Automatic Railway Switch Page: 4 of 4
[2], 2 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this patent.
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777,960
and forms a handle 27, by which the. latch-
bar 16 may be raised out of the notch.
Any suitable means carried by the locomo-
tive may be employed to actuate the trip
5 mechanism to close said switch-points. In
the present instance a roller 28 is employed,
said roller being journaled in the lower end
of an arm or bar 29, which is hinged at its
upper end to the forward sill A of the loco-
To motive near the end of the same. The bar 29
is provided with a rearwardly - projecting
right-angularly-disposed arm 30, which forms
a stop to engage the under side of the sill A
and limit the rearward movement of the roller
15 28. The end of the arm 30 and the bar 29
are connected by a back brace 31.
32 denotes an upwardly-projecting inclined
bar or lever connected at its lower end to the
lower end of the bar 29 and having its upper
20 end connected to and braced by an inclined
brace-bar 33, which projects from the upper
end of the bar 29, as shown. An operating-
cord 34 has one end connected .to the upper
end of the bar or lever and its opposite end
25 extending back in position to be grasped by
the engineer in the cab.
It will be understood that the means for ac-
tuating the tripping mechanism, as just de-
scribed, is arranged on both sides of the lo-
30 comotive, so that the tripping mechanism,
which is arranged on both sides of the track,
may be actuated by a train when going in
either direction.
The operation is as follows, it being under-
35 stood that the means carried by the locomo-
tive for actuating the tripping mechanism is
normally in position to engage the same at
all times. In this position as a train ap-
proaches a siding where the switch -points
40 have been inadvertently left open one of the
rollers 28 will engage the lower end of the
curved trip-rod 24 and ride upon and force
the same downwardly, thereby turning the
rock-shaft 21 through the arms 23 and rais-
45 ing the crank arm or lever 25, which in turn
raises the link 26 and latch-bar 16 out of the
notch 18, thereby releasing the operating-bar
7 and permitting the spring 15 to retract the
same and close said switch-points, allowing
50 the train to pass along the main-line track.
Should it be desired at any time to run the
train onto the siding, the engineer may pull
upon the cord 34 and swing the arm 28 and
roller 29 upwardly out of the path of the
55 curved rod or bar 24, thereby preventing the
actuation of the tripping mechanism and the
consequent closing of the switch-points. Af-
ter the switch-points have been closed either
automatically or by hand they may be opened
6o and reset by actuating the operating-lever 10to turn the crank and force the operating-bar
7 inwardly until the latch-bar 16 drops into
the notch 18, which will hold the parts in
place with the switch-points in open position.
The latch-bar may at any time be raised by 65
hand by grasping the handle 27 of the lever
25 and raising the same, thereby lifting the
latch-bar 16 out of the notch 18 in the bar 7
and permitting the spring to actuate the same,
as has been hereinbefore described. 70
From the foregoing description, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings,
the construction and operation of the inven-
tion will be readily understood without requir-
ing a more extended explanation. 75
Various changes in the form, proportion,
and the minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the prin-
ciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of
this invention. 80
Having thus fully described my invention,
what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent, is-
1. In combination with the switch-points of
a railroad-track, a longitudinally-movable op- 85
erating-bar connected thereto, a spring to close
the switch-points, a latch-bar coacting with
the operating-bar to lock the latter in position
to hold the switch-points open, against the
tension of the spring, a rocking element on 90
one side of the track, pivoted on an axis par-
allel to the track-rails, said rocking element
having a longitudinally-disposed trip-barr op-
positely inclined toward its ends, connections
between said rocking element and the latch- 95
bar, to operate the latter, and means carried
by a moving train, to depress said trip-bar
and hence turn said rocking element, to dis-
engage the latch-bar from the operating-bar,
substantially as described. TOO
2. In combination with the switch-points of
a railway-track, a longitudinally-movable op-
erating-bar connected thereto, a spring to close
the switch-points, a latch-bar coacting with
the operating-bar to lock the latter in position 105
to hold the switch - points in open position
against the tension of the spring, and a train-
operated rocking element extending longi-
tudinally of the track in opposite directions
from the operating-bar and having a hand- 11o
lever, the latter being connected to the latch-
bar for the purpose set forth, substantially as
described.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 15
nesses.
CHARLES LEE.
Witnesses:
W. NOONAN,
C. G. CARTTAR.
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Reference the current page of this Patent.
Lee, Charles. Automatic Railway Switch, patent, December 20, 1904; [Washington D.C.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth512547/m1/4/: accessed July 2, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.