US63337A - Improved eailwai switch - Google Patents

Description

* @nitro tang @anni @frn JAMES TILLINGI'IAST, 0F BUFFALO, NEIVV YRK.

Letters ,Patent IVe. 63,337, dated March, 1867 IMPROVBD RAILWAY SWITCH..

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Beit known that I, JAMES TILLINGIIAST, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and State 'of New York, have invented a new and improved Triple-Sivitcl1-t'or Railways; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make-and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

v This invention relates to a new and improved triple switch for railroads, and'it consists in constructing the switch in such amanner that it may be set in line with either-ot` .two branch tracks, so that' a train may pass from the main track' upon either of the branehztracks, as desired, and in ca'sc of the switch not being reset in line with the main track after a train has passed "upon a branch track,.a. train on the main track in -passing upon the switclrin an opposite direction will he capable of adjusting the switch properly in line with the main track. The object of :the invention is to avoid vaccidents .bya wrong adjustment of the switch, a contingency oi' not unfrequent occurrence, especially in those cases where `triple switches are employed.' In the accompanying sheet of drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of my invention taken in the line x fr, 'fi

Figure 2, a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A represent the rails of thc main track of a railroad, and B B, C C, the rails of two branch tracks, all of' which are shown clearly in iig; The switch is composed of four rails, D D E E', all of which are also shown in tig. 2, two rails, D E, being at one sidm ot' the track, and the other two, E E@ at the other side. 'lhe rails D E of the switch are connected by cross-bars 'a, and the rails E D are connected by cross-bars b, and the rails D D are connected at their` free or .disengaged ends by bars c c, the inner ends 'ofthe latter being connected by an elliptic spring, F. These bars, a bf and ec, are all connected te their respective switch-rails by pivots, so that no independent play is allowed them in the operationof Athe switch G i`s a cross-bar connected to the two switchfrails D D by pivots, aX, which pass through oblong slo'ts', in said bar, as shown clearly in fig. 2, and the cross-bar G is connected at one end with a bar I-I, by means of an ellipticspring, I, a hand-lever J being connected to bar II, as shown--clearly iu iig. 1 The switch-.mils are pivoted at one end to a sleeper ortie, K, as shown at e, gf2.

From the above description it willV be seen that the' spring F has atendency to keep the free or disengaged ends of the switch-rails D D in Contact with the main rails A A, and also to keep the pivots a of said switchrails in the outer parts of the oblong slots d d. Whe'n the leve'r J, therefore, is not actuated, the switch-rails D D will bein linewith the main rails A A of the track, as shown clearly in iig. 2; When it is desired to adjust the switch in line with the branch trackI C C, the levendv ismoved in thedireetion indicated by the arrow 1, and the bar GV moves tlicffree or disengaged end of' the switch-rail D in contact with the adjoining guard A', the spring being thereby compressed, and the switch-rail E moved from Dl h'y the cross-bars b, so that-the free or disengaged end of E will be in eontactwith the switch-rail D, In order't'o adju-st the switch in liney with the branch track B B, the lever J is moved in the opposite direction, us indicated by the arrow 2, andthe free or disengaged end of the switch-rail D ismoved in contact with' the adjoining guard A, -and' the switch-rail E is moved from D by means of the cross-bars a, so that the free or disengaged end of' E will be in contact with D. It will be seen that the oblong 'slots d ,in the cross-bar G, performan important function, to wit, they admit ofthe switch-rails D D being moved separately or independently of each other. The' springs F I are also an im ortant feature, as the admit of the lian es of the cur-wheels ad'ustin the switch-rails when the former are P Y e J g passing oil' from a branch track with which the switch isnot set in line. In case a train is passing along on the main track in the direction indicated by arrow 3, and-the switch-rails should be set in line with one of the branch tracks, and it is designed to have the train continue on the main track, no accident could occur, only a trilling loss of time would be incurred. The arrangement, as a whole, is extremely simple and efficient, may be applied at a small cost, and there are no parts liable to get out of repair or hecoufe deranged by use.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A triple switch for railroads, composed of the rails D D E E', .connected respectively by the cross-bars a b, with the cross-bar G applied to the rails D D', through the medium of `the oblong slots d d, and pivots ax, and connected' to'A the lever-bar H by thc spring I and thebars e c, connected by the spring F, and attached to the switch-railsD` D', allarranged to operate substantially in the manner as set forth.

JAMES TILLINGHAST.' Witnesses WM. H. Games, D. 1". GATES.

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