Tongue switch
AssigneeVAE Nortrak North America, Inc.
InventorsCory O'Brien, Gary Click
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular tongue switch assembly comprises a tongue pivotally connected to a slide surface, held down by a pivot retainer. The slide surface consists of slide plate sections removably attached to corresponding bed plate sections, which are in turn welded onto a base plate. Floating brace blocks hold a non-integral stock rail in place on the base plate. When the tongue moves, a horizontal lever arm actuates an inner box assembly housed within an outer box and containing the conductor rail, allowing the passing train to maintain contact with the conductor rail, if necessary. A novel rodding and lever arrangement is used.
Claims34
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly, said stock rail being releasably held in place in said assembly by means that comprise removable floating brace blocks comprising a brace block, a wedge block support and a wedge block, said wedge block being vertically bolted to said substrate.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- one or more slide plate sections releasably attachable to said substrate and on which said tongue pivots;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly;
- and,
- a heel end of said tongue comprises a cylindrical pin, said assembly comprises a cylindrical recess, and bronze bearing surfaces lie between and below said pin and said recess surfaces.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising a bottom surface and at least two top surfaces, said top surfaces being at different elevations in relation to said bottom surface, and wherein a first seat for a stock rail is machined into said lower one of said top surfaces;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail being removably seatable on the lower one of said top surfaces.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising one or more bed plate sections overlaying at least a portion of a base plate, said bed plate sections being welded to said base plate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising a bottom surface and at least two top surfaces, said top surfaces being at different elevations in relation to said bottom surface;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail being removably seatable on the lower one of said top surfaces.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate;
- one or more slide plate sections releasably attachable to said substrate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into one of said slide plate sections for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- a stock rail removably seatable on said substrate;
- and,
- a first seat for the stock rail is machined into said substrate.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- one or more first plate sections at least partially overlaying a second plate and being welded thereto;
- one or more slide plate sections being releasably attached on the top surface of said first plate sections;
- a tongue releasably engageable in one of said slide plate sections for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- a stock rail being seated on a portion of said second plate not overlain by said first plate;
- said portion of said second plate having first seat machined therein for receiving said stock rail;
- and,
- a brace assembly for bracing said stock rail against a side wall of said assembly.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising a bottom surface and at least two top surfaces, said to surfaces being at different elevations in relation to said bottom surface;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- a first seat machined into said lower one of said top surfaces;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable on the lower one of said top surfaces, said stock rail being releasably held in place in said assembly by means that comprise removable braces.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising one or more bed plate sections overlaying at least a portion of a base plate, said bed plate sections being welded to said base plate, and a first seat for the stock rail being machined into said substrate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising one or more bed plate sections overlaying at least a portion of a base plate, said bed plate sections being welded to said base plate;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable in said assembly, said stock rail being releasably held in place in said assembly by means that comprise removable braces.
A railroad tongue switch assembly comprising:
- a substrate comprising a bottom surface and at least two top surfaces, said top surfaces being at different elevations in relation to said bottom surface;
- a tongue releasably engageable into said assembly for pivoting motion thereon about a pivot point;
- and,
- a stock rail removably seatable on the lower one of said top surfaces, said stock rail being releasably held in place in said assembly by means that comprise removable braces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.