Year: 1886

page_text: I, FREDERICK JAMES HOYT, of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, United
States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to means for crossing the main rail of a railway with the
side rail of a switch, and it has for its object to dispense entirely with the use of
frogs in that connection.
It consists of a rotary track-crossing having one or more faces provided with a
rail adapted to form a close and continuous connection with the rail of a main or
branch track, when rotated, as more fully hereinafter described.
Its construction and operation are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which Figure 1, is a plan, Figure 2, a side elevation partly in section, and Figures 3,
and 4, details.
One form of my invention, which I call a track-crossing, is shown in Figure 4:
A is a box which may be hollow or solid having four square surfaces or faces.
On one of these faces is shown a straight rail b, and on another face a siding
rail c.
A shaft, D, runs through the box for its support, and connection with
operating mechanisın hereinafter described.
When the box is hollow the shaft may be additionally braced by arms or braces
within the box, not here shown.
In figures 1 and 2 my invention is shown applied to a rail road track at that
point of a track where the inner rails of a switch or side track cross the rails of a
inain track, and at which point a frog is generally placed.
At the point indicated the box A is sunk below the bed of the road so that its
rails b and c, are on an exact level with the main rails of the track.
In the position shown in the drawings the straight rail b, is on a line with the
main track rail g, and the siding rail c, as shown in dotted lines in figure 1, and in
figure 2, is laid at angle on a line with the rail h, of a branch track.
The box is supported by placing the ends of the shaft D, in journal boxes e,
which rest solidly on posts F, or other suitable supports may be provided.
The operative mechanism consists of a switch lever L, a switch bar M, pivoted
to the bottom of the switch lever and provided with a rack m¹, a shaft O, supported
in journals v, and provided at one end with a cog wheel p, to engage with the
ID 11

page_text: switch bar M, and at the other end with a cog wheel s, to engage with a cog t, on
the end of the shaft D, which carries the box A.
The switch and switch bar are connected with the main track in the usual way.
As above stated the rotating box is shown in position with its straight rail b, on
a line with the main rail g. Now by pulling the switch lever a suitable distance to
turn the switch, the box A is turned over so as to present the siding rail c, on a
line with the branch rail h.
Thus adjusted and operated a continuous track is presented to the main line at
the point where the switch rail crosses it, and at the same time the switch track
can be utilized and cars side tracked with as great facility as by the use of the
frog.
I do not confine myself to the precise mechanism shown for operating the switch
shaft O, as other equivalent mechanism might be used.
For instance, an arm might be attached to the bottom of the switch lever and
have pivoted thereto and running at a right angle therewith a rod carrying a cog
wheel to engage with the cog on shaft D, by which means the same movement of
the track-crossing could be obtained.
The number of faces carrying the rails of the track-crossing may also be varied,
to a greater or less number of side tracks to be used at that point.
It is unnecessary to enumerate at length the disadvantages of frogs in the
matter of wear, expense, breakage, misplacement, etc., giving rise to numerous
accidents and great outlay, and it is sufficient to say in this connection that my
invention is designed, by affording a close joint, a single rail, and a continuous
track with absolute certainty of operation, to obviate all such disadvantages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A rotary track crossing provided on its face or faces with a rail adapted to
form a close and continuous connection with the rail of a main or branch track
when rotated, substantially as described.
2. A rotary track crossing provided on its face or faces with a rail placed to form
a close and continuous connection with the rail of a main or branch track, in
combination with a switch lever and shafts and gearing for operating said track
crossing, substantially as described.