US2316312A - Railway switch rod connecting means - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1943. BONE 2,316,312

- RAILWAY swn'cn ROD CONNECTING MEANS Filed May 3, 1941' HIS AT'II'ORNEY Patented Apr. 13, 1943 RAILWAY SWITCH ROD CONNECTING IWEANS Herbert L. Bone, Forest Hills, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 3, 1941, Serial No. 391,780

3 Claims.

My invention-relates to railway switch rod connecting means, that is, to meansfor connecting any of the rods which serve to maintain the proper relative spacing between the movable points of a railway switch or movable-point frog with the switch or frog points.

One object ofmy invention is to provide new and improved connecting means'ofthe type described which will permit sufficient angular movement between the-switch rods and the movable switch points to prevent the development ofhigh stresses in the switch rods or associated parts due either to creepage' of the points, or to the motion of' the points which normally occurs when the switch isreversed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connecting means of the type described including a swivel joint which can be kept sufficiently tight to avoid the development of objectionable lost motion;

A further object of my invention is to provide aconnecting means employing'a minimum number of parts-which are inexpensive to manufacture and easyto. assemble.

A further object of my invention is to provide a: connecting means which will prevent undesirable tipping or rolling of the points.

According to my invention, each switch rod is provided. at each end with an' upstanding arm having a vertically disposedsemicylindrical bearing, surface which mates with the correspondingly shaped outer surface of'an offset portion formed in a bearing bracket bolted or otherwise secured to the. adjacent switch point. The inner surface of the offset portion-of each bearing bracket is concentric with the outer surface, and extending through aligned holes provided intheoffset por tion and the adjacent-switchrrod arm is the shank of a. bolt, the head of which is-rounded' to-form abearing surface which cooperates with the in-- her, surface of. the oifset portion of the bearing bracket. Each bolt is provided, at its threaded end with a lock. washer and with a nut which serves to. secure the switch rod to; the bearing bracket to thereby forma connecting means whichis free to swivel'in response-to the normal movement of theswitch points, but which is prevented fromswiveling in the direction to permit rolling of the switch points.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

I shalldescribe two forms of connecting means embodying my invention, and shall then point out. the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a top planview showing arailway switch provided with a head and front rod connected with the switch points by connecting means constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the switch shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, are detail views of various parts comprising the connecting means embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in'each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character'A designates arailway switch comprising, as usual, two fixed rails l and la andtwo movable switch points 2 and 2a; The fixed rails I and la are laid on tie plates 3, and aresecured to, crossties t in the usual manner.

Connected, to the movable switch points by connecting means embodying my present invention-areswitch rods 5 and 6 generally referred to as front and head rods, respectively: These rods, except for theirend portions, may have anyconventional construction, and as here illustrated they are made in longitudinally adjustable sections with an insulated joint in the middle. The switch rod 5 is connected, through themedium of the-usual switch basket 1 with the usual lockrod 8, while-thehead rod 6 is similarly connected to an operating rod 9, whereby the switch points may be moved to their normal and reverse-positions. When the switch occupies its normal position, in whichposition it is shown in Fig. 1; the switch point 2 engages thefixed rail I", and the switch point 2a is spaced apredetermined-distance from the fixed rail Ia. When, however, the switch isreversed, the switch point 2a then engages. the fixed rail la, and the switch point 2 is spaced from the fixed rail l.

Acccrding-tomy present invention, each switch rodis provided" at each nd with an upstandingarm. H) which ispierced'by a horizontally extendingthrough hole iila, and which is provided on the'side nearest the associatedswitoh point with a vertically disposed semicylindrical bearing surface lilb. Each bearing surface l0b mates with a correspondingly shaped bearing surface 12a. formed on the outer side of a rounded offset portion l2b provided in an associated bearingbracket l2 bolted by means of bolts l3 to the switch point I or la as the casemay be. The inner surface !2c of the offset portion I212 of each bearing bracket I2 is concentric with the outersurface, and comprises a second bearing surface which mates with a correspondingly shaped bearing surface Ma formed by rounding one side of the head of an associated clamping bolt I l. The shank of each clamping bolt l4 extends through the hol Ifia in the associated arm Hi and through an aligned hole l2'd formed in the associated offset portion I21), and is provided at its threaded end with a lock Washer 15 and with a nut IS which serve to secure the switch rod to the bearing bracket. As best seen in Fig. 4, the hole [Ed is elongated tov provide clearance on; either side of the, bolt M; The width of the hole 12d in th other direction, however, is just sufficient to permit the bolt Hi to be readily inserted into the hole. The nuts I6 are tightened sufficiently to prevent end play between the switch rods and the associated bearing brackets,

but not tightly enough to prevent the parts from swiveling about the concentric bearing surfaces in response to creepage of the switch points or to the movement of the switch points which normally takes place when the switch is operated from one extreme position to the other. The lock washers I5 serve to prevent rattling of the parts which might cause wear.

It should be particularly pointed out that the swivel joint thus formed is such that it cannot swivel about a horizontal axis, whereby the switch points are prevented from rolling. It should also be pointed out that the parts of the swivel joint thus formed are all designed so that they may be made using forging dies and thus obtain accurate contours without machining.

It will be noted that the bearing brackets l2 associated with the head rod 6 are bolted to the switch points on opposite sides of the offset portiou, whereas the bearing brackets associated with the front rod 5 are bolted to the switch points on one side of the offset portion. This difference in construction is necessitated by the fact that it is desirable to secure the bearing brackets associated with the front rod to the extreme tips of the points. These tips are usually disposed directly over a tie, as shown, and there would be insufiicient clearance for the front rod 5 and lock rod 8 if the type of bracket associated with the head rod 6 were used.

When point detection is required, the free end of the bracket l2 which is secured to the tip of the normally closed switch point may be provided with a spherical surface Me for the reception of a point detector rod connection, such for example as that shown in my Patent No. 2,208,449, granted July 16, 1940, for Railway switch box connections. With this type of connection switch point creepage will not cause binding.

It should further be pointed out that the switch brackets which connect the lock and operating rods with the front and head rods are so constructed that movement parallel to the track transmitted to the lock and front rods from the switch points through the connecting means embodying my invention will not cause strains in the parts and displace the lock rod at right angles to the track sufficiently to throw the lock rod notches out of alignment with the lockin dogs with which they normally cooperate.

One advantage of connecting means embodying my invention is that while they are inexpensive to manufacture, they provide the flexibility which is needed to allow the required motion of the switch points without developing high stresses in the parts such as sometimes occurs when a non-swiveling type of switch rod connection is used. and at the same time they provide a joint which can be kept tight.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of switch rod connecting means embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Connecting means for connecting a switch rod to a switch point comprising an upstanding arm provided on the switch rod and formed with a through hole and with a vertically disposed semicylindrical bearing surface on the side nearest the switch point, a bearing bracket bolted to the switch point and provided with a rounded offset portion formed with an elongated through hole which aligns with the hole in said arm and with an outer bearing surface which mates with the bearing surface in said arm, said offset portion also being provided with an inner bearing surface concentric to said outer bearing surface, a clamping bolt extending through the aligned holes in said arm and said offset portion and provided at one end with a head having a bearing surface which mates with said inner bearing surface and at the other end with a threaded portion, and a nut screwed onto said threaded portion for clamping said arm to said bearing bracket to connect said switch rod to said switch point in a manner which permits said rod to swivel relative to the point.

2. Connecting means for connecting a switch rod to a switch point comprising an upstanding ann provided on the switch rod and formed with a through hole and with a vertically disposed semicylindrical bearing surface on the side nearest the switch point, a bearing bracket bolted to the switch point and provided with a rounded offset portion formed with an elongated through hole which aligns with the hole in said arm and with an outer bearing surface which mates with the bearing surface in said arm, said offset portion also being provided with an inner bearing surface concentric to said outer bearing surface, a clamping bolt extending through the aligned holes in said arm and said offset portion and provided at one end with a head having a bearing surface which mates with said inner bearing surface and at the other end with a threaded portion, and a nut screwed onto said threaded portion for clamping said arm to said bearing bracket to connect said switch rod to said switch point in a manner which permits said rod to swivel relative to the point, said arm. said bracket and said bolt being so constructed that they may be made using forging dies to obtain accurate contours requiring no machinmg.

3. Connecting means for connecting a switch rod to a switch point comprising an upstanding arm provided on the switch rod and formed with a through hole and with a vertically dis: posed semicylindrical bearing surface on the side nearest the switch point, a bearing bracket bolted to the switch point and provided with a rounded offset portion formed with an elongated through hole which aligns with the hole in said arm and with an outer bearing surface which mates with the bearing surface in said arm, said offset portion also being provided with an inner bearing surface concentric to said outer bearing surface, a clamping bolt extending through the aligned holes in said arm and said offset portion and provided at one end with a head having a bearing surface which mates with said inner bearing surface and at the other end with a threaded portion, a nut screwed onto said threaded portion for clamping said arm to said bearing bracket to connect said switch rod to said switch point in a manner which permits said rod to swivel relative to the point, and means formed integrally with said bearing bracket for the reception of a point detector rod socket connection.

HERBERT L. BONE.

Images