IM- PROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES OR JUNCTION POINTS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Francis Burke, of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County
of Warwick, James Marlow Burke, of Portarlington, Ireland, and Edward
Moriarty Browne, of the City of Dublin, Engineers, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES OR JUNCTION POINTS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 9th September 1876, and dated the 11th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Frances Burke, James
Marlow Burke, and Edward Moriarty Browne, at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 11th March 1876.
JOSEPH FRANCIS BURKE, of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of Warwick,
JAMES MARLOW BURKE, of Portarlington, Ireland, and EDWARD MORIARTY BROWNE,
of the City of Dublin, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES OR JUNCTION
POINTS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Our Invention has for its object improvements in switches or junction points
of railways and tramways, whereby a train or carriage may be more readily made
to change its direction from the main line to its branches or from one line to
another, whilst the dangers incidental to the employment of the ordinary facing
points are entirely avoided.
In carrying out our Invention we form the main line rail on one side (say the
left-hand side for example) at that part where a branch line meets it in a continuous
rail, and terminates the branch line rail of the same side on the inner side of the
main line rail, and firmly fix it to the sleepers at this part. On the inner side of
the main line rail there is placed packing, which when a train is running in the
direction of the main line will act as a check rail, but upon which the flange of the
wheels of the train will be caused to run when the direction of the train is changed
to the branch line. A check or guard rail is fixed against this packing for the
purpose of keeping the wheels in their proper position, and for all other purposes
for which a check or guard rail is at present used. On the opposite side of the
line (say the right-hand side) we form the branch line rail in a continuous rail, and
on the inner side of the branch line rail at this side we terminate the main line
rail. The main line rail is firmly fixed to the sleepers at this part, and packing is
placed on the inner side of the branch line rail, upon which when a train is running
in the direction of the main line the flanges of the wheels will run; but which
when the direction of a train is changed to the branch line will act as a check or
[Posice Gd1

page_text: guard rail. On this (right-hand) side of the line (for example) and on the inner
side of the continuous rail a moveable bar or rail is so arranged as to be capable of
being moved by means of a connecting rod from the ordinary lever handle situate
in the signal hut or switch box. This bar or rail is provided for the purpose of
changing the direction of a train from the main line to its branches or from one
line to another, and may be maintained in its proper place by means of a crank,
series of cranks, or by any other suitable connection. A certain amount of play is
provided between the connecting rod and the moveable bar or rail in order that the
crank or series of cranks may fulfil its or their desired functions.
When our Invention is applied where facing points are at present required, we
connect the moveable bar or rail to a bar of angle or other iron fitted between the
main line and branch line rails in such a manner that it will be kept to the rail by
the flanges of the wheels of a passing train when passing on to the branch line, and
will be locked in that position during the passage of the train.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Frances Burke, James Marlow Burke, and Edward Moriarty
Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th September 1876.
JOSEPH FRANCIS BURKE, of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of Warwick,
JAMES MARLOW BURKE, of Portarlington, Ireland, and EDWARD MORIARTY_BROWNE,
of the City of Dublin, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SWITCHES OR JUNCTION
POINTS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Our said Invention has for its object the provision of means whereby a tram or
carriage may be more readily caused to change its direction from the main line to
its branches or from one line to another, whilst the dangers incidental to the
employment of the ordinary facing points are entirely avoided.
In order to effect this object we construct and arrange switches or junction points
in the following manner, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed:
Figure 1 of our Drawings represents a plan of a switch or junction point
arranged according to our Invention, the parts being shown in their position open
for the main linc.
Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the relative positions of the fixed points, and
of the main line and the branch line.
Figure 2 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale and taken along the line A, B,
Figure 1, shewing the position for changing the direction of a train from the main
line to its branch line; and Figure 3 is a detail which will be hercin-after
referred to.
Similar letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
We form the main line rail on one side (say for example the rail a) at that part
where a branch line rail e meets it in a continuous rail extending it beyond the junc-
tion, as shewn at b, and we terminate the branch line rail c of the same side on the
inner side of the main line rail a, b, and firmly fix it to the sleepers at this part. On
the inner side of the main line rail a, b, and branch line rail c, packing e is placed, so
that when a train is running in the direction of the branch line the flanges of the
wheels of a passing vehicle will bear on it where necessary. On the opposite side
of the line we form the branch line rail c¹ in a continuous rail, and on the inner
side of the branch line rail at this side we terminate the main line rail b', d³ repre-
senting the other portion of the main line rail which is in one with the rail c¹. On
the inner side of the branch and main line rails packing c¹ is placed, in such a
manner that when a train is running in the direction of the main line the flanges
of the wheels of a passing vehicle will bear on it where necessary. On this side of
the line on the inner side of the continuous rail a', c¹, there is provided a moveable
bar or check rail F, which is so arranged as to be capable of being moved by means

page_text: of a connecting rod d from the ordinary lever handle situate in the signal hut or
switch box, and is pivoted at the end G which is in front of the fixed points D, D¹,
whilst it is free to move at the other end to and from the continuous rail a², c¹.
This moveable bar or check rail is provided for the purpose of changing the
direction of a train from the main line to its branches or from one line to another,
and when moved for that purpose it is maintained in its proper position either by
means of a crank H, as shown, or by a series of cranks, or by any other suitable
connection. The crank H and moveable bar F are connected to each other by
means of a rod or bar I jointed at one end to the crank, and slotted at that part K
where the moveable bar or check rail F is connected to it to allow a certain amount
of play, so that the crank has a movement independent of the bar F; whilst when
the bar is moved out to a sufficient extent the crank will be released and move
with it. The slotted bar I is connected to the connecting rod d leading to the
lever handle. The moveable bar or check rail F where the crank works against it
is curved, as shewn at d, in such a manner as to allow the crank when pulled once
to bring it into its proper position. On the other side of the line, videlicet a, b, in
the example shewn in the Drawings, an alternate moveable bar or check rail and
crank is provided connected to the above-mentioned noveable bar or check rail F
and crank H so as to work in unison with it. The alternate bar is shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 1, and its arrangement and working will be obvious without
further description.
The above-mentioned cranks are pivotted in the centre, and maintained in their
proper positions by being firmly fixed to the sleeper.
When our Invention is applied where facing points are at present required, we
connect the moveable bar or check rail F to a bar of angle or other iron fitted
between the main line and branch line rails, in such a manner that
will move
with the bar F in or out from the continuous rail, so that when the bar F is in its
proper position for changing the direction of a vehicle it will lock the bar F in that
position by being kept to the rail by the flanges of the wheels whilst a vehicle is
passing the junction. This locking bar in order to fulfil the above conditions is
arranged in the following inanner, reference being had to Figure 3 of our Drawings.
M is the locking bar, to each end of which there is connected a link bar or rod N,
the opposite end of which links, bars, or rods are connected to the sleepers in such
a manner that when the moveable bar or check rail F is moved this locking bar M
will move with it with a paralell movement from the continuous rail a¹, c¹. The
moveable bar or check rail F and the locking bar M are connected together at their
ends by a short rod or bar of iron L.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is, or may be used, or carried into effect,
we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the construction of railway or tramway switches or
junction points with on both sides fixed points, and on one or both sides a moveable
bar or check rail for changing the direction of a vehicle from the main line to its
branches, or from one line to another without the employment of moveable parts on
which the wheels of a vehicle can run, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Francis Burke, James Marlow Burke,
and Edward Moriarty Browne, have to this our Specification, set our hands
and seals, this Eighth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
JOSEPH FRANCIS BURKE.
JAMES MARLOW BURKE.
(L.S.)
(LLS.)
EDWARD MORIARTY BROWNE. (L.S.)