provements in Railroad Frogs.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Railroad Frogs.
I, FREDERICK JAMES HOYT, a citizen of the United States, residing at 237 La Salle
Street, in the City of Chicago, County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of
America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement
-
My invention relates to Railroad frogs, and particularly to that class of frogs placed
at the crossings of main and side tracks, and wherein the inner rail of the side track
crosses or passes through the outer rail of the main track At such points with the
frogs now generally in uso an open joint is formed between the inner rail of the side
track and the adjoining rail of the mun track, and with such fiogs guard rails are
necessary to prevent the cars wheels from jumping the track by reason of lateral
pressure or other cause, at such points an event of frequent occurrence.
The object of my invention is to furnish at the point mentioned a solid unbroken
rail for either the main or side track when the switch is thrown either way, and to
dispense entirely with guard rails
My invention consists of a sliding frog actuated and controlled positively by the
movement of the switch rails, and constructed and operated as hereinafter described.
It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 are plan views,
Figure lotul in longitudinal section, and
Figures 4, 5, and 6, details
Referring to the drawings A, A, are the rails of a main track, and B, B, the rails of
a branch or side track C, C, are the switch rails on main track, and D, a switch
stand.
At the point of crossing of the main and side track is a plate E, preferably steel,
having on its upper face and across its centre a straight piece of rail, F, and connected
thereto at one end and then extending at an angle therewith is a rail section G. Both
of these sections are bevelled at their ends The plate E, with the rail sections F. G,
constitute the sliding frog, as shown The straight rail section F, 15 adapted to
engage with the inner main track rail and the angle section G, to engage with the
inner side track rail, and the ends of the main and side rails are beveiled in opposite
directions to engage with the bevelled ends of the plate sections at the flaring end of
the frog sections F, G
This plate may be of any desired dimensions, but a convenient size is three inches
thick with a face 12 x 15.
which
II, 13 an iron or steel case or box in which the plate E, is held and slid, and is
grooved at 2, at both ends to receive the tongues 1 of the plato G. Two ties are cut
away to receive the bottom of the box, and to place the box deep enough to allow the
section rails to be on a level with the main and side rails, and the box is also provided
with flanges, m, by which it is secured at its opposite ends to two other ties
The ends of the plate and is tongue are provided with friction rollers
engage with the corresponding ends of the box when the plate is slid
The plate E, is sli1 back and forward by the following means:
The switch stand D, Fig. 1, connects with the switch rails C R, is a rod connected
to the switch at one end and to a small turn plate S, at the opposite end T, is a
Jointed rod passing through a bearing t', connecting said turn plate and the sliding
plate E. Stops t, t, are secured to the ends of the cataway ties t³, t, to limit the
movement of the frog. This movement is also limited by the bevelled ends of the rail
sections F, G, coming in contact with the ends of the main and branch rails.
Figures 4, 5, and 6, details
Referring to the drawings A, A, are the rails of a main track, and B, B, the rails of
a branch or side track C, C, are the switch rails on main track, and D, a switch
stand.
At the point of crossing of the main and side track is a plate E, preferably steel,
having on its upper face and across its centre a straight piece of rail, F, and connected
thereto at one end and then extending at an angle therewith is a rail section G. Both
of these sections are bevelled at their ends The plate E, with the rail sections F. G,
constitute the sliding frog, as shown The straight rail section F, 15 adapted to
engage with the inner main track rail and the angle section G, to engage with the
inner side track rail, and the ends of the main and side rails are beveiled in opposite
directions to engage with the bevelled ends of the plate sections at the flaring end of
the frog sections F, G
This plate may be of any desired dimensions, but a convenient size is three inches
thick with a face 12 x 15.
II, 13 an iron or steel case or box in which the plate E, is held and slid, and is
grooved at 2, at both ends to receive the tongues 1 of the plato G. Two ties are cut
away to receive the bottom of the box, and to place the box deep enough to allow the
section rails to be on a level with the main and side rails, and the box is also provided
with flanges, m, by which it is secured at its opposite ends to two other ties
The ends of the plate and is tongue are provided with friction rollers
engage with the corresponding ends of the box when the plate is slid
The plate E, is sli1 back and forward by the following means:
which
The switch stand D, Fig. 1, connects with the switch rails C R, is a rod connected
to the switch at one end and to a small turn plate S, at the opposite end T, is a
Jointed rod passing through a bearing t', connecting said turn plate and the sliding
plate E. Stops t, t, are secured to the ends of the cataway ties t³, t³, to limit the
movement of the frog. This movement is also limited by the bevelled ends of the rail
sections F, G, coming in contact with the ends of the main and branch rails.

page_text: The upper surface of the box H, is provided with corrugations P, on which the
plate E, slides, and the purpose of these corrugations is to decrease the amount of
frictional surface on which the frog slides, and also to carry away water from around
the frog. These cori ugations are deeper at their outer ends and increase in shallow-
ness toward the centre of the box, until at the centre they cease, as shown in
Figs. 5 and 6.
In operation when the switch is set to the main track the frog at the same time is
set on its ways so that the main rail section F, rests at each end against each end of
the connecting main rail. When the switch is turned to the side track the frog is
shid by the same movement until the angle section G, is in direct line with the side
rail thus making a continuous side track
The first position is shown in Fig 1, the second in Fig 2.
The side stops t. t. and the bevelled ends of the sections F, and G, coming against
the ends of the main and side rails hold the rails rigidly against the side thrusts, thus
dispensing entirely with guard rails. The construction of the ends of the rails as thus
described also forms a continuous oblique joint which avoids all jarring and strain usual
at these points.
In Fig 2 a modification of the switch operating mechanism is shown
Instead of
the switch rod shown in Fig. 1, a drop switch W, is employed, and instead of the rod
a cable w¹, is used on each side of the track, each cable being connected at one end
to a switch rail C, passing over pulleys w³, w³, and connected at the other end to the
middle of the sliding plate E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is performed, I declare that what I claim is ;
1. In combination with the rails of a main and side track, a sliding frog consisting
of a tongued plate provided with a main and a side rail section, the ends of said sections
bevelled to form an oblique joint with the rails, a case to hold said plate having grooves
and flanges, fuction rollers between said plate and case, and a switch mechanism,
substantially as described
2. The tongued plate provided with the main and side rail sections and friction
rollers, in combination with the case to hold the said plate, and provided with the
flanges and grooves, substantially as and for the purpose described
3 The tongued plate provided with the rail sections and friction rollers in
combination with the grooved caso provided with corrugations, substantially as and
for the purpose described
Dated then 7th
1000
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J B
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC, Agent for the Applicant