IMPROVEMENTS IN POINTS AND SWITCHES FOR TRAMWAYS OR .RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES BLAGBURN of the firm of Menzies and Blagburn of the Borough and
County of Newcastle-on-Tyne Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POINTS AND SWITCHES FOR TRAMWAYS OR
.RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide means by which tram-cars, carriages
and the rolling stock generally used on street or other tramways and railways can
be easily transferred from one line to another, or on to sidings connected therewith,
by means of points or switches that will not choke with mud or stones and in
such a manner that the tongue or tongues or moveable parts of the points or
switches will not have to support the weight of the rolling stock.
According to this Invention the points where the lines join are each fitted with
a hinged piece or blade working vertically or capable of being raised and lowered
in the inner groove of each point. These hinged pieces or blades may be actuated
so as to raise or lower them by means of a cross shaft with bell cranks or cams at
each end under each hinged piece or blade and placed in such a position that when
one hinged piece or blade is raised the other is depressed so that the rolling stock
can be transferred from one line to another as required.
I wish it to be understood that I do not necessarily limit myself to the means
herein before mentioned for giving the vertical movement to the hinged pieces or
blades for instance the said movement may be effected by a system of knee levers
or toggles which may be operated by bars or rods which can be simultaneously
pulled and thrust to raise the hinged piece or blade at one side and simultaneously
lower the other. Or the said hinged pieces or blades may be made self acting or
so as to be operated upon by or from the vehicle as it approaches the switches or
points.

page_text: 1, CHARLES BLAGBURN of the firm of Menzies and Blagburn of the Borough and
County of Newcastle on Tyne Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POINTS AND SWITCHES FOR TRAMWAYS OR
RAILWAYS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to provide means by which tram cars carriages
and the other rolling stock generally used on street or other tramways and railways
can be easily transferred from one line to another or onto sidings connected
therewith by means of points or switches that will not choke with mud or stones
and in such a manner that the tongue or tongues or moveable parts of the points
or switches will not have to support the weight of the rolling stock.
According to the said Invention the points where the lines join are each fitted
with a hinged piece or blade working vertically and provided with means whereby
they can be raised and lowered in the inner groove of each point by various
mechanical devices operated as hereinafter more particularly indicated.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in side elevation. Figure 2
in plan and Figure 3 in transverse section (on the line 1-2 Figure 1) a point or
switch arranged according to-my-Invention. Figure 4-is-a-section-on-the-line-3-4
Figures 2 and 3. A are the hinged pieces or blades one for each line. They are
each pivotted or hinged to a centre pin as shewn at a upon which they can be
turned sons to raise or lower them. They are connected by a cross-shaft-B
provided with arms b which are connected to the said pieces or blades A by links c.
The connections are made at such relative angles as shewn in Figure 1 that whilst
one blade or piece A is being raised the other is being lowered and vice versa.
The said shaft B has secured to it a quadrantal piece D with a hole at d and
into this a handle or lever can be inserted and moved in one or the other direction
so as to give to the shaft B a partial rotation one way or the other and so raise
one or other of the points or switches and lower the other. E is a casing enclosing
or shielding the working parts and e is a slot therein to allow of the insertion and
movement of the operating lever. Figure 5 is a side elevation and Figure 6 a
transverse section of an arrangement wherein the blades or pieces A are raised and
lowered by a vertical movement in place of, by a motion through the arc of a
circle. This arrangement is also such that when one of the said blades or pieces
is raised the other is lowered and vice versa. At each side a shaft is mounted so
as to turn in bearings the said shaft having arms f', f, f fastened thereto. A
rod g connects the arms f together and also connects them both to a lever h
mounted on a centre pin h¹ and counter-weighted at h³ and also having a hole in
it for the insertion of the operating lever or handle h. The links j connect the
arms to the pieces or blades A. By moving the handle h in one or the other
direction the pieces or blades A will be moved the one being raised and the other
being lowered as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 6.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise means
herein before described for raising and lowering the blades or pieces A.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into

page_text: effect I would observe in conclusion that I do not claim a switch or point piece
which is retained in its raised position by a spring and is depressed by the vehicles
when passing in one direction but what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is :
First Points or switches for railways or tramways consisting of pieces or
blades provided with mechanism for raising and lowering them so that they are
brought into or thrown out of position for action substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the points or
switches and means for raising and lowering them substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the points or
switches and means for raising and lowering them substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.