US 5,417,392 AGranted

Hydraulic switch stand with rail pump charging and hydraulic lock

OwnerMichael L. Wyattinventor

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a hydraulic apparatus for moving railroad switch points from side-to-side. The apparatus has a hydraulic cylinder operatively connected to the switch points to move the switch points from side-to-side in fluid communication with a power source. The direction of the movement of the switch points is controlled by a valve positioned in fluid communication between the power source and the hydraulic cylinder. The direction of movement of the hydraulic cylinder and, consequently the switch points, is determined by the direction the valve is moved. In another aspect, the present invention has a hydraulic rail pump in fluid communication with the accumulator for storing hydraulic power generated by the rail pump activated by the wheels of passing trains, and a safety reservoir in fluid communication with the accumulator for storing hydraulic power beyond the capacity of the accumulator.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An Apparatus for moving railroad switch points from side to side comprising:

a hydraulic cylinder having a rod that has a first end operatively connected to the switch points to move the switch points from side to side and a second end connected to a piston internally disposed in said cylinder, said piston defining a portion of two separate pressurizeable chambers within said cylinder;
a power source in fluid communication with the pressurizeable chambers in said hydraulic cylinder;
a valve positioned in fluid communication between said power source and each of said pressurizeable chambers in said hydraulic cylinder for selectively controlling the direction of movement of the rod of said hydraulic cylinder;
a clamping cylinder having a piston rod and two separate fluid reservoirs, both of said fluid reservoirs being in fluid communication with said two pressurizeable chambers in said hydraulic cylinder, said piston rod being moveable to a first position at which the piston rod is in locking engagement with the rod of said hydraulic cylinder in response to said two pressurizeable chambers in said hydraulic cylinder being at substantially equal pressure.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.