OCR Text |
Show NEW DEVICE TO THROW A SWITCH Ixcal railroad men are deeply Interested In-terested In a device which has been perfected by an eastern man. designed design-ed to enable the engineer of an approaching ap-proaching locomotive, to open or close n switch at his will, controlling the hcMoii entirely from tho cab and doing away with tho need of help of switchmen, switch-men, or the dolav often resulting from waiting for tho throwing of a switch. The doylco is simple in const con-st motion, consisting of a system of levers placed In a pit between the rails aed operated by projections from the locomotive. A lever adjacent to the right hand rail Is double, carrying carry-ing a counterweight and a hook, which in its normal condition Is below the level of the rail service. Upon, tho approach of a train about to enter the siding, a projection on the side of the engine is miLde to engage a small vertical rod beside the track, which operates to throw the hook above the surface of the rail. Then, upon the advance of the engine, the same projection engages the hook, pulls it forward and throws tho swlicn, when a uta-tlonary block in the path of tho lever causes the disengagement dis-engagement of the lever hook from the projection on tbo side of the engine, en-gine, and tho book returns to Its normal nor-mal position below the rail and out of the Tray of the neTt locomotive the switch txdng locked in position by the counterweight. When the riirht lever is carried in one direction to open th switch, another an-other lever at the left hand rail 1s carried in tho opposite direction. Should another engluo approach and the enelnoer wish to keep to tho main track, he may cause a projection In the left of his engine to depress tho vertical rod at the left raising the left hand hook and pulling It forward for-ward to close tho switch. - Tho device is attracCrg the attention atten-tion .-f western railroad men and It Is said General Superintendent Tork of the Union Pacific system has approved ap-proved the Invention after a most thorough Investigation. |