US338823A - Peters - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) T 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. P. BROWN 81; F. E. STRATTON. AUTOMATIC CABLE ROAD SWITCH. No. 338,823. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

(Nb Model.) 2 She et s-Sheet 2.

A. F. BROWN & F. EJSTRATTON AUTOMATIG GABLE ROAD SWITGH. No. 338,823. Patented Mar. 30,1886.

EJNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ ARTHUR F. BROWN AND FRANCIS E. STRATTON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

AUTOMATIC CABLE-ROAD SWITCH,

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,823, dated March 30, 1886.

Application filed October 15, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR F. BROWN and FRANCIS E. STRATTON, both of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Cable-Road Switches 5 and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to a new and useful automatic switch for cable railways.

It consists of a throw or switch rail for the main and branch tracks,a movable throw-plate for the slots of said tracks, and mechanism operated by the approaching grip-car for operating the throw-rail and slot-plates, all of which we shall hereinafter fully describe.

The object of our invention is to provide a means for switching a car automatically, thereby dispensing with the services of a man at the switch-point.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of ourinvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing our switch. Fig. 2 is a view of the grip, showing the lug T, which operates the switch. Fig. 3 is a plan showing the plate F F.

A represents the various underground framework of a cable-road bed, said frame being of any suitable construction and adapted to receive a proper traveling cable, which is unnecessary herein to show.

Bis the main or straight track, and Cis the branch or divergent track.

D is the usual grip-slot of the main track, and D that of the branch track.

E is the throw or switch rail, which by its movement determines the direction of the car.

F are two plates, which are alternately adapted to form one wall or side of the gripslots. One of these plates (here shown as the right-hand one) is adapted when moved into position to continue the line of the main slot. The other is adapted to shut off the line of the main slot and open that of the branch slot. These plates are seated on bed-pieces f, and are guided in their movements by means of studs f, which fit through curved or eccentric slots f in the plates. These slots are so curved as to enable the plates to move with accuracy to and from their position, and the ends of the slots are bent, so that when the Serial No. 180,018. (No model.)

plates are in position a lateral pressure-such as would be exertedupon their edges by passing grips-will not move them from their places.

Pivoted or journaled in the underground frame of the road-bed are horizontal rockshafts G, the inner ends of which are provided with upwardly-extending arms 9. Their outer ends have cranks g, from which connecting-rods H extend to the ends of a centrallypivoted transverse lever, I. To this lever,at its center, is rigidly secured a crank-arm, i, to the forward end of which is pivoted a link, J, the other end of which is pivoted to the lower end of a lever, K, which is centrally pivoted at k in a vertical frame or standard, It. The upper end of the lever K has pivoted to it a link, L, the other end of which is pivoted to the throw or switch rail E by means of a small pin, 1. By this mechanism the movement of the arms 9 of the rock-shaftsGcauses, through the several levers and connecting devices described, the movement of the throw or switch rail to open or close the main track or the divergent or switch track. The amount or degree of the movement of this switch-rail may be regulated by attaching the link J in any of a series of holes, 1', in the crank-arm i of the lever I.

Pivoted to the lever I on each side of its fulcrum-point are connecting-rods M, the other ends of which are attachedto crank-arms a on the vertical shafts N, pivoted in the frame of the road-bed. The upper ends of these shafts are provided with cranks a, from which extend connecting-rods O, the forward ends of which are pivoted to the rear ends of the slotplates F, heretofore described. Now the movement of the arms g of the rock-shafts G effects, through the levers and connecting devices described, the movement of the slotplates to open and close the main slot or the branch slot. The perfect continuation of these slots is effected by means of a small shoulder or rabbet, Q, on the forward ends of the movable slot-plates, which abuts against the end of the plate q,intervening between the two slots."

S is the grip-car, provided with a grip, s, of any suitable construction.

In the rear of the grip-frame we provide a lug, T, which is pivoted in a slot, t, in the 5 In order to properly hold and guide the swinging lug T, we have a bearing, U, seated in guides a in the grip-frame and adapted to travel back and forth therein. To the forward end of this bearingis pivoted a link, V,which extends into a slot in the rear-of the lug, and is pivoted therein at o. The bearing Uslides back and forth in its guides in a straightline as thelug is turned from side to side, and when back against its seat provides resistance for the lug and holds it steady.

The operation of our device is as follows: Suppose the car is a main-line car. As itapproaches the switchingpoint the gripman turns the lug T in the grip-frame, say, to the right. The lug will therefore come in contact with the arm 9 on the right and force said arm forward, which movement causes the throwrail E to move to the right, opening the main track, and also causes the right-hand slotplate, F, to move over to its position, and the left-hand slot-plate to recede therefrom,whereby the main slot is opened and the side or branch slot is closed. The next car being for the branch line, the gripman moves the-lug T with theleft-hand arm 9, and the reverse of the operation previously described takes place.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-switch, the mechanism by which the throw-rail is operated, comprising the rock-shafts G, having arms 9 and cranks g, the pivoted lever I, and connecting-rods H, the crank i of said lever, the pivoted verticallever K, and the links J L, and a lug on the traveling car, adapted to come in contact with an arm of the rock-shafts, substantially as herein described.

2. In a cable railway switch, the throwrail E, the rock-shafts G in the underground frame-work of the road bed, having arms 9 and cranks g, and suitable levers and connecting-rods between'said cranks and the throwrail, in combination with a swinging lug on the grip-frame of the grip-car, adapted to come in contact with the arms of the rockshafts, substantially as herein described.

3. In a cable railway switch, the throwrailE andthe mechanism in the underground frame-work of the road-bed, comprising the rock-shafts G, having arms 9 and cranks g, the connecting rods H, the lever I, having crank-arm z, the link J, the lever K,and the link L, in combination with the grip ofthe grip-car, having a lug, T, in its frame, adapted-to. be moved at right angles with said frame on one side or the other, whereby it comes in contact with one or the other of the arms 9 of the rockshafts, substantially as herein described.

4. In a cable-railway switch, the oppositelylocated plates F, adapted to move longitudiover to the left, whereby it comes in contact,

nally and laterally to open and closethe main and, branch grip-slots. of the road-bed alternately, substantially as herein described.

alternately, and a mechanismconnected with said plates and operated by the approachlng grip-car for operating theplates, substantially as herein described. 7

6. In a cable railway switch, the movable plates F, having the curved or eccentric slots f 2 in them, and the fixed studs f, passing into said slots, by which the plates are properly guided and adapted to open or close the main and branch grip-slots of the road-bed alternately, in combination with mechanism connected with said plates and operated; by the approaching grip-car for moving the plates, substantially as herein described. 7

7. In a cablerailway switch, the movable. plates F, adapted to open or close the main and branch grip-slots alternately, incombination with the mechanism by which said plates are operated, consisting of the rock-shafts G in the underground frame-work of the road-- bed, said shafts having arms g and cranksg, and connecting mechanism between said cranks and the plates, and a lug on the gripof the grip-car, adapted to come in contact with the arms 9 of. the rock-shafts, substantially as herein described.

8. In a cable-railway switch, the oppositelymoving plates F on each side of the maingripslot at its junction with the branch griprslot, tid plates having shoulders Q, in combination with the plate g at the junction of thevslots, against the end of which the shoulders of plates F abut when moved as described, substantially as herein described.

'9. In a cable-railway switch, the platesF, resting on bed-pieces on. each side of the gripslot, and having the eccentricslotsf, guided on fixed pins, and shoulders Q on the forwardends, and a means for moving said plates, as

.7 5. In a cable-railway switch, the oppositelylocated plates F, adapted to have a longitudinal and lateral movement to open or,close the main and branch grip-slots of the road-bed described, in combination with the plate-q at the junction of the main and branch grip-slots, against the end of which the shoulders of plates F are moved to openand close the slots,

substantially as herein, described.

10. In a cable-railway switch,the oppositelymoving plates F, adapted to open and close the main and branch grip-slots-of the roadr'bed alternately, in combination with the rockshafts G, having arms g and; cranks gt, the

connecting-rods H, the lever I, the connect-- ing-rods M, the vertical shafts,- N, having crank-arms n n, and the connecting-rods 0, and a lug, T, on the grip canadapted to come in contact with the arms g of the rock-shafts,

substantiallyas herein described.

11. In a cable railway switch, the main track, the branch track, and the -throw-rai-l, the main slot, the branch slot, and the oppositelymoving plates F of the slots, as de-v scribed, in combination with the mechanism its by which the throw-rail is operated, and by which the plates are moved to open and close the slots alternately, consisting of the rocklug T in the grip-frame, and the spindle t, by which it is operated, in combination with the 15 sliding bearing U and the pivoted link V, connecting said bearing with the lug, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ARTHUR F. BROWN. FRANCIS E. STRATTON.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. Noonsn, H. G. LEE.

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