US692759A - Tramway-switch. - Google Patents

Description

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER I-I. BAYNE,I OF WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO THOMAS B. CROUCH, OF BOWER HILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAMwAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,759, dated February 4, 1902.

Applicationled August 29, 1901. Serial No. 73,681. (No model.) l

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, LESTER H. BAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of WashingtomState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tramway-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to tramway-switches, and particularly to a construction adapted to be operated from a moving car or vehicle.

The invention has for an object to provide a construction whereby the shifting mechanism will be completely concealed beneath the roadbed and in such position as not to be interfered Withby the traffic upon the street wherein the tracks are located.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide mechanisms in a single casing whereby a switch may be operated in either direction or one or more switches controlled from a single point.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of switch-shift-V ing mechanism inwhich the contact ends of the levers are located in different 'horizontal planes, so that either may be operated at will 1 by the depression of a plow carried by a moving car into the plane of the lever.

Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved form of switch-box having independent tracks or ways thereinthrough which the plow for operating the'levers is adapted to pass.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan with parts vbroken away showing the invention applied to a tramway-switch. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the switchbox. Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section through Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the plow-operating mechanism applied to a car. Fig. 5 is a plan of the controlling-lever for the plow. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the operating-cam for said plow.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of the plow.

rin the switch-box.

Fig. s is an enlarged' detail of the shiftingarm for the switch-points. s Fig.v 9 is a detail elevation of one of the operating-levers with- Fig. lO is a detail per-` spective of the cover for the switch-box, and

Fig. ll is a vertical cross-section through the saine.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. In the accompanying illustrationthe invention is shown as applied to a tramway comprising the opposite railsAand switch-points A to be shifted in order to direct thecar onto the switch-track A2, although the invention is capable of application to any` form of road-bed or railway. The movablepoint-s A bf the switch are connected togetherbya cross-bar A3, which isv pivotally securedto an oscillatin g arm A4 for moving the same, which arm is pivotally mounted, as shown in'Fig. 3, and provided with crank-arms A5 at opposite sides having connectors A?, extending to the switch-box B, located between the rails. These connectors may be either rigid rods or of a flexible character, as found most convenient tothe position where they must be applied. lIt will also be obvious that one of the movable points A may be shifted to vthrow the switch, although it has been found desirable to move both points simultaneously, as herein illustrated.

For the purpose of operating the'connectors A6 to shift the partsv hereinbefore described shifting-levers O have been pivotally mounted within the switch-box B or a suitable space beneath the same and are provided at their upper ends with contact-faces C', lying in different horizontal planes, and opposite slot-s or ways B2 and B3, respectively, formed in the upper portion B' of the switchbox. The leversy O are pivoted at substantially midway of their length, and the lower 1 ends thereof are normally drawn together by means of springs C2, connecting the same, while the upper ends of one set of the levers are provided with laterally or horizontally disposed portions 03 in order to permit the free plow D passes through the switch-box. This operation of the lower set of levers when the IOO structure of parts is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 9. Each of these switch-levers is similar in construction and operation, and they are disposed in parallel vertical planes, with the upper end C of each lever in a different horizontal plane. The lower ends of the levers are provided with connectors A7, extending from each lever to the end of the connector A6, so that when the ends of the levers are separated the connectors A7are drawn toward the levers and a reciprocating movement imparted to the connector A6 to perform the shifting operation. (See Fig. S.) These connectors, as before stated, may be of any desired material, and in many cases it has been found desirable to provide the same with a coiled spring, as shown at A8 in Fig. 3, to prevent a shock to the parts when the contact ofa plow therewith occurs and to retain the several connections under the proper tension.

The plow D s carried by a car or any suitable moving vehicle and is provided with a vertical shank D', sldably mounted in a keeper D2 and connected at its upper end to a bellcrank lever D3 and normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of a tensionspring D4 or other suitable device. The plow is provided with a curved face D5 upon opposite sides, which at each end terminates in points DG, so as to effect a gradual separation of the switch-levers and to permit the closing of the same as the plow leaves the switch-.box without danger of injury to the parts. As before stated, this plow is adapted to be lowered into one or more predetermined planes for the purpose of actuating either of the shifting-levers, and any mechanism may be used for eiecting this movement of the plow. As illustrating one form thereof, a controlling-leverE is shown in Figs. fi and 5 adapted to rotate above an indicating-plate E and provided with a shaft E2, carrying at its lower end a cam E3, as shown in Fig. 6. The movement of this cam causes a greater or less reciprocation of the connector E, extending to the crank-arm D3, as will be seen by dotted lines in Fig. 6, and the desired extent of movement can be governed by the operator through the medium of the indications upon the plate l', so as to positively assure the contact of the plow with the proper switch-lever as the car approaches the switch-box B. The plow and operating parts thereof are supported upon the trucks of the car, so as to avoid all vibration or motion of the body upon the springs which would render the operation of the parts inaccurate under other conditions.

In the operation of the invention it will be seen that the plow upon the car is depressed to the proper plane for operating the lever to shift the switch in the desired direction.' For instance, if a car were approaching in the direction of the arrow upon Fig. l and desired to continue upon the main tracks A the switch A would need to be shifted for that purpose. The plow would consequently be adjusted to esente engage the lower lever C, Fig. 3, and shift the arm A5 to the left, thus throwing the switchpoints into position to leave the main line open. It' the next car desired to enter the switch, the plow thereon would bo adjusted to engage the upper lever, and by shifting the same through the connecting mechanism shown the switch-points would be restored to the position shown in Fig. l. As shown in said ligure, the switch-boxes B have been duplicated upon the main line at the right of the switch, so as to either open or close the same, and also upon the switch-track A2, so as to control the switch from that direction, and it will be seen that the several connectors may be extended to a single shifting-arm A4 or connected to shift the points in any desired manner. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the upper switch-levers C are necessarily provided with lateral portions C3 in order to allow the plow to pass into contact with the lower levers without touching or aecting the contacts of the upper levers. It will be seen from the construction herein disclosed that all the parts for operating the switch are concealed beneath the tracks, and the single slot for the plow, being the only exposed part, is not liable to injury bythe ordinary traffic upon the street, nor is the switch liable to be misplaced by the contact of any vehicle therewith. It will also be obvious that the curved faces of the operatingplate of the plow are adapted to permit an operation of the levers under any desired speed at which the car may be approaching the switch-box without danger of injury to any of the paris, as the contact is a gradual one in both opening and closing the levers.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration of the several parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a tramway-switch, a movable switchpoint, vertically-disposed pair of levers connected therewith to shift said point,and means for separating the ends of the pair of said levers; substantially as specified.

2. In a tramway-switch, a movable switchpoint, a plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends in different horizontal planes, and connections between said levers and the switch-point for operating the same independently by each lever; substantially as specified.

3. In a tramway-switch, a movable switchpoint, a plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends in different horizontal planes, connections between said levers and the switch-point for operating the same independently by each lever, and a cover-plate for said levers provided with slots or ways in alinement with the operative end of each lever; substantially as specified.

4. In a tramway-switch, a movable switch- IOO IIO

point, a plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends in differenthorizontalplanes, connections between said levers and the switch-point for operating the same inde-I pendently by each lever, a cover-plate for said levers 'provided with slots or ways in alinement with the operative ends of each lel ver, and means for normally drawing the operative ends of said levers toward the center of each slot orway; substantially as specilied.

5. In a tramway-switch, a movable switchpoint, a plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends 4in different horizontal planes, connections between said levers and the switch-point for operatingthe same independently by each lever, a cover-plate fory said levers provided with slots or ways in alinement with'the operative-ends of each lever, means for normallyA drawing the operative ends of said levers toward the center of each slot or way, and branched connectors extending from the ends of said levers to the connector for controlling the switch-point; substantially as specified.

6. In a tramway-switch, a movable switch-V point, a plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends in different horizontal planes, connections between said levers and the switch-point for operating the same independently by each lever, a cover-plate for said levers provided with `slots or ways in alinement with the operative ends of each lever, means for normallydrawing the operative ends of said levers toward the center of each slot or way, branched connectors extending from the ends of said levers to the connector for controlling the switch-point, and a plow having curved faces for operating either ofsaid levers having curved faces; substantially as specified.

7. In a tramway-switch, a movable switchpoint, a'plurality of operating-levers having their operative ends in diierent horizontal planes, connections between said levers and the switch-point for operating the same independently'by each lever, a cover-plate for said levers provided with slots or ways in alinement with the operative ends of each lever, means for normally drawing the operative ends of said levers toward the center of each slot or wayybranched connectors extending from the ends of said levers to the connector` for controlling the switch-point, a

plow having curved faces for operating either of said levers having curved faces, and means carried by a moving part for depressing the plow into different horizontal planes; substantially as specified.

8. In a tramway-switch, an operating-plow for the'same vertically adjustable upon a moving member, a pivoted shaft and cam for adjusting said plow, and an indicating handleand dial for governingsaid adjustment; substantially as speciiied. p

9. In a tramway-switch, an operating-plow for the same vertically adjustable upon amoving member, a pivoted shaft and cam for adjusting said plow, an indicating handle and dial for governing said adjustment, a bell.

cranklever connected kto the upper end Vof said plow, and a connection extendingfrom said lever to said cam; substantially as speciiied.

10. In a tramway-switch, opposite movable switch-points Aconnected by a bar, anoscillating arm connected( to said bar, a crank-arm movable with said oscillating arm, switchbox, a connector running from' said armr to said switch-box, and means located within said boxfor reciprocating said connector; sub= stantially as specified.

11. I n a tramway-switch, a switch-box hav-.-

ing at its upper portion a casing provided'witli slots in different `horizontal planes, aApair of switch-operating levers disposed within said box and having contact-faces disposed'at opposite sides of each of said slots, a spring connectingsthe lower ends of saidpair of levers, and a connector extending from saidl'evers toa movable switch-point; substantially as specified. v Y l2. A cover for-a tramway switch-box comprising a casing having-a longitudinal slot in its upper face, andV slots or openingsindifferent horizontal planes atone end of said cover;

substantially as specified. v i v 13. In a tramway-switch, the combination with a movable switch-point, of independent operating mechanisms. for moving said r`point,L

in opposite directions having their YKcontact portions disposed in different planes, vand Va contact-face carried bya moving member and adapted to loe thrown into the plane of either.

of said'switch-operating mechanisms; substantially as specied. Y Y

14. In a tramway-switch, the combination with vertically-disposedswitch-operating le.

vers having-their 4contact .ends in `different horizontal' planes, a plowadapted to engage said ends to shift either of the levers, and

means for adjusting saidplow intothe plane.

ofeither of saidoperating-levers.

Vl5. -A switch-operatingmechanism comprising a vertically adjustable plow mounted upon a truck of a moving member, .and means plow ina vertical plane ;,substantiallyasspecified. y

In testimony in presence of two witnesses.

- LESTER II. BAYNE.

Witnesses:

- ALFRED T. GAGE, WM. D'. SHOEMAKER. Y

whereof I aftix my signature IOO IIO

i carried -by said member for adjusting said

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