US443149A - Railway-switch-operating system - Google Patents

Description

(No Model;) 5 SheetsSheet 1.

S. L. POWELL. RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

f Vim 2'07? I WITNESSES Z 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S. L. POWELL- RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING SYSTEM. No. 443,149.

WITH E8858 '5 SheetsI-Sheet a.

(NoModeLy s. L. POWELL. RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING SYSTEM.

. PatentedDec. 2a, 1890.

we "cams Pm'sns co mom-mum, wasnmm'orl, u. c.

5 sheets sheet 4. s. L. POWELL. RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING SYSTEM.

No. 443,149. Patented Dec. 28 1890.

' (No Model.)

WIT/1158858: 1

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

s. L. POWELL. RAILWAY SWITGH OPERATING SYSTEM.

No. 443,149. Patented'D-ecQZS, 18904 IIVVE/VTOR' I g mfi A TTOR/VEY.

WITNESSES.

SAMUEL L. POWELL, OF LEWISTOXVN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF PATENT OrFicE.

TO FREDERICK D. MORRISON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RA!LWAY-SWITCH OPERATING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,149, dated December 23, 1890.

I Application filed July 5, 1890- Serial No. 35 7,884. (No model.)

re operating railway-switches electrically and automatically from or by a passing train or.

from a main station or office.

Inasmuch as the invention is som ewhat complex in its characterI will not attempt a pre- I liminary statement of its nature, but will proceed at once to illustrate the invention by means of drawings and description thereof, and then particularly point out and claim the parts, improvements, or combinations constituting my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a plan view showing a portion of a main track and siding with an interposed switch and my automatic switch-operating mechanism applied thereto, the switch being open to the siding and the parts being in position for setting the switch to open the main track. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the switch locking and unlocking and switchthrowing mechanism, hereinafter termed the electromechanical switch-operating mechanism, the position being the same as in Fig.

of a switch-throwing mechanism, showing the parts in operative position; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same mechanism, showing the parts ininoperative position. Fig. 1 is a plan of the draw-head detached. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of an electric connection. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a switch locking and unlocking and switch-throwing mechanism slightly modified from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and omitting the electric connections. Fig. 7 is a similar view of another modification. Fig. 8 is a plan view of amodification. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View showing a railroad-yard with my system arranged therein. Fig. '10 is a side elevation of: a toggle-lever.

1. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation of a portion Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic elevation of the electric-train mechanism. Fig. 12 is a sectional perspective of the track contact. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section in the plane of line 00 as, Fig. 14;; and Fig. 14 is a crosssection of the track-contact.

The main-track rails or a, the si'dingrails a a, the switch-rails a a and the switch-bars a at may be as usual. The switch-rails a a are connected by alocking-bar b. A T-shaped 6o lever c is pivoted in any suitable manner-for example, to a tie--and one of its arms is pivotally connected to the switch-bar a". The other ends of this lever c are connected by links (Z with plates 6, which last in turn are movably connected with a draw-head f in such manner that when one of said plates 6 is connected with said draw-head the other is disconnected therefrom, so that the one that is connected with said draw-head will move with the draw-head and pull upon the lever 0, so as to rock said lever upon its pivot, While the other link simply slips upon the drawhead and has no effect upon the lever c. The draw-head fis moved longitudinally of the 7 5 track by means of a rod 9, suitably supported in bearings, which rod g is connected. to a rock-shaft h, and the other end of said rockshaft is connected to a toggle 1", arranged alongside of the track and adapted to be So operated by the flange of a car-wheel. The details of the rock-shaft, toggle, and connections are shown more particularly in Fig. 10.

In order to be able to operate the draw-head from either side of the switch and from the main track or the siding, I employ a rod g, connected to a lever g which lever in turn engages a collar g on the rod g. The rod g extends to a rock-shaft h, which rock-shaft h is connected to toggles t" and arranged, 0 respectively, at the main track and at the siding. One or more springsj and j may be employed to eltect the automatic return of the rods g and g.

The plates 6, to which the links d d are piv- 9 5 oted, are each constructed as follows: The plate proper may be a fiat piece of metal arranged to slide in ways f f on the drawhead f, and the said draw-head f is provided with a I slot or opening f beneath the said plate, and mo the plate is provided with a pivoted latch e, which works in an opening in the said plate, and when allowed to descend falls into the slot f in the draw-head f, and when in this position (see Fig. 3) the plate 6 will be engaged with the draw-head and be pulled by the draw-head when the said draw-head is actuated by the rod g and connections,before described. The latch c has a nose c which is engaged by a spring-bolt 6, whose end 6 is an armature for an electro-magnet c. This magnet is arranged in a normally-broken circuit, and inasmuch as the springj always returns the rod, and consequently the drawl1ead,in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, into position for use by being engaged by one of the latches, and inasmuch as the slot f has its rearward end slanting or beveled, it follows that the latch e, which has just been used, which in this case is the one on the lower side of the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, will be thrown out of the said slotf into the position shown in Fig. 4, where it is in position to be engaged by the spring-bolt 6". Thus it will be seen that until the circuit,ineluding the magnet e", is completed or made the draw-head will be inoperative with respect to the links (Z, and consequently lever c. The circuits referred to and the making and breaking thereof will be described later on.

The links (Z are connected to the leverc by means of pins (1 and slots (Z Springs d are employed. for a purpose presently appearing. As shown in Figs. 1 and *2, these springs are arranged upon flat links; but, as shown in the modification in Fig. 7, the said springs may be arranged at the ends of the said links beyond the lever c and between nuts or heads on the ends of the said links and the said lever c.

Bolts 7t k are connected to the plates 6 e and are arranged in casings 7; lo to engage the switch-lockin g bar Z), and I prefer to arrange the locking-bar b in a bracket or slideway Z).

Obviously the bolts must be disengaged from the locking-bar before the switch can be shifted, and hence I provide the slots (1 in the links (7, so that when the draw-head is moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the bolts are acted upon before the links act upon the lever c, the said links slipping upon the lever by the length of their slots, and hence the said bolts become disengaged from the locking-bar just before one of the links d has been moved the length of its slot and is ready to act upon the lever c to shift it, and consequently shift or throw the switch. The springs d serve to keep the bolts normally in position to engage the locking-bar when an opening in the latter is brought opposite the bolts.

As will presently appear, when one of the links (Z has, by means of its plate 6 and latch 6, been engaged with the draw-head through the instrumentalities before described, then the other link is disengaged, and, as will presently appear, this disengaged link will have its electrical mechanism put in condition to be operated to reverse the last movement of the lever c.

From the foregoing it is obvious that should a train be approaching from the left of Fig. 1 it could operate the switch to open the main track and then pass onto the toggle at the right of said figure, and thereby necessarily reverse the last movement and operate the switch to open the siding. So, also, it is obvious that a train coming either from the siding or the main track from the right of Fig. 1 could operate the switch to open the main track.

As shown in Fig. 6, the locking-barb might be arranged on the opposite side of the tie or support. In Fig.0 the bolts 76 7c are connected with plates 0, through slots k in the plates, and there are interposed springs k on the bolts. These springs keep the bolts normally in position to engage the locking-bar when an opening therein comes opposite such bolts and thus subserve the purpose of the springs (Z In Fig. 0 I have shown the rocking lever connected to the switch-bar, by means of a slot 0 and pin c to provide sufficient play for the lever c to allow the bolts 7; to be withdrawn from the locking-bar before the switchbar is actuated. This construction admits of the employment of a rod 0 attached to the lever c, and connected with a hand-switch stand for actuating the switch by hand independently of the automatic mechanism.

In Fig. 7 the springs (Z instead of being on the links, as in Figs. 1 and 2, are arranged upon the ends of the links and between such ends and the rocking lever. It will be understood, also, that in this form of the device the locking-bolts will be attached to the plates, as in Figs. 1 and 2that is to say, without the use of the slots and interposed springs. Furthermore, it is also understood that the handlever may be used with this form of the device, as well as with the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Instead of employing the mechanism described, by means of which I am enabled to automatically actuate the switch for the main track and the siding from either side of the switch, I may use what I shall designate a safety device, whose function simply is to insure the opening of the main track from the direction of approach to the point of theswitch, and this mechanism I have shown in Fig. 8. Practically the mechanism comprises a drawhead f containing the sliding plate e with the latch, spring-bolt, and the electro-magnet, as before described, a rock-shaft if and a toggle b. The link (1* is rigid with the plate e and is connected to abell-crank lever 0 which in turn is connected with the switch-bar a through the slot (6 The link (Z is also connected to a spring-bolt k which is normally withdrawn from the locking-bar b. \Vhen, however, the switch is actuated by this safety device, the link cZ presses the spring-bolt against thelocking-bar while the switch is mov- IIO ing and until the hole b in the locking-bar comes opposite the bolt, when said bolt will fly into said hole and lock the parts. The magnet in this form of apparatus is arranged in electric circuit composed of wires 2 2 and the trackcontacts 3, which are adapted to be engaged by electric mechanism on the train-such, for example, as that shown in Fig. 11, to be hereinafter described so that an engineer approaching a switch, by throwing his train mechanism into contact with the track-contact 3, may energize the magnet on the plate 6*; and should the switch be open for the siding the said plate will engage the drawhead, the draw-head will be actuated, the bolt 7.? will be ready to engage thelocking-bar b, and the lever 0 will be in position to throw the switch and set it for open main track. .As'shown in Fig. 8, the parts are in position for this operation. The slot a permits'the movement of the switch manually without interfering with the electro-mechanical safety device described.

The track-contacts (designated generally by the letters A B C in Fi 3) are shown in detail in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, and are constructed as follows: Brackets Z are provided with cavities and lined with insulating material Z. These brackets receive within these insulated cavities strips m, provided with electrical conducting-surfaces m, and the two strips on are separated by non-conducting plugs 072 which are wedged in between the strips and bind the said strips firmly in the brackets. The devices m used for securing the conducting-strips 117., may be utilized, also, as binding-posts, to secure the wires which lead t3 the magnets hereinbefore and hereinafter described. The train mechanism comprises a battery D, a switch-board E, and a switch F.

In the system shown in Fig. 1. there are three track-contacts, each composed of two such contact-pieces as are shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, and in order that either pair of contacts may be rendered operative I provide three pairs of trolleys G, which are arranged upon a shaft n, suspended from a frame n, supported upon an axle o of the truck of the car. The frame it has a rod or bar 41 upon which are arranged electric brushes 41. and from these brushes wires n extend to binding-posts n, and thence to the switch-board E, so that by movement of the key F the current from the battery may be directed to either pair of trolleys at will. The several trolleys areinsulated from one another, as indicated by the black lines in 11. It will be understood that the track-contacts and the trolleys are arranged in pairs, in order to make a complete circuit from the car through the track-contacts and the magnets employed on the switch-shifting mechanism. The trolleys, the track contacts, and the switch-board are so arranged normally as to energize that magnet on the link which must be pulled in order to set the switch for an open main track, and in Figs. 1 and 2 such magnet and link is that one shown in the upper por tion of the drawings. The contact for eifecting this purpose is arranged midway between the rails of the track, and the contacts for effecting the other movement are arranged that on the left of the switch in Fig. 1 to the right of the center of the track and those on the right-hand side of the switch in said Fig. 1 to the left of the cent-er of the track, relatively to a train passing from the left to the right, so that an engineer desiring to keep on the main track has simply to see that his switch-board shows the key centrally.

The contacts A and their circuit-wires 4 4 and 5 5 are connected with their respective magnets as follows: One of the wires 1 leads to the circuit-maker p, and one of the wires 5 leads to one end of a circuit-maker q. The other of the wires 4 leads through a circuitbreaker r to the circuit-maker p, and the other of the wires 5 leads to the swinging end of the circuit-maker q. The contacts B are connected by wires 6 [5 and 7 7 with the circuit makers j.) and g, respectively, and the contacts O are connected by branch wires 8 8 and 9 9 with the wires 6 (i and 7 7, respectively, whichlead, respectively, to the circuit-makers p and q, as before stated. The links d are provided with offsets (F, in which are made holes provided with an insulating substance (1 to receive conducting-pins d, from which wires 10 lead to the magnets c, and the pins d are adapted to come into electrical contact with the binding-posts connected with the circuit-makers p and q, as shown in Fig. 5, and also in the upper part of Figs. 1 and 2, so that the circuit is completed from the contacts A B or 0 through their respective wires, the posts of the circuit-makers p and q, the wires 10, and the magnets e to energize either of said magnets and thereby withdraw the spring-bolt e and permit the latch e to engage the draw-head, so that as the said drawhead is actuated in the manner and by the means before described the parts are in position to actuate the switch to shift it from the main track to the siding, and vice versa, as the case may be. Springs 12' and q are used to return the circuit-n'iakers to normal position for use, and pins p and (1 on the links (Z are used to break the circuit-makers. Any other form of electric connections may be employed. I have shown these and the other electric connections, hereinafter inentioned, and hereinbefore mentioned, simply as illustrations of means for carrying out my invention. I employ, as already mentioned, the circuit-breaker or lock-out r, and it consists of a magnet 1", whose armature 4* connects the binding-posts which receive the wires 1, as indicated in Fig. 2. This magnet r is put in the circuit leading from the contact on the siding to the circuit-maker g. In this way I will not need an extra wire from the siding-contact to operate the look-out.

The drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, show the position of parts when an engineer has passed from the main track onto the siding, and then by his running to that pair of the contacts 0 nearest the main track he may actuate the switch-shifting mechanism to open the switch to the main track, and in so doing he will break the circuit for the other magnet, thus automaticallypreventing another engine from opening the switch. As soon, however, as the train on the siding moves off the sidingcontact then the other circuit-maker maybe energized to put the parts in position for further operation.

To recapitulate or summarize the functions and operation of the circuit-makersp and q and the lock-out r, I would state that the said circuitmakers p and q are hinged so as to swing to and from their respective bindingposts or contacts, in order that the magnets c e may be alternately cut in and cut out of the circuit. Although complete circuits may be made through the posts of these circuitmakers in conjunction with contacts (1" of the links (I, yet when the lever of the circuitmaker p is in contact with both bindingposts, as shown at the bottom of Fi 2, the current will pass through the said lever, but does not and cannot reach the magnet c, pertaining immediately to that system, for the reason that the contacts (.1 and d" are not in conjunction with said circuit maker. These circuit-makers p and q are designed especially for use where a series of switches are to be operated in one circuitas, for example, in a railroad-yard. Their use is to save electric energy by keeping the current from energizing a magnet on any switch in a series which may be properly set. Suppose there be three switches in a series, one set for a siding, the other set for the main track, and the third set for a siding. The current will pass through one magnet of the first and third of these switches and will not affect either magnet of the second one. The magnet 1" is always included in the circuit of the circuitmaker 1) and quite irrespective of the position of the circuit-maker q. The object of the device r is to break the circuit leading from the contact A,and it so operates when a train has entered the siding, closed the switch after it, and comes to rest on the siding, having its trolley resting on and in contact with the track-contact on the siding, which energizes the magnet 7''. So long as said magnet r is energized the circuit from the track-contact A is broken, and another train is thus prevented from operating electrically the magnet pertaining to the system including the circuit-maker 1), which, if the circuit were broken, could be operated, and the second train likewise enter the sitling. The device 7' is a lock-out, in the sense that if the second train by mistake sets its trolley to open the switch it would fail to do so, because that circuit has been broken at the magnet 7" by the train on the siding.

Now, referring to Fig. 9, I have shown four switches and electromechanical switch-operating mechanism for them, all to be actuated from a switch-board in an office. The switchboard G is provided with eight pairs of sockets to receive pairs of plugs s, which in turn are connected to wires leading to a batteryll or other source of electricity. Each of the switches J, K, L, and M is connected with the switch-board by means of two pairs of wires 12 and 13,11 and 15, 10 and 17, and 18 and 19. Now if the plugs s s be inserted in the sockets 20 and 21 then the current will pass through the wires 13 to the magnet c J and no other. If a plug be allowed to remain in socket 20 and the other plug be put in socket 22, the current will pass through the magnets c" and c of switches J and K, and this is effected by electrically connecting the sockets 21 and 23, for then the current enters 20 and passes out through 22. The same thing might be accomplished by connecting the magnets c and e by a short circuit, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9. Now if a plug be retained in the socket 20 and the other plug be put in the socket 21 the current will traverse the various wires and energize the magnets c c and c of the switches J, K, and L, thus clearing that whole section of trackthat is to say, opening that whole section of track. The other magnets will not be affected, because they are only in partial or incomplete circuits. It is obvious, therefore, that the ob ject of the circuit-maker is to keep the current out of any mechanism which has just been acted upon and is already in the position desired, and to allow the current to pass on to no other magnet which may be included in the same circuit. These illustrations of the operation of the switch-board in the manner of connecting two or more switches for simultaneous operation will serve to explain the principle of the invention without going into the details of the other circuits shown in Fig. 9.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to an automatic device for looking the switches in position,inasmuch as the switch-operating devices of my invention are applicable independently of the described mechanism for locking and unlocking the said switches, although I prefer to employ switch locking and unlocking mechanism which co-operates with the switch-shifting mechanism in the manner before described.

Although the operation of my invention has been set forth in the foregoing description, yet for convenience the following summary of operation may be given: Referring now more especially to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the switch has been set for the siding, and has been locked in that position by means of the upper bolt 7t, passing through a bolt-hole in the locking-bar I) and bracket 1). Before the switch can be reversed it is necessary that this bolt be withdrawn, and to effect this withdrawal of the bolt the current must be passed through the conductors 5 5 from contact A, or through the conductors 7 7 from the contact B, or through the conductors 7 7 and 0 9 from the contact 0. Itthe current be passed through the conductors 5 5, it will travel to the wires 10 10, and thence to the magnet e of the upper mechanism and withdraw the bolt and allow the latch e to drop into the slot f of the draw-head, thereby connecting the slide 6 with the drawhead. N ow the other--that is to say, the lower slide 6, was left at the limit of its throw by the operation which drew the leverc into the position shown in said figures, and the drawhead having returned, as before described, automatically threw the latch of that slide out of engagement with the slot f next to it, and the circuit having been broken to its magnet the bolt 6 pertaining thereto returned beneath the nose 6 as in Fig. 4. Hence any pull on the draw-head will not be transmitted to this lower plate and its appurtenances,but will act solely upon the upper plate and its appurtenances, which are now engaged with the draw-head. The current is in the wires only so long as the trolley on the train is in contact with the track-contact, and this duration of energy is but little, as is obvious, and occurs before the train reaches the toggle. Hence when the train first acts upon the toggle the appropriate mechanism has been electrically set, and then the pull takes place upon the rod g, and the bolt is first withdrawn, as already described, to leave the locking-bar Z2 free to be moved, and then when the outer end of the slot in the link d has reached the pivot d the pull upon the lever begins, and the lever is shifted from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the reverse position and the switch is shifted. As soon as the train leaves the toggle the drawhead is free to return, and in so returning it disengages the plate a and its appurtenances from the draw-head, as already described, while the movement of the lever c has pulled the other plate 0 and its appurtenances into the position shown in the drawings as occupied by the upper plate 6 and its appurtenances, to be ready for engagement with the draw-head when necessary.

\Vhat I claim is 1 In a railway-switch system comprising sw1toh-rails,a switch-bar and a switch-locking bar, a device for locking and unlocking the switch-locking bar, and electromechanical means for shifting the switch and actuating the locking and unlocking device, andineluding a draw-head adapted to be moved by or from a train, connections with the switchbar and the locking and unlocking device, a latch for temporarily engaging the draw-head and said connections, an electro-magnetic bolt co-operating with the said latch, and circuit-wires leading from said electromagnetic bolt to contacts on the track, which latter are to be rendered operative from a train, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switclnoperating system,

switch-rails, a switch-bar, a draw-head, a rocking lever interposed between the drawhead and the switch'bar, links attached to the said lever, sliding plates connected to said links and carrying latches, electromechanical latch-controlling devices on said links, track contacts, and circuit-wires connecting said track-contacts and the electromechanical latchcontrolling devices and adapted to be operated from a train, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a railway-switch-operating system, switch-rails, a switch-bar, a rocking lever connected to said switch-bar, links connected to such lever, a draw-head carrying sliding plates to which the said links are secured, latches on said plates, electro-mechanicalde vices for operating said latches, and electric circuits including the said electro-mechanical devices, and adapted to be energized from a passing train or from an oiiice, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l. In a railway-switch-operating system, switch-rails, a switch-bar, a switch-locking bar, a rock-lever connected to the said switchbar, a draw-head, sliding plates arranged upon said draw-head, links connectingthe said sliding plates and rock-lever, bolts secured to said sliding plates to co-operate with the switch-bar to lock and unlock it, and electro-mechanical devices on the said plates to periodically connect one or the other of said plates with the draw-head to render one or the other of the links operative to effect the rocking of the rock-lever, and an electric circuit including the electromechanical clevices for connecting the plates and drawhead in such manner that when the electromechanical devices of one plate are energized those of the other are cut out of the circuit, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In 'a railwayswitch-operating system, switch-rails, a switch-bar, a switch-locking bar, a rocking lever connected to said switchbar, a draw-head, links loosely jointed to said rocking lever, sliding plates carried by said draw-head and carrying the links, lockingbolts also carried by said plates, electro-mechanical devices comprising pivoted latches, electro-magnets, and armatures therefor cooperating with the said latches to effect the engagement and disengagement of the latches and their plates with the draw-head, and means for moving said draw-head first to unlock the locking-bar and then to render the links effective upon the rocking lever, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the draw-head, means for connecting it with the switch to shift the said switch, a draw-rod, a rock-shaft, and a toggle connected to said rock-shaft to operate the draw-head from a passing train, of an auxiliary rod connected with the drawhead and extending along the track in the opposite direction and connected with a rockshaft having toggles in the siding and in the maintrack,wherebytheswitch maybe shifted I said latch, and an electric circuit in which from either side by one and the same drawhcad and connected mechanism, substantially as described.

7. A railway-switch-operating system comprising switch-rails, switch-bars, and electromechanical switch operating mechanisms, substantiallysuch as described, forcontrolling the movement of such switch-bars, said electro-mechanical switch-operating mechanisms including a series of electro-magnets, combined with a switch-board and wires connecting the switch-board and the electro-magnets and other wires connecting the contacts on the switch-board with one another in desired order, and circuit making and breaking devices to permit the interconnecting through the said switch-board and wires of several eleetro-mechanlcal switch-operating mechanisms for the simultai'ieous setting of the several switch mechanisms, and track mechanisms connected with the electromechanical switch-operating mechanisms and operable from or by a train to permit the operation of the switches by or from a passing train, substantially as described.

8. A railway switch system comprising switch-rails, a switch-bar, a rocking lever connected to such switch-bar, and clectro-mechanical means for rocking the said rocking lever, including a draw-head, movable connections between the draw-head and rocking lever, comprising alatch for temporarily engaging the draw-head and said connections, an electro-magnetic bolt cooperating with the the said electromagnetic bolt is arranged, and means for making and breaking said circuit, substantially as described.

9. A railway switch system comprising switch-rails, a switch-bar and switclnlocking bar, a rocking lever, and electro-mechanical means for shifting the switch and actuating the switch-locking bar, and including a drawhead, a sliding plate on said d raw-head, a latch for temporarily engaging the draw-head and sliding plate, an electro-magnetic bolt co-operating with the said latch, and circuit-wires leading from said electromagnetic bolt, and means for rendering said electric circuit operative and inoperative, substantially as described.

lO. A railway-switch system comprising switch-rails, a switch-bar and switch-locking bar, a rocking lever, and electro-mechanieal means for shifting the switch and actuating the switch-locking bar and including a drawhead, a slidin plate on said draw-head, a latch for temporarily engaging the draw-head and sliding plate, an electro-magnetic bolt co-opcrating with the said latch, and a hand-operating connection operable independei'itly of the automatic devices to shift the switch, substantially as described.

111 testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of June, A. D. 1890.

SAMUEL L. POWELL.

\Vitnesses:

Ross F. Wirnnnow, BENJ. M. Jones.

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