Model railway switch assembly

Claim 1

A model railroad forked track assembly comprising, in combination, a. first and second principal rail members having parallel portions which form a main track section, but which diverge to form elements of two forked track sections, together with first and second auxiliary, frog-forming, divergent secondary rail members which cooperate, respectively, with the first and second principal rail members to constitute, respectively, distinct, alternatively active forked continuations of the main track section, b. a rail bed supporting all of said rail members in fixed relation with onE another, c. a switch unit which includes alternatively active, side by side, first and second wheel bearing rail members, interposed between the main track section portions of the principal rail members and the forked sections, and operable between opposite extreme positions in the first of which the first rail member of the switch bears firmly in wheel sustaining and guiding relation and in electrical conductive relation at its opposite ends, respectively, with the first principal rail member and the frog, and in the other of which the second rail member of the switch bears firmly in wheel sustaining and guiding relation and in electrical conductive relation at its opposite ends, respectively, with the second principal rail member and the frog, d. a switch operator movable laterally of the track and connected to the switch unit near one extremity thereof, for placing the main track section selectively in communication with one or the other of the forked sections through a pivotal action of the switch, e. a yieldable actuator for constantly urging the switch operator toward either of two opposite extreme positions when the switch is in repose, f. and means providing a fixed pivot for the switch, the switch being characterized by the fact that, during switch-over, both switch tracks move as a unit about said fixed pivot from the instant when the switch track being rendered inactive leaves engagement with the frog until the switch track being rendered active is blocked by the frog, but that provision is made for yielding of the blocked switch track relative to the pivot and the frog so that firm operative engagement of the blocked switch rail with the required principal rail can be established while engagement of such switch rail with the frog is maintained.