US1424656A - Switch-heater cover - Google Patents

Description

w. T.-LAWLOR.I

SWITCH HEATER COVER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-21, @922.

'L' 65. Patented Aug. 1, 1922 WITNESSES l/VI/ENTOR 12 fi z'llaiw/ Z Lawoi BY 5 im/Mrs SWITCH-HEATER COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

Application filed J'anuaryZl, 1922. Serial No. 530,927.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVILLIAM T. LAwLoR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Heater Cpver, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switch heaters of the class set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,401,798, issued to me on December 27th, 1921. This patent discloses a device in which a plurality of oil pans are located between the ties of a railroad under the rails of a switch mechanism, and in which oil was burned in the pans to keep the switches open and in working order during heavy snowstorms. This patent also disclosed a plurality of simultaneously operable covers associated with the pans.

The present application relates more specifically to the pan covers, an object of the invention being to provide a cover which will effectively prevent snow or rain from falling into the pan, and at the same time will permit a burning of oil therein.

A further object is to provide a pan cover of this character, which will be simple and practical in construction, durable and efficient in use, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will not interfere in any manner with the burning of fuel in the pans.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a railway switch showing a portion of my heating apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in rear elevation of one of the pans having my improved cover thereon; and

Figure 4 is a view in section on the line fl of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I have 7 used the reference numerals 1, 1 to represent a pair of cross ties, on which a stock rail 2 and movable switch point 3 are supported in any well known manner. A fuel supply pipe 4 conveys fuel to a plurality of branch pipes 5 each leading to an oil pan 6, one of these pans being located between each pair of ties at each side of the switch mechanism, more fully described in my previous patent. The pans comprise troughlike body portions into which the oil is delivered from the feed pipe, said feed pipes preferably screwing in a threaded socket 7 provided in an extension at the rear of the pan.

The invention in this case resides particularly in the novel form of the pan cover 8 which is utilized. It will be seen that this cover includes defining depending flanges 9 fitting over and embracing the pans 6. The body of the cover is bowed or of general convex shape, as seen most clearly in Figures 2 and 3, so that water will drain off of the cover. An extension 10 of the cover fits over the extended portion of the pan wherein the socket 7 is formed. A plurality of longitudinally extending elongated slots 11 are provided in the cover, these slots being so arranged that the upper edges of the same overhang the lower edges thereof, effectively forming a water shed. It will also be noted in Figure 3 that the cover slopes gradually downward from the bottom of one slot to the bottom of the next insuring the rapid drainage of water.

Transverse slots 12 formed in the ends of the cover in a similar manner to the slots 11 cooperate with the slots 11 in providing a free circulation of air through the pan so that oil may be burned in the pan while the cover is in place.

These pans are designed for use in keeping the switches open during heavy snowstorms. With my improved cover ample circulation of air is provided for burning the fuel. At the same time, the snow which may fall upon the hot top of the pan will be immediately melted and drained off due to the convex shape of the cover and the peculiar arrangement of the slots hereinbefore noted.

Although I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

feeding fuel into the pan, a removable cover on the pan having slots therein, permitting the combustion of fuel in the pan, said cover being of general convex shape, and the upper edges of said slots overhanging the lower edges thereof.

At. In a sWi feeding fuel into the pan, a removable cover on the pan having slots therein, permitting the combustion of fuel in the pan, said cover being of general convex shape, the upper edges of said slots overhanging the lower edges thereof, and said cover including a depending defining flan e.

WILLIATM r. LAWLOR.

tch heater, a pan, means for

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