Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
ALFRED WY HITAKER 01 Cemetery Road Deeston rin Leeds (Iorks) Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Where, owing to its construction a turntable is insufficiently long to admit of
being turned with an engine, or engine and tender, or other vehicle standing upon
it, extension-rails are necessary, I propose that the normal position of such extension
rails, i.e. their position when not in use, shall be parallel to the fixed rails of the
turntable. I connect each of the two extension-rails to the girders of the turntable
by means of two arms, one being in advance of the other, and attach these arms to
the extension-rails by studs fastened to the rails, and key one arm of each extension-
rail to a cross shaft underneath the surface of the table, and couple the cross shafts
together by universal joint or joints so that they (the cross shafts) can be moved
together; each of the other two arms (one on each extension rail) is made to turn at
its lower end on a centre stud fastened to one of the main girders: where necessary a
rising and falling motion, as well as a circular one, is given to this latter arm by means
of a stud or bolt fastened to the arm, the path of this stud or bolt being controlled by a
curved slot in a plate which is secured to the girder or to the bearing carrying the
lower centre stud before referred to; the hole through the arm in which the centre
stud works is elongated in order to allow the required rising and falling movement.
The shafts and studs on which the arms turn are set at an angle with the longitudinal
centre line of the girders so that when the moveable rails are in their normal position
(i.e. out of use) they lie clear of the permanent rails, but when the arms are made to
revolve partially on their lower shafts and studs by means of a handle or loop attached
to one of the arms, the two moveable rails are carried together diagonally into the
extended position ready for use and they then lie partially on the top of the main rails
but overhanging them the required distance at the outer end, and when in that position
they are of the same gauge or distance apart laterally as the permanent rails so that
the wheels of an engine or other vehicle can travel upon them. In order that the
extension-rails and gearing may be easily moved by hand a suitable counterbalance
weight is attached to one of each pair of arms.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Gearing for Extension Rails of Railway Turntables.
ALFRED WHITAKER 61 Cemetery Road Beeston Hill Leeds (Yorks) Mechanical
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 :-
Where, owing to its construction, a turntable is insufficiently long to admit of being
turned with an engine or engine and tender or other vehicle standing upon it and
extension rails are consequently necessary, I propose that the normal position of such
extension, rails, i.e. their position when not in use, shall be parallel to the fixed rails of
the turntable as shown at A on right hand half of cross section on sheet 2 of
accompanying drawings and lower half of plan on sheet 3. Each extension rail A is
attached to two armis B and C by means of round studs or pins D so that the arms
can turn upon them. These studs or pins D are set at an angle with the
longitudinal centre line of the extension rails. The main arm B may, if necessary, be
curved as shown to suit the construction of the table; at its lower end a balance
weight E is attached and at or about the middle of its length it is keyed to a cross
shaft F which is set at the same angle as the studs or pins D; the shaft is carried at
the end next the girder by a bearing G attached to the girder, in which the shaft can
turn. The inner ends of the two cross shafts F F are coupled together by a universal
joint or joints H with a bearing I also attached to the table; a turning motion
imparted to one shaft will therefore be imparted to the other one; if thought desirable
each shaft may be provided with a bearing at its inner end and the two shafts may be
connected by bevel gearing or by other suitable means, or the connection may be
dispensed with and the shafts will then turn separately and independently of each other
but I prefer the arrangement as shown on drawings. The back arm U turns at its
· lower end on a centre stud J attached to the girder and set at the same angle as the
cross shaft F and studs D; this arm C besides having a circular motion round the
stud J has a rising and falling motion imparted to it by a stud or bolt K at its extreme
lower end travelling in a curved slot cut in the cam plate L which is attached to the
centre stud J or to the girder; the hole in the arm through which the stud J passes
is elongated to allow of this rising and falling motion; by this means the inner end
of the extension rail is depressed and travels close to the level of the fixed rails when
being moved from the normal to the extended position or vice versa; where the
construction of the table or other circumstances will permit, this rising and falling
motion may be dispensed with; the cam plate L will not then be required and the
arm C may be constructed as shown by Fig. 2 Sheet 1; the distance between the top
and bottom centres of arm C should in that case be made equal to the distance between
the top centre of arm B and centre of cross shaft F and the distance between the
centres of stud J and cross shaft F should be made equal to the distance between the
centres of studs D D. Assuming that the extension rails are in their normal position
as shown by right hand cross section-on-sheet-2-and lower half of plan on sheet 3, if

page_text: by means of a loop or handle M or other suitable contrivance, the arms B and Care
made to revolve with the shaft F and round the centre stud J respectively the
extension rails will be carried forward diagonally into the extended position as shown
at Fig. 1 Sheet 1, left hand cross section on Sheet 2, and upper half of plan on
Sheet 3, and in that position they are ready for use; if the cross shafts F F are
coupled together as shown, both the extension rails will move into the extended
position or vice versa at one and the same time, but if the shafts are not so coupled
together the same movement has to be made for each rail separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
An arrangement for manipulating extension rails of turntables by connecting them
to the table by arms balanced and revolving on shafts or studs set at an angle so that
the extension rails can be easily moved, either together or separately, into position
ready for use and vice versa.
A. WHITAKER,
Applicant.