US3564236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switch, especially double cross switch for electric toy and model railroad installations
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-08-12
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Granted: 1971-02-16
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Expires: 1988-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A switch, especially narrow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads, with current supply through both rails, in which in the vicinity of the central portion of the switch, the outer rails of the switch which are connected to the insulated switch bed, are provided with conductive plates which extend closely to the central portion of the switch and which within the switch form electric current conductive surfaces for contact with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing over the switch and with guiding rails for the wheel rims as well as for the bearings of the switch tongues.
Inventors
- 👤 Max Ernst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:30
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H19/00; A63H19/30; A63H19/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A switch especially narrow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes: a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electric communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, curved rail means, and said switch tongue means including at least one switch tongue pivotally journaled near the adjacent curved rail means in the central portion of the switch, said switch also including guiding web means extending approximately parallel to and alongside the respective section of the adjacent curved rail means and having a cranked portion for engagement with the adjacent free end of the adjacent switch tongue, said guiding web means outside said cranked portion forming substantially the extension of the respective adjacent switch tongue when the latter engages said cranked portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A switch especially narrow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes: a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electric communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, curved rail means, and said switch tongue means including at least one switch tongue pivotally journaled near the adjacent curved rail means in the central portion of the switch, said switch also including guiding web means extending approximately parallel to and alongside the respective section of the adjacent curved rail means and having a cranked portion for engagement with the adjacent free end of the adjacent switch tongue, said guiding web means outside said cranked portion forming substantially the extension of the respective adjacent switch tongue when the latter engages said cranked portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A switch according to claim 14, which includes guiding web means located in the central area of said switch and electrically conductively connected to said plate means, said guiding web means overlapping with portions of adjacent rail means so that over a central portion of said switch at least the wheel rim of a rail vehicle wheel passing over the respective outer rail of its track will pass over the respective current conductive guiding web means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A switch according to claim 2, in which said guiding web means have those sides thereof which face each other provided with straight flanks, and in which the electric current conductive plate means support said guiding web means and protrude beyond said flanks toward the central longitudinal plane of said switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A switch according to claim 14, in which the radius of curvature of said rail means is so selected that the distance of the outer crossing points is a multiple of the distance of the inner crossing points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A switch according to claim 14, in which the electric current conductive plate means of each switch side extend close to the crossing point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A switch according to claim 14, in which the switch is a double cross switch, and in which the electric current conductive plate means of each switch side extend close to the outer crossing points of the double cross switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A switch according to claim 14, in which said electrically conductive plate means are provided with and electrically connected to guiding plate means for a straight drive of a rail vehicle through said switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A double cross switch according to claim 14, which includes a central crossing area of said outer and inner rail means and also includes outer crossing areas respectively located at the end portions of said switch and pertaining to said inner rail means, and in which said electrically conductive plate means are provided with and electrically connected to guiding webs extending from said central crossing area to the outer crossing areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A switch according to claim 14, which has at least one branch-off section, and in which the switch tongue means comprise one single pivotable switch tongue for each branch-off section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A switch according to claim 9, in which said switch tongue has that longitudinal side thereof which is closest to the adjacent side of the switch curved and has the opposite longitudinal tongue side substantially straight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A switch according to claim 9, which includes guiding web means having one end adjacent the pivot axis of the respective adjacent tongue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
A switch according to claim 9, in which four branch-off sections branch off from the central portion of the switch, and in which the pivot axes of two adjacent tongues are located in the immediate vicinity of each other near one side of the switch whereas the pivot axes of the other two tongues are located in the immediate vicinity of each other near the opposite side of the switch, said electric current conductive plate means comprising a first plate electrically connected to said first mentioned two tongues and a second plate electrically connected to said last mentioned two tongues.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A switch according to claim 8, in which said tongue means are pivotable about pivot axes located in the central portion of the switch and extend in the direction toward the respective outer crossing areas pertaining thereto, the length of said switch tongue means equaling approximately the distance between the inner and outer crossing areas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A switch according to claim 1, in which said guiding web means forms a part of the bed portion of insulating material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
A switch according to claim 1, in which the curved rail means near the free end of the respective adjacent switch tongue is provided with a cranked portion for receiving said free switch tongue end when a straight drive through the switch is desired.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
112 words
A double cross switch according to claim 1, with two oppositely curved rails spaced from each other in the transverse direction of the switch and with four branch-off sections branching off from the central area of said switch, in which the switch tongue means include four switch tongues arranged in pairs pivotally connected to said bed portion, one pair of said switch tongues being associated with one curved rail and the other pair of switch tongues being associated with the other curved rail, said switch also including actuating means extending within said bed portion in the longitudinal direction of said switch and being operatively connected to said tongues for adjusting the same.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A switch according to claim 16, in which said actuating means includes wire means connected to said tongues, and which includes a pivotable two-arm lever located at the bottom side and in the central portion of said bed portion and comprising cam means operatively engaging said wire means for actuating the same.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
A switch according to claim 17, in which said cam equipped two-arm lever has an angled-off section provided with a pivot, and which includes double electromagnetic means operatively connected to said pivot for actuating said two-arm lever. 19. A switch according to claim 18, in which said two-arm lever is pivotable about a shaft of insulating material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
179 words
A switch, especially narRow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes; a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electric communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, two curved outer rails spaced from each other in the transverse direction f said switch for passing a rail vehicle through said switch along a curved path, and said switch tongue means including two one-piece double switch tongues movable selectively toward the respective adjacent curved outer rail for passing a rail vehicle through the switch along a substantially straight path and away from the respective adjacent curved rail for passing a rail vehicle through said switch along a curved path.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
179 words
A switch, especially narRow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes; a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electric communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, two curved outer rails spaced from each other in the transverse direction f said switch for passing a rail vehicle through said switch along a curved path, and said switch tongue means including two one-piece double switch tongues movable selectively toward the respective adjacent curved outer rail for passing a rail vehicle through the switch along a substantially straight path and away from the respective adjacent curved rail for passing a rail vehicle through said switch along a curved path.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
A switch according to claim 20, which for purposes of actuating said double switch tongues includes electrically conductive slide control means operatively connected to said double switch tongues and slidable in said electric current conductive plate means while being electrically connected thereto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
54 words
A switch according to claim 21, in which said slide control means are rigidly connected to said double switch tongues and are provided with pin means extending through said bed portion of said switch base, said switch including a control member operatively connected to said pin means for actuation of said double switch means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A switch according to claim 22, in which said control member has slot means operatively receiving said pin means, said control member being displaceable in the longitudinal direction of said switch.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
75 words
A switch according to claim 23, in which said control member has a U-shaped portion with the slot means respectively arranged in the legs of said U-shaped portion, and which includes locking means arranged adjacent the free ends of the legs of said U-shaped portion, the free ends of said U-shaped portion being operable in response to the displacement of the control member in one direction to lock said control member in said displaced position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A switch according to claim 24, which includes spring means continuously urging the legs of said U-shaped portion toward each other.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
A switch according to claim 22, in which said control member is movably arranged in the bottom of said bed portion and is provided with an extension, said bed portion comprising guiding means for reciprocably guiding said extension.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A switch according to claim 22, which includes a guiding member arranged in longitudinally spaced relationship to and in substantial alignment with said guiding means and located between the legs of said U-shaped portion of said control member for guiding the latter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
A switch according to claim 22, in which said control member has connected thereto an actuating member accessible from the outside of said switch for actuating said control member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
178 words
A switch, especially narrow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes; a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electrical communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, outer rails and inner rails, and insulated conductor means crossing each other and electrically conductively interconnecting said inner rails and the respectIve electric current conductive plate means of the same potential, additional electric current conductive plate means electrically connected to said inner rails and extending in the direction toward the central portion of the switch, said additional plate means having an electric current conductive surface for engagement with the wheel rim of a rail vehicle passing through said switch.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
178 words
A switch, especially narrow gauge double cross switch, for electric toy and model railroads with current supply through both rails of one and the same track and with adjustable switch tongue means for controlling the switch, which includes; a switch base having a bed portion of insulating material, inner and outer rail means anchored in said bed portion, electric current conductive plate means arranged approximately in the central portion of said switch and associated with said outer rail means for electrical communication with said switch tongue means and with the wheel rims of rail vehicles passing through said switch, outer rails and inner rails, and insulated conductor means crossing each other and electrically conductively interconnecting said inner rails and the respectIve electric current conductive plate means of the same potential, additional electric current conductive plate means electrically connected to said inner rails and extending in the direction toward the central portion of the switch, said additional plate means having an electric current conductive surface for engagement with the wheel rim of a rail vehicle passing through said switch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-15 | 1974-08-17 | 1975-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-15 | 1978-08-17 | 1979-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-15 | 1982-08-17 | 1983-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |