IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND SWITCHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND SWITCHES." A communication
from abroad by John Walter Harding, of Columbus, Texas, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October.1877.
66
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND
SWITCHES." [A communication from abroad by John Walter Harding, of Columbus,
Texas, United States of America.]
г
This Invention relates to improvements in railway crossings and switches, and is
applicable to either wooden or iron railways.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I employ switch rails connected by
a rod with a switch lever, which is secured to the end of a rocking shaft. This
rocking shaft is provided with journal boxes attached to the cross ties or sleepers.
The main line rail and the branch rail are cut away. A short rail is secured to.
a plate by bolts or other suitable means. The said plate is centrally provided with
a pivot, which extends down through a bearing plate into the cross tie, thereby
giving rigidity to the first-named plate, and forming a centre upon which the short
rail is turned.
The bearing plate is secured to the cross tie in any suitable manner, and has ears
that lap over the pivotted plate to hold it in place, and allow the required movement.
of the short rail to make the desired connection with the main line or switch rails.
By this construction and arrangement the obstruction of the said short rail' by stones,.
sand, or other substances, which would prevent its 'making the proper connections.
with the said rails is prevented.

page_text: The short rail is regulated in its movement by stop pins arranged in such a
manner as to stop the said rail in the right positions, and ensure a complete
connection with the main line or switch, as the case may be.
There are arms projecting from opposite sides of the shaft, and connected by
means of rods with opposite ends of the pivotted plate, so that when the switch is
changed by moving the lever, the short rail is also turned until it comes in contact
with the stop pins, when a continuous line will be made. By means of turn buckles
the length of the rods is regulated as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
April 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS AND
SWITCHES." A communication from abroad by John Walter Harding, of Columbus,
Texas, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in railway crossings and switches.
The said Invention is applicable to either wooden or iron railways, and is con-
structed and arranged as herein-after fully set forth, and as illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a plan of the said Invention; Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x,
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section through a short rail and pivoted rail plate herein-
after described.
Figure 4 is a plan of the pivoted rail plate bearing.
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section of the said short rail and pivoted rail
plate and its bearings.
Figure 6 is a plan of the said rail plate.
And Figure 7 shews the device for connecting a rock shaft with the said pivoted
rail plate.
Figures 3 to 7 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
A, A', are the main line rails, and B, B, are the ordinary switch rails pivoted at a,
and connected by the rod C with the switch lever D, which is secured to the end of
a rocking shaft E. This rocking shaft is provided with journal boxes b attached to
the cross ties or sleepers.
The
The main line rail A¹, and the branch rail F are cut away as shown in Figure 1.
The short rail G is secured to the plate H by bolts or other suitable means.
plate H is centrally provided with a pivot g which extends down through the
bearing plate H₁ into the cross tie, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, thereby giving
rigidity to the plate H and forming a centre upon which the rail G is turned.
The plate His secured to the cross tie in any suitable manner, and has ears e
that lap over the plate H to hold it in place, and allow the required movement of
the rail G to make the desired connection with the main line or switch rails. By

page_text: this construction and arrangement the obstruction of the rail G by stones, sand, or
other substances, which would prevent its making the proper connections with the
said rails is avoided.
The rail G is regulated in its movement by stop pins d arranged in such a manner
as to stop the rail G in the right positions, and ensure a complete connection with the
main line or switch as the case may be.
I, I, are arms projecting from opposite sides of the shaft E, and connected by
means of rods J, J, with opposite ends of the plate H, so that when the switch is
changed by moving the lever D, the rail G is also turned until it comes in contact
with the stop pins d, when a continuous line will be made. By means of turn
buckles f the length of the rods J is regulated as required.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of the rail G, the plate H centrally provided with a pivot,
the plate H¹ having ears, and the stops, all constructed and arranged as shown, and
operating in the manner and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination of the lever, the rock shaft, the rods, the arms, the turn
buckles, the plate H, the plate H, the rail G, and the stops, all arranged in
combination with the main and switch rails, as above described and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.