EP0711234B1 - Device for locking a switch blade - Google Patents

Abstract

A switch clamp (16, 16, 18, 20) may be fixed in position by roller elements (28, 36, 40) on the one hand on a sliding rod (16) and on the other hand on a locking piece (14).

Description

The invention relates to a device for locking a switch tongue with a stock rail comprising a locking piece starting from the stock rail and a indirectly or directly articulated to the switch tongue and penetrating the locking piece and a locking clip penetrating the locking clip and the locking clip for unlocking or locking the switch tongue, which is mounted on a support and which has a sliding element such as a rod, with the switch tongue being locked, the locking clip rests on a support surface which extends indirectly or directly from the locking piece.

A corresponding switch bracket can be found in EP 0 455 182 A2. The resultant force running between the axis of rotation of the locking clip and the support surface intersects the transition area of the rail foot and web of the switch tongue. Furthermore, the vertical force component runs within or in the immediate vicinity of the rail base, so that the switch tongue cannot tilt in the locked position.

In the locked position, the locking clip is clamped between a push rod and a support surface, so that considerable friction forces have to be overcome when unlocking, even if the locking clip should be supported by a roller element on the push rod.

While the switch tongue is being moved from its locked to its open position, the rail foot rests on a sliding chair, so that sufficient lubrication must be ensured, which requires extensive maintenance.

In order to reduce maintenance work, EP 0 455 153 A2 proposes that the switch tongue be held down on the base only in the locked and open position, whereas a spacing from the base occurs between these positions. However, this requires that the locking clip be on a stationary support is supported, along which a push rod is displaceable in such a way that rollers of the locking clip in the locked and open position are fixed in receptacles formed between the support and the push rod and are captured and carried during the displacement of sections of the push rod.

Further devices for locking switch tongues can be found in DE 73 483, FR 550 064 or US 2 533 929.

According to FR-A-550 004, a roller element starts from a push rod, which runs in a V-shaped slotted slot in the locking clip that starts from the switch tongue. Due to the design, there is a certain stiffness when adjusting the push rod. A clear fixation of the roller element in the link slot is also not ensured.

The present invention is based on the object of developing a device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the switch tongue can be locked or opened using structurally simple measures, with ease of movement resulting in a reduction in maintenance. It should also be ensured that the locked switch tongue cannot be unlocked even if the sliding element of the locking clip is no longer properly gripped or, if necessary, released from it. Finally, it must be possible to space the switch tongue in the unlocked position from the base of the sliding chair. Optimal storage should also be guaranteed.

The object is achieved essentially by the fact that at least one support element bearing on the support surface is elastically supported in such a way that soft support is provided for static loads and hard support for dynamic loads.

In particular, all of the support elements, such as roller element, starting from the closure clip are supported according to the invention. Alternatively, of course, there is also the possibility that the elements which are soft under static load and hard under dynamic load do not originate from the locking clip, but are supported on corresponding roller elements which e.g. can be arranged on the closure piece or a push rod.

It is preferably provided that the locking clip rests on a (first) roller element on the support surface designed as a curved segment, that offset in the direction of the switch tongue, a second roller element extends from the locking clip and from a section that runs in the sliding direction of the sliding element (horizontally) and one section this angled and facing away from the switch tongue section extending in the sliding element is received, the second roller element being in the horizontal section of the guide when the switch tongue is locked and in the unlocked position in the angled section thereof.

These measures allow the locking clip to be taken along by the sliding element such as a push rod in order to lock or unlock the switch and to open it. The presence of roller elements results in a low-friction movement, which can reduce maintenance work.

To ensure that the switch tongue remains locked even when e.g. B. the second roller element is no longer gripped by the push rod, it is provided that the curve segment in the end region facing your sliding element has a curvature deviating from the radius of the first roller element such that in the absence of a controlled vertical (vertical) force component in the sliding direction the locking clip that first role element remains in the curve segment.

In other words, the first roller element must overcome a dead center at the end of the curve segment so that the switch tongue can be unlocked. For this purpose, the first roller element is elastically supported.

In order to ensure that the second roller element remains in the angled section of the guide running in the push rod when the switch tongue is unlocked, it is proposed that a guide path for the first roller element runs along the displacement path of the sliding element at least above the angled section of the guide in such a way that the second one Roller element remains in the angled section. In other words, the clear distance between the guideway and the apex of the first roller element in the case of the second roller element present in the angled section is smaller than the effective length of the angled section for the second roller element.

In order that the locking clip can be moved without tilting from the push rod, a further development of the invention provides that the locking clip comprises two angle levers running parallel to one another and supporting the first and second roller elements, between which the sliding element runs.

An inventive development of the invention is characterized in that the sliding element facing away from the stock rail has a projecting section or shoulder, with which, when the switch is unlocked, the locking clip is supported on the base-side support in the form of preferably a further (third) roller element, which results in a spacing between the switch tongue foot and the base like a sliding chair. Consequently, it is ensured with structurally simple measures that the switch tongue can be spaced apart from the base in the unlocked position.

In particular, the section or shoulder projecting on the bottom should have a length such that the switch tongue rests on the base in the locked or open position, but is spaced from the base during the displacement path.

Further details, advantages and features of the invention result not only from the claims, the features to be extracted from them - individually and / or in combination - but also from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment which can be seen from the drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Schnittdarstellung durch eine Weiche mit Klammerverschluß und verriegelter sowie verklammerter Weichenzunge,

Fig. 2

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1 mit noch verklammerter Weichenzunge,

Fig. 3

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1 mit entriegelter und nicht verklammerter Weichenzunge,

Fig. 4

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1 mit vollständig entriegelter Weichenzunge,

Fig. 5

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1 mit zu einer Unterlage beabstandeter Weichenzunge,

Fig. 6

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1 mit aufgeschlagener Weichenzunge und

Fig. 7

der Klammerverschluß nach Fig. 1, bei der die Weichenzunge in ihre verriegelte Stellung verschoben wird.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a sectional view through a switch with clamp closure and locked and clamped switch tongue,

Fig. 2

1 with the switch tongue still clamped,

Fig. 3

1 with unlocked and not clamped switch tongue,

Fig. 4

1 with fully unlocked switch tongue,

Fig. 5

1 with the switch tongue spaced apart from a base,

Fig. 6

the clip closure of Fig. 1 with open switch tongue and

Fig. 7

1, in which the switch tongue in its locked position is moved.

In the figures, in which the same elements have the same reference numerals, a section of a switch consisting of stock rail (10) and switch tongue (12) is shown, which is locked or unlocked by means of a clamp closure.

For this purpose, a locking piece (14) starts from the stock rail (10) in a known manner, which is penetrated on the one hand by a push rod (16) and on the other hand by a locking clip (18), preferably in the form of one of two parallel levers, between which the Push rod (16) runs.

The locking clip (18) is based on a clip receptacle (20) and is rotatably mounted in it about an axis (22). The clamp receptacle (20) itself is preferably firmly connected in a known manner to the foot (24) of the switch tongue (12).

A support for a first roller element (28) designed as a curved segment (26) extends from the closure piece (14). The roller element (28) itself is arranged at the free end of an angled leg (30) of the locking clip (18). The locking clip or the angle lever (18) have approximately a U-shape with legs (30) and (32) of different lengths, of which the longer leg (32) rotatably extends from the bracket receptacle (20) and the shorter leg (30) mentioned the first roller element (28) carries.

In the transition area between the short leg (30) and a middle leg (34) of the angle lever (18), a second roller element (36) is also elastically mounted, which extends within an angled guide (38) of the push rod (16).

The push rod (16) itself is supported on a third roller element (40) in the bottom region of the closure piece (14).

Furthermore, the locking clip (18) at the end of the leg (32), ie in the transition area a further roller element (42), which is supported on the upper surface (44) of the push rod (16), between the middle leg (34) and the leg (32) extending from the clamp receptacle (20).

Regarding the angled guide (38), it should be noted that it consists of an essentially horizontal section (46) and a section (48) describing an obtuse angle, which extends in the direction of the underside (50) of the push rod (16) .

Protruding from the underside (50) of the push rod (16) is a shoulder (52), the length of which is less than the distance of the displacement path of the switch tongue (12) between the locked and open positions.

Finally, with regard to the support (27) having the curve segment (26), which can be a section of the closure piece (14) or an element connected to it, it should be noted that one of these has a guide track (54) for the first roller element (28 ) forming plate or a web (56) which extends below the stock rail (10).

In Fig. 1 the switch is shown with a locked switch tongue (12) resting against a stock rail (10). The first roller element (28) starting from the angle lever (18) bears against the curve segment (26). The connecting line between the support thus formed and the axis (22) of the angle lever (18) intersects the transition area between the web and the foot of the stock rail (10). This ensures that the switch tongue (12) bears securely against the stock rail (10). Furthermore, since the vertical force component passing through the axis (22) runs directly in the region of the foot (24) of the switch tongue (12), it is also ensured that the switch tongue (12) cannot tip over.

In the locked position, the second roller element (36) is also located in the horizontally extending section (46) of the guide (38).

If the switch tongue (12) is to be unlocked, the push rod (16) must be moved in the direction of the arrow (58). The roller element (28) moves along the curve segment (26). At the same time, the second roller element (36) reaches the transition area between the horizontal section (46) of the guide (38) and the angled section (48).

In order to carry out a complete unlocking (Fig. 3), however, the roller element (28), which is elastically mounted, must overcome a so-called dead center, which is generated by the curve segment (26) in that the end region (16) facing the push rod (16) 60) is not adapted to the radius of the roller element (28). Rather, the distance in the end region (60) and the axis of rotation (22) is greater than the distance between the axis of rotation (22) and the axis of rotation (62) of the roller element (28) minus its radius. The dead center is overcome, however, by forcing the second roller element (38) along the angled section (48), that is to say its inclined wall in the direction of the floor, when the push rod (16) is moved further in the direction of the arrow (58) (64) of section (48). As a result, a vertical force component is introduced onto the angle lever (18) to such an extent that the roller element (28) can overcome the dead center (60).

This position is shown in FIG. 3, in which the roller element (28) has overcome the dead center (60) of the curve segment (26). When moving further in the direction of arrow (58), the roller element (36) continues to reach the bottom (64) of section (48) of the guide (38). At the same time, the distance between the roller element (28) and the curve segment (26) increases. However, in order that the roller element (36) mounted in the angled section (48) of the guide (38) cannot slide up into the horizontal section (46) in an uncontrolled manner, the guide track (54) is provided, the clear distance of which from the apex of the roller element (28 ) is smaller than the possible free path length of the roller element (36) in the angled section (48) of the guide (38).

When moving further along the section (48), during which the push rod (16) rolls with its underside (50) on the third roller element (40), the underside (50) with the projection (52) reaches the roller element (40) whereby the switch tongue (12) is lifted from its base like a sliding chair (66). During the displacement of the switch tongue (12) from the locked position (FIGS. 1 and 2) to the fully opened position (FIG. 6), the switch tongue (12) can be spaced from the sliding chair (66). The switch tongue (12) is then placed back on the sliding chair (66). This is ensured by the fact that the underside (50) of the push rod rests on the roller element (40) outside the shoulder (52).

If the switch is to be locked again, the push rod (16) is displaced in the direction of the arrow (68), the switch tongue (12) being lifted at the same time, since the push rod (16) is now open again with its bottom-side shoulder (52) rolls off the roller element (40).

Regarding the guide (38), it should also be noted that this is a continuous recess in the push rod (16), which extends partially in a section (70) projecting towards the stock rail (10).

To i.a. To absorb vibrations of the push rod (16), not only are the roller elements (28), (36), (40) and (42) elastically supported, but in addition, the element (56) which extends above the push rod (16) , a spring assembly introducing a vertical force into the push rod (16).

According to the invention, the roller elements (28), (36), (40) and (42) are to be mounted elastically in such a way that a soft bearing results under static loading and a hard bearing under dynamic loading.

Claims (8)

1. A device for locking of a switch tongue (12) with a stock rail (10) comprising a locking piece (14) extending from said stock rail, a locking clamp (18) connected indirectly or directly in articulated form to said switch tongue and passing through said locking piece, and a sliding element such as a sliding bar (16) mounted on a support (40) and passing through said locking clamp and moving the latter in order to unlock or lock said switch tongue, said locking clamp being in contact with a support surface (26) extending indirectly or directly from said locking piece when said switch tongue is locked,
   wherein
   at least one support element (28) in contact with said supporting surface (26) is elastically mounted such that under static load soft mounting results and under dynamic loading hard mounting.
2. A device for locking of a switch tongue (12) with a stock rail (10) comprising a locking piece (14) extending from said stock rail, a locking clamp (18) connected indirectly or directly in articulated form to said switch tongue and passing through said locking piece, and a sliding element such as a sliding bar (16) mounted on a support (40) and passing through said locking clamp and moving the latter in order to unlock or lock said switch tongue, said locking clamp being in contact with a support surface (26) extending indirectly or directly from said locking piece when said switch tongue is locked,
   wherein
   said locking clamp (18) is in contact via a (first) roller element (28) with a support surface designed as a curved segment (26), a second roller element (36) offset in the direction of said switch tongue (12) extends from said locking clamp (18) and is held by a guide (38) in said sliding element (16) and having a section running (horizontally) in the sliding direction of said sliding element (16) and a section (48) at an angle thereto and facing away from said switch tongue, said second roller element being located in the horizontal section of said guide when said switch tongue is locked and in its angled section in the unlocked position.
3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2,
   wherein
   said curved segment (26) has in the end part (60) facing said sliding element (16) a curvature differing from the radius of said first roller element (28) such that in the absence of a (vertical) force component introduced in controlled form vertical to the sliding direction into said locking clamp (18) said first roller element remains inside said curved segment.
4. A device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3,
   wherein
   a guideway (54) for said first roller element (28) is provided along the movement path (56, 68) of said sliding element (16) at least above said angled section (48) of said guide (38) such that said second roller element (36) remains inside said angled section (48).
5. A device according to one or more of the preceding Claims 2 to 4,
   wherein
   said locking clamp (18) comprises two angle levers parallel to one another and supporting said first and second roller elements (28, 36), between which levers runs said sliding element (16).
6. A device according to one or more of the preceding Claims 2 to 5,
   wherein
   said sliding element (16) has a projecting section or step (52) on its bottom side by which said sliding element is in contact with said support (40) preferably in the form of a third roller element at least when said switch tongue (12) is unlocked to ensure clearance of said switch tongue from the base.
7. A device according to Claim 6,
   wherein
   said sliding element (16) is supported by its projecting section (52) on said base (66) such as a slide chair outside said support (40) in the locked and completely opened position in order to support said switch tongue (12).
8. A device according to one or more of the preceding Claims 2 to 74,
   wherein
   said guide (38) holding said second roller element (36) is in part inside a section (70) of said sliding element (16) projecting in the direction of said switch tongue (12).

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