US2473661A - Of model railroad switches - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1949. PEABODY 2,473,661

DOUBLE-ACTING SOLENOID FOR CONTROL OF MODEL RAILROAD SWITCHES Filed March 23, 1948 .gig 2 9 i 27 2ei9 Patented June 21, 1949 SI PATENT OFFICE].

2,473,661" naneiineAemlNdsoLENomFomeoNTReL: I ()F MODEL-BAILROADZSWITCHES a now-na n Peat-mama; cr'esi;inaassigngri qj TheiPioneereCompany, Chicagoglllz"; amartner Applicaticn March'23, 1948;}seiiaLNoulaficf, V.

4 Claims? (01. 175 337 This .inventionvrelates to aswitching: device for railroads and particularly to an: electro+responsive switching mechanism for regulating the position of. switch tracksxof :amodkrailroad;

In the. io-peration ,of. model trailroads;.a certain 5 reezzoii-de1inacy=rand (cane;mustzbeexercised; otherwise the relatiyelyzlighnand insecured parts will be put out of adjustrnen ThismreQaution-a ary measure pertains; especial-1y "to-L the ;ch,ain .of tracks and; to jthecswitch; tracks-mom which, the trainssoperatew Whemthe operatorrisiortunatea enou h 'to detec-tpa trackxsection on;switchitrack which .is, outof adfii stment it is necessary to stop the k operations ofqithei train until; the :break can-- bet-repaired onthetracks realigned; In-theievent that, the misalignmentis not immediately detected. and readjusted, the train may be=.thr 0wn'- from; the tnaclg in which instance; the tracks, the train, or nearby objects-.-might the -injured on damaged' beyonds-repain These =same considerations, pertain to the operation of 1argerag .edel ytrains;or even to fullh-scale's-passengep orfreighttrains operati-ngtoverrstandaizdigaugetracks;

To employ-elements which*deliberateiyasubjecta thetracks andiswitchl-parts to distunbingreactionszx and. impact,.unduly complicatestheaoperationroi the train and; creates; an everepresent, hazard; Thus switching; operations comprise. any, even-.1 presentqlproblem because'--during; switching ;;the tracks are subjectedsto; sidewise thrusts which: might disturb traekalienment; FODBXanIPlG, an; element heretoforenemployed ;forautomatically efie cting SW-itch! operations comprises :anelecti e? responsive solen0id;,having-.a shi-ftablecore mems her. a connected fox-.11 adjusting -the switch :.tracks;; When; the-solenoid system; operatesen direct :cur- Yen-t; the500F8 i$13115d1it0 slam: intoi the xlesired position of adjxll im nt an ct-yobviouslyl disturbs the =alignment 10f. theatrecks; When the solenoid yst m: r operates 1on3, alternating; current, a: pro- 40 nounced; chatteringreitect:isebserved during the mQVemeh-t-ioiithe core:.- In either instance, a the operatedcpartsfithat sis 'thezs'witch tracksandthe asseciatedtiack sections; areishif ted in anything but a delicate manner and require -i'ea'dj'ustment and-repair, and;dama-ge often resul-ts ItjzisP-an object"of this inventio o 'pi-ovideea switch devicewfor railrbadsywhicki smootlrfjgin operation-and which enemas the desired track adjustment:in-an-efllcientmannen 2ft. Anothenjobject "isf to,p ro\ ide 1a,,switch device operated by elct e a esl nnsi e me ns. mounted a n side oi the tracks jot t e rnad a dpqn:

nected to thees'witchiitnacks throuehfa oupun'a which allows a c'eitai'n aniountjofplay in the con:

nectedparts.

Aiurth r object, i 9 i' ncv id a rams track'- switching 'mechanis having-an electi o esppn siye iactu'ato'i which, is ade; tedlito efie'ct :the. de-,

s edi -t ackii; spl, ment' 1n. a. smooth manner 11... Qrm e hethei'citjisenereizeduby direct or an rnatin urgent.

Thes n th niobiec roadgftrackj m'hbdyin-egth "switch mechanism of.-

thisimrentionlfi" M J Figu e *2 is an enlarged sectional. View taken sub antially; along the" line 2-2 gof .Fig. .1

Figure 3 is .a sectional viewltaken along; the line 3:3 be Fig; 2;

Figure ""4 *is a pe 'spectiye iiew oi the sleeve on whicnth'e, solenoids arewoundandjotthelclamp,

member to-be-used'with the sleeve; and;

Figure 51s a perspectiv'e jviewffoflthegcore and,

its-flexible .coupling part;

As shownjfin thefdrawin a' .switch sectibnhofl tracks "is used joridirectingflthe, moizementnfi the. train from' amain'; tna'ckril'fl The onetor. -'rnone of the.

othe r separating tracks lgl i 'jaJndJ The. tracks IE to the tie rods; l SHOE/111181 on, asroad beds I 1.

Thejswitching, track comm-ismthe u sual. pan; Jofz spaced iailsfla and! Qeonnectedat one end by ties 1" 0 andniounledat,theothenend c-thecorresmnda ing'innenfiails. oi the sepanating tracks-1 I and l 2.

train; are e separatedt ack sections, A

The Switch; tracks may be fmanually shiited to v nd fi z nta esfoi the invention 4, will" be j more, Ifeadilyfl appanent" from the followingdes c tipti'on whenjeadllneconnection,

effect switching movements, but, normally, shifting is eifected by means of a cross-arm 2| disposed beneath the tie rod 2|) and extending latcrally beyond the road bed H. A rigid connection may be established between the cross arm 2| and the tie rod 20 connecting the rails, but I have found that greater flexibility is secured when the cross arm 2| is swiveled to the tie rod 20, as by the pivotal riveted connection 22. Openings 23 are provided at opposite ends of the cross arm 2| for connection with suitable switch operating means.

My improved switch operating means comprises a pair of solenoids 24 and 25 arranged in side by side spaced relation on an elongate sleeve 26. Transversely shiitable between two positions of adjustment within the sleeve is a core 27 of cylindrical shape or other symmetrical contour corresponding to the contour of the sleeve 26 to enable axial sliding movement. The solenoids are separately energized through leads 28 and 29, and when so energized, the core is caused to shift to one or the other of its positions of adjustment.

As previously pointed out, movement of the core tends to be very rapid when direct current is used to energize the solenoid, and it tends to chatter during the movement when alternating current is used. In order to eliminate such undesirable tendencies, I have provided a member which frictionally engages the core whereby its movement from one position to the other may be adjusted to the desired speed and is rendered in a smooth and uniform manner. In other words, the alternating high speeds and low speeds heretofore obtained by alternating current operation are neutralized to provide smooth and substantially uniform movement. Similarly, the impulsive speed of the core is thereby greatly reduced when direct current is used. For securing these beneficial operational vided a clamp member which is shown in the form of an elongate U-shaped strip 30 which fits about the sleeve in the region between the solenoids 24 and 25. A portion of the strip 30, which may be out of round as indicated in Fig. 3, extends through a slot 3| in the sleeve to engage the side wall of the contained core 21. To adjust the degree of frictional force by which the clamp member engages the core, the free ends of the clamp,

ordinarily in spaced relation, are provided with ioops 32 which receive connecting screw and nut means 33 to adjust their spaced relation. It will be evident that by seating in the slot 3|, the clamping member will be held stationary. A

housing 38 through which the sleeve extends may L be provided for the solenoids, by which means the switch mechanism may be anchored, if desired, to the fioor.

As the screw 33 is tightened, the clamp 30 is flexed and thereby grips core 21 more tightly. This flexure causes the clamp 30 to act as a resilient clamping member or a spring means.

Another feature of this invention resides in the coupling which provides an operative connection between the cross-arm 2| and the core 27. The coupling is a flexible coupling and transmits the movement of the core to the tie rod 2| even though the two elements may be disposed in angular relation one with the other. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, a reduced end portion 34 of the core 21 is provided with screw threads 34a threadably to receive a coiled end portion 35 of a resilient wire 35 having a hook 31 on the'other end insertable through one of the openings 23 on the end of the cross-arm 2|. It will be evident that the coiled results, there is pro- J portion 35 and the wire itself impart flexibility to the connection while the hook merely pivotally engages the arm.

From the description, it will be apparent that I have produced a new and improved switch operating mechanism for railroad tracks employing electro-responsive means for shifting the switch tracks in such manner that sudden movements or impacts heretofore secured from such solenoid operations are efifectively eliminated. Thus, the switch mechanism may be operated from direct or alternating current without the fear of upsetting track alignment or complicating switching operations. By the use of a flexible coupling between the actuating mechanism and the tracks themselves, it is possible to situate the actuating mechanism angularly with respect to the tracks or to effect the desired switching operations notwithstanding the fact that the cross-arm or switch mechanism may not be exactly in transverse alignment.

The essentials of the structure can also be used in other devices, such as a magnetic circuit breaker, and similar devices Where a solenoid is used and it is desired to brake the movement of the solenoid armature and prevent chatter and bounce.

It will. be understood that numerous changes in the details of construction, arrangement, and operation may be eifected without departing from the spirit of my invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch, comprising a sleeve having an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a pair of solenoids surrounding said sleeve, one on each side of said aperture, a magnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization of one or the other of said solenoids, a U-shaped braking member extending about said sleeve and through said aperture into engagement with said core, and means operable to pinch together the free ends of said braking member.

2. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch comprising a sleeve having an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a solenoid surrounding said sleeve, a magnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization of said solenoid, a U-shaped braking member extending through said aperture into engagement with said core, and means operable to pinch together the free ends of said braking member.

3. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch, comprising a sleeve having an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a pair of solenoids surrounding said sleeve, one on each side of said aperture, a magnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization of one or the other of said solenoids, a U-shaped braking member extending about said sleeve and through said aperture into engagement with said core, and means adjustably operable to pinch together the free ends of said braking member to adjust the degree of frictional pressure of the braking member against the core.

4. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch comprising a sleeve having an aperture exteding partially about its periphery, a solenoid surrounding said sleeve, a magnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization 5 6 of said solenoid, a U-shaped braking member UNITED STATES PATENTS extending through said aperture into engage- Number Name Date ment with said core, and adjustable means oper- Re 21 488 Haupt June 25 1940 able to pinch together the free ends of said '6 July 1911 braking member to adjust the degree of frictional 5 1 123288 Henmund Jan 5 1915 pressure of the braking member against the core. 1494938 Abbott 192.4 HOWARD B. PEABODY. 1,883,089 Tafel Oct. 18, 1932 2,237,376 Strong Apr. 8, 1941 REFERENCES CITED 10 2,239,312 Berges Apr; 22, 1941 The following referen ces are of record in the ,4 6,85 Seibe1 Aug. 10, 1948 file of this patent:

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