US1140965A - Railway-switch mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

J. DUBOIS & J. E. JONES.

RAILWAY SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, 1914- Patented ay 2:, 1915.

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JAMES DUBOIS AND JOHN E. JONES, OF WESTVILLE, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH MECHANISM.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed May 14., 1914. Serial No. 838,424.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES Donors and JOHN E. Jones, citizens of the United States, residing at VVestville, county of Vermilion, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Switch Mechanism, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention has for its object to produce a simple and efficient mechanism for insuring that a switch will either be fully open or fully closed and be yieldingly locked in either of the two positions which it may assume.

A further object of our invention is to produce a simple and novel switch mechanism which can successfully be operated from a passing car or train.

The various features of novelty whereby our invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claim; but for a full understanding of our invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a portion of a railway track provided with switch mechanism arranged in accordance with our invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 represent the stationary rails and 3 and 4 represent switch points cooperating therewith. At the side of the track is arranged a switch stand, 5, in which is revolubly mounted a vertical shaft or spindle, 6. On the upper end of the shaft or spindle is a laterally projecting arm, 7 for operating the same. 011 the lower end of the shaft or spindle is a cross bar, 8, to one end or the other of which is connected an actuating rod, 9, attached to the switch points. In the arrangement shown, there is between the memliers 8 and 9 a link, 10. The switch stand is provided with a cross piece, 11, near the base to form the lower bearing for the shaft or rod and, arran ed just above this cross piece is an arm, 12, integrally connected with the shaft or rod and projecting laterally therefrom. A rod, 13, is hinged at one end to the outer end of the arm 12 and passes at its other end through an upwardly projecting portion in a bracket, 14:, connected to the switch stand. A spring, 15, surrounds the rod 13, bearing at one end against the bracket and at its other end against a suitable shoulder on the rod adj acent to the hinged joint between it and the member 12.

The parts are so proportioned that whenever the operating shaft or rod 6 is turned in one direction or the other, its movement is limited through the engagement of one or the other of the switch points to the adacent stationary rail in the track. The members 12 and 13 are so arranged with respect to each other that they are out of alinement with each other in both the open and closed positions of the switch and in alinement with each other only at a single predetermined angular position of the rod or shaft 6 as it is traveling in one direction or the other. The spring 15 is always under tension, the tension being least when the switch is either open or closed, but being still suflicient at these times to provide a yielding lock for the switch. The spring not only serves to lock the switch but it also serves as an actuator, because in turning the operating shaft to throw the switch in one direction or the other, the tension of the spring is increased as the members 12 and 18 come into alinement with each other and then, when the center is passed, the power stored in the spring is exerted to complete the throwing of the switch.

The length of the crank arm between the vertical shaft or stem and the actuating rod for the switch points is made such that a complete movement of the switch from the open to the closed position, or vice versa is effected by turning this crank arm through an angle materially less than 180 degrees. Furthermore, the actuating arm or handle, 7, is placed so as to lie on the side of the stand next to the track so that it swings between the shaft or stem 6 and the track. Since the operating shaft is required to turn through an angle of less than 180 degrees in throwing the switch, the arm or handle 7 need never assume a position parallel with the tracks if the stand is properly placed, but will always point toward the tracks so that if grasped by a workman on a passing car or an approaching car, a leverage is afforded by which the workman is able to throw the switch. This feature, that is having the actuating arm or handle swing through an angle less than 180 degrees on the side of the switch stand next. to the track, we regard as a very important feature of our invention as it makes it possible for a workman at the head. of a car or train to throw the switch in advance of the car or the train or, if he be at the rear end of the 7 car or train, to throw the switch behind the car or train; it being consequently unnecessary for a workman to be stationed on the train.

By having a cross bar, 8, which projects in opposite directions from the switch shaft or spindle, and connecting the rod 9 to the proper end of the cross bar, the operating handle 7 may be made to occupy either the position shown in full lines or that shown in dotted lines, at the time the switch is open. This is an advantage as it permits each switch stand to be adjusted readily so as best to meet the particular conditions of service at that point.

While we have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of our invention, we do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described, but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the terms employed in the definitions of our invention constituting the appended claim.

We claim:

In combination, a track containing a switch, mechanism for manually operating the switch including a single rigid actuating handle movable only in a horizontal plane adapted to swing about a vertical axis through an angle of less than 180 degrees, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that the free end of the handle points toward the track in all positions of the handle, and a spring permanently c0n-- nected to said mechanism for yieldingly holding said handle at each limit of its movement and for completing the movement from one limit to the other after a predetermined point has been reached by the handle.

In testimony whereof, we sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DUBOIS. JOHN E. JONES.

Witnesses:

ED KOEPKE, HARRY S. KADDIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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