US1588366A - Switch-throwing device - Google Patents

Description

H. A. HEYNE SWITCH THROWING DEVICE June 8 1926. 1,588,366

Filed March 14. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 8 1926. 1,588,366

;- H.A.HEYNE SWITCH THROWING DEVICE Filed March 14' 1925 2 'Sneets-Sheet 2,

ATTORNEYS Patented June 8, 1925.

UNITED I STATES 1,588,366 PATENT OFFICE- HOWARD ALBERT nnYnn-or mw roman. Y.

SWITCH-THROWING DEVICE.

Application filed March 14, 1925. Serial No. 15,652.

This invention relates to switch throwing devices, an object of the invention being to provide an improved arrangement of electromagnets and levers for throwing the switch, and improved locking means for 'automatically functioning to lock the switch in either of its completely thrown positions. This invention has particularly to do with a switch throwing device especially designed for use in connection with toy railroads, and can be manufactured and sold in a very compact form so that it can be readily applied to the switch, but it is, of course, to

be understood that I desire to protect my invention in a much broader sense, as it may be applicable for use in connection with rail- I roads of any type.

With these and other objectsin view, the

invention consists in certain novel features Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on a.

large scale illustrating more in detail the locking mechanism.

t l, 1 represents the rails of a main track; and 2, the rails of a siding. 3 represents. a combination switch point and frog pivotal- 1y mounted as shown at 4 and adapted to be moved to open or close either the main track or the siding, as the case may be. I shall refer to this combination switch point and frog as the switch in thedescription fol lowing, for convenience and to eliminate lengthy description.

My improved switch throwing device includes a platform 5 on which a pair of electromagnets 6 and 7 are supported. The

preferred means of support comprises a sheet-metal casing 8 which is clamped 0 around the electromagnets and" provided with base flanges 9 secured to the platform 5 v by bolts 10 and nuts 11, or by other securing means. 12 represents a switch throwing lever which is pivotally mounted between its ends on a post 13, and at its inner endis located between the cores'le and 15 of the respective magnets 6 and 7, so that it, is adapted to be attractedby first one magnet and then the other when said magnetsare energized, as will more fullyhereinafter appear. The outer end of the lever 12 is provided with a series of openings 16 in any of which a rod 17 may be coupled, and this rod 17 is connected to the switch 3, as shown at 18, so that when the lever 12 is moved on its pivot the switch will be thrown, as .Will

,be understood. In addition to the lever 12, I provide two other or auxiliary levers 19 and 20 which project through slots 21 in casing .8 and are pivotally mounted atone end on posts 23 projecting upwardly from the base 5. These levers 19 and 20 are adjacent the outer ends of the respective cores 11 and 15, so that they are attracted by the magnets 6 and 7 respectively, as will beeX- .plained. The outer ends of the levers 19 and 20 are connected by links 24: with the lever 12. The levers 19 and 20 are made with slots 25 receiving the ends of the links 24, so that there is some lost motion between the links and the leversfor a purpose which will hereinafter appear. i 1

To lock and secure the switch in 'eitherof its operative positions, I provide improved locking means consisting of an arm 26, which is angular in form and which is pivotally connected at one end to the post 13, as

shown at 27. Coil spring 28 connects the arm 26 with a post 13 so as to exert an upward and inward pull upon the arm. This arm 26 has a Mg 29 at its upper free end adapted to project into either of a pair of recesses 30 at opposite sides of the lever 12 and hold the lever against pivotal retrograde movement. The arm 26 is also formed with a horizontally positioned cam plate 31 adapted to be engaged by a tongue 32 which is pivotally connected to the lever 12 as shown at 33. 'The function of this tongue isto engage the cam 31 and move the arm 26 in a direction to lower the lug 29 out of the path of movement of lever 12 so. as to allow;

the latter to swing, and this tongue is moved by a pair of rods 34 whichyconnect the tongue with the levers 19 and 20, respectively.

The operation of this switch throwing device per se is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the-position shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the lug 29 is in position to prevent the movement of lever 12 in one direction. When thefeie'etmmagnet 6 is ergized, the levers 19 and 12 will be directed toward the respective ends of the core 14 of said magnet 6. As the slot in the leyer 19 permits a certain amount of lost motion of said lever before it exerts pressure on the rod 34 and lever 12, the rod.24 will, upon the initial operation of the magnet, first throw the tongue 32 in a direction to engage the cam plate 31 and move the arm 26 and its lug 29 out of the recess 30 and out of the path of movement of the lever 12. A

continued operation will cause the lever 19,

through the medium of the rod 24, to swing the lever 12 to the switch mechanism. When the movement is completed, the tongue 32 will ride to a position on the cam which will allow the spring 28 to bring the lug 29- 'into locking position at'the opposite side of the link 12. It will thus be noted that when either magnet, is energized it will attract at its opposite ends two of said levers, and that by reason of the lost motion between the levers 19 and 20 and the lever 12 the looking lug 29 will be swung out of the path of movement of the lever 12 before the latter movement and will automatically return to locking position 'when said lever 12 completes its movement, hence the' switch in both will be automatically locked against accidental displacement. I j I While I do not, of course, limit myself to any specific mechanism for controlling the'magnets, I have shown more or less diagrammatically one means which will properly function. On the base 5 I i lustrate electric terminals 35, 36 and 37 which are electrically connected in circuit with the respective magnets; One of these terminals isconnected by wire 38 with a battery or other source of electricity 39, the other side of said battery being connected by a wire 40 with a T-shaped lever 41. V This lever 41 is held in normal position by springs 42 so as to space the ends thereof from fixed contacts 43 and 44. One of these contacts is connected by a wire 45 with the terminal 35,

and the other of said contacts 44 is con nected by a wire 45 with the-terminal 37. Thus when the lever 42 is swung in one di rection it Wlll. close the circuit and energize one magnet, and when thrown in the other direction will close the circuit and energize When the lever is reposition I claim-:' 7 1. A switch throwing device, mcluding a pair of aligned electromagnets, a switch throwing lever located between the magnets and moved in opposite directions by the attraction of the respective magnets, and auxiliary levers operatively connected to the first-mentioned levers and located in oper- 'ative relation to and being actuated by the outer ends of the magnets.

of the magnets and attracted each by a single magnet, and means operatively connecting the levers.

3. A switch throwing device, including a pair of aligned electroniagnets, three switch throwing levers, one located between the magnets and attracted by both magnets, the

other levers located adjacent the outer ends of the magnets and attracted each by a singlemagnet, a pivoted arm carrying a locking lug adapted to be located at either side of the intermediate lever, a spring holding said arm in normal position, a cam plate on the arm, a tongue adapted to engage the 'cam plate and pivotally connected to the intermediate lever, and means operated bythe outer levers to swing the tongue and move the locking lug out of the path of the intermediate leverlatter.

4. A switch throwing device, including a pair of aligned electromagnets, three switch throwing levers, one located between the magnets and attracted by both magnets, the

other levers locatedadjacent the outer ends of the magnets and attracted each by a'single magnet, a pivoted arm carrying a locking lug adapted to be located at either side of the intermediate lever, a spring holdingsaid arm in normal position, a cam plate on the arm, a tongue adapted to engage the cam plate and pivotally connectedto the intermediate lever, means operated by the outer levers to swing the tongue and move the locking lug out of the path of the intermediate lever during the movement of the latter, and links pivotally connected to the intermediate lever and having a loose connection with the outer levers whereby the outerlevers first move the tongue before motion is imparted to the intermediate lever. 5. A switch throwing mechanism, includmg a base, a casing on the base, apair of aligned magnets in the casing, three piv0tally supported levers, one lever located be tween the magnets and attracted by either magnet, the other levers located adjacent the outer ends of the magnets, meansoperatively connecting the levers, means connectmg the intermediate lever with a switch, and means for locking the intermediate lever in both extreme positions of movement.

during the movement of the 6. A switch throwing device, including a pair of spaced apart magnets, a lever having a portion disposed between the magnets and being arranged to be actuated by either magnet, and locking means actuated by an 5 initial movement of said lever for unlocking the lever and for subsequently locking it in its shifted position.

8. A switch throwing device, including a pair of spaced apart magnets, a lever having a portion disposed between the magnets and being arranged to be actuated by either magnet, and lockingmeans actuated by an initial movement of said lever in either direction for unlocking the lever and for subsequently looking it in its shifted position.

HOWARD ALBERT HEYNE.

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