Rail transport switch arrangement

Claim 2

A switch arrangement for a rail transport system, comprising: a plurality of first rail connections laterally spaced from one another a first predetermined distance; a plurality of groups of second rail connections, each group of second rail connections being allocated to one of the plurality of first rail connections, each one of the plurality of groups extending laterally a second predetermined distance less than the first predetermined distance, each group having a predetermined number of second rail connections; the plurality of first rail connections being spaced from and opposing the plurality of groups of second rail connections in a longitudinal direction to define opposite sides of a path; a carriage movably mounted in the path between the defined opposite side; a plurality of laterally spaced rail connecting elements fixedly mounted to the carriage, the number of rail connecting elements corresponding to the number of second rail connections in each group; each of the rail connecting elements having a first free end extending in a direction toward one side of the path defined by the first rail connections and a second free end extending in a direction toward the opposite side of the path defined by the groups of second rail connections; the second free end being offset from the first free end of each corresponding rail connecting element for aligning with a different second rail connection of a respective group at times when the first free end is aligned with the allocated one of said plurality of first rail connections; and means for moving the carriage back and forth laterally in the defined path for aligning the second free ends of the connecting elements with corresponding ones of the plurality of second rail connections of each of the plurality of groups.

Claim 3

A switch arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of groups has the same number of second rail connections.

Claim 4

A switch arrangement according to claim 1 wherein at least one second rail connection, is at a level different than the at least one first rail connection, and the respective allocated rail connecting elements are inclined for compensation of the level difference.

Claim 5

A switch arrangement for a rail transport system, comprising: at least one first rail connection; at least one group of second rail connections, the one group including, a plurality of second rail connections allocated to the at least one first rail connection; the at least one first rail connection and the at least one group of second rail connections being spaced laterally relative one another defining one boundary of a path; a carriage movable in opposite directions along the defined path defined by the boundary; a plurality of laterally spaced rail connecting elements fixedly mounted to the carriage, each of the rail connecting elements having first and second free ends extending in the direction toward the defined boundary; each of the plurality of connecting elements being spaced from another and configured for aligning one of the first and second free ends of each connecting element with a respective one of the group of second rail connections at times when the other of the first and second free ends of connecting element is aligned with the at least one first rail connection; and means for moving the carriage in opposite directions along the defined path for aligning selectively the first and second free ends of the connecting elements with the respective at least first rail connection and each of the group of second rail connections.

Claim 6

A switch arrangement for a rail transport system, comprising: at least one first rail connection; at least one group of second rail connections, the one group including, a plurality of second rail connections allocated to the at least one first rail connection; the at least one first rail connection and the at least one group of second rail connections being spaced laterally relative one another defining one boundary of a path; a carriage movable in opposite directions along the defined path defined by the boundary; a plurality of laterally spaced rail connecting elements fixedly mounted to the carriage, each of the rail connecting elements having first and second free ends extending in the direction toward the defined boundary; each of the plurality of connecting elements being spaced from another and configured for aligning one of the first and second free ends of each connecting element with a respective one of the group of second rail connections at times when the other of the first and second free ends of connecting element is aligned with the at least one first rail connection; and means for moving the carriage in opposite directions along the defined path for aligning selectively the first and second free ends of the connecting elements with the respective at least first rail connection and each of the group of second rail connections.

Claim 7

A switch arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the at least one first rail connection is a plurality of laterally spaced first rail connections, and the at least one group of second rail connections is a plurality of groups of laterally spaced second rail connections; and wherein each of the plurality of groups has an equal number of the plurality of second rail connections.

Claim 8

A switch arrangement according to claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of first rail connections is allocated to a specific group of the plurality of groups of second rail connections.

Claim 9

A switch arrangement according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of second rail connections is disposed vertically at a level different than at least one of the plurality of first rail connections, and the connecting element allocated to one of the second rail connections is vertically inclined to compensate for the level difference.

Claim 10

A switch arrangement for a rail transport system, comprising: at least one first rail connection disposed at a first level; at least one group of a plurality of laterally spaced second rail connections allocated to the at least one first rail connection, at least one of the plurality of second rail connections of a group being disposed at a second level vertically distant from the first level; a carriage movably mounted to travel along a path adjacent the at least one first rail connection and the group of second rail connections; a plurality of laterally spaced connecting elements fixedly mounted on the carriage, each of the connecting elements having opposite first and second free ends extending from the carriage, one of the first and second free ends of the at least one connecting element being disposed at the first level, and the other free end thereof being disposed at the second level; each of first and second free ends of the plurality of rail connecting elements being laterally offset from each other a predetermined distance wherein each one of the first free ends is selectively aligned with the at least one first rail connection at times when the corresponding second free end of the corresponding connecting element is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of second rail connections; and means for moving the carriage back and forth along said path for selectively forming transport routes from the at least one first rail connection and the aligned ones of the at least one group of rail connections, at least one of the transport routes extending from the at least one first rail connection via the connecting element having each of the first and second free ends at the corresponding first and second levels, and the at least one second rail connection of the at least one group being disposed at the second level.

Claim 11

A switch arrangement for a rail transport system, comprising: at least one first rail connection disposed at a first level; at least one group of a plurality of laterally spaced second rail connections allocated to the at least one first rail connection, at least one of the plurality of second rail connections of a group being disposed at a second level vertically distant from the first level; a carriage movably mounted to travel along a path adjacent the at least one first rail connection and the group of second rail connections; a plurality of laterally spaced connecting elements fixedly mounted on the carriage, each of the connecting elements having opposite first and second free ends extending from the carriage, one of the first and second free ends of the at least one connecting element being disposed at the first level, and the other free end thereof being disposed at the second level; each of first and second free ends of the plurality of rail connecting elements being laterally offset from each other a predetermined distance wherein each one of the first free ends is selectively aligned with the at least one first rail connection at times when the corresponding second free end of the corresponding connecting element is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of second rail connections; and means for moving the carriage back and forth along said path for selectively forming transport routes from the at least one first rail connection and the aligned ones of the at least one group of rail connections, at least one of the transport routes extending from the at least one first rail connection via the connecting element having each of the first and second free ends at the corresponding first and second levels, and the at least one second rail connection of the at least one group being disposed at the second level.

Claim 12

A switch arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the at least one group of second rail connections includes a plurality of groups with each group having an equal number of plurality of second rail connections.

Claim 13

A switch arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the at least one first rail connection opposes the at least one group of second rail connections to define opposite boundaries of a path, and the first free ends of said rail connecting elements extend from one side of the carriage toward the at least one first rail connection and the second free ends extend from the other side of the carriage toward the at least one group of second rail connections.

Claim 14

A switch arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the at least one first rail connection and the at least one group of second rail connections are laterally spaced from each other defining one boundary of the path, and the first and said second free ends extend from the same side of said carriage in a direction toward the one boundary.

Claim 15

A switch arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the at least one first rail connection is a plurality of first rail connections each allocated to one of a single group of second rail connections.

Claim 16

A switch arrangement according to claims 1, 4 or 8 further comprising a main rail section having a branch rail and an opening, and the at least one first rail connection is connected to said opening.

Claim 17

A switch arrangement according to claims 1, 4 or 8 wherein the means for moving the carriage back and forth along the path includes a rack gear.