US1179535A - Railroad-switch. - Google Patents

Description

E. LA SARGE.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 2,1913.

1,179,535. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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E. LA SARGE.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 2, I913.

1,179,535. Patented A R, 18, 1916.

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E. LA SARGE.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2' I913.

1,179,535. Patented Apr. 18,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

To all whom it may concern of the city of Ludington,

EUGENE LA SARGE, OF LUDING'ION, MICHIGAN.

. RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Application filed July 2, 1913. Serial No. 776,921.

Be it known that I, EUGENE LA SARGE, a citizen of the 'United States, and a resident in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches; and I do hereby declare numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

"A great many types that the following is a full. clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings, and to the V of switches have been constructed with various objects in view, but in a great many cases it has been found that weather conditions present a problem which in a large measure 'ity of the device.

determine the practicabil- Switches of simple con- :struction such as a type of the well known eration by changes point switch have proved most successful where'weather conditions permit for. the reason that switches so constructed are easy to 1 manipulate, whereas switches designed to be unaffected by climatic conditions have been so complicated and expensive of installation and upkeep as to practically preclude the use thereof. One of the most favoredtypes of switches is that switch known: as the point switch, but due to its simplicity it has been found to be easily affected by snow and ice, thus preventing operation thereof, although the switch is practically unaffected in its opof temperature. This invention relates to an improved type of point switch which is self-cleaning in its operation to obviate trouble in operation due to the caking of snow or ice in and around the parts thereof, inasmuch asthe parts are so constructed as to readily clear and free themselves when the switch is thrown. It' is an object of this invention to. construct a point switch wherein'the point rails are pivotally mounted to swing about a sub stantially horizontalaxis whereby the point rails are actually rotated through a small arc to swing the rails into proper position, by such movement serving to sweep foreign matter from between the same to prevent jamming thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to. rovide an improved type of point switch wherein the point rails are securely linked to one another to insure proper simultaneous to support said 7 points.

movement thereof, such connection permitting a pivotal movement of each of sai rails.

It is also an object of this invention to provide rotatably and eccentrically mounted point rails, and curved slide plates adapted point rails at a plurality of It is also an object of this invention to provlde revoluble point rails supported by curved slide plates, and means associate with said rails to maintain the same in close bearing engagement with said slide plates at all times.

It isalso an object of this invention'to provide together with rotatable point rails and actuating mechanism therefor, reinforcing members adapted to swing into engagement therewith when the respective point rails are in switching position.

'It is also an object of this invention to provide point rails rotatable about a longitudinally directed axis and curved support- Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

ing slide plates therefor conforming to the sweep of said rails to insure proper positioning of the same at all times.

It is also an object of this invention to provide point rails and slide plates, the latter slotted to receive engaging means attached to the'point rails to maintain said point rails in contact with said plate at all times.

It is also an object of provide engaging means between the point rails and slide plates whereinthe base of the rail serves in all positionsto cover and protect theengaging means between the same and said slide plates.

It is also an object of this invention to provide point rails suitably connected to one another to insure concurrent movement thereof, and reinforcing means adapted to be respectively thrown into and out of operating position by mechanism linked to the connection between said rails.

- It is also an object of this invention to provide point rails which are suitably mounted upon a pivot extending into the head of the rail, whereby the rail'points swing into position through an are, guided by suitably curved slide plates, serving by such movement to sweep the intervening space betweenthe' main rails and the point this invention to rails to clear ter. and prevent jamming of the rails.

It isalso an object of this invention to provide a switch, wherein the point rails are elevated as they swing into positiom'thus sweeping any foreign matter lying between the rails upwardly and away therefrom.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide a simple point .switch with rotatably mounted point rails and means for In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan,

view ofa section of'track showing -thepoint rails of a point switch embodying'my invention connected thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the reinforcing means for the point rails. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top'plan view illustrating the actuating mechanism for the reinforcing means for the point'rails. Fig. 8 is a frag mentary detail partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the pivotal connection between a point rail and a main rail. Fig. 9 'is a detail illustrating the connection between a point'rail and a slide plate taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 3, and with the point rail in switching position. Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10'10 of Fig.9. Fig. 11 isa section taken on line 1111 of Fig. 3. Fig. 12 is a section taken online 12l2 of Fig.

, 5 with parts omitted.

As shown inthe drawings: Referring to the drawings'it will be seen that the device is mounted as-usual upon ties 1, the reference numerals 2 and 3, denoting respectively the main track rails. l f

Rails numbered 4 and 5, respectively, denote the turnout rails' and the rails numbered 6, and 7, denote the point rails, of the switch. Theswitch, .as shown in Fig. 1, is set in closed position or that permitting thoroughfare on-the'main track. Anynumber of slide plates 8, desired are spiked to theties'the'upper surface ofsa-id slide platesbethe under ing curved to receive ithereon curved surface of'thelbaseof the point rails.

Said slide plates are alsobolted to the resp'ec tive rails 3, and 4', by means of bolts .9, and a T-shaped slot 10,-is provided in 'said'upper curved surface. The base portion of each of said point rails is tapped to receive a bolt the same of any foreign mat-- Figs. 3,4, and 5. That portion of linked thereon are the .poi-nt rails into switching thereto, so that 11, therein at a position to registerand engage'said slot 10, saidbolts serving to guide plates.

As is "usual in point switches the point rails are rolled down to a taper at the rail 7 engaging extremities and inasmuch as in my .lnventlon the base of said rail must be curved the rail has a'continually varying cross-section, asillustrated more clearly in the point rail near the pivot connection to the main rail is practically of standard cross-section except for the rounded under surface .of the base, as shown in Fig. 5. However, a-sec tion taken within the length thathas been rolled to a taper discloses the base portion and the flange of'the rail as'merging; into one, and of course with a narrowed head portion. l

At thefextreme end ofthe point rails which are adapted to contact the-main turnout rails respectively, the point rails are shown as consisting of" a single curved portion of metal, the flange, thev head,'and the base. of rails-having been merged into the one curved form adapted to slideupon the.

Lugs 12, are pro- 5 respective Y slide plates. vided on said .point rails, and pivotally constrain said point rails to move simultaneously, and yet permit a relative pivotal movement 'therebetweenz I An actuating rod 12*, is slotted at'its ends and engages pins .extending'through 'certain 'of the lugs 12,

tie rods 13; which thus permitting a :certain amount of lost motion to take place before the point rails are shifted by 'mechanism hereinafter described. For the purpose'of throwing said position any-type of switch'stand 14, 'is mounted at one side i of the track, to transmit. the throw-from the switch stand to a bar .16, connected to-the actuating rod 12 of the point rails. Inasmuch as the and a connecting rod 15, serves curved slide; plates do not present a reac tion surface normal to the weight applied upon the point rails, means areprovide'd for suitably bracing said base thereof, -to prevent down upon the curved weightis' applied thereon. This means conthe same riding point rails. at the.

incline when a sists of bell cranks pivoted to one or more of the slide plates 8 comprising an arm 17, and a. reinforcing wedgev 18, rigidly connected as 'saidarm 17,'is moved in one direction, the wedge 18, will be thrust into a position behind one edge of the base of the point rail to prevent reverse rotation or movement thereof, and when said arm 17, is moved into its other position said;wedge 18, will be retracted, thus per mlttlng a retrograde movement of said rails.-

Forthepurpose of actuating said reinforcing crank as the rail is moved into switching position, the arm 17, thereof is linked to another bell crank by means of a connecting rod 19, the other of said bell cranks being pivoted adjacent the actuating rod 12 and having an arm 20, engaging a pin in said rod 12*, and with another actuating arm 21, pivotally connected to said connecting rod 19. Thus as the point railsare I switched from one position to another with the consequent transverse movement of-the tie rods, the arms 17 and 21, through the intermediation of the connecting rod 19, serve to first actuate the crank wedges 18, either into reinforcing position or release position, as the case may be, the respective mechanism being mounted one for each point rail such that as one moves into looking position the other moves into release or unlocking position and secondly, the point rails. The pivotal connection between the point rails and the main track and turnout rails comprises a pin 22, threaded into the point rail and engaging in a suitable aperture in the respective abutting rail to which it is connected. Said pin is mounted slightly to one side of the center of said point rail so that rotation of said rail about said pivot point will cause the tapered extremities thereof not only to rotate about an axis, substantially longitudinal of the rails, but also cause the same to move through an are as disclosed in Figs. 3, 4L,

. and 5, to move said point rails. when not in switching position clear of the main track rail. Of course, the angle of rotation for the entire length of the point rails is the same throughout, but due to the eccentric mounting thereof the amplitude of such movement varies from a minimum at the pivot point to a maximum at the tapered extremity of said rail. Consequently, the slide plates arranged at different points beneath the point rails are each of slightly different construction, the length of curvature thereon and radius of curvature being dependent upon the distance thereof from the pivot point of the point rail.

The operation is as follows: Regardless of whether the switch is in open or closed position, one of the point rails is always in operating position. As shown in Fig. 1, the switch is in closed position, and the cars may pass over the switch on the main track line. In this case the point rail 6, forms a part of the main track line. When the switch is in open position the point rail 6 is rotated, simultaneously with the point rail 7, such movement serving to move the point rail 6, out of contact with the stock rail 5, and moving the point rail 7 into contact with the main rail 3, in which position the cars will be diverted to a side track. Usually in point switches, snow or ice becomes wedged between the fixed rails and the movable point rail,"thus' preventing a closing of the point against the fixed rail, but, as more {clearly illustrated in Fig. 10, of mydevice it will be seen that the point rail does not swing'into an abutting position against the fixed rail', but rather sweeps upwardly thereagainst, and inasmuch as the fixed rail is flat on its innersurface with theslide plates supporting the point rail, such sweeping movement of the point rail into position serves to clear the same of any foreign matter that may have become lodged therebetween toprevent proper manipulation of the rail.

Of course, I have shown merely one type of construction whereby a rotational rail is adapted to a switch to insure proper operation thereof, at all times, and obviously the particular details. of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of my invention. I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a point switch comprising point rails, pivots connecting said point rails at one end only with fixed rails to permit a rotational bodily lateral shift of the free ends of said point rails, and curved guide slide plates for said free ends to insure the proper movement thereof. 7

2. In a device of the class described, point rails, curved slide plates supporting the same, and means connecting said point rails with said slide plates to maintain the point rails in engagement therewith at all times.

3. In a railway switch, fixed rails, point rails pivotally connected thereto at one end only and to each other and adapted at their free ends .to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis, and means guiding and retaining said free ends in the proper path of movement.

4. In adevice of the class described,afixed rail, point rails pivotally connected thereto, curved slide plates supporting said point rails, bolts in said point rails engaging in slots in said slide plates to retain the point each other to insure proper movement of said Wedge cranks with vmc i en1 -3nt of the testinuony whereof Iyhave. hefeunt'o slide plates'supporting said point rails and tierodsJ n '6. In a device of the class described, point subscribing: Witnesses. rails, a curved under face thereon, curved E L ARGE means connected to said point rails and en- Witnesses gaging said slide plates to maintain and CHARLES W. HILLS, J12, guide the pointrails there0n.- CHARLES W.. HILLS.

(2091c: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the, '(loi nmissionmj-v of Patents, 3

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subscribed my name in the presence of two 10 v

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