Improvements in Points for Overhead Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Points for Overhead Railways.
I, EUGEN LANGEN, of Werthstrasse 14, Cologne, Germany, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates more particularly to a construction of overhead railways
in which the railway carriages are suspended from the rails by means of swivelling
frames, such as described in the Specification to my Patent No. 4189 of 1893.
In the said Specification was described the use, in connection with the junction of
a branch line to a main line, of a construction of points with a single moveable
tongue, in one position of which it established a through communication on the
main line, while in the other position it established the communication between the
niain and branch line.
My present invention relates to improved constructions of the said single tongue
point as follows.
According to one arrangement, instead of pivotting the said single tongue point
to the permanent way in front of the intersecting parts of the main and branch
rails, I construct the same entirely separate from the permanent way, making it
of a V shape with curved sides, and I arrange the same to travel transversely
with a parallel motion so that in one position it lies with its one curved side against
the one main line rail, while its other curved side forms the continuation of the
one branch rail up to the above mentioned main line rail. In the other position
the point lies with its other curved side against the outer rail of the branch, while
its other side forms the through continuation of the main line. The box-shaped
supporting girder, which contains within it the two running rails, carried by the
bottom member of the girder, is widened out at the part where the branch line
join's on to the main line, so as to be equal in width to the two lines, and upon the
top of the girder are laid transverse rails on which is mounted a carriage of a
V shape, similar to that of the before described point, which is suspended from the
carriage in any suitable manner, and the carriage is moved transversely of the
girder by a rack and pinion or other convenient means so as to bring the point
into either of the above described positions.
When brought into either position, the point is firmly supported by resting
upon the bottom flanges of the bottom members of the girder, and it is securely
locked in those positions by the following device. At or near the extreme front
end of the point it carries laterally projecting loops or eyes, one or other of
which, when the point is correctly in position against the one rail or the other, comes
exactly in line with a corresponding loop or eye projecting from the bottom
member of the box girder, so that a sliding bolt can then be shot through both,
thus securing the point.
The eye on the girder has loosely pivotted to its upper side a plate which hangs
down over the eye, and prevents the bolt from being shot.
When the point is brought into position its eye pushes the plate to one
side, in order to take its place in front of the fixed eye, so that unless the point is
in the correct position to do this, the bolt cannot be shot, and the operator
working the locking lever at a distance, will know by the fact that he cannot
move the lever bome, that the point is not in proper position. The locking bolt is.
formed with a wedge shaped end, so that should the eye of the point only partially
cover the fixed eye, the end of the bolt in entering will force the
consequently the point quite home.
eye and

page_text: According to another construction, the point is pivotted in front of the inside
meeting rails of the main and branch lines, as described in my said Specification,
but in order to insure that the point shall fit with its extreme end against the one
or the other rail in such manner as to form a continuous curve therewith instead of
an angle, I form the upper part of the extreme end as a separate piece, pivotted at
an intermediate point of its length to the under part, so that when such part is
brought up against the one or the other rail, it is thereby turned slightly upon its
pivot so as to assume such a position that the side thereof on which the carriage
wheel runs shall not form an appreciable angle with the side of the rail, but shall
form practically a continuous curve therewith. The moveable part is effectually
supported by the lower part of the extreme end, which in its turn is supported by
the flange of the bottom. member of the box girder as before described. The
point is locked in the position into which it is moved by a sliding locking bolt
and eyes or loops arranged in the same manner as described with reference to the
first arrangement.
The pivot on which the point turns is by preference constituted by a strong
vertical tubular post, turning with its lower end upon. a. pin; fixed. to a transverse
bearer at the bottom of the box girder, and extending through.the top-of-the-box
girder, where it is provided with a suitable collar bearing, above..which it carries
an arm by which it can be turned in either direction to the required extent for
setting the point. The rear end of the latter is fixed to the lower end of this post,
and is suitably stayed from the upper end thereof for strongly-supporting.it in the
horizontal position.
Dated this 12th day of February 1895
GUNT GEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Points for Overhead Railways.
I, EUGEN LANGEN, of Werthstrasse 14, Cologne, Germany, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates more particularly to a construction of overhead railways
in which the railway carriages are suspended from the rails of a two-rail line by
means of swivelling frames, such as described in the Specification: to my Patent
No. 4189 of 1893. In the said Specification was described the use in connection
with the junction of a branch line to a main line, of a construction of points with
a single moveable tongue in one position of which it established a through
communication on the main line while in the other position it established the
communication between the main and branch lines.
My present invention relates to improved constructions of the said singie tongue
point which I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which,
Figs. I to shew one construction.
Fig. 1 shews a sectional plan of part of the railway at the junction of a branch
line with the main line or where two lines run into one. Figs. 1 and 1º shew
detached details, Fig. 2 shews a longitudinal sectional elevation on line a-b Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 shews a part cross section on line cc Fig. 1; Fig. 34 shews a part cross
section on line d d Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 shew respectively side view, cross
section, and sectional plan of enlarged details of the locking gear for the switch,
Fig. 7 shews a plan of the carriage supporting the switch, Fig. 8 shews a part
cross section of the railway at the point ee Fig. 1 just in front of where the two
lines intersect.

page_text: The inner rails B and C of the two separate meeting lines A B and C D stop short
at the line ee and the two outer rails A and D and their supports are made at that
point to join on to a correspondingly widened section of the single line E, F, the
box girder carrying the lines being suitably strengthened at the widened part as
shewn in the section at Fig. 8.
By the widening out of these two side girders from E F to the line e e there is
formed a space G H I J within which is situated the laterally moving point or
switch G K I. This switch is constructed of two curved bearers L L carrying
rails M M, as shewn at Figs. 3 and 5, which meet in a point at I and are connected
together at G K and intermediate points by transverse pieces N N' N².
The sides GI and K I are curved to the same radius as the rails at A E and D F, and
are so constructed that when the point or switch is moved over say to the left hand
as at Fig. 1, its one side lies close against the rail A E while the other side forms
a continuation of the rail C, parallel with the rail D F until it meets the rail A E.
Thus in this position a carriage can run from line C D on to the line E F; if on
the other hand the switch be moved over to the other side as indicated by the
dotted lines Fig. 1, the side G I will form a continuation of the rail B of the
line A B meeting the rail F of the line E F. For carrying the switch during
such motion and for imparting the motion thereto, there is provided at the top of
the box girder k l m n, a carriage O constructed as shewn at Figs. 2 3, 34 and 7
running on transverse rails P P fixed on the top of the box girder from which
carriage the switch is suspended by connections QQ¹.
The carriage has a toothed rack at O' with which gears a pinion R Fig. 2 on a
shaft R carried by a standard S and rotated by suitable gearing for shifting the
carriage and with it the switch either to the right or to the left. When in
the one
or the other position, the switch is locked by the device shewn at
Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
On the bottom member S of the girder is provided a sliding bolt T, worked by
a lever Tand rod T2 from any convenient point at a distance, and on the other
side of the switch is fixed an eye U through which when the switch is brought
completely home against the rail A', as shewn by the dotted lines Fig. 5, the
bolt T can be shot into another eye T³ fixed to S.
In order to prevent the bolt from being shot home without passing through the
eye U should the switch not have been moved completely over as for example in
the position shewn in full lines Fig. 5, a pivotted guard V is provided in front of
the eye T3 so that the bolt is prevented from being shot.
When the switch is moved completely over as in the position shewn in dotted
lines Fig. 5 then the eye U pushes the guard to one side, into the position shewn
in dotted lines Fig. 5, so that the bolt T can then be shot.
The end of the bolt is made wedge-shape as shewn, so that if the eye U should
not be exactly in line with the eye Ts the wedging action of the bolt in passing
through will cause U and consequently the switch to be brought completely
home.
The rear ends of the switch at G and K are supported by brackets W on the
bottom members of the girder Fig. 2, when in either extreme position.
Figs. 1 and 1 shew respectively a plan and side view of the arrangement of the
bracket W and of the end of the switch resting thereon, the two parts being
separated so as to shew the arrangement more clearly. The bracket W is fixed to
the front ends of the part B, C as shewn, while the end of the switch GIK is
notched so as to form a bearing surface w which slides over the bracket as the
switch is moved from the one side to the other.
Figs. 9 to 16 shew a construction of the single tongue switch GI K in which
this is pivotted at its base at X and is moved over to the one side or the other like
an ordinary switch so as to form a thorough connection either for the line C D as
shewn in the position in full lines, or for the lines A B as shewn in the dotted
position. This construction is in itself not generally new but only as regards the
arrangement whereby the extreme point of the switch is pivotted to the other part,

page_text: so that when moved against the one rail or the other the point will adjust itself so
as to be close against the rail, instead of forming a certain angle therewith, as
would otherwise be the case unless the switch were made of considerable length.
Fig. 9 shews a sectional plan of the switch, Fig. 10 a part vertical section. Fig. 11
an enlarged part plan of the front end of the switch. Figs. 12 and 12 side views
of the front end I and the pivotted piece I detached; Figs. 13, 14, 15 sections
taken respectively at g and Fig. 12, and Fig. 16 a front view of the end of the
switch. The switch GI K is as before stated pivotted at X to a tubular post.
having its lower end supported by a bearing on a transverse bearer while its
upper end is supported by a collar at 2 at the top of the box girler, above which it
is provided with an arm a actuated in any convenient manner for moving the switch
over from one position into the other. The switch GIK is supported by an
adjustable tie rod from the upper part of the post. When in either extreme
position, the end I of the switch is supported by the bottom flange of the box
girder, while the base rests with a curved bar Y upon the bearer that supports
the post
The upper part 1 of the point is made of a separate piece as shewn
at Figs. 11, 12 and 124, this being connected to the part I by a pivot 12 passing
through an eye in the latter, so that when the point is brought up against the rail,
it turns slightly on the pivot 12 as shewn at Fig. 11 so as to lie close against the
rail, in which position it is locked by a locking bolt arranged in precisely the same
manner as described with reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, passing through one or other
of the eyes y y fixed to the extreme end of the piece I' It will be seen that when
in that position the piece I' is still sufficiently supported by its lateral flanges y²,
resting upon the upper face of the part I.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A switch or point for two meeting lines of an overhead railway for suspended
vehicles, consisting of a laterally moveable triangular structure GI K, two
sides GI and K 1 of which are curved to correspond with the curvature of the
meeting lines of railway, so that when the switch is moved over into either position
its oue curved side lies against the outer rail of the one line of rails, while its other
side forms a continuation of the inner rail of the other line of rails, meeting at its
end the outer rail of the other line, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the laterally moving switch referred to in the first claim,
the use of a carriage O running on transverse rails on the top of the box girder
carrying the lines of rails, from which carriage the switch GI K is suspended, the
requisite motion being imparted to the carriage by rack and pinion or other suitable
gear, substantially as described.
3. A single-tongue switch G I K for two meeting lines of rails, such switch being
pivotted to the liue at its base and having its point I formed with a separate
piece I pivotted thereto, so as to lie close against the side of the rail in either
extreme position, substantially as described.
4. The use for locking the switches referred to in the preceding claims, of a
locking bolt T, carried by the girder support of the rails, and having a wedge
shaped end which can pass through an eye U on the switch, a pivotted guard V
being provided which prevents the bolt T from being shot, when the eye U of the
switch is not in position to be engaged thereby, but which is pushed to one side by
the eye when the switch is brought into position, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.