US809719A - Railway-switch stand. - Google Patents

Description

No. 809,719. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906; E. L. MORGAN.

RAILWAY SWITCH STAND. APPLICATION FILED 11.12.1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE;

RAILWAY-SWITCH STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed April 12, 1905. Serial No. 255,109.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD LAWRENCE MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented a Railway-Switch Stand, of which the following is a full and exact specification.

The primary objects of this invention are to provide a switch-stand with a safety attachment by means of which a danger-signal will be displayed in the event the switch is only partially thrown, termed a cooked or split switch, thus warning the engineer of an approaching train of the condition of the switch in ample time to prevent accident, and to provide that said danger-signal be automatically operated or thrown to position before the switch can be moved from one position to another and remain until the switch is fully thrown and locked.

In an ordinary switch-stand provided with the usual target-wings and lamp and when the switch is cocked the target-wings and lamp are turned to such a small extent that the engineer of an approaching engine is unable to distinguish the exact condition until he is so close upon the switch that it is almost impossible to prevent an accident. The employment of my improvedswitch-stand, as will hereinafter appear, makes it impossible for the operator or switch-tender to leave a cooked switch without the fact being clearly shown by the display of the danger-signal. Furthermore, accidents often occur from the imperfect condition of the target-wings and lampthat is, in the case of the former the wings may become so dirty as to cause the engineer to confuse the targets, and in the case of the lamp the same may be so dirty or burning so low as not to be discernible.

A further object of my invention, therefore, is to entirely obviate these conditions by the employment of a semaphore for day-signaling, the position of the arm indicating the condition of the switch, while for night-signaling a reflecting medium is used in connection with the semaphore, as hereinafter explained.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings and fully described in the following specification, and what I claim as novel and desire to protect by patent is set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch-stand constructed in accordance with my invention, the full lines indicating the position of the parts when the switch is properly thrown with the main track open, while the dotted lines show the position of the switch-lever and signals when the switch is only partially thrown. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the turn-table and platform upon which it is mounted. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2., Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the turn-table or disk. Fig. 5 is adetail sectional view of the upper end of the signaling device.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The supporting -frame of my improved switch-stand comprises in the present in stance a standard A, a circular platform A at the upper end thereof, and a hollow post A which rises from the rear part of the platform and is designed to carry the attachments, hereinafter described.

B designates a turn-table or disk which is rotatably mounted on the upper side of the platform A, being pivotally connected thereto by a shaft C, to which latter it is fixed so that the operation of the turn-table or disk will also operate said shaft to shift the switch-points. The shaft C extends above and below the turn -table, passing down loosely through the platform and through a guide-bracket a on the standard A, and at its lower end is cranked, as at c, as is usual, for the connection and operation of the rod 0, which extends to the switch-points. Upward movement of this shaft C is prevented by a fixed collar 0 thereon bearing against the under side of a boss a, formed on the platform. The upper part of the shaft above the platform carries the usual target-wings and c and terminates in a squared end 0", to which the ordinary lamp-bracket is attached.

The turn-table or disk B is provided with an extension I), turned upward at its outer end, as at b and said extension is provided witha slot k in which is pivoted, as at d, a lever D, by which lever the turn-table or disk is operated. The slot 6 extends rearward in the turn-table or disk a sufficient distance to receive the short end of the lever D when the latter is disposed horizontally, and when said lever is in this position the under surface thereof is either flush with or above the lower surface of the turn-table or disk, so that the latter may be turned. For the purpose of locking the operating-lever D when the device is properly set to open either the main track or siding the platform A is provided with slots a and a in its periphery corresponding in size with a cross-section of that part of the lever which is adapted to enter said slots when the said lever is swung downward in a substantially vertical position, and to more securely lock the lever in this latter position it is provided with a loop cl, which extends through a slot 1) in the upturned portion of the extension I) and receives an ordinary padlock.

In the operation of so much of the device as described it is necessary to first raise the lever to a horizontal position, so that it will clear the platform and permit the turn-table or disk to be turned, and after throwing the switch it is locked by first engaging the lever in the slot below in the platform and then securing the same by the padlock. In this operation the target-wings and lamp are turned, as usual, to indicate the position of the switch. It is obvious, therefore, that the lever cannot be thrown to a vertical position to lock the switch-stand until the same has arrived at one of the slots in the platform, and it is the purpose of my invention to provide certain safety devices which are operated automatically by the operation of the lever'and turn-table or disk, which devices I shall now proceed to describe. Pivoted in brackets a on the under side of the platform A is a rocking device, in the present instance a yoke E, the rear end of which is disposed beneath the hollow post A while the front end carries a block 2, which passes upward through an extension of the slot a in the platform and is adapted-to also pass into the slot biin the turn-table or disk B, and when ro- """]-ecting into this latter slot the rear end 0 the yoke 1s in its lowermost position. To the rear end of this yoke is connected a rod f, which extends upward through the hollow post A and is attached at its upper end to a semaphore-blade G, the latter being pivoted near its rear end, as at g, in the head of the 0st A The rear end of the semaphorelade G is disk-shaped, and said blade is provided with a depending portion or shutter g, adapted to screen a reflector, hereinafter described. The semaphore-blade is thrown to its extreme positions, as shown in full and dotted lines, Fig. 1, by the operation of the yoke, the lowermost position indicating that the main line is open with a clear road ahead and the uppermost position indicating that there is danger and that therefore the train must stop. The forward end of the yoke is permitted a complete upward movement only when the turn-table or disk is arranged with the slot disposed immediately above the block e, so that the latter can enter said slot, and when the parts are in this position the condition of the switch is such that the main line is open. Now upon bringing the lever to a horizontal position the short end thereof contacts with the block of the yoke and the latter is rocked, throwing the blade to its uppermost position indicating danger, and when the turn-table or disk is turned to any extent the forward end of the yoke will be held depressed by reason of the block thereon engaging the under side of said turntable or disk, thus keeping the semaphoreblade in the danger? position until the switch is again thrown to open the main line. In order to indicate that the switch is thrown to open the side track, the under side of the turn-table or'disk is provided with a recess 6, disposed with relation to the movement of the turn table or disk so that when the switch is properly thrown to open the side track said recess will be above the block 6 of the yoke E and permit a limited movement of the same or to such an extent that the semaphore-blade will be disposed horizontally. In this latter position of the turn-table the lever may be locked by engaging the notch a in the platform. It will be understood, of course, that the recess 1), as in the case of the slot N, is of such size with respect to the block 6 that the latter will not enter the same until the switch is thrown to the extent to properly shift the switch-points and that therefore in the event of a cocked switch the semaphore-blade would indicate the fact. Near the upper end of the post A is a reflecting medium,'comprising a tube I, having a reflector i in the rear end thereof, with the front end open' to the rays of light from the headlight of' an approaching engine. This reflecting medium is so disposed with relation to the shutter g on the semaphore-blade that when the latter is in its lowermost positionthat is, to indicate an open main track or clear roadsaid reflecting medium will be exposed and serve as a night-signal. On the other hand, when the blade G is thrown to either of-its other positions the shutter will screen the reflecting medium, and the absence of the reflected light will be taken to mean that there is danger ahead and the engineer must stop.

I lay no specific claim herein to the reflecting medium described, inasmuch as the same forms the subject-matter of a prior application filed July 15, 1904, Serial No. 216,718.

The ordinary target-wings herein shown at the upper end of the shaft 0 may be omitted,

normally depressed by the weight of the rod f and the pivoted blade G, so that said yoke will operate automatically to throw the blade to its horizontal and lowermost positions when the switch is properly thrown, or, in other words, when the slot b and the recess b are disposed to permit the forward end of said yoke to enter the same, also that the yoke is automatically operated by the lever D and engagement with the under side of the disk or member B when the switch is thrown from one position to the other, whereby to throw the blade G to the danger position. The operation of the signaling device is therefore entirely automatic.

In order to provide for more positively operating the pivoted yoke E when the switch is thrown to open the main line, the lever D is provided with a lugd which is adapted to engage with and lift the forward end of the yoke when the lever is swung down.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein shown and described, for it is obvious that the parts may be altered or changed without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, all within the spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting-frame, of a member for operating the switch-points, an operating-lever for said member, means for locking the lever in the positions to which the switch may be thrown, a signaling device, and means for operating the latter automatically and independently of the operating-lever when the switch is fully thrown.

2. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting-frame, of a member for operating the switchpoints, a pivoted operatinglever for said member, means for locking said pivoted lever in the positions to which the switch may be thrown, a signaling device, and means for operatin the latter automatically when the pivoted lever is in position to be locked and to hold the signaling device in an operative position durin the movement of the switch-operating member from one position to another.

3. In a switch-stand, the combination with a supporting-frame and signaling device, of a movable member for operating the switchpoints and provided with recesses in the under side thereof, and a pivoted member counterbalanced so as to operate the signaling device and so that one end thereof will engage the under side of the aforesaid member and enter the recesses therein.

4. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting-frame having notches therein, a disk for operating the switch-points rotatable on said frame and provided with a slot, a lever pivoted in said slot and adapted to engage the notches in the supportingframe, a pivoted member one end of which is adapted to engage the disk and enter the slot therein, and a signaling device connected to said pivoted member.

5. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting-frame having notches therein, a disk for operating the switch-points rotatable on said frame and provided with a slot, a lever pivoted in said slot and adapted to engage the notches in the supportingframe, a member pivoted beneath the rotatable disk with one end engaging the under side thereof and having a portion adapted to enter the slot therein, and a signaling device connected to the pivoted member.

6. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting-frame having notches therein, a disk for operating the switch-points rotatable on said frame and provided with a slot and a recess at different points, a lever pivoted in the slot, a member pivoted beneath the disk so that one end of the former will engage the under side of the latter and enter the slot and recess therein, and a signaling device connected to the pivoted member.

7. In a switch-stand, the combination with the supporting frame having notches therein, a disk rotatably mounted on the frame and adapted to operate the switch-points, said disk having a slot and a recess at different points, a lever pivoted in the slot and adapted to engage the notches in the supporting-frame, a yoke pivoted under the disk so that one end thereof will engage the under side of the disk and enter the slot and notch therein, said end of the yoke beingadapted to be engaged by the lever when the latter is swung upon its pivot, and a signaling device connected to the yoke.

8. In a switch-stand, the combination with the platform having notches therein, a disk rotatable on the platform and adapted to operate the switch-points, said disk having a slot therein, a lever pivoted in the slot and adapted to engage the notches in the platform, a yoke pivoted under the disk and having a portion adapted to enter the slot in the disk in the path of the movement of the pivoted lever, a lug on said lever adapted to engage the yoke, and a pivoted signal-blade or semaphore connected to the yoke and oper ated thereby.

9. In a s\vitcl1stand, the combination with the supporting-frame comprising a platform and an upright or post, said platform having notches therein, a disk rotatably mounted on the platform for operating the switch-points and having a slot therein, a lever pivoted in said slot and adapted ,to engage the notches in the platform, a yoke pivoted under the In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 10 two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD LAWRENCE MORGAN.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. E. TAYLOR, GERARD BRAEOKEL.

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