Improvements in or connected with Railway Switches.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Railway Switches.
I, JAMES DAVIS, residing at 214 Lehigh Avenue, Pittsburg, Allegheny County,
State of Pennsylvania, Architect, of the United States, and WILLIAM ARTHUR
THOMAS, residing at 16 Holden Street, Pittsburg, Allegheny County, State of
Pennsylvania, Plasterer, of the United States, 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 a certain new and useful improvement in switches and
more particularly to a combined switch, loop and cross over for railroads. The
invention is particularly applicable to street railways. The invention has for its
object a novel form of tracks and switches that will facilitate the traffic of any
number of railways terminating at one point or at a junction where a number of
lines intersect each other.
▲ still further object of the invention being to obtain a continuous circle of all
lines at the terminal point, thereby avoiding the switchback, thus obtaining a
great advantage over other systems that are now in use, inasmuch as changing
the direct motion of the car while traversing any portion of the circle will be
obviated.
The invention further contemplates to provide novel means whereby the friction
of the wheels against the inner rail of the circle may be obviated, this being
particularly desirable in cases of circles having a small radius.
With the above and other objects in view, the invention finally consists in the
novel construction, combination and arrangement of the tracks and switches to be
hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification,
Fig. 1, represents a plan view of our improved switch, loop and cross over.
Fig. 2, is a front elevation partly in perspective of the inuer rail of the circle.
Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the locking device of the inner rail.
Fig. 4, is a detail perspective view of the lever rod.
Fig. 5, is a plan view of the locking device applied to the inuer rail.
In the drawings 1, indicates the main track, which is annular in form; this main
circle is provided with continuous side branches, N. S. E. W., respectively, the
said branches intersecting the main circle at four points or any number of points
approximately at right angles from the centre of the circle. 2, represents the
switches which are of the ordinary and well known construction. 3, represents the
castings of the branches at the intersection of the main circle. 4, represents the inner
rail of the circle mounted on a series of rolls 5, said rolls are provided with
flanges 6, and 7, the inner flanges 7, being beveled towards the base portion of
the rail. 8, represents the shafts of the rolls, said shafts being mounted in
chairs 9. The castings enclose the chairs oud extend upwardly slightly above
the level of the rail.
The reference figures 3 and 4, respectively, indicate the locking bars carrying
clamps 11, adapted to operate against the base portion of the inner rail; 12, repre-
sents a staple arranged in the underneath side of the locking bars adapted to
receive the locking rod 13, the lattor being pivotally attached to the lever
rod 14.

page_text: The boundary of the streets is indicated by the letters, N.E., S.E., N.W., S.W.
It will be noted that a car when on the main circle may be easily transferred to
any of the branch lines. For the purpose of illustrating this, let us suppose that
a car is running cn the right hand side of the S. track in a direction towards N. or
north; supposing, further, that the said car were to take an eastward course, the
switches would then be thrown so that the car could not make the circle, but would
be switched in the desired direction; if the car should take a northerly course, tho
switches would be opened on the branch line E. and the car allowed to traverse a
portion of the circle to a point where the switch could be again closed, and
accomplish the desired end; that is, to switch the car on the branch N.; should a
westerly course be pursued, the car would pass both branches E. & N., the switches
being open and thus allowed to follow the westerly course; if the car is to
return in the opposite direction, all the switches are thrown open and the car
allowed to travel over the entire circle and return via the left hand track. It will
be seen that the cars moving in the opposite direction, as described, may be
transferred in the same manner; furthermore, that a number of roads running in
different directions may be readily transferred by employing our system.
As the car travels over the circle or any part thereof, the inner rail being mounted
on a series of rolle, will move in the opposite direction to that of the car, and the
friction is thus obviated.
The locking device may be applied to the rail at any desired point of the circle.
In order to lock the rail, the lever rod is operated carrying the locking rod, which
in turn operates the locking bars in opposite direction, thus clinching the rail by
means of the clamps arranged on the locking bars. If desired, the locking devioc
may be dispensed with, for the reason that the motion of the inner rail will be
obecked if the car is brought to a standstill on the circle.
We call particular attention to the fact that our invention may be applied to any
system of street railways such as electric, cable, motor or horse cars, and may be
applied with great advantage even though the different lines terminating at one
point are operated under the above described systems.
The switches may be operated in any suitable manner automatically or by hand,
or may be controlled from a switch station, located at a considerable height above
the centre of the circle. The switches will be set in the opposite side or outer rail
(shown in Fig. 1) when it is desired to employ the movable rail in connection with
the loop or circle. It will be readily seen that by practical adoption of the above
described system the number of switches employed is greatly reduced compared to
the present method of switching; furthermore, the system affords advantages in
point of simplicity and cheapness.
It will be seen that various changes may be made in the details of construction
without departing from the general spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1. In a combined switch, loop and cross over, the combination of an annular
track and a series of branch lines connected therewith, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The combined switch, loop and cross over consisting of an annular track and
branch lines intersecting the said annular track at right angles and suitable switches,
substantially as shown and described.
3. An annular track, the inner rail mounted on a series of rolls provided with
flanges, in combination with chairs and castinga, substantially as described.
4. An annular track, the inner rail mounted on a series of rolls provided with a
beveled and straight flange in combination with chairs, and castings extending
slightly above the level of the rail, substantially as described.
5. An annular track, the inner rail mounted on a series of rolls, chairs and

page_text: castings in combination with a suitablo locking device, substantially as described,
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated the 25th day of February 1895.
For JAMES DAVIS and
WILLIAM ARTHUR THOMAS,
Robert Krayn,
Attorney.