Reversing device for movable parts within the deflection area of a railway switch

A reversing device for a railway switch, comprising:

• a first pair of laterally-spaced fixed rails at one end of a deflection area;
• two alternatively useful second pairs of laterally-spaced fixed rails at an opposite end of said deflection area, respective ones of said rails in said two pairs converging towards one another towards said deflection area;
• said first pair of fixed rails being in longitudinal alignment with respective rails of one of said second pairs of fixed rails for providing a substantially straight longitudinal path through the railway switch and with respective rails of the other of said second pairs of fixed rails for providing a curved path through the railway switch;
• two said rails at a same end of said deflection area having corresponding switchable portions which are fixed at said same end of said deflection area to provide continuations of respective ones of said rails, and which are supported for coordinated lateral deflection along the lengths thereof between one position in which said switchable portions are disposed to provide continuity through the railway switch along said substantially straight path and another position in which said switchable portions are disposed to provide continuity through the railway switch along said curved path;
• said rails being supported on a fixed base;
• at least one longitudinally elongated supporting rod supported on said fixed base by guide means so as to be aligned with said substantially straight path and disposed for longitudinal movement forwards and rearwards along said substantially straight path;
• means for moving said at least one longitudinally elongated supporting rod substantially longitudinally forwards and rearwards along said substantially straight path;
• each of said switchable portions of said rails being provided with a plurality of longitudinally-spaced, laterally-projecting first thrust supports;
• said at least one supporting rod being provided with two sets of longitudinally-spaced, laterally-projecting second thrust supports;
• each first thrust support having a laterally-facing thrust support surface means arranged to engage a respective laterally-facing thrust support surface means of a respective second thrust support upon longitudinal movement of said at least one elongated support rod to a selected position;
• said thrust support surface means of one of said first and second thrust supports comprising a wedge-shaped ramp surface adjoining a main surface oriented substantially parallel to said substantially straight path;
• said thrust support surface means being disposed and oriented such that when corresponding thrust support surface means of said first and second supports are not in engagement and said at least one longitudinally-elongated supporting rod is moved longitudinally by said moving means to cause engagement, said wedge-shaped ramp surfaces of the thrust support surface means of one of said first and second thrust supports first engages, and cams against the thrust support surface means of the other of said first and second thrust supports, thereby deflecting the respective said switchable portion of said rails from alignment in one of said paths into alignment in the other of said paths, and further movement of said at least one longitudinally-elongated supporting rod causes the main surfaces of the thrust support surface means of said one of said first and second thrust supports to engage against the thrust support means of the other of said first and second thrust supports, thereby holding the respective switchable portion of said rails in alignment with the other of said paths, and reverse movement of said at least one longitudinally-elongated supporting rod progressively eliminates holding of the respective switchable portion of said rails in alignment with said other of said paths and removes camming action therefrom by said wedge-shaped ramp surfaces, permitting the respective switchable portion to return to alignment with said one of said paths.