Improvements in Facing Points for Tramways and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1899
Complete Inncification Loft 44th July 1000 Ancanted 44th Aug 1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Facing Points for Tramways and the like.
GEORGE FLETT, Managing Director of Messrs. Dick Kerr, of 110, Cannon
Street, London, E.C., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in facing points for use upon tram-
ways, light railways and the like, the object being to provide a point which will auto-
matically prevent the wheels of the car from travelling to the wrong side of
the point and thus enable movable tongues and other pivotted points at present
employed for the purpose to be dispensed with.
In carrying my invention into effect we arrange a vertically acting spring
block or guard at the junction of the point and we place this rising and falling
block in position to close the wheel groove of the rail in one direction, but to
keep open the turning out groove in the opposite direction, so that when the
rim or flange of the wheel travelling in the rail groove meets the guard block
it is directed by the special shape given to the block to the outer or open passage
of the groove.
When however the car is travelling in an opposite or return
direction the rim or flange of the wheel depresses the guard block and con-
tinues onward in the straight groove of the rail.
We mount our guard block box within an opening formed in the points of
the rail securing the box to the points by belts or other ordinary fastenings
Within the box we place a metal sliding block having one end curved on it
upper surface to suit the flange of the wheel and having the opposite end
square or approximately square on its upper surface, but tapered or rounded off
on its side surface to lead from the double width opening to the single width
opening of the flange groove on the points. Beneath the block we form a lip
or ledge to serve as a stop to the upward movement of the block. To keep the
block in its upper position we place volute or other springs beneath it these
springs being carried and guided upon a sole plate secured to the box in such
a position as to admit of the correct rise and fall being obtained when the block
is depressed by the wheel flange passing over it.
We modify the form of the springs and the shape and arrangements of our
box and its spring block or guard to suit the type and form of rail to which it
is desired to attach it.
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Facing Points for Tramways and the like.
I, GEORGE FLETT, Managing Director of Messrs. Dick Kerr, of 110, Cannon
Street, London, E.C., 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 improvements in facing points for use upon tram-
ways, light railways and the like, the object being to provide a point which
requires no cleaning and will automatically prevent the wheels of the car fromi
travelling to the wrong side of the point and thus enable movable tongues and
other pivoted points at present employed for the purpose to be dispensed with.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings:-
:-
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved facing point in position on a rail.
Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation through the line X X and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line Y, Y.
In carrying my invention into effect I arrange a vertically acting spring block
or guard A at the junction of the point and place this rising and falling block
in position to close the wheel groove B of the rail in one direction but to keep
open the turning out groove D in the opposite direction, so that when the rim
or flange F of the wheel travelling in the rail groove meets the guard block it
is directed by the special shape given to the block at a to the outer or open
passage of the groove D. When however the car is travelling in an opposite
or return direction as from C the rim or flange of the wheel depresses the
guard block A and continues onward in the straight groove of the rail towards E.
I mount my guard block box G within an opening H formed in the points of
the rail, securing the box to the points by bolts K or other ordinary fastenings.
Within the box I place a metal sliding block A having one end a¹ curved on its
upper surface to suit the flange of the wheel and having the opposite end a
square or approximately square on its upper surface, but tapered or rounded off
on its side surface to lead from the double width opening from E to the single
width opening of the flange groove D on the points. Beneath the block I form
a lip or ledge to serve as a stop to the upward movement of the block. To
keep the block in its upper position I place one or more volute or other springs L
beneath it, these springs being carried and guided upon a sole plate M secured
to the box in such a position as to admit of the correct rise and fall being ob-
tained when the block is depressed by the wheel flange passing over it.
I modify the form of the springs and the shape and arrangements of my box
and its springs block or plate to suit the type and form of rail to which it is
desired to attach it.
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
1. In a tramway or like rail point the combination of a block or plate with a
spring or series of springs placed beneath it for the purpose of causing the
block to control and to open and close a passage to and from a rail groove when
the car or other wheel passes over it substantially as hereinbefore described and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a tramway or like rail point the combination and arrangement of a
box or casing containing a rising and falling block having springs beneath it,
for controlling and opening and closing the rail grooves during the passage of a

page_text: wheel over or past it substantially as herein before described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a tramway or like rail point the arrangement of a vertically moving
block which forms an abutment to divert the rail wheel when such meets it in
one direction but which is depressed to allow the wheel to pass over it when the
wheel meets it in the opposite direction substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dattu
To day of ou
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.