IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOSE POINTS TO BE USED ON TRAMWAYS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, PALMER AUGUSTUS BOURKE of 6 Caprera Terrace, Plymouth in the County
of Devon, Civil Engineer do hereby. declare the nature of my said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOSE POINTS TO BE USED ON TRAMWAYS
" to be as
follows:-
-
This invention has for its object the construction of loose points used on
tramways generally, but specially designed for use on steam tramways, in such a
manner as to combine simplicity safety and economy and adaptability to the
existing beds.
The invention consists in making the bed of iron somewhat of a H form in
transverse vertical section, with outwardly extending flanges at the bottom so as
to ensure its resting firmly on the sleepers. In plan it is of a V shape, one side of
the V being narrow on its top edge, and forms a guard 'while the other is broad.
enough for the engine or car to roll upon. On the web connecting the vertical
sides of the bed together there is placed the tongue or loose point which is made of
steel, somewhat thicker in the middle than at the ends, and of an acute V shape to
correspond with the form of the bed, but of such width only as to leave a channel
on either side of it according to its position and the direction in which it is desired
that the carriages shall travel. Attached to the tongue or loose point are two pins
which fit into transversely slotted holes in the web and are secured below the web
by nuts, cotters, or other suitable appliances. The tongue,although secured to the
web is "loose," or capable of being slid from one side to the other so as to fit it for
causing the carriages to diverge from one set of lines to another in accordance with
the operation of the pointsman.

page_text: Improvements in Loose Points to be Used on Tramways.
23
I, PALMER AUGUSTUS BOURKE of 29 Great George Street, in the City of
Westminster, but formerly of 6 Caprera Terrace, Plymouth, in the County of
Devon, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOOSE POINTS TO BE USED ON TRAMWAYS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object the construction of loose points used on
tramways generally, but specially designed for use on steam tramways, in such a
manner as to combine simplicity, safety, and economy.
The invention consists in making the bed of iron somewhat of a H form in
transverse vertical section, with outwardly extending flanges at the bottom so as
to ensure its resting firmly on the foundation. In plan it is of a V shape, one side
of the V being narrow on its top edge, and forms a guard, while the other is broad
enough for the engine or car to roll upon. On the web connecting the vertical
sides of the bed together there is placed the tongue or loose point, which is made
of steel somewhat thicker in the middle than at the ends, and of an acute V shape
to correspond with the form of the bed, but of such width only as to leave a
channel on either side of it, according to its position and the direction in which it
is desired that the carriages shall travel. Attached to the tongue or loose point
are two pins which fit into transversely slotted holes in the web and are secured
below the web by nuts, cotters, or other suitable appliances. The tongue although
secured to the web is "loose" or capable of being slid from one side to the other so
as to fit it for causing the carriages to diverge from one set of lines to another in
accordance with the operation of the pointsman.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood drawings are attached
hereto of which the following is a description. Fig. 1 is a plan of both the loose
point and the bed. Fig. is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, and
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation through S T of Fig. 1,-while Fig. 4 is a
transverse sectional elevation through U, V, Fig. 1. In each of the drawings
similar letters refer to the same parts.-A, A, are the vertical sides supporting the
bed and rail K, which are connected together by the web B. The sides A, A, are
further apart from each other at the boxes or parts where the sections are drawn,
the remainder of the bed being supported by sides placed as at A¹, A¹-C is the
loose point resting upon the web of the bed B.-D, D, are the two pins which are
round at the upper and lower parts, but square in the middle as at E, and work in
the two slots F, F, in the web of the bed. The pins and consequently the loose
point are retained in their places by washers G, G, and cotters H, H, the latter
having pins I, I, to prevent their becoming detached.
In the plan Fig. 1 the track or channel J, J, is shown open and the carriage
supposed to be proceeding in the direction of the arrows, but if it is desired that

page_text: the carriage shall diverge, then before the carriage reaches the sharp end of the
Joose point the latter is drawn or pushed over at both ends to the extremity of the
slots F, F, when the carriage will proceed in the direction desired.
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
The construction of loose points with their boxes or beds, the different parts
being arranged as herein described and shown on the drawings.