US171575A - Improvement in railroad-switches - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. LINTON, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,575, dated December 28, 1875; application tiledv September 1l, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. LINTON, of Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switches, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improved doubleacting safety-switch for railroads, its object y being to provide for the rapid shifting of the rails to make connections with the side track with less exertion than can be accomplished by means of the switches heretofore in use, and in such manner as to leave an unbroken track for the passage of trains in whatever position the rails may be shifted.l

My invention consists in constructing the adjoining sections of the main rails at the switching-point with movable rails attached to switch-bars adapted to move in opposite directions, by which said rails may be simultaneously shifted, so as to connect with each other or the rails of the adjacent side tracks, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of a railway, showing my improved invention, in which the movable sections are in position to form a continuous main line; and Fig. 2, a similar view, showing the rails as shifted to connect with the side track.

The letters A A represent the main track, and a a the movable rails, tbrming the adjoining sections, pivoted vor otherwise swiveled at their ends to the cross'ties B B ofthe roadbed. The adjoining ends of said movable sections rest on the common cross-tie C, on which they are capable of a lateral movement in opposite directions, which is limited by the abutments or projections D on the upper side of said tie. E E represent two switch-bars, one being` secured to each opposing movable section of the main rail, and capable of a longitudinal sliding motion in opposite directions.

The letter 4F represents the switch-lever, by

of a short gide-rail, k, on the opposite side,

the main yrail being broken, as shown, to allow of the passage of the wheel-flange as the trains pass from one track to the other. The adjoining ends of the stationary side track are supported upon the cross-bar C, in such relative positions to each other and to the movable sections of the main track that when the latter are properly shifted, Aas shown in Fig. 2, the said movable sections will be thrown in connection with the side rails, in such manner as to throw the trains onto the side track, at the same time-forming a continuous andrun.- broken main track for the passage of trains coming in a direction opposite to those switched oti' onto the side track, thus insuring against collisions and the destruction of the cars by running ott' the track at the switch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

` The combination 'of the movable sections a a', swiveled to the main track of the road, and operated by the switch-rods E E, working in opposite directions, with the stationary side rails H and H', the whole arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses. f

SAMUEL E. LINTON.

Witnesses:

S. H. FARRow, \S.`.I.`THoMPsoN.

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