US550771A - Railway-crossing - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheetssheet 1.

' S. J. AUSTIN.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

No. 550,7?1. Patented Dee..8,1895.

(No Model.) -2'Sheets,-Sheet 2.

' s. J. AUSTIN.

RAILWAY CROSSING.

No. 550,771. Patented. Dec. 3, 1895.

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Price.

STEPHEN AUSTIN, OF TERRE I-IAUTE, INDIANA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,771, dated December 3, 1895.

Application filed March 1 8, 1895.

To (6 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Terre Haute, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railwa y- Crossin gs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for allowing the passage of a train on a continuous track without interference with the rails of a second track crossing the firstnamed track at an angle.

The invention relates to that class of crossings in which both the tracks are upon the same level.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure I illustrates a top view of the crossing, showing my improvement. Fig. II illustrates in detail a side elevation of the turning portion of the rail and the table 011 which it operates. Fig. III illustrates the same view as shown in Fig. I, excepting that the pivoted portions of the rails are turned to allow a train to pass on the other set of rails than those Fig. I shows to be unobstructed. Fig. IV illustrates in detail a view of the pivoted portion of the device, showing the bars for turning the same. Fig. V illustrates the same portion as Fig. IV, but showing the pivoted rail turned at right angles to the position shown in the said Fig. IV.

The same numbers refer to the same parts throughout the five figures.

1 1 is one pair of rails.

2 2 is the second pair crossing the first pair.

3 are the plates bearing the pivoted portion of the rails to which they are secured and adapted to be turned on pivots.

5 are the stationary ground-plates on which the pivoted portions of the rails rest.

6 is the pin seated in a socket or oil-box 5* in the plate 5, which acts as the pivot for the rail-section. Each plate 5 is formed in one piece with an elevated circular portion 5, against which the ends of the rails are fitted, and with a circular recess or oil-box 5 for the plate 3, carrying the rail-section.

7 are bars connecting adjacent plates 3 by means of the pivot-bolts 8, which are located between the four ends of the stationary rails. The bars are located adjacent to the web of $eria1li'o; 542,147. (No model.)

the rails above the base of the rails and are arranged to move all four rail-sections simultaneously. This movement is accomplished by means of the arm 9, attached by means of a sliding joint 10 to one of the bars 7'.

11 is a lock adapted to engage plate 3 and secure the bars 7, and thereby secure the railsections 4 coincident with either one or the other pair of rails 1 1 or 2 2. 12 is a spring to control said lock 11.

13 are lugs bolted to the sides of the stationary rails and having their ends project to act as stops to the turn-tables The operation of my device is as follows: The tracks being in the position shown in Fig. III, a train is allowed to pass over the rails 2 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow. If it is desired to allow a train to pass over the rails 1 1, as shown by the arrow in Fig. I, the railsections are turned into the position therein shown. This is accomplished by first moving the arm 9 to the right, Fig. III, said motion contracting the spring 12 as much as is allowed by the sliding joint 10. This draws the lockbar 11 from its recess in the plate Upon further movement of the arm 9 to the right, the lock 11 being disengaged, the plates 3, to which are secured the rail sections 4, are turned through an arc of ninety degrees, and the said sections are thereby brought coincident with the rails 1 1 to allow an unobstructed passage over them. The lugs 13 prevent the turn-tables moving beyond their proper position. This motion of the arm 9 is conveyed to the four turn-table plates 3 by means of the bars 7. The attachment of the said bars 7 to the plates 3 and the positions they allow are shown in Figs. IV and V.

To avoid the objectionable feature of having the pivoted sections of the rails out of level with the stationary sections and of having them operated on turn-tables located in pits below the track-level, I have provided the large metal plate 5. To this is secured the stationary rails by any suitable means, and in the center of which is placed the pivot-pin 6, controlling the turn-table plate 3. As all the parts thus'rest upon the plates 5, a perfect level is maintained and the turn-tables made so much shallower and lighter that several track-crossings may be operated above ground by one arm, which has not heretofore been done, but which is often necessary, as one track often crosses several others. The ordinary construction, which necessitates the cutting away of a portion of each intersecting rail to allow for the flanges of the crossing wheels, is also avoided, and the jarring and jolting consequent to such cutting away are by my device rendered impossible.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the supporting plate formed in one piece with an elevated circular portion, with a central socket, and with a circular recess above said socket, the rotatable plate fitting in the circular recess having a pivot-pin seated in the socket, a rail section secured to the rotatable plate; the stationary rails, the lugs secured to the stationary rails for engaging the rail section, and means for rotating the plate; substantially as described.

2. A railway crossing comprising rail-sections, rotatable plates to which the rail-sections are secured, the stationary rails, bars located alongside the stationary rails above the base thereof and pivoted to the rotatable plates between the ends of the stationary rails; substantially as described. I

3. A rail crossing comprising a supporting plate formed in one piece with an elevated circular portion, with a central socket, and with a circular recess above said socket, the rotatable plate fitting in the circular recess having a pivot-pin seated in the socket, a rail section secured to the rotatable plate, the stationary rails, bars located alongside the stationary rails above the base thereof and pivoted to the circular plate at opposite sides of the rail-section between the ends of the stationary rails, and means for shifting the bars for rotating the plates; substantially as described.

4:. In an improved railway crossing,the combination of pivoted rail sections 4 adapted to be brought coincident with either cross rail, and a means of locking said pivoted rail sections in position, consisting of a spring controlled lock 11, controlled by arm 9, substantially as described.

5. In an improved railway crossing,the combination of plates 5, cross rails secured thereto,

rail sections 4 carried on turn table plates 3 pivoted to said plates 5, bars 7 adapted to turn said pivoted portion, arm 9 to control said bars, and a spring controlled lock 11 to secure said parts in position, substantially as described. V

6. In an improved railway crossing,the combination of sectional rails adapted to turn,

plates 5 to which said rails are secured, and

connectingbars pivoted between the four ends of the stationary rails, lying at the side of and parallel to the said stationary rails and located above the base of the latter.

STEPHEN J. AUSTIN.

In presence of- W. FI LEY, STANLEY SToNER.

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