US1566474A - Electrical switch-operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. z2, 192s. l 1,566,474

E. H. GRIM ELECTRICAL sw-ITCH OPERATING MEGHANISM Fned ma@ 21, 1925 :s sheets-sheet 1 l '11 J atto: nu'

Dem.l 22, 1925. 1,566,4'4

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Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD vIl. GRIlVI, OF DOTT, WEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 21, 1925. Serial No. 17,358.

This invention relates to an electrical of its operative positions, while the locomotive is in motion and approaching the switch.

Another object is to minimize the occurrence of wrecks by providing means for maintaining the points of a switch Ain the position to which they have been shifted and preventing them from being shifted to their other positions substantially until the locomotive and any cars coupled thereto have passed the switch.

A further object is to provide railway switch operating and controlling means of the above kind which are simple and durable in construction as well as efficient in operation.

l/Vith the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a portion of a railway 'equipped with a switch operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly broken away, showing part of the controlling means forv the switch actuated mechanism together with the latter and their relation to the rails of the main track of the railway. Y

Figure 3 isl an enlarged transverse sectional view illustrating a mine locomotive, positioned upon the railway tracks and associated with controlling means for' the switch operating mechanism, constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 is a side elevational view of th device shown in Figure 3,

Figure v5 is an enlarged 'fragmentary sectional view showing one of the switch actuating solenoids in central longitudinal section.4 Y

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view illustrating the switch forming part of the means for maintaining the points of the switch in the position to which rthey have been shifted.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 6 and y Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a line 8-8 of Figure 1. i

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 5 generally indicates the main track of the railway and 6 a branch track thereof, the usual switch points 7 being providedV for controlling passage of the rolling stock at the point where the switch is provided, whereby the rolling stock may be caused to continue on through the main track orto be switched therefrom onto the branch track 6, as is well known in the art.

A switch bar 8 connects the free ends of the switch points 7 in the usual manner, whereby movement of said bar will cause simultaneous shifting of the switch points.

In accordance with the present invention,y

thevswitch bar 8 has its ends projecting outwardly beyond the rails of the track at opposite sides of the latter and these ends are respectively pivoted as at 9 and 10 to the cores 11 and 12 of solenoids 13 and 14.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the conventional mine locomotives are of low built construction, and these locomotives usually carry a trolley, by means of which current is collected for the actuation of their driving motors, from a trolley wire (not shown) ,usually suspended from the roof of the mine. The locomotive is indicated generally by the reference character 15 and the return of the current from the motor of the locomotive is generally secured by ground- Ving the same tothe frame of the locomotive so that the return current will pass back to the generator at the power house by way of the rails 16, on which the wheels of the locomotive run. The feed wires 17 ot the solenoids-13 and 14 are adapted to be connected with vthe trolley wire by means of a wire 18.

An auxiliary trolleywire 19 is vmountedalong one side oit the track some distance to the left of the switch shown in Figure 1, and arranl'ged to be swung upwardly into engagement with this auxiliary trolley wire 19 is a lever 2O pivoted between its ends as at `21 upon the locomotive 15. The auX- iliary trolley wire 19 is shown as having its ends clamped between insulating blocks 22 suitably secured to the upper ends ot posts or standards 23 mounted-upon spaced ties 24 of the railway tracks. However, the auxiliarytrolley 4wire 19 might of course, be readily suspended from insulators or insulator'brackets secured to the wall of the mine, and the use of supporting standards 23 is merely given as an example. It is to be understood that the pair o1E cooperating posts 23 are separated some distance so as to give the auxiliary trolley wire 19 a considerable length. Also, the lever 2O may be provided with any suitable means tor facilitating its manual actuation by the motorman of the locomotive 15, and as shown, this consists of a link 25 having` one end attached to the inner end ot the lever 20 and its other end attached to a weighted lever 26 pivoted upon the locomotive 15 inwardly ot the lever V2O. The lever 26 will oic course be insulated from the lever 20 so that the operatorV may manipulate the same without danger of shock. The a Xiliary trolley wire 19 is connected by means of a wire A to the negative side of the solenoid 14 which solenoid is also connected at this side by means of a wire 27 with the stationaryv contact 23 of a two-way switch.

A second auxiliary trolley wire 19a is supported alongside of the track in tandem relation to the trolley wire 19 by means of furthersupporting standards 23a .mounted upon others of the ties 24 and theends oic said trolley7 wire 19a are secured in insulat-V ing blocks 22a suitably secured in the upper ends of said standards 23a.

As will be seen from Figures land 2, the second auxiliary trolley wire 19a' is connected by means of a wire B with the negative side ot the coil of the solenoid 13, and this side of the latter coil isalso connected by means ot' a wire 29 withthe second stationary contact `30 of said two-way switch mentioned above. This two way switch preterably embodies the contacts 28 and 30 fixed upon an insulating plate 31 securely fastened upon the adjacent tie 24, the contacts 28 and 30 projecting toward the adjacent switch bar 8 and cooperating with a contact 32 secured to said switch bar 8 and vinsulated .from the latter as indicated at 33. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the

movable contact 32 carried by the switch bar 8 may besecured to the insulating'block 33 and the latter may be` suitably rigidly secured to the switch bar 8 so as to move therewith when the switch points 7 are shifted, the contact 32 engaging the conto pass trom the main trackonto the branch track 6.

As shown in Fi-guresv1 and 8, a rampg34 is disposed beside afrail ot the main track 5 in advance of the switch points 7 4and this ramp is yieldingly'held elevated, so as to be depressed by wheelsvo't the Vrolling stock travelling on the rails 16, by means oi' springs 35, which springs encircle depend'v ing pins 36 carried by the -ramp 34 and mov" able in guides 37 of brackets 38 iixed to adjacent ties 24. A' contact strip` 39 isattached to the ramp 34 and insulated therefrom as indicated at 40, and this contact strip 39 is adapted to engage the base .of the adjacent rail 1G when `the ramp 34 is depressed, and to disengage romthebase of the rail when allowed 'to rise under the iniuence ot' the'springs35. The contact strip 39 is connected by means ot a wire 41 with the movable contact 32 ot the two wayswitch, as shown clearly in Figure 1. It is to be noted thatthe ramp 34 is disposed adjacent to the switch points 7.

1t the :trame of the `locomotive 15 is constructed of wood, the pivot 21 of the lever 20 may be electrically connected with rthe axle ot' thelocomotive wheels by'means of a suitable conductor, and where animal haulage is employed, the lever 2O may `be pivoted to the side of a leading coal car.

1n operation, assuming that the partsare positioned vas shown linFigure 1, and that the locomotive 15 is approaching ,the switch points 7 from the lelt of Figure 1,. andalso assuming' that the motorman .desires to. con tinue on through the switch `on the main track, the .lever 21 is swung upwardly into engagement lwith the auxiliary trolley wire 19a. When this isv done the current will flow from the trolley wire by'way of a wire 18 and the feedwire 17 of solenoid 13 to wire B an-d trolley wire 19a, .the current then passing to the rails 16 through theframe of the locomotive by way ot lever 20. The circuit' of solenoid 13 is thus closed so `as to cause energization of the coil of said solenoid 13 'whereby its core 11 is attracted for drawing the' switch bar 3 toward said solenoid and insuring posit'ioningof the points 7 as shown in Figure 1. Of course, if the motorinan had known that thepoints were properly positioned, the necessity of ndv.)

this operation would be eliminated, but, as the position of the points is not known in advance, this operation will be eiected at all times. Vhen the switch bar 8- is thus shifted, the contact 32 engages the contact so that the current is shunted by way of wire 29 from the coil of solenoid 13 to the wire L t1 by way of contactsBO and 32- and then to the conducting strip 39. As the strip 39 is maintained in engagement with the base o the rail 16 by passage of the wheels of the locomotive and cars coupled thereto over the ramp 34, the circuit of the solenoid 13 is maintained closed for preventing the points 17 from being shifted to their other position until after all of the wheels of the rolling stock have passed over said ramp 34 and substantially passed the switch points 7. It the motorman had desired to pass onto the branch track 6, the lever k2O would have been swung into engagement with the trolley wire 19 so as to cause the core 12 of solenoid 14 to be attracted. This would effect movement of the points 7 and switch bar 8 toward the solenoid 14C so that the contacts 28 and 32 would be engaged and whereby the circuit of solenoid 14 is maintained closed by means of the wheels passing over the ramp 34.

From the foregoing description, it is believ-ed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination with the switch points of a railway switch, of a. solenoid for shifting said switch points in one direction, a second solenoid for shifting said switch points in an opposite direction, and means including an element on a vehicle of the railway operable to selectively close the circuit of either desired one of said solenoids while the vehicle is in motion and approaching said railway switch, a normally open current grounding switch operatively associated with a rail of the railway adjacent the switch points and movable by the wheels of rolling' stock of the railway to closed position, and means operable by shifting of the switch points to connect the operative solenoid to said current grounding switch and simultaneously disconnect the inoperative solenoid from said current grounding switch.V i

2. The combination with the switch points of a railway switch, of a solenoid for shifting said switch points in one direction, a second solenoid for shifting said switch points in an opposite direction, and means including an element on a vehicle of the railway operable to selectively close the circuit of either desired one or' said solenoids while the vehicle is in motion and approaching said railway switch, a normally open current grounding switch operatively associated with a rail of the railway adjacent the switch points and mow able by the wheels of rolling stock of the railway to closed position, and means operable by shifting of the switch point to connect the inoperative solenoid to said current grounding switch and simultaneously disconnect the inoperative solenoid from said current grounding switch, said last named means including a two-way electrical switch having a movable contact element fixed to and movable with the switch bar of the switch points.

3. The combination with the switch point-s of a railway switch, of a motor for shifting said switch points in one direction, a second motor for shifting said switch points in an opposite direction, and means including an element on a vehicle of the railway operable to selectively rende-r either desired one of said motors operative while the vehicle is in motion and approaching said railway switch, a normally open motor controlling elementI operatively associated with a rail of the railway adjacent the switch points and movable by the wheels of rolling stock of the railway to closed position, and means operable by shifting of the switch points to connect the operative motor to said control element and simultaneously disconnect the inoperative' motor from said control element.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

EDWARD H. GRIM.

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