US657668A - Automatic railroad-frog. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. II, 1900.

c. w. McKlNNEY. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD FROG.

(Applicition file d July 5, 1900.)

(No Model.)

FE? A UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. MCKINNEY, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,668, dated September 1 1, 1900.

Application filed July 5,1900. Serial No. 22,568. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. MCKIN- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bowand State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railroad- Frogs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to automatic railroad-frogs.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

With this object in View the invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the invention in a plan view.

(1, denotes the rails of the main-line track, and 1) denotes the rails of the siding or side track.

0 denotes the switch-tongue, which is secured at the point A of the track to the contiguous rails a b in any well-known or approved manner.

d (1 denote the wings of the frog, between which the point of the switch-tongue moves.

f denotes an operating-rail arranged adjacent to the outer rail 1) of the siding and having its ends bent out at an angle to the length of its body portion, as shown at h denotes a rock-shaft having cranks h and 7L2. The shaft is journaled in suitable bearings i and is connected to the operatingrail f by tie-rods j.

70 denotes a rod which passes loosely through the end of the switch-tongue c and has a plate secured to that end. The other end of the rod is pivoted to the crank 7L2. Placed upon said rod and confined between the switchtongue and a fixed shoulder Z is a coil-spring m, the energy of which is exerted in a direction to hold the nut on the free end of the rod against the switch-tongue.

n is a rod, one end of which is pivoted to the crank W. This rod passes through a bearing-plate o and is provided at its free end with a nut 19, between which and the plate is confined a coil-spring q, the energy of which is exerted to hold the switch-tongue in the position shown in the drawing, or, in other words, in a position to have the main line open.

In operation when the flange of the wheel strikes the rail (0 it spreads it toward the frog. This movement rocks the shaft 7i and throws the switch-point from engagement with the wing 61 of the frog to the wing d of the frog. After the flange of the wheel has passed from between the siding-rail b and operating-rail f the spring q exerts its energy and returns the switch-tongue to its normal position or that shown in the drawing. Should the flange of the wheel be thicker than that of the usual construction, it is of course evident that the rail f will be moved laterally a greater distance, and in order to prevent the rupture or breaking of parts I provide the spring 'm and the loose engagement of the rod 7a with the tongue 0, so that after the switch-tongue has been moved from the wing d to the wing d and can move no farther the rod is will have a sliding engagement through the aperture formed in the switch-tongue c, and after the flange of the wheel has passed between the operating-rod f and the siding b the spring m will restore the rod 7c to its normal position with the nut on the end thereof in contact, with the switchtongue. 1

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring an extended explanation.

The device is extremely useful for the purpose for which it is designed, and can be placed upon the market at a comparativelysmall cost.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be socured by Letters Patent, is-- In combination, the frog-wings, the switchtongue movable between said frog-wings, an

operatingn'ail adapted to be actuated by'the flange of a wheel, a rock-shaft provided with cranks, connections between several of the cranks of the rock-shaft and the operatingrail a rod having one end loosely extending through the switch-tongue provided with a nut on its extremity, and provided with a shoulder intermediate its ends,a spring placed upon said rod and confined between said shoulder and switch-tongue, the inner end of said rod being connected to one of said cranks, and a second rod having its inner end connected to said crank and provided with a spring for holding the operating-rail in close relation to one of the siding-rails, substan- I 5 tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. WV. MCKINNEY.

Witnesses:

DAN YANCEY, R. R. WEDERING.

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