.
The combined switch and guard rail of this Invention has on one of its surfaces
a raised surface along its whole length diagonally, so that when this surface is
uppermost a train passing, say, from the left to the right, will pass on to this switch

page_text: rail and so on to the branch or siding; and a train moving from the opposite
direction on the main line will, by means of an inclined plane, pass over the switch
rail on to the main rail. It also has on its uppermost surface, when turned away
from the main line, a shorter raised surface in line with the branch or siding but
not reaching to the main track, so that a train will pass from the branch or siding
to the main line, but not contrariwise.
This combined switch rail and guard rail is hung, preferably, so as to turn
eccentrically in and upon boxes firmly secured to the sleepers, and which boxes
form secure bed pieces for the switch, but both ends may turn on a common
axis.
The switch is hung eccentrically in the boxes by means of pins upon which it
turns, but so adjusted that the weight of passing trains will bear upon the boxes
and not upon the pins. One of the pins is of sufficient length to receive a crank,
and is so connected with the switch frame that the switch can be conveniently
turned by a switch tender or pointsman, or an automatic attachment may be used
by which the switch may be operated upon by the engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th December 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD SWITCHES."
A communication from abroad by Edwin Gordon, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts,
and John A. Duggan, of Quincy, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
This Invention consists in the use of a combined switch rail and guide rail so
constructed, that when turned against a main track rail a complete track is formed
diverging from the main track. In this position a train moving along the main
track in one direction will be turned by means of this switch on to a siding or branch
track, while a train moving from the opposite direction on the main track will pass
the switch safely; so that with this switch in the position mentioned in one direc-
tion it will offer no impediment to the safe passage of trains on the main track;
in the other, trains will securely pass from the main track to a siding or branch
track to the main track. When this switch is turned away from the main track,
this main track is a perfect track with rails fixed and immoveable. With the
switch thus turned away from the main rail it forms a secure guard for trains
passing along the main track, and a train can pass safely over it from a siding or
branch track to the main line.
The combined switch and guard rail of this Invention has on one of its surfaces
a raised surface along its whole length, diagonally, so that when this surface is
uppermost a train passing, say, from the left to the right will pass on to this switch

page_text: rail and so on to the branch or siding; and a train moving from the opposite direc-
tion on the main line will by means of an inclined plane pass over the switch rail
on to the main rail. It also has on its uppermost surface, when turned away from
the main line, a shorter raised surface in line with the branch or siding but not
reaching to the main track, so that a train will pass from the branch or siding to
the main line, but not contrariwise.
This combined switch rail and guard rail is hung, preferably, so as to turn
eccentrically in and upon boxes firmly secured to the sleepers, and which boxes
form secure bed pieces for the switch, but both ends may turn on a common
axis.
The accompanying sheet of Drawing shows plan and sectional views of a switch
and guard rail embodying this Invention. In the plan view, Figure 1, the switch
rail is represented so turned as to permit the passage of trains from the main line
to the branch, and in plan view, Figure 2, it is represented so turned as to permit
trains to pass from the branch to the main line, but not the other way, as above
explained.
A, A, indicate the switch hung eccentrically in the boxes D, D, (on which suit-
able stops may be arranged to arrest the switch when sufficiently rotated either
way) by means of pins B, B, upon which it turns, and which may be so adjusted that
the weight of passing trains will bear upon the boxes and not upon the pins. One
of the pins B is of sufficient length to receive a bell crank C, and is so connected
with the switch frame that the switch can be conveniently turned by a switch
tender or pointsman, or an automatic attachment may be used by which the switch
may be operated upon by the engine.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, com-
municated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of the
plans and sections of the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, and that I claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, a
combined rotating switch and guard rail hung and rotating, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)