Model railroad switch machine
OwnerDennis Zanderinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switch machine for a model railroad layout includes a unidirectional motor, a switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two switch positions by rotation of the motor, a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator, and a controller connected to the motor and the sensor and having a power input and at least a single wire control input, the controller responsive to a first control signal to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a slow speed simulating an actual railroad switch, and responsive to a second control signal to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a fast speed to avoid a derailment.
Claims46
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two positions by rotation of the motor;
- a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator;
- a controller connected to the motor and the sensor, the controller having a power input and first and second control inputs, the controller responsive to a first signal on the first control input to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a slow speed simulating an actual railroad switch, and responsive to a second signal on the second control input to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position at a fast speed to avoid a derailment.
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between a first position and a second position by rotation of the motor;
- a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator;
- first and second signal lights coupled to the sensor
- a controller connected to the motor and the sensor, the controller having an input and being responsive to a first signal on the input to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from the first position to a second position, and responsive to a second signal on the input to synchronize the first and second signal lights with the position of the switch actuator.
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a housing;
- a motor within the housing;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between a first position and a second position by rotation of the motor;
- a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator;
- a controller within the housing, connected to the motor and the sensor, the controller having an input and being responsive to a first signal on the input to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from the first position to a second position, and;
- a radio frequency receiver within the housing connected to the input.
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two positions by rotation of the motor;
- a controller connected to the motor for activating the motor and for storing route information and including an input responsive to control signals for selectively switching the switch actuator between the two positions in response to a switching signal, and switching the switch actuator to a preselected position in response to a route signal and the stored route information.
A model railroad switch machine comprising a controller responsive to input voltage for adjusting switching speed.
A model railroad switch machine comprising a controller responsive to switch resistance for adjusting switching speed.
A model railroad switch machine having first and second positions, comprising a signal indicating switch machine position, a control on the switch machine, and a controller connected to the signal and the switch for synchronizing the signal with the position of the switch machine.
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a unidirectional motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two positions by rotation of the motor;
- a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch actuator;
- a controller connected to the motor and the sensor, the controller having a power input and a single wire control input, the controller responsive to a first signal on the control input to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from a first position to a second position;
- a controller which is an addressable controller responsive to signals on the single wire input addressed to the controller, and not responsive to signals on the single wire input not addressed to the controller.
A switch machine for a model railroad layout comprising:
- a motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two positions by rotation of the motor;
- a controller connected to the motor, the controller having a power input and a single wire control input, the controller responsive to a first signal on the single wire control input to activate the motor to move the switch actuator from a present one of the first and second switch positions to the other one of the first and second switch positions.
A model railroad switch machine comprising:
- a motor;
- a model railroad switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two positions by rotation of the motor;
- a controller connected to the motor, the controller having a power input and a voltage sensor responsive to voltage on the power input for adjusting the speed of the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.