Switches or points for tracks for vehicles

Claim 2

A switch for track for a vehicle having horizontal drive wheels for cooperation with opposing surfaces of the track to guide the vehicle and guide rollers for external surfaces on the track for allowing the vehicle to be driven on only one side, the switch adjacent a straight portion opposite a deviation having a first guide with an inwardly-facing surface and an outwardlyfacing surface, said guide being fixed near the crossing zone of the switch and a movable resilient tongue fixed by one end remote from the switch zone and arranged to be deformed to provide a deviation; and a second, fixed, guide with an inwardly-facing surface and an outwardly-facing surface, in correspondence and on the side opposite the crossing, the second guide extending parallel to one end portion of the resilient tongue when the tongue is deviated, the tongue and second guide co-operating to provide an overlap region for facilitating travel of a vehicle onto or off the deviated track, the vehicle being guided first on one side and then on the other.

Claim 3

A switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second fixed, guide terminates at a distance from the straight track sufficient to allow outer said guide rollers of a vehicle to clear the guide when the vehicle is running along the straight track.

Claim 4

A switch for a track for a vehicle the vehicle having wheels rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and arranged to cooperate with inwardly-facing, substantially vertical surfaces of the track and guide rollers for co-operation with said wheels as the vehicle traverses the switch, the switch being arranged to allow a vehicle to travel over one of two routes, the first route along a first track and the second route from the first track onto a second track, the switch having a first guide element, a second guide element adjacent and on either side respectively of the frog of the switch, said first and second elements each having a substantially vertical, inwardly-facing surface for guiding the wheels of the vehicle and a substantially vertical, outwardly-facing surface for co-operation with guide rollers on the vehicle whereby the vehicle can be guided by one or other of said elements through the switch, and a further, deformable guide element with inwardly- and outwardly-facing substantially vertical surfaces whereby a vehicle can be guided by said wheels and rollers from the deformable element onto the first or second element according to the deformation of the deformable element.

Claim 5

A switch for a track for a vehicle the vehicle having wheels rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and arranged to cooperate with inwardly-facing, substantially vertical surfaces of the track and guide rollers for co-operation with said wheels as the vehicle traverses the switch, the switch being arranged to allow a vehicle to travel over one of two routes, the first route along a first track and the second route from the first track onto a second track, the switch having a first guide element, a second guide element adjacent and on either side respectively of the frog of the switch, said first and second elements each having a substantially vertical, inwardly-facing surface for guiding the wheels of the vehicle and a substantially vertical, outwardly-facing surface for co-operation with guide rollers on the vehicle whereby the vehicle can be guided by one or other of said elements through the switch, and a further, deformable guide element with inwardly- and outwardly-facing substantially vertical surfaces whereby a vehicle can be guided by said wheels and rollers from the deformable element onto the first or second element according to the deformation of the deformable element.