US1192263A - Automatic switch-operating device. - Google Patents

Description

F. BAYLESS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. I914.

1,192,263. I Patented July 25,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. BAYLESS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, I914. 1 ,1 92,263. Patented July 25, 1916.

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FRANK BAYLESS, OF SPRINGFIELD, OI'IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC SAFETY DEVICE COMPANY, A CORPORATION ,OF

OHIO.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1914. Serial No. 836,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, FRANK BAYLESS, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing-at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switch-Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway switches of the train operated type and more par ticularly to improvements upon the construction set forth in my prior Patents No. 7 5033i, issued January 26, 1904; 'No. 778,397, issued December 27, 1904, and No. 942,996, issued December 14, 1909.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation 01 such devices, whereby they will not only be chea pened in construction but will be more efficient in use, positive in action, easy of operation and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for locking the switch in its operated position to prevent the rebound thereof and to provide means to insure the proper setting of the train actuated operating mechanism each time the switch is opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of trip arm having a graduated action upon the switch operating mechanism whereby the initial shock reduced to minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of contact device for switch operating mechanism carried by the train or other vehicle.

lVith the above primary and other inci dental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a railway switch to which has been applied a switch operating mechanism forming the subject matter hereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the switch operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the interengaging means be tween the train operated and the hand op-' erated switch control. members. Figs. i and 5 are side and end elevations respectively of the trainoperated trip device. F ig. 6 is a detail perspective view by which the switch is locked in its operated position. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the resetting lever showing its relation with the manually operating lever for the switch. F ig. 8 is a detail View of the pneumatically controlled contact devices.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

While the device forming the subject matter hereof is described in connection with a train and is referred to as a train operated mechanism, it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to service upon electric railways, mine tracks or other similar uses.

The invention relates primarily to train operated means for closing an open switch in advance of the train or car independent of the manually operated switch control mechanism. The means for engaging the manually operated control devices with the movable switch and for disengaging such devices by the operation of the train operated mechanism, has been fully shown and described in my prior patents and will be here shown and described only to such an extent as may be necessary for a complete disclosure of the improvements thereon.

In the drawings, there is shown a common form of railway switch of which 1, 1 form the main line track and 2 2 the switch or siding track. 8 3 are the movable switch points connected one to the other, by the transverse bar 4, to move in unison.

Supported upon the transverse bar i is a housing or box 5 having therein two oppositely disposed spring actuated detents 6. Slidingly mounted in the housing or box 5, intermediate the detents 6, is a reciprooatory switch bar 7 connected at one end by a pit man 8 with the hand lever 9. The switch bar 7 is provided with oppositely disposed notches 10 in which the spring pressed detents 6 are normally engaged. The construction is such that upon the oscillation of the hand lever 9 the switch bar 7 will be reciprocated and through the interengagement of the detent 6 therewith, the transverse bar 4 will be moved in unison to shift the switch points 3 3. Thus means are provided by of the safety lock,

which the switch may be m n ally op r e 119 under normal conditions in the ordinary manner. It is customary to lock the manual control lever 9 to prevent its operation by unauthorized persons. If the switch has been thus locked in its open position, before it can be closed in advance of an approach ing train, independent of the manual devices, it is necessary that/the detents 6 be disengaged from the switch bar 7 and the.

box 5, the transverse bar 41 and the switch points 3 3 subsequently shifted independent of the swltch bar 7 To accomplish this result there is slidingly mounted in-the hous-' ing or box 5, an operating bar 11. This bar projects intermediate the springpressed detents 6 and is provided with oppositelydisposed cam faces 12 adapted, upon the reciprocation ofthe operating bar, to press the detents 6 outward until they are disengaged from the notches 10 of the switch bar 7.

Garried upon the operating bar 11 within the housing or box 5, 1s a helical spring 13 placed under tens1on by the reciprocatory event that the spring 13 should fail to act there is provided a stud or stop 14.. upon the operating bar 11 so positioned as to engage and shift the housing or box 5 when the bar has been moved a sufficient distance to .disengage the detents 6. The operating bar 11 is connected by a pitman 15 with a train operated arm 16 located at one side of the track. The arm 16 is operated from a distant point by the contacts of the train or car with a trip arm as hereinafter described. The construction as thus far described is quite similar to that shown and described in my prior patents and forms no part of the present invention.

To actuate the operating bar 11 to dis engage the detents 6 and subsequently shift the switch points, there is provided in proximity to the track at a point removed a safe operating distance from the switch, a. trip arm 17. It is to be understood that for convenience of illustration and because of lack of space the trip has been shown in the drawing abnormally close to the switch.

The trip arm 17 is pivotally supported upon a stud 18 projecting through a longitudinal slot 19 in the trip arm. The trip arm 17 is thus capable of a limited reciprocatory movement into and out of operative position independent of its pivotal stud or trunnion 18. Pivotally mounted adjacent to the trip lever 17 is a toggle link 20, the upper extremity of which is engaged with a bracket arm 21 projecting from the side of the trip lever 17. The toggle link 20 is proided with abutting faces 22 which limit the oscillation of the toggle link in either direction. The path of movement of "the toggle link and the trip lever 17 is controlled by a swinging link 23 which is pivoted to one end .of the toggle whichis in turn eon-' nected by the bracket 21with the lever 17.

Connected to the medial oint of the toggle link is a clevis 2 1 to whichis connected operating cable 25. The construction issuch that by pulling upon the operating cable 25 the toggle linkwill be straightened causing the upper extremity thereof to be elevated to the position. shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, carrying with it the trip lever 17 to which it is connected by the bracket arm before mentioned.

hen in its lowermost pos1tion the trip arm 17 'is out of the path of contact device carried by the train or car. When elevated by the action of the toggle link the trip lever 17 is projected into the path of such contact device by which it is subsequently oscillated about the pivotal stud 18. It will be noted by reference to Fig. tthat when the toggle link is in its extended position, thus holding the trip lever 17 in elevated position, the pivotal connection of the toggle link with the bracket arm coincides with the axis of oscillation of the trip lever about its pivotal stud 18. Asthus far described this mechanism is disclosed in prior Patent 991,996. In such prior patent the trip lever 17 is connected directly to the operating arm 16 by a rigid link engaged with the trip lever 17 at a point above its axis of oscillation. As an improvement upon this construction there is provided upon the lower end of the trip lever 17 av pulley head 26 having an eccentric or evolute contour. An operating cable 27 connected with the trip lever 17 passes about the periphery of the eccentric or evolute pulley head 26 and thence about a pulley member .28 rigidly connected with the operating lever 16. The eccentric pulley head 26 upon the trip lever 17 is so shaped that the radius between the axis of oscillation and the operative point of engagement of the cable 27 when the pulley head 26 is in normal position, is comparatively short, thereby affording great leverage to enable the inertia of the switch points 3 3 to be easily overcome. The operative radius of the pulley head 26 gradually increases as the lever is oscillated. Considerable force is necessary to move the switch points from the state of rest. However, the points being once started, the movement becomes more easy as their momentumincreases. The pulley head 26 isso shaped as to take advantage of this fact by starting the switch operating movement slowly but with great force and thereafter increasing the speed of movement by the increased length of the operating radius of the pulley head 26, takingadvantage of the increased momentum of the switch devices. By this construction the initial shock incident to the engagement of the trip lever 17 by the train contact devices is minimized without reducing the ultimate speed of the operation of the parts. As the trip lever 17 is oscillated the rotation of the eccentric or evolute pulley head 26 causes an ever increasing pull upon the cable 27 which passes about the pulley 28 and is engaged therewith. This pull upon the cable 27 causes a corresponding oscillation of the pulley 28 which carries with it the operating arm 16 thereby actuating the operating bar 11 to disengage thespring detents 6 and subsequently shift the switch points 3 3 in the manner before described.

To insure the resetting of the trip lever 17 to operative position each time the manually operated lever is employed to open the switch, there is provided adjacent to the manual lever 9 and arranged. in angular relation therewith, a resetting lever 29 normally overlying the manual lever 9. The re setting lever 29 is provided with a pulley 30 with which is engaged the extremity of the resetting cable 25. This cable 25 passes over the suitable pulleys 31 locatedat convenient points intermediate the resetting lever and clevis 2%. The arrangement of the levers 29 and 9 is such that the resetting lever 29 extends in transverse relation above the op erating lever 9 when the said levers are in their normal position. Before the operating lever 9 may be oscillated to shift the switch points 3 3 the resetting lever 29 must first be oscillated out of the path of the lever 9 so that lever 9 can be moved to operative position. to cause the detent 6 to engage in the notches 10 and thereby interlock the switch with the manually operated devices whereby the switch may be opened. This oscillation of the resetting lever 29 out of the path of the lever 9 causes the pulley head 30 to eXert a pulling action upon the resetting cable 25 which action through the clevis 24 causes the toggle link to be straightened thereby elevating the trip lever 17 into operative position. Thus the manually operated devices cannot be employed to open the switch until the train operated devices have been first reset thus affording protection against the careless or ignorant operator.

The switch points 3 3, being shifted under the influence of a rapidly moving car or train, will strike the main rails in their operated position with considerable force. The impact of the movable points upon the rails may be sufiicient to cause the points to rebound if means were not provided to check such retrograde movement. To insure such points against rebound there is provided at one side of the track a suitable frame 32 in which is mounted a reciprocatory bar 33 connected at one end to a bell crank o l; The opposite arm of the bell,

out of registry with the hook arm 36. As

the operating bar 11 is reciprocated under the influence of the train operated devices, the hook arm 36 moves longitudinally in a direction at right angles to the bar 33, until the shoulder of the hook arm is extended beyond the plane of the stop plate 37. This movement of the hook arm occurs in the initial operation of the devices and during the time that the cam faces 12 are operating to disengage the spring detents 6 to release the switch points 3 3 and the spring 13 is being compressed. Upon the subsequent movement of the switch points 3 3 under the influence of the spring 13, the reciprocatory bar 33 is actuated by the oscillation of the bell crank 3e'l to move the locking plate 37 in a direction at right angles to the hook arm 36 until such stop plate 37 is projected into the path of the shoulder or hook arm 36, as shown in Fig. 6. The stop plate 37 will thus limit the return movement of the hook arm 36 and thereby lock the switch points 3 3 against rebound. Before the switch points can be reversed, the stop plate 37 will be disengaged from the hook arm 36. To effect this disengagement there is provided upon the frame 32 a pivoted detent 38 to be manually oscillated and thereby elevate the reciprocatory bar 33 to lift the stop plate 37 out of engagement with the shoulder of the hook arm 36. This detent 38 will hold the bar 33 in its elevated position while the switch points are being returned by means of the manually operated lever 9. However upon the initial move ment of the bar-33 into operative position, the detent 38 by which the bar has been propped in its elevated position, will swing down permitting the bar 33 to drop to permit the operative engagement of the stop plate 37 with the hook arm 36. The depression of the detent 38 may be insured by providing a shoulder 39 in the bar 33 to engage the detent at the initial reciprocatory movement of the bar when the switch is moved toward closed position. As before stated, the trip lever 17 is actuated by contact devices carried upon the car or train.

Lee.

In the event that it is desired that the car or train shall enter the open switch or siding, means must be provided to render the contact devices inoperative.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a simple form'of device in which are employed reciprocatory bolts or contact arms 10 carried upon the frame of the engine or the car projecting in opposite directions therefrom to engage the contact levers located on either side of the track. These contact bolts or arms 40 are operated in unison by means of a reciprocatory piston a l mounted in a cylinder 42. The contact bolts or armslO are connected with the stem of the piston 41 by links 43. The piston i1 is actuated by a fluid pressure from the main reservoir 1% of the air brake system. Intermediate the reservoir 44 and the cylinder 42 is a three way valve 45 having at one side an outlet or vent 4:6 to the atmosphere and at its opposite side a connection with a whistle 4-7. The arrangement of this valve is such that upon opening'the valve to admit air from the reservoir to the cylinder to withdraw the contact bolts or arms 40 when entering the siding, a limited amount of air will be allowed to escape through the whistle 4L7 to sound an alarm so long as the bolts of contact arms are in inoperative position. Likewise upon a reversal of the valve i5 to shut off the supply of air and to open the cylinder to the atmosphere, the whistle Q? will continue to sound its alarm until the air has been entirely eX- hausted from the cylinder 43 and the contact bolts or arms to have been returnedto their operative positions. Thus the whistle 47 will sound its alarm continuously throughout the period or interval of time that the contact devices are retracted.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described, possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which obviously is susceptible of modifications in its form, proportion, detail construction or arrangement of its parts, without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to certain structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific details, but that the means and construction herein described comprise but one mode of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed broadly in any of its possible forms or modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In a railway switch, the movable rail or rails thereof, hand-operated devices normally connected to said rail or rails, trainoperated devices for disconnecting the rail or rails from the hand operated devices and operatingjsaid rail or rails under certain conditions independently of said hand-operated devices, and setting means for'the train operated devices operated independently of the said hand operated devices for placing the train operated devices in opera tive condition.

devices necessarily operated prior to the 1 opening of the switch, substantially as specified. I

3. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing the movable rails of said switch, train operated devices to operate the movable rail or rails of said switch under certain conditions, said train operated devices comprising a pivoted trip lever normally lying in inoperative position, and a manually operated setting lever normally extending into the path of said hand operated device for throwing said trip lever to operative position when said pivoted trip lever is operated, substantially as specified.

4;. In a railway switch, hand operated devices normally connected to the movable rail or rails thereof for opening and closing the same, a train operated pivoted lever normally lying in inoperative position, means for throwing said lever to operative position upon the opening of the switch and means for disconnecting said rail or rails from said hand operated devices and closing the switch by the operation of said train operated lever, and means for automatically locking the movable rail or rails in operated position.

5. In a railway switch, the movable rail or rails, a hand lever detachably connected to said rails, devices operated by a moving car or train and normally disconnected from said rails, for disconnecting said hand lever and operating said rails, and two interengaging locking members both actuated in and actuated by the movement thereof for automatically locking said rails in operated condition, substantially as specified.

7. In a railway switch, the movable rail or rails thereof, a hand operated device for throwing said rails either to an open or closed position, said hand operated devices being detachably connected to said rails, devices, normally disengaged from said rails, adapted to be operated by a moving car or train when said rails are in open position.

to disconnect said hand operated devices and move said rails to a closed position, and means for preventing the rebound of the rails from closed position when moved thereto by the train operated devices,

8. In a railway switch, the movable rail or rails, a hand switch bar having a connection to said rails, a train operated bar independent of, but adapted to release said hand bar from said connection and move said connection to throw said rail or rails, and means for placing said train operated bar in operative condition operatable in advance of the operation of the hand operated bar, substantially as specified.

9. In a railwayswitch, the movable rail or rails thereof, a hand operated bar for said switch, and devices for connecting said bar to said rails, a train operated bar extending in proximity to said connecting devices and adapted when operated to release said hand operated bar from said rails and move said rails to a different position, and a reciprocatory locking member arranged in substantially parallel relation with the rail or rails and actuated in unison with the movement thereof and a detent engaged by said locking member for automatically locking the rails against rebound.

10. In a railway switch, the movable rails thereof, the frame or casing located between said rails and connected rigidly thereto, a hand switch bar detachably connected to said frame or casing, and a train operated bar adapted, when operated, to disconnect said hand switch bar from said frame or casing, and operate said frame or casing to move said movable rails to a different position, and means for placing said train operated bar in operative position in advance of the operation of the hand switch bar, substantially as specified.

11. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices for operating said switch under certain conditions, said train operated devices comprising a pivoted dif ferential lever normally lying in inoperative position and a toggle joint pivotally connected thereto, and means operated by hand for operating said toggle joint for throwing said lever to operative position, said lever being so constructed and, arranged that its leverage will increase in unison with its degree of oscillation, substantially as specified.

1 2. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices for closing said switch when open, said train operated devices comprising a differential lever, said lever being so constructed and arranged that its leverage will increase in unison with its degree of oscillation, a toggle joint pivotally connected to said lever, and means for operating said toggle joint to throw said leve to operative position upon the opening of the switch, substantially as specified.

13. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices for operating said switch under certain conditions, said train operated devices comprising a pivoted lever having an eccentric head, a toggle joint and a link pivotally connecting said lever and toggle joint, and hand operated devices for throwing said lever to operative position, substantially as specified.

14. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices for disconnecting said hand operated devices from and operating said switch under certain conditions independently of said hand operated devices, means on a moving vehicle normally in operative position to operate said train op-. erated devices, means independent of but eX- tending into the path of said hand operated devices for placing said train operated de vices in operative position, substantially as specified.

15. In a railway switch, hand operated clevices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices for disconnecting said hand operated devices from and closing said switch when opened, means on a moving vehicle normally in operative position to contact said train operated devices, and locking means operated by the movement of the switch for automatically locking the switch in position to which it has been operated by the train operated devices, substantially as specified.

16. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch train operated devices to disconnect said hand operated devices from and operate said switch under certain conditions, said train operated devices comprising a pivoted lever normally lying in inoperative position, means insuring the movement of said lever to operative position in advance of the operation of said hand operated devices, and devices located on a moving vehicle normally lying in position to contact said lever when in its operative position, substantially as specified.

17. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch,

train operated devices for disconnecting said hand operated devices from and closing said switch when opened, said train operated devices comprising a pivoted lever having an eccentric pulley head, a flexible connection between the pulley head and switch and means for throwing said lever to operative position upon the opening of the switch,

and devices located upon a moving vehicle normally lying in a position to contact said pivoted lever when in its operative position,

substantially as specified.

18. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices to disconnect said hand operated devices from and operate said switch under certain conditions, said train operated devices comprising, a pivoted lever having an eccentric pulley head, a

switch operating cable passing over the eccentric head, and hand operated devices for raising said lever to operative position upon the opening of the switch, substantially as specified.

19. In a railway switch, hand operated devices for opening and closing said switch, train operated devices having an operative connection to said switch so as to close said switch when operated, and separate devices to place said train operated devices in operative position prior to the opening of the switch, substantially as specified.

20. In a railway switch, the movable rail or rails thereof, hand operated devices normally connected to said rail or rails, train operated devices for operating said rail or rails under certain conditions, means for placing said train operated devices in operative position upon the opening of the switch, and a movable detent actuated in unison with the movement of the rail or rails and a locking element engaged thereby for locking said rail or rails in operated condition, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of May A. D. 1914.

FRANK BAYLESS.

Witnesses: I GEO. A. MELVIN, HARRY F. ESTILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

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