Low profile switch machine with hand throw or motor throw selector device

A low vertical profile switch machine for switching a position of a railroad track having a mode selector for selecting among a plurality of modes including a power mode and a hand throw mode, comprising:

• a motor;
• a first gearbox driven by said motor having an input shaft and an output shaft each adapted to rotate, wherein the rotational speed of said input shaft is proportional to the rotational speed of said output shaft;
• a gear shaft assembly including a gear shaft having a first input end and a second input end opposite said first input end, wherein said output shaft is coupled to said first input end;
• a hand crank means for driving said gear shaft removably attached to said second input end;
• a crank shaft positioned a fixed distance from said gear shaft assembly;
• a main drive gear freely rotatable about said crank shaft and driven by said gear shaft assembly;
• a crank sleeve slidably mounted about said crank shaft for engaging said main drive gear to said crank shaft;
• a hand throw shaft positioned adjacent and substantially parallel to said crank shaft;
• a bevel gear freely rotatable about said hand throw shaft;
• a hand throw assembly slidably mounted about said hand throw shaft for engaging said bevel gear to said hand throw shaft;
• and
• a shifter mechanism, having a first end connected to said crank sleeve and a second end connected to said hand throw assembly, for shifting said first and second ends based on the mode selected by the mode selector;
• wherein said shifter mechanism shifts said first end to engage said main drive gear and said second end to disengage said bevel gear when the power mode is selected by the mode selector, and said shifter mechanism shifts said second end to engage said bevel gear and disengage said main drive gear when the hand throw mode is selected by the mode selector.

A low vertical profile switch machine for switching a position of a railroad track having a mode selector for selecting among a plurality of modes including a power mode and a hand throw mode, comprising:

• a base;
• a first shaft positioned to rotate on, and substantially perpendicular to, said base;
• a drive gear mounted about said first shaft;
• a second shaft positioned to rotate on said base and substantially parallel to said first shaft;
• and
• a main drive gear freely mounted about said second shaft for engaging said drive gear;
• a crank gear mounted about said second shaft above said main drive gear;
• a third shaft positioned to rotate on said base and substantially parallel to said second shaft;
• and
• a hand throw gear mounted about said third shaft for engaging said crank gear.