Railroad type switch

Claim 2

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connected between a single main track and a pair of diverging tracks, said switch asssembly comprising first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections, said first and second track sections having first abutting end portions and second end portions respectively operatively connected to said main track and said pair of diverging tracks, said first track comprising a continuation of said main track and said second track section comprising a continuation of said pair of diverging tracks, means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align said first track section with the tracks of said second track section thereby selectively to direct a vehicle on said main track to either of said diverging tracks; said means for moving said first ends of the track sections including a ram, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in said assembly and pivotally connected at one end to said ram for movement thereby between two extreme positions, means for pivotally connecting said lever to said first ends of said track sections, on opposite sides of its pivotal mounting, and spring biased toggle means for biasing said lever into the extreme position to which it is moved by said ram, whereby said first ends of the track sections are moved in opposite directions upon actuation of said ram.

Claim 3

The switch assembly as defined in claim 1 including flexible coupling means for flexibly connecting said second end portions of said track sections to said main track and said diverging track.

Claim 4

The track assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said first track section comprises a pair of railroad type rails operatively connected by ties and said second track section comprises two pairs of diverging railroad type rails operatively interconnected by ties, and roller means mounted on the ties adjacent said abutting first ends of the track sections for movably supporting said rails.

Claim 5

The track assembly as defined in claim 3 including means defining a limited path of travel for said rollers.

Claim 6

The track assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said vehicles each include address means for providing a representation of the vehicle destination, and said assembly includes means for determining a vehicle destination from said address means and for controlling operation of said track section moving means in accordance with said destination.

Claim 7

The assembly as defined in claim 5 including means adjacent the abutting ends of said track sections for detecting the presence of a vehicle spanning said track sections, said detecting means preventing operation fo said moving means in response to said vehicle destination determining means until the vehicle previously spanning said abutting track ends has moved completely onto said second track section.

Claim 8

The swtich assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the tracked vehicles each have a ski member suspended therefrom and extending from in front of their front wheels to behind their rear wheels; and a cam roller mounted on said lever in the path of travel of said skis for engagement thereby adjacent the bias of said spring whereby said lever is pivoted by such engagement to engage said projection means with one of said cam surfaces, thereby to cam said track sections into alignment and to prevent movement of said track sections while a vehicle spans said abutting ends of the track sections.

Claim 9

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connecteD between a single main track and a pair of diverging tracks, said switch assembly comprising first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections, said first and second track sections having first abutting end portions and second end portions respectively operatively connected to said main track and said pair of diverging tracks, said first track section comprising a continuation of said main track and said second track section comprising a continuation of said pair of diverging tracks, means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align said first track section with the tracks of said second track section thereby selectively to direct a vehicle on said main track to either of said diverging tracks; and means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means; said locking means comprising means for providing a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces operatively connected to one of said track sections corresponding respectively to the two positions of said track sections, and projection means for selectively engaging said surfaces.

Claim 10

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connecteD between a single main track and a pair of diverging tracks, said switch assembly comprising first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections, said first and second track sections having first abutting end portions and second end portions respectively operatively connected to said main track and said pair of diverging tracks, said first track section comprising a continuation of said main track and said second track section comprising a continuation of said pair of diverging tracks, means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align said first track section with the tracks of said second track section thereby selectively to direct a vehicle on said main track to either of said diverging tracks; and means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means; said locking means comprising means for providing a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces operatively connected to one of said track sections corresponding respectively to the two positions of said track sections, and projection means for selectively engaging said surfaces.

Claim 11

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connected between a single main track and a pair of diverging tracks, said switch assembly comprising first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections, said first and second track sections having first abutting end portions and second end portions respectively operatively connected to said main track and said pair of diverging tracks, said first track section comprising a continuation of said main track and said second track section comprising a continuation of said pair of diverging tracks, means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align said first track section with the tracks of said second track section thereby selectively to direct a vehicle on said main track to either of said diverting tracks; means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means; and means operatively connected to said second track section defining a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces, projection means having a V-shaped configuration including surfaces being substantially complementary to the configuration of said cam surfaces and being movably mounted in said assembly, and means for engaging said projection means against one of said cam surfaces when said track sections are moved thereby, to cam said track sections into alignment and to lock said track sections in a relatively fixed position after movement.

Claim 12

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connected between a single main track and a pair of diverging tracks, said switch assembly comprising first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections, said first and second track sections having first abutting end portions and second end portions respectively operatively connected to said main track and said pair of diverging tracks, said first track section comprising a continuation of said main track and said second track section comprising a continuation of said pair of diverging tracks, means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align said first track section with the tracks of said second track section thereby selectively to direct a vehicle on said main track to either of said diverting tracks; means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means; and means operatively connected to said second track section defining a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces, projection means having a V-shaped configuration including surfaces being substantially complementary to the configuration of said cam surfaces and being movably mounted in said assembly, and means for engaging said projection means against one of said cam surfaces when said track sections are moved thereby, to cam said track sections into alignment and to lock said track sections in a relatively fixed position after movement.

Claim 13

The switch assembly as defined in claim 9 including means for detecting the presence of a vehicle adjacent the abutting ends of said track sections for holding said projection against one of said cam surfaces at least until the vehicle wheels have passed the abutting ends of the track sections onto said second track section.

Claim 14

The switch assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for engaging said projection against said cam surfaces includes a pivotally mounted lever operatively connected at one end to said projection means, a ram operatively connected to the opposite end of said lever for reciprocating said lever, and spring means normally biasing said lever into a position wherein said projection is out of said recess.

Claim 15

The switch assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the tracked vehicles each have a ski member suspended therefrom and extending from in front of their front wheels to behind their rear wheels and said means for detecting the presence of a vehicle adjacent the abutting ends of said track sections comprises a cam roller mounted on said lever in the path of travel of said skis for engagement thereby against the bias of said spring whereby said lever is pivoted by Such engagement to engage said projection means against one of said cam surfaces.

Claim 16

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connected between a single main track, defined by a pair of railroad-type rails, and a pair of diverging tracks defined by two pairs of diverging railroad-type rails, said assembly being adapted to divert selectively a vehicle moving along said single main track to a selected one of said pair of diverging tracks, the assembly comprising, first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections having first abutting end portions and second opposite end portions, said first track section comprising a pair of parallely extending rails operatively connected to the respective rails of said main track at the second end portions thereof; said second track section comprising two pairs of generally parallely extending rails operatively connected at their second end portions to the respective rails of said pair of diverging tracks; means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align the rails of said first track section with the rails of a selected pair of rails in said second track section, thereby to divert a vehicle traveling along said main track onto the selected pair of rails of said second section and onto one of said pairs of diverging tracks; and means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means.

Claim 17

A tracked vehicle switch assembly operatively connected between a single main track, defined by a pair of railroad-type rails, and a pair of diverging tracks defined by two pairs of diverging railroad-type rails, said assembly being adapted to divert selectively a vehicle moving along said single main track to a selected one of said pair of diverging tracks, the assembly comprising, first and second generally longitudinally aligned movable track sections having first abutting end portions and second opposite end portions, said first track section comprising a pair of parallely extending rails operatively connected to the respective rails of said main track at the second end portions thereof; said second track section comprising two pairs of generally parallely extending rails operatively connected at their second end portions to the respective rails of said pair of diverging tracks; means for selectively and simultaneously moving said first abutting ends of said track sections in opposite directions and in substantially the same plane to selectively align the rails of said first track section with the rails of a selected pair of rails in said second track section, thereby to divert a vehicle traveling along said main track onto the selected pair of rails of said second section and onto one of said pairs of diverging tracks; and means for locking said first and second track sections in the position to which they are moved by said moving means.

Claim 18

The track assembly as defined in claim 13 including flexible coupling means for flexibly connecting said rails in said assembly to their associated rails in said main track and said pair of diverging tracks; said means for moving said rails including a ram operatively connected to the abutting ends of said first and second track sections for moving said abutting ends of said sections in opposite directions to selectively align the rails in said first section, at a first position, with one pair of rails in said second section, and to align the rails in said second section, at a second position, with the other pair of rails in said second section.

Claim 19

The track assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein the vehicles moving on said main track each include address means for providing a representation of the vehicle destination, said assembly including first detecting means for detecting a vehicle destination from said address means and for controlling said ram to move said first and second track sections to said first and second positions in accordance with the detected destination of the vehicle.

Claim 20

The assembly as defined in claim 16 including second detecing means adjacent the abutting ends of said track sections for detecting the presence of a vehicle spanning the abutting ends of said track sections and for preventing operation of said ram in response to said first detecting means until the vehicle spanning said abutting track ends has moved completely onto said second track section.

Claim 21

The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said rails in said first and second track sections are respectively interconnected by tie members and said locking means comprises means operatively connected to the tie of said second track section for defining a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces corresponding respectively to said first and second positions of said track section; projection means having a pair of surfaces respectively conforming substantially to the configuration of said cam surfaces and movably mounted in said assembly, and means for engaging said projection means against a respective one of said cam surfaces when said track is moved into said first and second positions, thereby to lock said track sections in a relatively fixed position; said engaging means being operatively connected to said first and second detecting means for removing said projection means from engagement with a cam surface in response to said first detection meaNs but only after a vehicle spanning said abutting ends of the track sections has moved onto the second track section as determined by said second detecting means thereby to permit said ram to move said track sections in response to said first detecting means.

Claim 22

The track assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said inserting means comprises a lever pivotally mounted in said assembly for movement in a vertical plane and having said projection means mounted at one end thereof; a second ram operatively connected to the opposite end of said lever for reciprocating said lever, and spring means normally biasing said lever into a position wherein said projection is out of said recess.

Claim 23

The switch assembly as defined in claim 17 including roller means mounted on the ties adjacent said abutting first ends of the track sections for movably supporting said rails.

Claim 24

The switch assembly as defined in claim 17 including support means located in said assembly adjacent the abutting ends of said track sections; a lever pivotally mounted on said support means intermediate its ends and pivotally connected at one end to said ram, and means for pivotally connecting the said lever to the ties of said first and second track sections, on opposite sides of its pivotal mounting on said support means, whereby said first ends of the track sections are moved in opposite directions upon actuation of said ram.

Claim 25

The switch assembly as defined in claim 20 including spring biased toggle means for biasing said lever into the extreme position to which it is moved by said ram.

Claim 26

A track positioning device for use in a tracked vehicle switch assembly wherein a first track section is moved between two positions with respect to a pair of diverging track sections to selectively direct a vehicle from the first track section to one of said diverging track sections, said positioning device comprising means mounted in said switch assembly for defining a pair of adjacent oppositely inclined cam surfaces corresponding respectively to the two positions of said first track section; projection means having a pair of surfaces whose configurations are respectively complementary to said cam surfaces and movably mounted in said switch assembly and means for engaging said projection means against one of said cam surfaces when said track is moved into one of its two positions, thereby to properly position said first track section with respect to said pair of diverging track sections.

Claim 27

A track positioning device for use in a tracked vehicle switch assembly wherein a first track section is moved between two positions with respect to a pair of diverging track sections to selectively direct a vehicle from the first track section to one of said diverging track sections, said positioning device comprising means mounted in said switch assembly for defining a pair of adjacent oppositely inclined cam surfaces corresponding respectively to the two positions of said first track section; projection means having a pair of surfaces whose configurations are respectively complementary to said cam surfaces and movably mounted in said switch assembly and means for engaging said projection means against one of said cam surfaces when said track is moved into one of its two positions, thereby to properly position said first track section with respect to said pair of diverging track sections.

Claim 28

The device as defined in claim 22 wherein said inserting means comprises a lever pivotally mounted in said assembly for movement in a vertical plane and having said projection means mounted at one end thereof; a second ram operatively connected to the opposite end of said lever for reciprocating said lever, and spring means normally biasing said lever into a position wherein said projection is out of said recess.

Claim 29

The device as defined in claim 23 wherein the tracked vehicles each have a ski member suspended therefrom and extending from in front of their front wheels to behind their rear wheels; and a cam roller mounted on said lever in the path of travel of said skis for engagement thereby adjacent the bias of said spring whereby said lever is pivoted by such engagement to engage said projection means against one of said cam surfaces, thereby to cam said track sections into alignment and to prevent movement of said track sections while a vehicle spans said abutting ends of the track sections.

Claim 30

The device as defined in claim 23 wherein said cam surfaces are formed by a generally inverted V-shaped block and define a ridge therebetween, below said projection means, whereby said device will cam said track sections into alignment at each pivotal movement of said lever.

Claim 31

A track positioning device for use in a tracked vehicle switch assembly wherein a first track section is moved between two extreme positions with respect to a pair of diverging track sections, said positioning device comprising an inverted V-shaped wedge adapted to be mounted in said switch assembly and defining a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces having a thin edge therebetween at the apex of said wedge; locking means having a generally V-shaped configuration including a pair of cam surfaces respectively complementary to the cam surfaces of said wedge, means for movably mounting said locking means into said assembly for movement with respect to said wedge and means for selectively engaging the respective complementary cam surfaces of said wedge and locking means as said track is moved into either of its extreme positions, thereby to cam said track sections into the extreme position to which it is being moved.

Claim 32

A track positioning device for use in a tracked vehicle switch assembly wherein a first track section is moved between two extreme positions with respect to a pair of diverging track sections, said positioning device comprising an inverted V-shaped wedge adapted to be mounted in said switch assembly and defining a pair of oppositely inclined cam surfaces having a thin edge therebetween at the apex of said wedge; locking means having a generally V-shaped configuration including a pair of cam surfaces respectively complementary to the cam surfaces of said wedge, means for movably mounting said locking means into said assembly for movement with respect to said wedge and means for selectively engaging the respective complementary cam surfaces of said wedge and locking means as said track is moved into either of its extreme positions, thereby to cam said track sections into the extreme position to which it is being moved.

Claim 33

the track positioning device as defined in claim 26 wherein said selective engaging means includes means on the vehicles traveling along said switch assembly for operatively engaging said locking means and urging the locking means into engagement with said wedge as the vehicle passes over said switch assembly.