Improvements in and relating to Cleaners and Oilers for Railway and Tramway Switches and their Chairs or Chair Plate Surfaces.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cleaners and Oilers for
Railway and Tramway Switches and their Chairs or
Chair Plate Surfaces.
I, HENRY WILLIAMS, of the Railway Appliances Works, Cathcart, Glasgow
Renfrewshire, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to, and comprises a new or improved method and
appliances, susceptible of some modification, to perform the functions of cleaning
off the sand which frequently is deposited on the switch chairs or switch chair-
plates by the locomotive when passing over its railway switches, or other dirt that
may deposit on the same and at same time oil or lubricate the switch contact
surfaces of these chairs or switch chair-plates and thereby cause the surfaces
carrying the base of the switches, and the base of the switches themselves to be in
perfect and perpetual cleanliness and lubrication and at the same time put an end
to the present waste of oil now lavishly poured on the switch chairs or chair-plates
of railways and which is frequently on the intended surface only but a few minutes
until it has of itself run away from the surface of frictional supporting contact
between the switch and its chair or plate. By the use of the subject of my inven-
tion the oil or lubrication will be retained and used to perform its intended function
without waste, systematically and regularly depositing its lubrication in addition
to the automatic cleaning of these frictional contact surfaces and thereby render
the working or operating of all railway or tramway switches to which my invention
is applied at all times uniformly more easy and perfect.
The subject of my invention consists as follows:-
In applying my improved combined cleaner and oiler under one arrangement to
the switch points of railways, I form or cast same of a rectangular box shape,
preferably of sheet or cast metal, in plan view about 3 or 4 inches long by about
2 inches wide and about 2 inches deep with a longitudinal slot or slots in its
bottom, or I may or will form it entirely without a bottom of suitable width so as
to receive a piece of blanket or fabric of a felty, woollen, rubber, leather, canvas,
timber, or like nature, to pass through to a depth below the lower edge or bottom
of this rectangular shaped box to the supporting contact surface of the switch
chair or switch chair-plate so as to slide or rub upon this surface as a scraper,
mop, scrub or cleaner, working to and fro with the movements of the switches to
which this combined cleaner and oiler will be securely fixed. The cleaner part
instead of being made as before mentioned may or will be made of suitable wire
gauze or netting or of a metal flap or flange hinged or otherwise a blade or other
spring scraper so long as it cleans the frictional contact surface referred to, and at
the same time forms part of or is in whole the medium or organ of conveying the
oil or lubricant from the box or body part of my combined cleaner and oiler to the
contact chair supporting surface referred to, all so as to retain this mop, scrub,
scraper, or cleaning organ, preferably to the inside of the box or body part of my
combined cleaner and lubricator.
I will drill, cast, or form suitable holes or recesses to receive one or more
suitable split cotters or ribs of wire or metal, which cotters or wire will hold
its organ of cleaning to its intended position, and I will also use a small bit

page_text: of cotton waste, wick, or the like inside the body part of my combined switch
and switch chair cleaner and lubricator so as to retain the oil or lubricant in the
body part and in lubricating contact with cleaner part mop or scraper to run
slowly and suitably as desired to properly, regularly, and economically perform
lubrication to the cleaning surfaces referred to.
To assist the oil to retain itself on the frictional contact surface of the switch
chair or chair-plate, I will or may form or cast fine small ✓ or channel shaped
nicks or grooves which fine grooves will be lengthways with the travel of the
switches so as not to in any way impede their free and easy travel. By a further
modification I will or may hinge or secure the scraper when constructed of metal
to the outside of the box part of the combined cleaner and oiler or to the switch
itself, and in that case I would or may supply the lubrication by capillary siphon
or direct action of cotton or other suitable wick to the frictional contact surface of
the switch and its chair or chair-plate. This combined cleaner and oiler I will
secure to the switches of railways or tramways by flanges and suitable bolts and
nuts, pins or cotters, so as to be below the flange of the running wheels of a passing
train. In some constructions of the box and fixing part of this combined cleaner
and oiler I may or will form some without a back and also without a bottom
causing the web and lower flange of the switch respectively to form the back and
as much of the bottom as may be necessary in combination with the cleaner fabric
to form its bottom and perform its intended function.
In some cases scrapers only would be secured to the working switches having
one or more main combined cleaner and oiler from which the scrapers only would
be fed with oil by pipe connections all properly secured to the switch.
Dated this Eighth day of May 1894.
Improvements in and relating to Cleaners and Oilers for
Railway and Tramway Switches and their Chairs or
Chair Plate Surfaces.
I, HENRY WILLIAMS, of the Railway Appliances Works, Cathcart, Glasgow,
Renfrewshire, 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 has reference to, and comprises a new or improved method and
appliances, susceptible of some modification, to perform the functions of cleaning
off the sand which frequently is deposited on the switch chairs or switch chair-
plates by the locomotive when passing over its railway switches, or other dirt that
may deposit on the same and at same time oil or lubricate the switch contact
surfaces of these chairs or switch chair-plates and thereby cause the surfaces
carrying the base of the switches, and the base of the switches themselves to be in
perfect and perpetual cleanliness and lubrication and at the same time put an end
to the present waste of oil now lavishly poured on the switch chair or chair-plates
of railways and which is frequently on the intended surface only but a few minutes
until it has of itself run away from the surface of frictional supporting contact
between the switch and its chair or plate. By the use of the subject of my inven-
tion the oil or lubricant will be retained and used to perform its intended function
without waste, systematically and regularly depositing its lubrication in addition
to the automatic cleaning of these frictional contact surfaces and thereby render
the working or operating of all railway or tramway switches to which my invention
is applied at all times uniformly more easy and perfect.
In order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying the

page_text: same into effect or practice, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
two explanatory sheets of drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
inlicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure Ion Sheet 1 is a perspective view of a line of rails showing my method
of cleaning and lubricating the metal surfaces as applied to the movable switches
over the chair plate surfaces.
Figure 2 is a perspective elevation to an enlarged scale of one of my cleaning
and lubricating appliances; Figure 3 is a transverse section of same, and Figure 4
a side elevation with the front plate removed, while Figure 5 is an inverted plan
view of same.
Figures 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figure 2 showing slightly modified
arrangements of frame work. Figure 8 is a perspective view and Figure 9 a
corresponding transverse section of same, of a slightly modified arrangement of
cleaner and oiler.
Figures 10 and 11 are a side elevation and transverse section respectively of
another modification, while Figure 12 is a side elevation showing how a number
of surfaces may be supplied with lubricant from one cistern or receptacle.
Referring to these drawings:-
In applying my improved combined cleaner and oiler under one arrangement_to
the switch points of railways, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, I form or cast same of a
rectangular box shape A preferably of sheet or cast metal, in plan view, preferably
about 3 or 4 inches long by about 2 inches wide and about 2 inches deep, with a
hinged lid A on top and a longitudinal slot a or slots in its bottom, or I may or
will form it entirely without a bottom, of suitable width, so as to receive a piece of
blanket or fabric 6 of a felty, woollen, rubber, leather, canvas, timber, or like
mature, to pass through to a depth below the lower edge or bottom of this rect-
angular shaped box A to the supporting contact surface of the switch chair or switch
chair-plate E so as to slide or rub upon this surface as a scraper, mop, scrub or
cleaner, working to and fro with the movements of the switches F to which this
combined cleaner and oiler will be securely fixed.
The cleaner part instead of being made as before mentioned may or will be made
of suitable wire gauze or netting or of a metal flap or flange, hinged or otherwise,
a blade or other spring scraper, so long as it cleans the frictional contact surface
referred to, and at the same time forms part of, or is in whole the medium or organ
of conveying the oil or lubricant from the box or body part A of my combined
cleaner and oiler to the contact chair supporting surface E referred to, all so as to
retain this mop, scrub, scraper, or cleaning organ, preferably to the inside of the
box or body, part of my combined cleaner and lubricator.
The cleaning organ will be retained in position from moving upwards by a
transverse rod or I will drill, cast, or form suitable holes or recesses to receive
one or more suitable split cotters or ribs of wire, or metal, which cotters or wire
will hold its organ of cleaning to its intended position, and when the oil conveying
and cleaning organ is not formed all in one piece, I will also use a small bit of cotton
waste, wick, or the like inside the body part of my combined switch and switch
chair cleaner and lubricator so as to retain the oil or lubricant in the body part
and in lubricating contact with cleaner part mop or scraper to run slowly and
suitably as desired, to properly, regularly, and economically perform lubrication to
the cleaning surfaces referred to.
To assist the oil to retain itself on the frictional contact surfaces of the switch
chair or chair-plate E, I will or may form or cast fine small V or channel shaped
nicks or grooves E' which fine grooves will be lengthways with the travel of the
switches F so as not to in any way impede their free and easy travel.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 6 the front of the box A has a projecting
flange A cast on it; while in Figure 7 this flange is formed of knee or angle iron
shape and rivetted at A" to body of box A, all so that this flange A² may act as a
cover above the lubricated part E' of chair E to protect same from sand or other
debris.

page_text: In the arrangement shown in Figures 8 and 9 a roller
with an outer covering 3
of fabric or like material is mounted under the flange part A2 for cleaning the
chair surfaces E, E, as the switches are moved, while it would be automatically
supplied with oil or lubricant from the chamber A³ of the box A through holes or
openings at a¹.
By a further modification as shown in Figures 10 and 11 I will or may secure
the scraper or cleaner b when constructed of metal wire gauze or the like to the
outside of the box part A of the combined cleaner and oiler or it may be to the
switch itself, and in this case I would or may supply the lubrication by capillary
siphon or direct action of cotton or other suitable wicks c preferably passed through
guiding and protecting siphon tubes c¹ to the frictional contact surfaces of the switch
and its chair or chair-plate E E'.
This combined cleaner and oiler I will secure to the switches F of railways or
tramways by flanges A and suitable bolts and nuts, pins or cotters, so as to be
below the flange of the running wheels of a passing train. In some constructions
of the box and fixing part of this combined cleaner and oiler, especially for flat
bottom rails, I may or will form same without a back and also without a bottom,
causing the web and lower flange of the switch F respectively to form the back
and as much of the bottom as may be necessary in combination with the cleaner
fabric to form its bottom and perform its intended function. In some cases as
shown in Figure 12 scrapers 6 only would be secured to the working switches F
having a main cistern box d or one or more main combined cleaners and oilers
from which the scrapers b only would be fed with oil by pipe connections d¹ with
curved delivery ends all properly secured to the switch.
b
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I have to state that
what I claim is
.
1. The method of automatically oiling or cleaning or both oiling and cleaning
the chair surfaces by the movement of the switches on railways or tramways,
substantially as herein described, in reference to and by way of application shown
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In railways and tramways the combination with the movable switches of
cleaning and lubricating organs substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In railways and tramways the construction or arrangement and combination
of the parts of combined cleaning and lubricating organs fitted to the movable
switches, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In railways and tramways the combination with the movable switches of
multiple pipes carrying lubricant to the scrapers or cleaners, substantially as herein
described in reference to, and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of February 1895.
HENRY WILLIAMS.