US3652849A

US3652849A - Foot operated track switch

Info

Publication number: US3652849A
Application number: US19298A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond J Kleppick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-03-13
Filing date: 1970-03-13
Publication date: 1972-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-28

Abstract

A manual switch operating device for a railway track has a switch-connected lever that is normally locked in either one of two positions and that is easily and quickly moved from one position to another by an end-mounted foot-pressure-operated arm. The foot-operated arm has means for simultaneously unlocking and holding the device in an unlocked position during movement from one position to another and upon reaching the other position to cause an automatic locking of the switch.

Description

United States Patent Kleppick [451 Mar. 28, 1972 54] FOOT OPERATED TRACK SWITCH 269,394 12/1882 Dolan ..246/489 {72] Inventor: Raymond J. Kleppick, 2035 Osgood St., Primary Examiner Anhur LLa Point Plttsburgh 15214 Assistant Examiner-D. W. Keen [22] Filed; Ma 13, 1970 Attorney-Green, McCallister & Miller [21] Appl. No.: 19,298 [57] ABSTRACT A manual switch operating device for a railway track has a [52] 11.8. CI ..246/393, 246/406, 246/489 switch-connected lever that is normallydocked in either one of [Si] Int. Cl ..B61l5/02 two positions and that is easily and quickly moved from one [58] Field of Search ..246/393, 406, 489 p i i n to nother y n n -mounted fool-pressureoperated arm. The foot-operated arm has means for simul- [56] References Cited taneously unlocking and holding the device in an unlocked position during movement from one position to another and UNITED STATES PATENTS upon reaching the other position to cause an automatic locking of the switch. l,l27,959 2/1915 Burns ..246/406 1,426,542 8/ l 922 Bliznik ..246/393 14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEMR 2 I972 3. 6 52 84 9 sum 2 [IF 3 INVENTOP RAYMOND J. KLEPPICK Iw d H/S ATTORNEYS PmiNtEnmzalslz 3,652,849

sum 3 OF 3 INVENTOR 8 RAYMOND J. 'KL EPPICK H/S ATTORNEYS FOOT OPERATED TRACK SWITCH This invention relates to an improved type of railway track switch which will eliminate the difficulties that have heretofore been inherent in a hand-operated throw type of switch. The invention particularly relates to an efficient foot-operated railway switch.

The invention has been devised to provide a manual, in the sense of a physically, in-place, operated railway switch that will eliminate disadvantageous features of the present-day, hand-operated, weighted throw type of switch. The hand operated type has resulted in many back and leg injuries to railroad personnel and in numerous damage suits which have been highly expensive from the standpoint of the railroads. Although electric and other automatic'types of switches have been used in certain localities, they are in general too expensive and have a tendency to stick under bad weather conditions, and are not practical in many remote areas, as distinguished from sophisticated yard areas. In other words, there will always be a need for a so-called physically or manually operated type of switch and the present invention has been devised to eliminate the adverse features or factors encountered in connection with the utilization of a so-called hand throw type.

It has thus been an object of the invention to fully evaluate the adverse factors of the so-called hand-throw type of switch and to device means for eliminating such factors while still maintaining a relatively simple switch construction.

Another object has been to device a new and improved form of track railway switch which will be highly effective and safe in its position-retention features and, at the same time, will be much simpler and easier to operate.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a device for translating foot energy into switch position change.

A further object of the invention has been to devise a railway switch which will eliminate the back-bending or stooping, shoulder-lifting and hand-throwing operations of a conventional throw type of switch.

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiment and the description thereof.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a horizontal section taken along line l1 of FIG. 2, illustrating a switch device or apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical side sectional view in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical end section in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side section in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; this view shows locking and operating means in a backward switching position.

FIG. 4A is a fragmental view on the scale of and similar to FIG. 4, but showing the locking and operating means in a forward locked switching position.

FIG. 5 is a greatly reduced fragmental plan view illustrating a track installation employing the device of FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive.

' FIG. 6 is a horizontal section on the scale of and similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a modified form of mechanism for locking and unlocking a switch device or apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmental side section on the scale of and along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; this view shows locking and operating means in a backward locked switching position.

And, FIG. 8 is a back end fragmental section on the scale of and taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

In carrying out the invention, as shown in FIG. 5, a footpressure-actuating, position-changing, switch operating device or unit E is provided with an enclosed, rectangularshaped, metal housing 10 and an operating member or rod that extends from a forward end thereof and is secured by conventional means 16 to switch points 170 and 17b of a pair of alternative tracks A and B. In one position, the

switch points

17a and 17b permit the wheels of a train to move along the rails of track A and to, in another or second position, cause the wheels of the train to move along the rails of track B. Although no position change lantern is shown, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that an auxiliary shaft may extend upwardly through the top of the housing 10 and be connected to turn with movement of a drive shaft 41 when it is actuated to cause a change in position to correspond with movement of the operating member 15 between its switching positions. As will be noted, the members of the tracks A and B may be mounted on suitable cross ties C in a conventional manner and the unit E may be secured as by spikes extending through notches in its side flanges 11 on a pair of longer tie members D.

The device E is adapted to be actuated by a foot-operated arm assembly 50 that is mounted on a backwardly-extending end of the drive shaft 41 and extends from an opposite end of the housing 10 to move the switch connected operating rod or member 15 in a reciprocating manner or forwardly and backwardly between its two switching positions,'by alternately-applying foot pressure to depress one end of the assembly 50 and then the other end thereof. For astandard size of track, the stroke of the member 15 may be about four and three quarters inches.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, the switch operating member or rod 15 is shown provided with a clevis 15a at its back end for mounting it on an eyelet or tongue portion 20a of a connecting screw or stem 20 through the agency of a pivot pin 18. As shown, the connecting stem 20, at one end, extends through a front end of the metal housing 10 and, at its other end, is provided with a second eyelet or tongue portion 20b which is at right angles to the portion 20a and which is pivotally-connected by a pin 57 to a forward clevis end portion 56a of a locking bar means or assembly 55. An internally threaded sleeve 21 is adjustably mounted on the threaded stem 20 and has a downwardly projecting connecting piece 22 secured thereto and connecting it with an upper edge of a forward end portion of a gear rack 25.

The gear rack 25 is adapted to reciprocate or move backwardly and forwardly in a guided relation along an angleshaped guide member 26 that is secured in any conventional manner to the bottom wall or plate of the housing 10. The teeth of the rack 25 mesh with a pinion 30 whose teeth also mesh with a ring gear 35. It will be noted (see FIG. 1) that the pinion 30 is secured, as by a key 32, to a vertical pin or stud shaft 31 that is journaled within a floor or base mounted bearing stand 33. The ring gear 35 is also mounted on a vertically extending pin or stud shaft 37 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and is integral with and carries a beveled pinion 36. The shaft 37 is also journaled in a floor-mounted bearing stand 38. The ring gear 35 and the beveled pinion 36 are secured, as by a mounting bolt or set screw 36a, for rotation with the shaft 37.

As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the beveled pinion 36 meshes with a beveled ring gear 40 that is operatively-secured on a main drive or operating shaft 41 by means of a set screw or mounting bolt 40a for rotation therewith. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner end of the bolt 40a is adapted to cooperate with and ride in a short-length, circular, slot portion 41b in the shaft 41 to provide for initial lost motion of the shaft with respect to the gear 40 and permit an unlatching means to raise the locking bar means or assembly 55 and release the gear and rack mechanism before attempting to impart motion thereto. The shaft 41 has a reduced forward end portion 410 that is journaled within a bearing sleeve portion of a washer 47. The bearing sleeve portion of the washer 47 extends through an upright support frame or structure 46 and cooperates with a forwardly positioned end washer 48. The washer 48 is friction or key-fitted to hold the shaft 41 in a proper operating position. The shaft 41 is principally journaled within a main bearing stand 42 which is shown provided with a cap screw or bolt 42a for permitting lubrication thereof. The stand 42 is shown mounted by means of bolts 44 on a vertically extending upright frame structure 43 that, like the structure 46, is secured on and projects upwardly from a bottom plate or wall member of the housing 10. I

The main drive shaft 41 at its extending end centrally-carries footl operated lever arm assembly 501 in a secured position thereon, see particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. As shown by the solid and dot and dash line positions of FIG. 3, the footoperated assembly or means 50 is adapted to be moved by foot pressure in an up-and-down, seesawing manner to actuate the shaft 41 clockwise and counterclockwise and thus, the gear mechanism, the rack 25, and the operating member to move the operating member between its two switching positions. The foot operated assembly 50 has a pair of oppositely extending arms, levers or

members

50a and 50b that are respectively provided with foot cross-extending pedals or

treads

51 and 52, and that have a balanced relation on opposite sides of and in a right-angularly extending relation with respect to the shaft 41. The mid point between the

arms

50a and 50b is provided with an upper sleeve portion 500 that fits over and about the end of the shaft and is secured thereto, as by weld metal.

Referring to FIG. 3, when the foot pedal 51 is pressed downwardly from its upper position F to its lower position F, this causes the foot pedal 52 to be moved in an opposite manner from its lower position G to an upper position G. Down" pressure on the pedal 51, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the arrow a, causes the rack 25 to move to the right and produce a corresponding outer, advancing or right-hand movement of the operating member or rod 15 to one switching position. On the other hand, a down foot pressure on the pedal 52, as indicated by the arrow b of FIG. 1, causes rack 25 to retract or move backwardly to the left and produce a corresponding lefthand, inner or backward movement of the operating member 15 to its other switching position.

As particularly illustrated in FIG. 4, the above described movement cannot be accomplished, however, while the locking mechanism is either in the position of FIG. 4 which represents the retracted position of the operating member or rod 15 or in a position shown in FIG. 4A which represents the forward position of the operating member 15. To provide a safety feature in the device E which will assure that the rail switch is always locked when in one of its two positions, the threaded stem is pivotally-connected at its back end, as previously point out, to the locking bar assembly 55. The assembly 55 has one part, bar or member 56 whose clevis 56a is pivotally-secured by pin 57 to the stem 20 and which toward its other end, is provided with a pair of spaced-apart fingers or bifurcations 56b to slidably-receive a flattened forwardly extending tongue 58b of a second locking part, bar or member 58. Each bifurcated portion 56b is provided with an open-end slot 56c to serve as slidable-adjustment guides for a pair of washer, nut and bolt assemblies 59 that extend transversely through and are carried in a spaced relation with respect to each other by the tongue 58b.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 4A, the means for locking the gear and rack mechanism employs a fixed-position locking block 60 that is mounted on the floor or bottom member of the housing 10 and cooperates with the abovepositioned locking bar means or assembly 55. It will be apparent that the total or overall length or extent of the assembly 55 may be readily adjusted by loosening the bolt and nut assemblies 59 and sliding the two

parts

56 and 58 with respect to each other. The fixed locking block 60 has a forwardly positioned latching notch, slot or recess portion 61 that is open to its upper side, and has a backwardly-spaced latching notch, slot or recess portion 62 that is also open to its upper side. The part 58 of the locking assembly 55 is provided with a downwardly projecting latching lug 58c that is adapted to have a cooperating latching or locking-fitting engagement with either one of the slotted

portions

61 or 62. When the operating member 15 is in its inner switching position, the latching lug 58c will be in vertical alignment with the latching slot 62 and, due to the weight of the assembly 55 and under the force of gravity, will be urged to drop therein. On the other hand, when the operating member or rod 15 is in its forward switching position, then the latching lug 58c will be in alignment with the forward latching slot portion 61 and will be urged to drop therein by the weight of the assembly 55. Although not shown, a weight member may also be mounted on the part 58, if desired.

It is apparent that the device E is always locked as a safety feature in either of its two switching positions. Thus, when it is desired to move its operating member 15 from one switching position to another, it is necessary to provide means for unlatching the locking means before an attempt is made to actuate the gear and rack mechanism through the agency of the drive shaft 41.

In order to initially unlock the device, the back end of the part 58 of the locking bar assembly has a longitudinally-extending, closed-end, guide slot portion 58a to guidably-receive a lower, threaded end portion a of an unlatching operating member or lever 65. As shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, a guide-bearing sleeve or cylinder 63 is positioned on the end portion 65a to extend vertically within the slotted portion 58a and to be slidably-guidably secured in position therein by means of upper and lower lock nut assemblies 64. It will thus be apparent that the unlatching member 65 is impositivelyconnected to the back part 58 from the standpoint of endwise movement of the part 58 with respect thereto, but is substantially positively connected thereto from the standpoint of up and down or vertical movement. Thus, when the unlatching member 65 is raised, it will raise the locking assembly 55 and thus, in turn, raise the lug 580 out of either one of the

slots

61 or 62 in which it may be positioned. At this time, the locking bar assembly 55 is free to move endwise forwardly or backwardly with the bar 25, the stem 20 and the operating member 15.

The unlatching member or rod 65, as shown particularly in FIG. 3, is pivotally-connected at its upper end portion to an end portion of a rocker arm or member by means of a through-extending bolt, spacer washer and nut assembly 68. The other end of the rocker arm 70 is pivotally mounted at a fixed location on a sidewall of the housing 10 by a bolt and nut assembly 71. A cam yoke part 72 is positioned to extend upwardly from and towards an under edge of the rocker arm 70 at a location behind its midpoint to provide an up-and-down" movement of the arm 70 and thus, a corresponding up-anddown movement of the unlatching member 65. The yoke 72 has a fixed mounting on the shaft 41, as by means of a set screw 73. As a result, any initial, foot-induced down movement on either

foot pedal

51 or 52 from their respective upper positions of F or G will cause an immediate initial actuation of the rocker member 70 to initially raise the latching member 65 and thus raise the locking bar assembly 58 until its latching lug 58 c is out of an associated latching notch or

slot portion

61 or 62.

This slight movement or partial rotation of the shaft 41 does not actuate the bevel gear 40, in that its mounting set screw or bolt 40a has to first ride for the short length of the slot 41b (see FIG. 2) before it engages the end shoulder thereof to thus cause its following movement with the shaft 41. As a result of this initial lost motion between the beveled gear 40 and the shaft 41, the locking bar 55 is first moved to an unlatching or unlocked position before positive movement is imparted to the gear and rack mechanism to translate turning or rotative type of movement imparted by the foot-operated assembly 50 into reciprocating movement, as imparted to the switch operating member 15. It will be noted that the assembly 50 will, in view of its type of positioned and connected relation, move from either the full line position F, G or the dot and dash line position F, G of FIG. 3 to the dot and dash line position F, G or the full line position thereof, F, G near the end of each switch changing operation, so that the latching lug 580 will be free to drop into an aligned latching

slot

61 or 62 at the completion of the switching operation. On the other hand, the rocker arm 70 is moved initially and selectively from a full line position to the dot and dash line position of FIG. 3, and always returns to the full line position at the end of each switching movement of the operating member 15.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the cam yoke part 72 has, in effect, three operating positions. Its normal neutral position is represented by the full lines at which cam fingers c and d lie on a substantially horizontal plane representing a neutral, non-lifting, two-point balanced engagement with the bottom edge of the rocker member 70. This is the position when either the foot pedal 51 is in its full down position G or the foot pedal 51 is in its full down position F'. On the other hand, when down" pressure movement is, for example, imparted to the pedal 52 at its uppermost position G, cam finger d will tilt or move upwardly to an angular relation represented by d at which time it will raise the rocker member 70 from its full line to its dot and dash line position of FIG. 3 to then raise the latching lug 580 out of a latching relation with an associated

slot

61 or 62. At this time, the other cam finger c has a slightly downwardly-tilted position represented by c. By the same token, down movement on the pedal 51 at its uppermost position F of FIG. 3 will cause cam finger c to move from the full line position of FIG. 3 to an upwardly-tilted or angular relation, such that the rocker arm 70 is again moved from its full line to its dot and dash line position of FIG. 3.

It will be further apparent that once the latching lug 580 has been raised to clear its associated latching

slot

61 or 62, the operating parts of the apparatus are free to move the rack 25 and the member 15. At this time, the latching lug 58c rides on the upper edge of the locking block 60 and it is thus immaterial whether or not the rocker arm 70 is being held in its upper position by a finger of the cam yoke part 72. Irrespective of whether the cam 72 is being moved clockwise or counterclockwise from its neutral position to cause either finger c or finger d to raise the rocker arm 70, it always, towards the end of the movement of the assembly 50 and of the .operating member 15, arrives at a position at which it releases the rocker arm or member 70 from its raised position (see the full line position of FIG. 3) to thus permit such rocker arm to fall with the locking assembly 55 under the force of gravity and cause a corresponding movement of the latching lug 58c with respect to the

slot

61 or 62 with which it is then in vertical alignment. It is thus apparent that the operating construction is such that it functions to raise and maintain the locking mechanism 55 in an unlatched relation initially and during movement of the gear and rack mechanism that accomplishes movement of the operating member between its switching positions. It is also apparent that the gear and rack mechanism as well as the unlatching and locking means have a selective, coordinated operation with respect to each other.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the main operating apparatus is the same as in the previously described embodiment, but the locking and unlatching means or mechanism has been modified. To simplify description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals have been used as in the previously described embodiment where the parts are exactly the same, prime affixes have been used where the parts are substantially the same but have been slightly modified, and new reference numerals are used for changed or new parts or members.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the back end of a switch operating member or connecting rod 15' is shown secured in an offset relation to the forward end of a gear rack by means of a threaded sleeve 76, locking nut 77, a spacer and connecting block 78 that is integral with the sleeve 76, and a pair of threaded stems 78a that are carried by the block 78 and extend through holes in the forward end of the rack 25'. If threaded stems 78a are used, then nuts 79 may cooperate therewith. If desired, headed bolts may be substituted for the stern and nut means 78a and 79.

The back end of the rack 25' is shown removably-secured by a through-extending bolt and washer assembly 88 to an adjustable locking bar means or assembly 75. The assembly 75 has a pair of complementary, spaced-apart and opposed locking bar members 81 that are adjustably mounted in a backwardly-extending position on a centrally-extending or main locking bar member 84. An angle-shaped forwardly positioned locking bar member 86 is removably-secured by bolts 87 to the front end portion of the central or main member 84 and has a front foot portion 860 which is directly secured by the bolt and washer assembly 88 to the rack 25'. As particularly illustrated in FIG. 7, the pair of locking members 81 have bifurcated or open end central slots 810 through which bolt and nut assemblies extend from a cross-mounted position in the central member 84. It will be apparent that the spaced relation between the back members 81 and the forward member 86 is adjustable by loosening and tightening the nut and bolt assemblies 85. This provides a suitable adjusted position between a rear locking slot, notch or recess portion 82 in the members 81 and a front locking slot, notch or recess portion 83 in the members'84 and 86. As shown in FIG. 7, the member 84 has an elongated slot 84a which permits a suitable adjusted position of the latching slot 82 therealong.

The locking bar assembly 75 is adapted to be engaged by an operating latching or locking arm when the gear rack 25' and thus the switch operating member or rod 15' are in their extreme forward and backward positions, representing two track-switching positions. As indicated particularly in FIG. 7, when the assembly is in its foremost position, then-the latching or locking arm 90 engages within the locking notch or slot portion 82. On the other hand, when the assembly is in its backmost position, the arm 90 engages within the locking notch or slot portion 83. The weight of the arm serves to cause it to drop into one or the other of the slot portions when vertically aligned therewith. Referring particularly to FIGS. 7 and 8, the latching or locking arm 90 is, at its other end, pivotally mounted by a nut and bolt assembly 92 in a clevis 91 that extends from a bottom plate of the housing 10'. The arm 90 is raised out of its latching or locking position, as shown by the direction of the arrow of FIG. 8, by an upward tilting of the forward end of a foot-actuated unlatching arm member 93.

The unlatching arm member 93 is pivotally mounted on an extension flange or base portion 11a of the housing 10 by means of a clevis 94 and a nut and bolt assembly 95, to engage the under edge of the arm 90, and to extend beneath the foot lever assembly 50 and in alignment along the drive shaft 41. The arm member 93 has a forwardly positioned foot pedal portion 93a that is employed for downwardly applied foot pressure to first unlock or unlatch the locking mechanism or means by raising the forward end of the arm 93 and raising the latching arm member 90 out of an associated notch or slot portion 82 or 83. When this occurs, then foot pressure may be applied to an upper one of the

pedals

51 or 52 to move the switch to a desired switching position, the same as in the previously described embodiment. Also, as in the previously described embodiment, the latching or locking operation is automatically accomplished by gravity or the weight of operating parts when the rack 25 reaches its foremost and backmost switching positions.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention may be adapted or modified in accordance with the novel concept involved for stylizing it to various foot-operated switching requirements.

I claim:

1. In an improved railway track switch operating device, a supporting housing, a reciprocating switch-operating member extending from said housing, a gear and rack mechanism operatively positioned within the housing and connected to said operating member to advance it forwardly to one switching position and to retract it backwardly to a second switching position, a drive shaft operatively positioned in said housing and connected to said gear and rack mechanism for actuating it, said drive shaft extending outwardly from said housing substantially horizontally in an opposite direction with respect to said operating member, a foot-operated arm member secured centrally on an outer end of said drive shaft and having foot pedal portions at opposite ends thereof for effecting alternate up and down movement of each end of said arm member to rotate said shaft in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and through said gear and rack mechanism to reciprocate said operating member between its two switching positions, means for locking said operating member when it is in either one of its two switching positions, unlatching means for said locking means, said locking means having a fixed-position locking element secured to the housing, a locking bar means adapted to be moved into and out of locking engagement with said locking element, said unlatching means being operated by said drive shaft for moving said locking bar out of latching engagement with said locking element, means associated with said drive shaft for initially operating said unlatching means and for thereafter actuating said gear and rack mechanism, said means for operating said unlatching means being a cam secured on said drive shaft, and said cam having a pair of opposite cam fingers to actuate said unlatching means upon clockwise as well as counterclockwise movement of said drive shaft.

2. In a switch operating device as defined in claim 1, said locking bar means being an adjustable latching bar assembly carried by and movable with said operating member, said fixed locking element being a part cooperating with said bar assembly for receiving said bar assembly in locking engagement at the completion of movement of said operating member to one of its switching positions, and said unlatching means being connected to said latching bar assembly for unlocking it with respect to said locking part.

3. In a switchoperating device as defined in claim 2, said unlatching means being connected between said latching bar assembly and said drive shaft to automatically unlock said bar assembly upon the application of downward force to an end foot pedal portion of said arm member that is in an up posi' tion.

4. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 1, said fixed-position locking element being a block within said housing having a pair of spaced-apart latching notch portions therein representing the two switching positions of said operating member, said locking bar means having latching lug means for engagement within said latching notch portions of said block, and said unlatching means being positioned between said locking bar means and said drive shaft for raising said latching lug means out of locking engagement with said latching notch portions when said arm assembly is initially actuated by an application of foot pressure to move said operating member from one switching position to the other.

5. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 4, said locking bar means being provided with means for urging said locking bar means towards said locking block, and lost motion connecting means between said drive shaft and said gear and rack mechanism.

6. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 1, said fixed position locking element being a block provided with a pair of spaced-apart latching notch portions, said locking bar means being provided with latching lug means for alternate locking engagement within said latching notch portions when said operating member is moved to its switching positions, and said unlatching means having a member assembly operativelyconnected between said locking bar means and said drive shaft for lifting said locking bar means and its latching lug means out of locking engagement with-an associated one of said latching notch portions.

7. In a switch operating device as defined in claim 6, said locking bar means having means for urging it towards said locking block, whereby said latching lug means will be moved into locking engagement with a latching notch portion with respect to which it is in alignment, and lost motion means operatively-connecting said drive shaft to gear means of said gear and rack mechanism, whereby said gear and rack mechanism will be actuated after said drive shaft has actuated said unlatching means.

8. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 1, said locking bar means having a pair of longitudinally-adjustable locking bar members, and an endwise-slidable operating connection between one of said bar members and said unlatching means, and a pivotal connection between said gear and rack mechanism and the other of said bar members.

9. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 1, the gear mechanism of said gear and rack mechanism comprising, a beveled gear operatively-carried on said drive shaft, a beveled pinion meshing with said beveled gear, a ring gear operated by said beveled pinion, and a pinion meshing between said ring gear and the rack of said gear and rack mechanism.

10. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 9, means guidably-positioning said rack within said housing for back and forth movement under actuation by said last-mentioned pinion, a sleeve secured to one end of said rack, and a stem extending-adjustably through said sleeve and connected at one end to said operating member and connected at its other end to said locking means.

11. In a railway track switch-operating device, an enclosed housing, a reciprocating switch-operating member extending from one end of said housing, a gear and rack mechanism operatively-positioned within said housing and connected to said operating member to advance it forwardly to one switching position and to retract it backwardly to. a second switching position, a drive shaft operatively-positioned in said housing and connected to said gear and rack mechanism for actuating it, said drive shaft extending through an opposite end of said housing, a foot-operated arm assembly secured on an outer end of said drive shaft and extending at substantially right angles thereto for alternate up and down movement to turn said shaft back and forth and, through said gear and rack mechanism, to reciprocate said operating member between its two switching positions, locking bar means having a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart latching notch portions therealong representing. two positions of the switch-operating member, a locking arm pivotally mounted for alternate locking engagement within each of said latching notch portions when said arm is in substantial vertical alignment therewith, said locking bar means being at one end secured to said rack mechanism for movement therewith, a pivotally mounted unlatching arm for cooperating with said locking arm to preliminarily raise it out of a locking position within an associated one of said notch portions before said foot-operated arm assembly is operated to move said switch-operating member from one switching position to another switching position.

12. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 11, said unlatching arm being pivotally mounted on a backwardly-extending portion of said housing in substantial alignment with and underneath said foot-operated arm assembly, and having a foot pedal extending backwardly beyond said foot-operated arm assembly for down movement to raise said locking arm member out of locking engagement within an associated one of said latching notch portions.

13. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 12, said locking bar means having adjustably mounted portions for varying the distance between said latching notch portions to correspond to switching positions of said switch-operating member.

14. In an improved railway track switch-operating device, a supporting housing, a reciprocating switch-operating member extending from said housing, a gear and rack mechanism operatively positioned within the housing and connected to said operating member to advance it forwardly to one switching position and to retract it backwardly to a second switching position, a drive shaft operatively positioned in said housing and connected to said gear and rack mechanism for actuating it, said drive shaft extending outwardly from said housing substantially horizontally in an opposite direction with respect to said operating member, a foot-operated arm member secured centrally on an outer end of said drive shaft and having foot pedal portions at opposite ends thereof for effecting alternate up and down movement of each end of said arm member to rotate said shaft in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and through said gear and rack mechanism to reciprocate said operating member between its two switching positions, means for locking said operating member when it is in either one of its two switching positions, unlatching means for said locking means, said locking means part when down movement is applied to an end foot pedal portion of said arm member that is in an up position, whereby said arm member may thereafter move said operating member from one into another of its switching positions.

gig? e STATES PATENT CERTIFICATE OF CORREC'ELION Patent No. 3 ,65-2 I Dated l-lez'ch 28 1 972 It'is certified that efror apfiears in the above-identified patent that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I and 9' C olumn 1 l fi .nes 26 and 2:8, each appearance, change devlce" to --dev1se--.

Columr 3,,"fline 2, after {"foot delete the l" and insert a hyphen; 113518 1 2, change aint" t e Column 5, line 7', changev "51" to -52.

Signed and see l ed this. 155th day of August 1972'.

(SEAL) Attest:

r EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

3. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 2, said unlatching means being connected between said latching bar assembly and said drive shaft to automatically unlock said bar assembly upon the application of downward force to an end foot pedal portion of said arm member that is in an up position.

6. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 1, said fixed position locking element being a block provided with a pair of spaced-apart latching notch portions, said locking bar means being provided with latching lug means for alternate locking engagement within said latching notch portions when said operating member is moved to its switching positions, and said unlatching means having a member assembly operatively-connected between said locking bar means and said drive shaft for lifting said locking bar means and its latching lug means out of locking engagement with an associated one of said latching notch portions.

11. In a railway track switch-operating device, an enclosed housing, a reciprocating swiTch-operating member extending from one end of said housing, a gear and rack mechanism operatively-positioned within said housing and connected to said operating member to advance it forwardly to one switching position and to retract it backwardly to a second switching position, a drive shaft operatively-positioned in said housing and connected to said gear and rack mechanism for actuating it, said drive shaft extending through an opposite end of said housing, a foot-operated arm assembly secured on an outer end of said drive shaft and extending at substantially right angles thereto for alternate up and down movement to turn said shaft back and forth and, through said gear and rack mechanism, to reciprocate said operating member between its two switching positions, locking bar means having a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart latching notch portions therealong representing two positions of the switch-operating member, a locking arm pivotally mounted for alternate locking engagement within each of said latching notch portions when said arm is in substantial vertical alignment therewith, said locking bar means being at one end secured to said rack mechanism for movement therewith, a pivotally mounted unlatching arm for cooperating with said locking arm to preliminarily raise it out of a locking position within an associated one of said notch portions before said foot-operated arm assembly is operated to move said switch-operating member from one switching position to another switching position.

12. In a switch-operating device as defined in claim 11, said unlatching arm being pivotally mounted on a backwardly-extending portion of said housing in substantial alignment with and underneath said foot-operated arm assembly, and having a foot pedal extending backwardly beyond said foot-operated arm assembly for ''''down'''' movement to raise said locking arm member out of locking engagement within an associated one of said latching notch portions.

14. In an improved railway track switch-operating device, a supporting housing, a reciprocating switch-operating member extending from said housing, a gear and rack mechanism operatively positioned within the housing and connected to said operating member to advance it forwardly to one switching position and to retract it backwardly to a second switching position, a drive shaft operatively positioned in said housing and connected to said gear and rack mechanism for actuating it, said drive shaft extending outwardly from said housing substantially horizontally in an opposite direction with respect to said operating member, a foot-operated arm member secured centrally on an outer end of said drive shaft and having foot pedal portions at opposite ends thereof for effecting alternate up and down movement of each end of said arm member to rotate said shaft in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and through said gear and rack mechanism to reciprocate said operating member between its two switching positions, means for locking said operating member when it is in either one of its two switching positions, unlatching means for said locking means, said locking means having a pair of cooperating latch parts one of which is fixed to said housing and the other of which is connected for movement with said operating member, and lever means connected between said other part and said drive shaft for initially moving said other part out of locking engagement with said one part when down movement is applied to an end foot pedal portion of said arm member that is in an up position, whereby said arm member may thereafter move said operating member from one into another of its switching positions.