US707929A - Switch-operating device. - Google Patents

Description

no. 707,929. Patented Aug. 26, |902.

F. s. Jones.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

(Application led Dec. 14, 1'90I.)'

(No Model.)

nnnnnn'nnnn i Unirse STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. JONES, OF EXPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,929, dated August 26, 1902.

Application iiled December 14,1901. Serial No. 85,902. (No model.) v

To @ZZ '1r/71.071?, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. JONES, aciti- Zen of the United States, residing at Export, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and useful Switch-Operating Device, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates generally to switchoperating devices; and the object of the invention is to provide a switch-operating device which can be operated from the car-platform while the car is in motion and approaching the switch. x

Another object of the invention is to provide a switchpperating device of this character .capable of use in connection with switches and cars nowin ccm mon use; and another object is to provide a device which will be sure to effectively operate the switch whether the car is moving rapidly or slowly.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in connecting the switchpoints so that they will move in unison and in providing oppositely-disposed operatingrods which cross each other, are connected to the switch-points at one end, and are formedat their opposite ends for engagement witha depending shoe carried by the car and adapted to belowered when it is desired to operate the switch.

The invention consists alsoin certain novel features of construction and combination hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a view, partly in section` and partly in elevation, illustrating the operating means carried by the car and the manner of engaging the operating-rod connected to the switch-point. Fig. 2 is-a plan View of the switch-operating mechanism, the' connecting and operating rods being concealed by the protecting-cover, the dotted lines indicating the position of said parts beneath the cover. Fig. 3 is a plan View, the

protecting-cover being removed and the po usual, at the juncture of the main and switch rails and which may be of the usual or any approved construction. VThese switch-points C are connected by means of a connecting or cross rod D, said rod being pivotally connected at its Vopposite ends to the said switchpoints'adjacent to their free ends, and connected also to the said switch-points, and preferably by means ot' the same bolts, are the operating-rods E, and it may therefore be said that the said operating-rods are connected to both the switch-points and the connecting or cross bar. These operating-rods extend in diagonally opposite directions, crossing each other at E', and at their free ends are bent upwardly, as shown at E2, or they may be provided with an upwardly-projecting arm or lug, said upwardly-projecting portion E2 beingV arranged at such an angle that it will rest against the inner face of the.

main rail A, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In order to prevent the operatingrods contacting with each other where they cross, one ofthe said rods is bent upwardly, as shown at E3, and the other one bent downwardly, as shown at E, thereby providing an ample clearance where they cross each other.

In order to operate the switch so as to throw the points lin the desired direction, one of the operating-rods is operated by pushing upon the upturned end E2- Thus to throw the points to theright the left-hand y rod is operated,'t being readily understood thatin push`` ing the upturned end E2 along the rail toward the switch the pressure or force applied along,

the diagonal rod will force the right-hand switch-point in that direction,`and inasmuch as the said switch-points are connected the lefthand switch-point will simultaneously -move to the right.` When -it is desired 4to,

move the switch-points to the left, the righthandoperating-rod is operated,and the switchn points will then be-forced to the left.

In order to operatethe rods E from the car, I'employ a depending leg F, carrying a shoe F' at its lower end, which shoe is adapted to contact with the upwardly-projectingend E2 of the operating-rod, and it will of course be understood that two legs F are employed, one at each side of the car-platform, said legs being pivoted to the depending brackets F2 and each of which is provided with a push-rod G,

which projects upwardly through the car-platform and which carries a cap-plate G', and between the cap-plate G and the car-platform is arranged a spiral spring G2, the purpose of which is to normally hold the shoe F' above the h lrail and out of contact with the upturned end E2. When it is desired to operate the switch from the bottom of the car, the motorman presses upon the cap-plate G,forcing the pushrod G downwardly,`which in turn pushes the leg,Y F into such position that the shoe Ff will contact with the end E2 as the car moves *forwardly, and the shoe F', coming in contact with the said end, will throw the operatingrod in the proper direction to shift the switchpoints.

In order to protect the connecting and op shoe F may drop into the said slots behind the said ends E2, thereby insuring the positive action of the upper rod and consequently of the switch.

. It will thus be seen that I provide an eX- ceedingly cheap, simple, and efficient device for operating a switch from the car while the said car is in motion, and approaching the switch.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The combination with the switch-points pivo'tally connected by a cross-bar, of operatingrods pivotally secured to the cross-bar, and crossing each other, said rods bent away from each other at the point of crossing, the free `ends of the rods provided with upwardly-projecting portions, said portionsresting against the inner faces of The rails, means for contacting the upwardly-projecting portions, whereby the points are shifted, and a protecting-casing arranged about the cross-bars and the operating-rods.

FRANK S. JONES.

Vitnesses:

JOHN MCGINN, C. E. BERLIN.

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