US20675A - Machine eor replacing railroad-cars on the track - Google Patents

Description

j. WHITE Car Replacer.

Patented June 22, 1858.

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WHITE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR REPLACING RAILROAD-CARS ON THE TItACK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,675, dated June 22, 1858-.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOI-1N IVHITE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Replacing Cars on Railroad-Tracks or Removing Them Therefrom, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on the line m-m of Fig. 3.

IVhen by any accident a rail road car has been thrown from the track, it has been found to be a great desideratum to have a convenient and portable apparatus, by means of which the few men who usually accompany a train as brakemen, &c., may be able to replace the car without much delay; or if it is broken to remove it entirely from the track, that the rest of the train may proceed. I am aware that several attempts have been made to supply rail road companies with such an apparatus, but the articles heretofore constructed have been too cumbersome to be conveniently carried on the train, or else from their arrangement of parts, not easily applicable to the purpose for which they were designed.

The object of my present invention is to supply this deficiency and to construct an apparatus, which shall not ben cumbersome and occupy much space in transporting it and yet shall have sufiicient strength and power to enable a few men to remove or replace the heaviest cars; at the same time that its parts are so arranged that when it is applied to cars as now ordinarily constructed, it may not interfere with or derange the brake levers, rods or other parts, but lift the truck up fair and square, and move it along laterally as required.

Thatothers skilled in the art may understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the same.

In the drawings A, is a stout stick or beam of timber of suiiicient rigidity to support the weight to be put upon it, and of a length somewhat greater than the width of the truck -of a car, under which it is to be placed. Its form is shown in section Fig. 4. It has a groove a, cut in its upper side through the middle of its length, and also a groove, c, on

each side. A flat strip of metal is secured to the top face of the stick on each side of the groove, a., by means of the screws, 0l, (Fig. l) and extends over on the outer edge part way over the groove, c, (as shown in Fig. a). Two carriages, B traversefreely on the stick A, back and forth longitudinally; as they are similar, I will describe but one of them. It is made of cast iron or other suitable material, -of a width equal to that of the stick A, its form is that of a square, shallow box, the sides, f, are perforated to receive the journals of two rolls, g, on which the carriage runs, and which revolve in contact with the plates, b, the sides f, extend down below the plates, Z), and are bent round at right angles under the outer edge of each plate at z', (as seen in Fig. t). The carriage is slipped on from one end of the stick A, and a cap, c, is screwed on at each end of the stick, this prevents the carriages from being lost off or misplaced, and protects the end of the stick from being battered up or split. A ratchet- O, having suitable notches as at, h, is secured in the bottom of the groove, a. These notches are for the convenience of applying a crow-bar or other lever to force the carriages, B, along on the stick A, when the car has been raised from the ground.

Two screw jacks D, of the ordinary construction are placed beneath the timber A, one near each end of it; the head, 7c, of the jack turns in a collar, Z, attached to the underside of the timber, or if preferred the jacks may be disconnected from the timber A, for the convenience of transportation, and be applied when the apparatus is to be put in use.

The following is the manner in which I apply this apparatus in replacing on the track an eight wheel car of the ordinary construction :-The timber A, is passed between the two pairs of wheels of the truck. The carriages B, are adjusted with one of them under each side of the frame of the truck, (their being separate and independent allows them to be adjusted to any width of truck). A block of wood or other suitable support is placed beneath the foot of each jack D, to prevent its pressing into the ground; `the jack is then turned up as usual by means of a stout bar of iron, inserted in the holes, m, in the head of the ack. When the truck has been raised suiiiciently high to allow the wheels to clear the rail it is moved along lengthwise of the timber A, by means of a crow-bar or other suitable lever, the end of which is placed in one of the notches in the ratchet bar C, as a fulcrum from which to pry the truck along. 'I his will not be a difficult operation as the rolls of the carriages B, run on the metal strips, b, on the top of the timber. The truck is thus moved along until the wheels are over the rails when the jacks are turned in the opposite direction and the truck is lowered into its proper position on the track; when if necessary the same may be done with the other truck of the car. In the same way a broken car may be removed from the track, in an easy and expeditious manner.

I have spoken of my replacer as applied to the trucks of cars, but it is evident that it also may be used for replacing or removing locomotives or cars which are not furnished with trucks, as the required blocking may be used.

I may here mention some of the advantages which I consider my car replacer as possessing over any other apparatus constructed for this purpose with which I am acquainted. It is cheaper, more simple, and less liable to the wear and derangement of its parts. It occupies less space for transportation and is more easily applied. By it the truck may be lifted by bringing the bearings beneath the frame of the truck, and without bending or deranging the brake rods which may lie between the sides of the frame and without being obliged, as would be the case with a larger apparatus, to lift from the platform or body of the car, the truck swinging below by the chains or other attachments. From its portability the hands who accompany the train will be induced to carry it with them, and thus have it ready for an emergency, whereas a more cumbersome contrivance would be discarded,

or generally left at home in the work shop.

I am aware that the mechanical devices which I employ have all been previously used for raising or for moving heavy bodies, and also that for the purposes to which my apparatus is applicable, machines have been constructed in which some of the features of mine have been used but without producing a similar apparatus. I therefore do not claim any of the constituent parts of this machine individually or collectively except when arranged as I have described, butl/Vhat I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent as a new article of manufacture is- The above described car replacer consisting essentially of the beam A, with its two separate and independent carriages B, running on rolls g, with the screw-jacks D, for raising the beam, the whole constructed and operating in the manner substantially as herein set forth for the purpose specified.

JOHN WHITE.

IVitnesses:

Trios. B. BoAoH, Trios. L. GLOVER.

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